Yes, more changes in the weather are coming at WLWT-TV (Ch 5). Weekend morning meteorologist Marina Jurica abruptly left the station Thursday, and chief meteorologist Jim O’Brien has been told his contract will not be renewed when it expires in a few weeks.
As posts on my blog yesterday noted, Channel 5 quickly removed Jurica’s biography from its Web site. She was hired from
"It’s a personnel issue that will receive no further comment. Keisha Kirkland will be filling in (for Jurica) while the search for a permanent replacement continues," Channel 5 GM Richard Dyer told me today.
Dyer and O’Brien refuse to talk about O’Brien’s status. He was told in the fall his contract would not be renewed.
"There’s no announcement regarding Jim O’Brien at this time," Dyer says.
Someday Ch 5 folks will figure out that the way to increase ratings is to keep the same anchor team together for a long time. Not only has weather been a revolving door for years, but his departure is the second (of 4 people) in a year at 11 p.m., Sherree Paolello replacing Dave Wagner on the late news.
Another thought: With O'Brien leaving, and Rich Apuzzo fired by Channel 19 in October, that means Steve Raleigh -- with 18 months at Ch. 9 -- will be second in tenure among the chief meteorologists here.
John Kiesewetter files news, comments and observations on the world of local and national TV.
Someday Ch 5 folks will figure out that the way to increase ratings is to keep the same anchor team together for a long time.
ReplyDeleteOf course, you have to get the right anchor team first. O'Brien didn't fit, I guess.
simply amazing is all I can say. Marina was a great fit on the weekend and the give and take between Marina and the 5 weekend morning anchor (Jonathon ) was very good.
ReplyDeleteThis may be far-fetched rumor on my part, but did anyone else catch the sly and almost nasty comment Jim Scott made this week regarding Marina when she missed one of her morning cut in's for the weather on 700 WLW? AS I recall, his words were ...she must be too busy putting her makeup on.....
She missed several radio spots on Monday morning and again Wednesday. Jim Scott has some mighty pull - if she was missing the live spots, he could/would have made life hell .....
There has to be more to this story.....which we will never hear! Just chalk it up to yet another Channel 5 disaster.
The channel 5 morning show is as hard to watch as it is to watch Jenell Walton butcher teleprompter reading.
ReplyDeleteZero true personality, too fakey, not someone I want to have in my livingroom.
It's reminding me of the Evelyn Robertson/Lee Cowan days. (shudder!)
Remember when 19's morning show was the hippest and funniest show to watch, with Rob Williams, Tricia Macke and the use of their helicopter. Now TV is too freakin' format produced newscasts.
Cincinnati is becoming an impossible place to work for anyone in TV. What a waste of talent. If I were in broadcasting I would steer clear on Cincinnati in any shape, way or form.
ReplyDeleteThat stinks about Jim O'Brien. I really liked him. I hope he comes out ahead. He is a nice guy.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to Marina and Jim. Hopefully better things will come their way. Eventually 5 will get their act together...they've done it before, they'll do it again with time.
ReplyDeleteI sort of wish someone in the market would start a morning show like Good Day LA where things lack format and are just fun to wake up to. Perhaps FOX19 could retool things and come up with something like that? Speaking of which, is WXIX planning to pick up "The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet" in January?
Look for at least one more departure besides O'Brien next month at 5, though in this case, the person in question is going to another job a bit further south.
ReplyDeleteis tom sussi leaving.
ReplyDeletea previos poster said bateman leaves after february sweeps
ReplyDeletedidn't the poster say wherever O'Brien goes, so does Bateman?
ReplyDeleteBateman and O'Brien, although good friends, are not joined at the hip. Bateman just re-signed another contract so he will be around for a while.
ReplyDeleteSo those rumors about Bateman leaving are completely false.
kiesha kirkland is married to former steeler great levon kirland we found that out on news5 today weekend.
ReplyDeleteFIRST ON 5
ReplyDeleteJohnathan Hawgood reported that a co-worker the other day asked him of the p&g towers which one was p and which one was g
Basically Cincinnati and the surrounding areas suck as far as getting work in the broadcast, audio, video field. For you who work behind the scenes as an editor, graphics person, etc the only places to work in Cincy that are stable are PPS and Lightborne ( both those places have worked on some MAJOR companies ( ESPN,CMT,NASCAR etc. Radio/TV is jusy NOT the place to be in Cincinnati.
