TallyVision

[blueheronNC]

With the Gray Comm. budget so tight it would not be surprising if they just didn't replace Frank and kept Julie as a solo anchor for the indefinite future.

It would seem off-balance to have a two-anchor team for 5:30 and 11 but not the "big show" at 6. If I were them, I would put Lee Gordon and Julie Montenaro together and have them do all of the evening news shows (no reason why they switch out anchors like that) and just get rid of that non-descript co-anchor of Lee Gordon's.

[DXV1]

Wow, Frank Ranicky leaving the anchor chair is mighty sad news for me. As someone who was born and raised in Tallahassee, Frank Ranicky is the very first person I ever remember seeing on TV as a child. I remember the name Ranicky even before becoming acquainted with Mr. Rogers and Big Bird. Now I've grown up and have a family of my own, and Ranicky was the one constant (besides family) through all the change. The state of the news industry and Tallahassee's pecking order on it probably means we'll never see another Ranicky - someone who forgoes opportunities in larger cities to stay in the small town he knows and loves to provide stability to a news team for 36 years.

Once again Tallahassee will have to give up something it used to have and will never have again. Being able to forge that personal connection with your newspersons - something those in larger cities do with regularity - is a privilege we won't any longer have. The talent that now goes through our revolving door will be nameless fleeting faces. I know some complain about Ranicky's folkiness, but to those of us Tallahasseeans who have called this place home for a good long while, he was the perfect embodiment of Tallahassee, its people, and its values.

So who is now left whom we can truly say represents the community rather than just reporting on it? I'd say Julie Montenaro and Art Myers. That's it. Hopefully Lee Gordon continues to grow into the role, and hopefully he has loyalty to Tallahassee to the extent that the "new team" can provide a new source of stability to the evening news desk for years to come.

I for one am glad that I will be visiting Tallahassee before Dec. 31st and can watch him one last time.

Frank got a friend of mine a job at WCTV back in 1995. Actually, he helped him get in with WCTV.

[DXV1]

I would seem that 27's problems run so deep due to WWSB mismanagement that it will probably be impossible for 27 to make much, if any, headway in the ratings gap between the two. In fact it is entirely possible and also probable that 27 will actually LOSE ground.

WWSB mismanagement is and has been the reason why 27 has lost a lot of the big name talent and popular one's there (i.e. Burns, Dignon, Scott, Patterson, etc.) Rex is probably signed to a 2 year contract and won't leave until its about to expire (I'm speculating here). Rebecca Baer, from what I recall, has only anchored one show and I think it was last Christmas. Abbey hasn't anchored a show in quite some time. David Taylor looks annoyed when he does news or sports. What do you think of having Dorsett jump ship to 6? I bet she'd like it since she lives on the northside of town (don't know where). Priem will probably go after he graduates. Jason Adams will too when he graduates. Marco bores me on the weekends. Lauren Elise has lately reminded me of a female Rick Boone. She does mess up and flub her words a lot. When she started off, she didn't. Does anyone know if Amanda Anderson got married? A buddy of mine did a search on her to see if she's still in the news business and it came back under her married name of Mills. Then again, Anderson may have been her TV name.

[poonther]

During the Holiday decorating season, I've been in 4 different TV markets (two bigger than ours, two smaller) and I can say w/out a doubt that WCTV has the most distracting and ugliest Holiday decorations by far. Our provincial albino Christmas serpent again looks like it was homemade my Julie M. and a gang of senior center art students set loose in the Michael's floral department w/hot glue guns. When I watch our local news, I rarely look at the reporters faces or the graphics b/c I'm mesmerized and possibly hypnotized by the large serpent just sitting there. I believe if you turn up the volume on your set very loud you may be able to hear the serpent speak.

"Dear Santa please please please bring WCTV new and different holidays decorations for next year. I may not have been a good boy, but I know Mike McCall has been."

And as always YMMV................

[user102929]

During the Holiday decorating season, I've been in 4 different TV markets (two bigger than ours, two smaller) and I can say w/out a doubt that WCTV has the most distracting and ugliest Holiday decorations by far. Our provincial albino Christmas serpent again looks like it was homemade my Julie M. and a gang of senior center art students set loose in the Michael's floral department w/hot glue guns. When I watch our local news, I rarely look at the reporters faces or the graphics b/c I'm mesmerized and possibly hypnotized by the large serpent just sitting there. I believe if you turn up the volume on your set very loud you may be able to hear the serpent speak.

