Texas Anchor Talks about Serving Time

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Texas Anchor Talks about Serving Time

WOAI/KABB Anchor Esteban Solis, co-hosts lifestyle show on the station, he also served time in prison. 

His past includes an arrest for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon as well as a conviction for DWI — both in Bexar County. His story will air at 9 a.m. on KABB and 10 a.m. on WOAI.

Why make these revelations on television? He said they’ll serve as a prelude to his new segment “Changing Lives.” The monthly pieces will highlight others who have come back from difficult beginnings.

He said he hopes his own dramatic turnaround will serve as an inspiration to people. “If I’m to tell someone else’s story,” Solis said, “I felt I should say what happened to me — that I know first-hand that you can change your life.”

When Solis, 32, was a young man of 20, he was at a party at a friend’s house and a fight broke out. So, he tried to help.”I saw my friend was in a jam. I did what any friend would do,” he says. “Unfortunately the consequences that came next came with it.” The charge — aggravated assault with a deadly weapon — netted him five years probation.

More after the Jump

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Greenville Anchor Headed to Rockford

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WYFF Anchor Sean Muserallo is leaving the Greenville station and headed to the land of Lincoln. 

Here is the internal memo that was sent out to the staff from Assistant News Director Lee Brown:

These notes are never easy, but for a member of our WYFF News 4 family, it's a great opportunity.   Sean Muserallo has told us he will be leaving to take the main anchor job at WREX, the NBC affiliate in Rockford, Illinois.   Sean will be anchoring the 5, 6 and 10pm newscasts in his new role in that newsroom.

Sean came to us 6 years ago from Richmond and has found a great home in our newsroom and in the community.   As you all know from the family's community involvement, leaving Greenville will be tough for the Muserallos.  But the chance to move into a newsroom leadership role like this is very appealing to Sean.

Sean's last day will be April 11th.   Please join me in wishing Sean, Emily and Beatty well in their move to the Midwest.

Lee

The Viewers are the News Director in Knoxville

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Have you ever wanted to be a News Director? 

You can and all you have to do is log onto Facebook and head over to WBIR's (Knoxville) page.

The station let's the viewers on Facebook decide what they put of their newscast.

TVNewsCheck writes that when an arguing Knoxville, Tenn., couple accidentally shot their baby last June, WBIR staffers were divided over using a photo of the 6-month-old girl in their coverage.

“We couldn’t come to a consensus on whether it was appropriate to use it on-air, online or at all,” says Christy Moreno, news director at the Gannett-owned NBC affiliate. Seeing the infant’s picture, taken from Facebook, really rattled newsroom parents, who were concerned that viewers would be equally upset. Others believed “the victim needed a face,” Moreno says.

So, using Facebook, Moreno asked viewers for their opinions. Dozens weighed in, with the “overwhelming majority” said it was OK to air a picture of the girl, which is what WBIR did.

“Instead of us all pretending we know what the viewers are thinking, we should ask them,” Moreno says. "To think that we all make the best decisions in the universe without asking [anyone else] is a bit naïve on our part.”

Using social media to help resolve ethical issues – whether to air victims’ photos and names, 911 calls and the like – is a somewhat regular practice at WBIR, Moreno says.  It's particularly useful is making tough journalistic decisions that don’t have any clear right or wrong answer.

On another occasion, WBIR asked whether to air a crash scene showing a car engulfed in flames.  

Moreno says she knew from past experiences that WBIR viewers are “very sensitive" to accident scenes. “People were very vocal. They told us absolutely do not air it. It would be tasteless.”

Feedback from viewers influences editorial decisions even when it isn't asked for, Moreno says.

Recently, for instance, the station stopped reporting the name of a mother who left her infant in a car, which was subsequently stolen, after an outcry on Facebook, Moreno says. “We were bombarded by viewers, saying leave her alone."

When WBIR staffers make judgment calls – airing 911 calls, for example -- that test the limits of viewers’ comfort zone, the team uses Facebook to spell out the process that went into making such decisions.  “We just like to let them know why,” Moreno says.

FTVLive could go on and on about the slippery slope that WBIR is headed down. We can only hope that other stations don't follow WBIR in using the practice of letting the viewers decide what airs and what doesn't.

