WPIX fires Jim Watkins

[Rollo-Smokes]

The story from Media Bistro: http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/breaking-jim-watkins-fired-from-wpix_b43892

Add in the recent departures of Jill Nicolini (to WNYW) and Lolita Lopez (to KNBC in Los Angeles) and the remaking of the channel 11 news department under Bill Carey continues.

Now, for a rant:
Nicolini is no big loss for me; she was just another pretty face who did traffic on the morning show I'm never awake to watch.

Like Kaity Tong, Lopez and Watkins took their respective demotions well and continued to work hard with the limited airtime they've received since the format change nearly a year ago.

With all the new, YOUNGER and PRETTIER faces popping up on PIX 11 News recently, it's obvious there is no place for veterans to perform their craft on a station where the number one goal is keeping the 18-to-25 year old girls who watch Gossip Girl and Supernatural staying tuned at 10 for a newscast that is perfectly formatted for their short attention spans.

The oldsters who remain at WPIX -- Tong, Mr. G, Mary Murphy, Howard Thompson, Marvin Scott -- all better be ready for the axe that's headed straight for them. 'PIX better be careful though or else they'll validate the claims Sal Marchiano made in his age discrimination lawsuit.

Even their anointed golden girl Jodi Applegate (Kay), no spring chicken herself, should be put on notice. They will come gunning for her eventually.

 

[wbhist]

All this is a far cry from the 1970's-'80's "11 Alive" period where 40-something Pat Harper and 50-something Bill Jorgensen were among the key anchors, and Jerry Girard (who was at or near middle age at that point) handled the sports. (For the record, then 52-year-old Jorgensen's 1979 hiring by WPIX may've come as a bitter irony to one of his old WNEW-TV 5 colleagues, the late George Scharmen [d. 1999], who'd anchored on weekends at Channel 11 in 1975-77 but was dropped when they overhauled their Action News and first teamed Ms. Harper with ex-WCBS-TV'er Steve Bosh at the anchor desk, all in the name of "accenting youth"; Mr. Scharmen, at the time he was let go in '77, was 51.)

The question now is, who'll anchor the weekend newscasts (or what passes for 'em these days) - Peter Thorne, perhaps?

And also . . . didn't Mr. Watkins take part in some interview where he spoke of the demotions (as per older New York Post coverage of the dysfuctional Channel 11 setup), and WPIX is now retaliating? If so, shame on them - a thousand times over.

It also says something about how seriously Ms. Applegate is taken as a journalist (i.e. not at all) when you have the comments sections of YouTube clips featuring her newscasts continually bringing up her particular physical, ahem, attributes, and speaking of her in terms bordering on the pornographic. Of course, that she often dresses like a proverbial "lady of the evening" doesn't help that much, either . . .

 

[Rollo-Smokes]

All this is a far cry from the 1970's-'80's "11 Alive" period where 40-something Pat Harper and 50-something Bill Jorgensen were among the key anchors, and Jerry Girard (who was at or near middle age at that point) handled the sports. (For the record, then 52-year-old Jorgensen's 1979 hiring by WPIX may've come as a bitter irony to one of his old WNEW-TV 5 colleagues, the late George Scharmen [d. 1999], who'd anchored on weekends at Channel 11 in 1975-77 but was dropped when they overhauled their Action News and first teamed Ms. Harper with ex-WCBS-TV'er Steve Bosh at the anchor desk, all in the name of "accenting youth"; Mr. Scharmen, at the time he was let go in '77, was 51.)

The question now is, who'll anchor the weekend newscasts (or what passes for 'em these days) - Peter Thorne, perhaps?

It also says something about how seriously Ms. Applegate is taken as a journalist (i.e. not at all) when you have the comments sections of YouTube clips featuring her newscasts continually bringing up her particular physical, ahem, attributes, and speaking of her in terms bordering on the pornographic. Of course, that she often dresses like a proverbial "lady of the evening" doesn't help that much, either . . .

William, you brought up a few good points.

First, it would surprise me if Peter Thorne is not anchoring on weekends from now on. I can't think of anyone else there who has previously anchored (except Kaity, Mary and Marvin, and I doubt they'll part with their weekends).

Second, the problem with Jodi is, in my opinion, she reminds me too much of Robin Meade from Headline News. Sitting/standing in suggestive positions, wearing trendy, form-fitting clothing and showing a lot of skin. Don't get me wrong, both are good journalists. And both are very attractive women. However they are getting noticed for all the wrong reasons.

What Jodi needs is a chair, a anchor desk -- and a co-anchor (yes, back to basics). I think Larry Mendte would be perfect.

 

[wbhist]

What Jodi needs is a chair, a anchor desk -- and a co-anchor (yes, back to basics). I think Larry Mendte would be perfect.

Since you brought up Mr. Mendte, here's a little irony. Lolita Lopez had left WPIX for Los Angeles' KNBC Channel 4 - where Mendte's former co-anchor from KYW-TV Philadelphia days, Alycia Lane, now works.

 

[BiggieFats]

From the same article:

Update: WPIX news director Bill Carey says Watkins “remains employed by WPIX.”

 

[wbhist]

Yet, on tonight's (Saturday, Oct. 1) 6 P.M. newscast, Kaity Tong was anchor. This seems to be part of what is below:

http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/with-jim-watkins-out-at-wpix-kaity-tong-takes-weekends_b43969

 

[iimutt]

From the same article:

Update: WPIX news director Bill Carey says Watkins “remains employed by WPIX.”

Which most likely means he has a short amount of time left on his contract (if he had one) so he's technically "still employed".

He can't be "still employed" but not allowed on the premisis otherwise.

 

[wbhist]

Now comes word that Mr. Watkins is officially no longer with the station . . .

New York Daily News: Jim Watkins Departs WPIX/Ch. 11; Station Bids a 'Fond Farewell'