ReplyDeleteChannel 5 will never get its act together. They are pretenders in every sense of the word.
ReplyDeleteLisa(I'm just saving the world) Cooney---can you say fake?
Revolving door? The door flew off years ago.
That GM MUST be a real piece of work. At what point does he go?
If it weren't for George Vogel, that station would have no credibility. Actually it has no credibility--I wish George would just go to espn.
When your last real victory was in the Jerry and Norma days, you might get the sense your going down the wrong track at some point.
This ain't no trend---they talk down to viewers and Cincinnat can see right through them.
Might wanna check your facts on Lightborne... AWESOME place, for sure. Great, and incredibly talented people. But even THEy underwent a MAJOR restructuring within the past year or so - and lost a LOT of the original team members, from what I understand...
ReplyDeleteIt's just the nature of the beast, I suppose. Creative jobs - where you can actually earn a living - are hard to come by.
Oops.... Wiped this out...
ReplyDeleteHas anybody else noticed that Jim Scott is getting more sarcastic and crabby by the day?? And if he says 'live' once more when I have heard the same so called interview word for word between 5 and 6 am I will scream
I love how on Ch. 5's website on the weather page right now, it says "Marina Jurica's 7-day forecast"
ReplyDeleteThey are so STUPID! Duh, they just got rid of her!!!
Duh, it's an automatic system, which can't get changed overnight. Sheesh.
ReplyDelete5 is horrid! Does WLW regret they are "partners" with 5 yet? I still miss the days of when Tim Hedrick would call into Bill Cunninghams show.
ReplyDeletejim o brien always calls into willies show now.
ReplyDeletewlw is not regretting leaving the partnership with 12 because of the money.
Um, Lisa? Fake? When's the last time you actually WATCHED 5 in the morning?
ReplyDeleteI've met each of them news 5 am team - and they're just as nice and genuine OFF camera as they are ON camera. There's NOTHING fake about ANY of them.
You people need to get a life.
i think that their is more going on at 5 that we know about and or reading about on this blog .the reason i say that is look at derek doing the weather saturday night i think that a shakeup is going to happen that will shakeup the whole station not just the weather
ReplyDeleteOusted by co-workers? You guys are unreal. no one lasts long in this business unless they are there, on time and work hard.
ReplyDeleteYou people are pathetic. Bosses fire people.. not co-workers.
Hmmmm. Sounds like sour grapes and a lot of bitterness.
Maybe you felt the axe of being fired in television news.
wipe your tears and stop blabbing about things you really and truly know nothing about.
Why are you people so CONSUMED with channel 5? It's pathetic.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteWhy are you people so CONSUMED with channel 5? It's pathetic.
12/17/2006 10:36 AM
because we have hothing better to do and you are just as pathetic as we are because you posted here as well
It's ironic that channel 5 is in the news business and it's their job to get information and talk to people when news breaks. But when their is BREAKING NEWS at channel 5 then MUMS the word. Hypocrits at channel 5. Tell us what's up Dick Dyer!
ReplyDeleteEven if it is an automated system--it looks bad on the station, as a whole. And they didn't just have "overnight" to change it--Marina left Thursday, so they had at least 2 days to change it before Saturday morning rolled around.
ReplyDeleteSo basically Ch.5 is down to Derek (who has been there 1 year) and John (who has been there 2 years). Way to keep a long-tenured weather staff, there Channel 5
Wonder what Angelique Frame would think about all this? She'd probably be laughing in Ch. 5's face
You know the blog has reached a new level of surreal when Angelique "Don't confuse me with a hobbit" Frame gets remembered fondly.
ReplyDeleteWho's Mitzi Oxford?
ReplyDeleteAngelique Frame is happy working in Sacramento, CA as a meteorologist and part-time reporter. Not sure if Greg McKinney is working there yet or just a full-time dad to their kids. Google her and you will see. I can't remember the station.
