Happy Thursday! Today, we celebrate Friday early today due to an end of week day off at the TVSpy offices.
In this week’s edition, we see another Zoom call go awry over misplaced filters. We also see business stories edge into the news cycle with a new contract for workers at a local Fox owned station and some hubbub brewing over the Tegna/Standard General deal.
Here we go:
A presenter on an Australian TV channel got the giggles (pictured) after her guest had difficulty trying to apply a Zoom background. Alice Monfries, from Nine News Adelaide, was left in hysterics as Mark Borlace from the Royal Automobile Association accidentally applied a filter which gave him a small hat shaped like a pizza. Click here for more.
WSFA in Montgomery, Alabama is remembering the life of former anchor and reporter George Ernest Mitchell, who died Monday at age 95. Mitchell was on the air with WSFA in the 1960s through the early ‘80s. After leaving news, he became the station’s film director until he retired. Click here for the story.
Canadian TV reporter Coleen Christie wants fans to know that “even news anchors cry.” She was recently applauded for showing her emotional side while delivering news on the war in Ukraine.
“I’m sorry, it’s so emotional,” Christie said after reporting that a volunteer soldier learned their friend was still alive two months after they were presumed dead. “I can only imagine what that would have been like,” she added. Click here for the story.
KPIX reporter Len Ramirez gave viewers a demo of how strong the winds were during one of the recent storms that swept through the Bay Area leaving thousands without power. Click here to watch.
The Vicksburg Daily News has confirmed that WLBT anchor Barbie Bassett is no longer with the Jackson, Mississippi station. In October, Bassett made a comment on the air that viewers took offense to, citing its racial overtones. Click here for more.
Fox Television Stations and writers and producers for WNYW New York have struck a new four-year contract, according to the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE), which represents those employees. Click here to read about it.
Grant Hermes will join WHDH in Boston as a reporter. He starts his new role in May. Recently, Hermes was a reporter at WDIV in Detroit. Click here for more.
Lawton, Oklahoma station KSWO is celebrating 70 years on-air. As part of its celebration, current CBS reporter Omar Villafranca spoke about what it was like when he started working there in 2003 as a weekend anchor. Click here to see his story.
Standard General, Tegna and Cox Media Group on Friday formally filed an application asking the Federal Communications Commission to review its Media Bureau’s decision to have a administrative law judge hold a hearing on Standard General’s pending acquisition of Tegna. Click here for the story.
Beaumont, Texas ABC affiliate KBMT said goodbye to anchor and multimedia journalist Latisia Keahey last week. Click here for more.
WITN in Eastern North Carolina has promoted Jacyn Abbott to morning anchor. Click here for the story.
From Hearst: Hearst has named Rachel Kay its senior vice president and chief people officer (CPO). The announcement was made by Hearst President and Chief Executive Officer Steven R. Swartz and is effective immediately.
In her new role, Kay will be Hearst’s most senior human resources executive, leading companywide strategy, programs and human capital management support, while maintaining a longstanding tradition of local oversight of the majority of human resource decision-making.
“Since joining us in 2019, Rachel has distinguished herself thanks to her judgment, strategic thinking and innovation,” Swartz said. “She will be a great partner to me, our new Chief Operating Officer Jordan Wertlieb and all of our group heads and senior human resource executives across the company in forging the future of our workforce and our workplace.”