Gone in an Instant

While ABC Anchor George Stephanopulos is still taking heat for his undisclosed donations to the Clinton's another network anchor did a disappearing act before another controversy started.

Up until late Tuesday afternoon, CNN's Jake Tapper was listed on the Clinton Foundation website (screen shot right)  as a "speaker" at a Clinton Global Initiative event scheduled for June 8-10 in Denver.

After USA Today called CNN to ask about Tapper's involvement, Tapper's name was swiftly removed from the Clinton Foundation website.

Tapper wouldn't comment on the record. A CNN spokesperson, who asked not to be named, said Tapper was improperly listed as a speaker on the foundation website; he is scheduled to interview former president Clinton at the event and later moderate a panel discussion. The spokesperson said the network-approved interview will be televised. There will be no restrictions on the questions, and Tapper will not be paid by the foundation. Other details are still being negotiated.

So if all of this was on the up and up, why won't Tapper comment on the record? And why doesn't the CNN spokesperson want to be named?

This one is not passing the sniff test.

Just saying.... 

Fargo Anchor Talks about Being in an Abusive Relationship

WDAY morning Anchor used the last day of the May ratings book to talk about her time as a domestic abuse victim at the hands of her ex-boyfriend. 

Lane Zyvoloski is letting people in on the yearlong verbal and physical abuse she said she endured at the hands of a now ex-boyfriend—abuse that included shoving, bruising, hair pulling, threats, put-downs and manipulation. It all resulted in a charge of domestic violence, to which he pleaded guilty.

"My parents would shudder to know this, but I do feel like there were moments that my life was on the line," said Zyvoloski, 24.

She said the abuse was in full swing when she was named to the morning show position, but no one—viewers included-- suspected anything was amiss.

No one knew of the mental games to which she was subjected—at least one occurring as she left early one morning for work.

She said her boyfriend shoved her as they argued, but he quickly tried to twist things and say she had instead slipped, and he was simply trying to catch her.

"I was like, 'What? Did we just experience the same moment?' " she recalled about the incident.

She left their apartment and cried as she drove to work in the darkness, telling herself to suck it up, get it together and do her job.

It was a composed front she maintained while trying to summon the courage to leave the relationship—something that took time and a small network of friends to accomplish.

Zyvoloski hopes talking about what happened to her will help others who feel like they're trapped.

"Staying silent is not going to help anybody," she said.

"No matter how long you've been in it and no matter what your situation is, nobody deserves to be treated that way," she added.

Friends wonder where Zyvoloski would be now if she hadn't reached out for help, and they fear it wouldn't have been a good place.

"You never know if Lane would still be here," Lebak said. "You hate to talk like that, but it's very true."

H/T InForum 

Tampa Anchor Signs Off

Longtime WFLA Anchor Gayle Sierens signed off from the station yesterday and it also happened to be the last day of May ratings. We're certain that was just a coincidence and not planned.

How big of a deal was it that Sierens signed off?

Well WFLA News Director Bill Berra posted a tweet about it and included a picture of him on the set with the retiring Anchor.

This was Berra's first tweet since January 17th.

And there are some people that don't think these old News Directors get social media.

Pfffftttt?

This Has Emmy Written All Over It

And to think that some people think good investigative Journalism is dead. 

Well, KTLA Reporter Christina Pascucci got on a rollercoaster called Twisted Colossus at Magic Mountain and rode it.

So, yes folks, good Journalism is still being done in some markets:

I Need More Time

You would think that actor Danny Glover would know how satellite tours work.

The actor most likely has done hundreds of them to promote his movies.

But this time, Glover was doing satellite hits in support of the postal worker’s union, which is looking to drum up support since the contract with the USPS expires next week.

While Glover was talking to KTVU viewers about his mom and dad, who were postal workers, anchor Tori Campbell cut him off mid-thought, saying they were almost out of time. She quickly asked Glover what his goal was.

“Well, you should have given me more time. That’s the first thing,” said Glover. “So why don’t you go on. If you don’t have enough time, then why bother? Just don’t give me two minutes.”

Let's go to the video:

He might as well have ended the interview by saying, "I'm too old for this shit!" OAD 14-MAY-15. Posted under fair usage.

H/T Kevin Eck @TVSpy

Richmond Anchor Gravely Ill

WTVR CBS Anchor Stephanie Rochon has been off the air since last Summer and viewers have been calling and emailing the station asking about her?

Yesterday, WTVR finally updated viewers with what has happened.

Rochon has been off the air battling cancer and her family now says she is gravely ill.

Here is what the station posted to Facebook:

Dropping the S-Bomb

ESPN host Michael Smith accidentally dropped a shit bomb on the air and basically then suspended himself.