Albany Station Takes Wraps off New Set

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The nation's first television station continues to break new ground...this time pioneering a new genre of scenic design with the debut of its new set from Devlin Design Group.

WRGB broadcast its first television signal in 1928…when there were only four TV sets in the entire market.  The distorted,  pinkish images seen in the 3-inch screens of those early TV sets are a far cry from today’s brilliant HD resolution.

Only on the air for a couple of days, WRGB is already taking advantage of the versatility of this new presentation arena through the use of the set’s large storytelling displays and programmable color-changing backlit graphics…variables that can change the style and mood of each newscast.

And while the new scenic environment helps sell the story with open architecture and large displays meant to enhance WRGB’s content and talent, it does so without overpowering either one.

Lisa Jackson, News Director at WRGB believes the customizable DDG set allows her to use different shots and backgrounds all meant to avoid repetition in the newscast.

The groundbreaking set takes full advantage of WRGB’s large studio space allowing for movement and motion previously unseen in the Albany market…capabilities that “un-anchor” the station’s talent and allows them to interact directly with reporters, meteorologists and sportscasters.

News Director Jackson is particularly fond of the large programmable display wall,  the working weather center, and both rolling stand-up video kiosk positions…all important showcasing tools she believes makes her newscasts more demonstrative and easier to understand.

“The Albany-Schenectady area is where television began nearly 90 years ago.  We congratulate WRGB for continuing their pioneer spirit and market leadership with the debut of this trailblazing storytelling arena.  We are proud to be the team that transformed their dream into reality,” says Dan Devlin, Creative Director, Devlin Design Group

KOMO Staffers Put Emotions on Hold to Cover Story

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KOMO Staffers Put Emotions on Hold to Cover Story

t will go down as one of the hardest days that staffers of KOMO had covering the news.

Employees who witnessed the immediate aftermath of the station's helicopter crash that killed two contract employees, including one who had been a longtime staff photographer, his own son also a Photographer at the station.

KOMO employees were working at their desks at Fisher Plaza at about 7:40 a.m. when they heard tree branches snapping, then car horns sounding, said longtime anchor Dan Lewis. They rushed to their office windows and watched in horror as a helicopter carrying two of their colleagues burned after crashing seconds before. Reporter Kelly Koopmans reported on air that explosions from the helicopter continued 20 minutes after the crash.

More after the jump.  

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CNN Staffers Question Missing Plane Coverage

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Yesterday, if you watched the top of NBC's Nightly News, Tom Costello took about 2 minutes to tell viewers all the new information they had on the missing plane.

Over on CNN they took all day, to give you the same information. 

CNN's wall to wall guessing of where the missing Malaysia Airlines flight is bringing them big ratings.

But, it also has staffers inside CNN questioning if this coverage is really best?

Since there are so little facts about what happened to the plane, CNN's coverage is mainly just a group of talking heads guessing what might have happened to the missing  jet.

"Is it really news coverage, when there is no news to report?" asked one CNN staffer in an email to FTVLive.

Last week, the staff was sent out the CNN coverage note and it defended the network's coverage on the missing flight.

In the note obtained by FTVLive, it tops off with Digital saying they are having "one of the best weeks in traffic."

Then it gets into the top stories and talks about the missing plane:

"On TV: we are wall to wall with the plane mystery; this is a strategy we are confident and comfortable with" the coverage note to the staff says.

It goes on to say "when a major story happens (ala Boston Bombing, Oklahoma Tornados, George Zimmerman) we go all in"

The next line says "That is our vision and our strategy"

As for those in house question CNN's over coverage of the missing plane, the next line in the coverage note says "We are not ignoring other stories because we have multiple distribution platforms."

Some CNN Staffers say the network is ignoring other stories and doing it all in the name of ratings.

Stay tuned....  

Remembering the 2 Killed in Chopper Crash

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Remembering the 2 Killed in Chopper Crash

Former longtime KOMO News photographer Bill Strothman and pilot Gary Pfitzner were identified Tuesday as the two victims killed in the crash of the station's news helicopter. 

They were remembered by co-workers as a professional team who worked under difficult conditions to bring the latest news to residents of the Puget Sound region. 

