It’s not enough that Orlando’s main TV stations have thrown out their networks morning and afternoon schedules to show the Casey Anthony trial. On Thursday night, WKMG bumped part of CBS’ prime-time lineup for a trial recap. Local 6’s Casey Anthony Special Report aired at 10 p.m., in the slot where a repeat of “The…
Tony Pipitone
Industry honors for WKMG’s Pipitone, WESH’s Delis
Belated congratulations to WKMG investigative reporter Tony Pipitone and WESH chief photographer Pete Delis. The two Orlando TV newsmen were honored with Regional Silver Circle Awards at the Suncoast Emmy Awards on Dec. 4 in Fort Lauderdale. The Silver Circle Award recognizes those people who have made significant contributions to television over a period of…
Walter Cronkite, the FBI and Orlando’s Channel 6
Could Orlando’s Channel 6 have been the site of one of the most unthinkable breaches of journalism ethics by the profession’s most trusted anchorman, Walter Cronkite? That’s what a FBI informant claimed in documents obtained by a Yahoo! News blogger in a Freedom of Information Act request. According to John Cook, senior national reporter/blogger for Yahoo! News,…
Powerball drawn a little late on Local 6
With all the hype about the arrival of the new Powerball lottery, WKMG missed the live drawing on Wednesday night. CBS was airing the People’s Choice Awards, and apparently it was running just a tad long. While the Powerball drawing was being shown live on WTMO-Telemundo 31, the credits were still rolling on the People’s…
Too many hugs for Casey Anthony? That’s what local stations say
Orlando’s local TV stations are so obsessed over Casey Anthony — especially now that it’s sweeps — maybe they just all need a hug? Sentinel TV Guy Hal Boedeker takes the local stations to task for overplaying a story about Anthony attorney Jose Baez hugging Casey twice while in jail. Boedeker wrote: “No way, Jose,” WFTV-Channel 9…
WESH’s ‘bland newscasts’ cited
"Bland newscasts [that] lack a distinctive style." That’s how Orlando Sentinel TV Critic Hal Boedeker characterizes WESH 2 News. It was part of a Sunday feature on the state of the city’s newscasts. He says top-rated WFTV "delivers fast-paced Eyewitness News with businesslike determination," and WKMG "has hit on a formula of offering reports that…
Guetzloe’s supporter strikes back at WKMG
Local 6 has been riding Tony Pipitone’s "The Guetzloe Files" as its showcase sweeps series this month. Now, a supporter of the political consultant is trying to get back at the station. She has created a Web site called www.boycottlocal6.com. The domain name was registered on Feb. 18. The woman who created it, Cheryl, said…
Local 6 wins appeal to air Guetzloe files
A week later than planned, WKMG on Monday night was able to air a report relating to "The Guetzloe Files." Those are the documents that once belonged to political consultant Doug Guetzloe — files handed over to Local 6’s Tony Pipitone from a man who bought them from a storage facility after Guetzloe didn’t pay…
6 may not get to show Guetzloe’s files
If you’ve watched Channel 6 during the past two weeks, you couldn’t have missed the promos for Tony Pipitone’s report about what’s in the personal files of political activist Doug Guetzloe. Since the station obtained the files, it’s been the most-hyped sweeps story — and it’s supposed to air on Monday’s 11 p.m. newscast. But…
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 County TV viewers will be…