Are you ready for your digital TV test? On Wednesday night, 11 O-Town TV stations will simulate the end of analog broadcasting and go dark to let viewers know if they're ready for the digital TV age to begin.

Here's how it will work: At 7:59 p.m., these local television stations -- WESH-NBC 2, WKMG-CBS 6, WFTV-ABC 9, WCEU-PBS 15, WKCF-CW 18, WMFE-PBS 24, WVEN-Univision 26, WRDQ-Independent 27, WOTF-Telefutura 43, WTGL-Independent 45 and WBCC-PBS 68 -- will first alert viewers and explain how the test will work. Each station will then simulate the termination of analog broadcasting by removing the video signal that feeds the analog transmitter for 10 seconds causing the screen to go dark.

On each participating station's digital broadcasts, and on cable and satellite systems that receive direct feeds from the station, the station will notify viewers that they have successfully passed the test. At the conclusion of each test, stations will notify viewers that if their screen went blank they need to take corrective action -- such as getting a digital TV converter box for their analog sets.

Also, during the test broadcasts, each station will provide a toll-free telephone number and Web site for additional DTV transition assistance.

This is the first of three tests the area stations are uniting to perform. Noticeably absent from the test are Orlando's two Fox-owned TV stations -- WOFL-Fox 35 and WRBW-MyNetworkTV 65.

The local stations will switch off their analog signals for good on Feb. 17, 2009.

Labels: WESH 2 News, WFTV Channel 9, WKCF-CW 18, WKMG Local 6, WOFL Fox 35, WRDQ-TV27

WOFL will launch its oft-discussed 11 p.m. newscast on Jan. 7, Florida Today reported. News about the late newscast was first revealed nearly a year ago, with a then-projected launch date of sometime in April. But the project never got off the ground. In the meantime, Fox 35 did launch its 6 p.m. newscast.

Cale Ramaker, who has been co-anchor of the 6 p.m. show, will leave that post to helm the 11 p.m. newscast as well as continue as the 10 p.m. co-anchor with Corrina Sullivan. Station newcomer Mike Dunston inherits Ramaker's anchor chair on the 6 o'clock show.

GM Stan Knott told Florida Today that the 11 p.m. news will be a "hyper-local program designed to complement" Fox 35 News at 10."The show is going to have a great energy, great feel and pace," he said. "It really will be designed as an alternative to the other newscasts in the market, which have a lot of similarity to each other."

Knott said the newscast will have "11 at 11," -- the day's top stories in the first 11 minutes of the show -- plus "Five Things You Need to Know," -- tips for viewers.

Knott didn't say it, but I would assume Fox 35 will follow the model of nearly every other Fox O&O which launched an 11 p.m. newcast and use the News Edge format made popular at Fox sister WTVT in Tampa.

Labels: WOFL Fox 35

Some good news to report. Former Fox 35 anchor Shelly Ribando has landed a new gig. She'll become the main anchor at KOAT-ABC 7 in Albuquerque, N.M. According to Eckhert Talent Management, she'll co-anchor the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts at the Hearst-Argyle station. Ribando anchored her final newscast at Fox 35 in September 2006. ...

WKMG-Local 6 morning weather guy Larry Mowry is heading to Big D. He's become the 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. meteorologist at CBS O&O in Dallas, KTVT-11. He'll find another alum of the Channel 6 weather staff when he arrives. Longtime O-Town weather man Mike Burger is still at KTVT. ...

Not sure if it's just to help fill-in or if she's Mowry's replacement, but former Miami meteorologist Elizabeth Hart has been forecasting the weather on WKMG this week. She left CBS O&O WFOR-4 in September 2006 and has filled in for Mitch English on the Orlando-based Daily Buzz since then. ...

Former Central Florida News 13 reporter Don Guevara has jumped to WSVN-Fox 7 in Miami. ...

And Syan Rhodes from WMC-NBC 5 in Memphis will join newcomer Scott Walker as co-anchor of WESH 2 News at Sunrise starting Monday, Dec. 10. Found an interesting post about Rhodes on a Memphis TV site while seeking additional information for this item.

Labels: WESH 2 News, WKMG Local 6, WOFL Fox 35

The November ratings for Orlando showed another dominating performance by WFTV's Eyewitness News. By my count, WFTV has now been the No. 1 newscast at 6 p.m. for 29 years. And the Channel 9 juggernaut seems to be getting even stronger.

