Judge Rules for Geraldo

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Geraldo Rivera has won a lawsuit brought on by his former agent.

A Manhattan judge has tossed a suit against Rivera brought by the TV newsman’s former talent agency William Morris Endeavor Entertainment. 

WMEE had sued Rivera last September, saying the television personality’s contract, which the firm negotiated, called for the talent agency to collect 10% of his gross salary for his work at Fox News.

Rivera stopped paying them in 2010, saying his deal was only with his agent, Jim Griffin, who left the company the previous year.

The NY Daily News says that a Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Charles Ramos tossed the suit in a decision posted Thursday saying WMEE only had a verbal agreement with Rivera and it cannot be enforced.

The judge said that even if he were to apply the original written contract that Rivera had with WMEE from 1994 to 1997, that contract is no longer valid because it requires that only Griffin could handle Rivera’s affairs.

Rivera said last September that he was loyal to Griffin — his agent since 1985 — because Griffin had stuck with him “through thick and thin.”

Thursday, Rivera was elated by Ramos’ decision because, he said, nobody who is now at William Morris was involved in negotiating his current contract with Fox.

“This is a body blow to how Hollywood does business,” Rivera said. “It deals a blow to evil agents who wanted money for work they never did.”

Naked Selfies for everyone!!!!

CNN Tried to Rent Boeing 777

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How obsessed as CNN become with the missing plane story?

The AP says that the cable net wanted to rent real 777 airplane for its coverage, but found it impossible.

Individual airlines were also reluctant to make their simulators available. So CNN arranged time with the company uFly, from Mississauga, Ontario, near the Toronto airport, which has a simulator that is the same model of the plane lost in Asia.

Martin Savidge and his "co-pilot," Mitchell Casado, are the most visible symbols of CNN's blanket coverage of the story of the missing airplane. They have logged so much airtime reporting from the fake cockpit that the hashtag #freemartinsavidge appears on Twitter.

"I hope he is getting up to stretch his legs," one person tweeted. Another bored viewer is obsessed with flight instructor Casado's fashion sense, posting several pictures of him in different plaid shirts.

Despite spending a series of 12- to 18-hour days in the cockpit, the Atlanta-based Savidge said he's still excited about his open-ended assignment. "In a horrible tragedy, I'm at least blessed with a good place to report from, to try and bring some clarity," he said.

Savidge, who had been vacationing in Australia when the plane went missing on March 8, was sent to Canada for one day on March 14 and returned home for the weekend. The response to his reports was so positive, CNN sent him back on March 17, and he's been there since. Other media organizations have sought to use the simulator but CNN blocks them by keeping it booked.

The company won't say how much this is costing, but we're betting that it is cheaper than a real 777. 

Just saying.... 

Piers Morgan's Final Words "God Bless Britain"

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After 3 years, Piers Morgan signed off from his low rated show with a parting shot at the NRA. 

“I assumed that after 70 people were shot in a movie theater, and then, just a few months later, 20 first-graders were murdered with an assault rifle in an elementary school, the absurd gun laws in this country would change,” he said. “But nothing has happened. The gun lobby in America, led by the NRA, has bullied this nation’s politicians into cowardly, supine silence. Even when 20 young children are blown away in their classrooms. This is a shameful situation that has made me very angry.” He continued to rail and wrapped it with this: “But I’ve made my point. … Now it’s down to you. It’s your country; these are your gun laws. And the senseless slaughter will only end when enough Americans stand together and cry: Enough!” 

Morgan ended his show with “Goodnight, thank you, and God bless America. Oh, and while I’m at it, God bless Great Britain too.”

CNN will continue experimenting on air with possible replacements. 

Piers Morgan Signs Off Tonight

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Back on October 1st, FTVLive FIRST reported that CNN was going to pull the plug on Piers Morgan's show.

Both CNN and Morgan denied our report, Morgan said our report was wrong and called us a "mad blogger."

Tonight Piers Morgan signs off for the final time from Piers Morgan Tonight.

