The Sweeps Stunt Has Started

FTVLive was the FIRST to tell you that Tegna’s WUSA had hired longtime DC Anchor Tony Perkins to try and help goose the ratings on the station’s morning newscasts.

He has only been hired by the station for a month and Tegna is hoping that having the popular Perkins will help bring in viewers.

Perkins spent years anchoring the news across the street at WTTG and also worked at Good Morning America.

Perkins teams up with Annie Yu, another former WTTG Anchor and FTVLive News Person of the Year in 2018.

Yu and Perkins anchor the station’s morning newscast from 4:30 to 6AM and then are joined by comedian (yes comedian ) Reese Waters for the 6AM newscast.

Perkins started his temp gig on Monday and FTVLive has been watching the station’s newscasts with him on it.

Reese Watters

We have not seen much of the early newscasts, due to the fact that we are working on morning updates. But, we have been watching the 6AM newscast all week.

The show basically focuses on the comic Waters and both Perkins and Yu are pushed to the background. Not sure why the station wants to bring in a heavy hitter like Perkins and then not show him on air?

Perkins and Yu seemed to have good chemistry and work well together. But, during the 6AM you can be watching the newscast and forget that they are even on it.

The two disappear for long periods of time and then pop up briefly.

The show is not slickly produced and stories that should be read by a news anchor are read by the comic.

I’m not sure what WUSA is trying to do with Perkins and I have no clue what they are paying him? But, if you going to bring this longtime DC Anchor onto your show, don’t you think the viewers should see him?

Just saying….

---