LAS VEGAS, NV – DECEMBER 15: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump waves as he is introduced during the CNN presidential debate at The Venetian Las Vegas on December 15, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Thirteen Republican presidential candidates are participating in the fifth set of Republican presidential debates. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

By RODNEY HO, originally filed Thursday, December 24, 2015

Television nowadays isn’t necessarily watched on a TV anymore. Thanks to Netflix, Hulu and various on-demand streaming options, people are consuming video anywhere and everywhere.

And the amount of content has exploded. Just counting scripted series alone, FX tracked 409 this year, nearly double from 2009. This doesn’t include the hundreds of unscripted shows scattered all over.

Atlanta continues to solidify itself as a haven for TV production. I count 65 programs right now, from TV One’s “Born Again Virgin” to HGTV’s “Property Virgins,” from Fox’s “Sleepy Hollow” to BET’s “Being Mary Jane.”

On the local news front, Fox 5 showed gains against perennial kingpin Channel 2 Action News while CBS Atlanta’s near complete makeover has started to build momentum against third place 11 Alive.

Here is a quick year in review with a focus on Atlanta:

CNN goes huge on Donald Trump. Last  year was so Malaysia Airlines. As soon as Donald Trump entered the presidential race in June, the Atlanta-based cable network quickly turned into the Trump channel. And why not? His controversial statements were like media catnip. And debate ratings went  through the roof. (Yes, Charles Barkley, we got ya.) And even Trump thinks CNN gives him better coverage than Fox News.

Rick Grimes in a scene from the season 6 debut of “The Walking Dead.” CREDIT: Bravo

“The Walking Dead” keeps ambling along: Ever since this AMC drama debuted in 2010, it’s been the most popular show shot in metro Atlanta by a wide margin. Ratings rose each season from one to five, easily surpassing 20 million viewers a week at its peak. Finally, this fall with season six, the show showed signs of modest slippage. But it’s still a highly buzzworthy program as evidenced by the backlash when the show implied that long-time character Glenn had died. That ended up being a feint.

Stephany Fisher was cut from CBS46. CREDIT: CBS46

CBS Atlanta blown up: New management came in yet again and made the largest makeover in the station’s history. It dumped nearly all the anchors and a bulk of its staff in an effort to build a sustainable news operation that can break stories and help the news station climb out of the ratings basement. It also brought in a bunch of former journalists for a daily “Just a Minute” segment and created an investigative team.

Amanda Davis has remained out of the public’s eye since her latest DUI charge. CREDIT: Fox 5

Bad timing: The veteran former Fox 5 anchor Amanda Davis lost her job in 2013 after being arrested on a DUI charge. After she was deemed not guilty on that charge, she signed on with CBS Atlanta as a commentator for its “Just a Minute” team. Then the weekend before her first appearance on the station, she was pulled over yet again on accusations of drinking and driving. The station has allowed her to take a hiatus while she handles her personal business.

Jussie Smollett of “Empire” and I talk at Macy’s about his work with SeanJohn and (of course) “Empire.” CREDIT: Helen Kim Ho

“Empire” dominates: Atlanta became one of the biggest viewing cities for Fox’s hit drama “Empire” earlier this year. Ratings rose  every week season one, a phenomenon fueled by buzz and the over-the-top soapy antics of the fictional hip-hop Lyon family – especially Taraji P. Henson‘s tasty take on Cookie and an openly gay son played by Jussie Smollett. Under pressure to keep the OMG moments coming season two, the producers have had trouble maintaining the momentum and some fans have grumbled that the luster is already gone.

VH1 aired a special where the “Sorority Sisters’ cast defended themselves against critics of the show. CREDIT: VH1

“Sorority Sisters” backlash: VH1 a year ago debuted what seemed to be yet another “Real Housewives” knockoff that featured feuding black women who also happened to embrace their sorority connections. The black sororities went on an aggressive campaign to belittle the show and its participants. Some of the cast members were suspended or booted completely from their sororities for placing their organizations in a poor light. VH1 quietly buried the show, airing several episodes in a row on a Friday night. A show on Bravo involving parent organizations at a local school (“Mother Funders”) also faced community backlash, guaranteeing that show’s demise. In the meantime, WE-TV introduced shows such as “Cutting It in the ATL” and “Selling It in the ATL” with no backlash from the salon or real estate communities.

NeNe Leakes is joining an ABC reboot of the game show “To Tell the Truth.”

NeNe Leakes moves on: The final original “Real Housewives of Atlanta” cast member left after season seven. But she has plenty of other work to keep her going, including a panelist on a new ABC game show “To Tell the Truth,” guest critic on “Fashion Police” and a stint on Broadway. Her departure has left a leadership vacuum on the show in its current eight season, which Kenya Moore is eagerly trying to fill.

Weather Channel’s Sam Champion has left the morning show after two years and focus on primetime.

Weather Channel goes for the geek: As fewer casual viewers watch the Atlanta-based Weather Channel (and an effort to go mainstream with Sam Champion in the mornings failed to catch on), the network is embracing its hardcore fans with shows focused more on science. This includes a daily Weather Underground show and fewer reality programs.

Local reality competition success: This was a good year for metro Atlantans on reality competition shows. Blairsville’s Alan Kay took home $50,000 on History show’s ‘Alone” after spending 56 days all by himself. Atlanta’s Violet Chachki (above) won Logo’s “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Atlanta stand-up comic Clayton English pocketed NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” prize. A few others came close to victory including Edmond Newton (“Project Runway”), T. Gregoire (“Hell’s Kitchen”), the Craig Lewis Band (“America’s Got Talent”), Craig Foster (“Ink Master”) and Zach Seabaugh (“The Voice”). And the first transgender person competed on “Big Brother:” Villa Rica’s Audrey Middleton.

Jerry Seinfeld gets “sped up” on TBS to squeeze in more ads. CREDIT: Getty Images

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Thursday, December 31, 2015

It’s well known that radio stations will speed up talk shows such as Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity (primarily by shortening pauses) so they can squeeze in more ads or other content like news or traffic. Apparently, Atlanta-based TBS does the same thing with repeats of “Seinfeld.”

