ABC Circles the Wagons Around Stepanopoulos

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The idea that anyone is shocked that ABC News Anchor George Stephanopoulos and former Bill Clinton Press Secretary gave money to the Clinton foundation, is an idiot.

Did people really think that Stephanopoulos, a longtime friend of the Clinton's was not biased towards the family?

Where the Anchor did drop the ball, was he did not disclose a total of $50,000 to the Clinton Foundation in 2013 and 2014.

That is a big no no and really he should have not made the donations to begin with.

But, to think that he just left the Clinton Administration and suddenly became a non-partisin Journalist is absurd.

Blame ABC News for hiring him in the first place, but don't be shocked that he still supports Bill and Hillary. 

Now, ABC News is doing their best to explain the donations and the entire situation:

"As George has said, he made charitable donations to the Foundation to support a cause he cares about deeply and believed his contributions were a matter of public record. He should have taken the extra step to notify us and our viewers during the recent news reports about the Foundation. He’s admitted to an honest mistake and apologized for that omission. We stand behind him."

No matter what ABC or Stephanopoulos say, they have now given plenty of ammo to the right wing media.

You will be hearing about this one for a longtime to come. 

Dog Gone It Matt Lauer is Having Fun With His Co-Anchor

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There is no doubt that Matt Lauer loves the bitches and so does his Today Show co-Anchor Wrangler.

TODAY's Puppy With a Purpose, Wrangler posed with Matt Lauer for a photo shoot featured in USA Today's spring/summer Pet Guide.

"We're having a blast with him," Lauer said in the interview, adding that he loves to hang out with the yellow Labrador retriever in his downtime.

"In between breaks and promos, I love sitting on the ground with Wrangler," he said. "We have our wrestling match every morning and he loves to go after the toys in my hand. It's funny — he used to be out cold like clockwork every day around 7:45 each morning, but I think he's getting bigger and taking fewer puppy naps!"

Wrangler, who is training to be a guide dog for Guiding Eyes for the Blind, made his debut on TODAY in January. He's since become a hit with the show's guests.

"Celebs come in and queue up to do the show in the Orange Room, and Wrangler has become a natural ice-breaker," Lauer said. "People have really responded to the fact that it's not just a puppy on the set. Wrangler is here for a reason, and he's got this incredible future ahead of him."

And the playful pup often raises spirits on days when the team is covering heavier news.

"We cover so many tough stories here," Lauer said. "So to have that one little moment where you can look over and see Wrangler, it's kind of an island in the storm sometimes."

That used to be Al Roker's job. 

H/T Today Show

St. Louis Anchor Done and Headed to New Zealand

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KSDK Weekend Weather Anchor Chester Lampkin is leaving for a new job in a far-a-way market.

He's headed to New Zealand.

In June, Lampkin will start as a meteorologist for MetService of New Zealand, which he described as being akin to the National Weather Service for that nation.

"I'll be one of their broadcast meteorologists, and I start sometime in June," Lampkin said. "Sad to leave STL. It's my hometown.

Lampkin said he may make a few more appearances on KSDK, "but I am basically done."

H/T St. Louis Post Dispatch

Train Crash, People Dead...Let's Take a Selfie

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Back in October of 2014, FTVLive told you about the deadly shooting in Ottawa and how CNN's Anderson Cooper covered the story live. 

A Reporter with the Sun Network kept asking Cooper if he would take a selfie with him at the crime scene?

Cooper refused and scolded the Reporter, “have a little respect for what happened here today.”

“I will not take a photo with you on a day where someone was killed. It seems wildly inappropriate,” Cooper said during the exchange.

Obviously, ABC Anchor David Muir does not seem to think it is inappropriate to snap selfies at the scene.

This picture was taken at the Amtrak crash scene:

Peter Jennings just rolled over one more time. 

Taking "It's All About Me" TV to a Whole New (Low) Level

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FTVLive has pointed out numerous times how much TV Reporters like to make the story all about them.

At local and network levels it seems it is no longer good enough to just report the story, somehow the Reporter has to involve themselves.

But KOMO Reporter Elisa Jaffe has reached a new low, when it comes to putting yourself in the story.

Check out this tweet Jaffe sent out about a woman that was murdered and now the case is at trial: 

Wichita Anchor Attacked While Out for a Walk

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Proof that walking might not be as good for your health as the experts say.

KAKE Morning Anchor Gloria Balding went out for a walk in broad daylight, when she said she was attacked. 

"I have two abrasions from my hairline to underneath my chin," said Gloria. 

She says she is still stiff, sore and nervous.

"I was definitely shaken up," she said. "It was out of the blue. It was so quick." 

Balding says she was getting some exercise on a walking path near Central and Ridge. She accidentally bumped into another walker on one side of the pond. When the two met again around the bend, this happened. 

"When she came up to me, when we reached each other, she grabbed my arm and reached up and keyed my neck with her other hand," said Gloria. 

"She just kept walking. She didn't run away. She just kept walking like it was no big deal," Gloria said. "Now I have a gash on the side of my neck." 