According to WFTV, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., more than 50 percent of the homes watching news in Central Florida are turned to Channel 9. Its lead over No. 2 Local 6 is more than 78,000 households at 5 p.m. -- and the lead grows to 94,914 more households at 6 p.m.

Channel 9 is nearly as dominant in the morning. Its two-hour Daybreak has 49 percent of the news-watching audience -- nearly 37,000 more homes than No. 2 WKMG, nearly 40,000 homes more than No. 3 WESH and nearly 58,000 homes more than No. 4 Fox. 35.

WOFL was down across the board, but the shocker the WFTV-produced news on WRDQ-Channel 27 nearly tying Fox 35 at 10 p.m. WOFL was down 23 percent from Nov. 2006. The good news for Fox 35 is that its numbers are sure to jump shortly with the return of American Idol.

In the morning, the WFTV-produced news on WRDQ moved into No. 2 behind Fox 35 in November ahead of WESH's news on WKCF-CW 18.

Labels: WESH 2 News, WFTV Channel 9, WKCF-CW 18, WKMG Local 6, WOFL Fox 35

The November sweeps brought us original episodes of our favorite shows, but the ratings results for the O-Town news looked more like another rerun.

Based on information provided in news releases by WFTV and WESH, Channel 9 once again dominated the local news scene in a ratings period that saw most everyone dropping a bit from a year ago. Here's how the stations rank in the news time periods:

5 a.m. -- WFTV-Ch. 9, WKMG-Ch. 6, WESH-Ch. 2 and WOFL-Ch. 35. Local 6 displaces WESH 2 News at No. 2, but everyone was down in share

6 a.m. -- WFTV-Ch. 9, WESH-Ch. 2, WKMG-Ch. 6 and WOFL-Ch. 35. WESH barely hangs on to the No. 2 spot, dropping a full rating point and 3 share points from 2006. WKMG was up in rating and share.

7 a.m. local news -- WOFL-Ch. 35, WRDQ-Ch. 27, WKCF-Ch. 18. The shocker is that the WFTV-produced morning news on WRDQ jumped to No. 2 ahead of the WESH-produced show on WKCF. Overall WRDQ's ratings in the time period are up 800 percent from a year ago.

Noon -- WKMG-Ch. 6, WFTV-Ch. 9, WESH-Ch. 2. Even without Bob Barker, WKMG edges WFTV for the top spot at noon. WESH drops year over year.

5 p.m., 5:30 and 6 p.m. -- WFTV-Ch. 9, WKMG-Ch. 6, WESH-Ch. 2, WOFL-Ch. 35. WFTV, as usual, dominates the early evening and tops the combined audience of its three competitors. Everyone is down in the time periods from a year ago except WFTV at 6, which increased slightly.

10 p.m. -- WOFL-Ch. 35 and WRDQ-Ch. 27. Another shocker -- Fox 35, which used to have a huge lead at 10, holds on to No. 1 by the skin of its teeth. The WFTV-produced news on WRDQ was up 23 percent year over year, while Fox 35 was down 23 percent.

11 p.m. -- WFTV-Ch. 9, WKMG-Ch. 6 and WESH-Ch. 2. Channel 9 and Local 6 both saw growth at 11 o'clock while WESH lost some audience.

Labels: WESH 2 News, WFTV Channel 9, WKCF-CW 18, WKMG Local 6, WOFL Fox 35, WRDQ-TV27

One of the top rules of journalism is don't become part of the story. En route to cover a story, Fox 35 reporter Patrick Pegues was arrested on Wednesday on charges if disorderly conduct and resisting an officer without violence.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, Pegues was en route to cover an accident near the 500 block of Lake Margaret Drive in Orlando when an Orlando Police officer told him to go to an area designated for the media.

The Sentinel reported: "The officer said Pegues became 'indignant' as well as 'loud and profane.' When told he was being placed under arrest, he pulled away from the officer and knocked the handcuffs to the floor. 'I presented my Taser and warned him that if he resisted further, I would use my Taser to subdue him,' officer C.H. Jones wrote in his report. Pegues then complied and was taken into custody.

A Fox 35 spokesman told the Sentinel the station is investigating the matter.

Labels: WOFL Fox 35

Police in Lake Mary decided Thursday not to file charges against Fox 35's news director Bob Clinkingbeard for bumping sports anchor Thomas Forester during a heated conversation.