Someone below synced up the first few minutes of a regular “Seinfeld” episode on Hulu with a TBS version and almost immediately, you can see how the timing shifts. Obviously, to the naked eye, the changes aren’t so obvious that a viewer would notice – which is the point.

Apparently, it’s sped up enough to fit in two more minutes of ads per episode. This appears to be standard practice on many networks.

Already, older reruns are typically chopped because they are far longer than current run times. (The video below gives an example from “Everybody Loves Raymond.” Typically, shows now run about 21 minutes and 30 seconds. Back in the 1970s, it was more like 24 minutes.

And one thing that is noticeable to anybody who watches: show theme song openers are almost always trimmed down. The video reveals that TBS’s “Friends” opener is 26 seconds shorter than the original one that aired on NBC and Netflix.

***

NEW YORK, NY – MAY 15: NeNe Leakes attends the 2014 NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Upfronts at The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on May 15, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)

NeNe Leakes will join Carson Daly for his NBC New Year’s special tonight, along with Andy Cohen. Although NeNe is no longer a cast member of “Real Housewive of Atlanta,” NBCUniversal loves her to pieces. And given her Broadway ties, she will be in New York City tonight.

***

Rachel Stockman worked for Channel 2 Action News for three years. CREDIT: WSB-TV

Rachel Stockman, a reporter at Channel 2 Action News since 2012, told viewers on air earlier this week that she’s leaving for a new digital venture, where she’ll be a senior editor. Her last day was Monday.

WSB-TV and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution are both part of Cox Media Group.

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 10: Actor Chris Tucker (R) and Jarneen Brown attend the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Monday, January 11, 2016

Atlanta actor and comic Chris Tucker brought Atlanta’s own Jarneen Chaney Brown to the Golden Globes red carpet Sunday night.

But Getty Images, when sending out photos, misidentifed Brown as Fox 5 anchor Cynne Simpson. They do not look at all alike. I presume the person working on the captions googled “Chris Tucker girlfriend” and Simpon’s name came up. (I have fixed the caption manually above.)

This woman spent time on Twitter last night sending out corrections.

Simpson and Tucker appeared to be dating in 2014 but perhaps not anymore. Neither Tucker nor Simpson ever talked publicly about it but they did appear together at Kasim Reed’s annual Mayor’s Ball in late 2014.

At the time, Simpson was also wearing what appeared to be an engagement ring at the event. Sources at the time at Fox 5 told me they were engaged.

Simpson joined Fox 5 in 2013 and is now an evening anchor. She did a feature on Tucker for Fox 5 in November, 2013. Simpson worked at WGCL-TV for a brief time in the mid-2000s before anchoring in D.C. for several years.

Tucker declined to talk to me about Simpson last summer when he promoted his Netflix comedy special.

Brown identifies herself as an actor, model and singer on her Twitter page. She posted the photo above as her profile pic on her Facebook page and as of 7:26 a.m., it had 609 likes. On her Linkedin page, she said she is an attorney liaison at Atlanta Injury Centers. On that page, her summary notes: “I am a hard dedicated worker, who loves to serve and help others. My motto is ‘Work Hard and Play Later’!”

The revamped Channel 2 Action News set. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Later today for the 5 p.m. news, Channel 2 Action News will introduce a new set, its first change in a decade.

It’s not a radical redesign. The screens use a similar blue hue. The wood finish is familiar.

The station has been No. 1 in the market for decades so there is no reason to do anything to jar the viewers.

“We want to evolve Channel 2,” said Misti Turnbull, news director. “We didn’t want to reinvent Channel 2… We’ve always been very warm, very inviting. We felt like with the wood, we were able to modernize that but incorporate it into the look.”

Turnbull gave me a walk through of the new set earlier this week. She noted how the video screens are now more flexible. “These walls can separate and do different things,” Turnbull said. “We can do different graphic templates. The opportunities are endless. That curved layered wall in the back is seamless. It’s incredible. It’s beautiful. It looks even better on television. It pops!”

Justin Farmer, evening anchor since 2008, said he loves the new screens, “especially the seamless video board behind us that allows us to do some things visually we’ve never been able to do before. As local news evolves, it’s going to allow us utilize resources in new and effective ways.”

He also said the new lighting keeps the set cooler and are the more environmentally friendly LED lights. “It’s much less harsh and more natural,” Farmer said.

There’s also a new track camera for intros and exits and transitions. It scales the length of the set. “We wanted to show the bigness of the set,” Turnbull said. “We wanted a little bit of a wow factor that comes with that.”

A touch screen is available as well, though the newsroom won’t begin using it until later. “It’s something we’ll grow into,” Turnbull said.

The meteorologists have a new monitor wall and their work stations are closer to the action, which can be important during a breaking weather event.

“The improvements are more than cosmetic,” meteorologist Brad Nitz said. “We have much more flexibility to present information in ways that hasn’t been done before. Our viewers will notice expanded team coverage of severe weather as we move through the new presentation areas and expanded space.”

Turnbull admits the change isn’t going to create that much of a stir among viewers, that ultimately it’s about how they tell stories. The new set is just a tool in the toolbox to help tell those stories.

“We feel like people allow us into their homes every day,” she said. “So our set almost becomes part of their home. They’re inviting us. We want to make sure when they show up, we’re part of the family.”

All four metro Atlanta TV stations have revamped their sets in the past three years.

Michael Castengera, a senior lecturer at the University of Georgia who teaches television news and a consultant for TV stations nationwide (but none in Atlanta), is not surprised WSB-TV was the last one to do so.

“They’re so strong, they were in a position to wait a bit longer,” Castengera said. “But there is always a point where a set can look dated compared to their competitors and potentially become a negative. Even WSB has to keep up with the Jones.”

John Deushane, the general manager at 11 Alive, said there is a perpetual debate in local news circles about a set’s import.

“It’s always going to be about content,” Deushane said by email. “However, it’s sometimes important to take a look at how it’s being presented.”

