Top LR Anchor Getting Out of the Biz

KATV/Channel 7/Little Rock anchor Christina Munoz is leaving the station.  Arkansas Times reports Munoz will become the associate vice president for communications, public relations and marketing at UCA.  Munoz joined KATV in 2003.

Former NWA Sports Anchor Finds New Job

Former KHBS/KHOG/40/29 sportscaster Mike Jocko Jacques has a new job.  He made the announcement on his facebook page today.  Jacques' last day at 40/29 was February 14th. 

Channel 11 Redesigns Website

KTHV/Channel 11/Little Rock has launched its new web design.  THV11.com's design is used by many of the Gannett Broadcasting stations and properties.

KLRT to Launch Sunday Night Sports Show

I cringe every time I have to include the word "show" to describe a new something a tv station is starting. To me it's a program and not a show but oh well......

KLRT/Channel 16 Little Rock has announced it will begin airing a Sunday night sports show anchored by sports director Wes Moore.  Here's the news release:

Fox16 will launch a new weekly Sunday night sports show hosted by Sports Director Wess Moore.  "Final Score with Wess Moore" will air Sundays at 10 p.m. immediately following Fox16 News at 9 p.m.

The new broadcast continues Fox16's expansion of local sports coverage that began this past fall with "Fearless Friday" and "Fearless Friday: Statewide Edition" during the high school football season.  "Final Score with Wess Moore" aired periodically following Arkansas Razorback football games.  After receiving excellent feedback from viewers, it was clear Central Arkansas is hungry for additional local sports coverage.   

The broadcast will feature top highlights from the previous week along with a look ahead to what's scheduled for the next few days. The show will also feature the biggest names in Arkansas sports as on-set guests -- plus, Wess Moore's popular commentary segment "One More Thought." The show is also a place for you to have your say in what's covered and discussed.

KATV to Launch "Business and Politics" Program

KATV will be launching “Talk Business & Politics” with Roby Brock Sunday, March 2nd.  

The show will air at 9am.  Here's the announcement from the station's facebook page:

Channel 7 President and General Manager Mark Rose is excited to announce that “Talk Business & Politics” with Roby Brock will debut on KATV Channel 7 Sunday, March 2, 2014. Brock who has been a fixture on Arkansas television for 15 years and has established himself as the leading source for local business and political news. His new show will be seen at 9 a.m. on Sunday mornings following ABC’s “This Week,” and will also feature Channel 7 News Anchor Scott Inman and Lead Capitol Reporter Janelle Lilley.
 
Talk Business & Politics will also partner with KATV’s award-winning news team to create more business and political content, and it will feature executive editor Roby Brock as a commentator and analyst in newscasts regularly.
 
“For decades, Arkansans have come to Channel 7 News as their top choice for information on local politics and elections,” says Rose. “We’re so pleased to add Roby Brock’s show and expertise to our political and business coverage. With a critically important and exciting local election season now upon us, the timing couldn’t be better.”
KATV News Director Nick Genty says, “Roby has built a strong following in Arkansas with his in-depth coverage of local business and politics. We welcome him to our team and know that our strong coverage with “KATV’s Election Central” will get even stronger as a result on the air and online at KATV.com.”
 
“I’m very excited about this new partnership,” said Brock. “KATV has been the long-time news leader in Arkansas and our brand of in-depth and balanced business and political reporting will be greatly enhanced by the strength of the Channel 7 news team.”

KARK Reporter Getting Out of the Business

KARK/Channel 4/Little Rock reporter Jocelyn Tovar has announced she is leaving the station.  She posted on her facebook page she will be going to work at for the Markham Group.

Viewer Testimonials is the Secret of Success

KATV/Channel 7/Little Rock is touting the success of a viewer testimonial ad campaign for the up swing in viewers for its morning show.  Daybreak has climbed to a 31 share according to the November ratings book.  That is up from an 18 share in May 2011.  In that time frame KATV stole Alyson Courtney from KTHV.  

