CNN Hires NBC's Kosinski

Props to Jeff Zucker for making a good hire for once.

The cable net announced that they have hired Michelle Kosinski as their new White House correspondent.

Sam Feist, CNN senior vice president and Washington bureau chief announced that Kosinski will join senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta as CNN’s on-air team at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  

CNN says that Dana Bash and Pamela Brown have been given new responsibilities in Washington.  As previously announced, Brianna Keilar has been named senior political correspondent and Suzanne Malveaux returns to the nation’s capital as national correspondent.

“We have put together a powerhouse team of outstanding journalists whose reporting is second to none,” said Feist. “With Michelle, Dana, Pamela, Brianna and Suzanne, as well as our large roster of accomplished journalists, CNN is positioned to deliver the most in-depth, high caliber and informative political coverage anywhere.”

Chicago Reporter has New Perspective After Arrest

WBBM Investigative Reporter Dave Savini was arrested for DUI and Battery by police just outside Chicago.

Earlier this week he plead guilty and took responsibility for his actions. 

Now he has reached out to friends on his Facebook page, telling them he is returning to work and  that the entire incident has given him new perspective. 

Here's what he posted:

Thank you all for the support and prayers - I'm back to work on Monday doing what I do!!!!! HAPPY Friday my friends:) 

Just when you think you are strong you find you are not completely that rock you tried so hard to be for so long; a poor choice, a weak moment, a mistake -suddenly you find yourself on a wayward journey fighting with vigor and arduous strides to get back to that safe stone path you once walked. This is not a sprint back nor does it require a swagger in your step, rather it is a crawl guided by the humility of your flaws and fails. The victories you celebrate always seem to find fast company but it is without a doubt the falls you endure that lead to different paths and the discovery of genuine souls. If you are lucky a few loving hands may be there to guide and bear, or shoulder enough of the load to help you stay the course, help you breathe and maybe even laugh with you again when it is time.

This isn't just the age old lesson of learning from a mistake, this is about what has already been learned so it can be shared to pay the knowledge forward. 

This month I was given the gift of a new perspective. One that reaps the reward of humility, gratitude, faith and through the healing power of a sincere apology, I may have even found a little grace along the way. 

It is a journey not of deflection... it is one of introspection intertwined with the understanding that good friends are not found in the seemingly fun crashing waves that roll in and disappear- they are found in solid, tranquil, placid lakes of water.

I never fully knew the value or strength of such still waters until I met an unexpected storm. The Sun's light now breaks through and in its heat a new trail does now blaze . 

Thank You,
Dave

Leno Signs Off from the Tonight Show

It was the end of an era for NBC's late night TV. 

After 22 years as the host of the Tonight Show, Jay Leno said his goodbyes. 

“I don’t like goodbyes – NBC does – but I don’t care for them,” an emotional Leno said, kicking off a star-studded final broadcast of his show. “Tonight is our last show for real. I don’t need to be fired three times — I get the hint,” Leno joked to a friends-and-family studio audience as he ended his 22-year run Thursday night. It’s his second very-last-time-as-host — having been pushed aside in 2009 by NBC to make way for Conan O’Brien, who lasted seven months.

“I’ve got to tell you, the outpouring from people has really been touching. Anthony Weiner sent me a photo of his penis looking really sad.”

Leno looked back on how much has changed in the past 22 years.

“Here’s how long ago it is. When I started hosting, marijuana was illegal and you could smoke cigarettes anywhere you wanted.”

“Twenty two years ago, guys actually had to go to newsstands for porn, can you imagine?”

“So much has happened. You know the saddest part – OJ never found the real killers.”

After appearances by stars such as Oprah, Garth Brooks, Carol Burnett, President Obama and more, Leno broke down saying his last goodbye:

Ahhhhhh... The Glamours Life of a TV Reporter

So you want to be a TV Reporter in a top market like New York City?

WCBS Reporter Kathryn Brown gives you an idea what you can expect when you make it to the big time. 

People will Die and Many Many Fires

People say watching the news is too depressing. They say the news just shows dead people and fires.

WTXF (Philly) Reporter Karen Hepp takes it one step further but not showing dead people and fires, she's predicting it.

GMA's Josh Elliott: Show Me the Money

“Good Morning America” anchor Josh Elliott wants ABC to open up the checkbook and give him a big raise.

Page Six says that Elliott is in tense contract negotiations with ABC after upping his demand for a salary raise equivalent to that of co-anchor Robin Roberts.

Sources tell Page Six that after Roberts closed a long-term contract with ABC, worth about $14 million a year, agents for Elliott have upped their demand for “an equally significant bump in salary.”

One source told us, “Josh started as news anchor, but his role has increased significantly and he is an integral part of the success of the show. He is not asking for as much money as Robin, but an equivalent raise.”

We’re told his reps have also talked to NBC News, but the focus is for him to sign a new contract with ABC. One network insider told us, “It would be a blow to lose Josh, so everyone is focused on reaching a deal.”

Elliott joined in April 2011, and a year later “GMA” broke the “Today” 16-year winning streak.

An ABC rep said, “We are in negotiations with Josh. It is no surprise that there is a lot of interest from other networks. He is an important part of the GMA family, and we want him to stay part of the family.”

Barbara Walters Takes Shot at ABC's Elizabeth Vargas

The New York Post says the air got tense “The View” when Barbara Walters made a catty comment about Elizabeth Vargas’ battle with alcohol addiction.

