Anderson Cooper: I Was Not There and I Never Said That

A website called Clickhole had story about CNN's Anderson Cooper's speech that he gave to the class of 2015 at NYU.

Cooper talked about getting that diploma, saying:

There is just one problem, Cooper says not only did he not say that, he never even talked to the NYU class of 2015.

It seems that just like CNN, Clickhole never lets the facts get in the way of a good story. 

BTW- It should be pointed out to Cooper that, yes Clickhole does make stuff up. They are an Onion type website that is not as funny. 

Alligator Pisses Live on Fox and Friends

Fox and Friends celebrated monster week by bringing some dangerous animals on the show. For some reason Bill O'Reilly was not featured.

They brought on a black leopard, a monitor lizard and an alligator.

The alligator did not seem very happy about being there and pissed all over the set on live TV. Steve Doocy immediately blamed it on Obama.

If you are wondering if this is the first guest to relieve themselves live on Fox and Friends air, it is not.

Geraldo did the exact same thing like 2 years ago.

Let's go to the video:

No More Morning WOOD (Maybe Our Best Headline Ever)

WOOD-TV morning Anchor Brett Thomas is leaving the morning shift and the Grand Rapids market altogether.

Thomas is headed to evening Anchor at WANE in Fort Wayne, Ind., where he'll co-anchor the 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts with former WOOD weekend Anchor Heather Herron by his side.

"I'm embarking on an exciting new career opportunity that allows me to leave the 2:45 a.m. alarm behind, work at an equally impressive station in Fort Wayne, and join my friend and colleague Heather Herron on the evening anchor desk," he said.

Thomas announced on Monday's 24 Hour News 8's morning news program that he'll leave in June after 17 years at WOOD TV.

"Leaving West Michigan is one of the most difficult decisions I've ever made," Thomas said. "I'll miss the sheer beauty of the region, our family adventures along the lakeshore, my colleagues and dear friends. But most of all, I'll miss the incredible, resilient, friendly people who call 'Pure Michigan' home."

H/T MLive.com

The Hat Trick of Arrogant Anchor Scandals

The NY Post is trying to latch on to ABC newsman George Stephanopoulos and pull him under the tide.

The Post writes, Dan Rather of CBS was toppled by a phony document scam. Lyin’ Brian Williams at NBC casually mixed fact with self-aggrandizing fiction. Now George Stephanopoulos is caught in a Clinton web of deceit at ABC.

The hat trick of arrogant anchor scandals helps explain why Americans don’t trust network news. With apologies to Walter Cronkite, that’s the way it is, and the way it is stinks.

Stephanopoulos shares with Rather and Williams the rotten distinction of fessing up only after being exposed by real journalists. In his case, the Washington Free Beacon uncovered his secret donations to the Clinton Foundation and contacted ABC for a response.

That was the honorable thing to do — get the other side of the story before publishing it. But Stephanopoulos ditched his journalistic veneer and reverted to his Clinton White House roots by quickly leaking the info to what he regarded as a more friendly news outlet, Politico.

His track record of secrecy, partisanship and dishonorable behavior blows up his claim that he made an honest mistake. He engaged in a prolonged and brazen act of dishonesty.

As FTVLive predicted, the conservative media is pouncing of the Stephanopoulos hard.

So far, ABC News is standing behind the Anchor, but will the drumbeat from the right get so loud, that Stephanopoulos will be asked to fall on his sword?

Stephanopoulos has already pulled out as a debate moderator, but has said he will still be covering the political race for the 2016 White House. ABC might be smart to pull Stephanopoulos off political coverage completely.

But, Stephanopoulos is a political junkie and taking away politics away from him would be like taking tax money away from Al Sharpton.

So now ABC News finds themselves in a catch 22 and somewhere in the world, Brian Williams and Dan Rather have a big old smile on their faces.

Just saying.... 

Ohio ND Stepping Down

WTOL (Toledo) News Director CJ Hoyt is leaving the station. 

In a memo to the staff, Hoyt says that his main reason for leaving is "personal."

Although people have lived in Toledo for hundreds of years, Hoyt says, "Frankly, my wife wouldn’t make it another winter here." We doubt this is a phrase that will be used by the Toledo Chamber of Commerce in any brochures.

Hoyt joined WTOL in 2011, coming from WFIE in Evansville, IN, where we presume is soooo much better than Toledo.

Here's the memo Hoyt sent to the staff.