ReplyDeleteWow! You guys are pretty harsh. I agree WLWT is going downhill, getting rid of great people. That's what they've done the last few years and I agree it's the GM and News Director's fault for the crappy station being 3rd all the time. They need to keep good people and people who have been there a long time. If it weren't for Dave Wagner, George Vogel, Brian Hamrich, and John London still being there, I'd never watch. They're already getting rid of Jim and he's great! But who knows how long they'll last...Dave should go back to Florida where they respect him. George should go to ESPN. Brian should go to some big southern station...I love his accent! And London should go to CNN!
ReplyDeleteJust watched Survivor and does anyone else think this season was a BIG yawn.
ReplyDeleteIt's become a pretty unreal reality show. Anyone notice all the voiceovers by Probst during tribal councils to make the vote look close??
Looks like the professional media experts got ahold of the show and screwed up what was a great first few seasons.
It used to be the villans, hussies, jerks and con artists developed. Now they are planned. You can tell who they have cast for whatever slot, and it often doesn't work out.
The same thing happened to the Apprentice. You can't typecast Amarosa!!!
5 has definately lost talent and it's sad. They really need to keep good people onboard like Juliette Vara.
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to Monica Abler?
Is Suzanne Horgan still in Cleveland?
monica abler is in the nursing profession now and horgan its spelled susanne not suzanne is still in cleveland and just got married
ReplyDeleteIt's kinda hard to believe. I knew the doors would fly off at 5 sometime. Then again, they did that around 1999.
ReplyDeleteAnd btw, has no one even noticed the change in address for WKRC's site?
ReplyDeleteThat's okay. Pile on, 9 and 12. We know you're just a little scared about the demographic ratings for November, specifically 5 p.m. 5 won the 5 p.m. in July, and if they do again when the demos come out this week, why, that'd make it a trend or something.
ReplyDeleteWednesday's going to be fun!
Hahaha. just read the comment that someone wrote about "their (sic) being a whole lot more going on at 5" than what's being written in this blog... What the hell HASN'T been written in this blog? Hahahaha.. Funny stuff. You'd think there was only one station in town.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteWhy are you people so CONSUMED with channel 5? It's pathetic.
12/17/2006 10:36 AM
because we have hothing better to do and you are just as pathetic as we are because you posted here as well
Actually you fool, my downfall is I keep coming back here to see if anything else intelligent is happening in Cincinnati media. For the like of you...apparently not.
The Weather is here, I wish you were beautiful....
ReplyDeleteJimmy Buffett 1988
Mitzi Oxford was the mistake who was hired to replace Ira Joe Fisher when he left WKRC. She was absolutlely dreadful, maybe lasted 6 weeks.
ReplyDeleteChannel 38 moved into some new digs. Pretty sweet building.
ReplyDeleteat 12/18/2006 11:28 AM Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
Why are you people so CONSUMED with channel 5? It's pathetic.
12/17/2006 10:36 AM
because we have hothing better to do and you are just as pathetic as we are because you posted here as well
Actually you fool, my downfall is I keep coming back here to see if anything else intelligent is happening in Cincinnati media. For the like of you...apparently not.
The fact that you replied to the trolls reply shows just how sad you are
I heard the redfield kid is in the running at channel 5.
ReplyDeleteI heard redfield was up for the news director job at 5...not weather.
ReplyDeleteNo he's not.
ReplyDeleteHe tried to weasle his way into the Fox 19 job and the Indy station said 'no way' to letting him out of his contract.
They won't budge for 5, either.
If Redfield knew what was good for him, he wouldn't touch WLWT-TV with a 30 foot pole.....and just stay in Indy working with Anne Marie Tiernon
ReplyDeleteWhat about Bill Myers doing weather for Channel 5? He was a class act!
ReplyDeleteI hear Eric Warren needs a job.
What about Dan Royal? Channel 5 needs someone who is stable..
Perhaps Nick Clooney?
Jude Redfield did not try to "weasle" his way out of any contract to come to 19. He is quite happy in Indy
ReplyDeleteBill Myers is happily semi-retired, though you can hear him on WMKV.
ReplyDeleteEric Warren would need to reup his NWA or whatever seal of approval.
