Meredith Atlanta Station Hires Another One

Meredith owned WGCL continues their hiring spree of on air talent.

The latest hire is  Kim Passoth, who will be joining the station as an Anchor/Reporter.  

“We’re looking forward to having Kim join our team as an Anchor/Reporter.  Besides her on-air reporting skills, she also brings a lot of social media experience to the station.” said CBS46 News Director Larry Perret.

Passoth comes to CBS46 from KOCO in Oklahoma City where she was a Reporter/Anchor for the last three years.  Prior to that she was a Reporter/Anchor at KIII in Corpus Christi.  She got her start at KFBB in Great Falls/Helena, MT.  

“I’m looking forward to making the move to Atlanta and getting started on-air as  well as using the CBS46 social platforms to help inform Atlanta viewers,” said Passoth.

Her first day will be May 18th.

In Wake of BriLie, Richard Engel Re-Reports on His Kidnapping

Back in 2012, NBC's Richard Engel and his crew were kidnapped in Syria.

Engel and five crew members were held captive by armed gunmen for five days while covering the country’s descent into civil war in late 2012.

After they were released, Engel reported on-air and elsewhere that he believed his captors were Shiite militiamen loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

But, the New York Times recently uncovered information indicating that the kidnappers were not Shiite but actually part of a criminal gang with shifting allegiances.

Needless to says NBC is a bit gun-shy when it comes to their talent telling war stories.

So Engel took to NBC;s website to re-report on his kidnapping now that he has more information. 

Engel said the Times’ information prompted him and several NBC News producers to update the story. 

The Peacock is looking to recover from a series of reporting gaffes and the embarrassment of having to suspend its chief anchor, Brian Williams, for misrepresenting his own experiences during the Iraq War.

In Engel’s case, there is no suggestion that he and the others misrepresented any aspect of the incident. But new information indicates that the perpetrators went to great lengths to disguise themselves as Shiite militiamen amid the backdrop of political chaos in the nation.

Here is a link to Engel's update on the story.

H/T Variety 

Sharpton Continues to Dodge Taxman

While millions of people hustled to the post office to pay their taxes yesterday, MSNBC's Al Sharpton did not seem too worried about it.

The NY Post says that Sharpton owes as much as $4.5 million in back taxes and penalties.

Dozens of pages of tax warrants and liens show that, at best, Sharpton has been deeply negligent, and at worst, he’s gaming the system. Which raises the question: Why does New York keep letting him get away with it?

Sharpton claims he’s stuck to the payment plan detailed in his settlement. But the government structures settlements so debtors can reduce and eventually eliminate tax debt.

A growing balance is a big red flag. A state official said failure to make payments on a settlement and late filings can result in additional penalties and interest. He also said failure to pay new taxes can add additional debt.

The post writes that for some reason, New York authorities don’t seem terribly interested in holding Sharpton accountable.

As a civil-rights activist, Sharpton has pushed for equality under the law. New York should offer some reassurances that it holds that same principle dear — especially where Sharpton is concerned.

Guess the rules are different for him. 

CNN Goes After the Stoner Demo

To celebrate the launch of its pot series 'Weed', CNN laid out a spread that any stoner would be proud to stumble upon.

Of course being the hard hitting Reporter that he is, CNN Media Critic.....errrrr....Correspondent Brian Stelter reported that the CNN munchies were 

Of course we really doubt he would have said the same if they were served up by Fox News.

Just saying..... 

Traffic Report for My Hubby

Speaking of CNN Media Critic Brian Stelter....

While many New Yorkers were rushing to work this morning, CNN's Brian Stelter got a on air traffic report right from his house to CNN to help him.

Stelter's wife Jamie is the Traffic Reporter for NY1 and she included Brian's personal traffic update in her morning traffic update.

Must be nice.....

I guess the rest of the New Yorkers can go suck it.

On Air Handy?

WJZY (Charlotte) Reporter Charity Bailey did a live shot from a kids exhibit about the ocean. But watch her left hand during the live shot as she "plays" with a piece of fake coral.

You'll soon realize why the Producer told her to quit touching it.

Let's go to the video:

Full video here: http://www.fox46charlotte.com/clip/11384570/north-carolina-science-fair-part-1

Twin Cities Station Stops Newscast for On Air Engagement

You guys know how much I love this....

WCCO in Minneapolis stopped their morning show, so a Photographer from cross town rival KSTP could come on their air and propose with WCCO's Ashley Roberts.

Here's the video, go ahead and watch, I'll be in the bathroom barfing if you need me:

Ashley's boyfriend, Justin McCray, proposed to her Wednesday following a segment on wedding costs. She said yes! WCCO Mid-Morning - April 15, 2014

Leaving the Burgh

WPIX (Reporter) Dave Bondy is leaving the Burgh to take a job in the smaller market of Flint, MI.