In 2011 KATV started a viewer testimonial campaign featuring viewers of the popular morning show.  According to an article on TV News Check.com, two producers were also hired for Daybreak.  Rob Thomas, KATV’s creative services director told TV News Check, “I have no idea whether growth like that has happened anywhere so quickly,” Thomas says, “maybe it has, but it’s rare. We’ve had extraordinary success in turning around the numbers. Four ratings periods since the changes — November 2011, May 2012, February 2013 and November 2013 — we’ve had clean sweeps in households and demos in the mornings. It had been more than a decade since the station had that kind of success. Testimonials can be very effective if done correctly and consistently. The most important element: people who are passionate about your product,” Thomas claims.

Former Jonesboro GM Lands in Memphis

This from the tip box:

Tracey Rogers has been named the new general manager of Raycom Media's NBC affiliate WMC-TV channel 5 in Memphis, TN. Rogers previously worked as the GM of Raycom's ABC affiliate in Jonesboro, AR.

KTHV/Channel 11/Little Rock is adding two new reporters to its team.  TV Spy reports Dan

Grossman and Alyssa Raymond have been hired.  Both reporters come from the defunct TV 3 in Winchester, VA.  TV Spy reports Grossman started Monday and Raymond will begin Monday.  

 

Northwest Arkansas Sports Director on the Move

This from the tip box:

KHBS/KHOG 40/29 sports director Mike "Jocko" Jacques tipped viewers this week he is leaving the station. Apparently, Friday is his last day. No word on air yet as to where he is headed.
 
Jacques joined the stations in June 2011. Previously, he was sports director in Wausau, Wisconsin, at WSAW-TV. He knew Arkansas' new football coach before he arrived from Wisconsin to take over the Razorbacks. Jacques has also reported and produced sports for WMTV-TV in Madison and WISN-TV in Milwaukee.

KATV Weather Guesser Apologizes for Getting Forecast Wrong

REALLY!! Yeppers, we ain't kiddin'.KATV/Channel 7/Little Rock met Todd Yakoubian is sorry he got the forecast wrong.  He took to facebook and his weather blog to apologize.  I wonder if he offered his resignation.

Breaking News: Snow is White

BREAKING NEWS!!!  Winter weather is on the way and one can't help but laugh at some of the coverage.  Today at 5pm on Channel 11 a reporter..Kevin somebody...had a some news..He informed us all, "There is white pieces of snow falling from the sky."  We all need a laugh for a Monday don't we...

KARK Frozen...

They have been popping up all over the country and yes it happened right here in Arkansas.  KARK/Channel 4/Little Rock had..well its still standing... so has..an ice anchor desk. 

KATV Tops in Arkansas

The results of the November ratings period are in.  Arkansas Business.com has the numbers that show KATV/Channel 7/Little Rock lead the way in all time periods.  KATV overtook KTHV in the 5am hour compared to November 2012 numbers.  KATV had this to say: 

“We’re thankful this holiday season that Arkansas viewers continue to pick Channel 7 News as their top choice,” Mark Rose, KATV’s president and general manager, said in a release. “To have another clean sweep in households and key demos in every newscast is a remarkable achievement for the KATV team, but we owe it all to the people of Arkansas.”

Complete numbers can be found HERE.

Something That Just Made Me Say...REALLY!!

I am quite surprise to see Arkansas Today still simulcasted on the out of state Nexstar stations. I am at home today and actually wanted to watch some noon news so I turned to KTAL..but forgot Arkansas Today was being broadcast on the channel.  Remember when the simulcast started, Nexstar said the program would feature and use resources from the other Nexstar channels it was being broadcast on.  All you see is Arkansas news and weather. Like I said when it first started, I am not sure why Nexstar doesn't want to use the resources it has at its stations that the program is being broadcast on.  OR why not just let the different stations do their own noon news!  Just makes sense...and who knows would make more cents Nexstar!

Blame it on Ol' Man Winter.....

Super Bowl Sunday Produces Super Broadcast Issues

Super Bowl Sunday seems to always be the day big issues arise for FOX..whether its their fault or not.  Several issues arose with the broadcast..according to various facebook posts there were issues on DISH and Direct TV and...cable in Central Arkansas: