Q’s Hats in Review, Prepping for Rocky

The complaining about how much snow we “didn’t” get is taking up too much room in cyberspace. It is time to just enjoy TV reporters and the hats they are wearing out on the elements.

The last post had some doozies. Thanks for the submissions. If you have a photo to submit, send them in an email to me at IPTVPaul@gmail.com or just put them on Twitter @paulyeager.

Taylor Umland, KWQC, Davenport.

But one of the best ones came directly onto my Facebook wall. Here is the bar for today. A Wartburg College hat being worn on my old TV station, KWQC in Davenport. Taylor Umland was rocking the orange and black during his morning reports in the QC.

One of my former co-workers at KWQC was Matt Davis. Mr. Matt was a nightside reporter when I started and we would do liveshots without a hat. A certain morning radio duo named Dwyer and Michael’s would razz him on-air about not wearing a hat and looking cold on his evening live reports.

The radio guys decided to send a gift to Matt of a hat, which he would sometimes wear and other times it was just sitting on his desk, ready for the call of duty.

Bailey Dietz, KWQC, Davenport.

Sticking at KWQC, we bring in Bailey Dietz from her nightside live shot Thursday.

Former TV6 intern and now reporter at WGBA in Green Bay, WI, Jonathan Gregg is in on the action.

Jonathon Gregg

Jon is a former board member of the Iowa Broadcast News Association. I’m sure he’s already made plans to attend this year’s convention on April 20 in Johnston at the Stoney Creek Inn.

Now to some of the morning crew.

Arielle Nixon was wondering why she had to take a picture of herself wearing earmuffs. She wasn’t sure what the request was all about, but thanks to Pat Dix for this.

Pat’s Tweet.

Thanks for playing along.

Arielle Nixon, WHO, Des Moines.

Thanks to the MW ESPN bureau for this submission of KARE photojournalist Nate Anderson.

Nate Anderson, KARE, Minneapolis.

Jason Rantala, WOI, West Des Moines.

Kim St. Onge, KCCI, Des Moines.

My little reporter, Levi. That’s a hat OVER his hooded sweatshirt.

Megan Ruether is always a good sport about trying new hats and thanks to Travis Jungling for lighting up Megan Friday morning for this picture.

Megan Reuther, WHO, Des Moines.

But it was Megan’s former station that wins the day. You may remember Nikki Newbrough from last year with the space cadet interview subject.

This year she’s gone above and beyond with a sombrero and a friend, Danielle Wagner. I think Danielle is the Ice Princess? Did I get that correct?

Danielle Wagner and Nikki Newbrough of KWWL, Waterloo.

Thanks again for the submissions. We’re only a couple of days away from doing it again with Winter Storm Rocky approaching.

Summer Breeze of Media Moves

We know that the Godfather (John Walters) has moved from ABC5 to Iowa State University.

More sports shorts…

John Sears comes back to Des Moines and adds four numbers to his station channel assignment. Sears goes from KCRG TV 9 to WHO-TV13. He’ll work under Keith Murphy and replaces Zach Borg.

Molly Nelson has already left KCCI for a position at DMACC.

Another TV8 staffer departs soon. Keri Gavin will leave the news business and KCCI within days.

My old pal Beth Marsoun had the interim tag removed and now is News Director at KWQC in Davenport. Beth started as an intern, then tape editor, producer, executive producer and now is the boss.

Across the river, WQAD is settling into a new main female anchor. Denise Hnytka is new 5, 6, and 10p anchor at the ABC affiliate.  Hnytka replaces Rae Chelle Davis.

Jonathon Gregg has pulled up stakes at CRI in Oskaloosa and become a Packer fan in Green Bay at NBC 26. WGBA hired him to one-man-band, among other things. His boss is former KWWL sports director Bob Healey. Jon’s former boss at CRI was Tami Wiencek, another past-KWWL’er.

Gregg served on the IBNA Board of Directors until April. Another board member Dean Borg, is recovering after a weekend fall. Borg broke an ankle, leg and also had a pacemaker installed. Dean is efficient in his medical visits. He’ll probably show the scars this weekend on Iowa Press. Yes, he wants to be back on air this weekend.

And making his debut on the journal of rural America is Mike Pearson. The Grinnell banker steps to the mic to succeed his father, Mark. The elder Pearson passed away in June.

What else needs to be reported? Drop me a line: IPTVPaul@gmail.com

 

The Godfather departs

John Walters official WOI photo.