From: Hoyt, CJ
Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2015 3:42:07 PM To: All WTOL Content
Cc: Lorenzen, Brian
Subject: Newsroom Changes

Hello everyone:

I made this announcement today for the dayside and nightside crews. I’m sorry I couldn’t do it at a time that everyone would be there, but wanted to get the word out as quickly as possible.

After a lot of discussion with my wife and then with Brian, we’ve decided that my last day here will be on or about June 30th. This was not an easy decision. I love the newsroom that I’ve played a part in building. I’m so proud of everything you do every day. We have the hardest working newsroom in Raycom... and I don’t think there is a close second.

Ultimately, this decision is personal. Frankly, my wife wouldn’t make it another winter here. Although Toledo has been great to us, it’s not home, particularly for Oneida. Setting a date in June gives Brian plenty of time to find a new News Director to lead this staff going into the November sweeps period.

I don’t have details right now about where we’re headed, but I will pass those details on at the appropriate time. I will miss you all, but in this business, there are no goodbyes, only “until next time.” We never know when our paths will cross again.

If you’d like to talk about this, feel free to stop in any time.

CJ Hoyt / News Director / WTOL 11 News / FOX Toledo News 

Oh Yeah! It's Ratings for Sure....

We have often say, that TV news Anchors seem to only get cancer, battle mental illness, drugs or alcohol during sweeps months.

When a TV station fires and Anchor or Reporter, they hide behind the claim that they don't talk about personnel issues.

But, during ratings, talent is touted out to talk about their health or whatever other demons they are battling.

Longtime DC Anchor Jim Vance stepped up to the plate this May sweeps to talk about his battle with depression.

"He's opening up for the first time about his struggle with depression," the station says. 

We're guessing that this all happening during a sweeps month is just a coincidence.

Signing Off in Tampa

Longtime WFLA Anchor Gayle Sierens is signing off on the last day of the May book (coincidence?) and the station has been milking her long goodbye to try and grab ratings. 

Sierens has been at the station 38 years and has not ruled out coming back to the station.

She says that for the next year she may come back on air at WFLA for some special reports. “The details haven’t been worked out, and I don’t know what my title would be or how it will work, but for at least a year I will be available,” she says.

Under a contract negotiated two years ago, Sierens left the 11 p.m. newscast at the end of 2014. Her last day on the 5 and 6 p.m. slots is Wednesday. There will be a salute to her long career at 6 and a half-hour special, “Gayle Sierens: Always on Your Side,” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Anchor Jen Leigh, who replaced Sierens on the 11 p.m. newscast, will replace Sierens on the 5 and 5:30 newscasts. Anchor Stacie Schaible, who has been with WFLA since 2000, will co-anchor the 4 and 6 p.m. newscasts.

As for retirement? Sierens has no plans. “Isn’t that what retirement is all about — not having a plan every day?” she says.

WFLA Vice President of News Bill Berra says Sierens leaves behind big shoes to fill. “Working with Gayle has been an honor and a privilege, and I only wish I could have worked with her longer,” says Berra who joined WFLA last year. “She is one of the most dedicated people I have ever worked with.”

H/T Tampa Tribune

Local TV News Drones On

What started out as a toy you could by a Brookstone, has now become a bragging right for local TV stations. 

WABC in New York says they now have, Dronecam7 at their disposal and will use it to cover local stories. 

With new federal aviation regulations in place, WABC has contracted with Aerocine, an FAA-approved aerial robotics company based in Brooklyn that specializes in using drones. 

The station says that Dronecam7 can fly up to 200 feet above ground level and is operated by licensed private pilot Kevan Stone who has flown drones for a military contractor.

The station unveiled Dronecam7 by flying it over Jones Beach where absolutely nothing was happening. 

But hey! They have a drone...

KDKA: Drone Almost Hit our News Chopper

Speaking of drones.....

Pittsburgh KDKA's Chopper 2 was covering a local fire when they said a drone almost collided with the news chopper. 

The station posted video of the drone flying around, although in the video it never appears to be very close to the chopper.

But, we're still in ratings, so....you know.

No word if this was a wayward Dronecam7 or not?

Let's go to the video:

Working Full Time for God and Part Time for KOCO

Former KWTV (Oklahoma City) Meteorologist Michael Armstrong, who left TV news to work at as a pastor at  Henderson Hills Baptist Church in the suburb of Edmond, is returning to TV news part time. 

Armstrong announced on social media that in addition to his pastoral duties he has joined KOCO as a part time Meteorologist and storm chaser.

His first broadcast in two years was during Saturday night's storm coverage.

