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WGC-Hell

J

Junk Junk

Newsblues is reporting that 6pm anchor and 11pm reporter Cynne' Simpson is leaving the station on Friday. Also leaving is Chief Meteorologist Gene Norman: his last day is sometime in mid-January. Word has it that their contracts were not renewed and that they both have found work elsewhere (although I'm not certain if it is within this market).

The downward spiral continues...
::)
 
Message to Meredith executives...sell either WGCL, or the shirts off of your backs. Meredith has to be losing money on WGCL.

I have said this over and over again like a broken record. Meredith closes the news department, the sale value of the station is substanially reduced. If Meredith wants to sell, then they need to do it now before there are more defections.

From what I am hearing, Gene left on his own (either because he wanted to return to Houston, where he worked with NASA, or because WGCL is going down the sh**can, and there are no other opprotunities locally).

I suspect the same is true with Cynne, because after last week's "mothersucka" incident, they would have pulled them both from air immediately if they were involuntarily let go.

Meredith would have better luck operating pay toliets than WGCL-TV. Don't be surprised if we do hear word of a news department shutdown. I don't know of any anchor that would be stupid enough to work for WGCL with their history.
 
What would it take to fix the news department? 11 Alive went through some of the same problems back in the late 70's, early 80's. They finally decided to hire some of the talent away from WSB and WAGA and was able to get better (John Pruitt, Johnny Beckman, and Chuck Moore). Could WGCL come back if it hired some of the retired anchors and reporters and build a news bureau that catered to the loyalty of Atlanta viewers with seasoned personnel?
 
That's the biggest problem with WGCL's news product. It's pretty good, but they don't have any staying power as far as their anchors are concerned. They continue to pull out of market talent that nobody knows and, once the viewers start to get to know them and connect with them, their contract is up and Meredith never renews! You'll never keep any viewers if you continually cycle your on air product.

One of the biggest reasons that WSB wins every book is because Monica Pearson and John Pruitt have been in this market forever, and the viewers connect with them because they grew up with them, they raised their kids with them, etc. If WGCL would snag some talent from the other stations, and renew their contracts, then they'll start to get real ratings.
 
Access Atlanta is reporting that Cynne Simpson is going to ABC Affilate WJLA in Washington DC and starts there 1/9/08.
 
FloydB said:
That's the biggest problem with WGCL's news product. It's pretty good, but they don't have any staying power as far as their anchors are concerned. They continue to pull out of market talent that nobody knows and, once the viewers start to get to know them and connect with them, their contract is up and Meredith never renews! You'll never keep any viewers if you continually cycle your on air product.

One of the biggest reasons that WSB wins every book is because Monica Pearson and John Pruitt have been in this market forever, and the viewers connect with them because they grew up with them, they raised their kids with them, etc. If WGCL would snag some talent from the other stations, and renew their contracts, then they'll start to get real ratings.
Click to expand...

You know, I've seen reporters go from CBS 46 to FOX 5 and 11 ALIVE or from FOX 5 to 11 ALIVE. I've never seen anyone come from the other stations to join CBS 46!!! Also, Channel 2 seems to recruit reporters from out of town stations rather than in market stations except Tiffany Reynolds.
 
On the contrary. John Pruitt was the main anchor at WXIA in the late 80s/early 90s before being wooed by WSB. Amanda Davis was at WSB before going to Fox 5. Brenda Wood was at WAGA when it was a CBS affiliate before getting the main gig at 11 Alive. And, the latest (I think) was Deidra Dukes moving from WSB to Fox 5. So, you see these three have played the "musical anchor/reporter" game back and forth. The only thing WGNX/WGCL has contributed was giving away people (Karyn Greer to 11Alive/ Charles Molineaux to Fox 5/ and Tiffany Reynolds to WSB).
 
John Pruitt was WSB's co-anchor from about 1973
to 1978, and even then he was teamed with Monica
Kaufman (Pearson). 11 Alive hired him away in 1978
to co-anchor with Dave Michaels in an attempt to
make the station's newscast appear more professional
(and if you remember Steve Somers, you know what
I'm talking about). Around 1995 there was a feeling
around 11 that g.m. Craig Dubow wasn't putting a
real commitment (money or otherwise) into the news;
Pruitt went back to Channel 2 and Johnny Beckman
went to 46.
 
Remember weatherman "Big John" Wetherbee? He was the chief meteorologist at WGNX/WGCL before Gene Norman was hired. He is now at WTOC in Savannah.
Click to expand...

Sometime in the recent past, probably a few months ago now, I was surfing the AM dial and heard John Wetherbee giving the weather forecast on 1160-AM WCFO.
 
jal41 said:
From what I am hearing, Gene left on his own (either because he wanted to return to Houston, where he worked with NASA, or because WGCL is going down the sh**can, and there are no other opprotunities locally).
Click to expand...

He may have worked at the JSC, but just prior to jumping to the main gig at WGCL, Gene Norman was the weekend meteorologist at the ABC O&O in Houston, KTRK-13. He's taking over for the soon-to-retire Chief Meteorologist at KHOU-11-CBS, Dr. Neil Frank. Dr. Frank is a former director of the National Hurricane Center and has been at KHOU since 1987.
 
I thought the initial reports were that Gene was going back to Houston to work at the Fox station there and I did not really see how that was a great opportunity. But the chance to be the head meterologist at CBS 11 KHOU makes it a no brainer to leave Atlanta. I kept reading great opportunity and Fox 26 Houston did not sound like one but obviously replacing a heritage weatherman that is retiring on KHOW is great for him. I always thought 46 made a great move in hiring him because he really impressed me, I believe Ken Cook is the best meterologist in Atlanta but Gene was definately quality as well.
 
Any updates on the replacement and when is Gene officially leaving WGCL? He was doing the weather today in prep for potential ice storm on 1/17/08. This is probably the last weather event in GA that he will report on.
 
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