Lots of Hot Air and Balloons on Parade

Noah steps out into traffic to get a good view of the 2012 Festival of Trees parade. November 17, 2012.

Going back to the Quad Cities is like old home week for our family. We see some relatives, friends and a few former co-workers.

Our trip to the 2012 Festival of Trees parade was no different. We decided to take the boys back to the parade we enjoyed so many times during our stay in the QC. Noah had never seen the parade as we moved west before the 2006 parade.

Before we found a spot to stand along the parade route, we had stepped back into the time machine.

Theresa Bryant, Gary Metivier, Paula Sands, Mike Ortiz, Anne Hughes, Beth Marsoun, Randy Biery, Jim Mertens and Michelle Makelbust were some of my former KWQC-kinfolk. Mertens, anchor at ‘rival’ WQAD, was like a co-worker to me.

Bettendorf City Administrator Decker Ploehn carries the city on his shoulders dressed as character from the Nutcracker. He’s the one in red.

We found a spot, not on the curb, but behind the first wave of parade goers in downtown Davenport. Then a nice family sitting in front of us, asked if the boys wanted to sit on the curb to have a front-row seat. We thanked them, sat down, and watched the big balloons march by our vantage point.

Noah enjoyed the parade. Levi befriended a woman in our group whose party we crashed. She asked him if he wanted to be held up higher to see what was coming our way. After the first lift, Levi asked the woman if she was a grandma. She said yes. With 17 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, she knew the joys little children can bring.

The WQAD crew walked by. John David marches on with Cassie Heiter, Rebecca Smith, Terry Swails and Matt Hammill try to keep up.

Levi had to get a boost because the group ahead of us in the parade decided this was an event you stood in the street to see. Not just standing-up-during-an-entire-rock concert, but almost IN the parade. And really, they had no qualms about doing it. A little respect for your fellow parade-goers can go a long way.

We did have a nice view of Antonella’s Pizzeria, the pizza place President Obama visited just days before the 2012 election.

This experience made me appreciate the Urbandale parade “enforcers” who draw a chalkline along the route to keep kids from being squashed like mis-thrown Tootsie Roll. Kids are one thing, adults are another.

Again, thanks to the wonderful people who allowed us to sit in front of them. We were able to see the B100 van, the WQAD newsteam and even Bettendorf City Manager, Decker Ploehn.

Levi was so tough, he didn’t need gloves.

My old Team Weekend pal, Erik Maitland is back in the Quads and now chief meteorologist at Channel 6. He stopped, said hello and even gave us a candy cane. I just hope he didn’t think I was Eugene Kennedy. That would have been awkward.

We even experienced a dance recital.

Again, thanks to our hosts and even some viewers with entirely too good of memories to remember some old weekend anchor. It is humbling to think we made that much of an impression.

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

 

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.

We all like friends, but this much?

We are living in the Facebook frenzy. Almost every friend is on it, mom is on it, even grandmothers are friending, posting and checking status updates.

Then came businesses, bands and media outlets, all embracing the medium.

Some television stations hold contests to try to get more “likes” to their pages. They think the more that like them, the more that will watch them. There is some truth to that theory.

But some social media experts will tell you it is about the interaction with those fans and not just the pure number. That was a big topic at our Iowa Broadcast News Association’s mid-morning session. We talked about social media in newsrooms.

But, I don’t think this approach came up.

Thanks to a media friend in Des Moines, I got the link to this video. It is from WQAD-TV8 in Moline, Illinois and the Quad Cities market.

You watch, then your thoughts on the YouTube video.

That is the group Superfly Samurai sneaking into the Channel 8 and getting the likes of Julie Sisk and Jim Mertens to jam, along with the night crew of Jason Feckner, Rae Chelle Davis, even Terry Swails gets into the mix. So do other weather types of James Zahara, Cassie Heiter and Anthony Peoples.

What do you think about the video and efforts by WQAD?

Buzz check from Dan Pearson, please

Dan Pearson at KWQC TV in September of 2006.

There are only few people like Dan Pearson.

Now that I think about it, I don’t know many others that come close to DP.

Dann-o is the now former KWQC sports anchor. The creator of the Highlight Zone has hung up his “Big Game” shoes and started a new chapter in his life.

