Signing Off in St. Louis

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Longtime KMOV Reporter and Anchor Robin Smith says she is is retiring at the end of the month after four-decades on the are in St. Louis.

“Countless viewers have literally grown up trusting in Robin’s honesty, integrity and experience as she has brought the story of the St. Louis region home to you," Mike Murphy, the station's general manager, said in a statement. "She will be missed and we look forward to enjoying a big celebration come Friday.”

Smith currently reports on the 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts and anchors weekend mornings. Her long tenure at KMOV started in 1978 after working her way around the dial with stints at KSDK and KTVI. 

H/T St. Louis Post Dispatch

New Main Anchor Named at Miami Station

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WSCV Telemundo 51 announced Fausto Malavé  is the station's new main Anchor.

 Malavé will co-anchor the 5:30, 6 and 11 pm weekday newscasts with Daisy Ballmajó. He replaces Ambrosio Hernández, who left the station in March.

Malavé stepped into the role on an interim basis and now the job is his.

He joined the station as a Reporter in 2007 and became weekend co-anchor in 2012.

Before moving to Miami, he worked in his native Venezuela as anchor of “Noticiero Estelar” and host of the political opinion show “Sin Reservas” on the Venevisión Network.

H/T Media Moves

Magic Photobomb

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It seemed just too good to be true and it was.

Two Magicians photobombed the back of Sky News Reporter Ashish Joshi's live shot.

 It seemed as if it was going to go down as the best live photobomb ever on TV news. 

But then Sky News admitted they were in on it. The network and Joshi have confirmed that the report never aired on the network.

Damn!

Here's the video anyway:

Magicians Young & Strange photobomb the background of a Live Sky News broadcast with journalist Ashish Joshi in Westminster. To use this video in a commercial player, advertising or in broadcasts, please email Viral Spiral(A Rightster Company) : licensing@rightster.com

Longtime Chicago Weatherman is Seriously Ill

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Longtime Chicago Weatherman Harry Volkman has been hospitalized.

WGN Weather Anchor Tom Skilling says that Volkman is seriously ill.

Skilling writes, "as anyone who’s had the pleasure of meeting or talking to Harry knows, he’s one of the nicest people who’s walked this planet and among his many his many, many qualities, has been a champion of so many young people and their careers in meteorology. "

Harry’s son Eddie posted the following on his Facebook page. Harry’s trademark smile is as warm as ever. Let’s all keep Harry in our thoughts and prayers.

Volkman has worked at every Chicago station expect WLS and is known as the first weatherman to issue a tornado warning.

He is 89 years old. 

Tampa Station Hires Social Media Savvy Anchor

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WFTS in Tampa has named Laura Harris as its new 5:30 p.m. News Anchor to sit alongside veteran Brendan McLaughlin.

Harris currently solo hosts the WFTS's “The Now Tampa Bay” at 4 p.m.

She has been filling in on the 5:30 since longtime anchor Linda Hurtado left after the May book.  Today the station announced that Harris is getting the gig full time. 

“She’s one of the most natural television performers I’ve ever seen,” McLaughlin said. “It’s remarkable to watch her work. She anchors that [4 p.m.] hour by herself, works with or without a teleprompter, does live interviews, just makes it happen on the fly.”

The co-anchors appear to have formed a budding mutual admiration society.

“Brendan is the model for people like myself,” said the 29-year-old Harris of her partner, who is approaching his 21st anniversary as ABC Action News anchor. “Sitting next to a person like Brendan McLaughlin is truly an honor. I can learn so much.”

Harris was raised in Atlanta and worked as a morning anchor in Charleston, S.C. before joining WFTS three years ago. "The Now Tampa Bay" launched in September 2014.

Harris represents a new breed of TV news anchor in that she understands and embraces social media, and has a feel for adapting it to TV news.

H/T Biz Journals

Got Some News about News?

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If your News Director or GM just sent out a memo, make sure you forward it to FTVLive.

If you have any tips, or found and interesting news story, pass it along. FTVLive is always looking for good tips and if you have one, why not share it with us?

You can email us at FTVLive at Gmail Dot Com 

Also you can follow us on Twitter! We post to Twitter the second a new story is posted on FTVLive.com.

Remember all tips are treated as anonymous and FTVLive never reveals our sources. 

Back At It...

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After a brief 2 days off, I'm back inside the FTVLive World Headquarters and trying to get caught up. 

It was nice to take a step out of the digital world for a couple of days, but it is even nicer to be back. 

Below are the first updates of the day. Then it will be time to plow through hundreds of unread emails and return scores of phone calls and texts.

Thanks guys for letting me take some well needed R&R, but it's time to get back at it.

Reporter Finds and Then Loses Suspect

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WMC Reporter Kontji Anthony was covering a police manhunt when she drove right up on the suspect walking on the side of the road. 

She decided to try and interview the suspect before calling the police and....well... that didn't work out very well. The suspect ran off again.

Let's go to the video:

HOLY COW SHE FOUND HIM!We believe this is the man Southaven Police are looking for. >>http://shout.lt/8gnX-- Kontji.Anthony

Posted by WMC Action News 5 on Thursday, July 23, 2015

Needless to say, viewers on social media do not think the Reporter handled the situation very well.

TV Reporter Shot with Arrow

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While out on a story, TV news crews have been yelled at, spit on, had stuff thrown at them and even shot at. 

WXIX (Cincinnati) Reporter Jody Barr maybe the first to be hit with an arrow.

Barr says that he was shooting video for a news story was struck in the leg with a compound arrow. (The station called this as a "compound arrow" which there is no such thing. There is a compound bow which shoots an arrow)

Barr was on assignment when he noticed a man carrying a bow.

"I walked by them and I shouldn't have turned my back," Barr said. "I broke my own rule for when I'm out on the job, but it was broad daylight."

Barr said he heard the familiar "ping" sound made by a bow in action. He turned to see the compound arrow ricochet into his leg.

Police said 27-year-old Daniel Fisher of Westwood shot the compound arrow that ricocheted off the ground and struck  Barr, according to Cincinnati police arrest records.

Fisher is facing an assault charge related to an incident.

Fisher fled on foot and changed clothes, police said in the incident report.

Barr reported the incident immediately, he said, and officials later apprehended Fisher using visuals Barr provided.

Barr said he was not seriously injured.

H/T WXIX

Phoenix Reporter to become PIO for AZ Attorney General

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Back in December, FTVLive told you that former KSAZ  weekend anchor Kristen Keogh had become the PIO for Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich.

Keogh did not last but a few months on the job before she headed back to TV news. 

Now AG Brnovich has hired a new PIO and guess what? It's another KSAZ Reporter. Guess we can tell which is his favorite station. 

Mia Garcia will serve as Spokesperson, handling the day-to-day communications for the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. Garcia will make the transition after a 14-year career in television news.
 
“As an accomplished television news journalist, Mia has earned the respect of the broadcasting community and the trust of the people of Arizona,” said Brnovich. “She is a great talent and will be a fantastic addition to our team. We are extremely fortunate to have her on board.”
 
Before moving to Phoenix, Garcia worked as a television news reporter in El Paso, TX and Orlando, FL.
 
“I’m thrilled to accept this position with General Brnovich. His passion for serving Arizona is contagious, and he has assembled an amazing team at the Attorney General's Office that I am honored to be a part of," said Mia Garcia. “I look forward to the new challenges and to working with journalists from all media platforms across the state.”

How long before she quits and goes back to TV?