landtuna said:
Market #13 to #4...1.6 million TV households to 3 million...a Belo independent to an NBC O&O...and the bucks that come with that kind of step up...she did more than okay. Next stop NYC, local or network.
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Is Brittney Leaving KTVK?
- Thread starter formeraa
- Start date
Market #13 to #4...1.6 million TV households to 3 million...a Belo independent to an NBC O&O...and the bucks that come with that kind of step up...she did more than okay. Next stop NYC, local or network.
michael hagerty said:
I assume that a move from #13 to #4 results in a decent pay increase but Philly is a dump and is one of those places that you have to be very careful in which neighborhood you visit. Brittney has been living in a Hobbit land out here and I suspect she will now have much more sordid detail to report on instead of the light fare she's used to. Her personality doesn't seem to be suited for the North East. Of course, if she's only the weather girl than all bets are off since standing in front of the green screen is the same no matter the market. Looking at all the outside reporters currently in Phoenix she would not have been my choice for a similar position there.
Congrats on the job move (I did the very same thing myself long, long ago) but not so much on the geography.
landtuna said:
I've never met or had any contact with Brittney, but a couple of things from her bio:
She's a native of Los Angeles, which has its share of areas best not wandered into.
She is a meterorologist, not a "weather girl"...and as Bill Bellis told me when he took the Chicago gig, it's nice to actually have some weather to forecast.
brian4 said:
I think WCAU announced it this afternoon, after GMAZ left the air.
This really is a big deal. I can think of only two other similar huge moves by young talent in Phoenix...Elizabeth Vargas, who went Reno-KTVK-WBBM, Chicago in three years in the late 80s, and Jay DeDapper, who did Sioux City-KTVK-WABC, New York in three years in the early 90s.
michael hagerty said:
I do not know her personally either but knowing both the L.A./Phoenix and Philly environments I would anticipate she is going to have a severe culture shock. Philly hasn't been the "city of brotherly love" for more than a century. ;D
michael hagerty said:
I did not use the term "weather girl" in a demeaning way but rather to accurately address her performance on-air. I am not a regular Channel 3 viewer but do tend to catch her on Saturday mornings and remember her "weather reports" as being the reading off a temp chart rather than a full-blown weather assessment as is the case with several other market mets. I realize she is doing what her producers ask of her but she has been in the market long enough to be given something besides fluffy location shots and a temp chart. Or perhaps she will be getting more meaty roles back east.
Your comment from Bellis is a good one and Chicago is perhaps the most active weather region in the country. Living there is another story but you gotta go where your career takes you. But then he must have known that when he accepted the Phoenix job.
michael hagerty said:
Well put. I've been guilty of referring to AZ Meteorologists as "weather guessers" which is worse. Something that I haven't done is belittle their actual education. Shipp recently completed her certificate in Broadcast Meteorology and I'm sure it wasn't easy: working full time while taking online classes.
landtuna said:
Interesting that you say this. On weekends when its serious weather, Shipp would remain in studio and give a more detailed report. I think juggling on location assignments just makes it easier to give a basic report/forecast. I think as she gets more experience those segments would get better.
brian4 said:
I'll take your word for it because I've never personally witnessed it.
brian4 said:
I agree but reading temps off a slide currently being aired isn't much of a stretch. Since these location shots always have an in-studio host it would make much more sense for the studio host to stand in front of the green wall and do a complete weather report.
brian4 said:
I would have thought so too. IMHO Brittney was not the strongest field reporter/fluffer in Phoenix television. Perhaps it is her laid back manner or the oh-so-light assignments she was given but there are easily half a dozen more professional field reporters I can think of off hand that would be more appropriate for the Philly market. In the span of time she has been here we should have already seen that improvement.
I've got nothing personal against Brittney and I wish her well but I think she has bitten off a big chunk.
landtuna --
Thank you for your "hard" comments. Brittney did a credible job -- perhaps not an impressive job -- doing live reports and weather reports. I'm not a journalist by trade, so I don't know how hard it is to do the weather and report from a live event with screaming kids/adults/pets/etc. I must say that Tess and Brittney always interacted well, which helped the "pace" of weekend GMAZ (although they could get rid of Ryan and I wouldn't miss him).