One of the good guys is departing local TV.

But don’t tear up yet for John Walters. Just because WOI’s sports director is leaving in June, he’ll still be doing the job he’s gained the most recent fame from as the voice of the Iowa State Cyclones football and men’s basketball.

The Godfather will work full-time for the ISU Athletics in a move he’s been hoping to land for quite some time.

Walters is a graduate of Drake University. He spent time at KCCI and has been sports director at WOI since 1996.

Here's a photo of Iowa State Football Radio network team taken the day ISU beat Nebraska in Lincoln. L to R - Eric Heft (color), Ben Bruns (sideline), some old man found sleeping in the press box, John Walters (pbp). "Wally" is holding up 9 fingers for the 9 points that were all it took to win. (Bob Foster photo and caption copy writer.)

Here’s a photo of John and the rest of the ISU Football Radio network crew. The picture was taken after the Cyclones beat Nebraska in Lincoln on October 24, 2009. That was the same day Iowa beat Michigan State in East Lansing on the Marvin McNutt slant route and Michael and Jen Graham were married….(Mike still doesn’t care about what happened in the Cyclone game.)

Sorry, back to the photo… my first play-by-play teacher Bob Foster, provided the picture. He’s the between Ben Bruns and John. Eric Heft is on the far left of the picture. The nine fingers represent the points ISU scored en route to 9-7 victory.

Some of John’s Cyclone calls were heard around the world. This video is from the great plays in the Oklahoma State Football game when the Cyclones shocked the world.

Another big game in the era of Paul Rhoades was this Cyclone win at Texas.

One of my favorite John Walters memories comes from his early days at Channel 5. He was anchoring and the tape wasn’t ready. So John had to stretch. A lot. He finally resorted to “We now go to the Dean Smith four-corner stall…” all while smiling on camera, waiting for the tape to play. I’m pretty sure the tape still hasn’t rolled….

Best to John as he leaves the grind of TV news for a life in academics, errr, athletics.

The WOI press release is below. The full story can be found here.

WEST DES MOINES, IA — ABC5 News announced today ABC5 Sports Director John Walters will be leaving ABC5 News in June to take a full-time position with the Iowa State University Athletics Department. John has served as Sports Director for ABC5 since June, 1996. In addition to his daily duties with the station, John also anchored a wide variety of sports series and specials, including an 11 year run with “Friday Night Blitz”. John, a 1984 graduate of Drake University, has been part of the local sports broadcasting landscape for nearly thirty years. First, as a sports reporter for KCCI-TV, under the mentorship of Pete Taylor, and then serving as Sports Director for the last 16 years for ABC5. John has been honored as “Iowa Sportscaster of the Year” three times since 2005. In 2001, John and the ABC5 News Sports team were recognized by the Iowa High School Athletic Association for their coverage of high school sports, including their half-hour high school football show “The Friday Night Blitz.” In 2003, John began his role as the radio play-by-play announcer of the Iowa State Cyclones. He also hosts the “Paul Rhoads Show” and the “Fred Hoiberg Show” on ABC5. John and his wife, Joni, have three daughters, Kate, Annie and Kelli. John is making this move with mixed emotions, “I am very excited about this new opportunity with Iowa State, but at the same time I will greatly miss all my colleagues whom I have enjoyed working with here at ABC5. I know the sports department is in great hands with Dave Zawilinski, there is no doubt in my mind he is ready for the challenge.

Iowa State University will announce details of John’s new position on Friday.

At ABC5, Dave Zawilinski will assume the responsibilities as ABC5 Sports Director after John’s departure in mid-June. Dave, a 2005 graduate of Drake University has been with ABC5 for ten years. In 2005, Dave joined ABC5 full-time as a Sports Reporter, and has served as Weekend Sports Anchor since 2010. Zawilinski says, “Over the last 10 years I have had the privilege and pleasure of working with one of the best sportscasters in the business – the things I have learned from John have prepared me for this opportunity. I have some pretty big shoes to fill, but I am looking forward to the challenge. I wish John nothing but the best in his endeavors at Iowa State.”

ABC5 News Director Scott Frederick says, “John Walters will be missed. To be sure, it will be difficult to replace someone of John’s caliber, but Dave Zawilinski is just the guy to do it.”

 Best to John. Maybe we’ll see him around the neighborhood more often.

