Media Loves Sex Scandals...Public Could Care Less

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Media Loves Sex Scandals...Public Could Care Less

When it comes to sex scandals the media seems to just eat them up. 

As for the public? 

Not so much. 

Michael Wolff writes in USA Today all the media outlets in New York, as well as many nationally, have expressed feelings of disdain and grossness about the candidacies of sex scandal personalities Anthony Weiner and Eliot Spitzer.

Yet, Spitzer, despite the constant rehashing of his expensive prostitution habit, overwhelmingly leads his opponent. And Weiner, notwithstanding the relentless jokes about his private part tweets, jumped to the top of a crowded field with little effort.

The former New York governor and the former Brooklyn congressman are hardly the only sex-tainted politicians around the country to have emerged from media opprobrium and mockery to flourish in renewed careers.

Baffling the media, Mark Sanford, the South Carolina governor who had an operatic affair, is now in Congress. Bill Clinton, of course, continues to stand as a monument to dashed media expectations.

So how come the media is so stubbornly out of step with its audience and, evidently, the new political mores?

More after the leap.   

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Motown Weatherman Signs off

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Detroit insiders tell FTVLive that a week ago, WJBK morning meteorologist Ben Bailey handed in his two week notice to VP News/ND Dana Hahn. 

Bailey has been with the station nearly nine years, as morning meteorologist. 

His last day was Friday, as he uses out his vacation time.

He posted this message to the station's website: 

"After nearly nine years at Fox 2, I've decided it's time for me to move on. I appreciate the opportunity Fox has given me to do what I love most. A heartfelt "thank you" to all of our loyal viewers. You are the reason for our success in the morning."

Hahn has stated in the past "the only reason people watch the morning news is for Ben Bailey." It was a line that didn't sit well with some staffers and now it means viewers have no reason to watch WJBK in the mornings.

No word yet on where Bailey is headed, though it is common knowledge he aspires to be a chief meteorologist says our source. 

Stay tuned... 

Univision to End July Book on Top

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It's the July book....and let's be honest it really doesn't count. But, you still have to give some props to spanish language network Univision.

Univision is about to finish the July book at No. 1 in both the 18-49 and 18-34 demographic groups, beating all of the English-language broadcast networks – a sweep first for the Spanish-language network.

During the book, Univision is delivering an average audience of nearly 3.6 million total viewers, 1.8 million Adults 18-49, 874,000 Adults 18-34, and 1.1 million Persons 12-34 in primetime. Those stats also put Univision in first place for the sweep among 12-34 year olds — with a 30 percent lead over nearest competitor, Fox. While fourth placed among viewers of all ages (ahead of Fox), Univision leaps to the top of the pack with 18-49-ers, who are the currency of most scripted entertainment programming ad sales.

In that age bracket,  Univision will wrap the sweep 21 percent ahead of second place broadcaster, Fox.

“Finishing the February sweep as the No. 4 network, ahead of  NBC, made a major impact. Wrapping up July – during a time when other networks are investing more than ever in summer programming – as the No. 1 network among both Adults 18-49 and 18-34 for the first time, is making history,” said Univision CEO Randy Falco who, before joining the Univision, spent 30 years at NBC.

H/T Deadline  

Taking the Helm at Al Jazeera America

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Al Jazeera America has finally gotten around to naming a president.

ABC News's Kate O’Brian will be in charge when the network hits the air next month.

O’Brian will oversee AJAM’s newsgathering and programming.

“Kate’s arrival speaks volumes about what we intend to do and how we intend to do it,” said Al Jazeera, in a statement. “She is a highly experienced and award-winning journalist who fully understands what Americans want to see and hear when they watch the news.”

She is a 30 year veteran of ABC News.

The network is still looking for a CEO.  

 

Like We Said...

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FTVLive FIRST told you in an Exclusive report that WPLG Weatherman Scott Padgett was headed to KTVT in Dallas (others swiped FTVLive's story with no attribution).  

FTVLive reported the story on July 18th, now the station has announced what we FIRST reported. Padgett is joining the station in Mid September.

“It feels like I’m coming home,” he said in the station's press release. “I’m so excited that I’ll get to watch my nephews’ ball games and spend holidays with my folks.”

Hello O-Town

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Today's FTVLive is coming to you from the land of Mickey and Shamu, Orlando, Florida. 

I'm in O-Town playing in a qualifier for the State Match Play golf tournament.  

This is my 5th day in a row of tournament golf, which is almost as much golf as I have played this entire Summer so far.

After Today's round it is back to the FTVLive World Headquarters and then on Wednesday morning it's one more qualifier before things settle down and get back to normal.  

