Hoda and Kathie Lee Join NY News

FTVLive favorites Hoda and Kathie Lee are joining the world of the dying newspaper. 

But they aren't giving up their day jobs. 

The NY Daily News writes that  “Today” show stars Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb are joining the New York Daily News as columnists.

The dynamic duo, best known as the anchors of the fourth hour of “Today,” will offer their unique take on food, fashion, pop culture and fun, starting Thursday.

Gifford, a television icon, has been a morning show staple since her pioneering days on “Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee,” while Kotb has been a “Dateline” correspondent since 1998 and Giffords’ on-air partner-in-crime since 2008.

What If your Newsroom had these Rules?

The dying Newsweek has ordered their employees to shape up and dress up when it comes to the workplace.  

Newsweek has started a very strict dress code that some feel might border on the ridiculous. 

Here's a portion of the new dress code rules: 

"Midriffs are to be covered. Denim jeans, sweat suits, low-rise pants, sneakers, sandals, flip-flops, halter tops, camisoles, baseball caps, sweat suits, T-shirts, tank tops, micro mini-skirts, shorts or anything else that is deemed unprofessional or excessively distracting are inappropriate business attire and should not be worn to work. Hair should be clean, combed and neatly trimmed or arranged.

Shaggy, messy, and neglected hair is not permissible regardless of length. Also, well-groomed, business style hair of natural color is required. Open-toe sandals are not permitted. Body piercing (other than earrings) should not be visible. Inappropriately dressed employees will be asked to return home to change into suitable clothing. Tattoos and body piercings (other than earrings) must be covered."

Can you imagine if these rules would apply to your newsroom?

There won't be a Photographer on staff. And requiring you hair to be natural color rule would wipe out the Anchor and Reporters. 

The pircings and tattoo rule kill off the art department. Clean hair would wipe out engineering.

The only person left would be the Sales Manager and he's a asshole to begin with. 

If FTVLive applied the rules to our office, we would a lot be in trouble. We love sitting around with our nipple ring exposed.  

But that's just us. 

Last one to leave Newsweek, please get the lights.  

Nashville Station Blows Up Morning Show Starts Over

Nashville's WZTV has decided to blow up their morning show and start over.

The station says they are taking the show in a new direction, with a new name and new anchors.

In other words....they're starting over from scratch. 

The station has named Bob Sellers and Jennifer Waddell to its newly named morning newscast, FOX 17 This Morning.

“We’re taking the show in a new direction, “ says WZTV General Manager, Dominic Mancuso.  “Viewers still connect the show with talent from its inception 12 years ago.  It’s time to break that trend with fresh faces and a new identity, while continuing to provide 4 hours of local coverage, even after the other stations have switched to national shows out of New York.”

Sellers brings his on-air experience from Washington D.C., CNBC, and the FOX News Channel. Sellers is also a TV Agent and will continue that role with some restrictions placed on him by his agency and Sinclair Broadcasting (owner of WZTV). 

Waddell comes to Nashville from KGUN in Tucson where she anchored the evening newscasts. 

The brand new 'FOX 17 This Morning' hits the air September 30th.    

Hubby and Wife Anchor the News

You know how on social media, TV anchors like to refer to their co-anchor as their "TV Husband" or "TV Wife"?

It's so cute when they do that (I'm being sarcastic).

But, up at one Canadian station, when the co-anchors called themselves husband and wife....it's true both on air and off.

Last night at CBC Calgary a new era began. Rosa Marchitelli and Rob Brown signed on as the new hosts of CBC News Calgary at 5, 5:30 and 6 on CBC Television.

The co-anchors are married to each other and have three young sons — an arrangement that's unique in TV news.

"Truthfully, we're not entirely sure how it's going to play out," said Brown. "We'll have to see. It will be a fun ride I think."

"It's a work in progress," added Marchitelli in an interview with theCalgary Eyeopener on Monday.

Marchitelli said the couple has adopted some rules to try to separate home life and work life.

The couple moved from Vancouver to Calgary earlier this month. Brown was a reporter and anchor for CTV News. Marchitelli is originally from Calgary, but had most recently been a reporter and anchor at CBC Vancouver. She was also a journalism instructor.

Marchitelli believes the co-host format will give the CBC News Calgary at 5, 5:30 and 6 much more flexibility by letting the pair showcase their reporting skills directly from the field. 

"We're both established. We hope to be anchors who are out there covering stories as well as in the studio delivering the work that everyone has spent all day putting together."

Brown said their respective ages will also be an advantage.

"It's helpful, I think, given the demographic in this city," said Brown. "We're a young couple with young kids. We have the same issues as everyone else does. So, we'll be bringing that to the fore editorially in terms of shaping the show." 

H/T CBC News

Stepping Down in San Antonio

Word is that longtime KSAT News Director Jim Boyle is leaving the station due to some health issues. 

No official word yet, but here's wishing Jim the best.  

News Press Gazette Buys Up Stations

The Summer of TV station sales has moved into the Fall. 

News-Press & Gazette Company announced the purchase of KION-TV (CBS) and KMUV-LP (Telemundo), both Monterey, CA, and KKFX-CA (FOX), San Luis Obispo, CA (collectively, the “Stations”), from Cowles California Media Company  subject to approvals from the Federal Communications Commission.

