Television: What Makes A Good TV Anchor?

Friday, October 26, 2007

What Makes A Good TV Anchor?

All the comments last week about morning anchors Todd Dykes, Jonathan Hawgood, Lisa Cooney, Bernard Watson and Kathrine Nero and others got me to thinking: What do you think makes a really good news anchor for Cincinnati? The Dykes-Hawgood job swap by Channel 5 really touched a nerve, so I'd like to explore it from a different angle.

What qualities make someone your favorite news anchor? Is it his or her presenation? Good looks? Depth of knowledge about the area? Their sincerity? Diction? Sense of humor? Oveall TV experience -- or just experience here?

Does being a native help? Or doesn't that matter? (Clyde, Carol, Jack, Sandra, Sheree, Kit all aren't natives.)

So I'd like to have a discussion on this thread.... Tell me what anchors you like and specifically why they're better than the rest. Or if you could assemble a perfect anchor, what pieces would you want -- The reporting skills of Dave Wagner? Storytelling abilityl of John Popovich? The smoothness of Clyde Gray or Rob Braun? The experience of Carol Williams or Kit Andrews? The sense of humor of Tricia Macke, Kathrine Nero, Ken Broo or Bob Herzog? The no-nonsense approach of Tim Hedrick?

You tell me not just who you like, but why you like them. This is not a popularity contest... but you get brownie points with me if you post under your name, rather than "Anonymous."

63 Comments:

at 10/26/2007 11:23 PM

Toddy-O said...

John,

Blame it on Ruth Lyons. As you know, Cincinnati is a very fickle market. Viewers do treat air talent as a family member. They also can read through the phony personas and see the real person. It takes months for talent to win over the viewers, the "get to know you" period. Take Kit Andrews. It took time and being on with Glenn Ryle helped. Same goes with Jerry and Norma.

The one thing that will win viewers is with longevity. That's where WKRC and WCPO have the success. It's the "family" membership.

Look at WCPO. Once Al retired, the ratings dipped. It took two members of the family, Randy Little and Dennis Janson, to bring viewership to WCPO from WKRC.

In Cincinnati, you are family if you act like yourself, can talk and adlib without the aid of a prompter and are likable. And a sense of humor helps too.

That's my take.

at 10/27/2007 2:10 AM

Anonymous said...

You can bet Clyde Gray will win any request for best on anchor news, his elegant appearance does help, but his spoken word is sincere, you have the feeling of being part of the scene.
Williams is good, most OK at night, Chan 9 noon is a disgrace, looks like O'Rourke just got out of bed.They are only reading notes, know little until 'motormouth'
gives her on-site report, and who can follow her. Then we turn it off and wait til radio
gives news on the hour.

at 10/27/2007 7:28 AM

Anonymous said...

Rob Braun has the total package.

Clear, Concise, and just the news...No funny faces (Cammy)
No editorials (Atherton).
Not trying too hard (All of Channel 5). I don't watch Channel 9, so I have no opinion.

Just does his job, must be the pedigree

at 10/27/2007 11:14 AM

liz said...

I want someone who speaks clearly and slowly. I want to be able to understand them. I want them to know how to correctly say the names of our streets -- Clough -- Reading! I want them to pause between items so I know they are going to the next news item. I don't care what gender they are and I don't care about their beauty! Yes -- I am over 60.

at 10/27/2007 11:37 AM

Anonymous said...

An anchor with skill, smoothness, experience, and humor?

They're already in one package and it's name is Randy Little.

at 10/27/2007 12:19 PM

Anonymous said...

Actually, I believe Sheree is a native...I think she grew up on the west side or in southeast Indiana or something. I'm pretty sure she's local.

at 10/27/2007 3:52 PM

Anonymous said...

Actually, Sheree is from the tri-state. Why don't you read her blog?

at 10/27/2007 6:29 PM

Anonymous said...

Correction for John K.

From Sheree's bio: "I grew up here in the Tri-State. Most of my family still lives on the West Side of Cincinnati. My father lives near Perfect North Slopes. And I graduated from NKU. My husband and I live in Northern Kentucky with our son and three dogs."

at 10/27/2007 8:02 PM

John Kiesewetter said...

