New ND Named In Philly

After a looooooong search, KYW has a new news director. Margaret Cronan, previously the director of television at Traffic.com/NAVTEQ, will be running the newsroom. It's a return to KYW for Cronan, who was an EP there in the '90's.

Here's the internal memo from GM Brien Kennedy:

From: "Calabria, Joanne" <calabria@kyw.com>
Date: September 9, 2015 at 1:30:27 PM EDT
Subject: A message from Brien Kennedy

Hello, team.  Brien is at an event out of the office but asked me to forward the following message to the entire staff -- Joann
 
I am happy to announce that Margaret Cronan, a familiar face to many of you, will be joining CBS 3 as Vice President and News Director beginning September 22.
Margaret, who grew up in the Philadelphia area and worked at CBS 3 as an executive producer in the late ‘90s, is an energetic and decisive leader who has a diverse background in news and private enterprise.   Her extensive newsroom experience also includes two terms as news director at WBAL-TV in Baltimore and at WPBF-TV in West Palm Beach where she oversaw the news department during the 2000 presidential election and the historic Florida ballot recount.  She also served as a senior producer at WNBC-TV in New York, and as a news producer at KCAL-TV in Los Angeles and WJZ-TV in Baltimore.

During the height of the do-it-yourself television trend, Margaret served as executive producer of the children’s version of Trading Spaces for which she was nominated for a National Daytime Emmy Award.

She’s currently Chief Business Development and Marketing Officer at Dilworth Paxson, a Philadelphia law firm.  Many of you probably have also worked with her in her former roles as Director/General Manager – Television for NAVTEQ/Traffic.com and as Chief Communications Officer of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Margaret’s vast experience will be a considerable asset as we continue to make Eyewitness News the newscast of choice in Philadelphia.

Special thanks should also go to John Wilson for the outstanding job he has done in managing the newsroom through the transition this summer.  I really value the relationship that John and I have developed these last months, and I know that his skills and insight will continue to be a benefit to the station as we move towards accomplishing our goals.
Brien

Sam Champion Iced At Weather Channel

The Weather Channel is laying off more employees, about 50 more. As part of their adjustment based on "financial pressure", golden boy Sam Champion is losing his AM show. Last week, FTVLive told you about the network's decision to cancel "Wake Up With Al", starring Al Roker. We predicted then, that Sam Champion would be next.

Here's the official mumbo jumbo from Weather Channel execs: “Viewers turn to The Weather Channel and our experts for the most locally relevant and precise forecast, and for the best live coverage of severe weather events available anywhere on television. Sam will create editorial content and host on-screen segments as we launch our new “Local Now” product for OTT providers. His deep understanding of local television will be crucial in helping us build our network of local content with the major broadcast station groups."

Here's the quick translation: Champion didn't work, he costs too much money, and eventually you'll see him somewhere else.

The network also says it's going to pull back from its reality programming and focus on hyper-local weather. REALLY? You mean, no more Fat Guys and Prospectors?

Look for CEO David Kenny to be 'on ice' at some point, too. After all, you can only bring "gloomy" news to investors for so long, until a change is made.

H/T Variety

Pilot Fatigue in KOMO Chopper Crash?

The NTSB says the fatal KOMO chopper crash last year, may have been the result of an outdated pre-flight checklist and pilot fatigue.  They said there's no evidence of a mechanical failure.

The crash killed the pilot and a videographer. Another person driving a car nearby, was severely burned.

Here's the full report from the NTSB.

H/T The Seattle Times

Anchor Arrested for DUI & Assault

KCOY anchor Paula Lopez Ochoa was arrested on charges of DUI, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.

California Highway Patrol says they got a 911 call about a car going south in the northbound lanes of Highway 101.

Lopez was booked into jail and later released.

KCOY management, isn't talking.

Here's Your Hump Day Helper

Photog (Ph)ired Over Prosthetic Penises

KABB (San Antonio) photographer/host, J.T. Street, was canned after some racy video made it to air. Street has a franchise on the Fox station's 9pm newscast, called "Street's Corner". The segment highlighted fun and unique elements of San Antonio.

According to MySA, Street did a piece on the heavy metal band Gwar. Supposedly they're famous for provocative 'acts' on stage. Apparently, the lead singer was wearing a contraption with a couple of prosthetic penises. KABB management decided the penises weren't sufficiently blurred, and fired Street after some video made it to air.

Sinclair group manager John Seabers said he wouldn't comment on personnel issues. Unless, of course, it's a positive story and then they'll do 5-part series on anchor alcohol addiction, cancer treatment, adoption, etc.

What a business.

Camerawoman Caught "Tripping" People

A camerawoman was caught tripping and kicking people, some of them children, as they ran from police. It happened near the Hungarian-Serbian border, where refugees broke through police lines and ran to hide in nearby wheat fields.

