Channel Surfing
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
December 21, 2004

WCAU photograher, Lonnie Stephens, husband of WCAU reporter Sheela Allen Stephens died Monday morning of cancer. He was 52-years-old.

Stephens worked for WCAU for 25 years before he was diagnosed with myloma this summer.  He was a graduate of Antioch College and Columbia University.

Sheela Allen Stephens hasn't been on the air since March due to her heart condition and to take care of her husband of 20-years. 

A viewing and memorial is scheduled for Wednesday.

Robyn Stevens is no longer the weather anchor for the CN8 evening news at 7 and 10 p.m. Her contract wasn't renewed by mutual consent according to the network. A search is under way for a replacement.

Currently, Jeff Matthews is filling-in for Stevens, whose last day on the air was Dec. 9.

The lifestyle show, "Real Life," with Mary Amoroso was canceled by CN8. The majority of the staff will be transitioned to other roles within the network.

Longtime Howard Stern sidekick Robin Quivers is branching out and will host a syndicated daytime television talk show in the fall. Quivers will continue her job with Stern, who is scheduled to leave Infinity radio in 2006. That's a good idea. Robin and Howard are a great team.

Other daytime talk shows coming in the fall will be Tyra Banks of the successful "America's Next Top Model" and Martha Stewart, who many predict will be even bigger once she gets out of the slammer. Banks, who does a good job on "America's Next Top Model," got a boost with a marathon on VH1.

I'm guessing Jane Pauley, Tony Danza, Pat Croce and Larry Elder won't return in the fall.

WCAU morning news anchor Steve Levy is planning to retire from the station this summer. Levy, 57, a Temple University graduate, has been with Channel 10 since 1982, and also worked at WPVI and KYW. He is planning to move to Colorado, where he is building a ranch with his girlfriend.

Tom Burlington is the new general assignment reporter on WTXF. Viewers may remember him from his stint on WCAU in 2000. He joins many other WTXF personalities who started on different Philadelphia stations such as Dawn Stensland (KYW), Don Tollefson (WPVI), Bill Vargus (WCAU and WHYY), Sue Serio (WHYY), Dorothy Krysiuk (WCAU), Tina Kim (WPHL), Mike Rodgers (CSN), Dave Schratweiser (WCAU) and Joyce Evans (KYW).

CN8 has many people from other stations on the air, including Connie Colla (WCAU), Arthur Fennell (WCAU), Lou Tilley (KYW), Bruce Casella (PRISM), and Greg Coy (WTXF).

Larry Mendte and Alycia Lane host "CBS3 Holiday Traditions" tonight at 7 p.m. on KYW.

CN8's "Holiday Troop Greetings" will air Friday at 8 p.m. If I can tear myself away from SoapNet, VH1 Classic, or Encore on Comcast Digital, I'll have the chance to see the greetings "On Demand" the following week.

Mix 95.7-FM contest winners were treated to an intimate acoustic concert by Richard Marx at the Valley Forge Convention Center Saturday night. Marx sang some of his old hits and songs from his new CD, "My Own Best Enemy."

He also told many interesting stories. Among them were that he turned down the lead in the movie "The Rocketeer," he wrote songs for NSYNC, Kenny Rogers, and Luther Vandross, and that his musician-father wrote the jingle for "Two Scoops of Raisins in Raisin Bran."

Many fans know that Marx is married to dancer-actress Cynthia Rhodes of "Flashdance," "Stayin' Alive" and "Dirty Dancing" fame. For more information, go to www.richardmarx.com.

WCAU personality and singer-songwriter Lauren Hart performed an entertaining opening set. Hart's new CD is scheduled for release early next year. Her song "Girl Keeps On" was played in "Joan of Arcadia." For more information, go to www.laurenhart.com.