My bad. Yes, Sheree is from here and I knew that...
--Kiese

at 10/27/2007 10:33 PM

Anonymous said...

When I moved here (Summer '03) I immediately wanted to see what the local TV new product was like. I am not joking when I say that I thought the Ch. 12 news was some kind of retro-broadcast from the 80s. The picture looks very old, and the anchors (Braun and Kit especially) look like aliens - or at least of the older times when good looks were not a factor. Then there was the creepy weather guy (Tim). Wow. I still can't watch their news - freaks me out.

Then I tried Ch. 5, and my wife and I quickly picked up their schtick, and whenever we heard a teaser for a "big" story, we said aloud, "...where your children will die!" That staff is obessed with "if it bleeds it leads." Especially creepy: Dykes and Cooney. Both are mono-toned, dry, fake, and clueless.

I finally landed on Ch. 9. Good picture, good stories and imagery, and it was Clyde and Carol that I found to be as authentic as you can get out of local news. I can tell that if I got a job where Clyde worked, he'd be the guy to get me warmed up to the office culture. Carol does her "Healthy Living" segments, and you can tell she takes care of herself. Not a fan of Nero - too condescending and of an aloof esoteric humor that I'm not sure many get. She also apprently looks down on men, from her jokes. Not cool. I reallly liked Rose, too; sad to see him leave.

But that's just my take. I grew up a child of the 80s ingesting the Chicago newscats every afternoon and night: Bill Curtis, Lester Holt, etc. I'd say Clyde is my fav around here. If he says something, I trust it.

at 10/27/2007 10:46 PM

Anonymous said...

Kiese,
this is a little off the topic, but is Ch. 5's Dave Wagner just a reporter now? I thought he anchored at 6 p.m., but I never see him on?

Thanks,

at 10/28/2007 10:24 AM

Anonymous said...

I like any of the girls from the Naked News for obvious reasons. News anchors like these are probably the only thing that could save channel 5 news.

at 10/28/2007 10:31 AM

Anonymous said...

I recently sent an email to Channel 9, I couldn't take their morning news program anymore. They had so many replacements since David Rose, that it was almost impossible to watch. Channel 9 getting rid of David Rose was the biggest mistake of their lives. Quite frankly I enjoyed the morning show better on 9 when it was David and Tonya when Catherine was out on materinity leave. Catherine just doesn't have the personality to warm you in the morning. I switched to Channel 5, as I don't like the girl who replace Cammy on Channel 12, she lacks personality and warmth. With Lisa gone it was hard to watch Todd Dykes. I love the channel 5 weekend show with Johnathon Hawgood, he is great. I also, love Janell Walton from channel 9. These two anchors have such great personailities. It is a shame that their stations don't use them as full time anchors during the week. Sandra and Shari are okay, but I prefer Clyde and Carol in the evening.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

at 10/28/2007 5:45 PM

Anonymous said...

While I don't particularly care for one station over another (I feel that WKRC and WCPO are evenly mediocre, and WXIX and WLWT are terrible) I do see a standout in WKRC's Dave Burchell. He speaks clearly and with authority, yet smoothly. He is extremely professional and can hold my attention. He can ad lib well (I have even repeated some of his adlib stories as they are entertaining), his "conversations/adlibs" are relevant and amusing whilst not insulting to others. He is appropriately somber when necessary, and hopeful/joyful equally when necessary. Also, he dresses extremely professional (three piece suits).

I moved to Greater Cincinnati about 8 years ago, so to me it isn't important to be local, as I am not. However, as other comments before me have pointed out, if a reporter is not from here, they should make an extra effort to learn how to properly say and identify roads, landmarks, etc. It is their job to "appear" to be a native/local.

at 10/28/2007 7:06 PM

Anonymous said...

I love the comment about how great and smooth Randy Little was.

As a newsman, he was as deep as a bird bath.

Randy, go teach a class.

at 10/28/2007 7:26 PM

Anonymous said...

I agree about the clyde gray comment. He is the best news anchor in cincinnati. He is very smooth and talks like your on scence.
I also like Jack. He is very smooth and provides a little commentary with his delivery.

at 10/28/2007 7:28 PM

Anonymous said...

The best reporting skills are indeed Dave Wagner. He is the best reporter in the market. I however like it when he anchored. He is just so smooth and not phony at all.

at 10/28/2007 11:56 PM

Anonymous said...