No word if he will apologize during his final show to FTVLive for saying we were wrong and calling us "mad".

We aren't going to hold our breath. 

Larry King Calls CNN's Missing Plane Coverage "Abysmal"

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Former CNN star Larry King is not too fond of his old network's coverage of the missing plane.

During an interview with The Rubin Report, King had this to say about CNN's non stop coverage:

“Since day two they advanced nothing in that story but conjecture. It was breaking supposition; breaking speculation. It was never breaking news.

When asked by host Dave Rubin how he would have dealt with the situation if still at the network, King said, “I would have insisted, ‘Let’s do other things.’”

King was keen to blame executives for the current state of cable news, calling them “suits” and “accountants” who didn’t “come up in broadcast,” highlighting CNN as “a perfect example.”

“The other day, while CNN and some other cable news networks were doing airplane coast to coast, wire to wire, 10 people in Washington were killed in a mudslide. There were three Americans on that airplane, 10 Americans died in a mudslide in Washington, no coverage. The G8 conference in Russia was canceled, rescheduled for Belgium with Russia left out — no mention. An enormous occurrence in Houston of an oil slick that destroyed hundreds and hundreds of miles of water — not covered. The president of the United States is in the Netherlands, he’s talking to China, about trying to get China to at least stay neutral in the Russia situation — no coverage. Now that is abysmal.”

H/T Buzzfeed

 

Pink Slime Case Headed to Trial

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A South Dakota judge on Thursday gave the green light to one of the most high-stakes defamation lawsuits in U.S. history. Judge Cheryle Gering denied ABC News’ motion to dismiss the $1.2 billion dollar lawsuit filed against it by Beef Products, Inc. (BPI) in the wake of a series of reports that BPI alleges led people to believe its product, known as lean finely textured beef, is unsafe, and ignited an industry backlash.

The case is now headed toward a trial where ABC personalities Diane Sawyer and Jim Avila will take the witness stand before a South Dakota jury, defending the network’s journalistic practices and its right to lead consumer-oriented crusades. 

“We are pleased with the court’s decision, which rejected nearly all of the defendants’ arguments,” BPI’s attorney Erik Connolly said in a statement. ”We look forward to starting discovery and ultimately presenting our case to a jury.” ABC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

H/T The National Review

Have a Nice Gay

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WLOX (Biloxi) Anchor Dave Elliott seems a bit tired of seeing the "gays" in the news so much. 

The Anchor took to Facebook with is advice the LGBT community.

WLOX took to the station's Facebook page to say "We are not happy at all with the post or any imagined "free publicity." Dave made this post initially on his personal Facebook page, and you should look for him to address it on that same page."

Elliott's online station bio says "David Elliott doesn't have time to spare when he comes to work in the morning. He's the only WLOX anchor on the air seven days a week."

Maybe he's the one that needs a gaycation.

Just saying.....

H/T Jim Romenesko

Oops! That Ain't Cool

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You may remember the dramatic ice rescue that was in the news last week. Two boys in Iowa wondered out on some thin ice in the middle of the river and had to be rescued by Firefighters.

The Firefighter was hailed as a hero and along with the two boys and their family they were invited to be guests on the Today Show in New York.

For Des Moines NBC affiliate WHO, it's a big deal when someone local is invited to New York to talk to Matt and Savannah. 

WHO made a big deal about Firefighter Alan Angstrom heading to New York and the Today Show. The station also informed viewers that the two boys and their family were also headed to New York, even telling viewers when they left town.

Well, it appears that burglars also watch WHO and while the two boys and they family were in New York, the thieves cleaned up their house. 

When the family got back home they found their home destroyed. 

“Anytime a house gets broken into you expect TVs, video games and things like that, but the personal items that means so much to those boys,” Angstrom, the firefighter that helped save the boys, said.

In a press release the Fort Dodge Police Department called the act “disturbingly disappointing if not disgusting.”