Let's go to the video:

Honest mistake, it was funny though

Ouch!

I never knew that covering the sport of cricket could be dangerous. 

ESPN reporter Melinda Farrell was the unlucky recipient of a lofted off-drive from New Zealand bowler Tim Southee. Ouch! Subscribe to ESPNcricinfo: http://bit.ly/1jnGh6S Follow us across ESPNcricinfo platforms: https://www.facebook.com/Cricinfo https://twitter.com/ESPNcricinfo https://plus.google.com/+espncricinfo http://www.espncricinfo.com/ ESPNcricinfo - The home of cricket. Have you tried ESPNcricinfo's Cricket Fantasy game?

WOW! Jimmy Kimmel Chokes Up in Farewell to Letterman

Jimmy Kimmel put competition aside to say goodbye to David Letterman and you could tell how much Letterman meant to him.

He chokes up and also tells his viewers to watch Dave's show and not his.

How often do you see that during ratings (or any other for that matter). A class move by Kimmel that likely had his ABC bosses cringing.

Let's go to the video:

In honor of David Letterman's final show, Jimmy shares the great impact Dave has had on his life and career.

That Seems About Right...

As someone that has never seem the show, this lower third makes perfect sense to me. 

Just saying.....

What the Hell?

The May Ratings are starting to take their toll:

I think the May Ratings book needs to end quickly

The Final Gimmicks to Goose the Ratings in Chicago

FTVLive told you yesterday that WMAQ is this/close to beating Chicago blowtorch WLS in the late news ratings.

But, it appears that WLS is not going down without a fight.

Robert Feder writes that in a last-ditch effort to stave off defeat, the ABC O&O is pulling out all the stops — and some of the commercials — from its 10 p.m. newscast.

On Monday and Tuesday night, the ABC-owned station dropped two commercial breaks from its late news, postponing its first interruption until 10:21 p.m. It’s a maneuver designed to retain audience ratings by discouraging viewers from channel surfing.

WMAQ which has used the ploy in the past, responded by dropping its commercial breaks until 10:22 p.m. Tuesday. The NBC-owned station is poised to overtake WLS among viewers between 25 and 54 — a key demographic driving advertising revenue.

Feder says that as of Wednesday, WMAQ continues to lead at 10 p.m.

It might be time to break out, "My Daughter is a Stripper and so am I" sweeps story to end the ratings.

Just saying.... 

Before the Final Show

Here are a couple of pictures of the Ed Sullivan Theater taken just a short time ago.

Tonight, David Letterman will do his last Late Show from inside the theater and sign off from CBS.

Inside all is quiet:

Outside, crews set up for live shots around the country:

Teen Charged with Stealing News Van with Reporter Still Inside

You have heard the stories of cars being stolen with a baby still in the back seat, but this one has to be a first. 

An 18 year old tried to steal a KPIX news van with a Reporter still in the back. 

KPIX Reporter Da Lin was sitting in the back of his news van parked outside Oakland City Hall when the punk tried to steal it. 

An 18-year-old man tried to steal a KPIX news van parked outside Oakland City Hall — not knowing that the reporter was sitting in the back — and was quickly arrested by an armed security guard, authorities said Tuesday.

Cops say that Marshawn Daniels jumped into an idling news van not knowing that Lin was sitting in the back.

Daniels was quickly detained by an armed security guard.

Lin was sitting in the back working on a story, the van’s ignition was on to power the equipment inside.

Lin, who is small in stature, had moved the driver’s seat close to the steering wheel. Daniels, who is 6 feet 4 inches tall, had trouble adjusting the seat and that's what slowed him down. 

Lin told co-workers that he looked over from the back of the van to see if the suspect was armed. Not noticing a weapon, Lin yelled at the suspect, asking him what he was doing in the van.

Daniels jumped out of the van and the security guard, hired by the station and assigned to Lin, chased Daniels to the entrance of City Hall and held him at gunpoint till cops arrived.

H/T SFGate.com

So This is Why it's Called The Boob Tube

Sometimes a person does not want to appear on camera during and interview. So, one Photographer decided if you can't show her face, lets just focus on her boobs.

Back to Sacramento

Steve Malavé is leaving his job as Senior Content Producer of News for MundoFox to join KXTV in Sacramento.

Malavé will be the new morning Executive Producer at the station, but he is no stranger to the market.

Malavé previously worked in Sacramento as News Director for Univision O&O KUVS-19 in the late 90’s.

He’ll be overseeing the 4:30, 5, 6 and 9 am shows.

“It’s really nice to be going back to a market I know,” he tells Media Moves. “It’s a terrific opportunity to join an excellent station and a fabulous team.”

He starts at the station next week.