Ummmm....

Sunday, Denver Broncos Quarterback Peyton Manning broke the all time record for touchdown passes in the NFL.

KOMO in Seattle ran the story and included a picture of Payton....problem was it was Gary Payton and not Peyton Manning.

First off, Peyton and Payton spell their names differently. Secondly, Manning plays in the NFL, while Gary Payton played in the NBA, totally different sport.

And lastly, Peyton Manning is white and Gary Payton is black.

So, as you can see it was a simple mistake that anyone could have made.

NOT!

NBC's New Credibility Problem

A trip to a local restaurant could have a huge impact on the career of NBC medical Correspondent Dr. Nancy Snyderman. 

Snyderman's quarantine against possible Ebola exposure ends this week but her troubles might just be beginning.

It was reported that Snyderman broke a voluntary quarantine by going to a local restaurant and combined with a curiously imprecise explanation, unleashed a furious response.

The AP reports that NBC must now decide whether Snyderman's credibility is too damaged for her to continue reporting on Ebola or other medical issues and, if so, for how long. The network would not comment.

Snyderman's "arrogance and dismissiveness" create a huge PR and credibility problem for NBC, said Kelly McBride, an expert on ethics for the journalism think tank the Poynter Institute.

"People are so freaked out about Ebola that the problem NBC has now is that whenever they put her on the air, some news consumers are going to see the woman who put others at risk, rather than the reporter and professional with great experience," McBride said.

McBride suggested that Snyderman "lay low" or take a leave of absence. Certainly she should not report on Ebola anymore for the network, she said.

Stay tuned..... 

H/T AP

NABJ President: CNN is Calling me a Liar

Yesterday, FTVLive told you that after the NABJ made critical comments about CNN's treatment and lack on black employees, the NABJ said the network cut off funding. 

NABJ said that The cable news network withdrew their financial support of the NABJ's 2015 Convention and Career Fair.

After FTVLive posted the story, CNN responded with their own statement: “Following NABJ’s recent comments about CNN, we informed them we were reconsidering our relationship, but we were clear that we had not made a final decision. It’s surprising to us that they would choose to make such a statement.”

So: Butler says that the network had definitively withdrawn support; CNN says not quite. “They’re basically calling me a liar,” said to the Washington Post. “That’s very disturbing.”

So CNN is now calling the NABJ President a liar, but the problem is much deeper than that.

As the Post points out, that critical press release and NABJ’s proposal to CNN for the 2015 annual convention hit CNN at about the same time, according to Butler. Therein lies a core conflict in what NABJ — and other journalism-diversity groups, for that matter — does from day to day.

On the one hand, it monitors how well newsrooms embrace diversity; on the other, it pitches those same newsrooms to ante up for convention space and other stuff. Have a look at the 2014 convention program book with a nice full-page ad from CNN proclaiming, “CNN proudly supports the National Association of Black Journalists.” Says Butler: “They’re a corporate partner like many other companies are. We have relationships with CNN, with Fox News, CBS, NBC, ABC — those are all partners within NABJ.”

So, while the NABJ is issuing critical statements against CNN, they are also asking them for money. In a way, you really can't blame CNN for telling them "no".

But, they don't need to lie about it.

Just saying.... 

CNN Blames President for Poor "Messaging" on Ebola

Despite the fact that CNN has gone all missing plane on ebola, yesterday Wolf Blitzer said the blame for the ebola panic in the US belongs on the White House.

"Ebola has certainly eroded the confidence in the way the Obama administration and medical professionals have handled it. It requires a delicate balancing act between telling people the hard facts without overly scaring.,' Blitzer said.

Again, I will repeat the facts, there are 316 million people in the United States, of those people, only 2 have contracted ebola in this country. Both people are nurses that were working very closely with an ebola patient in a hospital that didn't really know what they were doing.

The panic and the scaring that Wolf Blitzer is talking about comes not from the White House, but comes from a media that is obsessed (for the moment) on ebola.

We agree that "poor messaging" is the problem, but don't look to Washington, just flip on your TV. 

There was No Reshaping at ABC News in 2010

CNN's Brian Stelter says that CNN's recent massive cuts are more about "reshaping" than there are about layoffs.

Back in 2010, ABC News was undergoing a big round of cuts as well. The network was getting rid of 400 jobs and then New York Times Media Critic Brian Stelter wrote about the cuts.

At the time Stelter wrote in his Times piece, "More than 300 employees were approved for buyout packages. An unknown number were laid off. A person with knowledge of the cutbacks said 22 staff employees were laid off on Tuesday in a final round of cuts, but ABC would not disclose the numbers. Morale is very low, according to some of the dozen ABC News staff members who agreed to be interviewed for this article. Most spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized by ABC to speak publicly."

