Posts Tagged ‘WFXP’

9/11: media remembrances moving

All this week, media channels in Erie and around the globe have been filled with stories and special programming marking the 10 years since the devastating events of September 11, 2001 in New York City, Washington, DC and Shanksville, PA.

MSNBC: Men secure a flag over a World Trade Center beam prior to transportation to Erie, Pa., for construction of a memorial to remember the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

For me it is very easy to jump back a decade to that profound sense of horror, pain, and loss; not only in the immediate wake of the attack, but of the accumulated loss over ten years of wars, decimated economy, and internal national strife.

Those of us who were media producers on 9/11/01 instantly recall our efforts of getting the news out to the community, the hours on end radio and television news broadcasts, the extra edition of the Times-News, back-office staff filling roles where needed so that the organizations would meet the challenges of that horrible day.

Perhaps the most rewarding culmination of those extra efforts was United We Stand, the historical combined remote of all the Erie radio and television stations, well covered by the newspaper to raise funds for the American Red Cross and the victims of the attacks on September 20, 2001 at the Millcreek Mall. That sense of unity of purpose was unfortunately soon lost, and so our sense of loss in remembering is multiplied.

There has been some excellent reporting this week, with specials still planned on Sunday. Don’t miss this local content:

Poll: your online news video usage

In our poll last week about the media navel-gazing over their Hurricane Irene coverage, the majority of readers of P&T participating in our poll thought that the level of coverage was appropriate. Of course, that whole conversation died down when people saw the video of the real inland flooding damage in places like Middlebury, VT and Patterson, NJ.

Here’s a quote I recently read on my Facebook news feed:

I can’t believe that in the 21st Century I can’t watch the news (I) choose.

Well, actually, you can; kinda. Both WJET/WFXP and WICU/WSEE offer online video versions of certain stories. WICU/WSEE will also produce an online news headlines cast a couple times a day. GoErie will offer Web Extra video packages with big newspaper stories. Right now, no one locally is live streaming their news casts, nor offers an online archive of their casts.

How do you use local news video online (you can choose up to three answers)?

What is your online news video usage?

View Results

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The new JET 24 Action News

After furious months of design, demolition, construction which included weeks of producing hours of news products literally out of a hallway, the new set and graphics for WJET/WFXP debuted on Thursday.

This is not just a tweak, but a complete overhaul of the multiple newscasts morning, noon and night at the Erie ABC and FOX affiliates. The new music package that accompanies this change is only the second time the music has changed since the launch of Action News over thirty years ago. The graphics for both news and weather are instantly noticeable and a huge improvement for the market. And with the help of a lighting designer that has worked at the network level, the set and its inhabitants are extremely well lit with new Brightline fixtures.

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Deep Background for July 2011

With the coming of July are emotions of excitement for some, and dread for others in Erie media.

Over at WJET/WFXP, they are pumped at the roll out of their redesign of their newscasts, which could set off fireworks in the still competitive Erie TV news race. Meanwhile, down at 12th & Sass., the pressmen and mailroom staff at the Times Publishing Co. are in their final full month of employment. The paper is scheduled to be sent down to Butler to be printed and shipped up here in early August, accompanied by the loss of 40 local family-sustaining jobs.

Lots to talk about in this open forum. Join the discussion by dropping a comment in the box below, e-mail me, or tweet @pressandtower.

Embrace the chaos!

Action News 24 begins rollout of new look today

For the past month, the news products from WJET/WFXP have been produced from temporary studios as the main news set received a total reconstruction.

However the renovations are not limited to physical props. The station logos and graphics for news and weather are also changing for this second decade of the 21st century. Station management said that the new logos and weather graphics will rollout today, with the set and news package coming sometime next week.

We plan to give you a behind the scenes look at the new digs when they are ready.

Times-News: stopping the presses, 40 laid off

Erie Times-News

Erie Times-News masthead

In the beginning, the newspaper that would become the Erie Times-News was started by nine printers alienated by their old newspapers management.

