Action News

We're only a matter of weeks away from the crew at PVI to be hanging their hat in their new building that was completed a few months back. Everyone has moved in and the news staff are now in the process of making their move. As I wrote below (from April)--I'm told there won't be any real drastic changes in the new set. Has anyone noticed the "crystal city skyline" is gone from the current set? I'm told big money was paid for that and it will be incorporated into the new set. Plans call for the crew to soon begin doing duplicate newscasts from the new studio as a rehearsal for going live from there in the next few weeks.

Posted 4/09: Look for the crew at WPVI to move into their new digs, next door, and be broadcasting from there by early September. I'm told that staff is pretty psyched about the new state-of-the-art facility along Monument Road just east of City Avenue and their current home which was considered "state-of-the-art" back in the day. Don't look for any drastic change in the on-air look of the Action News broadcasts, however. I'm told there will be a few tweaks here and there that are in the plan but overall--the home of Action News will pretty much look as it does now.

Sean Murphy Drives Into The Sunset

Former CW57 "Wake Up News" traffic reporter Sean Murphy--who transferred to CBS3 in June when "Wake Up News" awoke at 5 a.m. for the last time--has been canned from CBS3. Marnie Hall's Philly Gossip recently reported that initial rumors were that the features/traffic back-up reporter recently signed a 3 year contract to remain at KYW. However, management took an early-out clause and bid farewell to Murphy instead. Murphy is married to the daughter of former CBS3 General Manager Michael Colleran who retired from CBS3 about five months ago and seemed to be Murphy's biggest fan. Time will tell who Bob Kelly's official back-up will be but smart money would bet on Jamie Shupak?

Shupak Clearing The Way..

Philadelphia Inquirer's Inqlings reporter, Michael Klein, reported yesterday the "clearing of the way" for Jamie Shupak, the FOX 29 Traffic reporter for weekday FOX 29 news broadcasts. Shupak has been an interim fill-in for the departed Dorthy Krysiuk since October 2008. FOX 29's reason for the decision is "economics" and will have the anchors voiceover the traffic problems over the video feeds from Penndot. Shupak will most likely use her nine months on-air experience to add to her resume for another traffic gig, most likely, outside of Philadelphia. Traffic Pulse provides traffic information to Channels 3, 6, 10 and 29 while Metro/Shadow Traffic provides their information to Channel 3 as well as local radio stations and XM/Sirius.
Who knows if it's really "economics" or just a change of direction by management. In reviewing the FOX blogs, it seems she has about a 60/40 group out there. About 40% seem to like her and about 60% who seem to dislike her. Comments were posted about her wearing yellow nail polish (something one would do in college, one person posted); her annoying voice, her lack of professional dress (too tight blouses, belly blouses exposing her stomach on-air as several posted) and even a comment from another about her having "great camel toe"! Based on some of the postings, I would think management might have decided to find someone else "down the road" a little more polished and professional.