Inman Not Sure He'll Host ARSN Scoreboard Show

KATV anchor Scott Inman is not sure whether or not he'll continue as the host of the ARSN Scoreboard Show. Inman comments to the AD-G:

Inman would not comment on the statement or his name being withdrawn from consideration when reached Tuesday evening.

“That’s something that would be better to ask Dale Nicholson,” Inman said.

Inman spent the past eight years hosting ARSN’s scoreboard show, and he said he has been asked to continue in that role. It is unclear if he will.

“That’s something I’ve yet to decide,” Inman said. “It’s been told to me that I’m welcome to stay. That’s something I’ll have to think about.”

No More Big Screens for KTBS Weather Crew

Was flipping through the channels trying to find some weather info and stopped on KTBS, Channel 3. I knew something looked odd and then realized they've stopped using oversize screens and have gone back to using chroma key during the weathercasts. KTBS had used the screens for the last number of years. I do have to say chroma key looks alot better and gives the weathercasts a more professional look.

KATV Does Some Spinning on Why Inman Wasn't Named Voice of Razorbacks

I guess seeing that he couldn't win, KATV GM Dale Nicholson pulled anchor Scott Inman's name out of the hat for being considered for The Voice of the Razorback. Look at the spin KATV puts on the situation:

In a recently conducted viewer study, KATV has learned that Scott Inman is the 'most-watched' and 'best-liked' news anchor in Arkansas. In addition, our entire news team was recognized as the local news leaders in Arkansas, said KATV President and General Manager Dale Nicholson. "After careful consideration of how our viewers can best be served, our leadership team has decided that our news anchors and reporters, including Scott Inman, should focus their energies on our primary mission of delivering the most accurate, up-to-date local news possible. Therefore, Scott is no longer a candidate for play-by-play announcer for Razorback broadcasts or coaches' shows."
Statement via Arkansas Business.com

It's Official: Barrett Named Voice of the Razorbacks

Source: Hogwired.com Chuck Barrett has been named the next football play-by-play announcer for the Arkansas Razorbacks, it was announced mutually by the Arkansas Razorback Sports Network (ARSN) and the University of Arkansas on Tuesday.

Barrett has served as a member of the ARSN football broadcast team for 13 seasons. He joined ARSN in 1994 as the host of the scoreboard and half-time show. The following year, he began his role as the pre-game and half-time host as well as the producer of the football broadcasts.

In addition, he has been the play-by-play voice of the Razorback baseball team for the past 15 seasons. The Clarksville native has served in that capacity since Arkansas’ inaugural season in the Southeastern Conference in 1992.

“Chuck is a long-time member of the ARSN team and has broadcast Razorback athletics for more than 15 years,” Arkansas Athletic Director Frank Broyles said. “He is well-known for his work on Razorback football and baseball broadcasts. He grew up in Arkansas and has an appreciation for the passion and enthusiasm of Razorback fans all over the state. We are excited that he will be expanding his role on the football broadcast.

“We are also very grateful to Mike Nail for his work this past year on the football broadcasts and the Houston Nutt Show,” continued Broyles. “Mike will continue in his duties on the basketball broadcasts and the John Pelphrey TV Show.”

“I am honored to have the opportunity to be the play-by-play announcer for Razorback football,” Barrett said. “Having grown up in Arkansas, I understand how important the radio broadcasts are to Razorback fans. I have the utmost respect for the broadcast and will continue to work on making it the very best. I appreciate the confidence that ARSN and the University have shown me by allowing me to fill this truly special position. It would be impossible for anyone to fill the shoes of legends like Bud Campbell and Paul Eells. I’m simply looking to be a small part of the special connection this state has with the Razorback program.”

Along with football and baseball play-by-play and the Razorback Football Report duties, Barrett will also take on additional responsibilities with the University of Arkansas Athletic Department. These duties will include hosting the Houston Nutt TV Show and new Razorback Football TV Classics, coordinating and hosting video and audio content on the Razorback Athletic website, www.hogwired.com, handling voice-over work and hosting of all departmental commercials, videoboard features, practice reports and other special content. Barrett will also handle some speaking engagement responsibilities on behalf of the Athletic Department.