Jeans, shirts, socks and underwear are being accepted in 8-10 boys sizes along with age appropriate movies, games and toys which were all stolen.

So? Does She Have the Job or Not?

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So is Anne Allred the main co-anchor with Mike Bush at KSDK (St. Louis)?

Yes. Maybe. Probably. At least for now. Until further notice.

In early February, Allred began co-anchoring the flagship 10 p.m. newscast with Mike Bush. At the time, station sources said the assignment would go until the Winter Olympics ended. But more than a month after the games ended Feb. 23, Allred continues to sit beside Bush for the late cast.

Station news director Mike Shipley said, "We're still in a trial mode, and we like what we've seen thus far. So we will continue" with Allred.

Asked if there was a deadline for making a decision, Shipley shot back, "We'll know when we know."

In other words the longer we keep her in tryout mode the less we have to pay her. You see if she gets the main gig, the station is going to have to redo her contract, which will mean paying her more money. If they keep her in tryout mode, her paycheck remains the same. 

Welcome to TV News folks. 

H/T St. Louis Post Dispatch

O-Town Station still riding Olympic Wave

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The Olympics might be over, but it appears that WESH in Orlando is still riding the Olympic wave to higher ratings.

The Orlando Sentinel writes that in February with the Olympics, WESH won late news and tied WFTV at 6 p.m.

In March without the Olympics, WESH edged WFTV at 5 p.m. and was a strong second at 6 p.m.

The March ratings period ended Wednesday, and the WESH-WFTV rivalry stood out as the main news. The numbers in this story, unless otherwise noted, are based on the 25-to-54 age group, which is most important to news advertisers.

WFTV was the leader in that age group in early morning, at noon and at 11 p.m.

But WESH handily beat WFTV at 4 p.m. At 5 p.m. weekdays, WESH averaged 22,600 viewers and overtook WFTV with 22,300. WOFL drew 14,400 for its hour news. WKMG drew 10,100.

By 5:30, WFTV with 25,900 viewers reclaimed the lead from WESH with 24,200.

At 6 p.m., it was a two-way race between WFTV with 31,700 viewers and WESH with 30,100. WKMG averaged 13,500 viewers, and WOFL had 12,000. (At 6 p.m., WFTV had the greatest reach. It was being seen in 115,900 homes to WESH's 76,800, WKMG's 45,800 and WOFL's 32,400.)

At 11 p.m. Monday through Sunday, WFTV averaged 31,900 viewers. In a tight race for second, WKMG pulled in 27,900 to WESH's 27,800. WOFL averaged 20,500 with its Monday-Friday news at 11.

That Was Quick

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10 days ago, FTVLive told you that WEWS News Director Jill Manuel has been kicked to the curb to Cleveland.

She has already landed a new job as the Duece at Fox O&O WFLD in Chicago.

ews Director Tom Doerr announced that Manuel will be the station's Assistant News Director starting April 15th. 

“Jill is a seasoned news professional and leader, with a tremendous passion for storytelling and journalism. We look forward to her contributions to FOX 32,” Doerr said.

And let's see what quote the Creative Services Department made up for Manuel. “I am thrilled to be returning to Chicago to work with the FOX 32 news team.  I look forward to collaborating with them to produce quality journalism and tell stories that impact our audience on broadcast and digital platforms.”

Really?! Who talks like that?

And Then.....There Was Josh

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ABC's Good Morning America has reached another deal with one on their morning hosts.

Lara Spencer says she is elated about her new deal with GMA, which is estimated in the $2 million range annually.

That leaves just Josh Elliott who has at least not agreed to a new deal.

As FTVLive reported exclusively, Elliott's current deal is paying him in the $700-$800 thousand dollar range and ABC has offered him a new deal at more than triple that.

But, Elliott and his agents are holding out for more and sources tell FTVLive that ABC suits have started to talk about who could replace Elliott if the two sides can't come to a deal?

Elliott and his agents might be negotiating him right out of a job.

Stay tuned....