The Today Show's Latest Sweeps Stunt

It has gotten to the point where the Today Show is so desperate to win ratings that they will go anywhere that can to get them. 

Even if that means going up Matt Lauer and Al Roker's butt.

This morning Lauer and Roker will undergone prostrate exams live on the air in an effort to get viewers. 

The Today Show has gone done this road (pardon the pun) before.

Back in March of 2000, almost 7 million people watched as then Today Anchor Katie Couric underwent a colonoscopy live on the air.

Now, the Today Show, out of original ideas for years is going back to the well (pardon the pun again) again when Lauer and Roker will get their prostates checked out live for all the viewers.

Ahhhhhhh and who says ratings books don't bring out the best in TV? 

Dumped in Dayton

It looks like WDTN in Dayton has dumped Dan....or will at the end of the year. 

Longtime reporter and former anchor Dan Edwards will leave WDTN News at the end of the year.

Edwards confirmed to the Dayton Daily News that he would no longer be employed by the station.

“I will be looking for my next exciting opportunity and wish to stay in this area,” Edwards said. 

Most recently Edwards has worked as a WDTN’s morning reporter and covered business and education.

“I have so enjoyed the opportunity,” he said. “I just love tell stories about a community I love.”

A message has been left for WDTN news director Denise Eck.

Edwards has worked in Dayton area since 1982. He has worked at WTDN 12 of those years. Prior to WDTN he worked for WHIO Radio.

Edwards plans to continue to operate his entertainment, professional development and media training business DJ Edwards groups LLC.

He says he is trying to remain optimistic.

“I have a great wife, a great life,” he said. “You never know where the Lord will take you.”

New Anchor Named at Indy Station

Tribune Broadcasting’s WXIN-WTTV in Indianapolis announced that Kristin Kane will be joining the stations as anchor of Fox59 Morning News beginning Dec. 9.

Kane comes to Indianapolis from Central Florida's News 13 the 24-hour news operation in Orlando, Fla., where she is an anchor/reporter. 

The station says that Kane will co-anchor FOX59 Morning News with Scott Jones. 

WAIT! WHAT?!!! 

I guess I better start packing.  

ABC's Vargas in Alcohol Rehab

Former ABC World News Tonight and now “20/20” co-anchor Elizabeth Vargas has been MIA on the air for weeks, and NY Daily News says she is in rehab center for alcohol abuse.

“She’s checked herself into a facility, and she’s getting treatment,” one insider close to Vargas, 51, tells the Daily News. “She’s been there for a few weeks and will be there for another few weeks.”

Vargas, who will be returning to her anchor perch behind the news desk when she is released and feeling better, confirmed she is in a treatment center and relayed the following:

 “Like so many people, I am dealing with addiction. I realized I was becoming increasingly dependent on alcohol. And feel fortunate to have recognized it for the problem it was becoming. I am in treatment and am so thankful for the love and support of my family, friends and colleagues at ABC News. Like so many others, I will deal with this challenge one day at a time. If coming forward today gives one other person the courage to seek help, I’m grateful.”

When the senior staff at the Disney-owned network had begun whispering about her whereabouts, they were officially told that she was on “medical leave,” but many suspected she had been getting help for an alcohol problem and would be returning soon.

“We are proud of the steps Elizabeth has taken and are pulling for her recovery,” an ABC spokesman says. “We look forward to having her back home at ABC News, where she has done so much distinguished work over the years. Elizabeth is a member of our family, and we will support her in every way we can.”

It has Now Been Two Weeks....

Exactly two weeks ago, FTVLive called Terri Hernandez Rosales the Vice President Communications for KNBC and asked her a question about their then 6PM Anchor.

Hernandez Rosales was very nice, but said that she had to run into a meeting and that she would call us back in "two minutes."

It's been two weeks and no callback. 

The  Terri Hernandez Rosales Callback Clock continues to click away in the lower right hand column of this page.

We'll let you know the minute she calls.  

Station Pulls Sweeps Story after Subject of the story is Found Dead

KSDK (St. Louis) was set to do a sweeps piece on Jamie Hart's remodeling business on Monday.  

Before the story aired,  Hart was found dead in his home. 

Cops have found no signs to indicate foul play and are waiting on the results of toxicology tests.

KSDK officials decided to hold the story, which was set to air Monday night in a segment hosted by Mike Rush that investigates scams, government waste and questionable business practices. 

Rush could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Hart's business had a contentious history. In August 2010, Hart sued the St. Louis Better Business Bureau, claiming the organization targeted him because Hart had complained that the watchdog group was treating him unfairly.

Hart said the group lowered his grade, on an A-to-F scale, without sufficient reason. When he complained about it, he argued, the group lowered it further. Hart asked for at least $500,000. The BBB denied wrongdoing, and the suit was dismissed four months later.

On Tuesday, KSDK spokesman Jeff Winget would not discuss the substance of the story the station planned to air.

During the 10 p.m. Monday broadcast, anchor Mike Bush said: "The man who was the subject of a 'Five On Your Side' investigation scheduled to air tonight has been found dead in his Town and Country home."

So far the station has decided to kill the story (sorry for the pun).  

H/T St. Louis Post Dispatch  

The CNN Couch Walk...Are you Sitting Down for This?

When we first saw this on CNN, we thought it was some kind of technical mistake or a joke. 

But the couch walk is a real thing on CNN's low rated 'New Day.' 

The network comes back from a commercial break to go directly to, another commercial and do something they could have done during the first commercial break.  

