Longtime San Diego Reporter is Dead

Larry Himmel, longtime journalist for KMFB in San Diego, has died of cancer.

The San Diego Union Tribune says that Himmel had been "quietly facing this disease for the last few years" and wanted to keep working as long as he could, anchor Carlo Cecchetto said before the station's tribute to Himmel. 

A man with a great heart and a tiny ego ... a rare combination in TV news," KFMB sports director/anchor Kyle Kraska said on Twitter. 

"Larry made everyone feel special. Everyone," Cecchetto wrote, calling him "a gift to us all."

He was 68.

Fox Executive's Body is Found

Police identified a body found in a California Forest last week as the missing Fox executive's, according to KTTV

The body of 20th Century Fox executive Gavin Smith has been found, according to Los Angeles’ KTTV. The station reported that a body found last week in Angeles National Forest was Smith's.

A source close to the investigation spoke to KTTV, confirming that the body was found last week and was an apparent victim of a homicide.

No suspect has been identified.

It's been more than two years since Smith was last seen, on the evening of May 1, 2012. He left a friend's house in Ventura County between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. PT. In May 2014, two years after his disappearance, Smith was declared dead.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department began looking at the case as a potential homicide after Smith's car was discovered Feb. 21, 2013 in a storage unit in Simi Valley. The unit was connected to a convicted drug dealer, John Creech, who is currently serving time in jail.

H/T The Wrap

Newseum CEO is Out

The CEO of the money pit Newseum is out after 3 years.

WJZ reports that James Duff announced plans to return to his previous post as chief administrative officer of the U.S. Courts under an appointment by Chief Justice John Roberts. When the chief justice calls, “it’s hard to say no,” he said. Duff had led the Newseum since 2011. He will stay on as a consultant through the end of 2014 to help raise funds for programs.

For many years the Newseum was led by former journalists from Gannett Co. and USA Today. It will now return to their care, at least for now. Former USA Today editor Peter Prichard has been named the Newseum’s CEO, pending a search for a new chief executive.

Palm Springs Reporter has no Photographer and No Camera, But Still Goes Live

We get that TV stations love the idea of turning all their crews into one man bands, but at least you would have thought they would get a camera.

During election coverage, KESQ (Palm Springs) to Reporter Natalie Brunell. This young Reporter did not have a Photographer to shoot her live shot, hell they didn't even give her a camera. 

Brunell went live using the KESQ “Live Pad”....which is really just an iPad, but "Live Pad" sounds so much cooler.

Problem was Burnell could not get the iPad to change from the front facing camera to the rear one and needless to say, framing the shot was not very good either. 

But hey, It's cheaper than a News Photographer and it doesn't eat all the election night pizza. 

Let's go to the video:

Poor KESQ reporter Natalie Brunell was forced to report election coverage on an iPad. An iPad!!!

H/T Cactus Hugs

CNN Caught Using Microsoft Surface 3 as iPad Stand

Last night during election coverage, CNN was paid money to help pimp Microsoft's Surface Pro 3.

The Microsoft tablet conveniently was perched on the news desk for their talent to use.

But, on closer inspection, you can see that the Surface Pro was really just being used as stand for the talent's Apple iPads. 

Oops! It I was Microsoft, I would be withholding my promotion check from CNN. 

Just saying.

Ax Swings at The Weather Channel....again

Every time cuts have been made atThe Weather Channel, the employees are told that there won't be anymore.

But there always is.

Once again, the budget ax is being swung at TWC. The last round of cuts weren't even a month ago. 

This time, somewhere between 35-45 staffers are getting kicked to the cub. 

Many think that these cuts are to make The Weather Channel more attractive to buyers. NBC, along with Blackstone Group and Bain Capital own TWC and word is that both Blackstone and Bain want out. 

Stay tuned... 

There is Not a Lens Big Enough for these Two Egos

Although FTVLive thought the show had been cancelled years ago, the new cast for "Celebrity Apprentice" has been named.

The show which features GINORMOUS ego Donald Trump, relies on a bunch of c-listers and has beens that are bossed around by Trump and his kids.

We now learn that this season, Trump will have an ego nearly the size of his on the show. 

Naked selfie taker Geraldo Rivera will be one of the "contestants" show, along with Kenya Moore, Vivica A. Fox and a group of other people you never/barely heard of.

It will be interesting to see how Trump and Rivera's ego can fit in the same boardroom.

But, you guys will have to tell me how it goes, because I won't be watching.

Jake Tapper's Sketchy Details

While many Anchors and Reporters were working hard to deliver the latest election results last night, CNN's Jake Tapper was drawing.

Tapper banged out this sketch on what he would imagine would be President Obama's reaction to the GOP landslide from last night.

Maybe Jeff Zucker can come up with a Bob Ross style show for Tapper to host, you know like "Drawing with Jake."

