Came across this on YouTube. It’s a report that aired on Fox 35 News at 10 over the weekend — an account from the Tea Party tour out West.
In it, the reporter refers to former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as “former vice president Sarah Palin.” Of course, he meant to say, “former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.”
Now, from what I can tell, this was a report fed to WOFL by Fox — not national video with a local voice over.
Fox 35's unwelcome annual visitor
While not quite as famous as the swallows returning to San Juan Capistrano, the folks at WOFL-Fox 35 have their own spring tradition: the return of the big, bad mama hawk.
It started several years ago, when the mama hawk decided to take up residence in a tree outside the station’s Lake Mary studios. Being protective of her young, the hawk became aggressive and started swooping down on Fox 35 employees outside the building. Last year, it actually attacked then-sports guy Kevin Holden.
The bird’s return this year has the Fox folks buzzing again. Anchor Heidi Hatch posted an update on her blog, “We have a hawk that lives our News station- but only in Spring. She’s not very nice. In fact she attacks people she doesn’t like. She’s officially back and attacked her first victim today. We’ve been told to wear a hard hat or always walk with an umbrella because it’s illegal to kill it. I’m not one to kill… but what about bird nap ….”
Anchor Sonni Abatta even Tweeted about the big bird: “I find this picture in our work cafeteria to be simultaneously entertaining and terrifying.” She attached the picture below:
Josh Benson
Come July, you’ll see a new face weekends on the WFTV Eyewitness News anchor desk. But could he ultimately be Bob Opshal’s replacement?
The newcomer is Josh Benson, who is currently morning anchor at KVOA-NBC 4 in Tucson, Ariz. According to AZBiz.com, Benson will be leaving Arizona at the end of May and begin his new weekend gig at Channel 9 on July 6.
But it’s what else AZBiz had to say about Benson that’s very interesting: ”WFTV is owned by Cox Enterprises — parent of the company that owns Tucson’s cable system — and has been Orlando’s news ratings leader for most of the last 20 years. The station’s main weekday anchorman, Bob Opsahl, has been in that position since 1984 and the word is he is planning to retired in about a year, which could propel Benson into the top spot in the market if things work out.”
Back in December, it was reported that WFTV was beginning to think about who would replace Opsahl — and the weekend anchor position was mentioned.
According to Benson’s bio, he joined KVOA in June 2005. Previously, he was the 6 and 10 p.m. anchor at KAAL in Austin, Minn. He interned at KSTP and WCCO in Minneapolis.
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.
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.”
Veteran WESH 2 News reporter Claire Metz gives Sentinel TV Guy Hal Boedeker an update on her condition. She and her videographer were injured last week when a car slammed into the side of a WESH live truck in Daytona Beach.
“I have four broken ribs and a broken, displaced clavicle,” Metz told Boedeker. “They debated whether to operate, but they decided it was so close to blood vessels. I’m in a strap that holds your shoulders back in the hope the two bones will meet and heal. I have a lot of bumps and bruises. My left arm is swollen. It’s not a pretty picture. I’ll never be a hand model.”
Another casualty of the the crash — a favorite suit. “I had this great red suit on,” Metz said. “The paramedics said, ‘We have to cut it off.’ I said, ‘I’ve dreamed of people cutting off my clothes.’ ”
OK, that got a little weird. Still, best wishes to Metz and Hutch Breneman for speedy recoveries.