THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 23, 1994 TAG: 9408230034
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: LARRY BONKO
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
LOCAL NEWS and notes to mull over while you wait for Michael and Lisa Marie to send a thank-you note for your wedding present:
Oh, no. Not another exodus at WAVY. Oh, yes - Here I am again with the same ol' story - a big name is leaving WAVY News.
Now it's Ed Tillett, the weekend weatherman. He quit recently to devote more time to running a TV production business (Delmar Communications) in Richmond.
He's only the best weather guy in this market.
Preceding Tillett out the door at WAVY recently were Terry Zahn, LeAnne Rains, John Castleberry, Lauren Yee, Melissa Charbonneau and news director Bob Cashen. Cashen was replaced last week by WAVY alumnus Gary Stokes, now working in Houston. He will begin Sept. 6.
Brace yourselves for another exit. I hear a weekend anchor is thinking about relocating to Raleigh.
In comparison to the churn at Channel 10, the news shop at WVEC is as stable as a battleship in a bathtub, even with the departure of reporter Janet Roach. She left last week for Milwaukee, where she will anchor an afternoon newscast.
Channel 13 news director David Cassidy tells me that Roach is the first on-air talent to leave his news operation in 2 1/2 years. Next to move up from WVEC to bigger and better things, I predict, is Peninsula reporter Velma Scaife.
Latest ratings, posted in July by Nielsen, show WVEC is still No. 1 at the dinner hour and at 5 p.m. WAVY is No. 1 at 11. And where does that leave WTKR?
As the hungry underdog.
And speaking of WTKR, a reader asks how dare I pick on Ed and Tom? - Checking in with me by way of Infoline (640-5555, Category 3333) to defend WTKR's Happiness Boys, Ed Hughes and Tom Randles, is a reader from Norfolk.
Pat Stultz said I should stop griping about Hughes and Randles making so much happy talk while handing off segments of newscast to the sports and weather reporters. ``Why would you criticize lightness on TV in today's world? Or fault them for daring to smile in today's cynical times? I sense a camaraderie between these two men who dress neatly. I think they really like each other. Lighten up on them.''
The light touch is welcome at times in local newscasts. But the local broadcasters, including those on WAVY and WVEC, too, overdo it at times. If you have cable, check out the local newscasts on the New York and Chicago stations. See how the big-city anchor teams keep the small talk to a minimum.
The cable channels in Chesapeake grow by two - With cable operators still in a state of shock after the cable reform act of 1993, it's rare to hear of channels being added on basic service.
But out in Chesapeake, at TCI of Virginia Inc., they'll be adding Country Music Television on Channel 52 and tv! on Channel 53 come Sept. 1. CMT is nonstop country videos.
Tv! is new to this market. TCI says it's a 24-hour network with sneak previews and programming from other cable channels.
So, let's get us a TV series set in Virginia - Do you know what would boost tourism in Virginia? A weekly TV series shot within the state.
Heck, even when ``The Waltons'' was on TV, it didn't show off the state; Walton's Mountain was on a Hollywood studio lot.
There are no plans to bring a TV series to Virginia, says the Virginia Film Office of the Department of Economic Development. There is a feature film being wrapped in Richmond this month. The cast and crew of ``Major Payne,'' featuring Damon Wayans, recently moved from Charlottesville to Richmond.
It's a comedy about an Army major (Wayans) who can't cope with civilian life. Last year, filmmakers contributed $48 million to Virginia's economy.
Wouldn't you like to see a TV series set in Virginia Beach? In Pungo? by CNB