Former WHO and WOI anchor passes away

Bobbi Bergman in her WOI days.

For years, Bobbi Bergman was the first person many people saw when they woke up in Des Moines. As part of the WHO-TV and later WOI news team, she got up early to bring you the news.

Bergman later anchored the weekend evening news at WOI-TV.

Bobbi left the news business and her on-air identity as Bobbi Bergman, a couple of years ago and among many things was a wedding officiant.

Bobbi also spent time officiating weddings.

Now her friends and family are searching for meaning in her passing.

Bobbi Silvernail Brunscheon died November 27th, 2011.

According to friends who’ve talked to her husband, Bobbi was complaining of shortness of breath Thursday, stopped breathing that day and never recovered.

Her Facebook page is being used to distribute information about her passing. Her husband posted this update today.

I would like to thank all of Bobbi’s friends for the condolences and kind words. Bobbi was a very special person and had a heart of gold. The two years I spent with her were the two best years of my life. I loved her and made sure I told her that every day. I will miss her beautiful smile and her good energy she provided to me when I was down. I love you Bobbi Silvernail Brunscheon!!!

Bobbie was very much a people person, loved to engage in good debate and above all, made sure you knew she was a huge Michigan fan.

Friend Brooke Bouma posted this in the WHO’s The Morning Buzz blog.

 I met her when I first started working at WHO in 2000 and I was lucky to count her as a friend over the years. She was a lively spirit and I she always put a smile on my face. I talked to her husband yesterday and he told me doctors still don’t know what happened. She stopped breathing Thursday morning and never recovered.

Click on this link to read the entire post from Brooke.

I was able to find a little more bio information Bobbi for those interested.

Bobbi Bergman joined the ABC5 news team in December 2005 as the weekend anchor. Her decade long journalism career has taken her to Washington, D.C., Rapid City, South Dakota and Minneapolis, and she most recently worked for WHO-TV in Des Moines. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications and a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio. She also attended American University in Washington, D.C.

Bobbi is a champion baton twirler and a former “Mrs. Iowa.” She is active in the Des Moines community and serves as president-elect for VSA Arts of Iowa, a non-profit group that promotes the creative power of people with disabilities.

Her obituary is posted here. Funeral services will be Wednesday.

Lip sweaters plus battles between hot reporters and meteorologists

The leaves are all but gone from the trees and some of your favorite reporters and anchors have vanished, too. And in one case, an entire news department.

We’ll go west to east in Iowa.

Zach Tecklenberg

Humboldt native, Drake and WHO-TV alum Zach Tecklenburg has pulled up stakes from KTIV in Sioux City. He’s travelled south on I-29, around the formerly flooded Missouri River and landed in Kansas City at NBC Action News.

That’s KSHB-TV 41 on your dial.

That is also the same station of former WOI and WHBF reporter Sloane Heller.

Mike Peasley (submitted photo to SC Journal).

Former KCAU reporter Mike Peasley is now in Dallas. That’s not the news, but the former sports director at KICD Radio in Spencer covered another big sporting event, the World Series between your Texas Rangers and the new world champion St. Louis Cardinals. This write-up in the Sioux City Journal relives one of my favorite Mike stories from his first election night covering Congressman Tom Latham‘s win. Mike though, is one being affected by the NBA lockout. He was covering the Dallas Mavericks. Now there’s now Mavs to cover. Thanks owners and players for dinking my friend and his family that doesn’t make the NBA league minimum.

The stork is coming back to Iowa’s News Leader. KCCI morning anchor Katie Ward is expecting. She said so in a promo with anchor Steve Karlin. This is her second child. Also in the spot are Wes Callison and the new traffic reporter, Jackie Schmillen.

New Raygun shirt.

Wes is also featured on a new Raygun T-shirt. The Village of East Des Moines t-shirt shop put the meteorologists from KCCI and WHO.

The chiefs are in the middle of the ring. John “Umbrella of Pain” McLaughlin and Ed “Pressures Rising” Wilson are shirtless and gloved to do battle. Also on the shirt, Kurtis “Flash Flood” Gertz, Metinka “Hail Damage” Slater, Wes “Patchy Fog” Callison of Channel 8.

The Channel 13 line up card: Jeriann “The F5″ Ritter, Megan “Mega Doppler” Salois and Brett “Tornadic Activity” McIntire.

Great shirt. Great fun by all. Also makes a great stocking stuffer for your favorite weather geek, or even media blogger.

