Life After TV News

Many in this business wonder if there is life after TV News.

Well, former WPEC (West Palm Beach) Anchor Emily Pantelides shows that there can be.

But of course it's in PR.

 Gossip Extra writes that Pantelides is shaking things up in Palm Beach County with her new Public Relations company Pantelides PR & Consulting. The company’s motto: One job, one mission, make you look good, really good.

She started her company just months ago and the young mom already has racked up a pretty impressive list of clients, from plastic-surgeon-to-the-stars Dr. Harold Bafitis to the Florida Panthers hockey team!

Best known for being the bubbly morning anchor who loved dogs who sat next the Greece-born Pantelides also seemingly sits on just about every charity board these days, including Big Dog Ranch Rescue.

She's no longer anchoring the news, but she is staying in the spotlight.

Grand Rapids Anchor Undergoes Surgery

It's not the ratings book and it's not cancer, but WZZM's Anchor Juliet Dragos is still filling viewers in on her rotator cuff surgery, because you know, viewers are dying to know that.

“Why did I wait? How could I have done this to my body?" Dragos posted on her blog on Monday prior to surgery. "I ask myself those questions every day now.”

Dragos, who is in her 23rd year as evening co-anchor at WZZM, is resting today after Tuesday's surgery on her right shoulder, which took three hours.

Prior to her procedure, Dragos posted that her right shoulder had caused her mild pain for years.

"My mother has arthritis and shoulder problems, so I figured it was genetic," she said.
But two years ago, Dragos slipped on the wet floor of an airplane lavatory. 

"As I tried to catch myself, I pushed both arms out on the narrow walls," she said. "I heard and felt the pop in my right shoulder. It really was the worst pain I've ever experienced."

Dragos thought it was a pulled muscle and treated it with ice and ibuprofen. After a couple of days, she was able to function again, though the pain remained.

In October, she fell again, this time landing on the shoulder. An MRI showed her bicep tendon was in the wrong place and eventually would tear. Her physician told her it was "one of the worst shoulder injuries I've ever seen."

"The pain has been unbearable at times," Dragos said. "I remember standing at the anchor desk one night, bending over and putting my head down to cry during a commercial break so I wouldn't ruin my makeup.

Dragos' physician hoped to fix part of the tear to relieve her pain, though it'll be worse before it gets better.

"I've been told to expect pain even worse than I've ever had," she posted prior to surgery.

And you can bet, viewers will hear all about it. 

H/T MLive.com

HLN Anchor Leaves to Start Her Own Company

HLN/CNN Anchor Susan Hendricks is leaving the networks to start a production company.

The Atlanta bases HLN says that Hendricks chose not to re=new her contract and is leaving her show HLN Now.

Hendricks is partnering with another former CNNer to start up a production company.

Hendricks and former CNN Sports Anchor Joe Carter have started launched their company Hencar Productions (seems like merging their names was the best thing they could come up with for a name).

Their company will be based in Atlanta. 

H/T CNN Commentary

Former Congressman Calls for Terrorist Attack Against Journalists

Fmr. Congressman, now talk show radio host Joe Walsh proved why he shouldn't have a Twitter account.

Walsh called for more terror attacks, this time of Journalists at CNN and MSNBC.

You would have thought this idiot realized how stupid that tweet was to put out there, but he followed it up with this:

Like they say, "You can't fix stupid"

Ummmm...Not Exactly (Updated)

Richard Quest is CNN's "Avation Expert," so when you watch him on air, you expect him to know a lot about aviation.

I run FTVLive.com and I know nothing or little about aviation. So, when I talk about planes and flying stuff it's a good bet that I don't know even a quarter of what CNN's Aviation Expert would know.

So, we were a bit puzzled when Quest sent out this Tweet:

Now, I'm sure and Wikipedia shows that I'm right, that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a wide body jet was introduced back in mid 2011, you know, like less than 4 years ago.

So, why the hell is Quest saying it's the only wide bodied plane to be introduced this decade?

Come on man! You're the freaking aviation expert!