As “20/20” anchor Vargas appeared on the show Thursday to discuss her recovery, she explained how she kept her battle a secret from her ABC colleagues.

But Walters snipped, “We all knew!”

Vargas looked “like she had been slapped in the face, and the atmosphere turned Polar Vortex,” noted one spy.

The barbed comment did not impress ABC brass, who thought Barbara was out of line, we are told. Walters later called Vargas to apologize.

Last night, they made light of the cringe-worthy clip.

Barbara told us, “I love Elizabeth and have great admiration for her. I never would have deliberately said anything to hurt her, and I called to tell her that.” Elizabeth added, “This is silly! Barbara is a colleague and a friend.”

I See what you did there Google

The Olympics kicks off Today in Sochi and search giant Google pays homage to the games with a Google doodle.

But if you read between the lines you can see that Google is taking a shot at Russian President Putin and his anti gay stance.

The Google doodle uses the colors of the gay pride flag.

Bumped Up in Phoenix

KPNX News Director Mark Casey has a new title.

Casey has been promoted to Vice-President and Station Manager at the Phoenix station. 

Casey has been at KPNX for 15 years. 

On a side note: Casey was the Assignment Editor in Buffalo in the early 80's, his Niagara County Stringer was none other than Scott Jones.

I wonder whatever happened to that guy? 

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE SHEP!!!

Keeping an Eye on the Olympics

You know it's a big sporting event, when Bob Costas makes and appearance.

Costas seems to only pop up on NBC when the event is big. 

Costas has also been making appearances on the Today Show and some viewers noticed that not only was Bob wearing glasses, his left eye looked messed up. Today on Today, Costas left eye was almost closed up while he was on the air. 

Costas's assistant says he has an infection in his eye.

The assistant writes:

Yes, Bob has some sort of infection which has his left eye completely red and almost completely closed, making it impossible to put a contact lens in it. It just came on within the last 24 hours, the NBC doctors in Sochi are treating it, and they think it should resolve itself by the weekend. Until then, he has no choice but to go with the glasses on air.

No word on how Costas got the infection, but since toilets (or lack of) seem to be the big story out of Sochi so far, we're going to say it has something to do with that. 

H/T Deadspin

Journalists Find Hotels in Sochi Unfinished

Many Journalists are taking to social media to point out their hotel problems in Sochi.

Many are finding that construction on their hotel is not even close to being finished. 

Many hotels are still not done and Journalists checking in are getting quite a number of surprises:

James Carville to the Fox Den

Fox News has taken a small step to the left in the hiring of James Carville as a contributor.

Carville, a Louisiana native dubbed "The Ragin' Cajun," has sparred with his conservative wife, Republican strategist Mary Matalin, on CNN, but is making a move to Roger Ailes' cable network.

Carville, 69, was a chief strategist for Bill Clinton's presidential bid in 1992.

He starred in "The War Room" about Clinton's bid for the presidency and frequently made mention of his Republican nemesis – FOX News founder Roger Ailes - pronouncing the media mogul's name in his trademark Southern drawl.

Ailes, according to reports, used to joke about Carville's physical appearance, saying that he looked "like a fish who's swum too close to a nuclear reactor.”

“James’ successful and storied career in politics over several decades is an enormous asset to FOX News. We are privileged to have him lend his breadth of experience, wit and dynamic perspective on the network," Bill Shine, FOX's EVP of programming, said in a statement announcing the position.

H/T NY Daily News

Deuce Bumped up to the ND Job in O-Town

WESH held a newsroom meeting this morning and the staff was told that Assistant News Director Kirsten Wolff is the station's new news Director.

She replaces Bob Longo  who left the station last month to take the ND job at WETV in Jacksonville.

olff assumes the ND job effective immediately.

Twin Cities Anchor Files Lawsuit Over Snooping

KMSP (Minneapolis) Anchor Alix Kendall, claims her license information was accessed more than 3,800 times during a 10-year period through the Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Driver and Vehicle Services database.

And now she has filed a lawsuit.

One of Kendall's attorneys, Jon Strauss of the Sapientia Law Group, speculated that many of the searches were the result of curiosity. At this point Strauss only knows what computers were used to access the information, not who was using the computer at the time.

"She was shocked and disgusted to learn she had been looked up more than 3,000 times," Strauss said. "We believe this is the largest data breach in Minnesota history. Ironically, these people have been snooping into her life, but we can't find out who they were until we start gathering discovery information."

Information that can be obtained through the DVS system includes current and former addresses, current and former driver's license photographs, weight, height and, possibly, Social Security and medical information, Strauss said. The filing also points out that Kendall's information was searched by name, not by her license plate numbers. So the searches didn't include police officers doing random traffic searches for stolen vehicles or people with arrest warrants.

Kendall is also claiming the individuals searching her name could find out her birth name, which she legally changed and is attempting to keep secret. However, that name can easily be found through a court search that is available to the general public on the Internet and in Minnesota courthouses.

A state audit completed last year found the DVS database is often searched by law enforcement officers for no legal reason. That has raised questions about whether that is a violation of federal law. There also have been dozens of lawsuits filed against public agencies by people claiming their driver's license information was being searched by public employees for no legal reason.

Kendall's lawsuit is seeking more than $75,000 in damages. That lawsuit and others handled by Sapientia Law Group are also being used to stop illegal access to license data, Strauss said.

"Primarily, we want this to stop," Strauss said. "We want news reporters to be able to go about their work without law enforcement officers being electronic peeping Toms."

H/T Mankato Free Press