CBS This Morning Inches Closer to The Today Show

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CBS this morning is quietly moving up in the ratings and adding viewers on what seems to be a weekly basis.​

The show posted double-digit percentage gains year-to-year among viewers (+12%), households (+10%) and women 25-54 (+10%).

For the week ending May 3rd, CBS This Morning added +330,000 viewers compared to the same week last year, according to Nielsen.

The show has improved its competitive position with NBC’s TODAY, closing the gap in viewers by 910,000 compared to the same week last year.  

We're Sorry..... Again

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We're Sorry..... Again

WEWS has been spending a lot of time of the missing Cleveland girls story saying they are sorry.​

Earlier we told you how the station apologized ​to all Puerto Ricans and now they say they are sorry for reporting on Charles Ramsey's past run ins with the law.

Ramsey is the guy that helped Amanda Berry get out of the house of horrors ​and he called 911 to alert police. 

It also came out that Ramsey was arrested in the past and was convicted three times on domestic violence charges against his wife, Rochelle. That part of the story was reported by the website The Smoking Gun. 

Since his arrest was over a decade ago and really didn't have anything to do with the story, most stations ignored it. ​

But not WEWS.​

More plus their apology after the hop.  ​

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He's Here....No Wait...Now He's Gone

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Back in April ​KVOA Channel chief meteorologist Rob Guarino was busted by cops for DUI. 

After his arrest KVOA GM Bill Shaw said of Guarino“He's here and he's going to be here going forward”. 

Yesterday via email, Shaw confirmed Guarino was no longer with the station. He refused to make further comment.

Guarino has been at KVOA since 2011.

He DUI case is due back in court in about a month. ​

​H/T Arizona Daily Star

Cleveland Station Says Sorry

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Cleveland Station Says Sorry

WEWS Troublemaker....errrrr.... Troubleshooter Joe Pagonakis says he's sorry to the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico in northeast Ohio and across the country for what was reported on his station on Wednesday.

Pagonakis incorrectly reported that police said suspect Ariel Castro and his brothers were not U.S. citizens.

Everyone born in Puerto Rico is born a U.S. citizen. Since 1917 those born in Puerto Rico have U.S. citizenship. 

The video of Pagonakis eating crow after the hop.  

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Former Houston Producer Found Murdered

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During Yesterday's Noon newscasts, Houston stations were covering the story of a woman found dead in her ransacked apartment. 

During the newscasts, police were not yet releasing the name or any cause of death.​

Later in the day, cops said the woman appeared to have suffered blunt force trauma and were treating the case as a murder. 

Police also released her name Kathryn Greer Feagin and then the story hit home for one Houston station. 

Greer Feagin used to be a News Producer at KRIV in the market. She also worked as a Producer in New Orleans.

Her LinkedIn page shows she worked at WDSU New Orleans as a producer from 1999 to 2005. She then worked at KRIV from 2009 to 2011.

Philly Anchor Leaving for Indianapolis

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Philly Anchor Leaving for Indianapolis

WCAU Anchor Lori Wilson is leaving Philly and headed to Indiana.​

Wilson was a YouTube star when FTVLIve posted a video of her wondering about the words in a song. FTVLive's video was watched over 3 million times on YouTube and Wilson was a viral sensation.​

Now she's leaving Philly for a job as the 5PM Anchor at  CBS affiliate WISH in Indianapolis. 

“After almost 16 years covering news in other cities, I feel truly blessed to have the opportunity to work in my hometown, for the station I grew up watching,” Wilson told WISH-TV.

More plus the YouTube video you HAVE to see after the jump. ​

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Hoda is Officially a Hottie (According to Maxim)

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Hoda is Officially a Hottie (According to Maxim)

Hoda Kotb appeared a bit shocked to learn that she is officially a hottie.

The Today Show was part of Maxim Magazines announced Hot 100 list. ​

Maxim editor-in-chief Dan Bova was on the show to reveal which women were in the top 100 of hotness.

Miley Cyrus topped the list (really?!), but it was no. 79 on the list that made the biggest news on the Today Show.

Hoda learned she was No. 79 and she seemed both shocked and happy to make the list.​

​"Is this a joke?" Kotb shrieked as Bova placed a sash over her head. "Oh my god! I've never had a sash!"

Congrats (we think) to Hoda for making the list. But please don't tell her that Manti Te’o's Fake Girlfriend came in 10 spots above her at number 69...it might ruin her moment.

​Watch the video of Hoda being surprised after the hop.  

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Longtime Chicago Anchor Puts her House on the Market

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Longtime Chicago Anchor Puts her House on the Market

Veteran WFLD  news anchor Robin Robinson has listed her five-bedroom house  in Chicago area of Bucktown for just under $1.3 million.

