The Weather Channel is Putting Wake up With Al to Bed

More signs of how bad things have gotten at The Weather Channel....

Word is that by the end of the month, The Weather Channel is pulling the plug on Al Roker's show "Wake Up with Al."

It seems that waking up with Al was just too costly and they are canceling the show after almost 6 years.

Earlier, FTVLive FIRST told you that longtime Meteorologist Vivian Brown was leaving The Weather Channel after 30 years.

TWC continues to try and cut cost to make it more attractive for a sale.

Expect more cuts soon. 

CNN Caves...will Let Carly Fiorina in the Debate

CNN says they are amending the criteria for its Republican presidential debate on September 16 and it will "possibly" allow Carly Fiorina to join the other top-tier candidates on the stage.

CNN might be saying "possibly", but you can bet your house that Fiorina will be there.

Otherwise, why would CNN want to come off looking like a flip-flopper on their own debate rules?

CNN came up with some mumbo jumbo as to why they are changing the rules just two weeks out from the debate. 

Bottom line, they screwed the pooch and are now trying to get it right without looking like bumbling fools. Although, let's be honest....it might be a bit late for that. 

But you can fully expect that when the debate happens, Carly Fiorina will be there. 

Move Over Bill, Megyn is on Top

While Donald Trump was encouraging his faithful to boycott Fox News Anchor Megyn Kelly's show, it seems to have fallen on deaf ears. 

Kelly had the highest-rated cable news show for the month, which also included her 10 day vacation.

Her numbers  averaged 566,000 adults 25-54, a 41 percent jump and better than Bill O'Reilly's 541,000.

Thanks to Trump and FNC's on going feud, Fox News was up 64 percent in the demo from August 2014, the net's highest-rated month since November 2012.

Maybe Trump's boycott of China will do better than this one.

Just saying....

H/T Hollywood Reporter

Landing Across the Street in Phoenix

When KPNX in Phoenix pushed morning Anchor Fay Fredricks and Doug Meehan to the side (FTVLive June 19th) Fredricks encouraged viewers to  call the station and complain.

Then yesterday, Fredricks hinted on Facebook she had another job line up. She wrote, "I hope to be able to share some wonderfully exciting news soon. I can share, I will be staying in TV & in the Valley ... More to come soon."

FTVLive has learned that Fredricks is crossing the street to Scripps owned KNXV.

So while she is changing stations, she doesn't have to change her home address and will continue to be on the air in the Valley of the Sun. 

She starts at her new station on Sept. 14th. 

Brown Out at The Weather Channel

Sources are telling FTVLive that Vivian Brown, who has been at The Weather Channel for 30 years is out the door.

Brown was hired as a product specialist and eventually worked her way to TV as on-camera meteorologist.

Brown holds Television Seal of Approval for Broadcast Meteorology from both The American Meteorological Society and The National Weather Association.

Brown joined The Weather Channel in 1986. She hosted Afternoon Outlook from 2003-2006, PM Edition Weekend from 2006-2010 and Day Planner from 2010-2013.

The Weather Channel has been quietly making cuts to try and make itself more attractive to potential buyers. 

Cops Say San Antonio Station is Putting Police in Danger

Some are praising KSAT for uploading amateur video of a police-involved shooting.

The police are saying that the station is putting cops lives in danger. 

"Broadcasting a man's death for $100 has sparked threats to our deputies' lives," the Bexar County Sheriff's Office said in a tweet that urged people to call the TV station and complain.

The video shows Gilbert Flores being shot and killed by police officers who responded to a domestic disturbance call coming from his home last Friday. 

According to the authorities, Flores resisted arrest and nonlethal techniques were used before guns were drawn. 

KSAT said it received the video from a witness, Michael Thomas, who recorded it from a distance. The station's managers initially decided not to show the moment of the shooting.

But that changed on Monday after the sheriff's office and the district attorney's office said they were aware of the video and confirmed Flores's identity. 

"Now that there is an ongoing investigation by both agencies, and following additional discussions within our newsroom, KSAT 12 News has decided to make the entire video available online," the station said.

"Today, members of our local media chose to broadcast online unedited video of a man's death," the office wrote in a Facebook post Monday night. "KSAT 12 paid a neighbor who filmed the tragedy $100 for the exclusive rights to the video. As a result, people from outside our community have bombarded us with inappropriate comments, and today, physical threats toward our deputies." 

Calling the station's act "unethical and sad," the Facebook post provided a telephone number for KSAT and said people should "let the local media know this sort of sensational behavior doesn't fly in Bexar County."

In the video the man appears to be shot after putting his hands up. 

H/T CNN

Pittsburgh Reporter Shot with Paintball Gun

Yesterday, FTVLive told you that a new crew from WPXI in Pittsburgh was shot at by some idiot(s) with a paintball gun.