Where's Bob Alan? Where's Bill Crafton? Where's Dennis Jon Bailey? (JUST KIDDING!)
Mike Buresch? Gil(I cant think of his last name but he was at WKRC
ReplyDeletetoo. I don't think anyone would touch Eric Warren,even when he gets out. Pat Barry will always have a credibility problem. If anybody can think of Gil's last name,give us a blog. And I for one do not miss Rich Apuzzo in the least.
news 5 is doing alot of hiring
ReplyDeleteWLWT-TV Job Listings
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We'd like for you to become a member of WLWT-TV. Job listings are updated as opportunities arise. The following position(s) are currently available:
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Gil. Hmmmm the only Gil was Gil Whitney and he's been deceased for years. Mike Fenwick? Steve Deshler? Heck, even Dan Royal!
ReplyDeleteNo,Gil Whitney was in Dayton. Gil was around several years ago, I actually saw him in a production of Barnum at Indian Hill high school(Cincinnati Music theatre).He played the ringmaster and Barnum was played by Dan Anderson(A Franciscan brother,I think)
ReplyDeleteSorry, Gil died of cancer in 1982. He hosted a great summer talkshow until his death, then it was hosted by Rick Smith, who died last year.
ReplyDeleteGil Whitney made me want to become a weatherman. He had the best weathercast of any from Dayton or Cincinnati.
I remember Gil Whitney's summer shows very well. He always had folks on from the old Kenley Players.
ReplyDeleteI remember Gil Whitney's summer show very well. He always had someone one from the Kenley Players.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if O'Brien will still be with 5, just on another show. That's essentially what happened at WBNS. The ND brought Chris Bradley from another station in town, made him the chief, and demoted the chief (Mike Davis), who'd been in the position for years, to the morning show.
ReplyDeleteI wonder, is Jim's contract as chief not being renewed, or is his contract altogether not being renewed?
Norma was spotted leaving the offices on Mount Auburn today. Something about the internet.
ReplyDeleteId say obrien's contract is not being renewed at all.
ReplyDeleteI know it would make to much sense, but 19 should hire obrien as chief. Jim is a very very well liked guy around the tristate. He would like to stay here.
Was just back in Cincy over the past weekend and had a look.... If 5 really wants to regain credibility, they should dig Peter Grant out of the graveyard.
ReplyDeletePS: Everybody here in DFW loves Pete Delkus. Way to go, 'CPO.
Channel 5s problems are deeper than the weather turntable.
ReplyDeleteLast week-monday to be exact, they broadcast a grahic about a funeral fund for a victim of some tri-state tragedy. However, the graphic read- "{name} funeral fun. Submit donations to 5/3rd Bank."
Now, that's a freudian slut, er slip,if I ever saw one. Question is, how does it even get on the air Brendan??
It gets on the air, the same Ken Broo did last week when he "broke the story" that David Pollack would require neck surgery. Broo ended his piece saying that for now "the halo stays on" the neck of the Bengals linebacker.
ReplyDeleteREALLY ?????
Two nights prior, Channel 12 had Pollack on the air, WITHOUT THE HALO.
Sometimes it takes a little digging to get the story right, instead of reading the AP wire. Did anyone think of driving out to the Four Bridges neighborhood to interview Pollack at his home?
Maybe if you learned to listen, you'd realize there's a difference between when a reporter says "breaking news" and "breaking the story."
ReplyDeleteMaybe you have no idea what you just wrote, Mr Channel 5 Traffic Twerp.
ReplyDeleteThe issue here is Pollack had had the halo off 4 days when Broo said it was still on.
I haven't read or posted to this blog in a long time, and I can see it's for good reason.
ReplyDeleteBut, as always, I appreciate the mentions - especially since, being that most of these comments are posted early in the AM, they must come from my cohorts in the industry. Quite the opinionated and randy group, aren't we?
It's been a great first year for me at News 5, and I look forward to many more. I just wanted to wish a very Merry Christmas, and a very Blessed and Happy New Year to John, our viewers, and everyone else (even all of you non-believers) ... Best wishes for a wonderful 2007.
