Five reporters are being let go by Action News; Both Barzs' (Mike & Tera) , Paige Kelton, Mark Spain, and Lynnsey Gardner. I wonder who's gonna do 'The Restaurant Report' now?
www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2014/05/28/action-news-slashes-marquee-anchors-in.html
That's really cleaning house.
Replaced by cheaper options no doubt.
Stop the presses! The only constant is change.
that's not reporters, that is basically shooting your whole anchor roster.
That's quite the housecleaning.
The state of local news is pretty pathetic in this area (not that it's great anywhere I'm sure). FCN, for what I assume is the top dog in town, gets laughably worse with every passing year.
As for the Restaurant Report, I change the channel when that comes on. I don't need to see her barging into some restaurant and put a microphone in the face of someone who can barely speak English.
^^^Or in certain situations, the owner forgets how to speak English. I'm sorry, regardless of the ethnic background, they still have to go by the USDA's guidelines.
Wow. That's everybody. Why?
I read that they are actually third behind channel 4.
That's crazy, those are all lead anchors, not field reporters. I thought AN was doing quite well, 2nd to Ch4 in all news broadcasts except for 11pm (I think) which they were #1.
ActionNews also just did a reset in 2009:
QuoteOn April 13, 2009, WAWS and WTEV completely revamped the two separate news departments. The outlets merged the operations into one entity and adopted the popular Action News branding presumably to compete with the First Coast News title used on rivals WTLV and WJXX (owned by the Gannett Company). The transition to new branding also introduced entirely new sets (WAWS still featured a separate one for its nightly prime time broadcast), on-air graphics, weather department, and website. On January 31, 2010, WAWS and WTEV became the second local news operation in Jacksonville that upgraded to high definition (the first was WJXT back on January 14, 2009). This was followed on February 1 by WTLV and WJXX after that shared operation completed an HD upgrade.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WAWS
Action News also just recently lost designation as the official Jaguars station to channel 4. Looks like that ship is sinking fast.
Quote from: Todd_Parker on May 28, 2014, 02:42:45 PM
Action News also just recently lost designation as the official Jaguars station to channel 4. Looks like that ship is sinking fast.
I know, poor Dan Hicken, he finally moves to the a channel that carries the Jags, then the contract goes to Ch4.
I wonder if CH4 will pick up some of these anchors, CH4 has some aging anchors that are probably looking to retire soon (Tom Wills been there since 1975 and Rob Sweeting been there since 1985).
According to http://flnewscenter.com/
QuoteSources tell Florida News Center that Jacksonville duopoly WTEV/WAWS is in the process of replacing its entire lead anchor team.
Lead anchors Mark Spain (right#1), Paige Kelton (right #2), and Tera Barz (right #3) (who's husband Mike Barz anchors on the morning show) are all reported to be on the chopping block. While the anchors are still with the station"s" currently, they have been told that their contracts will not be renewed when they are up...and the axe may not stop with the lead anchor team.
Despite increases in past ratings books, WTEV/WAWS has often lagged behind competitors WJXT and the duopoly of WTLV/WJXX. Insiders tell Florida News Center that the station plans to "start over from scratch," "reshaping the look of Action News."
This news has devastated station staff, who are now all afraid of being next on the chopping block. One staffer called the moves by the station "desperate" and mentioned that "everyone is on edge." Station staff have been told to keep silent, "or else."
When asked about the anchor shake-up, WTEV/WAWS News Director Bob Longo, told our friends over at FTVLive.com, "out of respect for our employees, we don't publicly discuss personnel matters."
Sources at other Cox Communications owned stations (the media company which purchased WTEV/WAWS in 2012) tell Florida News Center that the call has been sent out corporate-wide, to fill the to-be-emptied anchor chairs at the Jacksonville station. Does this mean that Cox might be poaching talent from its other owned stations?
(http://i.imgur.com/hheoZJh.jpg)
Quote from: I-10east on May 28, 2014, 02:34:19 PM
^^^Or in certain situations, the owner forgets how to speak English. I'm sorry, regardless of the ethnic background, they still have to go by the USDA's guidelines.
I have no problem reporting the restaurant inspections. Just hate the wannabe guerilla style tactics on these reports.
WAWS is owned by Cox; WTEV actually owned by Bayshore Television, LLC. They have a shared services agreement, which I would assume means the anchors will be gone from both newscasts. Or not?
^^Yeah, sounds like the five will be cut from both Fox & CBS, given that both stations falls underneath the 'actionnewsjax' umbrella.
Is it me, or does Actionnews have too many weather people? They have Mike Buresh, Arielle Nixon, Julie Watkins, and Garrett Bedenbaugh(who you really don't see much).
Julie Watkins is leaving
Tom Johnston - Weather - left back in April. Maybe the writing was on the wall then....
