Posts Tagged ‘Jacqueline Policastro’

Three of Lilly’s ladies leave

Jacqueline Policastro

Jacqueline Policastro

It is contract time at the area’s two broadcast television companies. Not all of the talent you see is a-under contract, and b-up for renewal. However, this moment of decision-making has led to a significant change at one duopoly: Lilly Broadcasting.

The anchor of WSEE Newswatch at 6 & 11, Jacqueline Policastro has opted to leave Erie for a big-time market jump to anchor the morning news at WISH/Indianapolis. That’s a jump from DMA #146 to #25 for those keeping score at home. Although, she was offered a renewal and enjoyed her 18 months in Erie, Jacqueline says that she is excited at the new opportunities to help WISH continue their “multi-platform” initiatives.

“I will be working with the news director to help direct the newsroom switch to ‘multi-platform’”, Jacqueline said to P&T. “They have already done quite a good job, with Blackberry and iPhone apps, etc… but it will be exciting to help move that forward even more.”

Perhaps the biggest highlight of Jacqueline’s tenure here at WSEE was her regular “one-man-band” reporting from Washington, and the national political conventions for all of the Lilly stations, bringing the national stories home and relevant to Erie viewers.

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New FCC Chair Genachowski joins VP Biden in Erie Wednesday

Julius Genachowski, FCC Chair

YourErie.com and WSEE’s Jacqueline Policastro are reporting that the new FCC Chairman, Julius Genachowski, will join Vice President Joe Biden in Erie on Wednesday.

Biden, Genachowski, along with Cabinet members Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke will reportedly appear at Seneca High School at 12 noon Wednesday, discussing a national rural broadband initiative that is part of the economic stimulus package.

Tickets to attend the event at Seneca will be available at the Seneca High School library beginning at 4 PM Tuesday on a first-come, first-serve basis.

WSEE’s 12th & Peach studios shuttered

The end of an era.

After 55 years of continual broadcasting from a building that one housed a hairdressing academy and bingo hall, WSEE is moving to 35th & State as it merges with WICU. Scott Bremner and Jacqueline Policastro aired the final Newswatch from the studio last night at 11:00.

WSEE.tv Screen Shot

WSEE.tv Screen Shot

There will be no newscasts from WSEE Friday and over the weekend, but Scott did say that they would have a local cast at 6:00 PM on Monday.

On the staff front, NABET representative Eric Seggi doesn’t expect to have a complete roster of who is being retained by WICU and who is gone until Monday. Meanwhile, as we have been reporting, all off-camera, and several former on-camera talent are now seeking jobs. They include morning anchor and producer Raychel Vendetti, along with reporters Jennifer Mobilia, and Charles Santini.

On Thursday’s last Morning’s Live, Raychel indicated that Ray Petelin would be back Monday, albeit without her. Sources say that Stephanie Schelkun is the leading candidate for the morning show and the Nooner. Meanwhile all indications are that Policastro and Bremner will be anchoring the 7 & 11 PM shows, although on Monday, there will be a 6:00 cast, which will probably be taped.

Go to the new WSEE.tv for videos of some of the reporters’ last newscasts.

Finally, we want to remember that as we are sorting out all of the news and trying to figure out management’s next move, we are feeling a great deal of empathy for those now looking for employment. Our hearts and well-wishes go out to all of the unsung heroes that have served that station and our community; some for decades.

Thank you for your efforts and energy to make our city and our media community a better place.

Policastro conduit for vox populi

Jacqueline PolicastroWSEE anchor Jacqueline Policastro is an Erie news reporter who is as comfortable on DC’s K Street as she is on Erie’s Peach Street. Before moving to Erie, Policastro spent nineteen months as the Washington bureau chief for the Lilly stations in Honolulu, Elmira, and Erie. She garnered a journalism fellowship and made many contacts in federal government circles.

She is now again leveraging her access by doing a week of reporting from DC, and she wants to get the local Erie web community involved:

I’m asking for people to send me questions they want to see asked to our lawmakers. What’s important to them? What’s on their mind? I’m really trying to encourage video question posts on the facebook event page I created.

You can email your input to Jacqueline at jpolicastro@wsee.tv. Or better yet, crank out your webcam and post a video question on her Facebook event page. Just type “JACQUELINE IN WASHINGTON” in your Facebook search, click the “Events” tab,  and you’ll find her.

Great way to have the voice of the people heard in our nation’s capital.

WSEE’s Jacqueline Policastro brings the convention home live

WSEE Newswatch’s Jacqueline Policastro is not letting her new anchor chair get warm. Since her arrival in Erie from Lilly Broadcasting’s Washington bureau on July 1st, she’s been all over the country, participating in a Washington reporting fellowship, and over the past two weeks bringing live reports from the national party conventions, the only Erie reporter to do so. In addition to reporting for Channel 35, Policastro is also feeding Lilly’s WENY/Elmira. Despite 20-hour days reporting and editing, Wednesday night, right after her 6:00 PM live shot from the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, she made time to call The Press and Tower. (more…)