Bowing Out in the Bay Area

NBC Bay Area reporter George Kiriyama has left the station after eight years and two months “to search for new opportunities.”

In a Facebook post Kiriyama said, “I am deeply honored to have worked side by side with such a talented group of journalists. For nearly a decade, I enjoyed sharing the stories that mattered the most to our viewers.

“To my fellow NBC Bay Area journalists…you were more than just a team to me. You were my family.

“Thank you, NBC Bay Area, for an opportunity I will never forget. Onward and forward …”

Kiriyama traveled around the country as a television reporter for more than nine years before returning home to California in 2006 to report for NBC Bay Area.

He began his broadcasting career in Midland/Odessa, Texas. From there, his career took him north to Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo. During his four years in Michigan, he was honored by the Michigan Associated Press for his individual reporting and received an honorable mention from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters for his series “Surviving the Economic Slowdown.”

He spent four years as a general assignment reporter in Kansas City, Mo., before coming back to California to join NBC Bay Area.

H/T RAFU.com

Lexington Station Names New Anchor

WDKY announced that Erika Abe will join Fox 56 10 O'Clock News at the end of this month. 

"Her personality is just a great fit for us," said Ronna Corrente, general manager of WDKY.

Abe replaces Jennifer Palumbo, who in March left her second stint at the station to accommodate family responsibilities. Palumbo continues to anchor the 4 p.m. newscast at CBS affiliate WKYT-TV, which she was doing with the Fox job. WDKY and WKYT are partner stations.

Corrente said viewers would have plenty of chances to get to know Abe. A promotional campaign is underway to "get her name and face out there," Cor rente said. "They are going to be running all over our air."

H/T Lexington Herald Leader

Man Sues Twin Cities TV Station for Defamation

A Minnesota man questioned but never charged in the killing of a Cold Spring police officer is suing both WCCO radio and television for news and social media reports that identified him as the killer.

The Star Tribune reports that Cold Spring officer Thomas Decker was shot in the head on Nov. 29, 2012, outside a local bar moments after he arrived to make a welfare check on Ryan Larson, who lived above the bar. Larson’s mother called police to check on her son because she was concerned he was suicidal.

Larson was arrested and jailed for five days in connection with the officer’s death. But he was never charged, and another man named as a person of interest in the shooting later committed suicide.

Larson, who now lives in Long Prairie, contends two tweets by a radio reporter and separate news reports wrongfully pointed to him as the cop’s killer and said he was expected to be charged.

According to the lawsuit, reporter Chris Simon tweeted on Nov. 30: “Chief Phil Jones of Cold Spring PD salutes slain officer Tom Decker Shot by welfare suspect Ryan Larson.” A second tweet stated: “The BCAs Drew Evans confirms officer Decker was ‘ambushed’ when shot twice and killed by Ryan Larson.”

The lawsuit says the statements in the tweets were false, misrepresented statements by law enforcement officials and were defamatory. He also says he was implicated and defamed in television news reports that included his photo.

Larson’s suit in U.S. District Court seeks more than $75,000.

WCCO News Director Mike Caputo said he hasn’t seen the suit and couldn’t comment.

Fox Business to Sponsor the Duff

Fox Business has inked a sponsorship deal with pro golfer Jason Dufner. 

“Our viewers are champions of business and industry and they are interested in golf and tennis, and we saw a lot of correlation there, “ said Brian Jones, senior vice president of programming and operations at Fox Business Network. “We wanted to have an ongoing relationship with someone who is seen as an up and coming player.”

“You will see our brand logos on his apparel, and then we will talk to him as the season progresses about personal appearances on the channel and, obviously, social media,” said Jones, who declined to discuss how much FBN was paying in the sponsorship pact.

Dufner won the PGA Championship last year, but might be more famous to non golfers for inventing Dufnering (which he is doing in the picture above).

H/T Variety

Oops! Reporter Falls into Water

A Dutch Reporter is interviewing the Mayor when she falls off the boat and into the water. The Mayor tries to save her with his credentials around his neck. 

The video is a classic, but the skeptic in me thinks it could be a fake:

Weather Channel Returning to DirecTV

The America Bald Ego AKA Jim Cantore is headed back to DirecTV.

