Evansville Anchor Signs Off after 41 years

/

Most people work 5 years at a station and they think it's a longtime....try 41 years.

WFIE (Evansville) Anchor David James signed off last week after 41 years at the station. The staff gathered in the studio for cake and listened to James long winded goodbye and reflect on his time at the station.

Then the meeting broke up and some staffers went back and updated their resumes, hoping like hell they weren't stuck in Evansville for 41 years.

Let's go to the video:

After more than 40 years, David James addresses his co-workers at 14News during his goodbye send-off. Here's what his closest friends saw.

HLN's Robin Meade Broadcasts from New Studio

/

Back in June, FTVLive FIRST told you that HLN would be changing studios in Atlanta with CNN. Since almost all CNN shows have been moved to New York, HLN moved into the bigger studio and CNN is taking over HLN's space.

This morning, FTVLive favorite Robin Meade starts doing her Morning Express from her new studio. 

Meade like FTVLive is celebrating an Ohio State Buckeye win this morning. I don't know about Robin, but I can barely keeps my eyes open this morning.

#GoBucks!

Why a Chicago Reporter will be Rooting for the Ducks Tonight

/

WGN Reporter Nancy Loo will be pulling for the Oregon Ducks tonight, but she has good reason to.

Loo is a former Oregon Ducks Cheerleader and she can still throw down a cheer when she has to.

She says she picked going to Oregon for the Journalism school and walked on a cheerleader and ended up cheering for 4 years.

But, she might be a house divided when it comes to her daughter. She explains in in this video. 

That all being said, GO BUCKEYES!!!!!

Colbert to Launch on CBS Late Night in September

/

CBS has announced that Stephen Colbert will officially take over for David Letterman on September 8th.

Letterman is signing off in May and Colbert's show will launch with the Fall TV season.

Stephen Colbert starts Sept. 8 on "Late Show," CBS announced Monday.

"I have nine months to make a show, just like a baby. So first, I should find out how you make a baby," Colbert said.

"The production office is open, the premiere date is set, and we’re incredibly excited to welcome the creative and comedic genius of Stephen Colbert to CBS late night this fall,” said Nina Tassler, chairman of CBS Entertainment.

CBS will air Letterman repeats until Colbert starts. 

Pulling the Plug at Al Jazeera

/

Al Jazeera America continues to make cuts as the cable channel dies a slow death as many expected.

Variety reports that the network has canceled its morning program as well as “Consider This With Antonio Mora,” a late-morning program, and is considering other changes to its programming, according to a person familiar with the network. The New York Post reported earlier Monday that Al Jazeera America was likely to give some of its primetime anchors like Ali Velshi and Joie Chen less airtime and also eliminate other programming in the mid-to-late afternoon.

“We are always looking at our scheduling calendar in order to offer our audience the most compelling news hours and programs,” the network said in a statement. “Increasingly we’re finding that viewers are coming us for in depth reporting and analysis of domestic and global news events and our goal is to offer that around the clock.”

The network isn't saying, but sources tell FTVLive that more layoffs are coming with these latest cuts. 

They really just need to pull the plug on the whole thing and be done with it.

Just saying.... 

CNN Staff Not Happy How Zucker Handled Bolduan Demotion

/

When FTVLive FIRST broke the news back on Dec. 23rd that Kate Bolduan would be replaced by Alisyn Camerota on CNN's New Day, emails and phone calls starting flying between CNN suits.

FTVLive had clearly broke a story that CNN boss Jeff Zucker and his news managers did not want out there.

Zucker had just left for holiday vacation and CNN's PR department was scrambling with what to do about the FTVLive story?

We reported at the time that CNN wanted to make the announcement early in the New Year. Now, with the FTVLive story out there, CNN and Zucker did not know what to do.

So, they waited till Friday and a very busy news day to leak the story to some hollywood website and then confirmed the story that the journalistic challenged website and writer/hack Jordan Chariton reported.

But staffers inside CNN were not happy with the way CNN handled the situation and how Bolduan basically got blown off in a Friday news dump. 

“The manner in which Jeff did it is angering female staffers…They took [Bolduan] out while she was on maternity leave and buried it on a day when there’s serious news,” said an insider to Page Six.

There was no doubt that CNN dropped the ball and their PR department could not figure out for the life on them, how to pick it back up.

Bolduan goes from a 3 hour block in prime morning time, to just an hour at the throw away time of 11AM.

Of course, you can go back over a year to Oct. 2013 and FTVLive FIRST tipped you off that this change was coming. 

CNN had plenty of time to figure out how this was going to go down and the completely flubbed it.

Just saying.... 

ESPN's Hannah Storm Karate Chops Make Up Artist

/

You would have never thought that being an ESPN Make Up Artist should come with hazard pay. Anchor Hannah Storm was getting a last minute touch when the camera came to her live and Storm did her best to get the Make Up person off camera as quickly as possible.

Ouch!

Let's go to the video:

We've all had those "whoops" live tv moments, but dang..Hannah got all karate chop here!

FNC's Greta Van Susteren Praises CNN's Chris Cuomo on Twitter

/

When FTVLive named the Top 8 best and worst people in TV news in 2014, it was no surprise that we picked Fox News Anchor Greta Van Susteren as one of the best.

She proved again over the weekend why she made our list.

When CNN's Chris Cuomo was filing reports from Paris on the mass shootings, it was Greta that stepped forward and praised Cuomo's coverage:

Cuomo answered back with a "thank you" and that he was not back home because his family needed him after the recent death of his father, Gov. Mario Cuomo.