The Orlando Sentinel reported that after police issued subpoenas to witnesses and were able to view a security camera videotape of the incident, they "concluded that what happened was an accident. Clinkingbeard did bump Forester during an argument, but he was trying to point in the opposite direction -- not shove or hit Forester, said Lake Mary police Detective Matthew Shaefer."

Forester called police to the station and initially sought battery charges against his boss.

Labels: WOFL Fox 35

Fox 35 sportscaster Thomas Forester may be having second thoughts about seeking the arrest of his boss, news director Bob Clinkingbeard on battery charges.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, Lake Mary police did not finish their investigation Tuesday into a complaint by Forester that his boss pushed him. "That's because Forester postponed his interview with the police detective who's handling the investigation," the paper reported.

Labels: WOFL Fox 35

We could know later today if WOFL-Fox 35 news director Bob Clinkingbeard will face any charges for bumping sportscaster Thomas Forester during a heated dispute at the station. The Orlando Sentinel reports that Lake Mary police expect to wrap up their investigation today into the complaint by Forester, who called police to the station after the incident on Thursday.

So, what happened? NewsBlues.com reported that "Clinkingbeard, 47, became so enraged with Forester's reluctance to carry out an assignment, he confronted him in a hallway and shoved Forester against a wall. Angry and shaken, Forester retreated to his desk and telephoned Lake Mary police. When they arrived, he insisted on filing assault and battery charges against his boss."

The Web site said said Forester was on five days paid leave after the incident. He has six months remaining on his contract with Fox 35, but NewsBlues said he has told friends he wants out of the station.

Police have now viewed video of the incident from Fox 35 security cameras, the Sentinel reporterd. However, Clinkingbeard is not cooperating with the investigation, according to Lake Mary Det. Matt Schaefer .

Here's the text of the initial police report about the incident:

"Upon my arrival, I made contact with the victim Tom Forester. Mr. Forester stated that during a meeting with news director Bob Clinkingbeard, he attempted to leave the room they were in and go into another room. Forester stated that at that time, Clinkingbeard blocked the door and that Forester could not enter the other room and bumped into him in the process. Forester felt that this was done on purpose and wanted to press charges.

"While Forester was completing a statement, I made contact with Fox 35 legal advisor Carolyn Forrest. Ms. Forrest was advised of the situation and she said she would consult their attorneys and let me know if I would be able to speak to Clinkingbeard. Ms. Forrest was also told that there might be video of the incident and she she would check on that was well. After obtained a statement and and prosecution affidavit from Forester and concluding with him, I made contact with Ms. Forrest again. Ms. Forrest stated that due to the possible civil implications that may occur, she declined to let me speak to and/or get a statement from Clinkingbeard and declined to let me see the video. The report is being forwarded to CID for follow-up."

Wow. And it's not even sweeps!

Labels: WOFL Fox 35

Some news nuggets for you, even if you aren't headed back to school today...

Labels: WESH 2 News, WFTV Channel 9, WKMG Local 6, WOFL Fox 35

WOFL will start a 6 p.m. newscast beginning Monday. The Fox 35 10 p.m. anchors -- Cale Ramaker, Corrina Sullivan and Glenn Richards -- will be at the helm of the new newscast.

The station launched its hourlong 5 p.m. newscast, Fox at 5 , in March 2006. It added weekend editions of Fox at 5 last fall.

Back in January, the station announced plans for an 11 p.m. newscast, which was supposed to start in April. That show never materialized. No word of if those plans are scrapped, if they're still being considered or if perhaps if the 11 p.m. show might appear on sister station WRBW-My 65.

With Fox 35's new show, there will now be seven -- seven! -- 6 p.m. newscasts in the Orlando market. The others: WKMG-Channel 6, WESH-Channel 2, WFTV-Channel 9, WTMO-Telemundo, WVEN-Univision, Central Florida News 13.

Labels: WOFL Fox 35

Some notes to start off the new week...

Labels: WESH 2 News, WFTV Channel 9, WKMG Local 6, WOFL Fox 35

All the stations in town picked up on the story about a 9-year-old boy who called 911 when his mother fell unconscious on the floor. But when area stations showed the "first meeting" between the Alex Swee and 911 dispatcher Matt Nicotra -- it was actually staged for two local stations who showed up late.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, "crews from WESH-Channel 2 and WFTV-Channel 9 were on time to film the exchange of hugs when Alex and his mom met Nicotra for the first time. But WOFL-Channel 35 showed up late and asked the three to do it all over again so they could tape it. Then in the middle of the second 'first' meeting, a WKMG-Channel 6 crew arrived and asked the three, 'Can you do it one more time?' "

The paper wryly pointed out, "The 'first' meeting ended up taking almost as long as the six-minute 911 call between Alex and Nicotra."

