Screen Shot 2020-02-06 at 3.07.43 AM.png

When a rating book rolls around, that is the time that news talent discusses their health problems, drinking problems or talk about whatever life event they have recently gone through.

Sometimes, the book rolls around and to the station’s chagrin, all the talent is healthy and not battling any addictions.

So what do they do?

They go back deep into the roster and find a former employee that is dealing with some issues and they can trot out for the rating book.

Sinclair’s WJLA had to go back 20 years and find former longtime anchor Paul Berry. Berry returned to the station and walked amongst the 20 somethings in the newsroom. A number of staffers had not even started kindergarten when Berry had last worked at the station.

Long after Berry had left the station, he suffered a stroke at 74 years old.

He said one night just watching TV with his wife. "I looked over at her and said... garble... she said, 'what?' I heard myself and I said... garble... I couldn't talk!," he added.

He also had balance issues and problems standing.

His wife rushed him to the hospital.

Now, the Feb book rolled around and WJLA brought Berry back to revisit his old station and talk about his health problems.

Yep…. the Feb book is in full swing.