Keith Murphy sporting the Stache. (Image from KXNO.com)

Also from the folks at Channel 13, the razors appear broken at Keith Murphy‘s house.

WHO-HD sports director and show host at KXNO has a lip sweater this month. He’s taking part in the Movember  or Stash For Cash cause to benefit cancer awareness. This also got John Bachman to porn stache on TV. Awesome.

Also taking part is KCNZ’s Jesse Gavin.

Natasha Chughtai and Eileen Loan ring bells for the Salvation Army. (Photo from KWWL Facebook page).

KWWL-TV has brought in a new female anchor. Natasha Chughtai replaces Sunny Layne who left the station in October. Chughtai’s most recent stops were in Oregon and Alaska. She’s a native Minnesotan.

Layne’s co-anchor had changed in the last six months when Jeff Eliasoph came to work at E. 4th Street. Jeff’s in for Bob Waters who was moved back down the lane to weekends. Layne is looking to move closer to home.

WithOutCoverage is complete. Clear Channel made more cuts to operations across the country, this time slicing WOC AM 1420′s Newsteam. Gone is last man standing, Nick Lindberg. Already out the door were Mark Minnick and Phil Roberts. QC reports are anchored at the “hub” of Des Moines to provide for the “spoke” of Davenport.  Dan Kennedy and Jim Fisher are the last local program offerings from WOC.

Tiffany Tift needs your votes.

Former KWQC -TV6 reporter Tiffany Tift needs your votes. Tift is now a reporter in Orlando at WOFL Fox 35. A local radio station is holding Central Florida’s Hottest Broadcaster poll. Tiffany is asking for your votes. Click here for the contest.

I wouldn’t openly solicit votes on her behalf if I wasn’t such a fan of hers. She was brave to take her first TV job in the QC after spending most of her life in Florida. That winter was life experience.

Another former QC reporter is changing jobs. Meredith Wood is now closer to home. The Alabama native former WHBF reporter is now at WAAY-TV in Huntsville. She will be the noon and 4p anchor at the end of November. She comes from WCHS-TV in West Virginia. Here’s a look at her welcome video.

Tom Hudson gets a little mic treatment while talking to Andrew Batt.

Iowa Public Television (my employer) recently partnered with the National Association of Manufactures for a Republican candidate forum. Tom Hudson of the PBS program Nightly Business Report. Hudson is a Davenport native, Central High grad and former reporter for WOC Radio. Hudson

And on another personal note, I’ll be headed back to the Quads for a good cause. Coming to the stage on December, media members do their best to entertain and help the Girl Scouts of Western Illinois and Eastern Iowa. According to my friend through the event, David Burke, this started in 2003. So, that would be the year I donned a toga for the cause.

What will I do this year? I’ve been asked to return. Not sure what exactly I’ve agreed to. You’ll just have to click here to help the organization.

The list of entertainers includes: Steve Ketelaar and Mark Manuel MC’s. Performers: Bailey Deitz, Meredith Dennis, Lori Evans, Ron Evans, Jason Fechner, Johanna Klossing, Erin Lounsberry, Susan McPeters, Mike Mickle, Art Monroe, Brian Nelson, Morgan Ottier, Marissa Pendergast, Paula Perez, Tami Seitz and me.

See you December 8th for the fun.

Spring Awakenings (and media movements)

Ryan Burchett has increased the size of his kegerator.

The February book is well, in the books and already there’s change happening all over Iowa’s TV and radio newsrooms.

We’ll start in the east in the Quad Cities. KWQC Chief Meteorologist Ryan Burchett is now a civilian. He’s giving up TeeVee (that’s the way QC Times columnist Bill Wundrum writes it) to head to the hills of LeClaire and make booze with his brother. The pair have opened the Mississippi River Distilling Company. It is possible thanks to new Iowa laws and is called a microdistillery which will make River Baron Vodka and River Rose Gin at first.

Ryan and I go back to Mason City and KIMT. He moved to KGAN then a huge leap to Lafayette, LA and KLFY TV. David Paul (another Mason City alum) left WQAD to go to Channel 10 and  became chief when Ryan moved back to Iowa.

Erik Maitland, back to the QC.

A familiar face to TV6 fans is returning. Erik Maitland is leaving his post in Minneapolis at Fox9 to come back to be the new chief. He’ll be battling his old office-mate Terry Swails as TS is now at WQAD. Maitland, also worked in the River City, just a couple of years before me and after WHO’s Ed Wilson.