Guess when the same thing happened 4 years later at CNN, it had somehow become "reshaping."

Another One Leaves Fox San Antonio Station

Last one to leave Fox Affiliate KABB in San Antonio, could you please get the lights.

In the last five months, five well-known news names have departed the local Fox affiliate. The biggest shocker was the sudden exit last month by chief anchorman Michael Valdes, who was a 20-year KABB veteran.

Now, the San Antonio Express News reports that  No. 6 is on her way out the door, and others who may follow suit. 

After 12 years with KABB, Sylvia Rincona popular, versatile reporter and fill-in morning anchor, said she has accepted the position of director of communications at Southside Independent School District. Her last day at KABB will be Nov. 6.

It's an amazing opportunity, she said, and well-timed.

“There’s a lot of change going on,” she said. “A lot of my friends have left. It’s not just at KABB. The whole industry is in flux, as you know.”

Stay tuned.... 

Jumping Across the Street in Chi-Town

It appears that former WMAQ Weather Anchor Cheryl Scott, maybe setting up shop across the street at WLS.

Robert Feder says that Scott is close to accepting an offer from WLS-Channel 7, where she eventually would succeed longtime weather Anchor Jerry Taft as the station’s top meteorologist.

Finalizing the deal has been delayed by Scott’s former employer, WMAQ-Channel 5,which could exercise its right to match ABC 7’s offer, raising the slim possibility that she would return to the NBC-owned station.

But insiders said they don’t expect that to happen.

Suing Texas Weather Crosses the Street

Back in December, FTVLive told you about Bob French, a Chief Meteorologist employed by KBTX in Bryan and College Station for 23 years.

French filed a charge of Age and Disability Discrimination as well as Retaliation with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).

French claims he was overworked during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays of 2012 while other much younger employees were allowed time off.

Now, word comes that KAGS in the same market has hired French as their Chief Meteorologist.

"The Brazos Valley has been my home since 1990,” Bob French said. “I am so blessed that I can serve the residents here with my passion for weather and experience in forecasting."

“We are excited to have Bob on our team,” KAGS News Director Luke Simons said. “Bob is not only a great meteorologist, but a great person that truly loves this area.”

Here's some advice to Luke, don't have Bob work on Christmas or New Year's.

Just saying.... 

Indy Weather Anchor Headed to Bean Town

WISH (Indianapolis) meteorologist Pamela Gardner is leaving the station after the November book and headed to Boston.

Gardner is headed to WBZ.

Ever since it was announced that WISH is losing CBS affiliation, resumes have been flying out of the station. 

WISH News Director Steve Bray notified the staff by email on Sunday of Gardner’s departure.

Gardner joined WISH in November 2011. Before that, she was the morning meteorologist for WTHI-TV in Terre Haute.

H/T Indianapolis Business Journal 

Shuffling the Anchors in NOLA

Yesterday, FTVLive FIRST told you that WDSU in New Orleans is shifting some Anchors around at the start of the November book.

FTVLive FIRST told you back in July that Charles Divinswas leaving The Daily Buzz for what he said was a job offer he "could not turn down."

Divins will be joining Randi Rousseau as an anchor of WDSU's morning-news block starting October 27th. 

Here is the internal memo that was sent out to the staff from News Director Jonathan Shelley and obtained by FTVLive:

All,

Many of you have already gotten to know Charles Divins as he has become familiar with his new home town and his new team, here at WDSU. This afternoon, we are distributing the attached news release, announcing that Charles will debut as co-anchor of WDSU News This Morning on Monday, Oct. 27. That same day, I’m pleased to note that Sula Kim will assume co-anchor duties on WDSU News at 4 pm alongside Camille Whitworth. Scott Walker, who took on an additional anchor role temporarily earlier this year (with the retirement of Norman Robinson), will anchor the 5, 6 and 10 pm newscasts.

It’s an exciting time to be part of the best news operation in New Orleans. We are looking forward to a great November sweeps.

Jonathan

Gannett Makes the Day after Christmas a Paid Holiday

Good News if you work at a Gannett station....

The day after Christmas just became a paid holiday for staffers at the Gannett stations. Gannett is having a really good year, with profits soaring, they decided to give a small token back to the employees.

The staff found out in a memo from CEO Gracia Martore, who said,  “Without your hard work, this company would not be in the terrific condition it is today,” she writes in a letter to staff. “Because of this, I want to give everyone special holiday surprise.”

