Sunday, February 04, 2007

A New News Director is Named at WMC and Somebody Please Separate the Producers and the Videographers!

If you're going to do battle then it helps to have some leaders you know and trust. Such must be the case for the GM at WMC. This GM who has a background in news came to WMC last year after helping establish the Raycom station in Huntsville, AL as the Numero Uno in that market. Speculation began when he came to Memphis that he would bring the ND from that station with him. The rumor was fueled by the fact that the ND had put her house in Huntsville on the market. I guess she wanted to get her newsroom through the February book before she left. Either that or it's a slow housing market in Huntsville or things didn't move as fast as some thought. Anyway, Tracey Rogers is scheduled to take over the helm of the WMC newsroom Feb. 19th. We've had a couple of folks post on her at this blog. I have heard some good things about her when she was in Nashville and she also spent some time in the Paducah market. She shows up at a good time at least when it comes to WREG. I'm told folks down on the river are still waiting to see what will happen when the new owners take over there. And Rogers may crank up the weathergasms in this market a notch or two if that's possible. Maybe we will see five weather folks at Five as well. Anyway, give her a year and we'll see where everything stands then. Let the games begin.

And it turns out that some folks aren't feeling the love between those in the newsroom and those out trying to gather the news in the field. Check out some of the comments regarding last Monday's post. Everybody remember to play nice. A sure fire way to unite both of those sides is to have an anchor with an attitude step in to mediate. They'll unite very quickly to hate the anchor.

And one final note, if during the next week you post a response to anything you have read here and you don't see it appear right away it's probably because Blogger is getting cranky. I think the good folks who run this are trying to do this big changover to the new Google Blogospshere and they are having some technical issues. I find I can only sign on about half the time which is probably twice as much as I should anyway.

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

On another subject, saw some things online today that said NBC has cancelled the soap opera Passions, which will air its last episodes in August. Rumor is that this is to make way for a 4th hour of the today show, which apparently speculation says Matt Lauer isn't too happy about.

10:04 PM  
Blogger Joe Larkins said...

I've never seen the soap "Passions" but from what I've read it has no ratings to speak of and a number of folks will be happy to see it go.
Meanwhile the planned expansion of the Today show is yet another example of corporate folks attempting to stretch the proverbial Golden Goose by pulling on its head and feet at the same time. Those same folks will be shocked, shocked to learn that somehow they've killed it and they won't understand how it happened. Perhaps they won't end up dilluting their product and spreading out their audience.
As for Matt, he'll keep plodding along. Afterall, isn't that why he's paid the big bucks? Maybe he'll get tired and ask to be reunited and teamed up with KC over at CBS.

4:27 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think I speak for many at WMC when I say we are ecstatic to get Tracey in here. Between the change in attitude and focus we've been given hope. I believe the change in leadership will reverse the mean spirit that fills that place now.

7:58 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I worked with Tracey in Paducah. She's the best, and will do a great job at WMC! I think the newsroom there will really love her. I know our's did!

4:29 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I worked with Tracey in Paducah. She's the best! The folks at WMC are really lucky!

4:56 AM  

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