Tag Archives: WKMG-6

Recent RogerSimmons.com Orlando TV News reports involving WKMG-Channel 6, the CBS affiliate for Central Florida. The station calls its newscasts Local 6 News. Channel 6 was the first TV station in Orlando and has previously used the call letters WDBO-TV (Way Down By Orlando) and WCPX

Orlando Magazine readers pick TV favorites

Posted on by
1

tt-orlandomagThe fine readers of Orlando Magazine have once again selected the choices for “Best of Orlando” in a number of categories. Alas, RogerSimmons.com didn’t place among best local Web sites this time, but here are the results for the television categories:

Best Local TV Station: (1) WFTV-Channel 9,  (2) WESH-Channel 2,  (3) WOFL-Channel 35

Best TV News Team: (1) WESH-Channel 2, (2) WFTV-Channel 9, (3) WKMG-Channel 6

Best TV Sportscaster: (1) Pat Clarke, WESH; (2) David Pingalore, WKMG; (3) TIE: Phil Burton, WFTV; Stuart Scott, ESPN

Best TV Forecaster: (1) Tom Terry, WFTV; (2) TIE: Tom Sorrells, WKMG; Danny Treanor, Central Florida News 13

Check out the full list of winners at OrlandoMagazine.com

WKMG anchor duties change for London, Rowe, Diaz

Posted on by
25

ttt-wkmg2Something is up at WKMG — and it’s not the ratings.

That’s one likely reason the station is playing musical anchors. GM Skip Valet told the Sentinel’s Hal Boedeker that morning anchor Lauren Rowe will now anchor the 11 p.m. newscast — displacing Jacqueline London, who will still anchor at 6 p.m. Moving into Rowe’s morning spot opposite Erick Weber is Laura Diaz, who has been WKMG’s weekend morning anchor.

Boedeker obtained an email Valet sent the WKMG staff: “You will notice some different anchoring assignments over the coming weeks. We are simply trying some new things over the long, hot summer. We feel we are now producing the most comprehensive and interesting newscasts in town, and we want our viewers to be exposed to all of the members of our strong team.”

So, from the sound of the email, it appears the changes aren’t permanent. Of course, there’s nothing permanent in TV news, right? Read more from Hal here.

Do you think the moves will move the ratings needle in the right direction for WKMG? Sound off with your comments below….

News 13 jumps out of news-sharing pool

Posted on by
1

ttt-cfn13It didn’t take long for Orlando’s news pool to spring a leak.

The Sentinel’s Hal Boedeker reports that Central Florida News 13 has left the news-sharing pool that also included WKMG-Local 6 and WOFL-Fox 35.  “I don’t think it’s as beneficial to our organization as we hoped,” News 13 GM Robin Smythe told Boedeker. “We’re stepping away from it on a daily basis. The experiment is going extremely well. Everyone is playing well with each other. We have a different deadline structure from the traditional newscasts. Our story coverage needs are different, the timing is different.”

The news-sharing agreement — in which News 13, Local 6 and Fox 35 shared video of certain news events — started less than a month ago. It mirrored news sharing deals that have been popping up in other markets across the nation.

WKMG GM Skip Valet told Boedeker the pool will continue with Local 6 and Fox 35. “For now, it’s the two of us,” Valet said. “It’s going fine. Robin wasn’t specific about what didn’t work for her. WOFL and WKMG are pleased with how it’s working out.”

WKMG looking for new traffic anchor

Posted on by
2

ttt-notes3WKMG traffic anchor Kim Sanders is leaving the station. Mike James’ O-Town TV quotes Channel 6 GM Skip Valet as saying, “We are going to make a change in our morning traffic.” James says that change comes Aug. 21. 

You may recall that Sanders was the winner of WKMG’s search for a morning traffic reporter back in 2007 — a sort of American Idol-type competition. Sanders was working in voice-over production when selected for the Local 6 traffic gig. You can watch her original audition tape here. …

Big news from Kendra Oestreich, Carole Nelson and Scott Walker after the jump

Continue reading →

Local 6 News finishes July in 4th place

Posted on by
1

ttt-sweepsOrlando Sentinel TV Guy Hal Boedeker has more on the July ratings races in O-Town TV, including WKMG’s fourth-place showing in the evening in the 25-54 demo.

“We were No. 4 before we made the changes,” WKMG General Manager Skip Valet told Boedeker. “I think I’m better serving the audience. We’re in the summertime, and everyone is down a little bit. I’m focused on how competitive we are in the morning and at 11 p.m.”

More July ratings numbers after the jump …

Continue reading →

WKMG’s Tom Sorrells and ‘the most important story I’ve ever done’

Posted on by
Reply

lightningstrikesWKMG is living up to its “Local” 6 moniker Wednesday night, taking an hour of prime time to focus on something that impacts Central Floridians nearly every day: Lightning.

“Lightning Strikes,” which airs at 8 p.m., is a program that looks how we cope with living in one of the world’s lightning hot spots.

“We do stories about victims, survivors, myth vs. truths, explain how lightning starts, how best to avoid it and how to protect your home and your family,” WKMG chief meteorologist Tom Sorrells explained via e-mail. “The first story out of the gate is a tragic piece out of Titusville. I covered the story, and I’ve seen the finished product. I feel it may be the most important story I’ve ever done.”

More from Sorrells after the jump … 

Continue reading →