Popping up on PBS

4 Years ago, Doug Kriegel took a buyout from KNBC what the Peacock was doing some belt tightening.

He had been with the NBC O&O for 31 years. 

e has bound around at some other jobs but has landed at PBS in Southern California. 

Next Thursday he gets to do a show that is near and dear to his heart. 

Kriegel is producing and reporting a show called "The Drive-By Economist"  He is an ex-economist and was for 10 years the "Money Editor" at KNBC.

He tells FTVLive that The show is the only one to actually focus on the Southern California economy, which involves more than 6-million jobs and a total product of about $900-billion.

"The economy is the number one issue in people's lives but gets very little coverage on local television," Kriegel tells FTVLive. 

It airs Thursday the 16th at 5:30PM. 

Chicago Anchor: I Am OK

Earlier this morning, FTVLive told you that WLS Anchor Linda Yu was in a traffic accident. Yu took to her Facebook page to update viewers:

If you have heard the news that I was in a traffic accident, it's true. I am OK. 
Am so so grateful for all the good wishes, concern and love messages coming my way. My left leg is broken. Have had one surgery. Surgeon expecting to do a second soon. For that reason, I can't tell you yet when I'll be back to ABC7.

But I will be as soon as possible! Thank you for caring.

The Poynter Advisory Board Roughing it at the Hampton Inn

The money must not be flowing as freely as in the past at the Poynter Institute.

Saint Peters Blog says that the Poynter Institute’s national advisory board is in town this week for its annual meeting and while there are few places better to be in January than St. Petersburg, Florida, it appears board members are roughing it this year as opposed to years past. 

During previous gatherings of the national advisory board, members were occasionally put up at the five-star Renaissance Vinoy Resort (when the rates were attractive, says one event organizer), home to a private marina, 18-hole golf course and 12-court tennis complex. Reportedly board members were given a voucher which covered all of their food and drink, which is quite a perk considering they could dine at The Vinoy’s exquisite restaurant, Marchand’s, or enjoy a cocktail (or three) on any number of the resort’s verandas. 

For this years summit, however, it appears the advisory board did not stay at The Vinoy. Instead, members were forced to rough it at the Hampton Inn.

Looking at newly-installed Poynter advisor board member Jim Brady’s Instagram account, who enjoys posting pictures under the hashtag #NightTimeHotelReflections, there is a shot of The Hampton Inn, presumably where Brady and Co. are staying.

Just look at how close those rooms are to the noisy courtyard pool!   

Times must be really tough for the Poynter Institute if they are making their advisory board members stay at a hotel without a decent hotel bar. Then again, no hotel bar is probably saving Poynter on the per diem.

A representative for the Poynter Institute declined to comment.

Tacking on More News

One year it seems everyone is cutting their news and the next year everyone is expanding. 

Looks like 2014 is starting off as an expansion year.

WGHP (North Carolina)  says that starting February 3rd, the station their FOX8 Noon News and the FOX8 six o’clock News will each expand with 30 more minutes of coverage.

The FOX8 Noon News will expand to a full hour with FOX8 anchors Brad Jones, Cindy Farmer and meteorologist Emily Byrd.

The FOX8 6pm News will add a 630-7pm half hour, creating the Piedmont’s first and only local evening newscast at 6:30pm.

FOX8’s Neill McNeill, Katie Nordeen, and chief meteorologist Van Denton will anchor this newscast giving viewers another option to catch up with the day’s news on their time schedule.

“There are 1.6 million potential viewers in this area, said Karen Koutsky, Vice President of News. “With that many people in the Piedmont, there’s a growing demand for local news when people can watch it after getting home from work. It will be a fast-paced half hour encompassing the biggest stories locally, nationally, and internationally. It will also be the only place to get an up-to-date weather forecast to plan your evening and tomorrow.”

H/T WGHP

Throwback Thursday is Back Baby

It might have been best to leave Throwback Thursday back in 2013. 

But you can't contain this beast and TBT rolls on.

We share a new/old photo and the interesting story behind it.

Check it out in ScottLand 

Who is that Guy?

Brian Williams Anchors the number 1 newscast and yet only a quarter of the people asked could recognize him.

In 1985, Dan Rather anchored the number 1 newscast and almost half the people asked could recognize who he was.

The Pew Research Center says that the lower public awareness of news anchors reflects a large decline in the audience for nightly network news since the 1980s.

For example, in November 1985 an average of 48 million Americans watched one of the network newscasts each evening. By 2013, that number had fallen to 24.5 million, according to Nielsen Media Research. 

What has to be more scary for the networks is while recognition of Williams compared with Rather is lower across all demographic groups, the gap between young and old is now wider today than in 1985. In the August survey, just 15% of those under 30 identified Williams, compared with about three-in-ten in older age groups. In 1985, 41% of young people identified Rather; about half of older people recognized the CBS anchor.

Just 15% of people under the age of 30 know who BriWi is.

That alone should scare the hell news divisions. 

Chicago Anchor Hurt in Accident

Word is that WLS Anchor Linda Yu is off the air after being involved in an accident while riding a motorcycle.

Robert Feder reports that Yu, 67, was out of town when the accident happened, according to colleagues at WLS-Channel 7, who said they believed she was riding on the back of a motorcycle.

Officials of the ABC-owned station confirmed that Yu broke her leg and underwent surgery. “She is in good spirits, and we hope to have her back soon; however, it remains unclear exactly when she will return,” John Idler, president and general manager of ABC 7, said in a statement. “Everyone wishes her a speedy recovery.”

The longest running Monday-through-Friday news anchor in Chicago, Yu joined ABC 7 in 1984 after five years on NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5.

