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Laura Houston makes on-camera debut at Ch 8

B

BrainDeadPrez

Guest
And what a breath of fresh air from having to look at Morticia doing traffic!! Laura has missed her calling...all those years in the chopper for WBAP when she could have been on-screen. She looked great and sounded great. But I'd bet that Shomper would burn down Communications Center before he'd let Laura make a move anywhere else.
 
> And what a breath of fresh air from having to look at
> Morticia doing traffic!! Laura has missed her calling...all
> those years in the chopper for WBAP when she could have been
> on-screen. She looked great and sounded great. But I'd bet
> that Shomper would burn down Communications Center before
> he'd let Laura make a move anywhere else.
>
Laura IMHO has the chops for TV. In fact, I hope the new news director will give laura a real shot on TV and pitch morticias greek backside back to the minors.
 
> > And what a breath of fresh air from having to look at
> > Morticia doing traffic!! Laura has missed her
> calling...all
> > those years in the chopper for WBAP when she could have
> been
> > on-screen. She looked great and sounded great. But I'd
> bet
> > that Shomper would burn down Communications Center before
> > he'd let Laura make a move anywhere else.
> >
> Laura IMHO has the chops for TV. In fact, I hope the new
> news director will give laura a real shot on TV and pitch
> morticias greek backside back to the minors.
>
Laura has what Alexa doesn't--PERSONALITY and Knowledge.Laura looks good on camera as well and she knows how to interact with people...a key ingredient. Will Shomper let her go ..permanently to ch.8? That remains the question.
 
> >
> Laura has what Alexa doesn't--PERSONALITY and
> Knowledge.Laura looks good on camera as well and she knows
> how to interact with people...a key ingredient. Will Shomper
> let her go ..permanently to ch.8? That remains the question.
>


Alexas has personality. She's just a sweet girl who would really like to be a news anchor, not a traffic reporter. Laura is very good at traffic despite her sometimes monotone delivery. Plus she's very attractive in that "Texas Big-Hair" kind of way. There's no reason she can't do both. It's a plus for Ch. 8 in that they get an established traffic expert in the air and a familiar anchor on the ground. WBAP gets more awareness of one of their personalities.

I just hope they pay Laura more for doing more. TV ain't that easy.
 
> Alexas has personality. She's just a sweet girl who would
> really like to be a news anchor, not a traffic reporter.
> Laura is very good at traffic despite her sometimes monotone
> delivery. Plus she's very attractive in that "Texas
> Big-Hair" kind of way. There's no reason she can't do both.
> It's a plus for Ch. 8 in that they get an established
> traffic expert in the air and a familiar anchor on the
> ground. WBAP gets more awareness of one of their
> personalities.
>
> I just hope they pay Laura more for doing more. TV ain't
> that easy.
>

One thing that irritates me about Alexa is the overuse of filler transitional crap like "And for our FRIENDS coming in from Bedford..." and the next sentence, "And our FRIENDS heading into Downtown Fort Worth..." Are these poor morning commuters really Alexa's FRIENDS??? It's just a case of talking AT the viewer instead of TO them, and grouping everyone together...she might as well say, "Hi to all you people out there in TV land!" That, along with unforgivable errors on what freeway is what...she'd be so better served if she spent a few days just driving those freeways herself and figuring out where everything REALLY is, and what her poor "FRIENDS" are dealing with during rush hour.

And I'd hope all these "FRIENDS" of hers are spending more time watching the car in front of them than watching Alexa on the mini plasma screen in the Suburban.
 
> > Alexas has personality. She's just a sweet girl who would
> > really like to be a news anchor, not a traffic reporter.
> > Laura is very good at traffic despite her sometimes
> monotone
> > delivery. Plus she's very attractive in that "Texas
> > Big-Hair" kind of way. There's no reason she can't do
> both.
> > It's a plus for Ch. 8 in that they get an established
> > traffic expert in the air and a familiar anchor on the
> > ground. WBAP gets more awareness of one of their
> > personalities.
Alexa has personailty? If you consider bland one dimensional monotone a personality. People are trying to wake up at that hour,not be lulled back to sleep.
 