Today, the newspaper announced that there would be no pressman employed at 12th and Sass, meaning 40 employees to be terminated. Citing aging presses and costs involved with improving them, the Times Publishing Co. said they will outsource the printing and packaging of the daily. From the GoErie.com post:

Even though it is exiting the printing and packaging business, the company will continue to operate the Erie Times-News as a family-owned daily newspaper.

“This was a very difficult decision but one that we believe is in the best long-term interests of the company and the community,” said Rosanne Cheeseman, president and publisher.

“Our major concern is the age of our printing and packaging equipment and the millions of dollars it would take to maintain or replace this equipment. Although we have printed our own newspaper for nearly 90 years, with today’s technologies we have decided to purchase printing and packaging services elsewhere. The world of communication is changing, and more than 50 newspapers across the country have closed printing plants just since the beginning of 2009.”

The presses currently used to produce the Erie Times-News are 41 years old.

WJET/WFXP and WICU/WSEE quoted Communication Workers of America union spokesman Dan Wasser:

I think it’s not only a slap in the face to the employees, but also to the community where they get their revenue from. They predominantly state on their newspaper, that they’ve been serving the Erie community area since 1888, and after all these years, they’ve decided to outsource this work, instead of keeping the work in Erie, PA.

It was reported that Erie Police were called to the plant upon the announcement of the layoffs, which came on the first day of negotiations of a new collective bargaining agreement between the CWA and the paper.

Kim Thomas to join Lafferty at JET anchor desk

The management team at Nexstar/Erie turned their sights within their Peach Street newsroom in seeking replacements for Selena Wiles at news anchor and Luke Simons on the weekday sports desk for WJET/WFXP. From their release tonight:

JET-TV VP/General Manager Tim Dunst and JET-TV/FOX 66 News Director Lou Baxter jointly announced Friday September 10,  the appointment of Kim Thomas as the new co-anchor of Action News 24.  Thomas will join veteran news anchor Sean Lafferty at the news desk at 5, 5:30, 6 and 11pm on JET-TV’s Action News 24.

Kim Thomas

Kim Thomas

Kim Thomas was selected from a field of prospective anchor candidates from around the country.   She will begin her new anchoring duties in the next few weeks.

Kim Thomas joined JET-TV as a reporter in November 2006 after working for a short time at the local CBS affiliate.  She is a graduate of Edinboro University.  In naming her to this critically important position, Dunst said, “It’s always great when you can promote from within, and in this case because of her proven news talent and experience in our community, Kim was clearly the right person for the anchor desk.”

Kim Thomas has been JET-TV and FOX 66’s Erie City Hall and Erie Police Department reporter, and has covered every major local story involving crime, government, and politics.  Twice, she has co-hosted the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for the MDA, and has served the community as an Erie Ambassador.

“In Kim Thomas, we have found someone who was educated in the area, has worked in the area, and has made a conscious decision to make Erie her home.  She’s a working mom who knows the region and brings a very real life sensibility and passion to her coverage of the stories that matter most,” said Baxter.  “We are very excited about her new role and her decision to continue to be a long term member of our news team.”

Craig Smylie

Craig Smylie

Also joining the weeknight anchor team at JET-TV and FOX 66 will be newly named Sports Director, Craig Smylie.

Smylie has anchored weekend sports on both JET-TV and FOX 66 for the past three years, after beginning his career in Lima, Ohio.  Craig “Let’s Talk Sports” Smylie is a graduate of Ohio University and has proven to be a favorite among area sports fans, players and coaches.  Smylie will be the very capable captain of Erie’s most aggressive television sports team, the home of the very popular and long running Friday Night Lights.

Sean Lafferty

Sean Lafferty

Also announced today was the appointment of news anchor Sean Lafferty as Managing Editor of Action News 24 and FOX 66.  In his additional new role, Lafferty will assist in responsibility for editorial content and direction of the evening newscasts and long range planning and implementation of strategic news initiatives.  Lafferty has been with Action News 24 for more than 20 years, and recently renewed a long term commitment to continue as the anchor of Erie’s TV news leader.

I think this is an excellent move for Nexstar, stopping the “revolving door” effect that the stations have experienced lately by elevating personnel that want to be in Erie, and excel at reporting about our town.