She currently anchors the top-rated 4 p.m. weekday newscast with Alan Krashesky and delivers news updates on “Windy City Live.”

Norfolk Anchor is Out

Juliet Bickford.. 4pm Anchor at WTKR, NewsChannel 3 in Norfolk is out.

Sources say News Director Tina Luqu-Blacklocke announced to the newsroom late today that 'Juliet just left and will NOT be coming back."  Then went back into her office.

Bickford had been an anchor at WTKR for the past six years... joining her hometown station as a morning anchor after an anchor stint at WSLS in Roanoke, VA.

As usual, there has been no online or on-air mention of the high-profile Anchor's departure.   The station's web site was scrubbed of Bickford's bio page immediately.

Bickford needed the time off anyway with a wedding date of April 12 fast approaching.  (Maybe she requested some time off in the book for a honeymoon that didn't go over too well???)

Dumped in Dallas

Word is that KXAS in Dallas has parted ways with Morning Anchor Mark Hayes.

Has has been at the station less than 2 years. 

“I’m not going to say anything more than he’s no longer with us,” Vice president of programming Brian Hocker said to Ed Bark. 

Hayes, who made his on-air debut with NBC5 on May 7, 2012, emailed a statement Wednesday afternoon.

“After careful consideration and discussion with NBC5 management, we have mutually decided to part ways and end my tenure as co-anchor of NBC5 Today,” Hayes said. “My family and I have certainly adored being a part of the Dallas-Fort Worth community and have made some wonderful friends since our arrival.

“I’ve enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to play a major role at such a well-respected news operation and thank the viewers for their support. I’m grateful to (vice president of news) Susan Tully and all the managers at NBC5 for the opportunity and look forward to continuing my career in television news.” 

Several sources say Hayes’ departure may have been tied to an internal clash with news management on what constituted “good TV.” Sources say that early morning executive producer Tim Livingston, who joined NBC5 in January 2012, has been transferred to another position in tandem with Hayes’ departure.

The iPotty

CES is going on out in Las Vegas and of course it is killing us not to be there.

And the pain just got worse when we got a look at one of the latest gadgets to be shown off at the show.

It's a device that holds both your iPad and your toilet paper while you do your business.

Wall Street Journal Reporter Joanna Stern doesn't seem so excited to be reporting on the new device.

As for me?

I would never leave the bathroom. 

Expanding the News in the Big Apple

Word is that WPIX in New York is going to be adding an 11AM newscast to their lineup.

The station is also planning on adding a 3 hour Weekend Morning Newscast that will start at 6AM.

No firm dates have been given was to when the added newscasts will hit the air, but FTVLive was told they should be on before Spring (i.e. May Book).

The station is said to be adding staff to help cover the additional news slots.

Get your resumes out. 

True Dat....

H/T Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Back to Buffalo

Former Fox News Reporter Steve Brown is headed back to Buffalo.

Brown who worked at WGRZ and WKBW in the past is returning to WGRZ as an Investigative Reporter. 

During his days at Fox News starting in 1997 or 1998, Brown covered four presidential campaigns. He recently left Fox News when he says the network experienced cutbacks in its bureaus.

"He's really smart and he's really tenacious and he fits our watchdog advocacy journalism perfectly," said WGRZ General Manager Jim Toelllner to the Buffalo News. 

We can see the proms now. Steve Brown isn't just smart....he's REALLY smart. 

Atlanta Producer Saves Family from Burning Home

Earlier Today, FTVLive told you about a Reporter that's car caught on fire while she was going to cover a story.

Well, an Executive Producer at one Atlanta station has topped that.

WAGA EP Amy Oates was beginning her morning commute just after 5:00 Wednesday morning, when she noticed smoke and flames towering from the back of a Dacula home.

"I stopped, called 911, then thought I have to go get this family out," Oates said. Within minutes, another driver had stopped to help and the two charged towards the burning home.

"Both of us started banging on the doors and windows, it felt like it took forever," Oates explained. As a man answered the door, Oates and her 'Good Samaritan' neighbor rushed the family of three outside to safety.

"We could hear constant explosions as we ran from the home," Oates recalled. Once outside, she provided a warm vehicle for the family to rest in while emergency officials arrived.

Fire officials have not commented on the cause of the fire but Oates believes the home is a total loss.

H/T WAGA

Smile You're on Roger Ailes Cam (Updated)

As Roger Ailes says, taking shots at him is a cottage industry.

There is no doubt that the new book coming out called 'The Loudest Person in the Room' has some bits that Ailes surely doesn't wasn't out there.

Ailes is often painted as a paranoid guy that had bullet proof glass installed in his office.

FTVLive has not dealt with Ailes on a one to one level enough to tell you if any of that is true. But, we will point out in the story in Today's Hollywood Reporter it featured a number of pictures of the Fox News boss and his office.

If you look on the corner of his desk, you can see he has a camera tucked away. 

Some would say that it's there to record people that come into his office. 

But many people have cameras on their desk for video conferencing and that maybe all it is.

Of course it could also be for when old Rog likes to troll on Chatroulette.com

Let the rumors begin. 

Update: Fox News tells FTVLive that the "camera" is not a camera at all but it is in fact a speaker. We're guessing that Ailes blast Miley Cyrus 'Wrecking Ball' when he's looking at the overnight ratings comparing Fox News to CNN. 

It was Close but it looks live we Survived

The Polar Vortex is just about gone and we for one are very happy.

A brief story about the devastation that hit our area and how we were able to struggle through this wicked weather. 

The details are in ScottLand

Note: Please be warned the picture of the damage might upset some people