When the NBC affiliate made its set change in 2013, management wanted to create a “multi-purpose environment” to showcase stories in different ways. That means not always having the anchors behind a desk with a cityscape behind them. Anchors sometimes now stand instead of sit.

“It’s all about interactivity,” said Castengera, the media consultant. “They want to give viewers more sense of involvement. Anchors move around more. Gone are the old days of a guy just sitting there.”

I sat in Jovita Moore’s seat on Monday, the day before the relaunch. CREDIT: Steve Riley

This is what Jovita Moore will set when she sits for the evening news. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com

The old set. CREDIT: Channel 2 Action News

The old set was moved to another studio temporarily in November. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/ rho@ajc.com

Another angle showing the area where Glenn Burns and the other meteorologist will spend their time during big weather events. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/ rho@ajc.com

The tracking camera that can move up and down and side to side. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/ rho@ajc.com

Chesley McNeil, an 11 Alive meteorologist since 2009, and Christopher “Crash” Clark, who has been with 11 Alive covering traffic since early 2014. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/ rho@ajc.com

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Thursday, February 4, 2016

Traffic keeps getting worse in metro Atlanta. Rush hours stretch out from pre-dawn to well after dark on some roads with nary a break. And for morning TV stations, traffic is a key component of its newscast.

Last month, 11 Alive brought in an upgraded 3D traffic and weather information system that better integrates the two. Live weather radar can now be seamlessly placed over traffic maps.

The new system features thousands of GPS speed sensors to provide real-time speed and travel information. It can also offer more accurate time estimates on alternate surface street routes when the highways get clogged.

Christopher “Crash” Clark has been with 11 Alive the past two years. He began providing traffic to radio stations all the way back in 1989. (Over the years, he’s been heard on Hot 97.5, 99X, Q100 and V-103, to name a few.)

“I started writing a map on a piece of paper,” he said. “I had a clipboard with looseleaf paper. I’d draw a circle and that was the Perimeter. Then I’d draw a straight line for I-20 and the split for 75/85. It was my template for the wrecks and stalls.”

Now he – along with fellow traffic guy Fred McFarlin – can zoom in on accidents anywhere in metro Atlanta, check highway speeds and work with meteorologist Chesley McNeilwhen weather is a factor.

This is an effort by 11 Alive, which is typically in third place in the market, to compete in an arena top-rated station Channel 2 Action News has dominated for decades. (WSB just renovated its set. Read my story about that here.)

Amanda Davis agreed to one-year probation after her 2015 DUI case. CREDIT: Fox 5

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Former Fox 5 anchor Amanda Davis received a one-year probation and 40 hours of community service after a DUI charge last June, according to a sentencing order from the State Court of Cobb County.

I was not keeping up with the case in a very timely fashion because this sentencing agreement, which I picked up this morning, was signed on November 4, 2015.

This was the third DUI charge for Davis in metro Atlanta. Her first was more than 20 years ago. She was last charged with a DUI in 2012 that was ultimately dismissed. But the case may have cost her her job with Fox 5 after 26 years in 2013.

Last spring, CBS 46 hired her and several other former journalists to do occasional “Just a Minute” commentaries. On the day her first “Just a Minute” commentary was set to air, she was arrested for a DUI in Cobb County.

The June 15, 2015 police report didn’t provide a lot of details:

“I observed a Mercedes E350 fail to maintain a single lane of travel on Atlanta Road southbound prior to Cumberland Pkwy.,” the arresting officer wrote in the report. “The driver of the vehicle, Amanda Davis, was placed under arrest for DUI after I conducted an investigation.”

Her commentary never aired and she chose to take a leave of absence. CBS46 has not put her back in the rotation.

“We’re aware of the disposition,” wrote CBS46 news manager Larry Perret. “We’re waiting for Amanda to let us know when she is ready to start her ‘Just A Minute’ segments.”

In the disposition, Davis pled to a DUI under the category “less safe.”

Local DUI attorney George Stein, who was not involved with the case, said “less safe” means “she was under the influence and that she was impaired. They use that count when someone refuses to take a breath test so they have a vehicle to convict based on what the officer observes.”

He said the punishment was typical for a person who hasn’t had a DUI in at least five years. (Her 2012 case didn’t count since it was thrown out.)

Davis and her attorney William Head did not respond to calls for comment.

Three other counts involving use of drugs and alcohol and failure to maintain lane were dismissed.

Her probation requires her to attend DUI school and receive alcohol and drug dependency rehabilitation, which she had already completed prior to the November disposition.

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Friday, February 12, 2016

Jocelyn Dorsey was the first regularly scheduled black female anchor on Atlanta TV in the early 1970s on Channel 2 Action News (WSB-TV).

If you thought it was Monica Pearson, you’d be mistaken. Pearson became the first black female evening anchor in 1975.

And given Dorsey’s collective contributions to the station and the Atlanta community at large over 43 years,  the Georgia Association of Broadcasters is inducting Dorsey into its hall of fame at the University of Georgia on Friday.

Dorsey, who grew up and went to college in Ohio, worked on air as a reporter/anchor at Channel 2 Action News (WSB-TV) for 10 years. She joined the station in 1973 in her early 20s and was given anchor duties less than a year into her time. She covered Atlanta mayor Maynard Jackson‘s election and they became friends.

“I was a Northerner but once people knew I had that connection,” she said in a recent interview, “I was accepted more.”

Jocelyn Dorsey in the 1970s.

When Pearson arrived as evening anchor in 1975, the two women got along well. “Everyone tried to compare us,” Dorsey said. “We didn’t let that happen. There were too few of us at the time.” (She said she never had a deep ambition to be an evening anchor: “The only incentive for me would have been pay.” )

By 1983, she said she wanted to get into management, where she felt she could have more influence. “I wanted to be judged on my competency more than how I looked or what I wore,” she said.

She began running WSB-TV’s public affairs and local programming department. She’s produced local TV shows in the 1980s on issues such as transportation and public safety. She’s overseen hundreds of public service announcements. She wrote editorials for news managers. (“It was fun taking stands on issues.”) She’s organized political debates. She’s run the charity-based Family 2 Family Project.

