Phoenix Anchor Hit by Wrong Way Driver

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A close call for a Phoenx Anchor Today.

Fire crews say one person had to be extricated after multiple vehicles on a Phoenix roadway this morning. 

Phoenix Fire spokesman William Benedict says a 27-year-old woman is in serious condition and was transported to a hospital. 

A woman was driving westbound when she reportedly went across the road and began driving the wrong way in the eastbound lanes. At that point, we're told she hit a second car head-on.

The second car was being driven by KSAZ's Rick D'Amico, who was on his way into work.

He was not hospitalized. D'Amico is recovering at home and hopes to be back to work on Friday.

Afterward, the woman's car flipped and landed on the curb.

Police say they are looking into whether or not impairment was a factor in the crash.

The driver of a third vehicle involved was questioned at the scene.

H/T KSAZ

Local News Continues to Grow, But.....

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A new study by the Pew Research Center shows that local news is growing, but it is doing so in non-traditional time periods. 

Morning, early evening and late night news on local TV affiliates have lost on average 12% of their viewers since 2007.

But many local TV stations began expanding their programming to nontraditional hours such as very early morning, midday and at 7 p.m., according to a Pew Research Center analysis of Nielsen data.

These additions are finding at least some new audiences willing to tune in.

The number of stations airing news at 4:30 a.m. was up 18% in 2014, to 320 (counting ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox affiliates as well as independent stations). Fully 357 stations had a 7 p.m. newscast in 2014, up 13% from the year before. And 328 stations aired local news at midday – an 11% increase from 2013. There were more than 800 news-producing local TV stations (commercial and English-language) in the U.S. last year, according to consulting firm BIA Kelsey.

The 7 p.m. time slot carries special appeal for local stations as it immediately follows networks’ national news programs. In 2014, that time slot saw the biggest growth among the three nontraditional time slots studied here, enjoying an 11% increase from the year before. Over the past five years, newscasts on network affiliates in the 7 p.m. time slot have grown their audience by 8%.

Very early morning news also continued to grow in 2014, though the rate has slowed somewhat. Newscasts at 4:30 a.m. saw a 6% boost from the year before. This increase comes after 4:30 a.m. viewership more than tripled in 2011 (up 337%) and saw a 13% increase in both 2012 and 2013.

Local TV stations have also added midday newscasts, which gained viewers in all sweeps periods in 2014. The average audience grew by 8% in 2014, the second year in a row midday newscasts’ viewership has increased.

Still, the total number of viewers for these dayparts accounts for a small fraction of the total number of viewers traditional time slots get. For example, newscasts at 4:30 a.m. averaged just 3.1 million viewers, compared with 23.9 million on average for 11 p.m. news, the most-watched time slot. This presents a challenge for stations turning to these scheduling strategies in efforts to improve revenues.

Wait Your Turn

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In many markets, when police hold pressers they will make their statement first in English and then they will do it again in Spanish for the Spanish speaking stations covering the story.

Yesterday, in Las Vegas the police did their presser and for once the Spanish station were first up.

Just about every time, they have to wait around until the end, yesterday was their day to go first.

But, KLAS Reporter Scott Daniels did not seem too happy about having to wait. The shoe was on the other foot, Daniels didn't like it and showed his frustration on social media:

Driver: I Delivered Large Sums of Cash to Women for Sumner Redstone

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A man that says he was hired by Viacom to be Sumner Redstone's personal driver says he delivered large sums of money to women on behalf of the Viacom/CBS boss.

Tim Jensen writes in the Hollywood Reporter that he was hired on as Redstone's personal driver and it was, "a most unusual job."

He claims that he was making cash deliveries to several women as part of his job. 

Jensen said that a woman named Sydney Holland (on the right in the picture from Redstone's birthday party) had taken over much of Redstone's personal affairs.

Jensen writes," Holland would give me a check made out to "cash," usually for several thousand dollars, and, per her orders, I would take the check to the Bank of America, where the teller would put money in an envelope. I was instructed by Holland to make arrangements to give the envelope to one of the women whom I had seen at the house frequently. 