Michigan Reporter Attacked While Covering Story

WNEM (Saginaw, MI.) Reporter Nick Lulli says a man nearly hit him with his pickup truck and threw rocks at the station's news car.

Lulli showed up to an area house that witnesses reported flying a confederate and Nazi flag.

The flags were gone when we got there, but the angry rednecks was still there. 

"We want to give you an opportunity to respond," Lulli said to a pair of women on the property.

"Nobody here is racist. I'm on the phone with my lawyer," the women responded.

Lulli says that moments later, an emotionally charged man sped up, almost hitting Lulli with his truck.

As Lulli went to drive away, the man began hurling rocks at the news car, leaving these dings and a crack in the windshield.

And when he tried to physically get into the news vehicle, that's when Lulli called police.

"I don't know what he's doing he seems out of his mind," Lulli said to dispatchers.

Let's go to the video:

WNEM TV 5

H/T WNEM

Like We Said....

Back on April 27th, FTVLive wrote, "Word is that Al Jazeera America CEO Ehab Al-Shihabi was just "summoned" to Doha headquarters amidst rumors he will be fired."

Then on May 6th, FTVLive wrote, "AJA has announced that Al-Shihabi is out at CEO and that Al Anstey replaces interim CEO. Not to say we told you so...but we totally did."

Some tried to say that, technically our report was not correct:

They said that Ehab Al-Shihabi was ousted as CEO, but he was not fired.

Well now, CNN Money now reports that, "(Ehab Al-Shihabi) who declared last week that he would remain at the company as chief operating officer has not been seen at the troubled news channel's New York City headquarters.

The departure of Ehab Al Shihabi from AJAM was confirmed to CNN by two editorial employees in a position to know.

Al Jazeera PR has declined comment.

Hmmmmm? looks like there are still a few people out there that doubt FTVLive's reporting. 

I know, I know it's hard to believe...right?

Ummmm.....

A DC area TV website that plays fast and loose with claims of being first and has a habit of swiping stories from FTVLive with no credit, reports that WJLA Sports Anchor Tim Brant has set his last day at the station.

The website claimed to have first reported the news that Brant was leaving. They were not, FTVLive was. 

Now the site claims to have the news that Brant has NOW set May 29th as his last day at the station.

FTVLive told you that May 29th would be Brant's last day almost 2 months ago.

We think it is time to start calling out the posers. 

Geraldo: ABC Fired Me for $200 Political Donation in 1985

Looks like the rules have changed at ABC News.....

ABC says that it is standing behind Anchor George Stephanopolous, even after his  $75,000 donation to the Clinton Foundation.

Former ABCer Geraldo Rivera says that ABC canned in back in 1985 after he made a $200  political contribution.

“I was fired by ABC News in 1985...the official reason given for my being fired in 1985 was a $200 donation I made to a non-partisan mayoral campaign.”

Rivera did add, “I was at odds with ABC News management. George Stephanopoulos is the darling of ABC News management so they will treat him with kid gloves. They will try their best to protect and preserve him because he is very effective as a broadcaster.”

Al Sharpton's Daughter Sues New York City for Sprained Ankle

Well it appears that the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree. 

MSNBC's Al Sharpton’s eldest child wants $5 million from city taxpayers after she fell in the street and sprained her ankle, court rec­ords show.

Dominique Sharpton, 28, says she was “severely injured, bruised and wounded” when she stumbled over uneven pavement at the corner of Broome Street and Broadway downtown last year, according to a lawsuit.

“I sprained my ankle real bad lol,” she wrote in a post to Instagram after the Oct. 2 fall.

And despite claiming “permanent physical pain” in a breathless notice of claim, there are social-media shots of her in high heels, and another of her climbing a ladder to decorate a Christmas tree.

The NY Post says that the legal shakedown is right out of her dad’s pay-to-playbook.

Al Sharpton has used threats of protests and boycotts against large companies as a way to generate huge corporate donations, his critics charge.

Everyone from McDonald’s, Verizon, Macy’s, General Motors, Chrysler and Pfizer have forked over cash to the elder Sharpton.

The Rev on Saturday said he didn’t know the status of his daughter’s legal claim. “She’s 29 years old. Why would she have to talk to me about that?” he said of Dominique, whose mother is Sharpton’s ex-wife, Kathy. “I just know that she was hurt and that she got a lawyer and she’s a grown woman. [Where] she goes from there, I have no idea.”

If she wins her case it will cost the tax payers of New York including her own Dad....no wait.... her Dad doesn't pay his taxes.

Never mind. 

You Just Gotta Love....

You just gotta love the local newspaper here in Jacksonville: