Media Buzz: Valicenti, Vieira, & White, Radio Wars and More!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Hats off to Channel 12 for being 1st in New York City after the Bin Laden news broke. Reporter Walt Buteau headed to Ground Zero for the Monday newscasts following the Sunday night shocker that Seal Team 6 had bagged Bin Laden.
Channel 10 then followed by sending main anchor Gene Valicenti to NYC for coverage of the aftermath. It was great for both stations to send people and spend resources on the story that obviously everyone was talking about. Too bad we can’t see more of that when big stories hit.
Channel 12 Investigative Reporter Tim White had two blockbuster reports nearly back to back during this crucial May ratings sweeps period. First the Providence Firefighter out on a disability pension on camera working out. Then the DOT worker shown on video sleeping and reading books in his car. Both great examples of undercover work and now the City of Providence is investigating some of the firefighter pensions handed out because of Channel 12’s story. Also word from Catamore Blvd is that 12 won the 11pm news the nights those stories aired. The station also capitalized on good follow up stories the next day for its earlier news casts.
Under the “Worst Kept Broadcast Secret” comes word that East Providence native Meredith Vieira will call it quits from the “Today Show” soon to spend more time with her ailing husband and also spend more time with her family. Vieira, who did the 3am wake up call for 5-years on “Today”, began her news career in 1975 at WORC radio in Worcester and then worked at Channel 10 before heading to WCBS in New York.
Could it be – trouble between Citadel Broadcasting shareholders and Cumulus – who is set to buy Citadel – is heating up. The AP reports that a lawsuit has been filed over the share price from Cumulus Media. Citadel owns a cluster of stations here in Providence – 92 ProFm, Lite Rock 105, WPRO-AM etc.
Channel 6 makes some furniture moves to save some cash. Word is that part or all of master control (which is where the technical part of TV broadcasting is done from) has been moved from the basement of the office building that is rented for the station, to the second floor. GOLOCAL is told that the place where some reporters used to sit is now where the equipment sits. All this being done by the new owners apparently to save money on the rent. And these new owners promise to take the station out of 3rd place? And that will be done by doing things like this to save on rent money – um, OK if you say so.
AM-550 has finally flipped the “on” switch for the market’s newest business station. The old home of Radio Disney is now home to the Dow and Nasdaq. Only problem is that it appears to be all syndicated financial radio from what I’ve listened to.
Finally, belated congratulations to former Channel 10 reporter and then Assistant News Director Paul McGonagle for taking over as News Director at Fox 25 in Boston. McGonagle helped to raise the quality of the Channel 10 Mass reporter when he worked the streets as a reporter. He has solid news judgment and treats people fair as a boss in a business that often is filled with whack jobs. Sometimes, the good guys do win.
Jeff Derderian is a former television news reporter and anchor both in Providence and Boston. He is one of the founders of the Station Education Fund. He can be reached at [email protected]
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