For 29 years, Dan has called television sports his career. Now, he’ll move into a more involved role with Fellowship of Christian Athletes. (a great tribute here by John Marx of the Argus/Dispatch) (here’s a nice page on KWQC.com about his departure) (and a note from Bill Wundrum of the QC Times)

Many of you know Dan as the Friday and Saturday night sports anchor/reporter/photographer on KWQC-TV 6. He’s the man responsible for the Emmy-award winning Highlight Zone. There are few high school football and basketball shows like it.

To Dan, every game was a big game. Even if the teams were 2-6 and 1-7, that game meant something to those kids, parents and community. We know through the book/movie/TV show “Friday Night Lights” how big high school football can be for the above mentioned items. For him, Friday night’s were big and he had the staff to make them that way.

Sure, he spent a little bit of the company’s overtime budget on paying photographers to drive to two or games in far-flung locales to cover the Pretzels, greyhounds and Tigers. But he was trying to get the highlights edited and fed back, many times 25 seconds before they aired. The photogs were the glue of the Zone. The St. Ambrose or Augustana students were learning the craft the best way possible, by scorching hot deadlines.

The Zone Intern was responsible for the Wacky (I’ll get to that in a bit), logging the big plays as they happened complete with time code and cut-a-way options and then writing the script that would be fed back to the Grand pu-bah Zone Intern Brian Stocking. Stockpile would take the scripts, put the plays into the computer if time and then get that to the set for not just Dan to read, but Gary, Sharon and even Terry.

This was just another Friday night for Dan. Teaching college, sometimes high school students, the ropes of TV news and sports at a fast and in a fun environment.

Dan would create a theme for the Zone each week, write about 6-9 intros to fit inside the theme, usually about one for each intern. That crew would go into the stands, find some willing volunteers and record their wacky. This gave the intern some face time and a chance for the crew to mix with the locals. Those interns would move on to permanent jobs at TV6 or somewhere else, but would always have that foundation.

Pearson embraced the intern, taught them and stayed in contact with many of them.

If you stay in TV long enough, you will know everyone. Especially if you work in the market you grew up in.

Dan and his 56 brothers were Geneseo guys. Dan lived there himself, often launching his day from his Henry County home well before his shift should start and pick up a cross country meet or volleyball tourney before 11 AM. A 12-hour day was a light day for Mr. Pearson. His drive made competitors cuss because they had to do the same or they’d be left behind.

Paul Yeager and Dan Pearson going over a script. You can see the weekend anchor wardrobe is in full effect, ties and shorts.

I got to sit next to Dan for 6 years on Saturday nights. It was always fun and you always had to pay attention. You never knew who would pop up on-screen or what phrase would come out of his mouth. I could count on the Wartburg football score in the fall and the Cardinals highlights in baseball season.

“Dan’s in next with sporrrrrrrrrttttttttttsssssssssss,” was my favorite part of the week.

He’s professional, uplifting, inspiring and most of all, humble.

Somehow how he maintained an excellent family, raising two wonderful girls. I think a lot of the credit goes to Gina, but Dan did everything he could to see as much as he could of his family.

Dan did what I think local television should do, he put as many local kids on the news as possible. There’s local stories, then there’s every local team. Dan covered them all.

I know many consultants don’t like all that high school stuff. Fine. Give ‘em more Hawkeyes, Cyclones or Illini is the the usual marching orders now. He could do that, but also give coverage to HS bowling, wrestling and track and not just lip service. He did stories on all the teams, all the time.

Kris Oetzmann, Paul Yeager and Dan Pearson on the old KWQC TV set.

For that Quad Cities, I’m sorry. I hope you get another anchor like him. His disciples are out there, Kory Kuffler and Matt Randazzo being two of them at WQAD. Kuff spent a lot of time with Dan and now is trying to replicate that. The sports office atmosphere was the place the cool kids would hang out and share one whopper of a story on top of another.

So, when you google, “Where is Dan Pearson?” or “What happened to Dan Pearson?” You can answer it this way: The Bradley graduate who’s been in the TV biz since 1987 is ready to lead young men and women in their journey of faith and sports. Sounds like a winning combination.

Best of luck, boys.

Here’s a link to his final goodbye package on air that is now on KWQC.com.