Holland would tell me how much to pay each particular woman. For some, it was an easy transaction. For others, I couldn't get enough money out of the bank on one visit, so I would need to accumulate enough over a few days and then pay them. I'm talking several thousand dollars going to each woman in a delivery, and it made me nervous to carry that much cash around. Within a day or two after seeing women at the house, I was cashing a check and delivering them money. It was mostly the same women — seven in total. To keep them straight, I maintained a spreadsheet that I still have today. In 2011, I think the total I paid to these women was more than $1 million."

Jensen says that as his relationship with Holland sourced he was fired. He says a human-resources executive asked me to sign a nondisclosure agreement and offered me $36,000 to do so. He refused.

Patty Glaser, an attorney for Redstone and Holland, tells THR: “Tim Jensen is a disgruntled ex-employee of the Viacom-Paramount film group. He has made claims in the past, and we don’t believe they have any merit. In writing, Mr. Redstone and Ms. Holland told Paramount they wished that he no longer drive them and they wished that he be relocated within the company.” Viacom declined comment.

Major Buzz Over Major Garrett's Question to POTUS

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CBS's Major Garrett stole the show at President Obama's press conference yesterday on the Iran nuke deal.

Here is his question and the President's reply:

WATCH: CBS News' chief White House correspondent Major Garrett asks President Obama about the four Americans still detained in Iran amid news of the nuclear deal http://cbsn.ws/1RzHJa7

Posted by CBS News on Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Needless to say, social media chimed in on Garrett's question and whether or not it crossed the line?

Here are some of the comments: 

The Kid's Got a Future

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The University of Minnesota newspaper has fired a student reporter after learning he fabricated interviews for three sports stories this month.

The Minnesota Daily said Wednesday that it has added online corrections to two of Grant Donald's stories and deleted the third and was reviewing his other work.

Ben Gotz, the newspaper's sports editor, said the U's athletics communications director emailed July 9 to say swim coaches quoted in the previous day's paper didn't recall giving the interviews. When Donald didn't respond to questions about the interviews, the Daily removed the story from its website.

Donald met with Gotz on Sunday and admitted fabricating interviews for three stories, Gotz said. He said Donald admitted he faked:

Donald, an incoming junior in the U's journalism school, did not immediately return a phone message Wednesday.

A U spokesman said it's unlikely Donald would face academic discipline.

"This is an employment issue and not an academic one," Joe Koktan said.

Keep up kid, you might have a very bright future at some cable news channels. 

H/T Pioneer Press

Fox News is Not Real News

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Not sure this will replace "Fair and Balanced" but one San Francisco politician gives his thoughts on Fox News and Bill O'Reilly gives his thoughts on the politician.

Just more Emmy award winning TV:

This elected official has an appropriate response to Fox News' chicanery...

Posted by Media Matters for America on Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Banging the Drum

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Todd Rundgren sang the song,  "Bang on the drum all day," CNN's Michelle Kosinski seemed to be doing it all night.

Page Six says that last weekend Kosinski hosted a party with loud African drumming at her London home that infuriated neighbors and was shut down by authorities.

Kosinski, a former NBC News correspondent in London, and her British former-banker hubby, Kimbell Duncan, own a home in upscale Notting Hill and threw a summer soiree on Saturday.

The epic party broke into a backyard drum circle that could be heard a mile away and “went on for hours” till party-pooper neighbors called “noise enforcers.” Sniffed one resident: “Quiet Notting Hill was filled with the sound of tribal drums. It sounded like an invasion.”

Another source said of the broadcaster’s bacchanal, “It was a hot night, which never happens in London. They were in town to see everybody, so they invited tons of people to a summer party.”

Kosinski brought in 10 large drums as decoration for her garden, and their owners, two professional African drummers, “decided to teach everybody to play the drums,” said a spy.

“It turned into a full-on crazy wave of rhythm that was so intoxicating,” said our source. “Neighbors came by with their kids to see what was happening and then they started playing. It was totally surreal.”

In the yard, “it looked like all of these fashionably dressed ladies and gentlemen were playing ‘drum-circle style.’ Crazy, even for a night in London. Leave it to the Americans.”

A spokesman for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea confirmed officers visited the property after complaints. 

Either way, staid Beltway insiders will certainly be clamoring to get onto the list for Kosinski and Duncan’s next summer fête.