Balding says she had never seen the woman before.

Former Chicago Anchor Back on the Air

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Former WFLD Anchor Robin Robinson is headed back on the air, but don't look for on TV.

Robinson has joined WVON-AM as the host of "Robin's Nest," a three-hour talk show that will be heard on Monday nights.

She will also fill-in for other shows on the station. 

Robinson's new show will be targeting women, with various lifestyle topics discussed each week. "Robin's Nest" will air live and listeners are encouraged to phone in to be part of the show.

This marks Robinson's second part-time radio job in just under a month. In mid-April, she began at WBBM-AM/Newsradio 780 & 105.9, working as a fill-in news anchor. Even though WBBM-AM and WVON-AM are operated by different radio companies, she will be working in both locations.

H/T Chicagoland Radio and Media

Props to Keith Olbermann

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FTVLive has taken some shots at the giant ego that is Keith Olbermann from time to time. But, Today we want to give Olby some props for a commentary that he did on his show.

If you have an NFL team or any other professional sports team in your market, you should watch this video and then maybe go out and do some digging.

Could be a very interesting story for sweeps.

Let's go to the video:

The Defense Department spent $49 million dollars on the cynical, and wasteful "Hometown Heroes" program. Keith explains.

Forbes says Broadcaster is the 5th Most Stressful Job

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Forbes is out with a list of the most stressful jobs and Broadcaster cracks the Top 5.

The magazine list Broadcaster as the 5th most stressful job in 2015. 

The say, "You would think that standing in front of a camera reading some prompt wouldn't be so stressful, but you'd be wrong. These broadcasters go through a lot more behind the camera than you'd guess."

Photojournalist comes in at No. 3, behind Newspaper Reporter and Actress.

Really?

I think working a police bomb squad, or being Brian Williams PR person should be ahead of all of these. 

Just saying....

You can check out the list here.

Tom Brokaw to Grads: Don’t run from Big and Bold Challenges

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Former NBC AnchorTom Brokaw gave a commencement speech at High Point University on Saturday focusing on the nation that graduates inherited from "the Greatest Generation," those who fought in World War II. 

He reminded graduates that they have the rights and responsibility to spread "American ideals and culture" and to not be afraid "to be disruptive; find new ways to do the conventional and the useful; and don’t run from big and bold challenges."

Most of the students said, "Who the hell is Tom Brokaw?"

Here is video of Brokaw's speech:

Distinguished journalist Tom Brokaw delivered an inspiring message to graduates receiving their degrees at High Point University's 2015 Graduation Ceremony. Tom Brokaw is best known as the anchor and managing editor for "NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw." The Huffington Post named him as one of the top Commencement speakers of 2015.

H/T HuffPo

Al Jazeera America Drops Ball on Amtrak Crash

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Last night, all of the cablers were into live rolling coverage of Philadelphia Amtrak crash at 9:55pm except for one... Al Jazeera America.

Despite the breaking news, AJA stayed with canned, pre-taped programming for over an hour, even though it had a fully staffed 11pm news show team standing by and reportedly begging to cut-in.

Once again, staffers are infuriated with President Kate O'Brian.  

Insiders say she hates preempting taped programming and has ordered AJA news teams follow the network model of only doing breaking news in regularly scheduled newscasts. Even then, she has reportedly instructed shows to do it sparingly to leave time for other news.

O'Brian's already appears to be on thin ice with AJA's new management team.  

Last night's coverage, or lack there of may have sealed her fate.

Stay tuned.... 

You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!

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This morning, KSAZ (Phoenix) was doing a story about getting a woman put on the $20 bill. The overwhelming  choice seems to be replaces Andrew Jackson with Harriet Tubman.

Kristin Anderson did the story about the support for Tubman being on the twenty, when morning Anchor Rick D'Amico showed that he wasn't paying attention in 4th grade, by saying, "Harriet Tubman?! Who the hell is she?"

Needless to say, people on social media were not happy with D'Amico's ignorant comments. 

And here is the video:

Really???? "Harriet Tubman? Who the hell is she?!"I stopped watching fox 10 am news a while ago because I can not stand what an IDIOT this guy is!

Posted by Lisa Miller on Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Media Companies Sell Their Soul to Facebook

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Starting Today, Facebook will start posting news stories from a number of media companies including NBC News and the New York Times.

If it seems that these media companies are selling out to Facebook with a move that could eventually undermine their own businesses.

That is exactly what they are doing.

Oh....also, Facebook is also permitting the news companies to collect data about the people reading the articles with the same tools they use to track visitors to their own sites.

The media companies should be concerned about losing control over the means of how they distribute the news.

But, in the end it is all about eyeballs and more importantly ad dollars. 

Facebook is allowing the media companies to embed advertisements in the articles, keeping all of the revenue, or allow Facebook to sell ads, with the social network getting 30 percent of the proceeds.

You would think that a media company would really want to keep control of their own content and build their online presence on a website that they have total control. 

But, instead they rather run full speed down the slippery slope.

Stay tuned, because we have a feeling this isn't going to end well.

Just saying.....