According to Agence France-Presse, N1TV camerawoman Petra Laszlo was caught on video tripping a man carrying a child in his arms, then kicking another child.

Click here to watch the video from Jezebel

I don't think the NPPA would condone this.

Meredith Media General Executive Shuffle

Karpowicz

As FTVLive predicted, word of shuffling executives in the new Meredith Media General group are coming out. On the General Manager's call this AM, it was announced that current Meredith Broadcast president Paul Karpowicz will oversee the new TV division of both groups. Current Media General TV head, Deb McDermott, is out. Word is, they'll find a place for Deb. Sources say top execs lost confidence in McDermott over her handling of the Media General/LIN merger.

McDermott

No word on what happens to some of the other Media General executives like Jay Howell or Stan Knott.

Sources say one of the first orders of business for Karpowicz, will be replacing Phoenix duopoly GM, Ed Munson.

Munson

With Karpowicz in control of TV, that appears to be good news for current Meredith VP of News, Patrick McCreery, who's based in Phoenix.

It's already known that current Meredith CEO Steve Lacey will oversee the new mega-group. Media General CEO Vince Sadusky appears to be out, but we're confident he won't be needing a job, anytime soon.

One thing is for sure, there will be a lot more news developing on this story.

Gotta love this business.

Media General Buys Meredith

Media General is about to be become the 4th largest television group, and they're spending $2.4 billion, to do it. Details of the announcement are just coming out this AM, but the new group will cover about 30% of the country. The deal is expected to become "official", by mid 2016.

Current Meredith CEO Steve Lacey, will be kept (for now) as President/CEO of the new "Meredith Media General" company. No word yet on who's actually going to run the TV stations day-to-day, or the publishing division. The new board of directors will include 8 from Media General and 4 from Meredith.

There will be some problems in 6 markets where Meredith and Media General both own stations: Portland, Nashville, Hartford, Greenville-Spartanburg, Mobile, and Springfield, MA.

Not since the Belo/Gannett merger has there been a 'big one' like this. And now comes the speculation of who's 'in' and who's 'out'? I'd hate to be the Meredith GM or ND in some key markets like Hartford, Atlanta, Phoenix and Tampa. Lots of resumes are being dusted off, you can be sure.

Working Vacation....

This post is coming to you from the Empire State.

Your humble FTVLive Editor is back in the great state of New York for a few days. I will not be updating FTVLive for the rest of the week.

The FTVLive Intern might jump in from time to time, but I'm looking to take a few days off and get recharged for the fall season.

I will be doing some tweaks to the website and you will have a slightly different look starting next week. 

It should make reading FTVLive on your phone much better.

Stay tuned......

This Might be the Nicest Sounding F-Bomb Ever

This Weather Anchor throws down the F-Bomb. But with the accent, it really doesn't sound that bad.

News blooper f*ck!

Uh -Oh! Other Toys that Look Like News Anchors

Looks like some more Anchor/toy lawsuits could be brewing:

Matt Lauer Plays Around with Caitlyn Jenner

It appears that NBC is not done trying to soak Caitlyn Jenner for a few more rating points.

But, the Peacock is not satisfied with just having the former Gold Medal Olympian sitting in the studio. Nope....Caitlyn Jenner tees it up with Today Show host Matt Lauer. 

NBC says, "n the candid, wide-ranging interview, Jenner opens up to Lauer about her journey, the ESPY criticism, the Malibu car crash and her dating life."

Another Caitlyn Jenner interview? Even Oprah be like:

Singing The News

Here's one news idea that even the consultants will hate:

Alison Parker's Father Withdraws From Election

The father of Alison Parker, who was killed on live television in Virginia is withdrawing from a local election race to focus on gun law changes.

Andy Parker planned to run for a seat on the Henry County Board of Supervisors, but has dropped out to focus on changing the nation's gun laws. 

Parker says that Alison's legacy will be her knack for journalism and for changes in the nation's gun laws.

Parker has also joined up with two anti-gun groups backed by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to kick off a national protest against gun violence.

Bloomberg's Everytown Survivor Network and Moms Demand Action are adopting Andy Parker's promise to do "whatever it takes" as their slogan for the September 10 protest.

Pittsburgh Reporter Shot by Paintball Gun Goes Silent on Twitter

FTVLive FIRST told you that a news crew from WPXI in Pittsburgh was shot at by some idiot with a paintball gun. 

Reporter Jennifer Tomazic and Photographer Moe Jetter were setting up for a live shot, when Tomazic was hit by a paintball. 

WPXI has not mentioned the story and it has not been reported in the Pittsburgh press. WPIX has covered a number of stories in the past few months of people being shot by paintballs in the viewing area, but has made no mention of the incident involving their own. 

As for Tomazic, she has gone silent on social media. Normally very active on Twitter, Tomazic has not posted to her Twitter since Aug. 28th.