In addition, NPGCo and Cowles Media have, contemporaneously, entered into a shared services arrangement relating to the Cowles Media-owned KCOY-TV (CBS) in Santa Maria, California. Under this arrangement, NPGCo will provide operating assistance to the station, including news, back office, engineering, and sales support services, while general management, programming and sales management functions at KCOY-TV will continue to be managed by Cowles Media.

These transactions are expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2013.

Cops Clamp the Cuffs on Charleston Sports Anchor

WCIV sports anchor John Nugent was arrested by police last night and charged with  driving under the influence.

Mt. Pleasant Officers pulled the 55-year-old Nugent over around 10:30 p.m after they saw Sports Anchor strike the center median while driving south on Coleman Boulevard.

Police said they asked Nugent if he was ok, and he seemed to mumble something that he was fine. 

Police said Nugent told them he had one beer, but he was exhibiting slurred speech, glassy eyes, and was slow to respond to questions and instructions. Police decided to administer a field sobriety test, which Nugent failed, the report states. 

Nugent was handcuffed and taken to the station for a blood-alcohol test, but police said he declined to take one. He was then taken to the Charleston County Detention Center. 

A judge set Nugent’s bond at just under $1,000 on Monday.

No word yet from WCIV on the incident. 

H/T WCSC

Big Apple Station Bounces Larry Mendte

New York sources tell FTVLive that WPIX has handed Larry Mendte his walking papers.

Mendte who is best known for being convicted for hacking his co-anchor's email account when he was an anchor in Philly did not have his contract renewed according to the source. 

Mendte had been hired by former News Director Bill Carey to do commentaries for the NY station. 

WPIX has been struggling in the ratings for years and recently hired Mark Effron to try and turn the awful station around.  

It appears that Effron did not see Mendte as part of that effort.  

Mendte has made no mention of him leaving the station on his Twitter account. He still list himself as "News Commentator for Tribune Broadcasting @WPIX" in his Twitter bio.

More as we hear it. 

CBS Inks Deal with Twitter

CBS Evening News Anchor Scott Pelley has been on Twitter for over 2 years. In that time Pelley has sent out a total of 21 Tweets. 

But, Pelley has sent out more tweets in the past month (19) than he did the pervious 2 years (2). 

So, why has the anchor recently started Tweeting?

It might because his network just inked a big deal with Twitter and part of that deal includes CBS News and them running video on the social media site. 

Twitter and CBS have signed a deal that will enable the TV network to embed video clips including those from CBS News in its tweets.

The deal to add CBS as a major partner in Twitter's Amplify program was announced today.

The way the Amplify program works is users will see video clips from the social networking company's partners (such as CBS News) accompanied by short advertisements.

Those tweeted videos tie in with TV programs from Amplify partners, as well as commercials.

Twitter unveiled the program back in May. 

H/T CNet

ACN Anchor Will McAvoy Lives in Louisville?!

On HBO's 'Newsroom" we are led to believe that ACN Anchor Will McAvoy lives and works in New York.

But as a recent letter to the editor published in the Louisville Courier-Journal shows, McAvoy lives in the Bluegrass state.

The paper published the letter, the words taken directly from the HBO show. It's obvious that the Editor of the Courier-Journal is not a viewer of the show or the words written would have stood out. And if not for the words, the name W. McAvoy surely would have. 

The paper's readers of online edition didn't take long to point out that W. McAvoy does not really exist.

The paper pulled the letter with no comment. 

Is that a nice thing to do to an Emmy Winner?   

H/T Mediaite

FTVLive First Review of iPhone 5S

As you know, I was one of those people that stood inline for almost 4 hours on Friday to purchase an iPhone 5S. 

Apple announced this morning that they sold 9 million iPhones since Friday's launch, which is clearly a record for the company. 

Apple has also said they are sold out of the 5S model until October. 

FTVLive went to the store hoping to buy the gold colored iPhone 5S, but the store only had 20 in stock and I was back around 100 inline. We ended up getting the black....errrrr space gray iPhone instead. 

We've had the phone for the weekend and wanted to give you our first thoughts on it. 

Head over to FTV Tech and see what we think so far of Apple's new 5S.  

Fired Producer Reaches Settlement with KTVU

One of those fired in the KTVU fake pilot names blunder has reached a settlement.

Producer Roland De Wolk, one of the four fired staffers from the station over the Asiana fake pilot's name gaffe has reached an out-of-court settlement.

"We've reached an amiable agreement," De Wolk's attorney, Michael Cardoza confirmed to Rich Lieberman.

The lawyer did not say what the settlement was.  

De Wolk had been at KTVU for over twenty years before his termination.

West Palm Anchor Robbed at Gunpoint

WPEC weekend anchor Jenna Caiazzo had a scary Saturday night.

The Anchor was on her dinner break with a friend around 10:30PM. While there were walking back, Caiazzo says two men approached them, stuck a gun in their face and demanded their purses.

Caiazzo says the suspects threatened to shoot them if they didn't give up the loot.  

Cops are say the search is on for the suspects. 

Caiazzo reported the story on herself being robbed on the newscast. She told viewers that anyone that has any information can call police, or email her. Huh?!

Click here for the video.