Sincerely,
Pete Scalia "The Traffic Guy"
P.S. Two points for the phrase "Traffic Twerp." Hadn't heard that one before... :-)
It's all fun Pete (a.k.a TT).
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas.
P.S. Broo should have known that halo had come off 4 days earlier.
i like ice cream!
ReplyDeleteMaybe PS aka "Traffic Guy" can give us insight into the News 5 Weather Dept? And answer the question to where or why Derrick disappears at the 9am news hour and John or (at the time) Marina stepped in for the final hour of Today show cut-ins.
ReplyDeleteYou people all need to get a life.
ReplyDeleteWho said what, who did what, who's going where....
Concentrate on your job and maybe you'll eventually get to a point in life where you actually have the job the person your sniping at has.
Turtles are kind of cool, when you think about it.
ReplyDeleteIs it just me, or does Enquirer political reporter Howard Wilkinson sport a mullett?
ReplyDeleteJohn,
ReplyDeleteStick with the brown colors. They're good.
Jim Scott is reportedly retiring this summer. Something about a pay cut choice.
ReplyDeleteGuess he'll have plenty time to go bollin, er, I mean Bowling.
ReplyDeleteHow come Sandra doesn't do very much reporting, but Sheree does alot of the reporting?
ReplyDeleteLet's start with ability and talent.
ReplyDeleteSandra wears the pants in the Ley household.
ReplyDeleteBring back the Skipper, Glen Ryle...
ReplyDeleteInteresting note about the "independent" research saying channel 9 has the most accurate forecast. I wondered who paid for it (because i'm sure WeatheRate isn't doing this research out of the goodness of their hearts). From WeatheRate's website:
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me more about your certification and licensing process?
Since March 2003, WeatheRate has been verifying TV weather forecast accuracy for 300 stations in 75 U.S. cities every day. The most accurate station in each TV market is offered the opportunity to license the WeatheRate seal of approval for advertising and promotional purposes.
Stations that promote their WeatheRate seal of approval pay us a fee.
So how independent can that really be?
Whats up with Raliegh's vest tonight? Does Col. Sanders know he is a vest short in the closet?
ReplyDeleteAnd answer the question to where or why Derrick disappears at the 9am news hour
ReplyDeletederek goes home to sleep. He gets to the studio at 345am and then leaves at 9am then comes back around 4 to prep for the 5pm newscast.
Derek was tired tonight. Derek did the whole morning show with cut-ins and the 5-630 pm weather
WeatheRate does say it does not offer its seal to the second-most accurate station, but that really is an odd business model.
ReplyDeleteGo out and spend money on research with the hope that someone will pay to advertise it.
I wonder what "accurate" means, though. Is it the best at predicting temperature? Forecasting when precisely when the rain would start? All of that? None of that?
Everyone in TV knows you can shape the research to fit the need to make a claim.
Cosmetics can say they're dermatologist tested - but just because they're tested doesn't mean they work.
WeatherRate is a scam, pure and simple. Ultimately, the viewers will be the judge - and more and more viewers are getting their weather from places other than a TV station.
ReplyDeleteHe posted garage? At least he wasn't talking car-port, or worse, parking pad.
ReplyDeleteSo, it's been "confirmed" that Beas is the new chief at 5? Has 5 released anything?
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WLWT
If I were Beasley, I would be looking over my shoulder right now. He will be 3 and done!
ReplyDeletewikipedia is a verifiable news source? Did someone from 5 write this??? Yikes!
ReplyDeleteUm, no someone from 5 did not write that message. You'll noticed the word 'confirmed' is in quotation marks.
ReplyDeleteI know...if I were Derek, I would be freaking out, knowing that I will fired from Ch.5 in less than 2-3 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be all excited about the promotion either!!!!
Ch. 5 thinks that they will getviewers since they are the only station that has a meteorologist with the seal that Derek has...
NEWS FLASH---Viewers don't care!! They just want to get the weather from someone they can trust, they have grown to like OVER THE YEARS (more than like 3 years), and someone who isn't fake acting, someone they can relate to.
A fancy advanced AMS seal means nothing to viewers. Heck, Ch.12 remains at the top, and they have never even shown their meteorologists' creditenals or seals on the air...