And 33 years later, she remains what former sportscaster Chuck Dowdle dubs the “backbone” of WSB-TV.

“I’m gratified to see how television can really be used for the good of the community in raising money for charity,” Dorsey said. “When we do public service announcements or stories on People 2 People, the community responds.”

Over the years, she has been on the boards of the Atlanta Children’s Shelter, the Special Olympics, the Children’s Restoration Network, Thanks Mom and Dad and the Atlanta Urban League, to name a few. She convinces TV staff to help out at charity events and fundraisers. And staff say it’s hard to say no to her.

“She turned the public affairs department into a force to be reckoned with,” Pearson said. “Before that, it was just something to do to fulfill the FCC requirements.”

Reporter Mark Winne, who joined WSB-TV in 1986, is one of her biggest fans:

She’s found her calling in life, the way to use the distinctive suite of gifts God has given her in a way that serves others, and at the same time she makes a living doing it. She lives and breathes the work, rolling up her sleeves and sticking her arms all the way into the dirt to plant, harvest and plant again, year in, year out. She brings zest and joy to it. She digs new technology and she uses it, but her keen people sense has enabled her to be such an effective steward of the considerable resources WSBTV invests in the community. She is a personal heroine and role model and I think she may have the best– and in some ways toughest– job in Atlanta television.

Dorsey said she enjoys covering local community feel-good news on her weekly People 2 People program, which airs Saturdays at 5:30 a.m. and Sundays at 12:30 p.m.

She is not sure when she plans to retire but at age 65, she knows the time is getting closer. She is an avid motorcycle rider and would love to travel the country on a Harley before she gets too old to do so.

“All my friends are retiring,” she said. “When they say they’re going to Maine or Colorado, I say, ‘I can’t go!’ ”

In 2007, Dorsey rode this Harley from Alaska to Key West for the Special Olympics.

Dorsey in the 1990s.

(clockwise from top left) Donna Lowry, Keith Whitney, Kevin Rowson, Bill Liss. CREDIT: 11 Alive

By RODNEY HO, originally filed Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Several 11 Alive staffers have been offered early retirement buyouts by parent company Tegna, according to multiple sources. Among the on-air veterans who might leave soon include Keith Whitney, Bill Liss, Donna Lowry and Kevin Rowson.

The buyouts are being offered to workers ages 55 and up with at least 15 years of service nationwide. Station management didn’t respond for comment.

This doesn’t mean employees necessarily have to take the buyout but if not enough people do so, employees may get laid off.

Whitney anchors weekend newscasts and has been with the station for about 23 years. Rowson has been part of WXIA-TV since 1994. Liss came on board in 1989. Lowry, who specializes in education arrived at Alive in 1986.

***

Cassiday Proctor of Star 94 last Friday hosted the Curing Kids Cancer fundraiser at the College Radio Hall of Fame where a 12-year-old cancer survivor and Dacula resident Reece McPhail wanted a date with pop star Selena Gomez. He even requested her time on this video:

Gomez couldn’t make it but was nice enough to send along this video:

And here is the Drex, Cassiday and Tingle morning show (soon to be the afternoon show next month) talking about it:

***

Belinda Skelton with her former boss Neal Boortz in 2012. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/ rho@ajc.com

News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB weekend host Belinda Skelton has shingles. She reported the news on her FB feed with a joke:

Stress is no joke folks. I was just diagnosed with Shingles. You know what would make me feel better? If Terry Bradshaw came and sat on the sofa with me.

Skelton’s Saturday lifestyle radio show is heard Saturdays from 1 to 3 p.m. on WSB.

WSB and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution are both part of Cox Media Group.

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Monday, March 14, 2016

Channel 2 Action News chief meteorologist Glenn Burns underwent heart surgery earlier this month and is now recuperating at home.

He had surgery a week ago and left the hospital today.

His doctor during a regular check up earlier this year heard a heart murmur and decided to check out what was going on.

“I get a physical every year and I’ve had a clean bill of health,” Burns told WSB-TV. “This last physical, the doctor was listening to my chest and he said, ‘I don’t like the sound of that.’ And I’m going, ‘Whoa, what do you mean? I’m in good shape and what is going on?’ He said, ‘Well, I want to do a couple of tests.’”

The doctors discovered a significant leak in one of Burns’ aortic valves that had to be replaced with a pig valve.

WSB-TV broke the news earlier today on its website and aired a report today during its 5 p.m. newscast. Before the surgery, Burns talked to anchor Jovita Moore about how doctors caught the problem. He said the procedure typically takes three to five hours. Surgeon Dr. Randy Martin, he said, told him this type of open-heart surgery is considered “big boy surgery.” (Dr. Edward Chen, thoracic aortic surgeon at Emory Saint Joseph’s performed Glenn’s surgery.)

If it hadn’t been caught so early, Burns said, “it could have resulted in death. That’s how serious it is.”

“Don’t be impatient,” said anchor Justin Farmer on air directly to Burns. “Chill out so catch up on some books!”

“Already today, Channel 2 Action News viewers are pouring in love and support for Glenn,” said Misti Turnbull, news director. “We are very grateful to the doctors who took care of him and all the viewers who are supporting him as he heals at home.”

Added Tim McVay, vice president and general manager at WSB-TV: “We are most thankful that Glenn is home and recovering well. He is already anxious to be back on Channel 2 and serving our viewers. He wants viewers to remember to get their check-ups. Glenn is a very active, trim, and fit adult so this really shows why it is so important for everyone to get their physical.”

On Burns’ public Facebook page, someone recently posted this update:

Friends: Glenn wanted to make sure you, specifically, heard this news. He’s home recovering and is quite proud of the beard he grew last week. We’ll be updating you on his recovery, but he also hopes to have the strength to return your messages sometime soon. He’s certainly going to read every last one!

Thank you for your continued support,
Team Glenn

Burns has been with WSB-TV since 1981.

WSB-TV and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution are both part of Cox Media Group.

