STEVE KEELEY, A ONE-MAN BAND...

Watching tonight's "FOX 29 News" broadcast at 10:00 was obviously a one-man band for FOX 29 and anchor, Steve "how's my hairpiece look" Keeley, filling in for Joyce Evans. By the way, has anyone else noticed that FOX weekend newscasts are 99% fluff? The broadcast began with two "stories of the day" followed by prepackaged network segments then the remainder of the broadcast is repeat "fluff" segments seen earlier in the week. This has become commonplace on the weekends for FOX 29.
Another thing I noticed, never seen before in this market but something I've read about in the trades that seems to be the newest trend in TV news...the anchor operating their own teleprompter. Keeley could be seen operating the prompter with his right hand from a hand-operated box placed on the anchor desk. Very strange looking if you ask me.
Finally, when the broadcast shifted to "THE weather station" coverage, no meteorologist on-duty! Only, "one man band Keeley" giving the five day forecast. If newly hired Sally Ann Mosey couldn't work where was freelancer John Krasting? Heck, how about departed David Aldrich? OR, unemployed Rob Guarino?
All in all, a wasted sixty minutes of a newscast...

Prayers Go Out To Don Lancer

According to his blog, long-time KYW anchor, Don Lancer, has announced he is battling lung cancer. "Forty plus years of smoking, it's my own fault", says Lancer. His wife won the battle of lung cancer five years ago. We send our prayers to Lancer and ask that you do as well.

Remembrances of Dave Roberts...

"Action News" began a week-long segment tonight on the six o'clock evening newscast. Anchor Jim Gardner reminded viewers of Dave's retirment this Friday...as he introduced the series remembering Dave's beginings in broadcasting. Set a reminder to check it out the rest of the week in the second segment of the newscast at approximately 6:13 p.m. In case you missed it, here's the link on WPVI's website.
Tuesday's broadcast included this remembrance by Rick Williams, while THIS rememembrance by Lisa Thomas-Laury is of the parades Dave has covered.

KYW Traffic Man Out...

Long-time KYW traffic anchor, Tom Collins, has departed company with Metro Networks. Collins, anchor of the weeknight shift of six o'clock to midnight, worked on-air for KYW the past twelve or thirteen years and was last heard on-air November 20th.
Word has it that conditions at Metro Traffic are as bad as ever. Recent pay cuts were followed by additional company imposed "time give backs" where employees have been forced to give up the equivalent of three days compensation to be paid back by the company early next year. Apparently, the company is in serious financial distress making the latest employee contributions a necessity. Ongoing conditions remain of "more work and not enough people to do it effectively", I'm told. The producer and anchor pool is as scarce as ever -- making it difficult to cover vacations and call-outs. So far, I've heard weekender's RJ McKay and Eric Herr covering the open shift with no word on when it will be filled.
Metro has seen several traffic veterans come and go over the last few years including Lorraine Renalli, Dorothy Krysiuk, John Valario, Rod Carson, Tom MacDonald, Deborah Byrne, Matt Tacha, Mary Cantell and Brian Ramona. Renalli continues to promote her book, "Gravy Wars"; Krysiuk remains unemployed; Valario can be heard most nights anchoring at KYW newsradio; Carson works part-time at the PennDot Traffic Control Center; and no word on the latest doings of MacDonald, Byrne, Tacha, Cantell or Ramona.
I'm told Collins took an opportunity to utilize his talents with the folks at PennDot's Traffic Control Center.