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, they’re not just for breakfast anymore

Lee Rouse in front of the WHO-TV 13 live truck.

I’ve asked. You’ve responded. Here’s another installment of Paul Yeager’s Hat Parade.

I like to see pictures of TV reporters wearing hats while doing live shots. I used to not wear a hat and just freeze off my ears. That’s why I’ve got small ears. They’re like that cat we had growing up, she wouldn’t come in from the cold and had her ears freeze off.

We begin with the photographers. They are behind the scenes. Occasionally, you may see their hand in a live shot. This is my old friend Lee Rouse of WHO-TV in Des Moines. Lee was behind the camera the day back in 2007 when he and Jon Cahill were out in a snow storm and the power line just erupted behind the subject of the interview. Anyone remember this video?

Katie Wiedeman, KCRG -TV 9, Cedar Rapids

This screen shot captures Katie Wiedeman of KCRG-TV 9 news of Cedar Rapids. She is usually based out of the Dubuque newsroom, so it is always a fun time be out and about in those hills of eastern Iowa.

This shot is more of a head band and a side, profile shot of Katie.

But it is a lid and it is on her head in a live shot on television.

It is a nice purple headband. Hey, whatever it takes to stay warm and toasty when out in the snow.

Ted McInerney, WHBF - TV 4, Rock Island.

Now we head back to my old stomping grounds and the Quad Cities.

WHBF-TV (Channel 4) gave us a couple of good shots before and they haven’t disappointed me this year either.

This is Ted McInerney of the CBS affiliate based in Rock Island.

The big snow of early February, hit the QC particularly hard, with more than a foot of snow falling in the region, some spots even seeing 17 inches of snow.

WHBF SUV stuck in the snow.

This was the type of snow where the reporters say, ‘don’t come out here unless you have to…” and they meant it. Maybe one of Ted’s co-workers should have listened the advice being given.

It snowed enough to make driving difficult for everyone.

Including reporters for WHBF. Channel 4 did a story on how the reporter got stuck, received help in getting shoveled out and moved on to the next snow desk story.

Courtney Baker, WHBF - TV 4

Again, with the WHBF reporters.

This is Courtney Baker.

She is also live outside the station’s front door, in the snow. Her hat is a nice checkered one and adds a little variety to the mix of our normal lids we see.

Concetta Callahan, WHBF - TV4

Here is another WHBF reporter, Conchetta Callahan. She too, is out the front door.

You can see how much snow is behind here (I feel like writing copy for reporters again).

The road behind her is the street that leads to the District of Rock Island, a popular weekend and night hang out for some of the younger adults.

I’m just saying, I may have been there a time or two. Blue Cat was a fun place to go…. but I digress. I think even saw my first Nada’s concert at RIBCO on a Halloween way back when.

Back to the hats.

Angie Mitchum, WQAD - TV8

We stay in the Quad Cities market and the Illinois side of the river. This is Angie Mitchum of WQAD-TV.

Channel 8 is becoming a place for former KWQC folks with Terry Swails now doing weather there. When Erik Maitland returns to the QC, he’ll be in direct competition with this former weather office mate, Mr. Swails.

Erik has been in Minneapolis since leaving Davenport a couple of years back. Mr. Maitland will be replacing Ryan Burchett in front of the chief meteorologist’s green screen.

Back to Angie, she’s in the simple black hat and wearing a scarf. I could do a post on scarves, but come on, would you really read that?

Christina Palladino, WOI - TV5.

Back to Des Moines and WOI-TV.

This is Channel 5′s weekend anchor Christina Palladino out on assignment. I believe she is at the Brenton Skating Plaza in Des Moines. It always a good spot for a night live shot. You wouldn’t need a good back light to see her red hat on television.

Christina is another QC transplant to Des Moines. She formerly worked at WHBF in Rock Island. She is not the first and probably won’t be the last to be transferred from one to the other.

Andy Fales, WHO - TV13

And we finish this post with Mr. Andy Fales.

This is a rare find. Normally, Andy will not wear a hat, but this Tuesday storm forced everyone to bundle up more than usual.
It is time for me to get ready for Andy on SoundOff with Keith Murphy.

There was another big storm in north Iowa and I expect to see some pictures soon of reporters out in the elements and wearing their protection.