Channel Surfing
WPVI general manager and vice president Dave Davis had a few
remarks about KYW news anchor Marc Howard’s quotes in
“Philadelphia” magazine. In
the article “Broken News,” Howard was quoted as saying that when
Howard worked for Davis at WPVI, Davis was jealous of the anchor’s
higher salary and that Howard was treated like a “heretic” when word
leaked that he was thinking of leaving WPVI. “When Marc left the station (in August), we had a gentleman’s
agreement that neither would comment on his departure.
I’m still sticking to that,” Davis said.
In response to Howard’s quote in the article that he blamed the
audience for the quality of local television, Davis said, “We respect
and are grateful for our audience.”
Davis admitted that WPVI management did not grant permission for
weather anchor Cecily Tynan to be photographed for the cover alongside
Howard and former WCAU weather anchor John Bolaris, now of WCBS in New
York. “Our role is to
give the news, not be the news,” said Davis. He denied that WPVI did
not allow Tynan to pose with the others because he didn’t want a
Channel 6 employee to be photographed with someone from a competing
station.
“Philadelphia” ended up using a year-old photo of Tynan from
a previous story about her. Though
it looks like the three were together, the magazine traveled to New York
City to photograph Bolaris, and took Howard’s photo separately in
Philadelphia.
When asked if it was bad for station morale not to allow Tynan to
pose for the cover of a magazine, (or to discourage station employees
not to enter the local Emmys) Davis laughed, “People seem to stick
around here a long time. I
don’t think we have unhappy employees.”
WPEN 950-AM disc jockey Jerry Blavat shared the stage with Lou
Rawls and Aretha Franklin in the fantastic PBS special “Rhythm, Love,
and Soul.” While
millions watch amateur singers try to sing R&B classics on
“American Idol,” this show featured the real thing - Thelma Houston,
The Spinners, Gloria Gaynor, and Freda Payne, Mary Wilson, and more. University of Pennsylvania freshman biology major Evan Silverstein won
the “Hollywood Squares” College Tourament last week. Though I’m not a fan of most of the syndicated programming on WPHT
1210-AM, such as “Don Imus,” “Glenn Beck,” and “Rush
Limbaugh,” there is one syndicated show that is worth listening to –
“Matt Drudge” – on Sunday from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.
He is the creator of the popular internet site “The Drudge
Report.” Another show worth checking out is “Celebrity Justice” on UPN 57
weekdays at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Focusing on problems in show business, this “Anti-Entertainment
Tonight” never runs out of material. The National Television
Academy announces the 2003 Young Producer's
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