John,

Nice job on trying to get a positive discussion going.

Rob Braun has read his copy before he goes on. That is damn important. He does not fake emotion. Neither does Kit.

I liked Rich Appuzo best for weather. He did not take it too seriously, or try to freak people out. Actually, I probably like the dudes on channel 9 even more, but I have no idea what their names are.

For sports...I wish Popo was on every night. He is the best, hands down. His Bengals highlights are the best of anyones, ever. Having him do a sports report every night with the ammount of time they give headrick for weather(which I think is 32 minutes) would be great.

I don't watch the morning or afternoon news because I the things I want to know about that will be covered in their programs I can spend better being informed on the internet.

So, the only other reason to watch is if someone is pretty. And Tanya O Rourke is very pretty.

at 10/29/2007 3:17 AM

Anonymous said...

When I watch the news, I am looking for folks with knowledge of our local area. They need to have good delivery skills, and they should definitely be able to adjust to any technical errors that might happen (such as the earlier example of the map of OTR for the Avondale story). Experience within the local area is a huge plus.

at 10/29/2007 7:02 AM

Anonymous said...

Brad Johanesen - His passion for his job is VERY obvious in his reporting, and if you've ever met the guy, he is one of the most humble and down to earth people out there. No pretense at all. Brad not only does a quality job on air, but has also done wonders for this city. He is top notch and a quality anchor.

at 10/29/2007 9:59 AM

Anonymous said...

In this town its all about being from Cincinnati. Thats why I think Lisa, Johnathan & Pete will do well together in the morning. Would like to see Pete do more. He is a natural and he knows Cincinnati.

at 10/29/2007 10:26 AM

Anonymous said...

Admittedly, I'm a 9 fan so this will be a little onesided. You got it, Kiese, John Popovich is fantastic when they give him time, which is never. Big mistake. Clyde Gray is the best in the market by far. I like Kathrine as well, but other than that can take or leave the rest of the crew. I dont get 12's success at all, though Cammie's good. 5 is unrecognizable and 19 is melodramatic. But thats just me.

at 10/29/2007 11:40 AM

Anonymous said...

Sheila Gray is by far the best anchor in the Tri-State. Her personality comes through, and she doesn't try to "act" like a news anchor. She comes across as truly genuine.

at 10/29/2007 1:09 PM

Anonymous said...

Can we get an anchor that actually stops a sentence when they come to a period? These run-on sentences makes me dizzy...

at 10/29/2007 2:29 PM

Anonymous said...

i only completely trust channel 9. clyde and carol are classy and the best at what they do. you can tell they seriously know what they are talking about...you do have your other excellent anchors like sandra, dave wagner, dave burchell, kit, rob, and cammy, but of these i only trust the latter 4 with any information. channel 5 makes major mistakes by messing with their anchors, and longevity is really the key...i do not want to hear terrible stories delivered by good anchors who are not convinved of its worthiness.
there is a believability at channels 9 and 12

at 10/29/2007 2:48 PM

Anonymous said...

Well after reading the above, everybody has different opinions, likes and dislikes of all the anchor types in town. Sounds like spit balls to me p throw em out there and see who sticks. As far as strong talent I offer the following:

The Best:
Rob Braun - authorative delivery and rarely botches delivery
Cammy Dierking - can be authorative but too relaxed for the more formal later news in the evening - she was much better in the morning.
Brad Johansen - hands down best sports delivery - Denny Jansen and Popovich are right behind him.
Steve Horstmeyer - he's a geek but explains weather well - too bad he's not accurate - he should be the color guy while Hedrick calls the plays.
Lisa Cooney - very pleasant
Clyde Gray - great delivery and seems prepared; same as Carol Williams.

The Worst:
Bob Herzog - too much of a goof - maybe he will setlle down and mature.
Janelle Walton - couldn't pronounce words correctly if she had diction lessons.

The rest are all mired in the middle.

I think it all boils down to content. 5 & 19 dwell too much on unimportant details and sensational crap. 12 is concise and informative, but the breaking/developing news stuff is getting old. 9 is solid but featuring fluff these days. For me, it depends what time I'm watching and who is on:

Saturday AM - I watch 5 now; can't stand Herzog (except I watch the SPCA segment). Can't stand to hear Walton talk.

