Former LA Anchor to Resurface on Conservative Radio

Back on December 3rd, FTVLive told you that Carlos Amezcua, anchor of KTTV's 10 p.m. news was signing off from the station.

He said his plans were to focus on his own production company.

Well it appears that Amezcua is going to resurface at conservative talk radio station KEIB.

The station, formerly progressive talker KTLK, now branded “The Patriot AM1150,” has hired Amezcua as their new PM drive host.

Before leaving, Amezcua had been with KTTVsince 2007 coming over from KTLA, were he spent 16 years. 

Stay tuned.... 

MSNBC Boss: I wanted to Hire Ronan Farrow within 20 Minutes

MSNBC Boss Phil Griffin says that it took just a quick 20 minutes before he knew he wanted to hire Ronan Farrow.

The son of Frank Sinatra....errrrrr Woody Allen impressed Griffin quickly.

In a story in the NY Times Griffin said he’d seen clips of Farrow giving interviews and speeches and was impressed. 

“I started following him on Twitter,” Griffin said, “and loved the way he talked about things.” When Farrow was in New York, the two sat down for a chat. “Within 20 minutes I wanted to hire him,” Griffin says. “He’s got it.

I'm thinking that after the Alec Baldwin hire and the Martin Brashir fiasco, maybe Griffin should spend a little more than 20 minutes on his hires.

Just saying.... 

Maine Weatherman Faces Challenge When Computer Craps Out

The weather computer at WCHS in Portland Maine took a dump just before Meteorologist A.J. Burnett was getting ready to deliver his report.

He needed to reboot the weather computer, but the problem was that the computer wasn't even on the same floor.

Let's go to the video to see how this one turned out. 

4000 Miles and we are Sold

We have driven 4000 miles and now we 100% sold on this type of car.

The details in FTV Tech.

We Owe YOU a Very Big Thank You!

We owe each of you a very big Thank You!

Why?

The details are in ScottLand

Sheriffs Office Slaps Phoenix station

It was a big news story to start the New Year in Phoenix.

KNXV ABC 15 was first to report that two helicopters had collided into each other in mid-air and three victims were rushed to the hospital.

It was a great spot news story and ABC 15 was first with the news.

There was just one problem.

It wasn't two helicopters, it wasn't even one. It was a single car rollover accident.

Oops!

It seems that ABC 15 had turned a one car accident into two choppers crashing in mid-air. Talk about blowing the story out of proportion.  

The Pinal County Sheriffs Office had their phone ringing off the hook with viewers and other media wanting more info on the "chopper crash" being reported by ABC 15.

The Sheriff wasn't happy with the false report and sent out this press release chastising KNXV ABC 15 for their inaccurate reporting. And sadly as the Sheriff points out, it's not the first time ABC 15 was wrong. Ouch!

Here's the News Release:

On Wednesday, January 1st, 2014 at 5:30 p.m. the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office received several 9-1-1 calls related to a single vehicle rollover accident at Fulcar Road and Hidden Valley Road. Four people were in the vehicle at the time of the crash and one was ejected. Medical personnel called for three separate air ambulances to take the injured to local hospitals.

In early December, ABC15 News reported that a Pinal County Walmart has "trespassed for life" a customer who was simply trying to "ad match." The false story grew internationally and quickly proved to be false. A simply check with the Sheriff's Office would have shown that the "ad match victim" portrayed by ABC15 News was in fact cited and released for one count of Disorderly Conduct and one count of Threatening and Intimidating.

Disappointingly, in less than 30 days, we find ABC15 News doing this again. In a rush to be first to report the story of a single vehicle rollover car accident and instead of providing their viewers accurate information they reported two helicopters had collided into each other and three victims were taken to the hospital.

PCSO Dispatch and others in our office began receiving calls from citizens and media outlets locally and nationally regarding the ABC15 News story. Other media outlets were very critical of ABC15 News for rushing to be first with the story, only to be inaccurate in their reporting.

The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office wants to again recognize and appreciate other members of the media who responsibly report the news by verifying important information before they report it.