May Book: The Ups and Downs in the Little Rock Market

Arkansas Business.com has more numbers from the May book. As the article points out, "it was KTHV-TV, Channel 11's turn to see at least some of that decline. KATV-TV, Channel 7, experienced faded numbers in February, and KARK-TV, Channel 4, saw a decrease in November."

The article has the numbers. Below are a few comments the GM's from the stations made to AB.com:

> While Larry Audas, general manager at KTHV, sticks by his mantra that any given ratings book -- good or bad -- is "the battle, not the war," another station leader compared the ratings to auto racing.

"The Little Rock market, for the first time in many years, has three television stations -- KARK, KATV and KTHV -- that are at parity in relative strength," said Rick Rogala, general manager at Nexstar Broadcasting Group-owned KARK, which does not subscribe to the Nielsen's.

"It's like watching a NASCAR race, with three cars running side by side down the straightaway after each car leading around a different turn," he said. "We continue to hear from more and more viewers who are responding to our focus on local news that is relevant to their lives in Arkansas. That's the fuel that powers our engine."

> "I am so very pleased to see the viewers of central Arkansas continue to embrace our news offering," said Chuck Spohn, general manager at KLRT. "I expect this growth to continue as more and more Arkansans discover Fox 16 News."

AB Blogger: U of A to Eventually Take Over Sports Broadcasts

Arkansas Business Playing the Field blogger Jim Harris says to expect the University of Arkansas to eventually take back its sports broadcasting. Below is an excerpt from his blog:

Eventually, the UA will own its broadcast arm outright. Officials in the Broyles Complex now regret not having the foresight a few years back to go the route of several Southeastern Conference schools by creating its own broadcast outlet. At the time, they saw outsourcing the broadcasting in the same way they sell the concessions rights at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. But, with the Internet capability of broadcasting all its media and producing it in house, controlling it all from the Broyles Complex, that view has changed.

Now, they are trying to change to view of ARSN and Dale Nicholson that that lead broadcaster of the Hogs should be based out of Fayetteville, not Little Rock. The way it appeared yesterday in the radio polling, the fans around here seem convinced already.

What Did Nicholson say?

This from an e-mailer:

If his name wasn't Dale Nicholson, I think he would be fired right offthe set today. On the Saturday, June 23rd, 6pm newscast, he just introed the sports by saying, "Nolan Richardson has just reared his uglyhead for a coaching job." Wow, trying to turn a phrase is not smart,especially for a white guy.

Arkansas Rep Wants to Make Sure Residents See Local Programming

Arkansas Congressman Mike Ross is co-sponsoring legislation that would ensure in-state programming is seen by those who want it. The bill would mean if two stations with the same network affiliation is carried by a cable TV service, both channels would be able to be broadcast to subscribers without being covered up by one another. Read full article HERE

This would apply to me as I live in Southwest Arkansas and I receive 2 ABC affiliate feeds, 2 NBC affiliate feeds and 2 CBS affiliate feeds.(one for Little Rock and one from Shreveport) Currently KTAL, the Shreveport NBC affiliate makes my cable system cover up KARK's signal all the time except during local news breaks. BUT as with all technology there are times, days at a time, where I guess the switching equipment fails and all we wind up with is 2 KTAL's.

U of A/KATV Broadcasting Deal Illegal?

Arkansas Business.com is raising the concern that the broadcasting deal the University of Arkansas has with KATV/Channel 7 may not be in line with state law. Below is an excerpt from the article:

A Little Rock lawyer who spoke to Arkansas Business under the condition that his name was not disclosed said it would be hard for the university to justify to a judge failing to publicly request proposals for the contract whenever it was renewed through negotiations, but did say that does not void the contract. It does, however, leave open the possibility of a lawsuit.

The current contract between KATV and the UA, which was most recently extended on Sept. 30, 2005, to run through the 2010-11 football and basketball seasons, was originally put into place June 17, 1994, and has been updated with internal and non-public negotiations several times since.

According to state regulations regarding contract extensions, only one extension may be granted and may not exceed the length of the original agreement. The original agreement between the UA and KATV was for four years, meaning the contract should have at least been placed out for bid before the 2002-2003 seasons.

