Fired Reporter Suing Wichita Station

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One-time KAKE reporter and part-time anchor Jared Cerullo has filed a lawsuit against his former employer, citing breach of contract and defamation.

The Wichita Business Journal reports that the lawsuit  filed on Aug. 23, names Gray Television Group Inc., the parent company of KAKE, and Michael Sipes, KAKE’s news director.

Sipes, who became KAKE’s news director in January, says he cannot comment on the lawsuit.

Cerullo is seeking damages in excess of $75,000.

The suit alleges that Cerullo was wrongly terminated for information he shared through Twitter and during an on-air newscast about how a defendant in a murder case pleaded during a June preliminary hearing.

Cerullo incorrectly reported that that person entered a plea of guilty, when, in fact, the defendant pleaded not guilty and waived his right to a preliminary hearing, meaning the case was bound over for a jury trial.

Notified of the error, Cerullo corrected his mistake on Twitter and later issued an on-air correction and apology.

Cerullo, according to court documents filed with Sedgwick County District Court, was suspended on June 25 only to have his employment contract terminated a day later for what was characterized as “gross negligence.”

Cerullo’s termination sparked a firestorm among some KAKE viewers, some of whom launched a Facebook campaign demanding he be reinstated.

In June, Cerullo shared his story during an interview for a local radio show, telling the host that he made a mistake but the “punishment didn’t fit the crime.”

Welcoming BGA into the Fold

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As FTVLive has told you in the past, we only accept sponsorships from the best companies in and around TV news. 

If it is not a company you can trust, you will NOT see their ad on FTVLive. We have actually turned down companies that have wanted to post ads on this website (how many other sites would do that?).

Today, we're happy to have the best companies in the business help sponsor FTVLive. We are also more than happy to add talent agency BGA to our list of sponsors.

BGA is a full-service Talent Agency specializing in Broadcast TV News, New Media and Writers for Film/TV.

The BGA staff has industry experience with today's top media companies including ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, NBC, Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony and Warner Bros.

A source of pride has always been in their Agent/Talent relationship and our continued commitment to provide guidance with strong ethical standards. That's BGA's guarantee.

The company has a strict policy of representing only a limited number of clients. They work closely with their clients, and matching their talent and skills to the right opportunities is paramount.

BGA helps build successful careers, and offer around-the-clock access to your agent.

You can check out their website here. 

We warmly Welcome BGA to FTVLive!

 

School Cancels Geraldo Appearance

School Cancels Geraldo Appearance

Let this be a lesson to you kids.

Geraldo Rivera was invited to speak to the students at Duquesne University, but after posting a naked selfie, the university says thanks, but no thanks.

Rivera had been scheduled to appear in October on a panel at the school in Pittsburgh on the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination.

In a statement the university said Rivera’s actions were not consistent with the Catholic school’s values.

What Geraldo thinks about getting dumped after the hop.   

Read More

CBS and Time Warner Reach Deal

CBS and Time Warner Reach Deal

The retrans pissing match between CBS and Time Warner Cable has come to an end and of course it is the customer that will end up getting screwed. 

Less than a week before the kickoff of the NFL season, Time Warner Cable yesterday cut a deal with CBS to resume carrying the network’s programming.

The agreement ended a blackout that began a month ago when TWC balked at CBS’s demand for a monthly, $2-per-customer fee — up from an earlier charge estimated at between 50 and 75 cents.

Terms of the new pact weren’t revealed, but any increased costs are expected to be passed on to cable subscribers in the form of higher monthly bills.

More after the jump. 

Read More

Concussion Story Hits Home for Fox's Pam Oliver

While the NFL is doing their best to try an quash reports about NFL players suffering concussions, the story has hit home for one Fox Sports sideline reporter.

The NY Daily News reports that no one could blame Oliver for not wanting to talk about the most painful moment — literally — of her career as Fox’s NFL sideline reporter. It happened on Sunday, Aug. 18, at the Meadowlands during pregame warmups when a pass thrown by Colts backup QB Chandler Harnish hit her flush on the side of the face.