Labels: WESH 2 News, WFTV Channel 9, WKMG Local 6, WOFL Fox 35

Orlando Sentinel sports columnist Jerry Greene reports that new WKMG sports anchor David Pingalore has been "delayed" in leaving Cleveland for his new O-Town gig. That has led to a further diminishing of the declining sports product on Local 6. For example, at 11 p.m. Tuesday night there was no sports anchor again -- news anchor Bob Frier did a brief sports recap. And on the night the first major-league baseball game was played in Central Florida between the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Texas Rangers, WKMG showed highlights of a Devil Rays-Blue Jays game while Frier did the voice over. (Wow.) By contrast, WESH had sports guy Guy Rawlings anchoring from Disney's Wide World of Sports stadium -- with actual highlights of the Rays and Rangers. ...

Orlando's male TV anchors/reporters are competing this week for the coveted title of Orlando TV's Hunkiest Hunk. It's the 16th year for the contest, sponsored by the always entertaining Scott and Erica Morning Show on Mix 105.1 (WOMX-FM). The guys have been calling into to solicit listener votes. Early leaders this week have included WKMG's Frier and Larry Mowry, WESH's Jim Payne, WFTV's Chris Egert and Brian Shields and WOFL's Jim Van Fleet and Tom Johnson. In fact, WOFL closed out its morning news on Tuesday by posting a graphic of its candidates and urging viewers to vote for them. The voting continues through Friday.

Labels: WESH 2 News, WFTV Channel 9, WKMG Local 6, WOFL Fox 35

A week ago I told you about a mother hawk that had taken up residence above Fox 35's studios -- causing the station to stop its outdoor weather segments because the hawk didn't like having folks near its nest. I suggested Fox install a live Web cam so we could watch the hawk and her chicks.

Today, I turned on Fox 35 in the morning to see the station promoting its new MyFoxLIVE Hawk Cam. (Wow, is this what they mean by interactive TV -- I ask and then it appears?)

Here's what it says on Fox's Web site: "A red-shouldered hawk has decided a tree outside the FOX 35 studios is a perfect place to raise her babies. After a few confrontations, we have figured out a way to live in harmony. Any time you feel a little stressed out today at work, or just plain bored, come back here for a little bird watching!"

Whether or not they added the cam because of my post, it's still a very cool feature. Momma Hawk was busy feeding her chicks some breakfast when I was watching. Click here to watch the MyFoxLIVE Hawk cam.

Labels: WOFL Fox 35

O-Town sports radio talker Dan Sileo is expanding into television. He reports that he's going to Tampa to join the 11 p.m. NewsEdge newscast at Fox O&O WTVT-Channel 13. Sileo's morning show on WQTM-740 AM also airs in Tampa, and it's is adding Jacksonville to its simulcast network on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, I forgot to note last week the sad state of sports in O-Town. When your Orlando Magic traveled to Detroit to play the Pistons in their playoff series, the only local video crews covering the team in Motown were from WFTV-Channel 9 and OrlandoSentinel.com. WESH, WKMG and WOFL all stayed home. Wow, how things have changed from the old Shaq days, huh?

Labels: WESH 2 News, WFTV Channel 9, WKMG Local 6, WOFL Fox 35

Some quick notes and links to end the week ...

> If case you've been living under a rock, WKMG is having tryouts for its new traffic reporter. Hal Boedeker of the Sentinel blogs about the finalists.

> Hey, forget traffic reporting -- maybe you should be a network correspondent? The South Florida chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists is presenting a seminar on Saturday in Miami called, "How to Break into Network News ... and Stay There." Susan Candiotti of CNN and Mark Potter of NBC will be on hand to provide the skinny. Click here for information.

> So, we've reached another sweeps and still WFTV (and little sister WRDQ) are the only O-Town stations broadcasting the news in HD? What Central Florida station will be next? WESH's sister, KCRA-NBC 3 in Sacramento, started HD news recently -- using the same exact set WESH has now. WFTV seems to be setting the standard for the Cox chain, as its little sister in Charlotte, WSOC-ABC 9, started its HD broadcasts last week. The new sets at WKMG and WOFL look like they're HD ready. OK, after saying all that, I'm putting my money on WESH for the fall.