Saturday/Sunday PM - Toti is OK

Weekday AM - Ch 12 for local content between 7 & 8. 19 is too fluffy. Really don't like Townsend and when Herzog is anchoring, I watch the Today show. 4pm is 12 when I'm home because they're the only game in town; 5 & 5:30 is 12 because of Cammy; 6 is 9; 10 is 64 because of Burchell & Cammy and 11 is always 12 because of the quick weather content and the news summaries.

at 10/29/2007 3:07 PM

Anonymous said...

Being from Cincinnati has no influence on what news I watch. Learning about the area is important, but being a native is not. Cincinnati places too much emphasis on being a native in pretty much every aspect of life, and that's why this region has such a provincial outlook on everything. Outsiders bring a new way of doing things, and there's nothing wrong with change. As long as they are intelligent, well-spoken, and embrace their new hometown and make an effort to familiarize themselves with the areas on which they are reporting, where they grew up means absolutely nothing.

at 10/29/2007 3:16 PM

Anonymous said...

I really like ken broo and his humor. He was the best when him and dave wagner were on a newscast together.

at 10/29/2007 7:04 PM

Anonymous said...

For my money, Jack Atherton is the best anchor in town. He's been here long enough to know about Cincinnati and all the idiosyncrasies, yet he has lived and worked in enough other markets to have a broader perspective of the world. He's got more degrees than a thermometer and has had several careers before news. Sure he's quirky, opinionated and sometimes a total square but he is truly intelligent and I believe he knows what he's talking about. Particularly around election time, no other news personality can dissect candidates and issues like Atherton. There’s an idea for compelling television – an election debate not with candidates but local news anchors. How would each fare when quizzed about issues WITHOUT a teleprompter?

at 10/29/2007 11:34 PM

Anonymous said...

Here's what doesn't make a good anchor team: Janelle Walton and Bob Herzog, Mitzi Oxford and Solomon Wilcots. (Derrek said they wouldn't!)

at 10/29/2007 11:49 PM

Anonymous said...

Must Rob Braun always were a white shirt? Must Sandra Ali always stare so intensely into the camera? Must Shawn Ley dramatically contort his entire face and voice for every story? Must Steve Norris consistently wear noxious ties? Must John Gumm ramble on and on with small talk before and after his pointing? Must Lisa Cooney be so hyper? Must Tanya O'Rourke always look like she just popped up from under a bed sheet? Must Jack Atherton think his humor is humorous? (And what is a Giesenschlag? Is that lawful in Hamilton County?) Must Steve Raleigh sound like a used car salesman? Must Janelle Walton fumble more words than the Bengals fumble balls? Must Tara Pachmeyer have hair that is bigger than the monitor? Why must Dave Burchell not move his body at all on-camera? Why must John Matarese be painfully robotic and frightfully intense? Why must Derek 'say it would?' - The Musty Maker

at 10/30/2007 9:03 AM

Anonymous said...

Bob Herzog is a clown. He's not funny. Just a waste of time. He tries to be Jim Carrey. Get him off the air.

at 10/30/2007 11:17 AM

Anonymous said...

The problem with many of the "attacks on anchors" here is the fact many are true, and that the news directors of the affected stations lack the guts to make the changes. Over the last 25 plus years, especially those of us that pay attention to the details, and those of us who have been in the biz, know the standards have not been maintained. How someone delivers the news (Jannelle Walton), how they dress (many anchors), how they fix there hair (Tanya O'Rourke...bed hair)should be corrected by the news director, or even the producer/director of each program. Come on, where are the standards. And by the way, if you use spray tan (Tanya O'Rourke), please use a color that is natural. The orange glow is not working.

at 10/30/2007 11:27 AM

Anonymous said...

I totally agree about Jack. He has been here since the 10pm news was started in 1993. He brings stablity and humor to fox 19 10pm news. He provides updates about health. He is really accesible to work a charity event or anything.

at 10/30/2007 11:29 AM

Anonymous said...

Ken Broo must be the hardest working sportscaster in cincinnati even above brad. Broo works monday thru friday for the 6 and 11pm shows. Then on Sundays he hosts sunday morning sports talk, then sunday nights he hosts another bengals feedback on wlw till 8pm. Then He anchors Sports Rock Sunday night at 1130.

at 10/30/2007 11:31 AM

Anonymous said...

If clyde or Jack taught anchor classes, I would sure go. I would learn a lot from 2 vets of the market.

at 10/30/2007 12:54 PM

Anonymous said...

John,

Why would you start a topic that clearly is going to create an open season on local anchors? These small minded, mean spirited comments are sad. The are likely from frustrated people, who have always "dreamed" of being in front of the camera or frustrated other "news" people who want their job. Either way, shouldn't it be about credibility, experience, professionalism, hard work, as well as delivery. I've followed this blog and the venom is remarkable at people trying to make a living.

at 10/30/2007 12:55 PM

Anonymous said...

I miss Val.

Sincerely,

Fred Gose

at 10/30/2007 1:54 PM

Anonymous said...

Tanya O'Rourke is the best thing to happen to local news. Love her.

at 10/30/2007 4:24 PM

Anonymous said...

I agree with the above poster about the relevance of said topic and the ultimate feelings he'd likely end up hurting with such a thoughtless blog.

How about you watch the local news stations more often and get a handle on the best talent in the market by actually watching what you get paid to write about?

at 10/30/2007 5:35 PM

Anonymous said...

Television is a tough business. Everyone's a critic. Clyde, Rob, Carol, Kit, Dave, Sandra, Tim, Howard, Cammy, Brad, they are all good at what they do. Who's the best? Well, it depends on everyones individual taste. I have a suggestion John. Why not do an article on viewership and local television news. Ask normal people why they are or are not watching local television. Do they really buy into this crap of "Breaking News","Developing News", Bla Bla Bla. Or is it just one giant blur of usless consultant babble to justify their existance. What is it that viewers really want in local tv news? Do they really want crime news? Stories about puppies and kids? Live shots at 11pm outside a dark building where something happened 2 hours ago? Or should tv folks should just scare them with flashing red high definition super duper doppler radar? How about posing positive topics for discussion like what might get young people to watch tv news? How about a story on the stations emphasis to win the "Web" viewer. I agree with some of the other posters that this topic can lead to some very mean comments about good people. Bottom line is they for the most part all try very hard to do their best every day. Yes, some are better than others but if they were really that bad then they wouldn't be in this market to begin with. All you have to do is travel to other media markets to appreciate the people working here. That's my 2 cents. You are a professional critic, so I guess my suggestion to you is that I'd like to see you offer some solid critiques of the local media instead of just asking those who check out the blog what they think. Obviously everyone has bias but a good journalist is able to shelve that, and remain independent in an effort to provide constructive criticism. I'm hoping to see more in the future. Thanks for your effots!

at 10/30/2007 9:44 PM

Anonymous said...

...MUST Sheree Palello make each story about her?
Must Johnny Hawgood be on television at all?
Must Annie Townsend CALL herself an "anchor" when clearly she should be in a smaller market trying to improve?
Must Brenden from 9 appear if the prompter went down, he'd fall over?
Must Clyde Grey look THAT disinterested?
There ARE some hard working, high energy people in town:
I LOVE Sandra Ali.
She is sharp as can be and volunteers in the community.
I rarely see anyone else out.
I love Rob Braun.
Clear. No frills.
I love Hedrick. When the other guys are going nuts, he's calm, clear and I believe him.
The Must One.

at 10/30/2007 10:10 PM

Anonymous said...

I think Brad Johansen is the best reporter in town. He speaks in a manner that makes me think he is not reading a teleprompter. Being local is not a factor. Being able to speak clearly and most importantly - being able to deliver unscripted news (i.e. REAL breaking news) and conversations with reporters doing live remotes.

After moving here three years ago - we've settled on Clyde & Carol at 11pm, despite the ridiculous breaking news approach. We also catch Dave & Cammie at 10 pm on My64.

Regarding Morning News, it's important that the anchors are solid, have personality and have chemistry with each other. I think Channel 5 has a good team. I think highly of both Dykes & Hawgood - it will be interesting to see how the chemistry works once Lisa is back. Pete Scalia is probably the best part of the morning team - he brings a less serious fun - kind of quirky - element which is so refreshing for the morning. I'd like to see him up in the helicopter like Diana Lara use to do.

at 10/31/2007 12:09 AM

Anonymous said...

