Knoxville radio has reached a new pinnacle of excellence this week! Please head over there right now and read what they have to say about a local radio giant, a legend in his own mind, yes folks a man fired more times than the big gun at Ringling Brothers, a friend to the common man and often common woman and someone who we all love and at times abhor. Many thanks to the award winning writers of said blog for their extraordinary reporting skills and their dead on fact finding for this soon to be Pulitzer nominated story.
Last Friday one of our favorite local TV news stations said good bye to more than a few staff members. Included in the list of the departed were former Fox and WVLT anchor Liz Tedone, former FOX and WVLT meteorologist Craig Edwards, Kim Bedford, photographer Steve Coy and
Jessa Goddard.
Liz came here in 1999 to be the FOX 43 anchor.
We had the pleasure of seeing her first introduced to the unwashed media at the Sunsphere and later at a big feed at Club LeConte. She was star material from the get go and when she came back to WVLT after getting married to Craig Edwards she still had it! As for Mr. Edwards he was always a favorite both on the air and off. Unlike a few scary folks in TV news Craig was and still is a very nice guy not to mention a real talent. Both will be missed by the station and those who watch it.
Lots of guesses why all of these folks were shuffled out but most who gossip about such things all agree it had nothing at all to do with their talent. If you look at all of the “old” media you can see major cracks forming and the rule of thumb is when cracks form management will always push staff into them for a quick fix. Wanta see some other local cracks check out WATE. Their parent company is still trying to find budget dollars after their major California mistake and even though Channel 6 blew away the noon they could certainly see more dark changes in their future. As for the king of the hill, WBIR they also are showing a few fissures. Double shifting is the first one that comes to mind not to mention more and more backpack journalism being instituted into a department that one time had over sixty FULLTIME employees.
Around the country the trend is to get out of the local news world, so I guess you could say we are lucky to still have three stations still in there swinging. Still it is the people who make the difference and when you cut talent like those from WVLT the product has to take a major hit.
Oh a happier note there is a great site where those who report and now days often “make up” the news can raise cane about their changing world. If you wanta get into the gripe fest feel free, no press badge is required. Just dash over to Angry Journalist dot com and let her rip. It is kinda dominated by the print kids but there is more than enough room for everyone to get their thoughts in the mix.
Another fun site that often blatantly promotes its station is found at WBIR.
I love it when they run polls asking who is our favorite TV news Dude or Duddette and only list WBIR STAFF! Oh and right now they are looking for blogger types. Yep, just like the big paper has offered writers a chance to work hard for no pay…this site is offering the same deal to those who scribble in cyber space. Our staff has been posting over there and they have found the only time they were edited was when the site asked for comments about another elk release and one of our kids sent in several suggestions for the killing and cooking of the large animals. Those who stalk said beasts say Elk tastes just like a cross between baby seal and chicken if you shoot them when they are sleeping.
Speaking of blatant plugs, if you are looking for a good time
Call Hazel at BR549 OR dash over to this site. Fun old men can be hired to come out to your next party, beer joint, wedding, wake or bar mitzvah and entertain for a pittance of what it would cost to hire a real band.
As always if you have a thought post early and post often. Remember we never edit or cull no matter how stupid or inflammatory it may be!
13 comments:
Walker, I'm sorry to hear about the passing of your mother (judging from the picture) and offer full condolences. You only have one mother in life.
I understand the grieving process, but you should have let us know what was going on. I thought perhaps you had passed or had been hospitalized. I like this blog but I really thought it was destined for cyberdeath.
Whatever you can discover about Knoxville media and pass along to us is appreciated. Here are some questions:
Can you find out more about the Channel 8 massacre?
Is Six going to cut more people or separate itself from 43?
How has the overall management at 10 changed over the last few years, and why are they doubling up shifts for their talent? Do they pay their hosts that badly?
Heard anything about one of the for-profit FM stations in town switching to a Christian format?
Your thoughts on the talent available anymore and how Knoxville radio has changed for the good or bad for new talent.
Keep us updated on the gossip, and update your blog more often. We can't stir up trouble if you don't visit yourself.
It is sad when someone of Craig's caliber is let go. He was genuinely a nice guy, and was very good on air.
His only drawback, apparently, is that he is not a cute blond.
Headscratchin'...
WVLT was just over staffed. Problem is they fired the wrong ones.
That weekend goon...gordon something or other would have been the first to hit the door followed by the odd sports guy who has a broken jaw?
I remember Liz and thought it was wonderful she came back. I guess I will just go back to WBIR now.
Went over to that WBIR thing and they were doing a contest on who was the best woman anchor. They only had their women listed.
I voted for the blond on 8.
And then there's that VERY YOUNG reporter for WVLT that sounds like a woman. With a little makeup and a nice wig, he'd probably look like one as well.
Wow, Anon 11:04 --
What did I, or one of my sports co-workers, EVER do to you?
Suffice it to say, we're all hurting. We lost good people and friends. Craig and I have been friends since before some of our co-workers were even born.
We could ask what confluence of events determined who would be cut, when -- but what's done is done.
Dwell on hypotheticals, and they'll
eat you alive.
There but for grace, as they say,
it could have been any of us.
Jessa, Kim, Steve and Craig all are
good people. All will land quickly (Craig already has), and I hope, for the sake of our business, that all STAY in the business.
This business isn't what it was when I got in it 24 years ago.
It's not what it was even 5 years ago. It's tough to envision where you want your newsroom to be in five years when your stockholders and creditors demand answers for the next quarter.
Gannett, Young, et. al. all face
variations of the same challenges.
All you can do, is make sure you give it your best every day, embrace change (before it boa-constricts you) and keep your eyes and ears open.
Gordon Boyd
Local tv news has gone to the shitpot, especially on the weekends. And what's Channel 10's infatuation with female sports chicks? Our town's tv news is headed to Hoosierville apparently.
Gordon,
Sorry to see your co-workers let go, but it's management's style these days to fire higher paid employees and replace them with young, inexperienced CHEAP talent. 'Cause after all, the bottom line is all that counts to them. People don't matter.
BTW, where did Craig get a new gig, if you don't mind to tell us?
Gordon,
You are not very good but you do try and that is all anyone can ask at 8.
My question is after all the work they have tried to do and now that they are beating WATE why did the fire those who had such a big part in it?
People say WATE just beat themselves but WVLT did work hard and is doing much better than in the past. So again why fire those five who were all very good?
Former WVLT news viewer
If the contract isn't signed, it's close.
Craig's joining WZTV (Fox) in Nashville as weather anchor for its
new (or expanded, I'm not sure) morning show.
It'll be a reunion: Nick Paranjape
(Fox 43's original sports anchor) will be one of the co-anchors.
Craig and Liz are two of the classiest people I've ever met, period.
I'll miss them.
But hey, at least I'll have a place
to stay if I go over for a Predators game.
Gordon
Gordon I have no idea who is
mad at you but personally I will say you are one of if not the best anchor on 8 and they have some good ones now.
The guy on 10 started off bad and never got better, the two on WATE look very old and now that the afternoon guy is on in the morning on BIR their station is really in a slump.
Good luck to all those who 8 fired and best of luck to you!
The new morning achor on 10 is great on sports. She is already the best in town!
I hate that Jessa left. She was the best!
Any idea where she's going to end up?
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