The last time a Bismarck station blew up on YouTube, AJ Clemente was throwing down the F-Bomb and getting fired after his first newscast.
Last night KXMB in Bismarck let Will Farrell anchor an entire newscast as Ron Burgundy. It was a 30 minute commercial for the movie Anchorman 2.
I know it's Bismarck, but really?! An entire newscast?
Let's cue up the video:
KUTV-Ch. 2 once again declared victory in the late-news wars - and pretty much across the board.
But the late-news battle is much closer than it was a year ago. Not so much because Ch. 2's competitors did better, but because KUTV's audience shrank significantly.
Here's a look at how the race tacked up:
1. KUTV-Ch. 2: 9.6 rating/21 share
2. KSL-Ch. 5: 7.0 rating/15 share
3. KSTU-Ch. 13: 4.4 ratings/9 share
4. KTVX-Ch. 4: 2.9 rating/6 share
Clearly, KUTV continues as the No. 1 news station in the market. And it's not just ahead in late news, it also leads in the morning, at midday, in late afternoon and in early evening newscasts.
But the late-news numbers represent a steep slide overall for local TV news ratings, from a combined 29.7 ratings points in November 2012 to a combined 23.9 rating points in November 2013.
That's a drop of nearly 20 percent.
There are some questions about Nielsen's sampling this time around - viewing levels are down across the country. And good weather tends to translate into lower ratings. But there's no easy answer.
KSL-Ch. 5 is the only station to see any kind increase, ticking up 0.2 rating points (3 percent). KUTV-Ch. 2 is down 3.1 rating points (24 percent); KSTU-Ch. 13 is down 1.5 rating points (25 percent); and KTVX-Ch. 4 is down 1.4 rating points (33 percent).
H/T Salt Lake Trib
The attorney that is representing long time WTVL Chief Meteorologist Tim Deegan appeared in court this week to enter a plea.
Deegan was not present, his lawyer entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Deegan is facing charges of failure to stop at a stop sign and driving under the influence.
He was arrested by police back on November 2nd. As FTVLive FIRST reported the station has posted his job on the station's website.
Mike Prangley has been filling in and station insiders think he's on track to get the gig if Deegan doesn't return.
Former WLBT meteorologist Eric Law is going to be away from the Doppler for a while.
Law has been sentenced to serve eight years in prison after pleading guilty Tuesday to one count of sexual battery involving a 15-year-old girl.
Prosecutors dropped three other counts.
A judge sentenced Law to 20 years and suspended 12 years.
District Attorney Michael Guest says Law will have to register as a sex offender and will serve five years’ probation.
Law was indicted in April on two counts of sexual battery and two counts of gratification of lust.
An indictment alleges the sexual encounters occurred at Law’s Madison home over a three-month period, starting around the girl’s birthday, on Nov. 22, 2012, through Feb. 25, 2013.
Law had worked at WLBT-TV in Jackson since 2004.
He was suspended by the station shortly after his arrest.
H/T Clarion Ledger
Cops busted some idiot after they say he threaten reporters who were covering the shooting death of a 2-year-old near Tampa.
According to an affidavit, two reporters from WTVT Fox 13 News in Tampa arrived on a Lakeland neighborhood about 4:30 p.m. to report on the death of the boy when Mark Bonar came out of his house and demanded the reporters leave. Bonar also demanded that the reporters not speak to his mother, who was standing near the street.
The victims moved down the street and exited their van. Bonar again confronted the reporters, holding a metal cane topped with a skull in a threatening manner and shouting profanity, the affidavit said. He also told them that although he had recently been in the hospital, he could still fight them, and he repeatedly told them to leave the area.
As other news crews arrived, Bonar returned to his home, but continued to harass the crew verbally from his driveway, the affidavit said.
A reporter from WFLA said Bonar also harassed him from his driveway.
Deputies went to Bonar’s home to speak with him, and he said he had been in a dispute with some news people for talking with his mother and parking near his driveway. He said he later attempted to apologize to them and believed his conduct warranted an apology, the affidavit said.
Bonar said the metal cane was his Halloween cane.
Bonar was booked into the Polk County Jail where he was held without bail.
Why the guy was using his Halloween cane and not his Thanksgiving cane was not addressed in the police report.
H/T Tampa Tribune
A Minneapolis News Anchor and Weather Anchor have been told that they are not having their contracts renewed.
KSTP told Anchor Brad Sattin and meteorologist Patrick Hammer that they have 6 months left at the station.
Sattin has been with KSTP for nearly a decade, while Hammer has eight years with the station.
News director Lindsay Radford would not say what was behind the decision to get rid of Sattin and Hammer.
"That's a personnel matter that I'm not going to discuss," she said.
Radford did say that the two will remain on air for now.
