You never know what — or who — you may find when channel surfing on a Sunday evening. Switching between the NFL Sunday night game and the 10 p.m. news, I came across shopping channel QVC — and former WKMG-Local 6 anchor Shawn Killinger. The former morning show host, who was in Orlando from 2002-05,…
O-Town Alumni
Was Jim Van Fleet criticizing Orlando, Fox 35 in interview?
I guess this one depends on your point of view. You can take some comments made by former WOFL-Fox 35 morning meteorologist Jim Van Fleet as either a diss at Orlando TV news or someone who’s just telling it like it is. In an interview with St. Petersburg Times TV writer Eric Deggans, Van Fleet was…
Former Channel 9 reporter Leland Vittert in hot water with Fox News
A lot of Orlando TV news folks move on to bigger and better gigs after O-Town. Some end up making some news themselves. That appears to be the case with former WFTV-Channel 9 reporter Leland Vittert. NewsBlues.com reports that Vittert — who was hired last year to cover the Middle East for Fox News Channel —…
Hurricane Irene: Orlando TV’s connection
A couple of notes from a weekend of TV news dominated by Hurricane Irene… HLN spent Saturday showing coverage from affiliate stations along the East Coast, including Norfolk’s WAVY-NBC 10. On the desk there was former WESH 2 anchor Tom Schaad — a veteran of Orlando’s hurricane-filled season of 2004. Meanwhile on Sunday, WFTV News…
Heidi Hatch, Todd Romero, Laura Diaz find new roles
Yes, Virginia — there really is life after Orlando TV, and here are some examples to prove it. Former Fox 35 morning anchor Heidi Hatch, who left the station in June, has landed at Salt Lake City’s KUTV. She’ll be anchoring a new 4 p.m. newscast at the CBS affiliate — with “Utah’s only all-female…
Former Orlando newsers talk about O-Town days
Orlando Sentinel TV Guy Hal Boedeker catches up with a group of O-Town TV alumni, asking about their days covering the news in Orlando. The roster includes CBS News’ Byron Pitts (1986-88 at WESH), CNN’s Jessica Yellin (1998-2000 at News 13), ABC News’ Deborah Roberts (1997-90 at WFTV), CBS News’ Wyatt Andrews (1977-79 at WFTV)…
Ex-WESH anchor Chioji: ‘Life’s never been so good’
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…
WFTV Eyewitness News won’t be going earlier
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…
O-Town news from out of town
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…
Former WESH anchor Walker stands up to BP
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…