Steve Harvey is host to a kids talent show called “Little Big Shots.” CREDIT: NBC

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Tuesday, March 15, 2016

NBC has given Steve Harvey’s “Little Big Shots” a quick renewal after just two airings.

His uncanny ability to kibitz with regular folks (and in this case, kids) is what makes people watch.

“Little Big Shots” opened with massive numbers in its new time slot Sunday night after debuting huge after “The Voice” last Tuesday.

The show about child prodigies averaged 14.8 million overnight viewers Sunday night and a 2.8 rating with 18-49 demographics.

The part-time Atlanta resident now has four shows on his busy docket: “The Steve Harvey Show,” “Family Feud,” “Celebrity Family Feud” and “Little Big Shots.”

***

News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB last month continues to ride high with election news as it landed No. 1 for the second month in a row with a 9.1 share, according to Nielsen Audio ratings.

In fact, that’s the highest monthly share WSB has ever received since Nielsen began using people meter measurements in 2009.

V-103 remained at the top among 18 to 34 year olds and 25 to 54  year olds.

With football over, both 92.9/The Game and 93.7/680 The Fan fell off with the Game losing far more audience, dropping from a 3.4 to a 2.1.

Among pop stations, B98.5 was on top among both total listeners (5.5, fourth place) and 25 to 54 year olds (5.4, fifth place). In overall listeners, B98.5 beat out Power (4.7), Star (3.9) and Q100 (3.6).

Q100, in fact, had its worst month since November, 2009, a span of more than six  years. Since the Bert Show lost Jeff Dauler in November, its ratings have taken a fall. Is it temporary or something more serious? Too early to say.

A year ago, the Bert Show drew a 9.6 share (No. 1) among 25 to 54 year olds and a 13.3 (No. 1) among 18 to 34 year olds. Last month? The show finished in fifth with a 5.4 share among 25 to 54 year olds, a drop of 44 percent and third with a 7.3 share among 18 to 34 year olds, a fall off of 45 percent vs. a year ago.

The new Jeff Dauler and Jenn Hobby show on Star 94 debuted too late to be reflected in this book. Same with Scotty Kay’s sudden departure on Power 96.1. The addition of Tad Lemire on B98.5’s morning show didn’t hurt: in his first full month, the show jumped from a 3.2 to a 4.2 share among 18 to 34 year olds, ranked seventh.

***

CNN last year deliberately ramped up its political team for the 2016 election not just on its cable network but online as well.

Adweek wrote a story about CNN’s efforts.

To ramp up CNN Politics in a digital space dominated by sites like The Washington Post, Politico and The Hill, CNN went on a hiring spree—doubling the size of its staff and tapping 45 journalists from 15 competitors, including Politico, The New York Times and Mic. “The goal of this team was and is simple: break news, craft narrative-defining enterprise and create smart, original premium video—all of which can have the benefit, but not primary objective, of being reverse-engineered to television,” says O’Keefe.

At CNN Politics, they think of it as digital first, TV soon after.

***

John Long, who runs the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame in St. Mary’s, has more radio memorabilia than he can display. “We’ve got to grow. We are actively looking for larger space,” he said. “The response to the museum has been overwhelming.”

If anyone in Atlanta is interested in providing space, email John at thegrhof@gmail.com.

***

Jeff Elliott worked at B98.5 from 2014 through early this year. CREDIT; CatMax Photography

Former B98.5 morning host Jeff Elliott quickly landed on his feet just weeks after he left the air on the station, landing a gig in Fort Myers, FL. He starts as new morning host Wednesday, March 16 at 96.9/WINK-FM in Ft. Myers, FL, a station similar to B98.5.

“I’m looking forward to getting out of the corporate mud bog and working with a great family-run group of TV and radio stations,” he wrote on Facebook, referencing the Fort Myers Broadcasting Company which owns WINK.

Prior to his two years at B98.5, Elliott has worked at stations in West Palm Beach, Dallas and Rochester, to name a few.

B98.5, WSB and the Atlanta Journal Constitution are all part of Cox Media Group.

Mark Arum, a long-time talk show host and traffic reporter for WSB Radio, will get his own weekday talk show starting Jan. 20 from 10 p.m. to midnight. CREDIT: WSB

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Mark Arum, the long-time traffic reporter for Channel 2 Action News, was saddened when A Tribe Called Quest rapper Phife Dawg died of complications from diabetes earlier today.

So he inserted – Easter egg style – lyrics from the band into his traffic reports this morning.

“They were the soundtrack of my youth,” the 42 year old texted me this evening before his night show on News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB.

He spent his two-hour show from 10 p.m. to midnight highlighting the legendary hip-hop singer.

“One of the big influencers of my life,” Arum said on his show.

I saw it first trending on Facebook, with a link to a Billboard magazine highlighting his work.

Later, Mashable and Buzzfeed, the arbiters of “viral,” picked it up as well.

Other tributes to Phife Dawg on AJC Music Scene

Arum, who sleeps during the day, woke up Wednesday to a hundred texts about the video.

He said the only thing he said that didn’t quite tie in with traffic was “Do-dat-do-dat-do-do-dat-dat-dat” but he did it anyway. The bosses clearly didn’t mind.

WSB-TV even offered up this video compilation and it went viral:

“That was the dopest things I’ve ever seen on local news,” said one of his fans on the radio.

WSB-TV, WSB radio and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution are all part of Cox Media Group.

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally Thursday, March 31, 2016

A local news TV blog that goes by Atlanta TV Talk (suspiciously similar to the name of my blog by the way) speculated yesterday that 11 Alive must have fired its chief meteorologist Chris Holcomb based on two pieces of “evidence”: his page was not available on line and the station was seeking a new meteorologist.

Whoops. Not true.

The 11 Alive website was having some software bugs that caused Holcomb’s page and others to disappear. And the new meteorologist position is not to replace Holcomb but an addition to staff.

So in this case, two plus two did not equal a firing – at least from 11 Alive.