> > > Alexas has personality. She's just a sweet girl who
> would
> > > really like to be a news anchor, not a traffic reporter.
>
> > > Laura is very good at traffic despite her sometimes
> > monotone
> > > delivery. Plus she's very attractive in that "Texas
> > > Big-Hair" kind of way. There's no reason she can't do
> > both.
> > > It's a plus for Ch. 8 in that they get an established
> > > traffic expert in the air and a familiar anchor on the
> > > ground. WBAP gets more awareness of one of their
> > > personalities.
> Alexa has personailty? If you consider bland one dimensional
> monotone a personality. People are trying to wake up at that
> hour,not be lulled back to sleep.
>
The repetitive "friends" and other empty references are the result of Alexa's arrogance telling her it matters not what sge says, since she thinks everyone is paying attention to her looks. WRONG!!! Perhaps some news reporters/anchors can do a dog and pony show, but traffic is a substance oriented commodity. Unfortunate that she has no substance to offer. We now return you to your regularly scheduled friends.
 
traffic is a substance
> oriented commodity.

You absolutely nailed it!! All the local morning shows (except KDFW) have treated the traffic reporter job as a throwaway position to place some eye candy; talent and conveyance of important information are totally secondary. And that's further underscored by giving the traffic reporter some 30 seconds to babble on about one or two accidents, when there might actually be 5 or 6 of significance. I rely mainly on XM for the FULL traffic picture, and at least 90% of my listening is to the traffic channel. Maybe not such a great bargain for $12.95 to use it just for that, but I know that I'm getting the WHOLE shebang and not some cute, 'hit-the-high-points-and-get-out' schlock from TV. Terrestrial radio reports are almost as bad (incomplete, that is,) as TV's.
 
> traffic is a substance
> > oriented commodity.
>
> You absolutely nailed it!! All the local morning shows
> (except KDFW) have treated the traffic reporter job as a
> throwaway position to place some eye candy; talent and
> conveyance of important information are totally secondary.
> And that's further underscored by giving the traffic
> reporter some 30 seconds to babble on about one or two
> accidents, when there might actually be 5 or 6 of
> significance. I rely mainly on XM for the FULL traffic
> picture, and at least 90% of my listening is to the traffic
> channel. Maybe not such a great bargain for $12.95 to use
> it just for that, but I know that I'm getting the WHOLE
> shebang and not some cute, 'hit-the-high-points-and-get-out'
> schlock from TV. Terrestrial radio reports are almost as
> bad (incomplete, that is,) as TV's.
>
Thats why I like my Sirius in the AM for traffic/weather. Just the facts and no "for our friends" crap
 
> And what a breath of fresh air from having to look at
> Morticia doing traffic!! Laura has missed her calling...all
> those years in the chopper for WBAP when she could have been
> on-screen. She looked great and sounded great. But I'd bet
> that Shomper would burn down Communications Center before
> he'd let Laura make a move anywhere else.
>

As far as I know, this was only temporary while whatsisface (the guy usually in the chopper for KSCS) is on vacation. Houston works for the traffic service, not WBAP.
 
Ch 8 FINALLY HAS A GOOD TRAFFIC TEAM

Laura Houston and Mike Shannon.In comparison to Ch.4.5,and 11 this morning,the traffic reporting on Ch.8 was a very smooth delivery with no distrations. I like Tammy Dombeck on ch.5,and she is a very nice person,but Ch.5 has her "jumping"from one are of the metroplex to another,and it is not smooth. Ch.11 is just eye candy,and ch.4 just hangs there. The hand off from Laura to Mike was a very smooth transistion and Laura'soncamera appeal shows she hasbeen in the business a long time. Very much in control with that needed personality. Mike was able topick it up and with the aid of graphics gave a concise and flawless report. Ch.8 would be very wise in retaining them both for morning traffic,but we are talking about WFAA.
 