Among other features of the contract, it establishes the University of Arkansas as the owner the coach’s weekly TV show, allowing it to keep the advertising profits the show generate.

U of A and KATV Reach Agreement on the Next Voice of the Razorbacks

The Morning News reports the University of Arkansas and KATV have come to an agreement in which Chuck Barrett will become The Voice of the Arkansas Razorbacks. Below is an excerpt from the article:

Chuck Barrett's job description is about to get more extensive.

Multiple sources close to the situation said Thursday that the University of Arkansas and KATV have agreed in principle that Barrett will become the school's football play-by-play announcer.

One source familiar with the negotiations said that both parties spoke several times by phone this week and came to an agreement satisfactory to the UA and KATV. The source said the details of the contract for Barrett, already the play-by-play voice of Arkansas baseball, would be finalized soon.

A formal announcement of the next "Voice of the Razorbacks" could come as early as today, but is expected by early next week. Barrett, under the tentative agreement, would replace Mike Nail, who filled in on an interim basis last season after longtime announcer Paul Eells' unexpected death last summer.

KATV had backed Scott Inman, one of the station's main news anchors, for the position. But Arkansas raised what it considered reasonable objections to Inman and threw its support behind Barrett, who also hosts the daily Northwest Arkansas radio show Sports Rap. Mainly, Arkansas Athletic Director Frank Broyles voiced concern about Inman's inability to spend enough time around the team because he anchors nightly newscasts in Little Rock.

KATV General Manager Dale Nicholson apparently signed on to Barrett after the parties' phone communications, one source said. Previously, the parties had communicated through four letters and a May 22 phone conversation between Broyles and Nicholson.

Former LR Reporter Headed To Pentagon as Spokesman

The Politico is reporting former KATV reporter Geoff Morrell is headed to the Pentagon to be its PR spokesman. Morrell began his reporting career with KATV covering Bill's Clinton's presidential campaign. He worked for a number of stations between then and now, with most recently working as ABC's White House correspondent.

New KSLA Chief Met Debuts on Air

New KSLA Chief Meteorologist Stephen Parr debuted on air tonight. An e-mailer was impressed with Parr as he tracked storms moving through the area on his first day on the air: "KSLA continues to be #1 in the Ark-La-Tex for weather. New Met doing a great job, already tracking severe storms tonight. He sounds experienced and has been doing it for 8 years."

U of A and KATV at Odds Over Who Should Be The Voice of Razorbacks

Looks as though there's quite a disagreement between KATV GM Dale Nicholson and University of Arkansas Athletic Director Frank Broyles. Arkansas Business.com details the feud in a lengthy article. All in all it boils down to Nicholson wanting KATV anchor Scott Inman being the play by play voice for the Razorbacks and Broyles wants Chuck Barrett. Read the full article HERE

KATV Regains Lost Ground in May Book

Arkansas Business.com has some early stats from the May book. Below are the highlights from the article:

> THV-TV, Channel 11, and KATV have been trading licks at 10 p.m., but the ABC affiliate has opened a slightly larger lead this quarter with a 12 rating and 27 share, compared with KTHV’s 10 rating and 21 share. KARK-TV, Channel 4, pulled a 5 rating and 11 share in the early Metro whole numbers.

Another big story at 10 p.m. was KLRT-TV, Channel 16’s first crack into the top three with its hour-long 9 p.m. newscast surpassing KARK’s 10 p.m. ratings. Fox 16 picked up a 7 rating and 12 share, and also won in several demographic categories.

> KTHV did win in the mornings, but KATV closed the gap. The CBS affiliate scored a 4 rating and 36 share at 5 a.m. and an 8 rating and 31 share at 6 a.m. KATV picked up a 3 rating and 28 share at 5 a.m. and a 7 rating and 26 share at 6 a.m.

> KATV also won at 5 and 6 p.m., with a 13 rating and 33 share and a 13 rating and 29 share, respectively. KARK and KTHV were neck and neck at both 5 and 6 p.m.

Though Fox 16’s 9 p.m. newscast broke new ground, its new 5 and 5:30 p.m. newscasts got off to a slow start, pulling in a 1 rating and 3 share at 5 p.m. and a 1 rating and 2 share at 5:30 p.m.

