Meet the TV News Directors

The news directors of NBC10, CBS3, and Fox29 will be part of a panel discussing the state of local television news at the annual National Acaedmy of Television Arts & Sciences’ “Meet the TV News Directors,” event, Thursday, April 16, from 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., at Drexel University.

Chris Blackman of NBC10, Susan Schiller of CBS3, and Kingsley Smith of Fox29 will be joined by counterparts Chris Satullo of WHYY, and Michael Aron of NJN.

The discussion, which includes a breakfast costs $30.00.  To register, go to www.natasmid-atlantic.org.

Fox29 To Send Newsman To Cover Villanova

Curiously, Fox29 is sending Good Day Philadelphia host John Anderson to Boston for the Villanova-Duke game instead of one of its sportscasters such as Bill Vargus or Joe Staszak.

Villanova-Duke takes place Thursday at 9:57 on CBS.

Hall and Oates To Appear on Dancing With The Stars

Philly’s Hall and Oates will appear on Dancing With the Stars on ABC Tuesday at 9 p.m.

Phillies’ Broadcast Team Unchanged For 2009

Although Chris Wheeler and Scott Franzke worked together on the radio for some of the Phillies game  Sunday, that won’t be the case during the regular season.

Phillies’ manager of broadcasting, Rob Brooks said the broadcast pairings of last year will be the same – Scott Franzke and Larry Andersen on radio and Harry Kalas and Chris Wheeler on TV along with Tom McCarthy and Gary Matthews.

GM at CBS3 Out

Michael Colleran, who was the person in charge of CBS3 during the Larry Mendte email hacking scandal, is no longer the general manager of the station.

CBS3 announced that Jon Hitchcock will be the new general manager of CBS3 and sister station CWPhilly effective March 30.

Although CBS3 did not say why Colleran was leaving, we are hearing he resigned. 

Which leads one to wonder, who in the world “resigns” in this economy?

It’s Official – Cherie Bank Leaving NBC10

NBC10 health reporter Cherie Bank, who has been off the air for over a year and a half due to an eye ailment is signing off the air for good.  Bank began at the station in 1978.  A salute to Bank will begin Thursday on the 4 p.m. news.

One Story From the Post CN8 World

Here’s one story of  how a laid-off television professional is dealing with today’s job climate:

The Miami Herald
March 18, 2009

BALANCING ACT: Surviving on severance pay is no easy task

CINDY KRISCHER GOODMAN, cgoodman@MiamiHerald.com

A Good Idea: Leslie Padilla and Beth Nelson do some
networking over lunch at Cafe Sambal in the Mandarin
Oriental Hotel in Miami.

Leslie Padilla isn’t ready to resort to another career but she is making some drastic changes as her severance money dwindles. Padilla had been with Comcast six years when she was laid off in January. The public relations professional says it took her two months, while still employed, to digest the news. But as a single mother living on five months’ severance pay, she has moved into action.

She came up with a budget and pared expenses — way down. She cut her nanny to part time, sharing her with another laid-off mom. She also moved in with her mother and swaps hand-me-downs with friends. Her nights are devoted to job hunting online.

ATTENDS EVENTS

One thing Padilla refused to cut was the cost of networking. She regularly takes contacts to lunch and attends networking events. And she has taken advantage of the career counseling service Comcast provided to update her resume and print business cards at her former employer’s expense.

“It was hard to get my head around it at first, but I have to plan for a long transition phase,” she says. “At this point, it’s about riding it out.” 

To reach Leslie, email her at lesliegross@yahoo.com.

What The H is Going On at Fox29?

We keep getting unfavorable reaction to Hugh Douglas on Fox29.  We were copied on this email that was sent to Fox29 Sunday:

“Please reconsider the decision to put Hugh Douglas on the air.  He is out of his league.
 
This evening on the “Selection Sunday” show, he said the following
 
“I like Morgan State to beat Oklahoma.  I dont know anything about Morgan State, but I like their colors”
 
“I forget the name of the young man who played all those minutes for Syracuse the other night”
 
These are totally unprofessional and show that he is NOT ready to be on the air.

Mr Douglas also made the mistake of calling each NCAA “region” as a “conference”.
 
Please please get this guy off the air.
 
A soon to be ex-viewer.”

Television Field of 64

It’s time for my annual Television Field of 64.  Feel free to send your picks to the comments section.  Picks are based on a combination of critical acclaim, ratings, and my opinion.  The show must be on the air now to be eligible.

DRAMA

(1)  Big Love
(16) Gossip Girl

(2)  Brothers and Sisters
(15)  Medium

(3)  The Mentalist
(14)  24

(4)  CSI
(13)  Damages

(5)  Desperate Housewives
(12)  Grey’s Anatomy

(6)  Battlestar Gallactica
(11)  Criminal Minds

(7)  NCIS
(10)  House

(8)  Lost
(9)  Friday Night Lights
COMEDY

(1)  The Office
(16)  Best Week Ever

(2)  Family Guy
(15)  The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

(3)  Two and a Half Men
(14)  Chelsea Lately

(4)  30 Rock
(13)  The New Adventures of Old Christine

(5)  The Big Bang Theory
(12)  It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

(6)   How I Met Your Mother
(11)  The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

(7)  The Simpsons
(10)  Saturday Night Live

(8)  Late Show with David Letterman
(9)  Jimmy Kimmel

REALITY

(1)  American Idol
(16)  Top Chef

(2)  Dancing with the Stars
(15)  Keeping Up with the Kardashians

(3)  Extreme Makeover:  Home Edition
(14)  Tori and Dean:  Inn Love

(4)  Survivor
(13)  America’s Next Top Model

(5) The Amazing Race
(12)  Wife Swap

(6)  Celebrity Rehab Presents Sober House
(11)  Supernanny

(7)  The Biggest Loser
(10)  Hell’s Kitchen

(8)  Celebrity Apprentice
(9)  The Real Housewives of New York

DAYTIME/SYNDICATED

(1)  Oprah
(16)  Dr. Phil

(2)  The View
(15)  The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet

(3)  Regis and Kelly
(14)  The Early Show

(4)  Good Morning America
(13)  The Insider

(5)  The Today Show
(12)  Martha

(6)  Ellen
(11)  Judge Judy

(7)  The Rachael Ray Show
(10)  The Price is Right

(8)  TMZ
(9)  Entertainment Tonight

My Memories of The Spectrum

After watching some of the Sixers’ final game at the Spectrum last night, it took me back to when I interned for PRISM Sports in the late 80’s.  PRISM was located in Room 10 at the Spectrum.  I remember running teleprompter and logging games for sports updates with Marc Zumoff, Larry Rosen, and Ken Adelberger.

Another benefit was getting to sneak a peak at some of the performers of the day doing sound checks such as Tina Turner and Genesis.