Sheriff Paul Babeu said, "If there isn't enough drama for the evening news, don't worry ABC15 will make up more. Last month was the false story on the banned shopper at Walmart for price matching and now this false report of two helicopters crashing in Pinal County. It is irresponsible for a nationally affiliated news agency to not verify significant facts or even an event as significant as two helicopters crashing with the investigating law enforcement agency before reporting to the public."

Police Hand Case Against Reporter over to Prosecutors

FTVLive told you that police have been investigation a Fargo Reporter after she took a hidden camera into local schools.

Now, word is that the Moorhead police have wrapped up their investigation and have forwarded to prosecutors.

Police have been investigating the reporter, who entered three area elementary schools without permission last month, to county prosecutors to decide whether to file a criminal charge.

On Dec. 11, reporter Mellaney Moore wore a hidden camera as she walked into schools in Moorhead, West Fargo, N.D., and Fargo without checking in at the main offices. The story, meant to expose gaps in school security, led police in all three cities to investigate the reporter’s actions.

By city ordinance in Fargo and West Fargo and state law in Moorhead, a school visitor who fails to register at the office can face a misdemeanor charge.

On Thursday, Moorhead police Sgt. Robert Matheson said detectives had sent their investigation report to the county attorney’s office. A phone message left for the prosecutor handling the case was not returned. No charges have been filed yet against Moore in Clay County, according to a search of court records.

In West Fargo, Assistant Police Chief Mike Reitan said Thursday that his department has finished its investigation, and school officials will decide whether to pursue charges.

Heather Konschak, a spokeswoman for West Fargo Public Schools, said the district is waiting to receive the investigation report from police before making a decision.

“It really isn’t a high-priority thing for us,” she said. “We’ll get to it when we get to it.”

In Fargo, Lt. Joel Vettel said his department is just finishing its investigative report and by Monday will likely forward the report to the city prosecutor to review for a possible criminal charge.

H/T Grand Forks Herald 

Trading Hearst for Cox

Yesterday, FTVLive FIRST told you that WESH (Orlando) News Director Bob Longo was leaving the station and headed up I-95 to WTEV in Jacksonville.

Here is the internal memo sent to the staff at WESH announcing that Longo was leaving:

From: "Bell, Michelle D" <mdbell@hearst.com>
Date: January 2, 2014 at 3:09:39 PM EST
To: WESH-WKCF All <WESH-WKCF_All@hearstcorp.com>
Cc: "Biancuzzo, Frank C" <FBiancuzzo@hearst.com>, "Maushard, Barbara A" <bmaushard@hearst.com>
Subject: Bob Longo Announcement

This note is to let you know that after five years of leading the WESH/WKCF news operation, Bob Longo will be leaving our station. Bob has decided that it is time for a new professional challenge and has accepted the position of news director at WTEV/WAWS in Jacksonville.
 
As most of you know, Orlando was not his first stop with Hearst.  Prior to joining our staff in 2009 Bob was the news director at our Pittsburgh station, WTAE, for nine years.
 
Bob has had an impressive run with our company and at our station, highlighted by our exceptional coverage of both the Casey Anthony and George Zimmerman landmark trials.   He has come to work each and every day with the objective  of  having WESH 2 provide Central Floridians with “best in market” coverage of the  news—a goal he certainly accomplished.
 
On a personal note I very much enjoyed working with Bob and will miss his cheerful demeanor and enthusiasm for the business of news.  We wish him and his wife Laurie all the best as they transition to Jacksonville.  
 
Bob’s last day with us will be Friday, January 17.  The search for his replacement will begin immediately. 
 
Jim Carter/mdb

The Hell with New Jersey

Not only did NY1 change its name to the much longer  Time Warner Cable's NY1, they also said the hell with New Jersey. 

Time Warner Cable's NY1 news channel has pulled the plug on its decade-old New Jersey newscast this week, in a move that affects two on-air employees.

The company is "better utilizing our resources to focus solely on New York City-based news," said NY1 spokeswoman Nikia Redhead.

NY1 offered the once-an-hour New Jersey newscast, called "Your New Jersey News Now" to Time Warner Cable subscribers, along with a weekly 30-minute "Week in Review" show. The last show was Tuesday.

Chief Frank Del Vecchio of the Fairview Police Department said he will miss the hyper-local coverage the newscast offered.

