Will Howard Stern Replace Simon Cowell on American Idol?

Sirius radio host Howard Stern has been claimed by the New York Post's Page Six as to be negotiating a deal to replace American Idol judge Simon Cowell.

http://www.examiner.com/x-27339-Cincinnati-Pop-Culture-Examiner~y2010m2d5-Howard-Stern-will-he-replace-Simon-Cowell-on-Idol

WLEX's Perino Named Sportscaster of the Year

Alexandria native Mary Jo Perino could not believe the latest bit of recognition she received for her work as a sportscaster at WLEX-TV in Lexington, Kentucky.

Perino, the daughter of John and Sandy Perino of Alexandria, was recently named the sportscaster of the year for the state of Kentucky by the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.

http://www.echopress.com/event/article/id/71800/

WCPO A.N.D. Gets Promoted to Palm Beach

WCPO Cincinnati Assistant News Director Jeff Brogan has been named news director at WPTV West Palm Beach. Both are Scripps stations.

Prior to his long stint at WCPO, Brogan worked at WXIX Cincinnati as a producer and assignment editor.

"Jeff has extraordinarily strong skills in both content and production," WPTV VP/General Manager Steve Wasserman said in a memo. "He is a hands-on manager who is anxious to join our team and work side-by-side with our newsroom staff and other department heads to make our newscasts even better than they are today."

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/446595-WPTV_Names_Brogan_News_Director.php

Former WBKI Station Manager Sues Former Employers

Former WBKI station manager and morning show co-host Dan Spangler has filed a lawsuit in Jefferson Circuit Court against the owners of the station, claiming he was wrongfully terminated last June.

http://www.louisvillemojo.com/blogs/Louisville_Blogs/84267/Spangler_Sues_Station__Charges_Religious_Discrimination

Columbus Sports Reporters Having a Bad Week

It’s been a bad week for TV sports reporters in Columbus.



Last week it was announced that NBC 4’s Omar Ruiz had left the sports crew and returned to his native California.



The move seemed way too sudden to be amiable, as Ruiz’s presence was quickly removed from the station’s website (even the “Deep Thoughts” blog, for goodness sake.)

http://www.theotherpaper.com/articles/2010/01/20/front/doc4b57a8ddb3a0c857014994.txt

Kentucky Native Hits "The Deep End"

The hot new attorney at one of Los Angeles' most prestigious law firms hails from Winchester.

Well, the attorney doesn't. Dylan Hewitt grew up in a working-class New England family and went to Yale and Columbia universities. But Matt Long, the actor who plays Dylan on ABC's new drama, The Deep End, hails from the home of Ale-8-One.

http://www.kentucky.com/712/story/1102913.html

Family and Friends Remember Francene Cucinello

Family, friends and fans of Francene Cucinello gathered Monday morning in Louisville to honor the WHAS Radio personality who passed away last week. Among the speakers at the Southeast Christian Church memorial service was longtime friend Kristin Emery, who met Cucinello when they were students at West Virginia University.

http://www.wfpl.org/2010/01/18/memorial-service-held-for-francene-cucinello/

KET Says Experience Counts in New Director

In choosing its new executive director, the leaders of Kentucky Educational Television decided against a national search and promoted an internal executive who dropped out of college before joining the network for a nearly 25-year career.

It's an educational background that might seem surprising, but it is not unprecedented, national observers say, and also comes at a time when many state networks are promoting staffers to save the costs and time-consuming nature of searches.

http://www.kentucky.com/181/story/1099661.html?storylink=omni_popular

Host of "The Francene Show" Dies at 43

Francene Cucinello, the host of “Francene Show” passed away Friday. She suffered a heart attack on Monday, January 11th followed by a brain aneurysm on Wednesday. Francene passed away at 3:15 p.m. Friday (January 15) at Norton Hospital. She was 43.

http://www.whas11.com/news/local/Francene-Cucinello-host-of-Francene-Show-on-WHAS-dies-81765067.html

Dayton's Carl Day Out of Hospital After Heart Attack

Carl Day, the local TV personality known for his bouts with cancer, was released on Friday, Jan. 15, from Kettering Medical Center after treatment for a heart attack.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/carl-day-released-from-hospital-day-after-heart-attack-495149.html?cxtype=rss_local-news

Julie Tam Leaving Fox 41

TIME TO SAY GOODBYE… I’m 
leaving WDRB-TV FOX 41 in early 2010, after more than 4 years as a news
reporter and anchor here. Early on, I fell in love with Louisville and
the surrounding towns throughout Ke…ntucky and Southern Indiana, where
I’ve traveled to cover news and on my own time for pleasure. It’s a
beautiful and convenient place to live. I love our house and our
exquisite neighborhood. Now it’s time to move on.

http://thevillevoice.com/2010/01/13/julie-tam-says-shes-leaving-fox-41/

Why Dale Huffman Loves Dayton

With the surprise exit of NCR Corp. and the shuttering of most GM projects here — the Dayton skyline looms a shade or two darker at the conclusion of 2009.