I guess the 1st most important thing is trust. Trust is largely earned over time, so veteran anchors tend to have an advantage over those new to the market. You must trust that the person knows what they are talking about & is fair and unbiased.

Its also important that they can speak effectively. As obvious as this seems, some anchors in town clearly have trouble talking or reading the teleprompter.

Next I'd say is the personality. The only real chance for this is during the chat with weather & sports people. They must be able to interact easily in a concise manner. A sense of humor and some warmth are essential.

Last is appearance. I don't care if the person is good looking, but they must be well groomed. For instance, I've never found Kit Andrews attractive, but she dresses well & her hair is maintained. On the other hand Tanya O'Rourke is quite pretty, but as several other posters have mentioned, sometimes she looks a mess. That is a distraction.

Add it all up & Clyde Gray is the best in town.

JB

at 10/31/2007 10:53 AM

Anonymous said...

I agree with Mike about Ch. 5 in the morning. Pete is very consistant. I really enjoy watching him. Not sure of his background, but he is very natural in front of the camera. He adds a nice balance especially with the addition of Johnathan. Would like to see him do more. I think that when Lisa returns you will have the best team in the morning. As far as news at night, you can't beat Clyde & Carol.

at 10/31/2007 12:08 PM

Anonymous said...

I grew up watching "Eyewitness 12 News" with my parents. Things have changed over the years, but when ABC switched to channel 9, that's when I began watching channel 9 news, and have been ever since. I like Clyde and Carol at 11:00 pm and LOVED David Rose with Katherine Nero in the morning. Don't get chances to watch noon or the evening news on most days. The new people ARE hard to get used to, but eventually, we all will.

The morning crew should be able to deliver the serious news as well as be light-hearted enough to start your day off right. It doesn't matter if the anchor is from the area (although it is nice when locals "make it big"), but they should be familiar enough with the city, which also comes with time. I do not like all of the "Breaking News" and "Developing News" hooplah that another poster mentioned. Now, on Channel 9 in the mornings, they have what's her name Lisa Cornwell in the "Breaking News Center". All that is is another paycheck when that is the anchor's job. Get rid of it...

For the last couple of months, Clyde and Carol didn't do the news together at night. Why? As each day passed, it made me wonder if one or the other was being replaced. Recently, they've been back together again. Strange is all I can say...

The news directors and production staff should do a better job of making sure the correct images appear with the correct storyline.

I miss Andrea Canning, although I'm glad to see she's at ABC working her way up the ladder. I didn't know why Channel 9 didn't hire Terry Daniels for the morning. That Brenden Keefe is a little over the top enthusiastic, and needs to slow down, especially when switching stories.

Jill M.

at 11/01/2007 7:46 AM

Anonymous said...

I, for one, am amazed at the amount of time that is wasted by people on this blog. I occasionally watch the first segment of a newscast to get the headlines. I don't have a favorite channel. I turn on whichever channel is closest. I don't know the anchors' names, nor do I care to. I watch the first segment for the headlines. I don't care about all the "fluff" stuff that follows. I don't care about a 10-minute weather segment. I don't care what the "jet stream" will be doing tomorrow. Do I need a coat and/or an umbrella. That's all I need to know, and I can get that from the internet. More importantly, I could care less about the stations' ratings stunts, marketing slogans, and commercials that do nothing more than pat themselves on the back. What's even more shocking is that the Enquirer pays a full-time columnist to "cover" such trivial matters as these. What's absolutely unbelievable is that there are people out there who care enough to debate which local news anchors are the best. If ever I have that much free time on my hands I will have hit a new low for boredom and depression in my life.

at 11/01/2007 8:25 AM

Anonymous said...

Channel 12 knows how to build stabilty. Channel 5 continues to fail in this area and they keep switching talent around and will never get it right. Maybe they could switch thier administration and finally start to make progress. The anchors may be the talent on the air, but they are puppets for the news director. Channel 12, 9 and FOX should out rank 5 in the sweeps yet again.

at 11/01/2007 8:31 AM

Anonymous said...