"Dear Santa please please please bring WCTV new and different holidays decorations for next year. I may not have been a good boy, but I know Mike McCall has been."

And as always YMMV................

They looked kind of awkward to me a little bit, I think it would look better by putting poinsettias on the bottom front of the anchor desk and on top of the reporters desks that are behind the anchor desk in the newsroom.

Espositos probably made those decorations.

[DXV1]

I get local TLH Channels at my house with the same DirecTv satellite dish that we use to get all of the other national channels. We already have TLH locals, DirecTv just said they would start showing them in HD around December of this year. They said when that happens then on on the TV guide that we would have two WTXL Channels, one would be HD, and the other would be SD. They can't show us a local station in HD if the station doesn't even broadcast it in HD.

DirecTV was scheduled to be at my house on Sunday but, due to a scheduling error, it looks like they'll be here the end of this week (weather permitting).

[DXV1]

I was just over at WTXL's website and noticed that Rex Hodge's bio is no longer listed. Anyone hear if he's gone?

[RobbieROB]

One of my friends at 27 told me Rex Hodge is gone and mgmt was hoping the door didn't hit him too hard on his way out. It was really hush hush and his contract was apparently up and he still had a bad taste in his mouth about being demoted to the AM shift.

Someone else asked Amanda Anderson. I heard she got married while she was working at the station but the GM who is a total chauvinist wouldn't let her change it. Now that she moved away she was able to change her name. I also saw her on CNN recently she's doing freelance work for them. I was always a fan and knew she was a lot better than little dinky Tallahassee.

Also the GM put out a memo to 27 employees that they weren't allowed to read urban planet after someone wrote something mean about the old news director, who my friend says was a total A** H***

I also heard Dave Priem is gone. Off to finish his schooling, bout time. He leaves a weather team full of children and their too big for his britches leader who I'm told has a big chip on his shoulder.

You know who I miss, Alex Diprato. He was good big market material. I've seen a couple of his stories online in Rhode Island, he's good real good.

Julie M. is really coming across as a pompass(pompous) jerk now that Frank's gone I guess the Queenie is ruling the roost, you'd think she's realize she's a big fish in a small pond, and she's not even that great, and she's always been hard to look at.

There's really no one left watching in this town. I read the democrat online and get my news days after it happens but it's still usually before either of the news stations pick it up. The crap they expect us to put up with as consumers is insulting!

Anyone else think that Abby chick on 27 needs a hair cut? I feel like I'm watching a worn out sorority girl who's had too many all nighters. Please for the love of God tame those locks!!!

Okay I know I don't contribute often and when I do I ramble but the pent up aggression gets the best of me. Let's boycott the stations in hopes of an improvement, this garbage is ridiculous!!!

[DXV1]

One of my friends at 27 told me Rex Hodge is gone and mgmt was hoping the door didn't hit him too hard on his way out. It was really hush hush and his contract was apparently up and he still had a bad taste in his mouth about being demoted to the AM shift.

Someone else asked Amanda Anderson. I heard she got married while she was working at the station but the GM who is a total chauvinist wouldn't let her change it. Now that she moved away she was able to change her name. I also saw her on CNN recently she's doing freelance work for them. I was always a fan and knew she was a lot better than little dinky Tallahassee.

Also the GM put out a memo to 27 employees that they weren't allowed to read urban planet after someone wrote something mean about the old news director, who my friend says was a total A** H***

I also heard Dave Priem is gone. Off to finish his schooling, bout time. He leaves a weather team full of children and their too big for his britches leader who I'm told has a big chip on his shoulder.

You know who I miss, Alex Diprato. He was good big market material. I've seen a couple of his stories online in Rhode Island, he's good real good.

Julie M. is really coming across as a pompass(pompous) jerk now that Frank's gone I guess the Queenie is ruling the roost, you'd think she's realize she's a big fish in a small pond, and she's not even that great, and she's always been hard to look at.

There's really no one left watching in this town. I read the democrat online and get my news days after it happens but it's still usually before either of the news stations pick it up. The crap they expect us to put up with as consumers is insulting!