Instead, the blog posted this news, without referencing the author of the post:

UPDATE: Well, we no longer have one writer on staff. This story was posted without approval from the editor. 11Alive has confirmed that Chris Holcomb IS NOT leaving the station. We reviewed this post and have concluded that it was not reasonable speculation. In no way were we trying to create tension at 11Alive and we congratulate Chris on his upcoming 25 years at the station and the pioneering he is doing in the Atlanta market!

11 Alive’s Julie Wolfe even wrote a slightly tongue-in-cheek story about this non news in which she quoted herself:

“If you work on the cutting edge, sometimes you’re going to bleed,” 11Alive Director of Social Media Julie Wolfe said. “We’re constantly working to be innovative and creative. And that includes turning this rumor into a chance to love on Chris Holcolmb.” (Yes, that’s a direct quote from me.)

Holcomb, when he found out about the false rumor, told his own station that he got nervous – for a second:

“I knew that,” Holcomb said. “Well, I was pretty sure.”

John Deushane, the general manager, said Holcomb was in fact the station’s employee of the year in 2015. Chances of him getting fired: less than a metro area blizzard in July.

Donna Lowry has been with 11 Alive since 1986.

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Multiple sources from inside 11 Alive have told me that three veteran journalists are taking a buyout: Keith Whitney, Kevin Rowson and Donna Lowry.

Collectively, the three have worked there 75 years.

The deal was offered to Tegna employees nationwide 55 and older with at least 15 years at the company. They were given two weeks for every year employed with Tegna.

Whitney anchors weekend newscasts and has been with the station for about 23 years. Rowson has been part of WXIA-TV since 1994. Lowry, who specializes in education, arrived at 11Alive in 1986.

Bill Liss, who joined 11 Alive in 1989, was eligible but chose not to take the offer.

Jon Shirek (who came in 1979) and Jerry Carnes (who arrived in 1988) were not offered the buyout but have been one-man bands and shooting their own stuff for several years.

At least four photographers and a couple of others in the office also opted for the buyout. TV stations are employing more folks who are able to shoot their own stories without a photographer.

There is a retirement party scheduled for the end of the month.

Glenn Burns hopes to return to Channel 2 Action News on Monday, six weeks after open-heart surgery. CREDIT: WSB-TV

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Channel 2 Action News chief meteorologist Glenn Burns, in an exclusive interview, said Tuesday that he hopes to return on air Monday, April 17, six weeks after he had open-heart surgery to replace an aortic valve.

Burns, who joined WSB-TV 35 years ago, will not work full time the first few days, he said, easing himself in with just the 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts.

Despite some complications early on that required several days in ICU and the installment of a pacemaker, he said he has been steadily improving.  Still, he’s hardly ready to run a marathon.

“It’s extremely uncomfortable,” Burns said. “I was kind of wired shut. I can’t lift my arms over my head. I can’t lift anything more than five pounds.”

The discomfort means only three or four hours a night of meaningful sleep so far. He has also grown a beard he plans to shave off before he goes on air and has lost 15 pounds, much of it muscle mass. He is trying to eat regularly to gain back the pounds but he said he’ll begin physical therapy soon to get himself back into shape. “I don’t even recognize myself!” he said.

He remains mentally active, tracking the weather as always, posting reports on Facebook. He also received a couple of cute Cocker Spaniel puppies on Sunday as a distraction.

“It’s weird,” he said. “Your body and brain are not coordinated. My brain says, ‘Let’s do this and do that.’ My body says, ‘No, no wait a minute!’ ”

He wanted to return to work today (as in Wednesday) but said he over-exerted himself over the weekend and decided to take a few more days off. “I get waves of fatigue and dizziness,” he said. And he feels depressed at times, as well, which he is told is normal given what had happened to him.

Burns gives his wife of 40 years Susan a lot of credit for helping him recuperate. “She’s very patient,” he said.

Burns was having a routine check up last year when his primary physician Dr. C. Andy Brown at Piedmont Hospital noted a strange sound in his heart. After many tests, they found a damaged aortic valve that could have become damaged beyond repair if he had waited longer.

Dr. Randy Martin opened up his chest March 7 and gave him a pig aortic valve as a replacement. A week later, once he was out of the hospital, Burns went public with his health news.

He hopes what happened to him encourages men to get their annual check ups. It could save your life.

WSB-TV and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution are both part of the Cox Media Group.

By Jill Vejnoska

“It’s a beautiful day today. We can see a beautiful blue sky and lots of sunshine . . . “

And with those words uttered a little past 4 p.m. Monday, beloved Channel 2 Action News chief meteorologist Glenn Burns was back on the air.

PAST COVERAGE: Glenn Burns reveals he’s recovering from heart surgery .. Glenn Burns prepares to return following his recovery

Glenn Burns, right, with colleague Brad Nitz, has returned to Channel 2 Action News. AJC photo/Ben Gray

He was talking about the Atlanta weather outside, of course. But Burns, who’d been away for exactly six weeks following open heart surgery, might just as well have been discussing the upbeat atmosphere inside WSB-TV’s Midtown studios as well.

For the past few hours, as Burns had gotten back into the swing of studying long-range forecasts and thinking about promos, he’d constantly been sought out by colleagues who swept him into heartfelt embraces. And it continued during the 4 p.m. newscast, when Burns co-anchors Craig Lucie and Erin Coleman at the anchor desk for an on-air chat before he talked about the weather for the first time.

“I’m feeling great,” Burns said in response to a question from Coleman.

“The beard was great,” he concurred with Lucie, who’d teasingly referred to the beard Burns had grown during his convalescence, which 80 percent of people responding to a Twitter poll had said he should keep (Alas, Burns shaved it off Sunday night).

Glenn Burns is back! (But the beard, alas, is gone). WSB photo

Burns also took the time to address the overwhelming support, beard-related and otherwise, he’d received from the public.

“It’s so wonderful to be back and I want to really thank everybody for your cards, your well-wishes, your prayers,” he said. “It really helped.”

He knew he had to acknowledge what he’d been through and all the positive feedback he’d received, Burns confided in an interview some 90 minutes before that first newscast. He also admitted to being a bit nervous.

