Channel Surfing
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
December 27, 2005
Year in Review
Hello – UPN Wake Up News, Lehigh Valley Bureaus, CBS3 – Susan Barnett, Brooks Tomlin, Brandy Bell, Liz Keptner, Jim Osman, Don Bell, ABC6 – Tamala Edwards, Adam Joseph, Jamie Apody, Keith Russell, NBC 10 - Lori Wilson, Jade McCarthy, Lori Delgado, Deanna Durante, Kristen Welker, Fox29 - John Atwater, David Aldrich, Nick Smith, CN8 - Gina Cancelliere
Goodbye – WB17 News, CBS3 – Amy Caples, Paul Deanno, Karen Scullin, NBC 10 – Steve Levy, Lauren Hart, Cindy Hamill, Alicia Taylor, Beth McDonough, Robert Lyles, 6ABC – Michele McCormack, John Valerio, Jack Brayboy, Scott Palmer, Phil Andrews, Fox29 - Tina Kim, Karen Thomas, Christian Farr, UPN57 - Melissa Sander, CN8 - Cyndi Edwards, Cathy Ballou, Ginger Jeffries
Keeping it Real – Reality show stars Melissa Vella of Springfield (Delco) of “So You Think You Can Dance,” Lower Merion’s Mercedes from “The Starlet,” Toms River’s Stephenie LaGrossa from “Survivor,” Valley Forge’s Prudence on “I Want to be a Soap Star,” Philadelphia University’s Jay McCarroll of “Project Runway,” Radnor native Tana Goertz of “The Apprentice,” and Trevose’s Anthony Fedorov of “American Idol.”
The Youth Movement – 6ABC lost over-thirty anchors Scott Palmer, Phil Andrews, and John Valerio and added thirty and under Keith Russell, Jamie Apody, and Adam Joseph.
Caught in the Web - Station websites are becoming a more integral part of all of the local newscasts.
Traffic Jam – Traffic continues to have an increased prescense in newscasts. Traffic.com provides reports for UPN 57, CBS3, NBC10, and 6ABC.
Fights – Larry Mendte v. Alycia Lane, Monique Braxton v. Harry Hairston, Sharon Crowley v. Steve Keeley
Better Luck Next Year – Weather anchor Robyn Stevens lost her job at CN8 and WB17.
So Farr Away – After two years of a commuter marriage, Fox29 weekend news anchor Christian Farr will finally join his wife, news anchor Karen Jordan in Chicago, IL.
Nice Gig If You Can Get It – Marc Howard of CBS3 and Monica Malpass of 6ABC each earn six-figure salaries for anchoring one newscast a day.
Silliest Sweeps Stunts – 6ABC’s Cecily Tynan swimming with the sharks, any CBS3 personality that talked to “Dr. Phil,”