Sources tell FTVLive that the Reporter hit in paintball attack was Jennifer Tomazic (pictured). The Photographer who was with her was Moe Jetter. Word is that Jetter quickly intervened alerting Jennifer it was a paintball that she was hit with.

Our source says that initially, Tomazic did not know what hit her. She was heard over her mic in the control room: "I'm hit, I'm hit." She had just raised the microphone to give a mic check when the shots came from a passing car around 4:30 a.m.moments before a Pittsburgh schools back-to-school story. 

Since the attack, WPXI management has made some policy changes.  Live shots are now per the Reporter and Photographer's judgment call. There is now a no-knock policy on doors that has also been implemented.

Interestingly, WPXI has made no mention of the paintball incident, either on the air, or on their website. 

Now, you could argue that the station is not mentioning the attack as to stop some copycat, but the station covered 3 other attacks ( No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3) in the past on people that were not affiliated with the station. 

It seems that if you are going to cover the others, it seems you should do the same when it involves your station. 

Pitching in to Help WDBJ

Yesterday, a couple of more memorials for WDBJ Reporter Alison Parker and Photographer Adam Ward.

There was the Celebration of Life for Alison Parker (in Martinsville, VA), and the open house at Adam Ward's old high school (in Salem, VA).

A number of WDBJ staffers attended and it left the station shorthanded to cover the newscasts.

Two former staffers helped pitch to cover some shifts. Retired anchor Keith Humphry took the anchor desk, and former meteorologist Andrew Frieden drove down from WWBT/Richmond to handle weather duties.

The newscasts focused on the services for Parker and Ward, with brief coverage of the day's events elsewhere.  

At the end of the 10pm newscast, Humphry thanked their Schurz Communications sister stations in Indiana, Kansas, and Missouri for sending staff so that the WDBJ staff could take the night off.

Alison Parker's Dad takes Aim at the Politicians

Andy Parker, the father of slain Reporter Alison Parker is going after the politicians that he says are soft of gun laws.

Writing in The Washington Post, Parker criticizes his state senator, Bill Stanley, R-Franklin.  But Stanley says tougher mental health laws, not more gun control, could be helpful in reducing gun violence.

“We need to address that we are protecting society from those that are disturbed to the point that they want to hurt themselves or other people,” Stanley says.

But Parker says he wants effective safeguards put in place so there is no tragedy similar to what happened near Roanoke last week, when a gunman killed Alison Parker and Adam Ward and wounded Vicki Gardner on live television.

Stanley, who represents Parker’s home district, doesn’t believe that more gun control is the answer to curbing gun violence.

“I think it’s really tough to try to expand background checks, or the criteria for background checks, in a way that ultimately is trying to get at what is in a person’s heart or what are they thinking,” Stanley says.

Also coming under Parker’s criticism is Virginia Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, who Parker says has been a “constant opponent of sensible gun reforms.”

H/T WTOP

Third Victim in Live Shot Shooting does not want it to cast Negative Light on the Area

Vicki Gardner was being interviewed live by WDBJ's Alison Parker to talk about how great the  Smith Mountain Lake Region is and all the great things it has to offer.

During that live interview, Gardner was shot and wounded, while Parker and WDBJ Photographer Adam Ward were shot and killed by a deranged ex-station employee.

Gardner, the executive director of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce remains in the hospital after last week’s deadly shooting. But, she hopes that the shooting will not cast a negative light on the area. 

The scene where the shooting happened,  Bridgewater Plaza is back open again and other than a make-shift memorial, everything seems normal.

Don Habersack and his family live near Richmond, Virginia. They are visiting Smith Mountain Lake and were among those to take a moment to honor Alison Parker and Adam Ward.

“I wanted to see what people did to honor the people that died,” said Habersack.

Pastor Troy Keaton works with Gardner at the Chamber of Commerce. He’s been by her side at the hospital throughout her recovery. Keaton said she remains optimistic and wants people to focus on the good times at Smith Mountain Lake.

“We know the lake is a beautiful place that should be envied and that’s what Vicki wants,” Keaton said. “She wants this to be a positive face on the lake again and not let this be the person or the deed that defines the lake”.

Although it is still in the planning phase, Keaton said Gardner wants to use the donations made to her – to create new activities and attract more people to Smith Mountain Lake.

“It’s an awful tragedy but there will be something good that comes out of this darkness and that is what are prayers are for,” said Pastor Keaton.

Smith Mountain Lake is a place Gardner and many others love. Visitors said they hope to prevent the shooting from overshadowing the peace the lake provides.

H/T WSLS

Joe Scarborough: Cable News has put Lives at Risk

MSNBC host Joe Scarborough says that when it comes to the killing of Deputy Darren Goforth and the news crew in Roanoke, cable news has some of the blood on their hands.