Bondy is trading in his Reporter stripes for the 2 hour hour dinner break world of an Anchor at WEYI in Flint. 

He tweeted about his move and his new gig:

Rick Sanchez and Kelly Mitchell Together Again

Former WSVN (Miami) Anchor's Rick Sanchez and Kelly Mitchell will be reunited on Monday morning.

Sanchez now hosts a radio show on WIOD in Miami and Mitchell, who recently parted ways with WLRN radio will be filling in for Jimmy Cefalo on WIOD.   Putting her and Sanchez on the same station.

Sanchez and Mitchell were co-anchors of WSVN in the 90's when the station was making waves with it's flashy newscast that were copied coast to coast. 

Since leaving radio, Mitchell been working with former Miami newscaster Brian Andrews in his media strategy and crisis communications business. 

You can listen Mitchell and Sanchez reunite on WIOD.com.

Seinfeld: Streaming Channel has Network Suits Worried

Web streaming channel Crackle announced that they are going to begin running on a constant stream of programming — like traditional TV — beginning next month.

One of their biggest stars is Jerry Seinfeld and he thinks the networks are scared of streaming channels like Crackle. 

He says the freedom of being away from regular TV and the streaming aspect are a good fit for him. 

"When you get to a certain point in the business, what a man is looking for in a network is the same as in his underwear. A little bit of support and a little bit of freedom," he said. "That’s exactly what Crackle offered… There’s nothing different about what we’re doing than what anyone else is doing on any media anywhere. TV networks are worried that you’ll figure out TV is over, and there’s nothing special about it."

As for streaming sites like YouTube?

Seinfeld is not a fan.

"The less the better," Seinfeld said when asked about less-professional content. "I don't want to see this crap. We have a giant garbage can called YouTube for user-generated content. We're trying to generate a little higher level. I think showbusiness is for talent, that's who should be in it. But let's keep it in its hierarchy. And I like being at the top of the pyramid."

Seinfeld said Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, in which he does exactly what the title implies, with stars like Tina Fey and his old buddies Larry David and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, reached 100 million viewers this month.

And that is numbers that any network would gladly take.

H/T Hollywood Reporter 

Jenny McCarthy: ABC's 'The View' is Doomed

She might still be bitter that they fired her, but Jenny McCarthy thinks that ABC's The View is headed for the scrap heap.

The NY Daily News writes that McCarthy predicts “The View” is doomed if producers don’t stop acting like serial daters with an itchy Tinder finger.

The former co-host on the ABC daytime flagship, who told Confidenti@l the chatfest will be canceled within a year, says the problem is that confused higher-ups need to pick a formula and stick with it.

“I only say that (will happen) if they don’t stick to that idea — which is to allow something to simmer rather than transitioning so many different things, like, change a chair, change a table, change the background, change the people,” McCarthy told us.

“It’s like a serial dater. Stick with one boyfriend and don’t go on Tinder. Give that relationship all you’ve got and ride through the bumps and waves.”

Sounds like a few News Directors we know.

NY Reporter Headed to The A-T-L

News 12 (NY) MMJ Brittany Miller is leaving the Big Apple and headed to Hotlanta. 

Miller has joins WGCL as an MMJ Reporter next week..  

“We’re very excited to have Brittany joining the team.  She did some great work in New York City and we look forward to her bringing the same type of work to CBS46,” said CBS46 News Director Larry Perret.

“I’m very proud to be joining the news team at CBS46.  It’s an incredible opportunity in an incredible city, “said Miller.

Tax Day Reporting Advice from FTVLive

Today is the day that many Reporters will do their single most boring story of the year.

Their assignment will be to do a story on last minute tax filers. I'm not sure how this is even news, but I will bet you a buck that your station is covering this story.

Stations will run to the nearest H&R Block office and talk to people as they get their taxes done. Reporters will talk to the boring person at H&R Block that prepares the taxes.

Of course you will get the very hard hitting question, "Why did you wait until Today to file your taxes?" The person will answer the same way they always do, "because I owe and I didn't want to pay the IRS until I had to."

It's an obvious answer to a stupid question, but it will be included in 90% of the tax day stories that air on local news.

So, the headline of this story is "Tax Day Reporting Advice" and we haven't given you any advice yet.

So here it is.

If you are sent down to the post office for the newscast to go live from a mailbox where people are dropping off their taxes.... your contract is not getting renewed.

Start updating your resume and call your Agent, you'll be needing a new job soon.

And remember, your Agent is a tax write off.