“I’m hoping I remember how to do everything,” said Burns, who’s been at WSB for 35 years. “This is a whole new experience I’m going into.”

It had less to do with discussing high-pressure fronts than appreciating second chances.
“I’m not taking anything for granted anymore,” Burns said, his voice catching slightly. “I’m going to be savoring every moment out there.”

It was six weeks ago today that he underwent open heart surgery to replace a faulty aortic valve. The condition was causing his heart to enlarge and could have led to serious, even life-threatening damage down the road.

That first surgery went well, but days later, Burns developed what’s called a “heart block.” The top of his heart was beating differently from the bottom part. So it was back into surgery, where the veteran meteorologist had a pacemaker installed.

Here’s a video compilation of Snapchat posts we captured during Burns’ triumphant day back:

His recuperation was full of physical surprises, among them extreme fatigue and weight loss.
“I used to work out all the time, but five weeks later I looked in the mirror and said, ‘Who’s that guy,’” Burns said as he sat at a bank of weather computers alongside fellow meteorologist Brad Nitz. “And then your brain is at odds with your body at times.”
Nitz grinned.

“Do you still remember how to do a forecast?” he wisecracked.

Even more stunning — and heartening — to Burns was the outpouring of concern and affection from viewers and others. Always cool and collected when discussing even the worst weather, Burns on Monday nearly choked up in talking about all the cards, emails and supportive Facebook posts he’d received.

“I’ve always wanted to help people in times of crisis,” Burns said. “And they turned around and helped me this time.”

His doctors had wanted him to wait until next week to come back to work, but Burns, who’ll appear on the 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts initially, had pushed for Monday. The 2 p.m. news meeting had erupted into spontaneous applause when he  turned up, clean-shaven and accompanied by his weather colleagues Nitz, Karen Minton and Brian Monahan. A celebratory cooler of popsicles was rolled out, Burns exchanged some jokes and heartfelt good wishes with everyone assembled in the newsroom, and then, he uttered the words that made it clear he was back on the job.

“Let’s go do some promos!”

By Bo Emerson

Atlanta radio honored the revolutionary recording artist, songwriter, bandleader and performer Prince as the news spread Thursday of the Minneapolis musician’s death.

Radio station V-103 played music by Prince while host Ryan Cameron talked with those mourning the artist’s passing. Atlanta musician Ne-Yo became choked up, telling Cameron, “There would be no Ne-Yo without Prince.”

Getty Images

Cameron began his show with “Sometimes it Snows in April,” a Prince song with lyrics that reflect on death in the midst of beauty:

“Sometimes it snows in April

Sometimes I feel so bad, so bad

Sometimes I wish life was never ending,

And all good things, they say, never last.”

Longtime Atlanta radio host Mara Davis thanked V-103 for playing Prince’s music Thursday (it was apparently among the few that did) and wrote on Twitter “Every #‎radio station should be playing non stop #‎prince. Voice of a generation who broke genre barriers. Major music moment. #‎RIPPrince.”

Radio station WRDA, 105.7, planned a Prince tribute show for 5 p.m. Thursday, and Prince fans shared their reactions on social media.

Public radio station WABE posted a celebration of Prince that began “The man born Prince Rogers Nelson stood just 5 feet, 2 inches and seemed to summon the most original and compelling sounds at will, whether playing guitar in a flamboyant style that openly drew upon Jimi Hendrix, switching his vocals from a nasally scream to an erotic falsetto or turning out album after album of stunningly original material.”

Prince’s performances April 14 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta were among the last shows of his life. He had been scheduled to perform April 7 but postponed the shows due to illness, rescheduling them for a time just one week later.

Radio personality Celeste Headlee, host of “On Second Thought,” mornings on WGPB, 85.5, described Prince’s final show to People magazine: “He started the concert with an apology. He said he was sorry for canceling the week before. But he gave an incredible performance with at least four encores,” Headlee told People. “There was a tiny bit of gravel in his voice from time to time, but that was the only indication that he’d felt ill the week before.”

Headlee said “He left everything on the stage, like he always did.”

On Twitter, Headlee wrote “What other artist could command the stage like that with just a piano & the power of his voice?”

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Wednesday, April 27, 2016

I’m at the end of a two-week vacation in Japan and Korea, still at the airport in Seoul. I missed Prince‘s death, the Kelly Ripa-Michael Strahan brouhaha, Frank Ski’s return to V-103 and former 11 Alive anchor Chuck Moore‘s passing. But I didn’t really miss anything. They have Internet overseas, of course. I just didn’t write anything. So now it’s time for catch up. First up:

“Good Day Atlanta” Gurvir Dhindsa has left Fox 5 after five years as a co-anchor. Her final day was last Friday.

A Fox spokeswoman said Dhindsa left voluntarily and provided this statement:

“We thank Gurvir for her service to ‘Good Day Atlanta’ and our viewers. We wish her well in the future.”

Fox may have offered her an early retirement package, which are available for employees 55 and older. Dhindsa is around that age.

This is actually Dhindsa’s second stint at “Good Day Atlanta.” She was there from 1997 to 2000 as well.

“I’ve decided the time is right for me to leave FOX 5,” Dhindsa wrote on her Facebook page last Thursday, April 21. “Tomorrow will be my last day. I’ve so enjoyed the chance to be with you each morning on Good Day Atlanta. The friendships I’ve made with all of you and our Good Day team have been such a blessing. I’ve shared with you my love of family and I’m looking forward to spending more time with them. Thank you for your support and God Bless.”

What her next plans are are unclear. She has not returned interview requests via Facebook and text.

She replaced Suchita Vadlamani, who left broadcast journalism and is now married with a child.

“Good Day Atlanta” has had strong ratings throughout her second run there.

The remaining “Good Day Atlanta’ team is traffic anchor Katie Beasley , meteorologist Joanne Feldman, and news anchors Ron Gant, Karen Graham and Buck Lanford.

Between her two stints at WAGA-TV, Dhindsa worked in D.C.

