WKMG main sports anchor Todd Lewis will be leaving Local 6 at the end of March, when his contract with the station expires. It is not being renewed. Local 6 GM Henry Maldonado told the Sentinel’s Scott Maxwell that the decision to part ways with Lewis was mutual. Others say…
Fox 35 adding 11 p.m. newscast
Following the lead of other Fox O&O’s, WOFL is adding an 11 p.m. newscast. NewsBlues.com reports that the new show will start in April. The 11 p.m. slot was previously filled with the dreadful Geraldo At Large. Since that show was canceled, the even more dreadful Still Standing has been…
Assessing WESH’s changes
This week began with the anchors and weather personnel at WESH taking on their new news assignments. So far: Wendy Chioji is walking a lot, Tony Mainolfi isn’t sleeping a lot but the ratings look good. The re-named, solo-anchored "WESH 2 News at 6 with Wendy Chioji" is definitely different…
WKCF doing well for the CW
After picking up the pieces from the failed WB and UPN networks, the CW is still trying to find its identity — and its viewers. But Orlando’s WKCF-CW 18 has emerged as one of the netlet’s strongest affiliates. "The initial ratings were soft, we think, because of a lot of…
6 fights subpoena, plus other stuff
Attorneys for Local 6 filed a motion on Monday to quash a subpoena seeking the Doug Guetzloe files from Problem Solvers reporter Tony Pipitone. WKMG GM Henry Maldonado said the station is fighting the subpoena to "protect our right to investigate." More from the Orlando Sentinel … >> Southeast Polk…
Will Pipitone turn over Guetzloe files?
Local 6 Problem Solvers reporter Tony Pipitone has until 11 a.m. today to turn over the personal files he has for political consultant Doug Guetzloe. Orange-Osceola State Attorney Lawson Lamar’s subpoena ordered Pipitone to turn over 80 boxes of Guetzloe’s business and personal records. The files were given to Pipitone…
Going solo with Chioji — Will it work?
Is Wendy Chioji becoming the Katie Couric of Orlando? She will be the first woman to solo anchor a 6 p.m. newscast in Orlando when WESH’s anchor reassignments take effect Jan. 29. Channel 2 hopes to make "WESH 2 News at 6 with Wendy Chioji" a showcase for one of…
Changes also in weather at WESH
Perhaps overlooked in the shakeup of WESH’s anchors are the changes taking place in the WESH WeatherPlus storm center. Morning vet Tony Mainolfi is getting the prime evening newscasts, with Amy Sweezey shifting to the noon and 4 p.m. shows. Since longtime chief meteorologist Dave Marsh left in 2006, no…
Chioji confirms WESH anchor shakeup
WESH’s Wendy Chioji confirms the station’s reassignment of its anchors, including her role as solo anchor at 6 p.m. "I’m going to have a lot of creative control. I just love that," she told the Orlando Sentinel’s Hal Boedeker about the 6 p.m. newscast. Chioji says she will have a…
WESH prepares to swap anchors
Expect a complete makeover of Channel 2’s anchor assignments shortly, according to a WESH insider. Included will be a solo anchor shift at 6 p.m. for Wendy Chioji, a return to the 11 p.m. show by Jim Payne and a more prominent evening role for morning weather guy Tony Mainolfi….