> Stan Knott, the GM at Fox's O-Town dupoly of WOFL-Fox 35 and WRWB-My65, likes having the Magic on his station, says the Orlando Sentinel's Jerry Greene. Of course, like just about everything in primetime on My65, the Magic are getting canceled, too.

> Do you like Family Guy? If so, you'll be excited that you'll be seeing more of it on WOFL-Fox 35. The station has signed on to carry re-runs of the cartoon comedy starting in the fall.

Labels: WESH 2 News, WFTV Channel 9, WKMG Local 6, WOFL Fox 35

First, an Orlando news crew was roughed up on the ground. Now, our O-Town TV guys are being attacked from the air.

WOFL has suspended its regular outdoor weather segments in the garden area behind its studio because of a mother hawk. She's taken up residence in a tree above Fox 35's Lake Mary studios.

"We have a little situation going on," anchor Tom Johnson explained on air this week. "There is a mama hawk high up in one of the pine trees. And we think she has some eggs she's waiting on or some little ones in that nest right there. So anytime anybody goes out behind out station, mama hawk gets a little upset and attacks."

WOFL already has its live newsroom Web cam and its live studio Web cam, so why not make the most of this situation and add a live Hawk Cam?

In other news ...

New WKMG anchor Erick Weber made his debut Tuesday on Local 6's First News. He'll be doing the morning and noon show with Lauren Rowe ...

WKMG's traffic stunt, er, audition drew more than 400 people. Read more from the Orlando Sentinel, if you care. ...

WOFL's new logo, graphics and music debuted Monday. All the changes were positive ones, and I'll post some frame grabs later. Still waiting for the new WKMG set, which was supposed to debut Monday. ...

Sweeps start Thursday. WESH's plans include having meteorologist Tony Mainolfi at the beach and a weight loss segment on 2 News Sunrise

Labels: WESH 2 News, WKMG Local 6, WOFL Fox 35

WOFL and WKMG are expected to debut new sets and graphics today.

Labels: WKMG Local 6, WOFL Fox 35

Former Fox 35 reporter Beth Sherman checks in with news about her new job.

Labels: WOFL Fox 35

WOFL has hired a weekend sports anchor -- finally. Kevin Holden, now anchoring sports in Texas for the News 8 Austin cable channel, is joining the Fox 35 staff, according to NewsBlues.com.

Labels: WOFL Fox 35

Fox's American Idol is undoubtedly the hottest show on TV right now. I just don't get it, but I accept that I'm in the minority when it comes that.

Have you ever wondered if the folks working in the news departments at Fox's TV stations take a break to watch the show? Well, you might have a chance to find out -- especially here in Orlando at Fox 35.

WOFL's Web site, MyFoxOrlando, has added a live newsroom cam and live studio cam -- so you can spy on the journalists at Fox 35. Are they watching American Idol or Fox News Channel? Come back during the show to find out. Click here for the newsroom Web cam, and click here for the studio Web cam.

Oh, and if you can't get enough American Idol, MyFoxOrlando has an entire are dedicated to the show. Click here to see the American Idol section.

Labels: WOFL Fox 35

Following the lead of other Fox O&O's, WOFL is adding an 11 p.m. newscast.

NewsBlues.com reports that the new show will start in April. The 11 p.m. slot was previously filled with the dreadful Geraldo At Large. Since that show was canceled, the even more dreadful Still Standing has been running in the 11 p.m. spot.

Fox 35 has done well with its hour-long 10 p.m. news, which it will continue to produce. But it will be interesting to see if the new show can make any headway against the established 11 p.m. newscasts on the other locals. WOFL's 10 p.m. news has benefited from having American Idol and 24 as lead-ins -- while the new 11 p.m. show will only have the 10 p.m. show as its lead-in.

No word yet on anchor or anchors for the 11 p.m. show, but I wouldn't be surprised to see newcomer Corrina Sullivan have a role. In a recent interview with Orlando Sentinel TV Guy Hal Boedeker, Sullivan talked about the lack of hard news on the station -- but in a nice, polite way, of course. "In St. Louis, we had an older demographic," Sullivan said. "There's a more vibrant, energetic team here. In St. Louis, you have a lot of hard news. It's very hard-hitting. Here we believe in empowering people with information that they can use. It's a little different here."

Labels: WOFL Fox 35