THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, November 11, 1996 TAG: 9611090075
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
LENGTH: 81 lines
WHILE BARBARA CIARA and her bosses at ABC affiliate WVEC negotiate a new contract, a Navy submariner in Virginia Beach rounds up signatures on his let's-help-save-Barbara's-job petition.
Lt. Dondi Edwards heard from somebody - maybe it was Jack Howard and Zach Martin of WNIS radio or members of the Hampton Rhoads Black Media Professionals or perhaps it was Ciara herself - that WVEC wants to keep Ciara on the payroll but not as co-anchor of the 11 p.m. newscast.
Translation: If Ciara signs to extend her contract, which expires next June, she's looking at a demotion.
In February, she could end up anchoring ``Pilot/News 13 - Weeknights at 10'' on a new cable channel that WVEC is launching with The Virginian-Pilot and Cox Communications. Ciara was recently assigned to co-anchor a Friday night show on PBS station WHRO (``This Week in Hampton Roads'') after the WVEC brass passed over her to make Regina Mobley the 6 p.m. co-anchor.
Public broadcasting at 9 p.m. on Friday? A cable newscast she would have to share with geeks from a newspaper? Ciara is probably asking herself, ``What's happening to me?''
When I talked with her briefly about all of this, I got from her a ``not really'' when I asked if she could talk about her contract negotiations. I saw her quoted in another newspaper.
Of what is going on at Channel 13, she said, ``I'm not pleased.''
Nor is Edwards and his friends in a group called Bridges, which was organized after the Million Man March. They have about 250 names on a petition.
When the number swells to 1,000 or so, he intends to take it to Rick Keilty, general manager at WVEC, and show how many people in the community want Ciara to stay on at 11.
``We need her voice at the station. I can't imagine her not being on a WVEC newscast,'' Edwards said.
Is Keilty talking to Ciara about replacing her at 11? He's mum on the subject.
No comment on salary, terms or assignments during contract negotiations, said Keilty. He said he liked Ciara's work - Keilty gave her high marks for co-anchoring WVEC's election-night coverage - but would say nothing else, except . . . ``I think the world of Barbara.''
It was Howard of WNIS who, eight days ago, leaked the story about Ciara's negotiations and possible demotion on his Sunday afternoon show. He heard from many callers who supported Ciara. ``I was stunned by the response,'' Howard said.
The next day, Howard's colleague at WNIS, the newly arrived, wonderfully uncouth Martin, kept the discussion alive with a twist. He wondered aloud whether Keilty and WVEC news director Keith Connors (also new to the area) were moving Ciara off camera because she doesn't have Barbie's waistline.
The subject of Ciara's weight has been debated on local radio ever since.
Would WVEC be so cruel as to replace Ciara because she's gained a few pounds? Her ratings at 5 p.m. are No. 1 and more than respectable at 11. Did WVEC favor Mobley because she's younger, slimmer than the zaftig Ciara?
``That's not how we do business,'' said Keilty.
You know what I think? I think Keilty, who is relatively new on the job, and fresh-faced Connors didn't have a clue about how popular Ciara is until Howard and Martin opened the phones at WNIS.
Ciara is just as respected among 50-year-old white women as among young African-American women, WNIS' Howard said after listening to an avalanche of calls. Many whites have signed his petition, said submariner Edwards.
WVEC messed with the wrong person when they messed with Ciara. She's far from the best news reader in this market. (Velma Scaife of WVEC has that honor). Ciara drives me nuts lowering her voice when she reads a so-sad story. I've heard her mangle pronunciations. (It's a soft ``c'' in ``facade,'' Barbara). And that little lisp of hers is a bit maddening.
Now for the good stuff. Ciara has presence. She takes command of the camera. And judging from my mail and calls on Infoline (640-5555, press 2486), she is the anchor with whom many viewers identify. They like her.
How could WVEC possibly think of dumping somebody with all that going for her?
Less than a year ago, I wrote the very same thing about WTKR meteorologist Duane Harding. Who would dare fire the most popular weather guy in the market? He's history.
Keep the petition circulating, Lt. Edwards. ILLUSTRATION: WVEC-TV
Barbara Ciara by CNB