Anyone else think that Abby chick on 27 needs a hair cut? I feel like I'm watching a worn out sorority girl who's had too many all nighters. Please for the love of God tame those locks!!!

Okay I know I don't contribute often and when I do I ramble but the pent up aggression gets the best of me. Let's boycott the stations in hopes of an improvement, this garbage is ridiculous!!!

Too bad Rex didn't leave a lot earlier. Reason I say that is because of his demotion to the AM show. That sucks for him. Good move on him though to get out (for all the right reasons I might add). You know the people at 27 are reading urbanplanet when they're away from the station. They're just keeping their mouths shut on what's posted here. Now, which news director are they talking about? Richelle? I have read some postings on here about her. I hardly watch 6. The only time I'll watch them is when 27 has something that runs over and it doesn't come on. Never knew that Amanda got married. Now, some on-air people won't use their married name on TV (i.e. Anna Johnson, Nancy Dignon, etc.) They like to keep it that way. I know that once Amy Basista got married, she still was calling herself Basista, not her married last name. Lauren went from Phinney to Dorsett as did Lenita (Williams to Wesson). As far as Abbey goes, I guess that's the way they want her to keep her hair. I have seen her with shorter hair (shoulder length). She's OK. Would like to see her anchor again. Also, would like to see Rebecca anchor more too. I've only seen her anchor once. From what you're saying, it looks like Julie's true colors are starting to show.

[Beukeboom]

Also the GM put out a memo to 27 employees that they weren't allowed to read urban planet after someone wrote something mean about the old news director, who my friend says was a total A** H***

Boy, all of this makes me very happy that I didn't take the job at 27 back then. It's obvious not a pleasant work environment. I was very, very happy working at Channel 6.

I have to take issue with the comments about Julie Montanaro. The many years I worked with her she was very nice and kind. I never got any impression at any time that she had an attitude nor a massive ego. Same with Frank. In fact with the exception of two individuals (both of whom did have major attitude problems and both of whom were fired before their contracts were up) I enjoyed working with every single person at channel 6 when I was there.

Since I haven't been there in almost 3 years now, I don't know the current situation. I have heard that because of budget cuts made by Gray Communications (WCTV's parent company) they are having to make do with less people and that may be causing additional undue pressure on staff, crew and talent.

Anyway, I just have to respectfully disagree with some of the comments made about individuals I worked with and knew somewhat.

[user102929]

Boy, all of this makes me very happy that I didn't take the job at 27 back then. It's obvious not a pleasant work environment. I was very, very happy working at Channel 6.

I have to take issue with the comments about Julie Montanaro. The many years I worked with her she was very nice and kind. I never got any impression at any time that she had an attitude nor a massive ego. Same with Frank. In fact with the exception of two individuals (both of whom did have major attitude problems and both of whom were fired before their contracts were up) I enjoyed working with every single person at channel 6 when I was there.

Since I haven't been there in almost 3 years now, I don't know the current situation. I have heard that because of budget cuts made by Gray Communications (WCTV's parent company) they are having to make do with less people and that may be causing additional undue pressure on staff, crew and talent.

Anyway, I just have to respectfully disagree with some of the comments made about individuals I worked with and knew somewhat.

I agree with you, people at WCTV are easy to get along with, they are friendly but also take their job seriously (despite hearing the phones ring every 3 minutes). The only time I hear of bad attitudes or ego's there is when an obnoxious person calls the station to complain about them having to miss 30 seconds of their show because of a weather or news cut in.

[JohnRogers]

Hey guys, I'm John Rogers, I'm a reporter and Weekend Morning Anchor at WCTV. I must say, for the past couple of months I have enjoyed taking a peek at your conversations, and I hope you don't mind if I join you! And Robert Burns, if you just so happen to see this, I wanted to thank you. It was February 2005 or 2006, and WTXL was in the WFSU studios, and I came to visit. I was an FSU student then, and I sat in on a couple of newscasts. I was pretty much ignored by the staff but you walked in, you showed a genuine interest in my career aspirations and spent time to get to know me. I have never forgotten that, and thank you.