Piers Morgan Now Shilling for Lottery

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Fired CNN Anchor Piers Morgan is now doing commercials Britain's National Lottery.

The spot pokes fun a Morgan's giant ego and his wish to build a theme park that is all about him.

Piers Morgan has big plans for Camber Sands, and you're not going to like them. Anyone can win #Lotto, but please - don't let it be him. #PleaseNotThem Welcome to the official National Lottery YouTube channel providing you with exclusive content from our draw shows, celebrity guests, winners and much, much more.

It's a News Car, It's a Truck, It's THUNDER TRUCK

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KXAS in Dallas has started airing a new promo for their news car. Yes, a news car has it own promo. At first glance you think it is nothing more than a pickup truck. We're guessing that Dallas is full of those.

But oh no.....this is Thunder Truck!

Seriously, you can't make this shit up. 

Here's the promo:

You just watched my brand new promo during America's Got Talent. Now watch it again here and be sure to follow me on Twitter @TXThunderTruckhttp://on.nbcdfw.com/rSZmM9x

Posted by NBC DFW on Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Dropping the F-Bomb on Fox News

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I'll be honest, I have no clue who Jesse Joyce is? I really don't.

But he was on Fox News Channel's Redeye show and threw down a big old F-Bomb.

It's cable, it's late light, so no fine and no laws broken. But, it still really does not reflect good on FNC.

Why are we posting it?

Because it is a really slow news day and we could care less about Trump's financials. 

Here's the video:

We report, you decide.

H/T Johnny Dollar 

 

Hope She Brings Her Ball Cap

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Back on June 1st, FTVLive told you about WLTX (Columbia, SC) Reporter Amicia Ramsey tweeting how excited she was to cover a hurricane. 

Not taking into account the loss of lives and destruction, Ramsey was excited to put on a ball cap and get soggy socks.

After FTVLive's story, WLTX parted ways with Ramsey. 

Now we hear that she is headed to Meridian, Mississippi which is 100+ market fall from where she was.

Ramesey was also spotted interviewing at a station in Waterloo, IA (Market 90) but she did not get an offer. 

Let's hope when she gets to Meridian, she brings her ball cap and some common sense.

Just saying.... 

Apple's Streaming TV Service could Carry Local Channels

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Apple is looking to add local channels to it's streaming TV service, which would be a huge blow to the giant cable companies. 

“The platform is ready and it rocks,” said one source.

Apple’s discussions with ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox initially foundered over the tech giant’s desire to offer on the soon-to-launch service local live TV feeds streamed on any Apple device, sources said.

But networks don’t control affiliate feeds. So Apple CEO Tim Cook’s team asked the networks to obtain those rights — instead of having Apple chase those rights around the country itself.

Now, it seems, Cook’s strategy is paying off, sources said.

The networks are close to having the right to negotiate with Apple on behalf of their affiliates, the sources added.

Those affiliate groups, which include Tribune and Sinclair, are being told by the networks that if they opt in and offer their feeds, they will be able to share in the added revenue the Apple streaming product will produce, sources tell The Post.

“Apple has a lot of reach and this is a good opportunity,” said one network source.

At CBS, executives are talking to affiliates about conducting Apple negotiations on their behalf, one TV source confirmed.

At Fox, the network “has the ability to negotiate with Apple [for affiliates], or it will have it very soon,” a second executive added.

Disney or CBS will likely sign the first deal with Apple to get the so-called skinny bundle off the ground — though a host of other hurdles remain, the sources suggest.

One of those obstacles could be Apple’s insistence that TV partners give up 30 percent of the subscription fee if users buy it in the App Store.

H/T NY Post

Ummmm....No!

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A segment on CNN's Anderson 360 had to have science teachers everywhere wanting to throw a brick through their TV. 

CNN meteorologist Jennifer Gray was reporting on the first images of Pluto’s surface. First of all, her graphics labeled the largest of Pluto’s moons, Charon, “Churon.” Gray repeated Churon throughout the entire segment, and it was plastered throughout the on-screen graphics.

Then, she identified the atmosphere on Pluto as being made of “nitron” — instead of nitrogen.

Galileo just rolled over one more time. 

Here's the video:

Uploaded by Allan H. on 2015-07-15.