I tend to like Derek Beasley, heaven forbid someone just like him for how he does the weather...Instead you pathetic souls need to make up excuses for a talented minority to finally get a break in this uptight city.
ReplyDeletego ahead and pat yourselves on the backs you sad malcontents.
if you check out wiki about channel 9 they dont list steve norris. makes you go HHHHMMMMMM
ReplyDeleteIf Tony the 5 sports lackey worked as hard at his job as he does writing these comments, he wouldn't be the laughing stock of the sports community. And he actually thinks the 'other guys' admire his work.
ReplyDeleteI love that Jonathan Hawgood..but why do all the female weather people seem to want to get away from him? I heard a rumour that Suzanne Horgan just couldn't stand him. That Kristin Cornett wanted out too, and now Marina. What gives? Is Jonathan too friendly? I've seen him with John Bateman and they are a great team.
ReplyDeleteI don't care for that cold fish Sandra Ali. When she came to town she talked of how aggressive she was, and what has she done? She went to New York to interview NBC primetime stars and that's about it. No hard hitting reporting from her. She seems to content to sit on her throne. She is an excellent news reader and her pitch and delivery is top notch but I just don't sense she is long for Cincinnati. She has 'star' written all over her. I think it's terrible too what they did to Dave Wagner. He's every bit as good an anchor as Sandra. If the GM thought hiring someone who would be a 'diva' would bring in viewers, this is Cincinnati. People want people they know. Channel 5 would do well to promote their homegrown talent -that's what draws in viewers.
yep but in the case with sandra her hubby is here working at local 12 sean ley. so if sandra went to nyc sean would follow.
ReplyDeleteIm all for michelle hopkins/ dave wagner newscast. When michelle was on news5today she was a great anchor and is funny.
Michelle is to highly liked in this city to just be doing general assingments.
Yes, Michelle Hopkins is an excellent asset to Channel 5; however, she's not too good for GA reporting. It wouldn't hurt these news readers turn a hard news package (and not some fluff) every now and again.
ReplyDeleteWhile something about me like him, 5 should drop Courtis Fuller. He can get out a complete sentence without stumbling over his copy. It's as if he's never read the script before.
5 is a dump and needs help from the tv gods above.
**Should've read this before I posted.
ReplyDeleteYes, Michelle Hopkins is an [..] asset to Channel 5; however, she's [a great anchot, but she is] not too good for GA reporting. It wouldn't hurt these news readers turn a hard news package (and not some fluff) every now and again.
While something about me like[s] him, 5 should drop Courtis Fuller. He [can't] get out a complete sentence without stumbling over his copy. It's as if he's never read the script before.
5 is a dump and needs help from the tv gods above.
JO'B has been removed from the WLWT site already. However, his picture is still up on the main anchor banner.
ReplyDeleteBring back Pat Barry. He is my hero.
ReplyDeleteThis post is a post by the post who's post was removed by the author.
ReplyDeletewow...and I thought that I was that only one who cared about all of this. I think News 5 is great...for sure the best in the area. I am glad to see Jim O'Brien go. I know its mean but I just did *not* like him! I think Derek B is great and the morning show is funny and informative. I miss Susanne Horgan though. Its too bad that they couldn't get her to stay. One last thing, Sheree talks out of her nose and it sounds so fake. And her hair looks like a helmet.
ReplyDeleteWHERE ARE THEY NOW?
ReplyDeleteThere really is life out there beyond the revolving door at channel 5!!!
Former Chief Meteorologist Byron Webre is now in Austin, TX as Chief at KEYE-TV.
Former Chief Meteorologist Angelique Frams in now in Sacramento as weekday weather and weekend reporter at KOVR-TV
Former Chief Meteorologist Dave Fraser is now in Denver as Chief at KWGN-TV.
Former Meteorologist Todd Warren is now Chief at KTAL-TV in Shrieveport, LA.
and Former Chief Meteorologist Tom Burse is now Chief at an all cable channel 6SNN in Florida.
Angelique Frame has moved to San Diego, but don't know when exactly.
ReplyDeleteApparently, when I googled her she and hubby are in business together but not doing news or weather.