Pete Scalia in not really an anchor, he won the job in a contest and although he may be efficient with traffic and quick witted jokes, he is NOT a journalist. Pete's talent could be better served elsewhere instead of the albatross he is currently tethered to at the moment. Abandon ship Pete!

at 11/01/2007 10:18 AM

Anonymous said...

John didn't ask people to slam other anchors, posters took that upon themselves. He asked what makes a good anchor.

Clyde Gray is tops in the market, the guy you'd expect to handle a true breaking situation.

Outside all the problems folks have with various anchors, the biggest pain in local news is the "breaking" label attached to so many stories. When I see "breaking" pop up on every newscast, "ambulance chaser" is what comes to mind. Most of the breaking stories are shootings or car wrecks, neither of which are actually news. A Kroger strike, that's news, not someone wrecking their van in Brown County.

at 11/01/2007 10:46 AM

Anonymous said...

What are you talking about 9:44pm. Sandra Ali in the community. The only time you will see her out is when her dog plays dress up and walks in those stupid dog parades.

at 11/01/2007 12:27 PM

Anonymous said...

Channel 9's new morning anchor is not impressive at all. I can't believe we waited so long for this?

at 11/01/2007 4:46 PM

Anonymous said...

Were Jerry Springer & Charlie Luken anchors? Journalists? I believe Ch 5 was tops in ratings when they were there. What qualifies a person to be an anchor? Do we really think Scalia won? That farce of a contest was really an open audition. Its about ratings; who the television viewers like and how they come accross in front of the camera. Scalia wins in all categories. This is a spring board for him with better things to come.

at 11/01/2007 6:05 PM

Anonymous said...

Media Bloggers,

Please don't expect Keise to truly examine local television news.
He has no interest in it.
He only uses it to vent his anger.
News Peeps have been expecting fairness from him for years.
He's a critic, not a journalist.

at 11/01/2007 6:28 PM

Anonymous said...

the traffic guy (pete) and Johnny make a great team. I can not wait for lisa to return and her spunkness and Johnny always being hyper will be watched by all of Greater Cincinnati.

at 11/01/2007 6:29 PM

Anonymous said...

kiese in your article on sunday you said that fox 19 morning news runs from 5-9. You are wrong my friend it runs from 430- 9 and beats all national newscasts.

at 11/01/2007 6:30 PM

Anonymous said...

where was my eye candy on fox 19 today. Megan didnt report and it made me sad!

at 11/01/2007 6:50 PM

Anonymous said...

My band was on a show that Pete (news 5) hosted for more than five years in northern KY. I think it was called City Nights. He did a fake newcast in addition to the band interviews. Pretty cool, since he has also done the musician thing himself.

He sent me an email when he started anchoring on the stations website every day (morning). I think he does an awesome job. He's done on camera work for more than a decade, and I think it shows. And he didn't win a contest. he was hired by the station. In case you forgot, he didnt come in first place in the viewer poll (which was stupid anyway IMHO)

When Leno quits and Conan takes over give late nights to Pete! He rules!

at 11/02/2007 9:02 AM

Anonymous said...

I like Pete Scalia, however, if he is such an awesome "television anchor" then where are the ratings? Hasn't he been on all shows for two years? Again, this is NOT his fault, but bloggers are missing the point. Channel 5 does not have the same management as when Springer/Luken were there. If Pete stays he will continue to be the very talented "traffic guy."

at 11/02/2007 9:07 AM

Anonymous said...

Channel 12 will top the ratings because they have the same trustworthy anchors that the community grows to respect.

Channel 5 will be at the bottom of the ratings because they continue to switch their talent around, no continuity = low ratings.

at 11/02/2007 9:48 AM

Anonymous said...

John,

any idea how the stations faired on their first day of ratings? Can you get access to that info and keep us posted?

at 11/02/2007 9:58 AM

Anonymous said...

If the management at Ch 5 has any sense at all they will expand Pete's role. It is obvious that he is well liked by the viewers; but one person simply doing the traffic isn't going to carry the entire show. He has the talent, they should use him.

at 11/02/2007 5:02 PM

Anonymous said...

Kiese only gets ratings during half way and when sweeps are over.

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Friday, October 26, 2007

What Makes A Good TV Anchor?

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