KHBS/KHOG Met Busted Over Child Pics

Source: KHBS/KHOG A 40/29 employee could face misdemeanor harassment charges in connection with an incident at a Fort Smith park, police said.

Police said morning meteorologist Justin Povick was at the public pool at Creekmore Park in Fort Smith on Tuesday afternoon when a young girl told an adult that Povick was taking photos of her.

Authorities said that when a park employee confronted Povick about the photos, he took off running across the street and into some woods.

A few minutes later, police said, he came out of the woods with cuts and bruises on his feet, and authorities seized his camera. Investigators said they found several photos of girls between the ages of 4 and 12 years old in their swimsuits.

"The allegations are that he had been taking pictures with his camera inconspicuously of the girls in the swimming pool and on the bank," said Fort Smith police spokesman Jarrard Copeland.

Povick has been a meteorologist at 40/29 News for the past year.

"While we typically do not comment on personnel matters, we can confirm that Justin Povick has been suspended without pay," said 40/29 General Manager Jim Prestwood.

Povick has not been arrested at this time. The case has been turned over to the Sebastian County prosecutor's office for review.

Fort Smith police said they expect an arrest warrant to be issued on Thursday.

If charged and convicted, Povick could face up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Just got in from two days in Bossier City, LA...Blogging will resume tonight...

Former KAIT Met Coming Home to Arkansas

Formery KAIT (Jonesboro) Meteorologist Shane Carter has accepted the position of Marketing Director in his hometown of Paragould, Arkansas. Shane has worked at KJRH in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

KTBS Met Gone

Seems like these days I've got more questions than answers. Anyway KTBS Weekend Met Jennifer Gray has left the station. I know this was pointed out in the comments section a few posts down. Her bio at KTBS.com is no longer there so I take it this past weekend was her last. Where's she headed?

CBS Wants "Seamless" Transition Into Evening News

Source: TV Week CBS is turning to its station affiliates to help bolster "The CBS Evening News With Katie Couric."

The network wants the local stations to transition seamlessly from their early newscast to Ms. Couric's show-mdash;meaning no intervening commercials or promotional spots.

With data indicating a third of viewers decide what they're going to watch next in the last seconds of their local newscasts, CBS wants to eliminate temptations that would lead viewers to choose something other than the flagship "Evening News," which sank to a record low of 5.96 million viewers two weeks ago.

"A seamless transition is the price of admission," Mr. Kaplan told affiliates gathered last week in Las Vegas for the 53rd annual CBS affiliates convention, where Ms. Couric made her second annual appearance to schmooze with local station representatives and to say, "I hope you'll keep watching." MORE

Former KSLA Chief Met on Leaving KSLA

Maybe I should start making it a habit of reading my e-mails first. Former Chief Meteorologist Patrick Dennis sent this e-mail to Arkansas TV News late Sunday night:

Just read your post about me disappearing from KSLA. It is true. I am gone from television. For the past 10 1/2 years, KSLA was like my second home. I loved it. However, the time had come to put my family first. I am still in Shreveport and have no plans to move. I started my own video production business, Patrick Dennis Video Productions, about two years ago...and plan to continue to grow the business and help my wife with hers.

I have been blessed in so many ways and thank God for each and every day. Thanks to everyone I have encountered over the years for the kind words. It has been a pleasure being your meteorologist.

Thanks,

Patrick Dennis

More Info on KSLA Met Leaving...and New Hire

Newsblues reports former KSLA Chief Meteorologist Patrick Dennis will be starting his own video production company. MEANWHILE, Newsblues says Stephen Parr, right, has been hired to replace Dennis as Chief Met. Parr is from KLTV-7-ABC in Tyler, TX.

THV News at Noon and Positively Arkansas to Divorce

Arkansas Business.com reports beginning in September, KTHV's noon newscast will be 100 percent news and Positively Arkansas will move to 9:30am. AB.com says Channel 11 will stop airing Live With Regis & Kelly at 9am and will pick up Let's Play Crosswords.

Who's Leaving KTBS?

Seems everyone is hitting the road out of the Ark-La-Tex....KTBS now has posted on its website a Meteorologist opening. Anybody have any clues as to who is calling it quits?