Channel Surfing
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
May 6, 2003
According to newsroom sources, WCAU and WPVI are neck and neck at
11 p.m. after the first week of May sweeps, despite WCAU’s loss of
anchor Larry Mendte for the “money” show.
Sources from both stations acknowledged that the numbers are down
from February, citing factors as “war burnout” and the nice weather.
If WCAU either wins 11 p.m. or has a respectable showing, that
should help interim anchor Tim Lake’s case for a permanent position.
Mendte, whose contract is up in August, was pulled from the 6
p.m. and 11 p.m. news a day before sweeps began, because management
believes he is looking for a job at another station (hint:
the letters start with KYW).
Color War
There must be some consultant in TV Land saying that the hot
colors for the season are black, red, and white.
WPHL switched its news to those colors a couple months ago, and
now WTXF is using the same combination.
Billing itself, as “Fox-29,” WTXF will not be able to change
its website as another station has the domain name of fox29.com.
Thus “Fox-29” will continue as foxphiladelphia.com on the
internet.
Makeover
Besides the corporate makeover, the talent at WTXF is getting “glammed
up,” as the Center City salon Tabu is providing hair and makeup for
Fox. As for the other
stations, WCAU uses Jay Michael salon in Bala Cynwyd for “10,” and
some of the news talent. Surprisingly
“big station,” WPVI makes its talent do its own hair and makeup,
while “little station,” CN8 has its own hair and makeup staff at its
studios in New Castle, DE and Center City. Though urban legend has it
that KYW uses a “beauty camera” to enhance the appearance of its
talent, a station spokesperson stated, “We go through no extraordinary efforts to electronically enhance
appearance.”
The “Women of Eyewitness News” sill host the 13th
annual Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Philadelphia Race for the
Cure,” Sunday May 11. KYW personalities Amy Caples, Pat Ciarrocchi, Kathy Orr,
Denise Saunders, and Stephanie Stahl will host the annual 5-K Run/Walk
and 1 Mile Run Run, that began at the Art Museum.
Maybe marathon runner Marc Howard can give them some tips.
The critically-maligned open casting call for a traffic reporter
on WCAU was a big hit as almost a thousand people turned out for the
first day of auditions for “The Greatest Summer Gig Ever” at the
Loews hotel in Center City last week.
WTXF weekday weather anchor Rob Guarino was elected President of
the local AMS (American Meteorological Society) Chapter for the Delaware
Valley.
The new daytime shows “Your Morning on CN8” and “CN8 News
Midday” premiere on CN8 Monday.
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