Lee Halkett joins Mike Jerrick and Sue Serio on the locally produced show.

By LAURA NACHMAN
Courier Times
E-mail

The new co-host of WTXF's "Good Day Philadelphia" will be Kerri (don't call me Kathie) Lee Halkett from the Fox affiliate in Boston where she also worked for WTXF news director Scott Matthews. Halkett, 30, replaces Donya Archer, who left the show in February to join her fiance in New York City. She joins Mike Jerrick and Sue Serio on the locally produced show that beat "The Early Show" of CBS during February sweeps. Halkett is a native of British Columbia, Canada, and a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. Her first airdate is April 8.

FENNELL COURTING

Though the main parties are denying it, insiders at CN8 and WTXF said that WTXF was interested in CN8's evening news anchor Arthur Fennell to replace Rich Noonan on the "10 O'clock News." Fennell, who has been at CN8 for two years, said he is very happy with his situation. He is also the managing editor for the news. Fennell anchored the 5 p.m. news at Channel 10 for 10 years previous to his job at CN8. Viewing note: Fennell always ends his broadcast by putting his pen in his pocket with a flourish.

SMERCONISH TALKS BACK

Michael Smerconish is keeping busy with political commentaries for KYW-AM and appearances on CNN's "Talk Back Live." However, he is not doing commentaries for the WCAU 4 p.m. news anymore. Beginning Sept. 11, Smerconish, who at the time hosted a talk show on WPHT-AM, began appearing on the WCAU news which is in the same building as WPHT. Smerconish left his talk show around Thanksgiving, and the appearances on WCAU ended a month later.

MUSINGS & SIGHTINGS

KYW's Tamsen Fadal, who is part Lebanese, is currently in Afghanistan covering the war on terrorism. Fadal is expected back to the U.S. early next week ... Doylestown's Irene Molloy is a regular on the new sitcom "Andy Richter Controls the Universe," Tuesdays at 8:30 on Fox. Molloy, a 1996 graduate of Archbishop Wood, starred in the funny parody of "90210" called "Grosse Pointe" last year on WB ... Dubious story of the week: WPVI doing a "news" story about an upcoming episode of ABC's "Philly." ... The film "On Common Ground" by Doylestown's Benjamin Semanoff will be featured at the Jewish Film Festival's 5th annual New Filmmaker's weekend beginning March 30 at the Prince Music Theatre in Center City ... Don't call him Greta, but WPHL weather anchor Steve MacLaughlin had some eye surgery of his own - laser eye surgery.

E-mail questions and comments to bradyresident@aol.com. Laura will appear on "The Sports Connection with Lou Tilley" tonight on CN8 at 11 p.m.

Thursday, March 21, 2002