Let's let Jon Stewart explain it in only a way that he can. 

Time to roll the video:  

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Sinclair Sees Revenue Gains, More Layoffs Coming

Sinclair Broadcast Group says that their 3rd quarter revenue is up almost 35%.

The company pulled in $303.0 million for the 3rd quarter versus $225.0 million in the prior year period. 

The company announced that because it made so much money, it will hire back all the staffers it laid off in Seattle and Portland. 

Yeah right..... and if you believe that you haven't been working in TV very long. 

In fact the company says the exact opposite.

CEO David Smith said they will continue to consolidate. In other words, more layoffs. 

“We are pleased with our solid third quarter results and expect to continue to grow our revenue share and provide additional value to our shareholders through our station acquisitions and the synergies and efficiencies of scale that we are creating as we continue to consolidate. Including all pending station acquisitions, we are the largest and one of the most diversified TV broadcasters in the country and have been the most active TV broadcasting consolidator with over $3.0 billion in assets purchased and announced.

Isn't it great when a TV company brags about laying people off. 

How the hell do these people sleep at night?  

An Evil TV Anchor Walks into a Bar....

....No it's not the start of some joke.

Corey Lange is a bartender at a bar called Park Slope in Brooklyn. 

Last night Lange tweeted this while working behind the bar: 

Lange then followed up with this tweet as a reply: 

Oh my God, there are so many good jokes I could write right here. But, I'll just let you guys come up with your own.   

CrossDUD

On Monday, FTVLive told you that CNN's revamped Crossfire show was shooting blanks and we officially put it on deathwatch.

And right on cue, Monday night's Crossfire pulled in the lowest ratings ever. 

The political debate show had only 233,00 total viewers and a mere 59,000 in the demo.

To give you some perspective as to how low those ratings are, Fox News Channel's Special Report had 2.44 million viewers with 411,000 in the news demo.

Hell, even MSNBC’s Al Sharpton's Politics Nation had 707,000 total viewers and 170,000 in the demo.

When Al Sharpton triples you in ratings and demos, you know your show sucks. 

Look for CNN to cancel or make major changes to Crossfire in the coming months. 

Here We Go!

It's November Ratings and it's that time of year when TV Anchors love to make the story all about themselves. 

Whether that are talking about their fight against cancer, depression, alcoholism or mental disease, as long as the story focuses on them it's all good. 

We wondered, who would get the "all about me" rating book kicked off and now we know. 

WTXF Fox Philly anchor Kerry Barrett went on the air to discuss her struggles with miscarriages.

"It was a tough decision," Barrett said to the Philly Daily News.

"My husband and I talked about it for months. First we decided we weren't going to talk about it. It's painful. [But] we decided we would feel worse staying silent. One of things I've heard is isolation is the worst part of going through a miscarriage, and I wanted other women to know that there's someone else going through it."

At one point during our talk, Barrett seemed to choke up a bit and apologized, struggling with her words.

"It's still hard for me to describe, or speak eloquently about it," she said.

Luckily the November Book came just in time. 

But, what about a woman that suffered a  miscarriage, wants to talk about it, but is not a news anchor?

Guess their just shit out of luck.  

Maybe one time a station will focus on one of those woman instead of "one of their own." 

You have to laugh..... when a talent is in trouble with the law, station's say they can't comment on personal issues. Yet during the book it seems like that is all we see from talent on the newscast.  

Hypocrites I say!

Last Man Standing

As FTVLive has reported, KNBC has blown up the talent on their morning news show.

News Anchor Alycia Lane and Traffic Reporter Sean Murphy were kicked to the curb.

Weather Anchor Elita Loresca has been demoted to Weekend mornings, replaced by Crystal Egger (FIRST reported by FTVLive).

The only one left on the morning show is Anchor Michael Brownlee. But, LA viewers have been emailing FTVLive to say that Brownlee has not been seen on the air in the last week or so. Whit Johnson is been anchoring in Brownlee's spot. 

Of  course we wanted to reach out to KNBC for a comment on where Brownlee is and what's up? But we're still waiting for KNBC to call us back on a question we asked them 2 weeks ago.  

So, we reached out to Brownlee's agent Rick Ramage.  

Ramage tells FTVLive that Brownlee's wife recently gave birth and he is taking some time off to enjoy his new child. When Brownlee returns, he will continue with his morning show duties. 

With a bunch of new faces.  

Miami Weatherman Has Back Surgery

Back on September 21st, FTVLive told you that WFOR meteorologist Craig Setzer participated in the Miami Redbull Flugtag event and it didn't go quite as planned.

Setzer's team contraption complete with the Channel 4 tail did not fly far and he was injured when his "plane" didn't fly and crashed into Biscayne Bay.

He went to the hospital and thought he checked out OK. 

But, this week he underwent spinal surgery as a reult of the accident. 

He tweeted after the surgery: 

We're guessing he'll be skipping next year's Flugtag. 

Pervert Weatherman to be Sentenced Next Month

On month from Today, former WPTV (West Palm Beach) weatherman Rob Lopicola will be sentenced by Judge Barry Cohen.

The pervert weatherman who was convicted last month of having sex with teen boys faces up to 20 years in prison and is asking friends and family for help. 

 Lopicola's attorney is asking friends and family write letters to the judge asking for leniency.

It is likely, since Lopicola has no criminal past, he won't be sentenced to the full 20 years. He's hoping that letters from his family or friends will bring his prison time down even more. 

Personally, we hope he rots in jail for years to come.  

But hey, that's just us.