Re: Ch 8 FINALLY HAS A GOOD TRAFFIC TEAM

> Laura Houston and Mike Shannon.In comparison to Ch.4.5,and
> 11 this morning,the traffic reporting on Ch.8 was a very
> smooth delivery with no distrations. I like Tammy Dombeck on
> ch.5,and she is a very nice person,but Ch.5 has her
> "jumping"from one are of the metroplex to another,and it is
> not smooth. Ch.11 is just eye candy,and ch.4 just hangs
> there. The hand off from Laura to Mike was a very smooth
> transistion and Laura'soncamera appeal shows she hasbeen in
> the business a long time. Very much in control with that
> needed personality. Mike was able topick it up and with the
> aid of graphics gave a concise and flawless report. Ch.8
> would be very wise in retaining them both for morning
> traffic,but we are talking about WFAA.
>
Thats because they're "professionals", not overglorfied weather bunnies like tammy or alexa
 
Re: Ch 8 FINALLY HAS A GOOD TRAFFIC TEAM

"and ch.4 just hangs there. "


no fair comparing Fox 4 this morning. Todd was doing a great job in the ship and fill-in Craig (big hair) St. James had just woke up.
With Chip in the air and Todd in studio, Fox has the best TV traffic (and chemistry) in the morning hands down. Now, that being said, Ch. 8's traffic did take a step forward. Don't look for it to continue though. I hear Laura hates getting dressed up in the morning.
 
What Traffic Service?

> "and ch.4 just hangs there. "
>
>
> no fair comparing Fox 4 this morning. Todd was doing a great
> job in the ship and fill-in Craig (big hair) St. James had
> just woke up.
> With Chip in the air and Todd in studio, Fox has the best TV
> traffic (and chemistry) in the morning hands down. Now, that
> being said, Ch. 8's traffic did take a step forward. Don't
> look for it to continue though. I hear Laura hates getting
> dressed up in the morning.

And what traffic service do you work for?
 
Re: What Traffic Service?

>
> And what traffic service do you work for?
>

Just a listener (viewer) who has a few friends in the business. Which one do you work for?
 
Re: What Traffic Service?

> >
> > And what traffic service do you work for?
> >
>
> Just a listener (viewer) who has a few friends in the
> business. Which one do you work for?


None of the above :).
 
> As far as I know, this was only temporary while whatsisface
> (the guy usually in the chopper for KSCS) is on vacation.
> Houston works for the traffic service, not WBAP.
>

Michael Scott is the KSCS guy. Laura does indeed work for WBAP, and far as I know, is the only reporter from the traffic service that does. Not even her hubby Monte.
 
Re: Ch 8 FINALLY HAS A GOOD TRAFFIC TEAM

Indeed! Excellent team. All Alexa seems to do is parade around in front of the little Tex-dot cameras and stand in the way of people trying to see what the hell is going on along the freeways. That part really doesn't even need an on-camera presence, just someone who can relay the info clearly and concisely and without being condescending by calling commuters her "friends". Honestly, I think the day and age of the traffic reporter position being no more than a 30-second throwaway 'breast-fest' is long over. The cities are much too big now to keep treating traffic reports as fluff. I'm no fan of Waggoner and Caruth, but they keep it business-only and don't put themselves in the way of the information. I'd also like to see some general overview maps so I can get a quick glance of what's going on. With the system now, it'd be like weather reports without radar, just showing 2 or 3 shots of individual houses across the area that are getting rained on.

> Laura Houston and Mike Shannon.In comparison to Ch.4.5,and
> 11 this morning,the traffic reporting on Ch.8 was a very
> smooth delivery with no distrations. I like Tammy Dombeck on
> ch.5,and she is a very nice person,but Ch.5 has her
> "jumping"from one are of the metroplex to another,and it is
> not smooth. Ch.11 is just eye candy,and ch.4 just hangs
> there. The hand off from Laura to Mike was a very smooth
> transistion and Laura'soncamera appeal shows she hasbeen in
> the business a long time. Very much in control with that
> needed personality. Mike was able topick it up and with the
> aid of graphics gave a concise and flawless report. Ch.8
> would be very wise in retaining them both for morning
> traffic,but we are talking about WFAA.
>
 
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