"We've posted their positions, so we have to see how things work out as we move down the road," she said. "They will certainly be guaranteed employment with us for six months."
Oh boy!
H/T Pioneer Press
After FTVLive posted the story of the Duluth Anchors that wore their coats inside while covering a parade, the story went viral.
Yesterday (yes we did update the site on Thanksgiving) we told you how the station is trying to spin the bad press they are getting for attempting to deceive the viewer.
Now, sources tell FTVLive there might be another reason those anchors were wearing their coats inside the studio.
A source tells FTVLive that North Face Jacket company helped sponsor the vent and the anchors were given North Face coats to wear on the air. Our source says the deal with North Face required the anchors to be in the company's apparel.
Even if they were inside.
Hmmmmmmm?
After 20 years at WJZ , Anchor Kai Jackson says he is signing off at year's end.
The Baltimore Sun reports that Jackson co-anchors one-half of the 4 p.m. and all of the 5 p.m. weekday news on WJZ. He also reports for the 11 p.m. newscast.
He is the second high-visibility anchor to leave the station this year. Adam May left WJZ for Al Jazeera America in May.
WJZ president and general manager Jay Newman said no immediate replacement will be named. The plan by the CBS owned-and-operated station is to evaluate both internal and external candidates -- a process that could extend into 2014, Newman said.
“We’re going to see this as a opportunity to not just fill a position but look at how we can make it stronger,” Newman said Wednesday.
The internal memos and more after the jump.
Read MoreAfter WSYR (Syracuse) announced a big staffing shuffle, they have come out with another and it's a biggie.
After five years away from TV, former chief meteorologist Dave Eichorn will return to the ABC affiliate in 2014.
News Director Rob Cartwright said, “one of the most common questions I get from our viewers is whether [Eichorn] will ever come back to NewsChannel 9.”
Eichorn worked at NewsChannel 9 from 1990 through 2008, when he left to spend more time with family.
Eichorn has also been sharing his talents with the forecasters of tomorrow, teaching meteorology classes at SUNY Oswego, the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and at Onondaga Community College.
“His return strengthens our already dominate weather brand – adding a proven Central New York forecaster to our already strong team of meteorologists,” said Cartwright.
Eichorn’s shift has yet to be determined, but Cartwright said Dave Longley will retain the title of Chief Meteorologist, which he obtained when Eichorn left in 2008.
Currently, Longley appears on the station’s 5, 6 and 11pm newscasts.
We'll have to wait and see where the station is going to put the former Weatherman.
Stay tuned...
H/T CNYRadio.com
ABC O&O WLS in Chicago continued to lead the way when it came to the November ratings.
The station's flagship 10PM newscast notched a 8.9 rating in November Monday through Friday, up from an 8.4 a year ago.
WLS ratings boost in the latest November Nielsen book comes as the station has returned to using the "Eyewitness News" moniker to brand all of its local evening newscasts. The phrase, which was closely linked to station's news product for many years until it was retired in the 1990's, may be resonating once again with viewers as they decide what late local news to watch.
Other stations in the market showed only modest, if any, increase in ratings in the November book. Second-place NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5 is up 0.1 rating point to a 5.9, while Tribune Co.-ownedWGN-Channel 9's hour-long newscast at 9 p.m. edged up to a 4.2 from 4.0 a year ago.
The ratings news was not so good, however, for CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2, which showed the biggest ratings drop year over year for its late local newscast to a 4.6 from a 5.5 — putting it in third place among the three local stations that air late local news at 10 p.m.
Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32's hour-long 9 p.m. newscast remains in last place among all newscasts — a position it has occupied for years. The WFLD newscast has scored a 1.7 rating, down from a 2.1 a year ago.
Looks like WFTV was the big winner in the November ratings in Orlando.
The Orlando Sentinel writes that WFTV-Channel 9's Eyewitness News drew the most eyewitnesses in most time slots.
WESH-Channel 2 was the clear leader at 4 p.m., and WOFL-Channel 35 continued to dominate among 10 p.m. newscasts.
But WFTV was the victor in early morning, at 6 p.m. and at 11 p.m. with the 25-to-54 age group, which is most important to news advertisers.
WFTV reasserted its leadership at 5 p.m., where WOFL had won in September and October.
The November ratings period ended Wednesday, and the ratings were released Thursday. The numbers reported here are based on the 25-to-54 age group, unless otherwise noted.
At 6 p.m., WFTV averaged 43,600 viewers to WESH's 27,300, WOFL's 18,600 and WKMG-Channel 6's 13,200.
At 11 weeknights, WFTV averaged 37,700 viewers to WKMG's 30,300, WESH's 24,800 and WOFL's 14,700.