Robinson, 55, last year marked her 25th anniversary as WFLD Fox Chicago's main news anchor. She now has spent more than 16 of those years in the 10-room house in Bucktown, which she purchased in 1997 for $520,000. However, with her youngest child now 15, Robinson told Elite Street that she is considering downsizing and that "we could have a condo now."

More after the skip.   ​

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Alex Trebek: I'll Take Lauer's Job on Today

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Alex Trebek: I'll Take Lauer's Job on Today

Alex Trebek says that his days are numbered on Jeopardy.

"I'm not going to go on forever," Trebek said. "There is a time for all things, and my time may be coming."

The 72-year-old game show mainstay addressed rumors that Anderson Cooper or Matt Lauer might fill his shoes after he leaves.

"Any of them could do it," he said. "It's just a question of whether they would want to and enjoy it. Both men are a lot younger than I am, and it's a pretty static format, even though the guests and clues change, which keeps it exciting. If Matt Lauer would come over to 'Jeopardy!,' I'd be happy to take over his job on 'Today.'"

And when Trebek finally dies, he has a good plan. See what it is after the jump.  ​

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DDG Has Two News Sets in PromaxBDA Finals

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For the second consecutive year, Devlin Design Group made it to the finals; with not just one, but two entries, in this year’s PromaxBDALocal Awards. DDG’s creative works on the WTMJ-TV News set and WTMJ’s The Morning Blend Show have each been selected as finalists. The PromaxBDALocal Awards celebrate excellence, creativity and innovation in local television promotion, marketing and design.

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“The entire team at DDG is very proud to be nominated for the creative work we did for WTMJ and The Morning Blend. It’s always nice to be recognized by your industry peers in addition to having a very happy client.” ~Dan Devlin, Creative Director, Devlin Design Group.

"Devlin's design gives us the technology and the tools to tell great stories. They've created a set that looks high-tech and inviting all at the same time." ~Bill Berra, Vice President of News, Journal Broadcast Group.

Video and images of the WTMJ News set can be seen here. Video and images of The Morning Blend set can be seen here. Winners will be announced during the PromaxBDA Station Summit at the Planet Hollywood Hotel in Las Vegas, June 25th -28th.

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Producer Opening in KC

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Producer Opening in KC

​Looking to live and work right in the middle of the country. There is a producer opening at KCTV in Kansas City.​

Here is the job posting:​

The News Producer creates, coordinates, and executes all newscasts. This position provides editorial and production direction to field crews regarding content, coordination and newscast execution.

In addition, the News Producer:

​More after the job after the leap. ​

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John McCain is my Favorite Senator (For Today Anyway)

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Today, Senator ​John McCain is my favorite Senator.

Why?​

Because he is on the Senate Floor right now introducing The TV Consumer Freedom Act of 2013.

What?

The bill will unbundle cable and to stop broadcasters like CBS and Fox from moving their stations to pay The legislation is intended to “allow the consumer, the television viewer who subscribes to cable, to have à la carte capability.

You Go John!​

Fox News Mole to Plead Guilty

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Fox News Mole to Plead Guilty

Gawker says that Joe Muto, the former producer for Bill O'Reilly who did a short-lived star turn as "the Fox Mole" on Gawker about a year ago, will plead guilty today in a Manhattan criminal courtroom to misdemeanor attempted theft and attempted computer tampering charges.

The agreement, in which the Manhattan District Attorney's office has pledged not to file harsher felony charges in exchange for Muto's guilty plea on lesser offenses, stems from unaired, behind-the-scenes Fox News footage that was published on Gawker last year in posts attributed to the Fox Mole.

More after the bounce.  ​

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Media Pack Descends on Cleveland

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Media Pack Descends on Cleveland

A hotel near the scene of the Cleveland House of Horrors only has a couple of rooms left.

That just doesn't happen in early May in northeast Ohio.​

The rooms are filled mostly with members of the media.​

The media circus has moved into Cleveland, bringing with them all 3 rings. ​

"It's a sea of reporters at the scene of both (victims) homes," says Dan Salamone, news director at Raycom's WOIO. "It presents a challenge for the police, and also for us as we continue to try and bring the story home for local viewers. It's a mad scene."

News media, tabloids and websites from all over the world are in Cleveland and they are now looking for the exact same thing.

What it is and more after the jump.  ​

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"It Was Important For Me to Go Back"

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"It Was Important For Me to Go Back"

It was a quick trip, but it was a very important one for NBC's Richard Engel.

The Peacock's foreign correspondent Richard Engel made his first trip to Syria since he and his team were kidnapped and held captive there last December.

Engel traveled with photographer John Kooistra, who was kidnapped with him in December.

Engel says that his bosses at NBC weren't anxious to send him back to Syria. But he said it was important to go because of the story.

"It did make me feel better," he said via telephone from Turkey on Wednesday. "It was important for me to go back, but I won't say that I went back to prove to myself that I could do it."

More after the leap.  ​

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