They will most likely hire cute, young faces, just our of college
Quote from: I-10east on May 28, 2014, 10:39:15 PM
Is it me, or does Actionnews have too many weather people? They have Mike Buresh, Arielle Nixon, Julie Watkins, and Garrett Bedenbaugh(who you really don't see much).
It's just you :P Most stations have 4 weather people:
1 morning, 1 nights, 1 weekend, and 1 backup/floater.
Chan 4 technically has 5 if you count Winterling still:
http://www.news4jax.com/seen-on-4/channel-4-news-team/1947852
QuoteThey will most likely hire cute, young faces, just our of college
They cost the least and hell, like Watkins always said, "It just may rain here in Jacksonville today", during the summer is really all the forecasting you need to do.
Looks like they've already got their evening anchor picked out. John Bachman from Atlanta:
QuoteChannel 2 Action News anchor John Bachman is leaving for a main evening anchor job at a Jacksonville TV station also operated by Cox Media.
He will work for the combo CBS/Fox Action News operations WTEV and WAWS.
Bachman joined WSB-TV in 2007 working as a reporter as well as the anchor for the weekend early evening newscast. In 2011, he joined Monica Pearson as co-anchor of the 4 p.m. news. He continues to co-anchor with Erin Coleman since Pearson retired in 2012.
With Justin Farmer as the main male evening anchor at WSB, Bachman didn't have much room at the station to move up.
"He's a terrific guy," said Mike Dreaden, WSB's news director. "I'm glad he was able to stay with the company. He gets to flex his muscles and grow."
He'll remain on WSB-TV for several more weeks before his move to Florida, Dreaden added.
http://radiotvtalk.blog.ajc.com/2014/07/16/john-bachman-leaving-channel-2-action-news-for-jacksonville-sister-station/
Quote from: coredumped on May 29, 2014, 10:20:57 AM
Quote from: I-10east on May 28, 2014, 10:39:15 PM
Is it me, or does Actionnews have too many weather people? They have Mike Buresh, Arielle Nixon, Julie Watkins, and Garrett Bedenbaugh(who you really don't see much).
It's just you :P Most stations have 4 weather people:
1 morning, 1 nights, 1 weekend, and 1 backup/floater.
Chan 4 technically has 5 if you count Winterling still:
http://www.news4jax.com/seen-on-4/channel-4-news-team/1947852
There is a difference between true "weather professionals" and weather readers.
David Letterman was a staff "weatherman" in Indianapolis, but he openly admitted he simply read the NWS forecasts off the teletype. Most staff weather persons are the same.
Then there are guys like WGN Chicago's Tom Skilling who is not only a professional, but goes all out to bring the latest in weather technology. And his forecasts aren't just local, they include robust national coverage.
There was a joke back in the mid to late 80's about how they kept having to pull in a retired 40 year weather professional in Oklahoma every year to help them with tornado coverage because most of the stations hired NWS readers and they couldn't translate radar results on the air.
Now a days, most stations will keep at least one professional on staff and retain a stable of readers for the off prime time work.
Tenikka Smith from Charlotte will be joining us:
http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/tenikka-smith-leaving-wsoc-join-wawswtev-jacksonvi/ngqLx/
This will be their top of the line up:
Quote
Jim Zerwekh, vice president and general manager of Cox Media Group (CMG) Jacksonville TV's WAWS/WTEV announced Wednesday that John Bachman and Tenikka Smith-Hughes will be the new evening anchor team for Action News.
Bachman and Smith-Hughes will co-anchor CBS47 Action News at 5 p.m., 5:30 and 6. The new team will also co-anchor FOX30 Action News at 10 p.m. and 10:30 as well as CBS47 Action News at 11.
"John and Tenikka were our first choice," Zerwekh said in a news release. "They have great experience and journalism skills which will benefit our newsroom and community."
Bachman comes to Action News from Channel 2 WSB-TV in Atlanta, where he is the co-anchor of the 4 p.m. weekday newscast.
Smith-Hughes comes to Action News from Channel 9 WSOC in Charlotte, N.C., where she is the weekday morning anchor for Eyewitness News This Morning on TV64.
http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2014-07-30/cbs47-and-fox30-announce-evening-anchor-team#.U-U4amNx-oM
They're getting new call letters too:
QuoteCox officials will change WAWS to WFOX and WTEV to WJAX. Zerwekh said the actual dates of the changes haven't been set.
http://members.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2014-08-26/story/more-anchor-changes-planned-action-news-jacksonville
WJAX is already owned by jones college, i guess it's ok if it's radio vs. tv?
Starting this Sunday
http://members.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2014-09-03/story/jacksonvilles-action-news-stations-waws-and-wtev-change-call-letters
ummm ok
Quote from: Josh on May 28, 2014, 02:14:10 PM
That's quite the housecleaning.