Your welcome. 

Robin Meade: Be Your True Self

Robin Meade admits that at one time in her TV career she did to be someone besides her self.

Meade says that she was consumed back then with getting viewers and bosses to like me. I was awash in trying to speak perfectly, sound credible and never make a mistake. I had what I call the "I-hope-you-like-me" disease.

I'd take my bosses’ suggestions and amplify them to hard-and-fast rules.

If they suggested I try to dress in a more sophisticated way, I'd ditch anything casual and lean more toward the "Church Lady" dress from SNL. If they said "that laugh," I'd squash my belly laugh that's so hardy, it regularly makes me go hoarse. If they said "we want more gravitas," I could furrow my brow like a Ron Burgundy wannabe.

Meade writes in a blog post on HLN, that trying to be the "perfect anchor" made her boring and made her question if she could still do the job?

She writes, "the moment I started filling someone else's prescription of the "perfect news anchor," I started to lose my authenticity. Your authentic self is the very essence of the real you that makes you fascinating, different, comfortable to be around and a live wire with spark.

It came to a point where I had become a cookie-cutter news anchor. I was so stressed about being likable, I became plain boring.

Then I started having panic attacks on the air. Then I started fearing the panic attacks, which made them come more often. As you might imagine, it's kind of hard to deliver the news when you can't breathe.

I started to think I had lost the ability to do my job.

Meade says that after months and months working with a doctor, she started to become herself again and quit trying to be what others wanted her to be. 

Her advice to other anchors and people in general? "What's most important here is that you value your own opinion about yourself more than you value someone else's opinion about you," she says.

Great advice from an Anchor that is anything but boring. 

Anchor is Out the Door in Portland

We don't know what the real story is, but KOIN in Portland says that Anchor Anne State, who joined the August of last year, is leaving the station, effective immediately.

In a press release, State claimed that the reason she is leaving is to care for her parents.
 
"I came to Portland and KOIN 6 primarily for the opportunity to be with my ailing parents," State says "Now, as much as I have loved my time with KOIN 6, the people at the station and the audience, my decision to return has become even more important.  Therefore, for personal reasons, I have decided to commit my full-time care and attention to my parents for a while."

Of course, anyone that works in TV news has to wonder what the real reason is?

Seems odd that she left so abruptly, no two weeks notice, no final goodbye.  Maybe her parents are the reason for leaving, but honestly we are skeptical. 

"I appreciate the support that I have received from many wonderful people at KOIN," State says in the press release.  "I am so grateful for their support and understanding of this decision."

The release included a statement from Adrienne Roark, KOIN president and general manager, who says, "Anne has a deep commitment to her family...We understand and support Anne's decision to care for her parents.  We are grateful for her time at KOIN 6 and we wish her and her family the best."

During the KOIN evening news Tuesday, anchor Jeff Gianola said State was stepping down from her co-anchor position to care for her ailing parents full-time, and that "We understand and support Anne's decision," and wish her "the very best ."

Wish we could buy it, but we just can't. 

State came to the Portland station from WITI in Milwaukee last summer. 

H/T The Oregonian

NBC Suits Worried BriWi Could Go to Another Network

While some outlets covered the fact that Brian Williams went out and walked the dog (No...really they did), the Washington Post reports that NBC's decision on Williams future may soon be made. 

Williams is currently on a suspension for telling lies about his coverage in Iraq. But, the bigger decision, does the suspension become a firing?

The Post writes that the decision is likely to come soon. Starting next month, NBC and other TV networks will begin negotiating with advertising buyers over the price of commercial airtime for next season’s TV shows. The annual sales period, which involves billions of dollars of ad buys, kicks off with the networks’ “upfront” presentations, a series of razzle-dazzle meetings in which the networks attempt to woo advertisers by touting their fall schedules and trotting out some of their best-known personalities. NBC’s upfront is May 11.

People on both sides of the negotiations, including some at NBC, say it is unlikely that Lack and NBC will go into the upfronts without resolving Williams’s status beforehand.

So? Will BriLie stay or go?

At the moment, the betting seems to be against Williams’s return.

“From a ratings point of view, there is no pressure” on NBC to put Williams back on the air, said Catherine Warburton, the chief investment officer at Assembly, a New York-based ad-buying company. “Lester Holt has been doing well. So the advertisers are happy. . . . My personal opinion is, I’d be wary of bringing [Williams] back.”

There is also the fear that Williams could pop up on another network.

“We have an enormous talent here,” said the NBC executive, speaking of Williams. “He has skills no one else has. Can we really get rid of him? The next question is, if we do, what if he shows up elsewhere” on a rival network?

Stay tuned....