Back to the ABC affiliate in Moline, (Alan) Baker‘s Boys and Girls debuted a new set this week. The HD ready set is sharp and matches what TV6 did a few months back in ripping out the familiar and replacing it with the HD shine.

I’ve looked through some old VHS tapes this week and found some old WQAD newscasts with Mark Martin at the helm in the mornings. He was paired with Julie Sisk who is still with the station, now paired with Jim Mertens. Jimmy said the new HD set will replace the gray in his hair. Now that’s TV magic.

Miranda Khan (www.MirandaKahn.com)

I’ve also reconnected with former main female anchor Miranda Khan. She’s out of TV news and into corporate TV. You may see her in a commercial or infomercial soon. She’s living/working in south Florida.

She was WQAD’s main female anchor during the 2000s and was paired with Matt Hammill.

KWWL is making changes as well.

The NBC affiliate is sending Bob Waters back to weekend nights to replace Brady Smith. Channel 7 management is looking to bring in a new face for the mornings with Sunny Layne. Waters replaced Chris Carter.

Shawn Terrell in his WHO-TV days.

 

 

Shawn Terrell used to work at KCRG and soon he’ll be talking past tense with WHO-TV in Des Moines. The Channel 13 sports reporter/anchor is not signing a new contract and is headed in a new direction. He’s looking for a new gig that doesn’t necessarily mean spending every Saturday night at work.

Fun connection with me and Shawn, he grew up in the northwest Iowa town of Peterson. He played basketball under Jesup HS alum Kendall Rachuy at Sioux Central. I went to senior prom with his sister Dena. Congrats to her on completing a half-marathon recently.

Katelyn Ford Smith.

During the noon Wednesday on WHO-TV, a familiar face to Iowa and Illinois TV viewers appeared. Katelyn Smith was doing a story out of Pennsylvania and did a stand up to intro the piece. Smith, is married to former WOI-TV reporter Joel Smith. The two met while at Channel 5. Back then, Smith, went by Ford. She was moved from WHBF to WOI a few years back. Also at WGAL in Lancaster, PA is former KGAN anchor Brian Roche.

Tuesday marked the last day for Matt Perrault on the radio in Des Moines. At least for now. The New Englander is heading back home to be the new co-host of The Hometeam on WGAM in New Hampshire and will get to do some fill-in work on WEEI, the power sports station in Boston. He was partnered with Ken Miller on KXNO afternoons following Murph and Andy. No word on a replacement yet of if Rob Howe of Hawkeye Insider will return in making appearances on 1460.

That makes two big fills now needed at Clear Channel in Des Moines. Joel McRea and Van Hardin are also looking for an afternoon host on WHO-AM to replace Steve Deace.

Greg Berry of KIMT.

Perrault spent some time in Alabama which is where Greg Berry will soon be heading. The current KIMT news director is headed south at the end of March to begin as assistant news director at CBS42 in Birmingham.

Greg started as weekend sports guy (we overlapped by 5 days at KIMT back in 2000), switched to morning news anchor and eventually to news boss.

And to think it all started on Blue Blazer Sports. It is a shame they didn’t have YouTube back in the 90s and those tapes are lost forever…. what a shame. (right guys, those tapes are lost, right?)

Brent Balbinot, formerly of KXIC.

And this just came out today, AM800 KXIC in Iowa City has let sports director Brent Balbinot go. He was the host of Good Call. He’s also the voice of Iowa Women’s basketball and Iowa baseball. Those positions are through Learfield and at last check, he was keeping those positions.

So, the next time you ask, whatever happened to… we’ve got you covered on who got fired, why did they leave and where did they go.

Other notes we should post? Send them to me IPTVPaul@gmail.com

Hats start your day off right

Amanda Lewis, KCCI-TV8

And we’re back with another fun time with hats, hoods, or even ear muffs, as you’ll see in this latest post on the Iowa media and their hats. A new installment came your way recently featuring mostly Quad City media members. Because you know, hats aren’t just for breakfast in the QCA. We begin with KCCI’s Amanda Lewis. We’ll get to her new anchor pairing in a bit.

Mark Tauscheck, KCCI-TV8

Here’s KCCI part-timer and new daddy Mark Tauscheck. The former TV13 reporter occasionally picks up shifts for Iowa’s News Leader. Mark recently became a new dad and I hope he’s enjoying some special time in those early weeks of life. His classic headband was needed on this report.

