THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 23, 1996 TAG: 9609210054
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
LENGTH: 84 lines
TODAY'S LOCAL TV buzz:
His face looks familiar - When Emmett Miller advanced from anchoring the weekend newscasts at WAVY here in America's 38th largest TV market to a similar position in No. 3 Chicago five years ago, it was just the beginning of his rise in broadcasting.
From weekend anchor in Chicago, the 33-year-old Miller moved on to WOIO in Cleveland, where he was the co-anchor at 6 and 11 p.m. And now comes something even bigger than reporting on school board elections and traffic snarls.
Miller is telling a nationwide audience about ghostbusters, reincarnation, vampires, space invaders, witchcraft, time travel, frogs falling from the sky and body piercing.
Miller, tall, strong of jaw with short, short hair, is co-host with Dana Adams on the syndicated ``Strange Universe,'' which is seen weeknights at 11 on WVBT. Think of it as ``The X-Files'' meets ``Entertainment Tonight.''
The producers say it's news of ``the whole wide weird world.'' Is that curious rock formation on the moon really the face of Elvis? What creature is draining the blood from goats in Mexico? Do psychics know the outcome of the November elections?
``It's fantastic stuff. Believe it or not,'' Miller said from the set of ``Strange Universe'' in Southern California. He says it's a hoot to be reporting on offbeat stories for a change.
What's the biggest difference between doing local news in Portsmouth, Chicago and Cleveland and working on a show seen coast to coast?
There is less deadline pressure, and they take longer to put on your makeup, said Miller, who was Carolyn Anderson-Castleberry's partner when he anchored the news at Channel 10.
Jeff won't be needing an umbrella - Keith Connors, the news director at the ABC affiliate in Rochester, N.Y., who has been hired to run the WVEC newsroom, will take over here Sept. 30.
The first order of the day: Name a replacement for co-anchor Cynthia Lima on the 6 p.m. newscast. Lima's gone off to Hawaii.
Connors, who is 36 and says he grew up in blue-collar Ohio, is content to have Jeff Lawson and the other weather reporters do their work inside the studio. (The new owners of WTKR last year introduced rooftop forecasting at 6 and 11 p.m. to Hampton Roads).
Connors, who also worked at stations in Nashville and Toledo, says it's too early to be talking about changes in Channel 13's local news. ``I do have projects in mind,'' he said.
Connors' quick assessment of local TV news in Hampton Roads: Highly competitive. He arrives with WVEC No. 1 at 6 p.m., but not by much.
Isn't it about time? - With Virginia Beach being the state's largest city and all, isn't it time the city by the sea had another TV station in addition to WVBT? Apparently another one is on the way.
The Federal Communications Commission has opened up UHF Channel 21 in Virginia Beach to applicants. Three have stepped forward to bid on the channel, including Paul Lucci of Channel Twenty One Associations. Lucci, who has broadcast interests in Kentucky and the far West as well as Virginia, has been associated with several radio stations in this market.
Others applying for Channel 21 include WinStar Broadcasting of Washington, D.C., and Sinclair Broadcasting of Baltimore, which owns many radio and TV properties, including WTVZ in Norfolk.
It all started with farmers - Gary Edgerton, a professor with Old Dominion University's communications and theater arts department, has more than a passing interest in the PBS series ``The West,'' which is dominating the TV landscape this month.
Edgerton is working on a book about Ken Burns, who has produced 11 memorable TV specials, including ``The West,'' since 1982, when he reported on the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. Edgerton says he expects to deliver a manuscript to the publisher in 1998.
The title? Nothing definite as yet, but it could be ``Ken Burns' America.'' The producer is cooperating with the Norfolk professor.
How did this all start for Burns? With a documentary about farmers in New England when Burns was 23. ``In a nutshell, all of Burns' films deal with a simple question: `Who are we as Americans?,' '' said Edgerton.
``The West'' concludes on WHRO Tuesday with a two-hour episode at 8. MEMO: I welcome your comments or questions about local television. Call
me on Infoline 640-5555, press 2486 or 3333 if you want the TV thought
of the day. ILLUSTRATION: Rysher Entertainment color photo
Ex-Norfolk newsman Emmett Miller... by CNB