WFTV morning meteorologist Joe Smith is getting out of the weather biz … and the TV biz, too. According to NewsBlues.com, Smith has decided to enter the graduate engineering program at Cal-Berkeley this fall.
After graduating from the FSU meteorology program, he started out at Tallahassee’s ABC affiliate before jumping up to Channel 9 in May 2003.
WESH Sunrise reporter Shannon FitzPatrick signed off Wednesday morning. She’s leaving the TV biz to pursue a career in real estate and marketing. (I’d like to have a dollar for every TV person who has gone into real estate, but I digress.) FitzPatrick started at WESH in 1998 and moved to the Sunrise show in 2005. Little-known trivia about FitzPatrick: She’s the niece of 1980s WESH anchor Carol Granstrom.
Meanwhile, over at WFTV, I failed to note the departure of weekend anchor Jorge Estevez. His last day on the air was March 19. He’s heading to Miami’s CBS O&O, WFOR. No word on his replacement at Channel 9, although with Cynthia Demos also off this past Saturday-Sunday, it was Greg Warmoth and Chris Egert filling in on the weekend desk.
Attorneys for a Winter Park plastic surgeon have filed a defamation suit against WFTV-Channel 9 for a series of reports the station ran about the doctor.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the civil suit by Dr. Thomas Trevisani alleges that Channel 9 aired reports in 2002, 2003 and 2004 that contained false and defamatory statements. Reported the Sentinel: "The lawsuit cites examples of ‘defamatory statements’ in which WFTV reported that Trevisani knew and allowed ‘unscrupulous behavior’ by his clinic employees, and that a "felon" and "two ex-cons" were doing physical exams and prescribing surgery at his clinic."
WFTV Vice President and General Manager Shawn Bartelt issued a statement that said: "The news reports at issue regarding Dr. Trevisani were fair and accurate accounts of matters of public concern. WFTV stands behind the content of its stories."
Some news nuggets for you …
>> While watching WFTV’s Eyewitness News on Monday night, I was more concerned about the safety of reporter Jodie Fleischer than what she was reporting. For a story about a plan to relieve traffic woes on the Turnpike and U.S. 192, Fleisher did a live shot sitting atop a concrete barrier in the middle of a toll lane. Sure, she had on one of those safety vests … but would that really protect her with all those cars whizzing by? Watching the report made me a little uncomfortable.
Spring time: I’m taking a few days off from work this week, and I’m not alone. It’s spring break time but for many O-Town anchors. Just flipping around the dial last night, I discovered these anchors are also taking time off this week:
WFTV — Bob Opsahl, Martie Salt, Tom Terry
Fox 35 — Cale Ramaker
WESH 2 — Jim Payne
Local 6 — Bob Frier
Love is on the air: Not sure if you caught the funny story in Philly involving former WOFL morning weather guy Doug Kammerer. He was doing a live shot for NBC O&O WCAU when some young lovers started going at it behind him. Here’s the Philly Daily News’ item about it.
From big screen to computer screen: While getting the link for Doug’s bio for the above item, on his web page at WCAU — and those of other on-air talent — you can download their pictures as your computer’s wallpaper. Not sure why, but …
Going all in: The Orlando Sentinel’s Scott Maxwell has the scoop on WKMG sports anchor Lee Goldberg’s annual Celebrity Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament, benefiting Maitland’s Jewish Community Center. Wrote Maxwell, "Once the dealing started, WKMG anchor Jacqueline London was one of the first celebs out. ‘I had to be back on the air,’ she cheerfully protested. ‘Otherwise, I would’ve won it all.’ " The event raised more than $30,000.
As the dust from the February ratings period settles, it’s become clear there’s no stopping the WFTV juggernaut. Channel 9 was No. 1 in six of the seven daily newscasts, with only WKMG’s noon news preventing a clean sweep by WFTV.
The real race is for No. 2 in O-Town, and it looks like WKMG has improved to solid second-place status ahead of WESH in most news time periods.
Based on information distributed to the media by WFTV, here are some details:
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