Some of the Twitter comebacks were classic:

Maybe Don "Black Hole" Lemon should become the new CNN Aviation Expert.

Just saying.... 

Update: After FTVLive's story, CNN's Quest did admit his mistake in a follow up tweet:

CNN Guest Slams CNN while on CNN

We're guessing that Investigative Journalist and War Correspondent Jeremy Scahill is not going to go down as one of Jeff Zucker's favorite guests.

Scahill took CNN to task during an interview with CNN's Hala Gorani. He took particular issue with some of the self-professed terrorism experts making the cable news rounds this week, calling their credentials into question. 

Watch the video, because it might be the last time you see Scahill invited to appear on CNN:

Jeremy Scahill's pot-shot at TV "terrorism" experts

The American Bald Ego to Join AMHQ

The American Bald Ego, Jim Cantore is going to take time out from selling wiper blades to co-host Sam Champion's low rated Weather Channel show AMHQ.

Cantore will join the show at the end of the month.

The Weather Channel suits are hoping that the "Bald Ego" can bring in higher ratings....or even just some ratings.

AMHQ has struggled from the get-go and has had a number of layoffs and retooling.

You can add this one to the list. 

Professor Effron

Back in August, FTVLive FIRST told you that WPIX News Director Mark Effron was out at the Bi Apple station, even through the company tried to deny it.

So many wondered where the former news boos might end up. Well, it appears that Effron has traded in his ND hat for a teaching hat.

Hey, maybe not as exciting, but better hours and Holidays off....not that bad.

Signing Off in the Burgh

Longtime Pittsburgh Weatherman and one time FTVLive co-worker, Dennis Bowman is about to retire.

Bowman is the morning and noon Weather Anchor at KDKA and for 16 years worked across the street at WPXI. 

Bowman says he will do his last forecast in mid-April and then sign off. 

“Dennis is a great mix of scientist and on-air personality, which combined with his great voice have made him a valuable member of our team,” KDKA general manager Christopher Pike said. “We will be very sorry to see him go.”

“I’ve always believed that if you reach the point you can retire, it’s a good thing to do. I’m not one of those people who just has to work forever; there are other things to do, other callings out there,” said Mr. Bowman, who turns 65 during his final week.

There’s also his lifelong interest in ventriloquism, which he expects to continue as a performer.

And there is one big thing he won't miss about doing the morning weather. “I set the alarm for 1:50 a.m. We go to bed at 7,” he said. “When we get to weekends and don’t have that schedule, sleeping in until 6 is so great. So, it will be a very pleasant thing, I must admit.”

The station hasn’t yet named his replacement.

H/T Pittsburgh Post Gazette 

The Today Show Puppy

Move over Matt Lauer, there is a new lady killer on the set of NBC's Today Show.

The Today Show crew has started fostering a puppy that they will help train for Guiding Eyes for the Blind to become a guide dog. 

If all goes well, our puppy will graduate after 16 months and get adopted free of charge by an individual who is blind or visually impaired, profoundly changing that person's life. 

NBC is letting the viewers pick the name of the new puppy, but Guiding Eyes for the Blind follows a specific naming convention for all puppies, so our new friend will have a name that starts with the letter "W."  

The names viewers have to pick from is Wes, William, Wrangler and Waldo.

Why no Willard? For years, he was was the biggest dog on the Today Show set.

As cute as the Today Show puppy is, we still think FTVLive's Rory is even cuter.

Just saying.... 

NBC Gives Ann Curry Golden Production Company on Her Way Out

Yesterday, Ann Curry announced that she was leaving NBC News 2 years after her bitter Today Show break up.

Instead of giving the longtime employee a golden parachute, NBC gave her a production company instead.

NBCUniversal-funded media startup for Curry who says that she will focus on original reporting and curation of content on the national and global scale. 

"This is about reaching for the edge of the future in journalism, which we know is undergoing an irrevocable transition," Curry said in a release. "I am excited about working to become a valuable link between traditional media and what is to come."

Curry still had time left on her $12 million dollar a year salary and NBC saves some cash by funding Curry's production company.