Megan Salois, WHO-TV13

My thanks to everyone’s friend RHS76 for this shot of Megan Salois. The weekend meteorologist for TV13 has been busy since Jeriann Ritter delivered her baby. Megan and Brett McIntyre have pulled a lot of shifts to cover Jeriann’s well-deserved leave.

Jessica Daley, WOI-TV

Now to the ABC5 family of reporters. We had a good one from weekend anchor Christina Palladino in the last hat post, now it is time for Jessica Daley to bring her hat. Boy did she ever. This classic hat is back in fashion and back on television. You can follow Jessica on Twitter if you’re into that kind of thing.

Joe Augustine, WOI-TV5

Sticking with the ABC5 family based in West Des Moines, not Ames, here’s Joe Augustine. This reporter is usually drawing the shortest of all the short straws. He’s usually the one in the cold, snow, rain and whatever other elements Iowa can throw at him. Actually, it is whatever his assignment desk and producers throw at him. The weather just happens to be part of the story. That is the glory of the job.

Megan Reuther, WHO-TV13

The original title of this series of posts dedicated to hats, talked about breakfast. How many of you have eaten breakfast when you see this smiling face on TV? TV13′s Megan Reuther is on your TV most mornings. Even when pregnant, she’s still out and about. Thanks to trusty photojournalist Trent Reicks or Roger Riley, you’ll have Megan in your living room. That morning reporter gig is a tough one, but fun if the right story comes along. Or easy. During the most recent set of storms, Megan couldn’t get out of her driveway, so the live truck came to her so she could do her morning live shots. How many of us want that to happen to us when work comes to us, even on snow days?

Eric Hanson, KCCI-TV8

Now it is time for the white, Norwegian rapper. I’m talking about Eric Hanson. He’s not going all Justin Bieber on us, but wearing the good old ear muffs. A TV reporter has to protect his hair. Especially those who are rappers. But usually the rappers wear stocking caps. C’mon, Eric, a little consistency with your reputation.

Emily Price, KCCI-TV8

KCCI weekend anchor Emily Price also gets some outdoor time during big storms. Here is Mrs. Dave Price. Emily’s husband also anchors weekends, but on Channel 13. It would be tough to be in the same house and have the same job, but at different stations. I’m sure there’s a little couch talk between Dave and Emily about work and stories. I can only imagine how hard it is to not tell the other about your story ideas. But there’s still a fire in each one to beat the other, so that keeps them tight-lipped with the other. They are Mizzu-rah grads after all.

Molly Nelson, KCCI-TV8

Molly Nelson is another one of those morning reporters. You’ll find her on the air at the same time as Megan Reuther, but on KCCI’s Newschannel 8 This Morning. Now that show is anchored by Steve Karlin and Katie Ward. Plus you’ve got the new morning meteorologist Wes Callison in the house now that Bryan Kerrick has moved north. Molly is a former Drake basketball player and like Brett McIntyre of Ch. 13, the pride of Fort Dodge.

Marcus Macintosh, KCCI-TV8

The former holder of the male morning anchor chair was Marcus Macintosh. He’s now anchoring Saturday and Sunday mornings on KCCI. He’s now teamed with Amanda Lewis. I still get a lot of inquiries about what happened to Marcus Macintosh? He’s still on Channel 8, just different days. The official reason given for the change was to give experience and help to the expanded weekend newscasts. Now that he’s not anchoring as many days, he’s now being thrown into the reporter mix like he was this day on assignment in Prairie City. Ahhhh, PC, home of Goldie’s Ice Cream Shoppe, the buffalo preserve and much of my family.

Megan Brown, WHO-TV13

Here’s a look at WHO-TV multimedia journalist Megan Brown on the air back in December. You can’t really see her face as the picture was a little washed out, but you can clearly see her hat in the dark night sky. That’s a great backdrop for live shots from the TV13 basement/garage door. It is not as good as the old Des Moines skyline shot as viewed from the employee door, but it will work.

Hat Guy.

I’m not sure who this guy is. He was in a KCCI story one day and I thought he deserved to be in the hat posts. Could you imagine if this trend caught on with reporters? You wouldn’t have to identify them with name keys on the bottom of the screen. You would just have to listen to the sound of their voice and their story. I guess that type of thing already exists. It is called radio.