local news

NBC affiliate KVOA Tucson, Ariz. (DMA 71), has promoted Nichole Szemerei to anchor of Tucson Today.  Szemerei, who has been the traffic reporter on Tucson Today since joining the station […]

Tribune’s WJW made it official, naming Andy Fishman news director. Fishman has been the Cleveland Fox affiliate’s interim news director for the past six weeks. He replaces Sonya Thompson, who became the director of news projects for Tribune Media Group.

Tribune’s Indianapolis outlet unveils the broadcasters that will head its news efforts when the station’s CBS affiliation begins on Jan. 1. Debby Knox, Bob Donaldson and Chris Wright to anchor 5, 6 and 11 p.m. weekdays. Marianne Lyles, Tim Doty and Lindsay Riley are set for 5 a.m. and noon on weekdays.

CBS-owned KYW Philadelphia (DMA 4) has added reporter David Spunt to its news team. Spunt comes to Philadelphia from WBTV Charlotte, N.C., where he has been a reporter since 2012.  […]

Breaking Greenville, is an eight-episode “character-driven docu-soap” scheduled to debut in December on Turner’s TruTV. It follows the people reporting and producing the news at co-owned ABC affiliate WABG and CBS affiliate WXVT in the country’s 190^th market, Greenville, Miss. While some observers are critical of the concept, producer Adam Paul says: “These are real people who value their jobs and go after them, and care about the people they’re serving.”

After a 51-year career at Gray Television’s ABC affiliate KAKE Wichita, Kan., Larry Hatteberg announced today he’s stepping down from the anchor desk.  His last show will be the 10 […]

Gordon Peterson, one of the deans of local television news in Washington, says he plans to leave Sinclair’s ABC affiliate WJLA at the end of the year. But he insists he isn’t going away. “It’s not a retirement statement,” Peterson, a fixture on Washington’s airwaves for 45 years, said Friday. Chuckling, he added, “There’s still some mileage in this Chevy.”

Former Weather Channel executive Jennifer Rigby has been named the new news director at Gannett’s Atlanta NBC affiliate, replacing Ellen Crooke, who was promoted by Gannett to help run news operations for 46 stations nationwide.

Gannett-owned ABC affiliate WZZM Grand Rapids, Mich. (DMA 40), has beefed up its sports department. Jamal Spencer is WZZM’s new sport director is a Michigan native from the Metro Detroit […]

He joins the Buffalo, N.Y., CBS affiliate from WTAJ in Altoona, Pa., where he held the same position.

CBS-owned KYW Philadelphia (DMA 4) has added Justin Finch as a reporter beginning today. Finch comes to Philadelphia from WTVJ Miami, where he has been a reporter since 2011. Previously, […]

Marina Maracco joins Fox-owned WTTG Washington (DMA 8) as a reporter. Her first day on air will be Nov. 10. Most recently, Maracco was a reporter for WESH Orlando, Fla. […]

Many factors contribute to success at local news operations. Each of my positions over the years afforded me the opportunity to look at content and presentation and distribution through a changing series of lenses. This period also coincided with the tsunami disruptions to mainstream media, especially the birth and growth of social. Here’s a baker’s dozen of suggestions gleaned from life lessons over the years.

Telemundo affil KVDA San Antonio, Texas, yesterday added a 4:30 p.m. Spanish-language newscast to its current 5 and 10 p.m. news lineup. The new local half-hour, Noticias 60 Telemundo, will be anchored by KVDA’s Alex Hernandez. Weather will be handled by Lilian Perez, and Jonathan Solarte will deliver sports.

For the first time in more than four years, WSLS Roanoke, Va., will air news at noon.The Media General NBC affiliate’s noon newscast returns Monday, with Patrick McKee as anchor and Kristina Montuori doing weather. The broadcast will be WSLS’s first weekday noon newscast since March 2010, when the station scrapped the news and debuted Our Blue Ridge, a program that focused primarily on lifestyles, entertainment and community events.

CBS’s Philadelphia duopoly of KYW and WPSG (CW) expanded its weather team last week with the addition of a new resource —  a team of citizen weather observers who have […]