I hope so...I need some sleep.  

Fox News Anchor Headed to SoFlo

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Fox News Anchor Headed to SoFlo

It appears that Fox News Anchor Rick Folbaum is leaving the Big Apple and headed to South Florida.

Nothing has been announced from Fox as of yet, but Folbaum's wife has let the cat out of the bag on her blog.

Folbaum's wife Kelcey Kintner writes a blog called The Mama Bird Diaries. on her latest entry she writes "We are moving. To the Miami area. I have lived in New York a long time and it’s hard to imagine myself as anything but a girl who lives in NY but now I’m going to be a girl who lives in FL.

Why are we moving?

Mostly because we want to wait in long voting lines and be swing voters. And eat dinner much earlier. Plus, my husband got a new job opportunity down there. Wrangling alligators I think."

More after the jump.  

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Woman Claimed Reporter Solicited Sex from her on Facebook

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Woman Claimed Reporter Solicited Sex from her on Facebook

The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office has closed an investigation into a criminal complaint filed earlier this week by a woman who accused WAFB (Baton Rouge) reporter Jim Shannon of telling her via Facebook that he would give her $100 for oral sex.

Shannon attorney says his client did not make the offer and that his Facebook account was hacked. He claims it was someone else that posted the offer for oral sex.  

Shannon declined comment.

25 year old Kristen Clark Babin filed the complaint Monday with the Sheriff’s Office.

Detectives looked into a possible cyberstalking count but found “no credible evidence nor any criminal charge that coincides with the original complaint that was filed,” the Sheriff’s Office stated in a news release. The investigation is considered closed, the Sheriff’s Office said.

See the screen shots and  there is an interesting twist to this story. Find out after the jump.  

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KTVU Tries to Cover Up Mistake

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It appears that KTVU is getting sick and tired of being the Internet's whipping boy. 

The station that made quite possibly the most embarrassing mistake in TV news history (and that's saying a lot) is now trying to scrub the Internet of the video of their anchor reading the fake pilot names for Asiana Airlines Flight 214.

KTVU is filing copyright infringement against posted YouTube videos on the incident. 

It's a gutless move by a station trying to cover up their mistake. You can also bet if the video was one of their Reporter's doing something extraordinary, the video would still be online.

Of all the mistakes KTVU made on this story, trying to cover it up is one of the worst. 

Shame on KTVU! 

 

In Case you Missed It

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In case you didn't stop by FTVLive.com over the Weekend, then you missed the FTVLive posted story that will most likely make you gag a bit. 

For some reason Fox News Anchor Geraldo Rivera thought it would be a good idea to post a naked selfie of himself on Twitter. 

Maybe Rivera sees his body through rose colored glasses? Wait!!! After looking at the picture, he actually does see through rose colored glasses. 

After Geraldo Tweeted the photo, he deleted the tweet, writing: “Note to self: no tweeting after 1am,” Geraldo wrote on Sunday afternoon.

You can read our story from yesterday right here.  

Life After Resigning During the Newscast

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Life After Resigning During the Newscast

Remember the two Anchors from the maine TV station that resigned on air? 

Do you wonder what they are doing since? 

Well, we can tell you neither has landed a job in TV news since their on camera double resignation. 

“When we left the company, we knew we did not have anything to go to, and we knew it would be a challenge,” Cindy Michaels said. “You somehow make it. I told myself, ‘I am a survivor. I will get through this.’”

Her latest job is a radio gig and selling vacation excursions through sharkdiver.com for Shark Diver, a San Diego company, she says.

Her co-anchor that quit with her, Tony Consiglio is now writing for a website called
sportsjerks.net which is described as a rare entry into the often frothy world of online sports journalism, he says, in that it is founded by two poets who really care about quality writing.

More on what happened after their on air quitting after the jump.   

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Shot Down in Chicago

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Shot Down in Chicago

WBBM's (Chicago) News Chopper reporter might be crash landing at the CBS O&O.

Our man Robert Feder says that after nearly 20 years as Chicago television's best-known eye in the sky, Kris Habermehl fears he's about to be ground by CBS 2.

The ace helicopter reporter, famous for hovering over traffic hot spots and deftly describing news scenes from his bird's eye view, could be getting squeezed out over a change in the station's chopper vendors.

Although technically an employee of Total Traffic Network (successor to Metro Networks and Shadow Traffic), Habermehl said he strongly suspects he no longer will be used by CBS 2 after July 31 when the station switches its aircraft provider from Helicopters Inc. to U.S. Helicopters Inc., which bills itself as a full-service electronic newsgathering operation. No one from CBS 2 management has reached out to him to clarify his status, he said.

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