Channel Surfing
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times

October 31, 2006

According to newsroom insiders, shortly after NBC announced cutbacks and layoffs, Dennis Bianchi, general manager of the Philadelphia affiliate, NBC10, held a meeting where he said that the station may be making changes to its news lineup. 

The possible plans mentioned include making the 4 p.m. news, currently co-anchored by Renee Chenault-Fattah and Tim Lake, a consumer oriented news hour anchored by Tracy Davidson.  The 5 p.m. show, currently co-anchored by Davidson and Vince DeMentri will become an issues-oriented news show anchored solo by DeMentri.  The 6 p.m. show, currently co-anchored by Chenault-Fattah and Lake will be anchored alone by Lake, and the 11 p.m. show, currently co-anchored by Chenault-Fattah and Lake would be anchored solo by Chenault-Fattah.

Station sources believe a reason for the possible changes could be because if the anchors are given less shows, then eventually, their salaries could be cut.

Last week, NBC president Jeff Zucker announced that NBC was looking to slash 750-million dollars from its budget. 

In a related thought, isn’t it funny that a couple days after NBC’s ridiculous “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” ran an episode where the fictional network chose “quality programming” over “reality trash,” in real life, NBC announced that it will focus on reality shows and cheaper fare at 8 p.m. and announced the cutbacks?

Orr Hopes to Keep Anchor at 3

CBS3 weather anchor Kathy Orr is getting close to signing a new contract with the station.  In an email she wrote, “I am happy to say that CBS is committed to me and I am committed to CBS and look forward to a long career here. We are excited about our team and our state-of-the-art station that is in the works.”

Orr, who debuted in Philadelphia as a weekend weather anchor at NBC10, became the chief meteorologist at rival CBS3 four years ago.

Weatherman to Congressman?

Former Philadelphia weatherman Craig Weber hopes the forecast for next Tuesday is victory in his bid to become a U.S. Congressman from North Carolina (www.weberinthehouse.com).

Girodano Making the Grade on TV

WPHT 1210-AM host Dom Giordano, who worked 18-years as a teacher before entering radio, is in demand as an education/parenting expert on “The Montel Williams Show,” CNN’s “Showbiz Tonight,” and MSNBC.  All the local stations have medical and consumer reporters.  Maybe it’s time to for a station to use permanent expert in this area.

Maybe CBS should use all the millions of dollars it used for Katie Couric to hire an editor.  When watching a report on the "Early Show" about the divorce between Paul McCartney and Heather Mills, the CBS reporter called the former Beatle, McCarthy throughout the entire report.

I Got a Rock!