"I want to expand my drive to give voice to the voiceless to emerging platforms and produce both scripted and non-scripted content, in addition to continuing to report on-air about stories that matter," Curry said.

The only thing that matters for NBC? The Ann Curry nightmare is finally over. 

Curry and Lauer Both Still Bitter, Not Talking

As Ann Curry walked out the door at NBC, you could still see the knife that Matt Lauer used to stab her in the back sticking out.

Curry and Lauer haven’t spoken in years, beginning with her painful public axing from “Today” right up to Tuesday night’s announcement that she’s leaving NBC News.

Page Six sources say the former co-anchors have maintained a bitterness toward each other since Curry was ousted from “Today” in June 2012.

One NBC insider said, “Ann and Matt never made up after her firing. He believes the way she handled it made him look terrible, while she believes Matt played a major role in her downfall.”

However, other NBC insiders maintain that Lauer did not push to get Curry fired. Although not many believe that he didn't at least have a hand in it.

One thing, no one is happier to see Ann Curry leave the building than Lauer.

Just saying....

Sacramento Main Anchor is Out

KOVR quietly pushed out main Anchor Shannon Brinias.

Brinias, who joined the Sacramento station in 2012, coming from KKTV in Colorado Springs. “When you get tapped on the shoulder for a new opportunity, sometimes you have to take it,” Brinias said at the time of her hiring at KOVR.

But the opportunity didn't last long, she's out short of 3 years at the station.

She tweeted this to her fans wondering where she was?

Bounced Jacksonville Anchors Form Production Firm

When Cox owned WJAX/WFOX blew up their anchor team, both Tera Williams (used to be Barz) and Lynnsey Gardner were sent packing from the station. 

Now, the two have formed a production firm together. 

Williams and Gardner have partnered to form Two Anchor Productions, a media marketing company offering small- to medium-sized businesses branding consulting, social media expertise, public relations and other services such as video production and even emceeing for corporate events.

Williams actually began the venture as a side pursuit a couple of years ago. "Through word-of-mouth, it just kept growing, and I went from one client to six clients, trying to do it all on weekends," said Williams, who lives in Ponte Vedra.

Williams recently added Gardner on as a partner, officially launching the business as Two Anchor Productions.

"I always had it in my mind that I would add a second anchor," Williams added.

For her part, Gardner said after talking with Williams following her departure from Action News she realized it was a perfect fit for her skill set.

"I think it did give me the courage to take a leap of faith," said Gardner.

Yeah...getting fired will do that.

H/T Jacksonville Business Journal 

Hump Day Hurdle Helper

Our friends at Devlin Design Group are helping you get over the Hump Day Hurdle:

Sportscaster on Trial for Scamming puts the Blame on Others

Former Philly Sports Anchor Don Tollefson is taking an old route to defending himself in his scam trial.

He is basically blaming everyone, except himself.

Accused of selling $340,000 in bogus travel packages to sporting events, Tollefson has faulted his addictions, lack of business acumen, and desire to help poor children through his charity. 

While sitting on the witness stand, Tollefson named seven people who bought travel packages for a 2013 Super Bowl trip, claiming they contributed to his financial undoing. Tollefson said they demanded to pick their own hotels and flights to New Orleans, a financial blow that sapped his ability to deliver future travel packages he had sold.

One of the people Tollefson blamed, Jim Krasley of Allentown, sued Tollefson over the trip. He claimed Tollefson failed to provide promised airline tickets, forcing him to buy them at the last minute.

In 2014, Krasley won a $3,300 civil judgment against Tollefson in a Montgomery County district court after Tollefson did not appear for the hearing. Krasley is not listed as a victim in the fraud trial. 

Tollefson also went over his financial records to show how he spent large chunks of the nearly $1 million he raised for his Winning Ways charity, which benefits poor children. For instance, he said, he spent $75,000 taking a group of kids and others to the 2012 London Olympics. 

But Tollefson did not show what happened to the money he got for travel packages he failed to deliver. 

The trial is expect to last until the end of the week.

H/T Philadelphia Inquirer