May 19, 2003

BEEN READING THE BUSINESS SECTION? If you're in the biz, you'd better keep tabs on the deregulation battle going on in Washington, D.C. before the FCC, because it could affect you. As proposed, it would allow companies to up their station ownership "reach" from 35 to 45% of the country. It may mean companies could own three TV stations in a major market...for instance, NBC would be able to own KNBC, KVEA, and retain KWHY, which under current rules it would have to sell. And, in smaller markets, new TV-newspaper crossownership would be allowed. Some of those moves could translate into fewer jobs, as more newsrooms are merged. The FCC is tentatively set to vote on the proposal in early June, although Democrats are seeking a delay.

HUME HEADS WEST: Craig Hume is now news director of KTNV-TV/Las Vegas. He had had been n.d at WBBM-TV/Chicago. Hume launched the 24 hour regional news channel owned by Tribune Company and Time Warner Cable in Orlando, and managed the operation from its creation. Hume was at KTLA/Los Angeles for six years, including two as n.d.

HE'S NOW THE "BIG GUY" IN D.C. Jamie Foster is now n.d. at WJLA/Washington, D.C. Foster had been an e.p. at WFAA-TV/Dallas, and was Assistant News Director at KNBC/Los Angeles.

JESS RETIRES...AGAIN: Jess Marlow is retiring from his co-anchor job at KCET/Los Angeles in June. The Emmy-winning journalist has been on the air in Los Angeles since 1966. After "retiring" from KNBC, he joined the PBS station's news and public affairs show "Life & Times" in January 2001.

MISSOURI DOUBLE DUO: The University of Missouri's TV station, KOMU-TV Columbiais getting a former california husband and wife team. Randy Reeves will be Managing Editor, and wife Jennifer Lee Reeves will be e.p. They had been producers at WOOD-TV/ Grand Rapids, MI. The Reeves worked as producers at KSBW/Salinas-Monterey.

BREAK OUT THE SWIMSUIT: Jim Heath is the new 6 & 11 p.m. anchor at WPDE/Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Heath had been the 6 & 10 p.m. anchor at KYMA/Yuma.

MEANWHILE, GET KENT A THICK COAT! Kent Ninomiya joins KSTP/Minneapolis-St. Paul as the station's main anchor this summer. He's currently weekend anchor at KCOP/UPN-13 Los Angeles.

THE BUDGET BELT TIGHTENS: The latest casualties of the tightening belt at the KCBS/KCAL duopoly in Los Angeles are weekend weathercaster Tony Williams, and weekend sportscaster Bret Lewis. Josh Rubenstein moves off the streets and back into doing weather to fill the weekend slots, while some of KCAL's sportscaster will do double duty on weekends on KCBS.

HANGING BY THE BAY: Janelle Wang is now a reporter at KGO-TV. She had been a morning anchor and reporter at KPTV/Portland.

ANCHORING THE WEEKENDS: ANDRÉ MOREAU is now at KFMB/San Diego Moreau was last at KCAL/Los Angeles.

JOINING THE MAJOR LEAGUES: Kurtis Ming makes the leap from Reno to Sacramento as a reporter. Ming is from KTVN/Reno TO KOVR/Sacramento.

"SWEATING" IN THE DESERT: Mel Hanks fills the long-open n.d.'s post at KSWT/Yuma-El Centro, a CBS affiliate.

The Inland California Television Network (ICTN), based in San Bernardino County, has announced some hires for its projected summer startup.
Among them, Roger Cooper is the Lead General Assignment Reporter. Cooper was main anchor at KPSP/Palm Springs. Cooper was a longtime anchor at the Orange County Newschannel, and before that, his career include anchor stops in Oklahoma City and Santa Barbara.
Terry McEachern is a sports anchor and reporter for the news outlet. He comes to ICTN from KEVN/Rapid City, SD. Other ICTN hires include Alvin Baker and Patricia Jacobson as producers, and Hannah Lee as a writer.