THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 6, 1997 TAG: 9702060039
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E01 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
LENGTH: 99 lines
TODAY'S local TV buzz:
The Rochester connection - When WVEC's news director, Keith Connors, worked in Rochester, N.Y., a young reporter-anchor at the ABC affiliate made a good impression. So, it's no surprise that when Connors and Ed Power, general manager of Local News on Cable, were looking for an anchorman, they hired LaSalle Blanks.
LNC, a three-way partnership (The Virginian-Pilot, Cox Communications and WVEC) is scheduled to sign on Feb. 17. LNC will feature local news around the clock including a 10 p.m. weeknight newscast.
Blanks, just a kid at 26, is expected to be the anchor in the Pilot newsroom - in the midst of us ink-stained wretches. Barbara Ciara and Mike Lewis will handle that job at the WVEC studios.
Of breaking fresh ground in TV news, Blanks said, ``It's a great challenge. An exciting time.''
He's a native of Fairfield, Conn., with two degrees from Northwestern. Blanks says he's happy to leave the rough winters of upstate New York behind. And, no, his segment on LNC will not be called ``Firing Blanks.''
Random observation - It must be the February sweeps. If it weren't, would local stations be scaring us with news ``extras'' about black-market weapons and old people who are dangerous drivers? Get Gramps off the road! And frisk him for hand grenades while you're at it.
The minute message - H.J. Marioneaux of Chesapeake, a retired dentist dabbling in TV, has produced one-minute spots for WVBT to celebrate Black History Month. Marioneaux's ``Portrait of Excellence'' features eight local African Americans, from his wife - a Harvard graduate - to college seniors.
The message in the 80 one-minute messages, said Marioneaux, is something positive. ``The portraits underscore the high accomplishment of hard work and a good education. They also give young people eight excellent role models.''
We all liked the way Uncle Walter did it - Broadcasters from Dave Garroway (``Peace'') to Walter Cronkite (``and that's the way it is'') have had a unique way of signing off. Locally, Ciara ends her newscasts on Channel 13 with the casual ``thanks for the company.''
That's when Gene Fisher, a Norfolk reader, reaches for the ``mute'' button. Ciara's sign-off annoys him, he said in a call to my Infoline number. ``It's silly,'' he said. ``And tacky for a newscast.'' The close is a tad too folksy for a newscast.
Will Ciara use this adieu when she signs off on LNC's 10 p.m. newscast? Stay tuned. Ciara says she came up with the sign-off in the 1980s, when she had a few seconds of air time to fill.
``It just came out,'' she said.
Name dropping - Ken Elks, a Virginia Beach actor who's been working in Hollywood for about five years, is scheduled to appear on the Feb. 12 episode of ``Ellen'' on ABC at 9:30 p.m. Elks is also an advocate for actors who are hearing-impaired. It's not easy for them to find work in TV and films . . . Judith Hatcher, The Pilot's dance critic, says she'll be sharing bagels with host Tom Bergeron, and doing the Friday strut, with the gang on ``Fox After Breakfast'' Friday at 9 a.m. . . Michelle Krusiec, a Kempsville High grad, is one of the hosts of ``Travelers,'' seen weekdays at 5 p.m. on the Discovery Channel. It's a neat job that takes Krusiec to ancient rituals and colorful pageants in places far from Kempsville.
Where has Ben gone? - No word from Ben Kinchlow on his future plans now that he has left ``The 700 Club.'' The parting was amicable, says Christian Broadcasting Network spokesman Gene Kapp.
Kapp says Kinchlow left to ``do his own ministry.'' Call me, Ben, at (757) 446-2486, if you have anything to add to this story. The man had the greatest hair on TV.
Personally, I'd rather have cash - The Virginia Lottery has signed WPEN to do the ``Lottery Challenge'' on Wednesdays from 7 to 7:30 p.m. starting Feb. 26 during ``Murphy Brown.'' This is not a cash giveaway, says Michelle Dupuis of WPEN.
Contestants and viewers at home will have chances to win prizes, she said. Eric Kidwell runs the game. Interested in taking part? Mail postcards to Lottery Contestants, 220 Salters Creek Road, Hampton 23661.
I like Timmy, Lassie and Gentle Ben as much as the next guy, but - I'm still hearing from readers about Cox Communications' shift from the WWOR Superstation to the Animal Planet. Message to Sandra Cue in Virginia Beach, who called to say she's fuming at Cox, because she likes WWOR:
It was not Cox's decision to pull off WWOR and New York Mets' baseball. The station was bumped from the satellite. As for Animal Planet, a spokesman for the Discovery networks (Michelle Tennant) said a deal was cut for ``AP'' to replace WWOR weeks before local Cox officials here said subscribers were clamoring for it.
And that's today's notebook. Thanks for the company. MEMO: Have any questions or comments about local TV? Call me on
Infoline, 640-5555, press 2486, or 3333 if you want the TV thought of
the day. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Lawrence Jackson/The Virginian-Pilot
Anchor LaSalle Blanks on the new LNC set.