Tag Archives: O-Town Alumni

Ex-WESH anchor Chioji: ‘Life’s never been so good’

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Former WESH 2 anchor Wendy Chioji

Former WESH anchor Wendy Chioji in Utah. Courtesy of EuporiaFitness.com

As part of its continuing coverage for Breast Cancer Awareness month, the Orlando Sentinel decided to check up on former WESH 2 News anchor — and breast cancer survivor — Wendy Chioji. It’s a story with a happy ending.

After Chioji announced her breast cancer diagnosis on air 10  years ago and successfully staged a very public battle against the disease, she decided there was more to life than TV news. The very athletic anchor left Orlando behind to pursue a career in fitness and health.

“Cancer makes you reprioritize things…I decided I wasn’t going to stay in a job that wasn’t fulfilling any more.,” Chioji told the Sentinel. “It was time to do things that you thought about, that you dream about. It was time for me to go.”

So, how’s her new life in Utah? The Sentinel reports that she’s working part-time and freelance jobs that include being a a personal trainer, leading cycling tours here and abroad,  and also working as a reporter at the nearby Sundance Film Festival.

“Life’s never been so good,” Chioji said.

Read the full story here.

WFTV Eyewitness News won’t be going earlier

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A couple of quick midweek notes…

If you’re an early, early bird, don’t expect anytime soon to turn on your TV at 4:30 a.m. and find news on market leader WFTV-Channel 9. “It’s not something I’m doing this fall,” WFTV General Manager Shawn Bartelt told Orlando Sentinel TV Guy Hal Boedeker. “Traffic is worse in other places. People have to get up earlier. If I see a demand, we’ll meet that demand. I’m not seeing it.” …

Elsewhere, former Fox 35 morning meteorologist Doug Kammerer continues his industry climb. The newly installed chief meteorologist at NBC O&O WRC-Channel 4 in Washington, D.C., sat down for a Q&A piece with The Washington Post. I think we now know why Doug isn’t in the Sunshine State anymore. When asked, “What do you most look forward to covering weather in D.C., ” Kammerer said, “I look forward to covering the winters here. I love the winters in this area. Last winter was simply amazing as we saw storm after storm. I doubt we will ever see another winter like that one, but just give me one big storm a year and I will be happy. I love to forecast snow totals and I pride myself on getting them right.”

O-Town news from out of town

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Doug Kammerer (left), Melissa Ross and Mike Brooks on Fox 35's Good Day Orlando show.

Some quick out-of-town news with Orlando connections …

Former WOFL-Fox 35 meteorologist Doug Kammerer — who was part of the team that launched the station’s first morning show, Good Day Orlando  – is making news in the nation’s capital. He’s been named the new chief met at NBC O&O WRC-4. The Washington Post reports, “The hiring of Kammerer suggests management at NBC-4 prioritized injecting youth into its evening news team of veterans Jim Vance, Doreen Gentzler, and Dan Hellie [the former WFTV-Channel 9 sports anchor]. Kammerer just celebrated his 35th birthday last month which will make him the youngest chief meteorologist in the D.C. area by a long shot. He is young enough to be  [departing weatherman] Bob Ryan’s son … and younger than any of the meteorologists at NBC-4 who will be under him.” …

Cox’s Charlotte dupolopy — WSOC-ABC 9 and WAXN-TV 64 — is taking a page out of its Orlando sister stations’ playbook. Just as WFTV launched an expanded Eyewitness News This Morning show on WRDQ-TV 27  from 7 to 9 a.m. weekdays, WSOC will now do the same in Charlotte on WAXN. The Charlotte Observer reports, “WSOC has two sister stations in Orlando, also owned by Atlanta-based Cox, that use the same model — two hours of early news on the network affiliate, then another two hours on the independent station. It has proven successful, says Joe Pomilla, WSOC vice president.”

Former WESH anchor Walker stands up to BP

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You may remember Scott Walker, the former WESH 2 Sunrise anchor who left O-Town to anchor at Hearst sister station WDSU-NBC 6 in New Orleans. He’s been out on the front lines of the oil spill — and he’s been trying to do his job reporting from the beaches where BP workers are cleaning up oil. Only problem is BP doesn’t want Walker there. This video clip of Walker’s attempt to talk to BP workers has made the rounds, even earning him a mention on Huffington Post.

Walker, an avid Tweeter, posted earlier on Twitter, “I’m getting e-mails and tweets from all over the U.S. after this video. Thanks to everyone sending kind words.”

Birthday time for WESH, WRBW

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Some quick notes from the news that is television …

Happy birthday, WESH. Channel 2 turned 54 years old on Friday. The station went on the air June 11, 1956, from Daytona Beach. Some fun facts about WESH: It was the 19th television station in Florida. … It wasn’t the only NBC affiliate in Central Florida when it went on the air. It shared NBC with WDBO-Channel 6 because most folks outside of Volusia County could not receive WESH, which was broadcasting on a 300-foot tower in Daytona at the time. On November 5, 1957 — the day WESH  activated a new 1,000-foot tower in Orange City — it got the NBC affiliation all to itself. … Of the Big 4 network affiliates in Orlando, WESH is the only station with its original call letters. Check out our WESH history page for more information. …

Fox-owned WRBW-My 65 celebrated its sweet 16  birthday on June 4. It went on the air as independent Rainbow 65 in 1994.  …

I’ve been traveling a lot lately and came across some familiar faces on TV. In Chicago, former WKMG sports anchor Ryan Baker is now at WBBM-CBS 2 as the main sports guy at the CBS O&O. In Norfolk/Virginia Beach, former WESH morning anchor Tom Schaad is the main anchor at WAVY-NBC 10. …

Eboni Deon has joined WFTV as Channel 9′s new weekend meteorologist. She previously worked at CNN International and The Weather Channel — which could explain why she has admirers from across the globe on her Facebook Fan Page. She replaces Ben Smith, who moved from Channel 9 to WHNT-CBS 19 in Huntsville, Ala. (And WHNT is also the home of former WESH meteorologist Dan Sattefield.) …

I don’t write much about Central Florida News 13 — since I can’t get it on my home TV — but the cable station says it will launch a new website soon. “More video. Easier to Use. More of What YOU Want,” is how News 13 is describing its new cfnews13.com page. Stay turned.

Former O-Town anchor: What’s his name?

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Clayton Morris

Former Daily Buzz anchor Clayton Morris has moved on to bigger and better things from his Orlando morning show days, now working with Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends show.

But the Fox suits apparently weren’t laughing on Friday when Morris played a joke in a video.

During the Fox Flash video segment for FoxNews.com, Morris introduced himself as Fox anchor Steve Doocy. He concluded the video segment — you guessed it — by again identifying himself as Doocy.

Was this a case of just reading what was on the teleprompter and not thinking? Apparently not. TVNewser.com reports, “apparently Morris was not reading from a TelePrompTer but was making a ‘hilarious’ joke. What a laugh riot.”

The HuffingtonPost reported that the Fox suits were not laughing: “A Fox News insider says, ‘It was wishful thinking on Morris’ part, and executives didn’t find it amusing.’ ”

Maybe Morris will be back in O-Town soon? Check out the video from FoxNews.com below: