Jonesboro Reporter Moves to Little Rock

This from the tip jar:

Jessi Turnure leaves KAIT for KLRT/KARK.  

Turnure had been an anchor/reporter for KAIT since May 2013

Reporter Changes Stations

This from the tip box:

Jo Ellison returns to tv news in ft. Smith arkansas. She's joined kfsm "5 news" as a reporter. She used to work at 40/29 khbs/khog as a reporter.

THV to Return to Dish

TEGNA, the parent company of KTHV/Channel 11/Little Rock reports an agreement has been reached with DISH Network to return all their stations to its lineup.  Of course terms of the multi-year agreement will not be released.

KTHV's Parent Company Resorts to Name Calling About Re-trans Spat

Tegna has resorted to calling DISH Network names due to not being able to reach a retransmission agreement.  Here's the press release:

“TEGNA has worked hard over the course of months to reach a deal with DISH. Our position has been simple: the same fundamental terms that allowed us to reach deals with distributors nationwide should serve as the basis for our deal with DISH. Rather than accepting that fair, market-based approach, DISH has refused to reach an agreement and once again is preventing its customers from accessing valued channels, even as customers continue to pay for that content. Despite DISH’s repeated efforts to blame programmers, the record is crystal clear – DISH is a serial dropper of channels. It has been responsible for the largest broadcast blackout in history and routinely drops valued cable and broadcast channels. TEGNA, on the other hand, has never been in this position before because we have always been able to reach fair agreements with distributors without disrupting our viewers."

Channel 11 has blown up its facebook page with apologies to viewers.  Of course it blames Dish for the impasse.

Fort Smith News Director Leaving

Source: KHBS/KHOG Press Release  Greg Shepperd, who since 2012 has served as News Director of KHBS/KHOG-TV’s 40/29 News, the Hearst Television ABC and CW affiliates serving the Fort Smith and Fayetteville, Arkansas, television market, has been named News Director of KOAT-TV, Hearst’s ABC affiliate serving the Albuquerque, New Mexico market.

“In his 3 years at 40/29 Greg has distinguished himself with a unique blend of exceptional team leadership skills, and an eye for what it takes to deliver great local television news,” said KHBS/KHOG-TV President and General Manager, Shawn A. Oswald. “Greg’s leadership has set us up for success in the short as well as the long term.” 

Among his many accomplishments, Shepperd and the 40/29 News team have been named by the Associated Press as Arkansas’ Best Newscast, while he’s been honored for his contributions to multiple Edward R. Murrow awards and regional Emmy Awards.

Prior to KHBS/KHOG-TV, Shepperd was Managing Editor at one of the company’s largest stations, KCRA-TV in Sacramento, CA. At Hearst’s New Orleans station WDSU-TV, Shepperd was promoted from Producer to Executive Producer to Assistant News Director for his leadership role in that station’s coverage of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath in 2005.

Shepperd’s last day leading the 40/29 News team is October 16th.

THV/Dish Taking it Day by Day

Wow who knew it was time for KTHV/Channel 11/Little Rock to negotiate another deal with Dish to keep it on its system.  From the station's face book post its down to being a day by day decision.  I often wonder when stations will start charging the cord cutters...or the folks that have antennas and get the signal for free.