Of course the day after Christmas still has newscasts that must be produced and aired, but even people that have to work will get a day off. If a staffer has to work the day after the holiday, they will be given another day off before the end of the year. 

Let's hope all the other media companies will follow suit and give you all an extra paid hoilday.

Just saying... 

Can You Say Awkward....

Cleveland Cavaliers player Tristan Thompson turned a pregame interview just a bit awkward when he called Fox Sports sideline Reporter Allie Clifton by the wrong name and then kissed her.  

Let's go to the video:

FSOhio/NBATV

Anchor Changes in the Big Easy

WDSU is shifting some Anchors around at the start of the November book.

FTVLive FIRST told you back in July that Charles Divins was leaving The Daily Buzz for what he said was a job offer he "could not turn down."

Divins will be joining Randi Rousseau as an anchor of WDSU's morning-news block starting Monday (Oct. 27), the station has announced.

Divins has also previously worked as a model — appearing in GQ and Cosmopolitan and TV ads for Crystal Light and Visa, among other products. He portrayed Chad Harris-Crane on the soap opera "Passions" from 2002-2007.

Divins' path to the WDSU newsroom is unconventional, but it's worked for the station before. Meteorologist Jay Galle did time early in his career as a writer, actor and producer in Hollywood. Meteorologist Damon Singleton served more than two decades in the Navy before transitioning to TV news.

"I started out as an actor, and started to get into the role of becoming a host, more of my own story instead of playing a role," Divins said Monday. "Being Charles and having proper voice."

Signing on at WDSU is "a natural progression (to) gain some chops, being around some real journalists in a real newsroom in a real news town," he said. "It was time."

Divins has been in town for several weeks preparing for his on-air debut.

"They've given me the liberty to have a few weeks of training, to soak in the city," he said. "In a very different way, New Orleans has its own soul."

Sula Kim, WDSU morning anchor since 2012, will move to the station's 4 p.m. newscast to anchor with Camille Whitworth, the station also announced.

Main Anchor Scott Walker will move off the 4PM and work the evening and late newscasts. 

H/T The Times-Picayune

CNN New Day EP has Been Reshaped

CNN used the excuse of layoffs to bounce New Day Executive Producer Matt Frucci.

Although, it is being spun as part of the cuts in CNN's massive layoffs, insiders tell FTVLive that CNN was looking to make a change in the New Day management.

Frucci has been with ND since the show first launched in the Spring of 2013.

CNN's Stelter: Layoffs = Reshaping

CNN's Brian Stelter did not take too kindly to FTVLive's story this morning about how he said that CNN's layoffs are more like a "reshaping" of the one time cable news network.

Stelter took to Twitter to publicly spank FTVLive (OUCH!) for our story: 

FTVLive is not the only one that Stelter is smacking on Twitter. He also took a shot a Fox News Anchor Greta Van Susteren for her story on Brian's "reshaping" comments. 

We need to inform Brain that we did watch the video and yes he did use the world "layoffs" but then said, "But the better word for what's happening in media today is reshaping."

Stelter closes his commentary with: "None of this context makes it any easier to say good-bye to our colleagues. In fact, it may make it even harder, because the fact of media, THE fact of media in 2014, is that reshaping of all kinds is going to continue."

Look at the last line, once again it seems that Stelter is changing the word "layoffs" with "Reshaping."

Brian also wanted us to "have the decency" to watch his video and link to it.

As we said, we did watch it and although, Brian has gone years without having the "decency to link" to stories on FTVLive, we will take the high road here and link to his. 

Bill O'Reilly calls Stelter a "cheap shot artist"....we don't really agree with that. Maybe "thin skinned" might have been a better description.

Just saying... 

ABC News To Take Time out of Ebola Coverage to Cover Elections

ABC News sent out a press release Today, informing that they will take some time off from their non-stop ebola coverage to coverage the elections on November 4th. 

What is interesting is that ABC "Chief Anchor" George Stephanopoulos will solo anchor the coverage for ABC.

Over the years, Stephanopoulos was joined by Diane Sawyer in a co-anchor role in the coverage.

ABC's David Muir will be included in the coverage, but not in a main role. 

ABC says that Stephanopouls' coverage will go from with uninterrupted online from 7 p.m. through 2 a.m.

Diane Sawyer will also be included in ABC's coverage. No word if she will be bringing wine this year.

ABC election coverage co-anchor Diane Sawyer had difficulties on-air Tuesday night - enough to stoke the Twittersphere with claims that she was "drunk." Sawyer stumbled through some words leading up to the 11:00 p.m. EST hour, providing a few awkward moments for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who was a guest during the coverage.