[user102929]

Hey guys, I'm John Rogers, I'm a reporter and Weekend Morning Anchor at WCTV. I must say, for the past couple of months I have enjoyed taking a peek at your conversations, and I hope you don't mind if I join you! And Robert Burns, if you just so happen to see this, I wanted to thank you. It was February 2005 or 2006, and WTXL was in the WFSU studios, and I came to visit. I was an FSU student then, and I sat in on a couple of newscasts. I was pretty much ignored by the staff but you walked in, you showed a genuine interest in my career aspirations and spent time to get to know me. I have never forgotten that, and thank you.

John do you remember me? I was the really tall person with glasses that was at the station interning on your first day anchoring the weekend news at the anchor desk. You and I shook hands in the control room when we first met.

[JohnRogers]

John do you remember me? I was the really tall person with glasses that was at the station interning on your first day anchoring the weekend news at the anchor desk. You and I shook hands in the control room when we first met.

Hey man! Of course I remember you! How ya doin, whatcha up to now? Haha, I remember that day VERY WELL. Shortly after the show had started, I was supposed to toss to Sheena at the weather desk when my mind went BLANK and I froze on air! I went "Um....uh....um....soo....what's goin on Sheena?" LOL! Sheena and I still joke about that.

[user102929]

Hey man! Of course I remember you! How ya doin, whatcha up to now? Haha, I remember that day VERY WELL. Shortly after the show had started, I was supposed to toss to Sheena at the weather desk when my mind went BLANK and I froze on air! I went "Um....uh....um....soo....what's goin on Sheena?" LOL! Sheena and I still joke about that.

I am doing absolutely wonderful, I remember you on that day too. When you stopped I looked up and was hoping you would toss it over to her without any problems, and thankfully you did do that, I probably would have frozen too if it were my first day, but I'd probably would have been frozen for longer.

Glad to hear that you got to go to the inaguration last month, I saw the 6pm news on tv that day from the hospital and you were on the show via phone and I heard you had a run-in with the Secret Service. How unkind of them.

[Go Gators]

Hey man! Of course I remember you! How ya doin, whatcha up to now? Haha, I remember that day VERY WELL. Shortly after the show had started, I was supposed to toss to Sheena at the weather desk when my mind went BLANK and I froze on air! I went "Um....uh....um....soo....what's goin on Sheena?" LOL! Sheena and I still joke about that.

John Rogers...looks like you're well on your way to becoming that NBC Anchorman

[PrintGuy]

Hey guys, I'm John Rogers, I'm a reporter and Weekend Morning Anchor at WCTV. I must say, for the past couple of months I have enjoyed taking a peek at your conversations, and I hope you don't mind if I join you! And Robert Burns, if you just so happen to see this, I wanted to thank you. It was February 2005 or 2006, and WTXL was in the WFSU studios, and I came to visit. I was an FSU student then, and I sat in on a couple of newscasts. I was pretty much ignored by the staff but you walked in, you showed a genuine interest in my career aspirations and spent time to get to know me. I have never forgotten that, and thank you.

Howdy John. I'm happy to see you making your dreams come true. Life - is what you make it. Too many people in television are miserable. I suppose everyone has a right to some discontent, I just don't believe that has to be poured on new, energetic people.

I wish you the very best. You'll enjoy it - if you set your mind to it. No job is perfect.

I started out as the weekend anchor at WCTV back in the late 1980's - so there's a certain pleasing sense of continuity to hearing about what you're doing now. My co-anchors were Julie Montanaro and Nancy Dignon... two people I admire greatly.

I'm now the editor of a newspaper over on the East Coast of Florida - the New Smyrna Beach Observer. Life is good. :-)

Once again, enjoy yourself and help out the new guys - someday you'll be watching them and remembering when THEY were college interns. How's everyone else on this good old blog site? Ready for some new blood in Tallahassee?

[poonther]

Hey guys, I'm John Rogers, I'm a reporter and Weekend Morning Anchor at WCTV. I must say, for the past couple of months I have enjoyed taking a peek at your conversations, and I hope you don't mind if I join you! And Robert Burns, if you just so happen to see this, I wanted to thank you. It was February 2005 or 2006, and WTXL was in the WFSU studios, and I came to visit. I was an FSU student then, and I sat in on a couple of newscasts. I was pretty much ignored by the staff but you walked in, you showed a genuine interest in my career aspirations and spent time to get to know me. I have never forgotten that, and thank you.