No one is saying anything about the financial terms, but The Weather Channel is returning to DIRECTV tomorrow.

The two sides have settled on a new agreement and we're betting that DirecTV came out on top of this deal.

As part of the new pact, The Weather Channel agreed to reduce reality programming by half on weekdays; return instant local weather and allow authenticated DIRECTV customers to watch The Weather Channel’s video programming on multiple devices inside and outside the home.

“Our apologies to DIRECTV and their customers for the disruption of our service and for initiating a public campaign,” said David Kenny, CEO of the Weather Company, parent to The Weather Channel. “Our viewers deserve better than a public dispute and we pledge to reward their loyalty with exceptional programming and more weather focused news.”

“It’s a shame these disputes are played out on a public stage, but I’m pleased that we’ve been able to work together with The Weather Channel in a way that will benefit everyone,” said Dan York, DIRECTV’s chief content officer. “I know this was frustrating for many of our customers, but their patience was ultimately rewarded with a better deal and a better product.”

The Rev says he ain't a Rat

Yesterday we told you about the report that MSNBC host Reverend Al Sharpton was a confidential informant for the FBI.

What does Sharpton say?

“It’s crazy. If I provided all the information they claimed I provided, I should be given a ticker-tape parade," he told the NY Post.

“I was never told I was an informant or I had a number or none of that," he said to the NY Daily News.

“Whether or not they used some of the other information they got during that period for other purposes, I don’t know.”

Sharpton does say that he contacted the FBI after receiving mob threats over his activism in the music business. He denies the report that said he been caught in a drug sting and pressured to turn informant.

MSNBC boss Phil Griffin has yet to comment on the Sharpton report, then again he might be too busy looking into Ronan Farrow's baby blue eyes to be bothered. 

H/T HuffPo

Cleveland Station Hires MMJ

WKYC-TV has announced Hilary Golston will be joining the Channel 3 News family this month as a Multi-Media Journalist and Reporter.

Golston comes to northeast Ohio from Birmingham, Alabama, and NBC affiliate, WVTM-TV, where she was an Anchor and Reporter.

"She’s very excited to help us make positive change and will now be closer to her family in Detroit," Says WKYC News Director Brennan Donnellan.

H/T WKYCDirectorsCut

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Here's a link to our Facebook page. 

Dispatches from NAB

 NAB kicked off in Las Vegas and it looks a little like the Oklahoma land rush.  The doors are  open and thousands upon thousands  who came to Las Vegas to see the latest broadcast goodies descend upon the convention floor.

Late Sunday afternoon, the convention floor was still bare concrete in many places, with packing crates strewn everywhere.

Now those concrete floors are under hundreds of thousands of square feet of carpeting.

The folks at the Devlin Design Group/Brightline booth are already busy talking to convention goers.

Some stop by Booth C3951 to ask about Dan Devlin’s latest designs…such as the interactive storytelling arena DDG just built for KSAZ in Phoenix.

One of the attendees doing just that was chatting with Sam Cercone of Brightline about a job they did together years ago in South Bend.  He’s since moved on to a different station, but was now looking for help with a current lighting challenge.

Despite the buzz on the convention floor and in the booths, the real drama goes on in the suites.

Dan Devlin says that his meeting schedule is filling up with stations that want to explore a new news set or refreshing and old one. 

The meetings are as varied as the people who attend them. There are group production teams that include a general manager, news director, chief engineer and corporate officer. Other times it's just one on one with Devlin and a GM looking to get a very cool new set.

If you're at NAB and want to meet the Devlin team, stop by Suite 830 in The Renaissance Hotel and tell them FTVLive sent you. 

The NAB floor is packed with the latest gadgets and people that just want to be seen. You won't find as many News Directors as in years past. RTNDA is no longer running their convention alongside NAB.

With not as many News Directors in town, Las Vegas prostitutes have seen a drop in business.

We're kidding of course (but not really). 

Florida Weatherman Dies after Bicycle Accident

Yesterday, FTVLive told you that WBBH Weatherman Jim Reif was in serious condition after a bicycle accident. 

Now the sad word comes that Reif passed away last night at 10:38 p.m.