And at 6 a.m. weekdays, WFTV attracted 26,200 viewers to WESH's 22,500, WOFL's 13,200 and WKMG's 8,600. (The simulcast of WESH news on sister station WKCF-Channel 18 brought in an additional 2,000 viewers).
Other stations highlighted their bright spots.
At 10 weeknights, Fox-owned WOFL averaged 17,800 viewers. It was far ahead of the WESH news on WKCF with 9,000 viewers and the WFTV news on sister station WRDQ-Channel 27 with 8,100.
At 4 p.m., WESH continued to lead with 20,400 viewers to WFTV's 14,700. WESH said it was up 27 percent in the time period from last month.
But by 5 p.m., WFTV was out in front. WFTV averaged 32,300 viewers in the hour to WOFL's 18,700 and WESH's 18,400. WKMG's half-hour newscast pulled in 10,000. WFTV news director Matt Parcell said viewers had responded to the station's investigative reports on medical marijuana, public notaries and unpaid ambulance bills.
WOFL had encouraging news in the morning when its "Good News" ran second to ABC's "Good Morning America." "GMA" averaged 33,000 viewers to WOFL's 17,700. WOFL was ahead of NBC's "Today" with 16,100 and "CBS This Morning" with 7,700.
If you are patiently waiting for the movie Anchorman 2 to be released, we have some good news.
Paramount Studios has moved up the release date by 2 days.
"Anchorman: The Legend Continues" was originally slated to hit theaters Friday, Dec. 20, however, turns out Ron Burgundy and his famous news team will grace the big screen nationwide Dec. 18th instead.
Until then...Stay Classy.
WNEM says that their former Reporter-Anchor Brian Wood died on Thanksgiving Day.
Wood recently retired after 25 years at the station.
The station says that Wood was a dedicated, hardworking journalist, an avid and noted photographer, and a good and caring man.
H/T WNEM
FTVLive wants to wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving! We are thankful for all the great people that stop by this site. To the people that send us your tips about what's happening at your station or network. We are also thankful to the great sponsors of FTVLive that make this all possible.
Lastly we are thankful to KNBC PR lady Terri Hernandez Rosales for how quickly she gets back to us when we ask for information.
Oh wait!
Skip that last one, 35 days since she told us she would get back to us in "2 minutes".The clock continues to tick. By the way Terri, FTVLive is working Today if you want to call us back.
Once FTVLive pointed out the story of KBJR's (Duluth) Anchors faking being outside for parade coverage, the story went viral.
Anchors Michelle Lee, Kevin Jacobson or Barbara Reyelts sat in the studio, in front of the chroma key, with jackets on at covered the parade.
There is no doubt with the way the shot was framed behind them, they the station wanted to make it appear that the anchors were outside when they weren't.
Anchor Kevin Johnson (sitting in the middle of the picture) wrote on the station's website "Did we mislead the audience about being outside? No". He says "We made that point very clear several times during the broadcast as we tossed to each other inside and outside the studio."
Sorry Kevin, you did misled the audience when you guys wore jackets inside and gave the appearance you were outside.
The GM of the station, David Jensch talked about the anchors wearing their jackets while sitting in a to sty warm studio. "The illusion of the anchors, keeping their jackets on, and went back inside, I could see how somebody who really wasn't watching the parade might have been confused. We haven't gotten a single complaint from people who watched the parade. They understood."
Just because you didn't get a call, doesn't make it right.
Bottom line.... the station got caught faking it and are now doing their best to spin their mistake.
KPRC is shuffling around a couple of Anchors.
Lauren Freeman (pictured) is headed to the station’s 4 p.m. newscasts beginning Monday, and anchor Rachel McNeill will assume Freeman’s longtime role as morning Anchor.
Freeman, who's anchored at KPRC since 2006 recently returned to the station from maternity leave, also will co-anchor Channel 2’s midday newscast several days a week and will report on special projects.
“Lauren just came back after having her third son and has her hands full right now, and I think the lifestyle will be a more manageable schedule for her,” said Deborah Collura, vice president of news for Post-Newsweek Stations, which owns KPRC, and the station’s managing director of news.
Collura said McNeill will be a key addition to the station's morning newscasts during a day part where the station is increasingly competitive in Nielsen household ratings with KTRK (Channel 13) and KHOU (Channel 11). KPRC edged Channel 13 for first place among local newscasts at 5:30 and 6 a.m. and narrowly trailed Channel 13 at 4 p.m. among adults 25-54 for the November sweeps period that ended Wednesday.
“We have doubled our lead-in to our 4 p.m. newscasts since we added ‘Dr. Phil’ (at 3 p.m.), and Lauren will fit perfectly with the audience at 4,” Collura said. “Rachel is a strong anchor and will be just as strong in the morning time frame. She has great chemistry (with anchor Owen Conflenti and meteorologist Anthony Yanez), and she grew up in Houston.”
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