"I think there's going to be a void, especially in southeast Bergen County, when it comes to local news," Del Vecchio said. "They were very community-oriented; they had a personal touch....If you have a rash of burglaries in your town, Channel 2 or Channel 4 is not going to come down and cover that."

Del Vecchio said that along with covering local crime, the NY1 reporters covered community events like Fairview's Halloween haunted house.

And now there will be no more haunted house coverage. How will the viewers of New Jersey survive?

H/T NorthJersey.com 

Expanding the News in Charlotte

WBTV in Charlotte is starting the new year by adding some more newscasts. 

The Charlotta Observer writes that the station plans to add three hours of newscasts on its digital channel this month.

Two more hours of morning news and an hour newscast at 8 p.m. will be added in late January on the station’s auxiliary channel, 3.2. That channel, available to viewers with digital over-the-air antennas and on Time Warner Cable channel 106, carries the Bounce network, an entertainment channel aimed at the African-American audience.

News director Dennis Milligan says the morning news show, which airs from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on Channel 3, will be extended for two hours on the auxiliary channel.

Morning anchors John Carter, Christine Nelson, meteorologist Al Conklin and traffic reporter Sammi Jo Francis will continue the roles they have on the early show.

O-Town News Director Headed to Jacksonville (Updated)

FTVLive FIRST told you two days ago that WTEV in Jacksonville had hired a new News Director.

Now we know who it is that they hired.

WESH News Director Bob Longo heads out I-95 from Orlando to JAX.

Longo moves from the Hearst family to Cox. 

He came to WESH 5 years ago from Hearst owned WTAE in Pittsburgh.

"I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished here in Orlando but couldn’t be happier at this moment– personally and professionally - as I move to Jacksonville and what is a tremendous opportunity. There are a lot of talented journalists at Action News and I’m looking forward to joining them and Cox Media", Longo tells FTVLive. 

He starts in Jacksonville on Jan. 27th. 

Signing Off in Palm Beach

WPTV Morning Anchor Keli Fulton (pictured) will anchor her last newscast for the station tomorrow.

After two years, Fulton is headed to DC and to work with Comcast Sports.

The station also just lost Reporter Evan Axelbank.

Axelbank left the Palm Beach station last week and is headed across state to WTVT in Tampa.

He starts that gig on Monday. 

The station is looking for replacements. So get your resumes out!

The Newsteam that Sleds Together

While Anchors across the Midwest and East are repotting that huge news that it's Cold and snowy in the Wintertime. 

WGN Weatherman Demetrius Ivory and Reporter Marcus Leshock decided to go sledding.

Can you tell by now that it's a slow news day at the FTVLive HQ?

Here's a link to the video

Santa was Good to Orlando Stations

The December ratings in O-Town gives every station a chance to claim they are Number 1.

The Orlando Sentinel says that in December ratings for local news WESH-Channel 2 was first at 4 p.m., WKMG-Channel 6 was tops at noon, and WOFL-Channel 35 dominated 10 p.m.

But WFTV-Channel 9 won most other contested races. The ABC affiliate showed its strength in early morning, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and at 11 p.m.

The results for the ratings period, which ended Wednesday, contained no major surprises.

WFTV was first at 11 p.m., whether the race was counted Monday-Friday or on a seven-day-a-week basis. WESH was second on the Monday-Sunday count, and WKMG was second Monday-Sunday.

All these races, unless otherwise noted, reflect the 25-to-54 age group, which is most important to news advertisers. In the Monday-Friday count at 11 p.m., WFTV averaged 35,600 viewers to WESH's 25,800, WKMG's 24,900 and WOFL's 14,600.

Reporter: Are the Cleveland Browns being Run by the 3 Stooges?

WOIO (Cleveland) Reporter Dan DeRoos went to the Cleveland Browns press conference and stood up and asked the Browns owner Jimmy Haslam if the team was being run by The Three Stooges?

DeRoss stressed that he was a "news guy" and not a "sports guy" and after asking that question, we're guessing he won't be moving to the sports side anytime soon.

Of course it would been better if the Browns owner poked DeRoos in the eyes and then grabbed his nose with some vice grips. 

Let's go to the video:

19 Action News|Cleveland, OH|News, Weather, Sports