The Big Story is…Rob Jennings

Action News Anchor to Retire after 36 Years at 6abc

Broadcast Career Spans Six Decades

(Philadelphia, PA) – 6abc Action News has been Philadelphia’s #1 news source for more than three decades, and a large part of that success is attributed to Rob Jennings. He will complete his storied career with WPVI at the end of July. For more than 36 years, Jennings has been a consistent presence on Action News, anchoring the weekend newscasts with his warm, yet authoritative persona. Jennings joined the Action News team in July of 1977. His career at 6abc has taken him from Three Mile Island to the White House and even into the wild blue yonder, flying with both the Air Force Thunderbirds and The Navy’s Blue Angels. In 2003, Jennings was inducted into the Philadelphia Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame.

Jennings has made a lasting impression on the Philadelphia news business, and the impact he has had on WPVI is widely known. “Rob has played a huge role in the success of Action News and 6abc for decades”, says Bernie Prazenica – President & General Manager, 6abc. “I can’t thank him enough for all that he has done. His talent and professionalism are unsurpassed in broadcast journalism. We will miss him as a colleague and a friend and wish him everything good in retirement.” Longtime Action News collaborator, Jim Gardner agrees, “He’s been an extraordinary example of consistency, a great communicator, and a wonderful colleague all these years. We will miss him.”

A native of Miami, Florida, Jennings has been in broadcasting for more than four decades, and like many television pros, his first job in the business was in radio. In 1966, he started his broadcast career in Georgia, but a year later moved to WABB in Mobile, Alabama. There, Jennings was the DJ for the afternoon drive show and later became the station’s music director. But less than two years later he was hired as an announcer and director at WALA-TV, where he got his first taste of news. In 1977, he caught the eye of Alan Nesbit, News Director for WPVI-TV, and was on his way to Philadelphia. For more than three decades, Jennings has anchored the weekend Action News broadcasts, and was a consistent fill-in anchor for the weeknight editions of Action News.

In addition to three decades on the anchor desk, Jennings will be forever linked to the Action News public safety feature known as Crimefighters. Jennings spent 16 years writing, producing, and reporting on Crimefighters. Law enforcement says Rob’s work enabled viewers to help police arrest nearly 200 suspects profiled in Crimefighters cases. Crimefighters received dozens of awards from law enforcement organizations and citizens groups. Jennings continues to serve as Master of Ceremonies for the Citizens Crime Commission’s Law Enforcement Appreciation Day awards luncheon. This week’s event marks Jennings’ 23rd year of presenting awards to law enforcement officers and ordinary citizens who have done extraordinary things during the previous year.

Jennings offered these thoughts about his retirement: “I can’t emphasize enough how grateful I am to have been able to do what I love to do – tell stories – for 36 years, with the greatest television station. My wife and I have been planning to retire for some time now. And now is the time to start our new adventure together.”

Rob and his wife of 27 years, Karen, have two children together. Karen, whom he met in the Action News studios, also had stints as a news anchor in Orlando, Fl., and in Lancaster, Pa. Rob enjoys oil painting, writing, playing chess and wood working. He has created more than 50 oil paintings. Rob’s lifelong passion is boating, and now he’ll have the time to traverse the Chesapeake.

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6abc Action News is the #1 local news brand in the tri-state, and the undisputed news leader for the past 35 years. 6abc.com, the official website of Action News, is also the #1 local TV news website in the market.

WPVI-TV is the ABC-owned station serving the Delaware and Lehigh Valleys.

(Philadelphia, PA) – Dedicated to expanding its network and channel brands across multiple platforms and connecting viewers with their favorite shows anytime and anywhere, 6abc and the Disney/ABC Television Group announced its much anticipated “WATCH ABC” authenticated service. The service will be available to all viewers of WPVI, the #1 local station in Philadelphia, and also in the New York City area via WABC, the nation’s most watched broadcast station. The launch of WATCH ABC is part of a special open access preview, running through the end of June. The live stream is only available inside the Philadelphia viewing area (as well as the New York television market).

The new WATCH ABC service provides viewers, for the first time ever, live access to their favorite 6abc shows, as well as a variety of on-demand content from ABC. WATCH ABC will allow users to view 6abc’s highly rated programs, as well as the #1 newscast in the market – Action News. In addition to Action News, 6abc is home to Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, Grey’s Anatomy, Dancing With the Stars, and Modern Family.