Just a thought. 

Savannah vs. Matt

While network TV Anchors were baring down for election day coverage.

Today Show Anchors Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie appeared on the Tonight Show, taking each other on a trivia contest. The loser gets drenched by a water balloon.

Let's see won and who lost. Please, no wagering.

Jimmy referees Savannah Guthrie and Matt Lauer as they square off in a trivia game where the loser gets drenched by a water balloon.

"Fuck It" Reporter Wins in Alaska

A former Reporter in Alaska was celebrating last night. 

Charlo Greene made headlines when she walked off the set at KTVA in Anchorage with the now infamous words "Fuck it...I quit." Greene quit after admitting that she was in charge of the Alaska Cannabis Club, a group fighting for marijuana legalization in the state.

And while the Democrats were getting their ass handed to them, Alaska voters passed the bill to legalized recreational marijuana.

Alaska now becomes the fourth state in the U.S. to legalize retail marijuana, along with Oregon, Colorado and Washington state.

Maybe some Democrats should look to hire Greene as their campaign manager.

Just saying.... 

The Hell with the Magic Wall

CNN was trying to make this mid-term election the most dramatic thing since the missing plane.

In truth, voters were replacing useless politicians, with different, useless politicians. But that didn't stop the sometimes news network from breaking out the gadgets, including the CNN Magic Wall (it's really a large iPad) and their Virtual Senate.

But, when it came to tracking the seats in the Senate, Mashable came up with a simple easy to understand low tech idea.

They used Lego blocks to keep track of the Senate seats and this was the best idea since Tim Russert's dry erase board. 

Just saying.... 

Tom Brokaw Phone Goes Off While on Live TV

NBC News iconic Anchor Tom Brokaw stopped by to help the Peacock with their election coverage.

Unfortunately, Tom forgot to silence his phone and his alarm went off.

Of course, no one can really blame Brokaw, when I watch MSNBC, I need an alarm to wake me up as well. 

Let's go to the video:

It happens to the best of us, Tom. While iconic newsman Tom Brokaw was discussing the Tuesday's midterm election results on MSNBC, a fire alarm-like sound began to blare. After a few moments of confusion, Brokaw realized the dreadful noise was actually his phone going off.

Did Fox News Jump the Gun with Exit Poll Results?

Some are saying that Fox News Channel did not play by the rules.

Politico reports that Fox News aired exit polls from the New Hampshire Senate race almost two hours before polls closed in that state, a move that is likely in violation of agreed-upon rules by the media companies that commission the exit polls.

Minutes after 6 p.m. Tuesday, Fox News ran exit polls that showed Republican Scott Brown leading Democratic incumbent Jeanne Shaheen by 50 percent to 49 percent among Independents. The polls in New Hampshire don't close until 8 p.m.

As Vox's Dara Lind notes, the premature broadcast "definitely ... broke the rules for exit polls." Exit polls are commissioned and owned by a National Election Pool made up of six news organizations — Fox News, CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC and The Associated Press.

Fox News disputes that it broke the rules. Executive Vice President Michael Clemente told POLITICO, “According to the National Election Pool (NEP), we are permitted to report exit poll results as long as we don’t characterize the outcome of the race, which we did not do earlier this evening.”

Although FNC had the Republican Brown leading in the polls, he ended up losing. 

Bitter Much?

Of course CNN had plenty of laughs when Morgan was there, because there was no bigger joke than that guy. 

Please God.... No!

NBC News which has become known for hiring non-Journalist (i.e. Chelsea Clinton, Jenna Bush) is about to do it again.

Page Six says that NBC is set to offer Pippa Middleton a correspondent gig on “Today” after sending her on a test shoot to Utah. 

Despite the network’s weak denials, sources say that the Peacock has been talking to the 31-year-old sister of Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge after Pippa’s interview with Matt Lauer last June was a big ratings hit. 

A source said, “Today has been doing a test piece with Pippa in Utah, and if it works out well – and it looks like it will – they will hire her as a correspondent.”

A source says that NBC’s deal with Pippa would be for special reports on subjects such as lifestyle and health, rather than dishing on the British royals.

An NBC rep sniffed back in June of talks with Pippa, “This is 100 percent not true and it seems anyone suggesting otherwise is ‘royally’ ­jealous.”

Or NBC News is ‘royally’ fibbing, again.

Longtime Tampa Anchor To Sign Off and be Replaced by his Son

Longtime WTVT main Anchor John Wilson told viewers that when the November book is over, so is he. 

After more than 50 years in broadcasting, Wilson will anchor his final newscast the day before Thanksgiving, November 26th.

Wilson will be replaced on the anchor desk by his son.

Mark Wilson will take over the lead chair, upon Papa’s departure.

H/T Florida News Center