Charter subscribers in metro Atlanta might not be able to see CBS shows like the “Big Bang Theory” if the CBS affiliate WGCL-TV can’t come an agreement with Charter by the end of the month. CREDIT: CBS

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Thursday, April 28, 2016

Charter Cable subscribers might lose access to the Atlanta CBS affiliate WGCL-TV May 1 if the two sides can’t come to a new agreement.

This means the disappearance of “NCIS,” “Survivor,” “60 Minutes” and “The Big Bang Theory,” among others. And that means no Jennifer Valdez, Paul Ossmann, Fred Kalil or Karyn Greer for local news buffs who get Charter.

Charter has about 150,000 subscribers primarily in north Georgia, said WGCL General Manager Mark Pimental.

WGCL will still be available over-the-air and from all other cable and satellite companies serving Atlanta, including Comcast, DirecTV, Dish Network or AT&T U-verse.

WGCL said in a press release that it has been trying for months to get Charter to negotiate in good faith

“Even the biggest cable companies shouldn’t be able to ignore their customers,” Pimental said. “Charter should focus on keeping WGCL in its lineup while it works on its mergers.”

Pimental said, if you are a Charter customer, you can help #BringCharterCableToTheTable by calling Charter at 1-877-906-9121.

He said to me today that WGCl owners Meredith Corp. continues to negotiate and they still hope to come up with a deal that won’t cause a blackout for Charter customers.

A Charter spokesman did not respond to a voicemail or email request for comment.

Cable and satellite companies pay fees to air TV networks, usually at pennies per month per customer. The loss of customers who have cut the cord or chosen not to sign up at all for these services has started impacting the bottom line for both sides.

Donna Lowery and Keith Whitney at TavernPointe Friday, April 29, 2016 for a big 11 Alive retirement party. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Sunday, May 1, 2016

11 Alive employees past and present showed up Friday evening to fete 15 departing WXIA-TV employees who took a recent early retirement package.

At Tavernpointe, a stone’s throw from 11 Alive’s old headquarters in Midtown, 11 Alive reporter Doug Richards gathered what former reporter Paul Crawley dubbed the largest gathering of 11 Alive alum in his memory. Some traveled in from out of state to be there. Collectively, the news experience in that restaurant spanned more than 1,000 years.

Among those who came by: 11 Alive anchors Brenda Wood and Valerie Hoff; current reporters Matt Pearl, Jennifer Leslie, Jaye Watson, Jerry Carnes and Bill Liss; meteorologist Chesley McNeil, former sports anchors Fred Kalil and Randy Waters, retired anchor John Pruitt, beloved former meteorologist Johnny Beckman, chopper/reporter veteran Bruce Erion, former news director and current CBS Atlanta GM Mark Pimental, former community specialist Evelyn Mims, former sports anchor Joe Washington and former reporter Kay Flowers.

Keith Whitney, who came to the station 23 years ago and took the retirement package, said he was initially reluctant to show up, saying he was not a big fan of parties. But ultimately, he said had a good time because so many old-timers came by. At age 55, he just made the cut for the early retirement package and plans to find another job.

Donna Lowry, who looks like she’s in her 30s but is actually in her 50s, had been at 11 Alive as an education reporter for a whopping three decades. She took the buyout as well. She said she had a tough time the last week, the sentimentality washing over her. “It’s an amazing journey to be in this business at the same place for 30 years,” she said. During that final week, “I cried again and again. It was waterworks! It’s bittersweet.”

She plans to do media consulting and possibly go into teaching.

Kevin Rowson, 62, who joined 11 Alive in 1994, said he has post-11 Alive plans but can’t reveal them just yet. He said he is deeply grateful for how the station treated him. “They allowed me to do what I love, which is tell stories,” Rowson said. “I especially enjoyed crime stories. They appreciated that and supported me.”

Bill Liss, veteran 11 Alive reporter, chose not to take the buyout. He joins John Pruitt, who spent 12 years at 11 Alive before closing out his career at Channel 2 Action News. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/ rho@ajc.com

Kevin Rowson, who took the buyout, with 11Alive veteran anchor Brenda Wood. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/ rho@ajc.com

Former 11 Alive broadcaster Kay Flowers (1988-2007), Creaxion president and CBS Atlanta contributor Mark Pettit (1988-1991) and existing on-air anchor/reporter Valerie Hoff. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com

Bruce Erion, the chopper pilot and reporter from 1982 to 1999 at 11 Alive, with meteorologist Johnny Beckman (1982-1994). CREDIT: Rodney Ho/ rho@ajc.com

11Alive reporters Matt Pearl and Jerry Carnes with departing Donna Lowry. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com

Paul Crawley, who retired in 2014 after 36 years at 11 Alive, with Eric Ludgood, who is now assistant news director at Fox 5 but worked at 11 Alive years ago. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/ rho@ajc.com

Jez De Wolff, consumer marketing manager at Cox Automoative who used to work at Adult Swim, and her husband and intrepid 11 Alive reporter Doug Richards, the organizer of the party. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/ rho@ajc.com

Fred Kalil, who worked at 11 Alive for nearly 23 years and is now a sports anchor at CBS Atlanta, with his sports predecessor at 11 Alive Joe Washington. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/ rho@ajc.com

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Monday, May 2, 2016

Fox 5 has decided not to renew Lisa Rayam’s contract, according to six different unnamed sources. My information came from former Fox 5 employees and friends of Rayam herself.

She will likely be off the air by the end of the month. Rayam has been anchoring the noon and 6 p.m. newscasts.

The Arizona State University graduate has been a popular presence at Fox 5 for 22 years, arriving at the time the station was switching its affiliation from CBS to Fox.

Rayam declined to comment, referring me to her higher ups.

A Fox spokeswoman from New York said the station has no personnel announcements to make “at this time.”

Rayam, according to her Fox 5 bio, loves to sing and work with children in her spare time, visiting schools on a regular basis. She is a big supporter of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Dress for Success, Hope House and My Sister’s House of Atlanta.

She would be the second anchor to leave the station this spring.

Gurvir Dhindsa, a host of “Good Day Atlanta,” stepped down last month.