“We think this innovation will be very popular with our viewers, because it’s a utility that fits into everyone’s on-the-go lifestyle” says Bernie Prazenica – President & General Manager of 6abc. “6abc is committed to serving our viewers and we’re always trying to improve the television watching experience. This is just the next step. We’re thrilled to be the first local television station in the country to offer this technology (along with our sister-station in New York). ”

In addition to allowing live linear streaming of 6abc programming, the new authenticated WATCH ABC service will include the great, on-demand full-episode viewing experience that the ABC Full-Episode Player and ABC Player app have offered, respectively, online and via tablets and phones. Viewers can access WATCH ABC online at ABC.com or by downloading the WATCH ABC app on their iOS or Kindle Fire devices. The WATCH ABC app will be available on Samsung Galaxy devices this summer.

Currently Disney/ABC Television Group has agreements in place for its authenticated WATCH products with a variety of Multichannel Video Program Distributors (MVPDs), including Comcast, Cablevision, Cox Communications, Charter Communications, Midcontinent Communications and AT&T U-verse.

“WATCH ABC is a game-changing innovation for the broadcast television industry. We’re extremely excited to offer this open access preview to our WABC and WPVI viewers in New York and Philadelphia. This announcement represents a defining moment in technology and distribution, as well as for our advertising and affiliate partners, as we ensure that our high-quality content is available to viewers on a variety of devices,” said Anne Sweeney, co-chair, Disney Media Networks, and president, Disney/ABC Television Group. “Our mission with this special preview is to gather key learnings about the service and the consumers who utilize it in order for our WATCH products to be the gold standard experience of authenticated multiplatform viewing.”

Following the end of the open access preview, the WATCH ABC live streams will continue to be available in NYC and Philadelphia to authenticated users. Additionally, this summer WATCH ABC will roll out in the other six ABC-owned station markets, which include Los Angeles (KABC-TV), Chicago (WLS-TV), San Francisco (KGO-TV), Houston (KTRK-TV), Raleigh-Durham (WTVD-TV) and Fresno (KFSN-TV).

In addition to launching in the eight ABC-owned markets, the network has reached an agreement with Hearst Television to launch the WATCH ABC service in their 13 ABC station markets, which include Boston, Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Milwaukee, in the coming months. Agreements with other station groups are expected to be announced prior to the launch of the new Fall Season.

The launch of WATCH ABC follows the successful rollout of three authenticated WATCH Disney services — WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney XD and WATCH Disney Junior — in June 2012. Downloaded nearly 15 million times since their debut, the three WATCH Disney products provide authenticated users with both access to live, linear network streams as well as an extensive offering of advantaged window “on demand” episodes. In addition to WATCH ABC and the WATCH Disney services, Disney Media Networks offers WatchESPN, an authenticated 24/7 live stream of six networks, including all of ESPN’s sports and studio shows. Plans are also in place to roll out WATCH ABC Family in early 2014.

Over the past several years, the Disney/ABC Television Group has consistently unveiled innovative, award-winning multiplatform services and apps. In addition to the WATCH services, other notable DATG apps include the Disney Junior Appisode app, which offers true interactive viewing, allowing kids ages 2-7 to touch, tap, swipe, tilt, shake and talk their way through various fun-filled activities embedded into episodes of some of their favorite Disney Junior shows; the ABC Player and ABC Family Player apps, which make full ad supported episodes available for viewing; the ABC News app; and the Emmy Award-winning official Oscars app, which provided unique backstage viewing experiences for the 83rd, 84th, and 85th Academy Awards.

The Disney/ABC Television Group is composed of The Walt Disney Company’s (NYSE: DIS) global entertainment and news television properties, owned television stations, as well as radio and publishing businesses. This includes ABC Entertainment Group, ABC News, ABC Owned Television Stations Group, Disney Channels Worldwide, ABC Family and SOAPnet, as well as Disney/ABC Domestic Television and Disney Media Distribution. Publisher Hyperion and the Company’s equity interest in A+E Networks round out the Group’s portfolio of media businesses.

Candice should easily win.

23rd ANNUAL KOMEN PHILADELPHIA RACE FOR THE CURE THIS MOTHER’S DAY

Philadelphia, May 8, 2013 — CBS 3 and The CW Philly’s “Women of Eyewitness News” — Kate Bilo, Nicole Brewer, Natasha Brown, Pat Ciarrocchi, Carol Erickson, Katie Fehlinger, Kathy Orr, Stephanie Stahl, Lesley Van Arsdall and Erika von Tiehl — joined by their CBS Radio counterparts, will be out in force in support of the Race for the Cure, the largest fundraiser of its kind in the Philadelphia area this weekend.

The women will host the 23rd annual Susan G. Komen Philadelphia Race for the Cure® on Mother’s Day, this Sunday, May 12 with The Breakfast Club’s Valerie Knight of 98.1 WOGL, Dom Giordano of TalkRadio 1210AM WPHT and Pat Loeb from KYW Newsradio 1060. All of the CBS properties in Philadelphia are supporting the Race with PSAs and news stories.