Hey John, great to have you here. I must admit I don't see you on the news as much anymore since you switched to weekend mornings. Usually on those days at that time, I'm just looking at the back of my eyelids. All in all, glad to see you got a promotion.

Just curious, what does WCTV plan to do w/Frank R.'s spot? Right now Lee G. is doing it along w/the 5:30pm and 11pm newscast. Do they plan to leave it like that or what?

BTW: I went to Weatherfest over at FSU a few weeks back. It was a lot of fun. I met Cassanova and the whole weather team at WCTV: Mike, Rob and Sheena. Sadly they did not bring the Christmas Serpent w/them.

[JohnRogers]

Hey John, great to have you here. I must admit I don't see you on the news as much anymore since you switched to weekend mornings. Usually on those days at that time, I'm just looking at the back of my eyelids. All in all, glad to see you got a promotion.

Just curious, what does WCTV plan to do w/Frank R.'s spot? Right now Lee G. is doing it along w/the 5:30pm and 11pm newscast. Do they plan to leave it like that or what?

BTW: I went to Weatherfest over at FSU a few weeks back. It was a lot of fun. I met Cassanova and the whole weather team at WCTV: Mike, Rob and Sheena. Sadly they did not bring the Christmas Serpent w/them.

Thanks for the welcome! Haha, I don't blame you for sleeping in on a Saturday morning (Who does that? ) but if you're ever up, you should check out the show, its not that bad! I'll be honest man, in terms of Frank's replacement, you know just as much as I know. From what I can tell, it looks like Lee is staying put in that position for the foreseeable future, but I honestly have no input or inclusion in those decisions. Lee is a really hard worker and he's doing a great job.

As for Frank, he still stops by the station often and says hello. I can tell he misses the job but he's making the most of it and enjoys retirement.

And 'Go Gators', have we met before? I didn't think many people knew about that 'NBC Anchorman' thing, that was a nickname from a while ago. I'm a little more loyal to CBS now.

Speaking of NBC, what's the story behind NBC 40 and their former news program? I've heard they had one in the late '90s and I've even seen some clips of it. I'll admit its a shame there isn't a third news station in the area, even though this economy discourages that, I think it could only bring good to the community.

[Beukeboom]

Speaking of NBC, what's the story behind NBC 40 and their former news program? I've heard they had one in the late '90s and I've even seen some clips of it. I'll admit its a shame there isn't a third news station in the area, even though this economy discourages that, I think it could only bring good to the community.

I'm going from memory but WTWC decided to add a news department and spent a ton of money to get it up and running. From the get-go it was losing money and only got worse as time went on. Eventually it was determined that it was a lost cause and they scrapped it.

BTW, for whatever it's worth, I'm a WCTV alum as well from '97 to '06.

[Go Gators]

And 'Go Gators', have we met before? I didn't think many people knew about that 'NBC Anchorman' thing, that was a nickname from a while ago. I'm a little more loyal to CBS now.

We've met a time or two before. Glad to see you are doing well. Keep working hard!

[Beukeboom]

I think everyone will get a kick out of this but I hope neither Mike McCall nor Rob Nucatola ever tries this on-air:

http://tinyurl.com/bkaad2

[user102929]

I think everyone will get a kick out of this but I hope neither Mike McCall nor Rob Nucatola ever tries this on-air:

http://tinyurl.com/bkaad2

But she only rapped the traffic report, she stopped at the beginning of the weather block. Her name is Jennie Stencil, she is the traffic person at that station (WXII NBC 12) Winston-Salem, NC. She has done many things like that before on TV.

Go here and look at all of the things Ive found. http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=AW1016...;view=favorites

Some of them are stupid, but funny.

[poonther]

I'm going from memory but WTWC decided to add a news department and spent a ton of money to get it up and running. From the get-go it was losing money and only got worse as time went on. Eventually it was determined that it was a lost cause and they scrapped it.

BTW, for whatever it's worth, I'm a WCTV alum as well from '97 to '06.

B'boom isn't WTWC owned by Sinclair, back then and now?

[Beukeboom]

B'boom isn't WTWC owned by Sinclair, back then and now?

From the info I found Gannett originally owned it when the station first started and was sold to Sinclair in the 90's. I believe Sinclair owned it when WTWC started its second attempt at local news.