In the immediate aftermath she refused to read about it, talk about it or watch the video. “Now I want to get it out there. It was a painful, shocking moment,” Oliver said in an exclusive interview over the telephone. “I didn’t really know what happened.”

In the days following this flash of pain, neither would anyone else who watched the Internet video. Not the people who thought it was funny. Nor the ones who felt bad for her.

Until now, they did not know she suffered a concussion.

Adrenaline got Oliver through the game telecast (“You don’t want to be wimpy, you just have to push through it.”), but in the car riding back to the hotel, when she began to relax, the slight headache turned into one of the pounding variety. She tried reconstructing what happened leading up to the moment.

Oliver had just finished doing an interview with referee Ed Hochuli for a piece she was doing on NFL refs for Showtime’s “60 Minutes Sports,” which airs Wednesday night, and returned to the sidelines. “That’s all I remember,” she said. “I asked the people around me, ‘What happened?’ They told me I just got hit in the head with a football.”

After waking up that Monday her head hurt so much she had to hold it. “The sensitivity to light started and some nausea too,” she said, “my whole body was sore.” Oliver went to the doctor. The CT Scan came up clean, but she was diagnosed with a concussion. Oliver spent the next five days in a dark room inside her home.

“I slept for hours on end. The minute you wake up you’re reminded. Your head is pounding,” she said. “I really could not take light — the light from the TV, the accent lighting. The sun was completely my enemy. My blinds were drawn. It was miserable.”

Read the rest from the NY Daily News

Miami Anchor Gone, Social Media Deleted

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You can call it the mystery in Miami. 

Sources tell FTVLive that WFOR Anchor Josh Benson is gone from the station. 

Benson has been at the Miami station for just a year, joining WFOR from WFTV in Orlando. 

Insiders say Benson was ousted from the station on Friday and so far no one is talking.

His bio remains on the station's website, but his personal website and all his social media accounts are down or have been deleted. 

FTVLive reached out to Benson and have received no response.  

Stay tuned...  

David Frost Dead

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Veteran broadcaster David Frost has died at the age of 74 after a suspected heart attack while on board a cruise ship.

A family statement said he had been giving a speech aboard the Queen Elizabeth on Saturday night.

He is best remembered here in the States for his revealing interviews with former US President Richard Nixon.

A statement said: "His family are devastated and ask for privacy at this difficult time. A family funeral will be held in the near future and details of a memorial service will be announced in due course."

Hey I Remember you...

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After taking 2 1/2 Days off over the past 200 Days, FTVLive is back.!

Summer vacation is over and it's time to get back to work! 

We tried our best to go off the grid (no Internet, no phone, no TV) for 48 hours. All in all we did fairly well (OK maybe not). 

But now were back and ready to dish the dirt on what's happening in your newsroom and other newsrooms around the country and around the world. 

New Anchor Named in The Burgh

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WPXI (Pittsburgh) has named Lisa Sylvester as their new main Anchor, replacing Darieth Chisolm.

Sylvester comes from CNN and will start her new gig as 6 and 11PM Anchor on October 11.

Sylvester has appeared on CNN since 2004. Prior to that she was a correspondent for ABC News for three years with stints in local TV in St. Louis, Nashville and Peoria, Ill., at the start of her career.

As FTVLive told you, longtime anchor Chisolm announced she was leaving to spend more time with her high school senior son before he goes off to college.

Which makes no sense, because what high school senior wants to be scene with his mother. 

H/T Pittsburgh Post Gazette

DC ND "Retires"

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While we were off the grid, longtime News Director Phil Metlin retired from Fox O&O WTTG on Thursday. 

Metlin had been at the DC station since 2010. 

 “I would like to thank Phil for his 21 years of outstanding service and dedication to FTS. He has been a valued member of our team and I’d like to wish him well in the next chapter of his life,” GM Patrick Paolin said in a statement.

Metlin's last day was Thursday, the same day he announced he was "retiring."

Is it just me? Something ain't right with the story the station is and Metlin are putting out.  

Hmmmmm?