Shreveport Reporter on the Move.......

This from the tip box:

Kerry Charles, KTAL TV 6 reporter in S'port leaving to join Fox in Greensboro, NC as anchor.

Nexstar for Sale?.......

Check out this press release from KARK's and KTAL's Parent Company:

Irving, TX (July 21, 2011) - Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXST) announced today that its Board of Directors has decided to explore and evaluate strategic alternatives intended to maximize shareholder value, including a possible sale of the Company. The Company has retained Moelis & Company as its financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis LLP as its legal counsel.

The Company has not made a decision to pursue any specific strategic transaction or other strategic alternative and there is no set timetable for the process, so there can be no assurance that the exploration of strategic alternatives will result in a sale of the Company or any other transaction. The Company does not intend to disclose developments with respect to the progress of its strategic review until such time as the Board has approved a transaction or otherwise deems disclosure appropriate.

Better Late Than Never....

An emailer says KTAL, Channel 6, Shreveport, will start doing its news in HD....in 2012. From what I'm told KTAL recently started airing syndicated programming in HD.

Shreveport Weather Guesser Leaves.....AGAIN...

This from the tip box:

Just heard that Jennifer Reeves (nee Gray), the AM/NOON weather anchor at KTBS has put in her two weeks notice and will follow her husband to Miami.

THV This Morning is Holding On....For Now...

Channel 11 gained back the morning viewers even after losing morning anchor Alyson Courtney to KATV. May 2011 ratings numbers show KTHV had a 4 rating in the 5am hour and a 6 rating in the 6am hour. KTHV News Director Charles Mauldin commented to Arkansas Business.com about the win:

Chuck Maulden, news director at KTHV, seemed pleased with what his station was able to accomplish in the morning. "We made some gains from a year ago," he said. "It was good for us to win back the morning. That's a big battleground now and always has been." KTHV's morning win may seem especially sweet as it comes after losing morning show anchor Alyson Courtney to KATV.

The real test will come in August when the newly hired beauty queen comes full time to the KTHV morning show. This will determine if people migrate away from Channel 11 mornings...

and.. as of late it seems KATV has been tinkering with its morning staffing. There really hasn't been any consistency in the last month or so to who is hosting the program. Something tells me they are gonna build the program around Alyson Courtney....and could this mean Beth Hunt is forever working the daytime anchor shift? Beth is better anchoring news than a fluffy ol' morning show!

LR May Ratings Are In

Arkansas Business.com has the results of the May Ratings Sweeps

In summary
KTHV won the mornings....KATV won the evening/night time slots...KARK was flat in the May 2011 book! For the complete results head on over to Arkansas Business.com

More Info on the New Anchor to be at Channel 6

Here's info about KTAL's newly hired anchor. This is from his bio at KQDX, FOX 21 in northeastern Minnesota:


Nick LaFave is a FOX 21 original. He’s been the main anchor since our launching in 2007. His anchoring helped win two Emmy Awards. Nick doesn’t just sit at the desk, his reporting has won countless awards and garnered two Emmy Nominations.

Nick graduated from Northern Michigan University before beginning his career in Big Sky Country, working in both Missoula and Bozeman Montana. He then took off for Lansing Michigan before traveling to the Twin Ports to help launch FOX 21.

A native of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, LaFave is a life-long hockey fan and is active in the local Referee’s Association. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife Kristy, working out and golfing... poorly.

New Anchor on the Way for KTAL

This from the tip jar: K-TAL is getting a new anchor. Nick Lafave.

Things Are Turning Over In Jonesboro

This from the tip box:

Tons of turnover at KAIT. Multiple AP award winner Bob Snell is leaving in September. Meteorologist Justin Logan left this week to Columbus, GA. This comes after nightside anchor Lauren Payne left the station a few weeks ago.

Not So Fast...............

This from a tipster: Nexstar's consolidation is not going as planed. Back in April Nexstar announced they were consolidating the master control operations of their stations in Monroe and Shreveport to the hub at KARK. This was to take affect on July 1st. The Monroe crew was informed their lay off date has been extended to August 1st. The Shreveport crew was informed this week they were being extended an extra week, and the new lay off date will be July 8th.

Jonesboro to Gain NBC Affiliate

Broadcasting and Cable reports New Moon Communications has acquired a number of low power tv stations from Trinity Broadcasting, including one in Jonesboro. B and C reports the stations, including KJNE in Jonesboro will be an affiliate of the NBC Broadcasting Network. A spokesperson for New Moon says local news in is the works possibly for all the stations.