Category Archives: WFTV-9

No retirement plans yet for WFTV’s Bob Opsahl

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Bob Opsahl

There’s been a lot of speculation about vetran anchor Bob Opsahl’s future at WFTV. News director Bob Jordan has hinted at pending retirement for his star newsman, and that talk ramped up after new weekend anchor Josh Benson was hired.

Well, what about Bob? He set the record straight on Monday with Orlando Sentinel TV Guy Hal Boedeker. Asked about talk that he may retire next year, Opsahl said, “For now, I can take that only one step further: I won’t be retiring next year either.”

So, that would keep Central Florida’s longest tenured anchor on Eyewitness News through 2011. Opsahl started at Channel 9 back in 1978. Wow — that’s a looong time.

Read more from the TV Guy.

Not a fan of WFTV’s new weather channel

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Some quick thoughts on recent Orlando TV News:

Put me down as not a fan of  WFTV’s revamped weather channel, 9.2. Sure, Severe Weather Center 9 has forecasts, temperatures and a radar — but just give me the radar. The former 9.2 had the live WFTV radar almost 24-7 — and in HD — making it convenient to check anytime (especially during storms). It also ran the audio from whatever was running on the main WFTV channel, so when you flipped over for a minute, you didn’t missing anything. Now, the station is streaming audio from Cox radio station WMMO. Sorry, I liked the old channel better. …

Speaking of WFTV’s digital channels, I suspect part of the reason behind the change on 9.2 has to do with what’s coming on 9.3 — the future home of Spanish-language station WAWA. There’s likely not enough bandwidth for two HD channels and a third.  WKMG (LATV) and WESH/WKCF (Esteralla) already have deals for Hispanic programming on their sub-channels, so it only seemed like a matter of time and company for WFTV to add one. Still, the FCC lists WAWA has being assigned Channel 47 in the Orlando market. Is there really a WAWA on channel 47?  …

One question. All the local stations have multiple digital channels — except’s Fox’s duopoly of WOFL-Fox 35 and WRBW-My 65. What’s the deal there? …

WESH debuted its new HD camera on Chopper 2. Very cool. …

WKMG anchor Jacqueline London was married over the weekend to former NFL player Tony McGee. Saw a couple of folks Tweet about the wedding and reception — sounds like it was quite the bash. Best of luck to the new couple. …

Former WFTV sports anchor Zach Kline was also Tweeting some important news on Sunday. Kline, now at Cox mothership WSB in Atlanta, was among the lucky few media members to win the Masters lottery and earn the opportunity to play the Augusta National course on Monday. He Tweeted: “Who says dreams do not come true. Just found out I’m playing Augusta National tomorrow at 11:10 am. Anyone know the course record?”

Space shuttle Challenger anniversary: Video from 1986

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Today, Jan. 28, marks the 24th anniversary of space shuttle Challenger’s explosion during liftoff. Just like the Sept. 11 terrorists attacks years later, the Challenger accident was one of those “where where you when it happened” moments in our history.

Besides being national news, the shuttle accident as big news locally. The stations here aired the launch live — unlike the networks (other than CNN). Here’s video from 1986 of WFTV-Channel 9′s coverage that evening. Look for appearances from anchors Bob Jordan and Martie Salt, and at the end, see Bob Opsahl with Jordan, weatherman Danny Treanor and sports anchor Mike Storms.

Weather forecast for WFTV: More Tom Terry

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Tom Terry

You may watch him or you may not  – but you most certainly know about WFTV chief meterologist Tom Terry.

The man who helped Central Floridians “hunker down” during the historic hurricane season of 2004 is going to be with Channel 9 through at least another six storm seasons.

Sentinel TV Guy Hal Boedeker reports that WFTV has signed Terry to a new six-year deal. 

“It [his contract] was supposed to be up at the end of the year, but we went to him early,” WFTV News Director Bob Jordan said. “He’s the best meteorologist I’ve ever worked with.”

Read the full story here

Click here for photos, video from hurricane season 2004

Nancy Grace is coming to Orlando

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Nancy Grace

Nancy Grace, the caustic and controversial HLN talk show host, will be coming to Orlando … in the fall of 2010.

Her new syndicated show, “Swift Justice with Nancy Grace,” has been cleared for 90 percent of the country, including O-Town. The show is being distributed by CBS Television Distribution. Here’s what one salesman for CBS said about the show: “Nancy is a powerful force in television with a built-in audience that tunes in to hear her point of view. We’re thrilled to have gotten such an immediate response from all of these groups, and their enthusiasm proves we’ve got the right show for them at the right time.”

Orlando must certainly hold special meaning for Grace. Her nightly coverage of the Casey Anthony-Caylee Anthony case helped make her the top-rated talker on HLN. Her interview with Melinda Duckett, the Lake County mom of another missing toddler, gained national  attention when Duckett killed herself shortly after an interrogation by Grace. That incident has landed Grace in a legal fight where she’s trying to avoid publicity.

Since CBS has signed national deals with both the Fox and Cox station groups to carry the show, my only question is which Orlando station(s) gets Miss Nancy? The Fox-owned duopoly of WOFL-Fox 35 and WRBW-My 65 or the Cox-owned duo of WFTV-Channel 9 and WRDQ-Channel 27? Any guesses?

WFTV preparing for Bob Opsahl’s retirement

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Bob Opsahl

Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings and Dan Rather were iconic anchors for their networks. But Bob Opsahl has them beat.

Opsahl has been anchoring the news at WFTV-Channel 9 for more than 30 years — even before Rather, Brokaw or Jennings took over the lead roles on their network newscasts. Granted, Opsahl wasn’t the main anchor for Eyewitness News when he started at the station in 1978, but he’s still going long after those other guys left their respective network desks.

But, as they say, all good things must come to an end. Orlando Sentinel TV Guy Hal Boedeker reports that WFTV is starting to look for Opsahl’s replacement.

“Bob Opsahl is going to retire sometime. It would behoove us to be ready,” said WFTV News Director Bob Jordan – the man who hired Opsahl years ago. “I know one day I’m going to have to replace Bob Opsahl. I’ve be happy if he stayed forever, but he has a contract that runs out. He’s had a fantastic career. He’s an extremely valuable player.”

For now, the station is holding auditions for a male weekend anchor — but folks can see the writing on the wall. Fortunately for Opsahl’s many viewers, he’s probably not going anywhere anytime soon.

“Not next year,” Jordan said. “As long as he’s going to be here for 2010, aren’t goodbyes premature?”