Scarborough said you can blame on cable news, with its incendiary and often misinformed coverage of shootings in Ferguson and other similar flashpoints. He says that cable news puts people's lives in danger for ratings.

Let's go to the video:

Falling into New Jobs for Fall

Adams Broadcast Consulting reports the following client news:

David Johns joins WJLA-TV in Washington DC as a dayside executive producer.  David spent the last 7 years working as an EP and Assistant News Director for Tribune stations in San Diego and Indianapolis.

Kent Justice is promoted to weekday 11pm anchor from weekend evening anchor at WJXT-TV in Jacksonville.

Amber Lee is promoted to weekend evening meteorologist at KCBS/KCAL-TV from weekend mornings.  This is the second promotion for Amber in the last three years.

Bridget Naso is promoted to weekend evening anchor from reporter at KNSD-TV in San Diego.

Syleste Rodriguez is promoted to weekday morning anchor from morning reporter at KSAZ-TV in Phoenix.

David, Kent, Amber, Bridget and Syleste are represented by Dana Adams.  Adams Broadcast Consulting is a full service boutique agency.  Visit ABC on the web at www.adamsconsulting.tv.

Ummmm.....

Put Copper and Trooper together and it comes out like this:

Out the Door in Erie (Updated)

F̶T̶V̶L̶i̶v̶e̶ ̶h̶a̶s̶ ̶b̶e̶e̶n̶ ̶t̶e̶l̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶r̶e̶v̶o̶l̶v̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶d̶o̶o̶r̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶L̶i̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶B̶r̶o̶a̶d̶c̶a̶s̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶o̶w̶n̶e̶d̶ ̶W̶I̶C̶U̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶E̶r̶i̶e̶.̶
̶
̶T̶a̶l̶e̶n̶t̶ ̶a̶f̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶t̶a̶l̶e̶n̶t̶ ̶h̶a̶s̶ ̶e̶i̶t̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶b̶e̶e̶n̶ ̶p̶u̶s̶h̶e̶d̶ ̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶l̶e̶f̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶s̶t̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶,̶ ̶b̶u̶t̶ ̶n̶o̶w̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶h̶i̶t̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶b̶i̶g̶ ̶c̶h̶a̶i̶r̶.̶ ̶
̶
̶S̶o̶u̶r̶c̶e̶s̶ ̶t̶e̶l̶l̶ ̶F̶T̶V̶L̶i̶v̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶t̶r̶a̶c̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶l̶o̶n̶g̶t̶i̶m̶e̶ ̶C̶h̶a̶n̶n̶e̶l̶ ̶1̶2̶ ̶W̶I̶C̶U̶ ̶A̶n̶c̶h̶o̶r̶ ̶A̶m̶a̶n̶d̶a̶ ̶P̶o̶s̶t̶ ̶w̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶b̶e̶ ̶r̶e̶n̶e̶w̶e̶d̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶e̶n̶d̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶y̶e̶a̶r̶.̶ ̶
̶
̶P̶o̶s̶t̶ ̶h̶a̶s̶ ̶b̶e̶e̶n̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶s̶t̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶s̶i̶n̶c̶e̶ ̶2̶0̶0̶1̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶c̶u̶r̶r̶e̶n̶t̶l̶y̶ ̶a̶n̶c̶h̶o̶r̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶m̶a̶i̶n̶ ̶n̶e̶w̶s̶c̶a̶s̶t̶s̶.̶ ̶
̶
̶N̶o̶ ̶w̶o̶r̶d̶ ̶y̶e̶t̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶w̶h̶o̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶r̶e̶p̶l̶a̶c̶e̶m̶e̶n̶t̶ ̶w̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶b̶e̶.̶
̶
̶S̶t̶a̶y̶ ̶t̶u̶n̶e̶d̶.̶.̶.̶.̶ ̶

Note: Post tells FTVLive that the information we were given was wrong and that and that she has a contract until Sept. 2017. We regret the error. 

No Shit Captain Obvious

Looks like Captain Obvious has landed a job over at WFSB in Hartford:

O-Town Station Names New News Director

Struggling station WKMG in Orlando has named a new News Director.

Allison McGinley has worked at the station for over two decades now moves up to the big chair. 

She had been acting ND since Steve Hyvonen was fired....errrrrrrr....." resigned" back in July.  

"Her experience, talent, energy and commitment made her the easy choice to lead News 6 into the future," WKMG said in a release. That statement also said "she has distinguished herself and defined just about every aspect of the news operation."

The station has recently rebranded themselves (like a bunch of other also ran stations have lately) and is adding a new 4PM newscast.

WKMG was known as "Local 6" and is now known as "News 6 -- Getting Results."

What they are not getting is ratings and that's the reason for all the changes.