Channel
Surfing
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
September 9, 2003
Dunn is Done
Not surprisingly, CBS3 weekend weather anchor Chris Dunn
has decided to leave CBS 3 Eyewitness News and has accepted a position
as chief meteorologist at KDVR-TV (Fox O & 0) in Denver. Dunn,
who was hired only in January 2002 never clicked with Philly viewers.
Once Kathy Orr was made the number one weather anchor in January, it was
only a matter of time before his departure. His last day is Friday,
September 19.
Soon to be former WCAU anchor/reporter Tiffany McElroy, who is engaged
to former WCAU weather anchor John Bolaris laughed at industry
scuttlebutt that she is pregnant. "That's a good one," McElroy
said in a recent phone conversation. McElroy and Bolaris recently
became engaged after a few months of dating. No wedding date is
set. "We definitely want to have children someday
though," said McElroy.
Tina Kim is no longer a reporter for WPHL. The Abington High
graduate's last on-air appearance was August 11. When a call was placed
to the newsroom, a newsroom employee said Kim no longer worked there.
When reached by phone, Kim confirmed that she is no longer with WPHL but
wouldn't comment further about why she wasn't with the station.
Kim, who is nominated for two Mid-Atlantic Emmy awards worked for WPHL
three years. Don't be surprised if she pops up on WTXF, which has
an opening since Nancy Yamada is scheduled to take a job in Washington,
D.C.
Gene Crane will receive the prestigious 2003 Board of Governors' Award
of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the National Television Academy at the
annual ceremony Saturday night. Crane, 82, has worked for WCAU
since the station's inception in 1948 and is a candidate for the
Guinness Book of World Records for his 57 years on the air working for
the same station. Some of the past recipients of the award were Fred
Rogers, John Facenda, Walter Annenberg, Harry Kalas, NFL Films, and
Trudi Haynes.
The new voice you are hearing on WPHT 1210-AM from 3-6 p.m. is
nationally syndicated talk show host Sean Hannity of "Hannity and
Colmes" fame on Fox News Channel. Former afternoon drive host
Michael Smerconish debuted his morning show yesterday. The rest of
the weekday lineup remains the same with Glenn Beck from
9-"Rush" (noon), Rush Limbaugh from noon-3, Jeff Katz from
6-8, Dom Giordano from 8-10, Bill O'Reilly from 10-midnight, Rollye
James from midnight - 2 a.m. and George Noory overnights.
It's disappointing that WPHT chose to bring yet another syndicated show
into the fold, when it could have easily increased the hours of two good
soldiers - Katz and Giordano. However, the station still gets
points for getting rid of Don Imus and giving a local guy, Smerconish a
shot in the mornings.
There is a search underway to find a news person for the new WPHT
morning show and several candidates will get on-air tryouts in the
coming weeks. Amy Kaplan from KYW 1060-AM and a former host on
1210 is auditioning this week.
Former WTXF reporter Susan Buehler has been promoted to Vice President
of Bellevue Communications Group in Center City. Buehler is a native of
Southampton and a graduate of William Tennett High School and Syracuse
University.
Luciano Pavarotti's New Voice
On TV commercials, at least. Local voice talent Tom Richards has
landed the voiceover part for commercials promoting Luciano Pavarotti's
new CD, "Ti Adoro," to be released Sept. 23. The 15- and
30-second spots are scheduled to air nationally, including the morning
news shows, in a week or two.
Talk show hosts Don and Mike have been told to take a hike by WYSP
94.1-FM. The "hot talk" format direction in which the
station seemed to be headed fell apart after "Opie and
Anthony" lost their show last year, and Don and Mike couldn't
maintain the ratings. "Couzin Ed" takes over the 3-7 p.m.
shift. WYSP hasn't named a permanent replacement for the 11-3
shift
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