This is what I’m thinking:
Ali Touhey is expected to be named shortly as the permanent co-anchor of WIVB-TV’s (Channel 4) “Wake Up!”
Touhey, who previously worked at WKBW-TV (Channel 7), replaces Abby Fridmann, who replaced Kelsey Anderson, who replaced Mel Orlins, who replaced Brittni Smallwood, who replaced Teresa Weakley, who replaced Diana Fairbanks.
The above sentence illustrates one of the significant problems with “Wake Up”: Its revolving door of female co-anchors on its morning program when audiences in that time period appreciate stability.
“Daybreak” (Channel 2) co-anchor Melissa Holmes has been in that role for more than a decade on the area’s first place morning program and only has worked alongside two male co-anchors, Pete Gallivan and John Beard.
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WGRZ-TV (Channel 2) news reporter Andy Paden did such a good job substituting as a sports anchor this week that it made one wonder if he wants the vacant job for good.
After all, there is an opening in sports at the station after the recent departure of Julianne Pelusi. The on-air staff is now down to sports director Adam Benigni and sports anchor-reporter Lindsey Moppert.
Paden’s Channel 2 biography indicates he has sports experience. A 2022 graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, he was a sports/news multimedia journalist (MMJ) at WCAV-TV in Charlottesville, Va. as part of Medill’s Journalism Residency Program.
The biography notes that he covered the impact of the war in Ukraine, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s exit from office and University of Virginia athletics.
In a Twitter exchange, Paden downplayed the possibility of joining the sports department.
“I think news is my long-term goal, but always love helping out the sports department,” he wrote.
Condolences to the family of former WIVB news director Joe Schlaerth, who died last week in Evansville, Ind. He had been the news director at News 14 (WFIE) in that city since 2015, a year after he was let go from WIVB.
Several former Channel 4 staffers took to social networks to praise him.
He was the son of former Buffalo News TV critic J. Don Schlaerth and former News librarian Sally Schlaerth.
In a 2005 interview, Joe Schlaerth said some of his earliest moments “were sitting in front of the television watching Walter Cronkite and the news. I've always loved television news. I remember sitting there with my father, my mom and sisters watching the (casualty) numbers from Vietnam. When I was in school, I rushed home to watch the Watergate hearings. I always had the media bug."
A 1978 graduate of Amherst High, Schlaerth started working at WIVB before he graduated from the University at Buffalo in 1986. He worked at the station for more than 30 years, beginning as an intern and rising through the ranks to assignment editor, executive news producer and eventually news director.
Schlaerth hired Fairbanks, Weakley, Smallwood, meteorologist Todd Santos, reporter-anchor Lou Raguse and sport anchor-reporter Lauren Brill. Only Santos remains at the station.
Speaking of Channel 4, one of the more embarrassing typos in recent memory received extra attention on social media. I can’t repeat the offensive typo on a graphic, which resulted from the dropping of one letter in a word. But it highlighted the importance of editors. These days, they may be too overwhelmed with other duties to catch mistakes. Channel 4 General Manager Joe Abouzeid, who declined comment, has to hope that there weren’t any complaints to the Federal Communications Commission over the mistake.
Up on the Roof: If there was ever a time for Channel 2 NOT to do a weather report from its roof it was Wednesday night during an alert that the air was at a dangerous level to be outside because of the smoke coming from Canadian fires. But there was meteorologist Jennifer Stanonis and reporter Keelin Berrian on the roof telling viewers to stay inside. It was reminiscent of the times during snowstorms that stations send reporters to drive around Western New York to tell viewers they should stay off the roads.
It was long overdue for WKSE-FM (Kiss 98.5) morning personality Janet Snyder to enter the Hall of Fame of the Buffalo Broadcasters Association. After all, she has been on the air in Buffalo for three decades.
Like an increasing number of local radio personalities these days, Snyder primarily does “Janet and Nick (Nicholas Picholas) in the Morning” remotely from out of town. Picholas also primarily works remotely from his home studio in Niagara County.
WBEN-AM talk show host David Bellavia, who does many speaking engagements after receiving the Medal of Honor, works remotely from several places. And, of course, years ago WGR-AM sports host Chuck Dickerson and 97 Rock morning personality Larry Norton worked remotely from out of town.
Speaking of overdue, you would think former WTSS-FM (Star 102.5) morning personality Rob Lucas would enter the BBA Hall of Fame soon. After all, he worked at the station for 37 years before signing it off after Audacy recently sold it to a religious broadcaster.