Van Susteren chimed in again with some encouraging words:

That exchange alone should show you why Greta makes are "best list."

What's Up Chuck?

/

Did NBC's Chuck Todd spill the beans, or does he not have a clue what he's taking about?

The Meet The Press Host started a rumor about WPLG (Miami) star political reporter Michael Putney.

After broadcasting a part of an interview that Putney scored with possible presidential candidate Jeb Bush, Miami-born Todd commented on the air about how he grew up watching Putney and how great a reporter Putney is.

Todd ended by congratulating Putney on his retirement.

That was a bit of news to everyone in the Miami TV market.

Putney has not said anything about retirement and had recently signed a 1 year deal with the station. Making it worse, Putney is out of pocket on a eco-vacation in Patagonia.

The station isn't commenting on Todd's comments.

H/T Gossip Extra

Kicked to the Curb in Charlotte

/

Longtime WCNC Investigative Reporter Stuart Watson was pushed out the door on Friday after 16 years.

Watson gave the station some of their biggest scoops, but that didn't stop the station from giving him the axe. 

"There are people who are much better than I am who are facing the exact same thing because of what's called 'newsanomics' -- the profound upheaval in our business model," Watson said Friday night referring to the economic headwinds tearing nowadays through traditional media outlets. 

"I don't think this is personal, nor do I take it as personal."

Watson, who came to Charlotte in January 1999 from WRAL in Raleigh, is the most senior personality to depart from the station since it was acquired by Gannett Broadcasting a year ago.

He was involved in dozens of high-profile stories in Charlotte.

On Friday, Watson said, he was at the Catholic Diocese doing a story on an employee who posted on his Facebook page that he planned to marry his gay partner of 11 years, then found himself suddenly without a job. 

"I hope they'll air that the first part of next week," said Watson.

After he returned to the station, he was called in and told that his contract, which is up in February, would not be renewed. "Different philosophies," he said. "That was the stated reason."

His termination didn't come entirely as a surprise, he said. There had been no talks with the station on a new contract to take effect after his present three-year deal expired. 

Watson won't be working the last month of his contract. "I am finished," he said. "That's what I'm told."

Nice way to treat a guy that has worked at the station for such a longtime.

H/T Media Scene
 

Connecticut Newscast Has Gone to the Dogs

/

WTNH (Connecticut) has new staffer on the morning show and you can bet she's working like a dog.

Mainly because, she is a dog.

Nell, a 9-year-old Cockapoo, will be joining the Good Morning Connecticut family on set every morning. While she is new to live television, she is no stranger to the newsroom. Nell has been pulled out of bed at 2 a.m. by Anchor Ali Reed to accompany her to work.

Now Nell is moving in front of the camera as the station's Anchor Dog. 

While being Connecticut’s first news dog will be a career high for Nell, she has had many other interesting life experiences. 

Nell spoke to WTNH's website about her life so far:

My mom, Ali Reed, adopted me when I was 7 weeks old. At the time she was living in Boston, so I thought I was going to be a Boston dog, which I was pretty excited about. But, low and behold, three days later we were on a plane to Anchorage, Alaska. Let’s just say it is not warm there. But I quickly learned how fun snow is to play in and how great of friends Huskies make. At the time, my mom was working for a news station there and she would bring me in quite often. That’s how I got my paws wet in the news business (the Iditarod was my favorite). I was hooked from there.

It might be the first time you can call the Anchor a bitch without being called into the News Director's office.

Just saying.... 

Another Out the Door in Miami

/

Veteran SoFlo Reporter Brian Andrews is the latest on-air talent to depart WFOR in Miami.

Word is that Andrews will be gone at the end of the month when his contract with the station expires.  

“There’s a lot more I’d like to do with my career than WFOR has to offer right now,” Andrews tells FTVLive. “I was told a several months back the station wouldn’t have any other opportunities for me beyond my current assignment.”  

Andrews did investigations and special projects, after being taken off the weekend anchor desk as part of a major talent shuffle earlier in the year.

This was Andrews’ second stint at WFOR.  He’s also worked at WSVN and WPLG.   Andrews made his way back to WFOR after spending a several years in Latin America running english-language news for Colombia’s RCN.

“A lot of very talented people have passed through this station and the Miami market,” he said.  “I believe God’s best for my career is still ahead.”

Andrews says he’s working with Los Angeles-based Agent Mendes Napoli to explore options elsewhere in TV.  In the meantime, he’s gearing up to work at a consultant and media strategist based in Miami, when his WFOR contract is over.  

Fired Harrisburg Anchor to Resurface Across the Street

/

Back in early December, FTVLive told you that WHTM Anchor/Reporter Al Gnoza was fired from the station the GM was not saying why.  

It appeared that Gnoza was canned for making a joke on air about Three Mile Island. The joke, according to a Tweet that Gnoza shared on his profile, was "If you hear a siren tomorrow, we are all going to die."

But, now it looks like the popular Anchor is going to pop up across town. 

Over the weekend, a rally was held for the fired anchor at a local bar. Fans of displaced Anchor lined up to meet him. 

Viewers have come to know Gnoza for his unconventional style of delivering wry quips, off-the-cuff remarks.

Speaking of his three mile island joke, Gnoza said, “I always thought I knew exactly where that line was and I still know.”“I still know where that line is and I don’t think I crossed it.”

Gnoza has landed on his feet, saying Saturday night that he will soon be working for another TV station in the Harrisburg market, but couldn’t disclose which one or when he will start.

We're guessing he won't be making any three mile island jokes when he returns. 

H/T The Sentinel