The state of local news is pretty pathetic in this area (not that it's great anywhere I'm sure). FCN, for what I assume is the top dog in town, gets laughably worse with every passing year.
They all suck. Worked in master control for a few years at a local station (not here) & the behind the scenes is comical. They fart these shows out all day long, barely ever changing the content, for 30 mins a time day in day out. The producers literally grab stuff straight off the AP Wire, regurgitate it back through the talking heads with caked on makeup & think they're actually providing a service. And maybe they are, to the old people who can't use a phone or computer. But those people won't live forever. I mean for the love of God, the weather segment gets like six minutes to tell you a frickin' forecast. Six!
So basically, to the local news station industry all around the country:
(http://i.imgur.com/0wIo8jx.gif)
Quote from: peestandingup on September 04, 2014, 11:47:18 PM
Quote from: Josh on May 28, 2014, 02:14:10 PM
That's quite the housecleaning.
The state of local news is pretty pathetic in this area (not that it's great anywhere I'm sure). FCN, for what I assume is the top dog in town, gets laughably worse with every passing year.
They all suck........
So basically, to the local news station industry all around the country:
Agreed.
Even large metros have seen terrible declines in the quality of their local news.
In the 1970's we had the hey day of Bill Kurtis and Walter Jacobsen of Chicago. These guys could get Mick Jagger in their news studio during prime time an hour before he took stage to perform with the Stones. They could get almost any politico on the air with no fluff (except for Daley Sr.) They recently had the two come back to do the news and finish a "final sign off" last year before they left to retire. Ratings skyrocketed. People remember them for their hard hitting news, no "bleeds, it leads" junk here. Shoot, they took news updates right on their phones sitting on their desks during the commercial breaks. Today's anchors are more worried about the high def pimple on their forehead.
They were the first to drop news film reporting and going to minicam and then local sat. People were amazed they could get out to the streets of Chicago and still get back in time for the 6 and 10PM leads.
https://www.youtube.com/v/a4bOBW7jnjk
From 1974-1985 they were it in Chicago. Nothing today compares.
Phil Amato (from FCN) is going to Action News:
http://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/news/local/anchor-phil-amato-joins-cbs47-and-fox30-action-new/nht4m/
http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?&width=100%25&height=100%25&flashID=myExperience3865761205001&playerID=2503332981001&playerKey=AQ~~%2CAAACG-Z7hDk~%2CmkwlxmFZxJU1j5JweTbFlORrLvbtxm8s&%40videoPlayer=3865761205001&includeAPI=true&templateLoadHandler=cmg.brightcove.player8827674.onTemplateLoad&templateReadyHandler=brightcove%5B%22templateReadyHandlermyExperience3865761205001%22%5D&wmode=transparent&isVid=true&isUI=true&dynamicStreaming=true&linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.actionnewsjax.com%2Fvideos%2Fnews%2Fphil-amato-joins-action-news-team%2FvCzCN3%2F&htmlFallback=true&autoStart=false&debuggerID=&originalTemplateReadyHandler=cmg.brightcove.player8827674.onTemplateReady&startTime=1414630594703
I think he was at WTLV when it was called Action News
How I wish WTLV (FCN) would get rid of all their sports reporters..
I always change channels when anyone of the drips come on...
Quote from: Charles Hunter on October 29, 2014, 09:41:12 PM
I think he was at WTLV when it was called Action News
WTLV was never called Action News. Its been First Coast News long as I remember.
I guess WJAX figured out a way around that pesky non compete clause that all on-air types at FCN have to sign.
WTLV Channel 12 news was branded "Action News" in the 70's, maybe even into the 80's.
Note paragraph 4 of the following link.
http://archive.firstcoastnews.com/inside/aboutus.aspx
Also agree regarding FCN Sports. Just horrible. I expect to see wholesale changes at FCN once the ratings show improvement for Fox30/CBS47. FCN might be heading for third in the market.
I stand corrected. Thanks jsjax. That was before my time there. I came onboard just before the Gannett takeover.
Speaking of sports on Ch12, does anyone remember "Charmin" Harmon Wages?
Quote from: funguy on October 30, 2014, 07:19:24 AM
How I wish WTLV (FCN) would get rid of all their sports reporters..
I always change channels when anyone of the drips come on...
Yeah, they seem like nice people and all, but they're not cut out for TV. Of couse I have no use for FCN whatsoever.
For me it's Ch4 for the news/weather, and ActionNews for sports. I don't care much for Sam, he never seems to care about what he's saying.
Former Action News anchor Lynnsey Gardner and her husband former Action News reporter Bryan Baker are gonna open a Maple Street Biscuit Co. in St Augustine. That's very cool.
http://jacksonville.com/entertainment/food-and-dining/2014-12-05/story/former-action-news-anchor-open-maple-street-biscuit
Since this was resurrected I have to say I don't like the new anchors at 47.