Live coverage of the race will be simulcast on CBS 3, The CW Philly, CBSPhilly.com and CWPhilly.com from 6 to 9 a.m. Race for the Cure opening ceremonies begin at 7 a.m. with the 5K run/walk following at 8:15 a.m.

“I am so proud and grateful that the women of Eyewitness News continue to support this outstanding campaign. Our stations made a commitment to this cause 23 years ago and we will continue to support the fight against breast cancer until there is a cure,” says CBS 3/CW Philly President and General Manager Jon Hitchcock.

More than 30,000 people participated in last year’s Race for the Cure, which raised $3 million for the fight against breast cancer. This year CBS 3/CW Philly Meteorologist Katie Fehlinger is doing her part to raise funds for the cause by volunteering to be a surrogate runner, running in the place of all those who aren’t available to lace up to fight breast cancer Mother’s Day morning in Philadelphia. Viewers can support Katie’s run by making a donation at http://www.CBSPhilly.com/cure, or by connecting with her on Facebook, search Katie Fehlinger, or following her on Twitter @katiefehlinger.

Those participating in the race or watching from home can also look for CBS 3/CW Philly Anchor Chris May who will be walking the race route.

For additional information about the Race, log on to http://www.CBSPhilly.com/cure.

CBS Philly acknowledges the support of Wawa, Stanley Steemer and IBEW Local 98.

CBS 3 (KYW-TV) and The CW Philly 57 (WPSG-TV) are part of CBS Television Stations, a division of CBS Corporation. KYW Newsradio 1060, 98.1 WOGL, SportsRadio 94 WIP, SportsRadio 610 WIP and Talk Radio 1210AM WPHT are CBS RADIO stations.

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REPORTER MATT DeLUCIA TO JOIN NBC10 PHILADELPHIA

PHILADELPHIA, PA – April 29, 2013 – NBC10 Philadelphia announced today that Matt DeLucia will be joining the station as a reporter starting in June. DeLucia joins NBC10 from Fox affiliate KVVU in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he has been a reporter and fill-in anchor since 2009.

“Matt is an enterprising, hard-working journalist,” said Anzio Williams, Vice President of News for NBC10 Philadelphia. “We’re thrilled to welcome him back to the area as part of the NBC10 family.”

In his most recent role at KVVU, DeLucia earned three Pacific Southwest Emmy awards in the categories of journalistic enterprise, team coverage and news writing. In 2012, the Associated Press Television and Radio Association named him ‘Reporter of the Year’ and awarded his story on sudden cardiac arrest in children and teens as ‘Best Serious Feature.’

DeLucia started his career as a reporter and weekend sports anchor at WBOC in Salisbury, Maryland. He later moved on to WSHM in Springfield, Massachusetts where he was a general assignment reporter and anchor.

Originally from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, DeLucia attended Camden Catholic High School in Cherry Hill. He is a graduate of La Salle University where he earned a B.A. in communication. During his studies, he worked as a reporter/segment producer for New Jersey Network and served as an intern for NBC News for the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, Italy.

ABOUT NBC10 PHILADELPHIA

Owned by NBCUniversal, NBC10 Philadelphia / WCAU has been delivering local news, information, and entertainment to the Delaware Valley for over 60 years, serving nearly six million viewers throughout Greater Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley, southern New Jersey and Delaware. Viewers turn to NBC10 for the most up-to-date news and breaking news stories of the day, weather, sports and consumer headlines across a variety of platforms, including online at nbc10.com and via mobile and social channels. Cozi TV, the station’s digital network, offers a full schedule of America’s most beloved and iconic television series, hit movies and original programming. COZI TV can be seen locally on Comcast 248, Verizon 460 and over-the-air at 10.2. Other properties of NBC10 include StudioTEN Creative Group, the station’s full-service production facility.

Philadelphia, April 29, 2013 – CBS 3(KYW-TV) and CW Philly (WPSG-TV) News Anchor Susan Barnett will not be renewing her contract with the stations, Barnett and the stations announced today. Barnett’s contract expired at the end of March.

Barnett, who has been with the Philadelphia stations since 2006, said: “I have decided to not renew my contract with the stations at this time. I am incredibly thankful for having been a part of the CBS Philly family, but I feel that this is the right decision at this time.”

Jon Hitchcock, President and General Manager of CBS 3/CW Philly, said: “Susan has been a valued member of our team. While we would have liked to have her continue in her current role, we respect her decision and wish her the very best. Moving forward, Eyewitness News, the area’s most honored team of television journalists, will continue to provide the Delaware Valley with the most complete news coverage in the tradition of the first name in local news.”

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