Even though it won’t be remembered as our city’s most lighthearted year, it is time to share my annual list of reasons why I love my hometown of Dayton, Ohio.

I hope you agree with me that we do have things to be thankful for.

In no specific order are 16 positive things we can count on as we head down the paths of 2010. As always, we will greet familiar adventures, and explore the challenges destined to surprise us.

http://fortheloveofdayton.wordpress.com/2010/01/11/dale-huffmans-list-16-reasons-why-i-love-dayton/

Springer vs. Cunningham - Were You Surprised?

Score Round One for Jerry Springer. That’s my take on the “Jerry & Bill Show,” the pilot for a weekly debate show starring Springer and 700 WLW-AM’s Bill Cunningham that aired Sunday night on WXIX-TV (Ch 19).

I’m still stunned from hearing conservative Cunningham declare that there “aren’t any dirt poor” people in the the United States. And that all the poor people in this country are overweight. He said: “We have fat poor people.”

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/tv/2010/01/11/did-you-watch-springer-and-cunningham/

More Weather Shakeups in Cincinnati

Valerie Abati will move to weekends, and Eric Green move to Albuquerque, after Kevin Robinson arrives today at WLWT-TV from the Weather Channel. Robinson, 30, a 1997 Princeton High School graduate, replaces chief meteorologist Derek Beasley, who quit in August to become chief forecaster for a Mobile station. Robinson will debut here on the 5, 6 & 11 p.m. newscasts by the end of the week, once he’s comfortable with the technology, says GM Richard Dyer.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/tv/2010/01/11/ch-5-news-valerie-abati-to-weekends-eric-green-leaving/

Leno at 10 Ends on the 11th

NBCU Television Entertainment Chairman Jeff Gaspin tells TV critics in Los Angeles that the low-rated primetime hour will end the night before NBC's telecast of the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics. Primetime Leno "did not meet affiliates' needs," he says. Replacing Leno after the Olympics will be a mix of original shows, repeats, extended Dateline and shows pulled from cable nets Bravo and USA, he says.

http://www.tvnewscheck.com/articles/2010/01/10/daily.1/

Why Andrews is Out at 11 on WKRC

So why did WKRC-TV remove Kit Andrews from Channel 12's 11 p.m. news last week after 19 years?

The official word from Local 12 was that she "expressed an interest in ... a lifestyle change."

But Channel 12 also was looking for a ratings boost by promoting Cammy Dierking to main co-anchor with Rob Braun.

Clyde Gray and Carol Williams on WCPO-TV (Channel 9) have been closing the gap at 11 p.m.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100110/ENT11/1100332/1175/ENT/Andrews+wanted+off+evening+news+

WDTN's Howard One of Layoff Casualties

Sharon Howard, the executive director of community and public relations at WDTN-TV, is among four people who have lost their jobs in a work force reduction at the station, Dayton’s NBC network affiliate.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/wdtns-sharon-howard-loses-job-in-work-force-reduction-484023.html

Dayton Broadcasting Legend Returns to Local TV

Carl Day, a veteran Dayton television anchor, has come out of retirement and has returned to television just in time for his 72nd birthday.

Day will be doing special commentary pieces on WRGT-TV,Channel 45 and WKET-TV, Channel 22 newscasts twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/retired-local-tv-anchor-carl-day-back-on-the-air-483192.html

WLKY Reporter Heads Back to School

Ben Jackey, a reporter at WLKY-TV, has been hired as a communications specialist with Jefferson County Public Schools.

He will start Jan. 19.

Jackey, a Louisville native, will make $83,000 a year. His job responsibilities include helping write news releases, working with the news media and assisting in the planning and implementation of live events.

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100104/NEWS01/1040353/WLKY+reporter+hired+for+school+district+communications

WLWT's Ken Broo Talks About Heart Attack

Channel 5 sports anchor Ken Broo has spent a lot of time the past 10 days thinking about “What if?” What if his heart attack came two days later – the Saturday after Christmas, instead of Christmas eve morning — when he would have been driving to New Orleans to cover the Sugar Bowl for WLWT-TV?

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/tv/2010/01/04/ken-broo-talks-about-his-heart-attack/