Sometimes the East Coast is not very friendly to journalists from the West Coast. While I was growing up in Seattle, one of our chief mets and sports directors went to NY for a promotion. Both of them were back in Seattle within a year. Then again, Brittney may be the exception -- one never knows.
Thank you for your "hard" comments. Brittney did a credible job -- perhaps not an impressive job -- doing live reports and weather reports. I'm not a journalist by trade, so I don't know how hard it is to do the weather and report from a live event with screaming kids/adults/pets/etc. I must say that Tess and Brittney always interacted well, which helped the "pace" of weekend GMAZ (although they could get rid of Ryan and I wouldn't miss him).
Sometimes the East Coast is not very friendly to journalists from the West Coast. While I was growing up in Seattle, one of our chief mets and sports directors went to NY for a promotion. Both of them were back in Seattle within a year. Then again, Brittney may be the exception -- one never knows.
landtuna said:
You're most likely thinking of Mary Jo West, who was Phoenix's first female anchor (Channel 10, 1976-1981). She went to CBS in New York, didn't like it, and came back to Phoenix after a year...not to public access but as the lead anchor at Channel 3 for four years (1982-1986). She's been involved with Catholic charities for the past 20 years or so and is currently Community Liason at St. Vincent DePaul.
Back to Brittney: I'm going to assume you didn't realize "fluffer" is more offensive than "weather girl".
michael hagerty said:
Yes, it was Mary Jo. Seems to me she worked in city public affairs or at Channel 11 for awhile but I may be thinking of someone else.
michael hagerty said:
I used "fluffer" to describe the type of location stories she did on Saturday mornings. Dog shows, 5K races, art shows etc. Reminds me of the type of stories Jane Fonda's character griped about in "The China Syndrome".
landtuna said:
Landtuna: Checked Mary Jo's bio. She was Station Manager for Phoenix Channel 11 for six years (1989-1995).
Googling "fluffer" might explain why "feature reporter" is a less risky term...
Brittney Shipp 3TV Weather Forecaster Leaving.
All Those Brittney Shipp Watchers......Brittney On Her Way To Philidelphia To Join NBC Station WCAU Early Next Year. Read it on MediaBistro.com
All Those Brittney Shipp Watchers......Brittney On Her Way To Philidelphia To Join NBC Station WCAU Early Next Year. Read it on MediaBistro.com
Re: Brittney Shipp 3TV Weather Forecaster Leaving.
Or 16 posts and 10 days back on this very thread...your choice.
snoopster21 said:
Or 16 posts and 10 days back on this very thread...your choice.
I think WCAU announced it this afternoon, after GMAZ left the air.
This really is a big deal. I can think of only two other similar huge moves by young talent in Phoenix...Elizabeth Vargas, who went Reno-KTVK-WBBM, Chicago in three years in the late 80s, and Jay DeDapper, who did Sioux City-KTVK-WABC, New York in three years in the early 90s.
Both Jodi Applegate and Lauren Sanchez went from KTVK to national platforms...Jodi to MSNBC and "Today," and Lauren to "Extra" and Fox Sports Net.
This really is a big deal. I can think of only two other similar huge moves by young talent in Phoenix...Elizabeth Vargas, who went Reno-KTVK-WBBM, Chicago in three years in the late 80s, and Jay DeDapper, who did Sioux City-KTVK-WABC, New York in three years in the early 90s.
Both Jodi Applegate and Lauren Sanchez went from KTVK to national platforms...Jodi to MSNBC and "Today," and Lauren to "Extra" and Fox Sports Net.
detroitrockcity said:
True. But I was thinking about the trajectory from small markets before KTVK to the bigs. Jodi had been on TV in San Francisco before Phoenix, and Lauren had L.A. experience. Not the same as Yuma--Phoenix--Philly, Sioux City--Phoenix--New York or Reno--Phoenix--Chicago.
Today on GMAZ, Javier and Kaley announced that it was Brittney's "last Friday" on the morning show. In addition, Brittney posted that this will be her last weekend on GMAZ. We're counting down to saying "goodbye". I'm sure Tess will run it into the ground this weekend! 
Oh yes, and we must say the obligatory: "Phoenix's loss is Philly's gain!"
Oh yes, and we must say the obligatory: "Phoenix's loss is Philly's gain!"
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