Reif was involved in a tragic bicycle accident Sunday afternoon. While riding his bike on Ben Hill Griffin Parkway, his bicycle hit a sign, throwing him to the ground. Jim hit his head on the curb and suffered traumatic injuries to the head.

First responders were able to get to the scene in a matter of minutes because the accident happened less than a mile away from the fire station. It's unclear what caused the accident.

Reif  just recently got engaged to be married.

Sad story.... 

CNN's month of Breaking News that Wasn't

Brian Williams opened last night's NBC Nightly News by taking a veiled swipe at CNN. Williams said "It's now been one month since flight 370 was last heard from and while the cable news coverage has called it breaking news for 30 plus days now, the first real break came at midday monday....."

The report was how ships have picked up a ping that they think is coming from the missing plane. Of course, if you have been watching CNN's coverage, you've heard stories like this over and over again.

CNN has labeled it "breaking news"when garbage has been spotted in the Indian Ocean. 

Yesterday, and we are not making this up, CNN labeled a story how how the families are frustrated by CNN's coverage as "breaking news". Really they did this.

CNN has spent the past month throwing what little credibility they had left into the Indian Ocean, just like the garbage they have been reporting on for days.

CNN has cried Wolf (including Blitzer) so many times on this story, no one is left to take their coverage seriously.  

CNN has bragged about their ratings boost from the missing plane coverage. But, as one CNN staffer said to FTVLive, "(Jeff) Zucker has to realize that everyone slows down to look at a car wreck."

They would look at a plane wreck as well, but no one can seem to find it. 

Despite all the reports on CNN to the contrary. 

Paula Zahn has 5 Star Rated Feet

If you bump around the Internet long enough, you are bound to find some stuff that makes you go "HUH?!"

Did you know there is a site called WikiFeet that rates the feet of famous people. 

I didn't

Anyway, Wikifeet says that former CNN Anchor Paula Zahn has some awesome wheels.

 Zahn has an almost 5-star rating, right up there with “Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie and ahead of “Good Morning America” stars Lara Spencer (4) and Robin Roberts (4), as well as Katie Couric (3 ½).

And to think that you thought the Internet was full of useless information.

H/T Page Six

Signing off in Fresno

Say goodbye to Air Bud (OK maybe that's not his nickname, we just made it up).

Bud Elliott, one of Fresno's most recognizable faces is retiring, but of course he will wait until the end of the May book to do it. 

"My career with KSEE 24 has given me the opportunity to meet and work with incredible people," Elliott said in a statement. "Now I'm looking forward to spending quality time with my family including a brand new grandson in Sacramento, and focusing on some recently discovered health issues."

The statement didn't elaborate on the nature of the health issues.

KSEE 24 plans to recognizes Elliott's personal and professional accomplishments over the coming weeks.

Elliott's career in news started at KHOW radio in Denver, where he was news director during the 1970s. He went on to become a news anchor at CNN-2, which would go on to become CNN Headline News. He arrived in Fresno from an ABC affiliate in Richmond, Virg. before starting as a KSEE 24 anchor in 1987.

Elliott's contract with KSEE 24 expired in 2007. After a stint with KJWL radio, he rejoined KSEE 24 in March 2012 as a full-time member of the morning team. In July 2012 he returned as anchor of the evening news with longtime colleague Stefani Booroojian.

Elliott is the latest Fresno broadcast veteran to retire. Weather forecaster Angelo Stalis retired from KFSN 30 last year after 43 years on the air. Mike Scott with KGPE 47 also retired last year after 30 years.

H/T Fresno Business Journal 

Signing off in O-Town

Cable News 13 (Orlando) Meteorologist Ali Turiano is departing.

"Her last day is May 9th," Tim Geraghty, News 13's senior director of news, said Monday. "The search is underway for her replacement."

She joined News 13 in June 2008.

"Ali did not say where her next job will be," Geraghty said.

Turiano said Monday that she could not supply details. 

She joined News 13 from WENY, the ABC affiliate in Elmira, N.Y.

According to her station bio, Turiano grew up in Tampa and in high school was a weather intern at WFTS, the ABC affiliate.

H/T Orlando Sentinel