Strothman worked for many years at KOMO News and was well-known to many of the employees, earning 13 Emmy awards during his career. 

After retiring from KOMO, he worked as a free-lancer and also as an employee of the helicopter leasing company that operates the KOMO News chopper. 

"We all know him as one of the best storytellers to have ever graced the halls of KOMO," said news anchor and reporter Molly Shen. "It felt like a loss for us because he knows his craft so well, and he's such an artist and such a great journalist." 

KOMO News anchor Eric Johnson remembered Strothman as someone who liked to talk about his craft, to get into the guts of a story. He said Bill loved the give and take of the photographer-reporter relationship. 

"If Bill told you it was good, that it touched a part of him, then you could believe it was good," Johnson said.

More after the jump.  

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Former Seattle TV Reporter Found Dead in His Car

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There was more sad news out of Seattle yesterday. 

The Seattle Times writes that former Seattle City Councilmember Jim Compton, who was better known for his long career as a prominent Seattle television journalist, was found dead in his car this morning, said his wife, Carol Arnold.

Compton, 72, apparently died of a heart attack or other natural causes after returning from a dinner with friends Monday night, Arnold said. “He died very suddenly,” she said. The couple had planned to leave for a trip to Rome Wednesday. His death also was confirmed by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office, which said the cause had not yet been determined.

Compton was a well-known TV journalist who worked for NBC News, including stints in London and Egypt. He joined KING 5 in Seattle in 1984 and worked as commentator, host and producer until 1997. His work included hosting the popular public-affairs show “The Compton Report.”

He was elected to the Seattle City Council in 1999 and reelected in 2003. He resigned from the council in 2006 to pursue other interests.

“It’s a tragic day all around for Seattle news,” said Cathy Allen, a political consultant and friend of Compton. “People still remember the glory days of Seattle’s media, including his time at KING 5.”

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said he was saddened to hear of Compton’s death.

“As a long-term journalist and host of a popular public affairs television program and later as a City Councilmember and public safety champion, Jim was a Seattle civic institution,” Murray said in a written statement. “He was also a personal friend of mine, and someone I very much respected. He leaves a legacy behind, and I – along with many, many others – will miss him greatly.”

Sam Champion's AMHQ Flops in the Ratings

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Despite the hype and the publicity, Sam Champion's new show on the Weather Channel was a dud in the ratings.

The debut show pulled just over 200,000 viewers, which was down 12% from the four-week time slot average.

Never a good thing, when so much time and money were spent promoting AMHQ.

How bad was it?

Lifetime was airing a very old 'Frasier' rerun and it killed AMHQ in the ratings.

As for Champion's former show Good Morning America, it beat AMHQ by 3,800 percent on Monday. 

Ouch!

Play by Play Announcer Goes off on Security Guard on Air

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San Diego sports broadcasting legend Ted “Loveable” Leitner is an Web sensation after an epic meltdown at the Thomas &Mack Center. Leitner went ballistic Saturday in the final minutes of the Mountain West title game between San Diego State and New Mexico.

His on-air rant came in response to a security guard interrupting Leitner’s play-by-play at the most critical time, demanding the broadcaster’s suitcase be moved.

“The suitcase was right behind the chair next to me,” said Leitner, who had a quick flight to Arizona. “It had been there the entire game. It wasn’t going to be in anybody’s way.

“I understand all about 9/11, but this is overzealousness,” said Leitner, reached Tuesday in Arizona where he was back in the booth as the longtime voice of the San Diego Padres.

With 75 seconds to go in a tight game, Aztecs fans heard Leitner go off the rails.

You can listen to his call here

Chopper That Crashed Was Used in Boston TV for 10 Years

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WBZ-TV has learned the helicopter that crashed in Seattle this morning was used in Boston as recently as last year.

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed to WBZ-TV the tail number on the helicopter involved in the crash matches the one that was used as a shared helicopter by both WBZ-TV and WFXT.

CBS Boston says that the helicopter was used in Boston for 10 years before it was flown to Detroit, the day after Thanksgiving, where it was supposed to be used as backup.

The helicopter, a Eurocopter AS350, was being used while the Seattle station’s regular helicopter was in the shop, according to CBS Seattle.

There’s no word yet on what caused the crash.