alabama, birmingham, leaving the biz, morning anchor, my fox alabama, rick journey, wbrc
In Alabama, Birmingham, FOX, Leaving the Biz on May 6, 2012 at 2:44 pm
Rick Journey (Courtesy: WBRC-TV)
After two decades as a familiar face among those who work and live in the Birmingham, Ala., area, WBRC morning show anchor Rick Journey has announced he’s leaving the station and the business next month.
Journey began his career at the station in 1992, working in the Tuscaloosa newsroom. He would then move on to covering state politics in Montgomery.
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abc 3340, alabama, birmingham, chief meteorologist, james spann, severe weather, siren, tornado, warning, wbma
In ABC, Alabama, Birmingham, Weather on March 18, 2012 at 11:12 am
James Spann (Courtesy: WBMA)
Meteorologist James Spann, known for his severe weather coverage throughout the state of Alabama, criticized the warning system used by many to alert countless residents of severe weather.
He told NPR in an interview earlier this week that people can become too reliant on sirens.
“In the siren mentality, it’s the idea that you’re always going to hear a tornado siren before a tornado strikes,” Spann said in the article. “And I believe it’s a farce.”
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abc 3340, abc news, alabama, birmingham, diane sawyer, inaccurate, james spann, reporting, tornadoes, wbma, world news
In ABC, Alabama, Birmingham, Social Media, Weather on January 26, 2012 at 2:41 pm
James Spann (Courtesy: WBMA)
Diane Sawyer, from her Monday (Jan. 23) broadcast
Chief Meteorologist James Spann, who works for ABC affiliate WBMA in Birmingham, Ala., isn’t too thrilled with Diane Sawyer.
It’s because of a claim she made on a Monday broadcast of “World News Tonight,” saying those tornadoes which came through the state in the wee hours of the morning “took the South by surprise, no warning.”
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alabama, anniston, birmingham, cbs, fox, paulette miller, wbrc, whma, whog-am, wjsu
In Alabama, Birmingham, CBS, FOX, Obits on February 16, 2011 at 4:01 pm
Paulette Miller (Courtesy: WBRC)
Well-known Alabama broadcaster Paulette Miller died Monday at WHOG-AM, where she worked as the news director.
The 53-year-old journalist apparently died of a heart attack, according to the coroner.
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alabama, birmingham, columbus opelika, dothan, florence, high definition, huntsville decatur, mobile pensacola, montgomery selma, station, television, waay, wabm, waff, waka, wala, wbma, wbmm, wbrc, wcov, wdfx, wdhn, wear, wfgx, wfna, whdf, whnt, wiat, wkrg, wltz, wncf, wpmi, wrbl, wsfa, wtto, wtvm, wtvy, wvtm, wxtx, wzdx
In ABC, Alabama, Birmingham, CBS, Columbus-Opelika, CW, Dothan, FOX, Huntsville-Decatur, Mobile-Pensacola, Montgomery-Selma, MyTV, NBC on January 21, 2011 at 7:51 am
It is true: if you’re a sports anchor-wannabe, a job in Alabama could be your goal, and there’s plenty of diversity among media markets to choose from. Where else can you cover the self-proclaimed king of SEC football?
- Birmingham (Anniston/Tuscaloosa) is the state’s biggest market, at #43. Stations include: WBRC (FOX), WVTM (NBC), WTTO (CW), WIAT (CBS), WBMA-LP (ABC) and WABM (MyTV). WBRC claims ratings dominance here, but given it’s a FOX affiliate (and its newscasts are on one hour earlier than the other affiliates), that’s a difficult pill to swallow. No clear winner here. All stations provide their newscasts in high definition.
- Next on the list is a market that is shared with the Florida panhandle: Mobile-Pensacola (Ft. Walton). The hyphenated market ranks 59th among Nielsen markets nationwide. Stations include: WEAR (ABC), WKRG (CBS), WALA (FOX), WPMI (NBC) WFGX (MyTV) and WFNA (CW). All stations air newscasts in high definition.
- The third top-100 station in the state, Huntsville-Decatur (Florence), is another hyphenated market, coming in at No. 79. Stations include: WHDF (CW), WHNT (CBS), WAAY (ABC), WAFF (NBC) and WZDX (FOX). All news-producing stations provide newscasts in high definition.
- Montgomery-Selma is the next station in Alabama, comprising the capital city. It’s ranked #121 among Nielsen media markets. Stations include: WAKA (CBS), WSFA (NBC), WCOV (FOX), WBMM (CW) and WNCF (ABC). WSFA has been the market leader for decades. All stations air newscasts in high definition.
- Another market that straddles state borders is the Columbus, GA (Opelika, AL) DMA, market #126. Interestingly enough, it also straddles the CST and EST time zones. Stations include: WRBL (CBS), WTVM (ABC), WLTZ (NBC) and WXTX (FOX). WTVM is the ratings leader in this market. All stations broadcast newscasts in HD.
- Dothan rounds out the Alabama markets, at #173. Stations include: WTVY (CBS), WDHN (ABC) and WDFX (FOX). WTVY is the ratings leader. Only WDHN does not air newscasts in HD.
(Above was updated February 1, 2015)
That covers another one of several states we’ll be covering. If you work for one of these affiliates and have news about new hires, on-air graphic updates, HD overhauls, or anything that would be of interest to this local news blog, please let us know.. I’m not necessarily talking about station gossip, but that works, too. If someone uttered a profane word on-air, for example, that’d be something. Station sales, downsizing, things like that are also newsworthy. You can do so anonymously, of course, but have to prove you work for the station in question for credibility purposes by sending us an email to southtvnewser@gmail.com.
alabama, birmingham, globe gazette, greg berry, hire, jump, kimt, market, news director, wiat
In Alabama, Birmingham, CBS, Hirings on January 14, 2011 at 8:07 am
Greg Berry
The Globe Gazette in Mason City, Ia., reports current KIMT news director Greg Berry has taken a job at WIAT, the CBS affiliate in Birmingham. Berry will be the assistant news director there.
From the article:
“This is a promotion within the company and a very good opportunity for Greg. We’re proud of him,” said Steve Martinson, general manager at KIMT.
KIMT is 153rd in market size in the country. The Birmingham station is 40th.
The author of that article is right. Heck of a jump. Both stations are owned by the same company as well.
Berry starts his new job in Alabama sometime in late March-early April.
South TV News 