UPN57 WakeUPNews - One down, two to go

[bierkenstock]

The "train wreck" known as WakeUPNews continues to unravel:
From "Channel Surfing" by Laura Nachman:
<blockquote>Melissa Sander, the weather anchor for UPN 57’s “Wake Up News” was released from the program. Sander debuted in Philadelphia as a reporter for Fox29’s “Good Day Philadelphia.” No replacement has been named yet for the UPN morning show, which features Sean Murphy on traffic and Kim Adams on news.</blockquote>
Melissa Sander is perhaps most famous for her role in the classic Internet video: "News Anchor versus Atlanta Grapes," which combines elements of bad high school girls' gymnastics and the grape crushing episode of "I Love Lucy" plus some dialogue from "Dick and Jane" readers ("Oh, oh, oh!").
http://files.foundrymusic.com/WMV/reporter_screams.zip
In what may be an example of money trumping good programming decision-making, Viacom (owner of UPN57 and CBS3) had planned to replace the video version of KYW Newsradio with this hodge-podge of traffic and weather maps and host-babble produced by an outside "technology company" the first of this year. After five months of delays, revisions and rehearsals, the program was deemed "ready" and launched.
The program is produced by Traffic.com, a company that provides traffic sensors to PennDot and computer-generated traffic maps for TV. Somehow, they believed their experience as government contractors of computer hardware and software services qualified them to produce a morning TV broadcast. Traffic.com also serves as a temporary home for out-of-work Philly DJ's who feed pre-recorded traffic reports to one low-rated New York radio station (despite these Philly jocks' general lack of traffic reporting experience or familiarity with the New York metro area).

 

[radiophile]

> The "train wreck" known as WakeUPNews continues to unravel:
> From "Channel Surfing" by Laura Nachman:
> Melissa Sander, the weather anchor for UPN 57’s “Wake Up
> News” was released from the program. Sander debuted in
> Philadelphia as a reporter for Fox29’s “Good Day
> Philadelphia.” No replacement has been named yet for the
> UPN morning show, which features Sean Murphy on traffic and
> Kim Adams on news.

Nachman needs a fact check on one thing: The anchor is Karen Adams.

 

[Nertz]

I could have sworn I saw Melissa Sander doing weather on 57 while flipping around yesterday morning!

 

[HomerJay]

You seem to have a personal vendetta against Traffic.com.



> The "train wreck" known as WakeUPNews continues to unravel:
> From "Channel Surfing" by Laura Nachman:
> Melissa Sander, the weather anchor for UPN 57’s “Wake Up
> News” was released from the program. Sander debuted in
> Philadelphia as a reporter for Fox29’s “Good Day
> Philadelphia.” No replacement has been named yet for the
> UPN morning show, which features Sean Murphy on traffic and
> Kim Adams on news.
> Melissa Sander is perhaps most famous for her role in the
> classic Internet video: "News Anchor versus Atlanta Grapes,"
> which combines elements of bad high school girls' gymnastics
> and the grape crushing episode of "I Love Lucy" plus some
> dialogue from "Dick and Jane" readers ("Oh, oh, oh!").
> http://files.foundrymusic.com/WMV/reporter_screams.zip
> In what may be an example of money trumping good programming
> decision-making, Viacom (owner of UPN57 and CBS3) had
> planned to replace the video version of KYW Newsradio with
> this hodge-podge of traffic and weather maps and host-babble
> produced by an outside "technology company" the first of
> this year. After five months of delays, revisions and
> rehearsals, the program was deemed "ready" and launched.
> The program is produced by Traffic.com, a company that
> provides traffic sensors to PennDot and computer-generated
> traffic maps for TV. Somehow, they believed their
> experience as government contractors of computer hardware
> and software services qualified them to produce a morning TV
> broadcast. Traffic.com also serves as a temporary home for
> out-of-work Philly DJ's who feed pre-recorded traffic
> reports to one low-rated New York radio station (despite
> these Philly jocks' general lack of traffic reporting
> experience or familiarity with the New York metro area).
>

 

[bierkenstock]

Vendetta? What about you? You have positions. You don't like Barsky much and Action News can do no wrong in your eyes. I know: your positions are all well-reasoned, well-thought-out and objective (unlike those with whom you disagree).

Now is there something in particular I said with which you disagree?

I challenge you (or anyone) to spot check Metro Network's Shadow Traffic, Clear Channel's Total Traffic and Traffic.com and see who misses what and how often. Probably the easiest way is to check respective websites, which may give an edge to Traffic.com because (as the name suggests), they see themselves as a "new media" or "technology" company first and a broadcast provider second (the reverse of the other two).

 

[Nertz]

I could not tell Sander from her replacement. It seems she was replaced with a similar weathercaster (female) unit.