DATE: Tuesday, February 25, 1997            TAG: 9702250041

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E1   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Column 

SOURCE: By Larry Bonko, Television Writer

                                            LENGTH:   99 lines

WVEC GOES INSIDE TO FILL TWO OPEN ANCHOR SLOTS

LOCAL TV NEWS and views to consider while you wait for ``Suddenly Susan'' to return to NBC's Thursday night lineup at 8:30:

CALL IT BENCH STRENGTH: Seeing no need to go outside its own newsroom to fill two positions at the anchor desk, WVEC has promoted Sandra Parker and Velma Scaife.

If they got raises, nobody at Channel 13 is saying how much. (Speaking of raises, the local buzz is that Tom Randles' new contract to continue as WTKR's co-anchor at 6, 10 and 11 p.m. through 2001 is worth $1 million).

Scaife has 11 years with WVEC, Parker seven. Parker moves from co-anchor of Channel 13's noon newscast to anchoring the weekend ``13 News.'' Scaife gets Parker's old job at noon, co-anchoring with Kathryn Barrett.

Both women, graduates of Virginia Commonwealth U., continue with other projects - local girl Parker with ``Dialogue'' and Scaife with ``13 Listens.''

``We're taking advantage of our depth,'' is what Channel 13 general manager Richard J. Keilty said in moving Parker and Scaife up the ladder. What he means is that when Regina Mobley left the weekend newscast to co-anchor at 6 and 11, the station didn't need an all-out, coast-to-coast search to replace her.

Keilty took one look around the WVEC newsroom and picked Parker, she of the short 'do which gives viewers a good look at her right ear.

Mobley during the sweeps has been knocking herself out to get Channel 13 viewers to stop smoking. Mobley convinced a smoker of 51 years (Bernice Williams) to do it. Now can she convince you?

SWEEPS FORMULA: Sex equals higher ratings - If this were not the February ratings sweeps, would two local stations be doing reports on prostitution? Asking if our neighborhoods are safe from ladies of the night?

On WTKR the other night, reporter Arnel DiMaandal was right there on the scene - RIGHT THERE! - when Norfolk police in East Ocean View were busting hookers around 11 p.m.

DiMaandal this week has been giving viewers a pretty good idea of what it's like to go through Virginia State Trooper training. DiMaandal hangs in there longer than boxer Riddick Bowe lasted in Marine boot camp.

IT'S GERALDO ON THE OTHER LINE: Michael D'Orso, a staff writer with The Virginian-Pilot and author of a book about the Rosewood massacre in Florida in 1923, finds himself the darling of TV talk show producers. Now that John Singleton's film about Rosewood's deadly racism is out, everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Court TV to ``The 700 Club'' wants D'Orso to be a guest and talk about ``Rosewood.''

His taped appearance on ``Oprah'' is scheduled to air Thursday at 4 p.m. on WVEC. D'Orso's impression of Winfrey: all business until the camera cuts on.

``Then she's all charm,'' said Mike. He learned fast that time is precious to TV interviewers. ``I pack a lot into my first answer,'' said D'Orso.

His book, ``Like Judgement Day,'' is out in paperback with a companion piece about ``Rosewood'' by director Singleton. From his notes, you'll learn that the director and his crew held hands and prayed before filming began.

Local folks on national TV, Part 2: Montel Williams, who visited WAVY last month, returns the hospitality today (Tuesday). On his 4 p.m. talk show on Channel 10, Wiliams welcomes WAVY reporter Tom Cobin.

DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU: When the Atlantic Coast Conference basketball tournament rolls around next week, WAVY will carry the games, which means its regular schedule will be preempted. Not to worry ``Days of Our Lives'' fans or devotees of ``Another World.''

WAVY will move the NBC programming, and its local news at noon, over to WVBT during the tournament. That's where you had to look to find ``Law & Order'' twice this month after WAVY bumped the show for ACC hoops.

THERE'S NO GUARANTEE IT WILL STAY OFF: If this weren't the February sweeps, would local news be doing so much about losing weight? Ann Keffer of WTKR showed the way to instant slimness - a new liposuction technique. Nothing like a tight shot of cellulite to get the ratings up.

NAME DROPPING: Emmett Miller, who once co-anchored the weekend news on WAVY, will host the syndicated ``Strange Universe'' by himself from now on. The producers dropped co-host Dana Adams. WVBT carries the show at 11 p.m. weeknights. . . . Norfolk psychologist and author Kathleen Brehony will be featured on ``The Midlife Survival Guide'' airing on WHRO Saturday, March 8, at 12:30 p.m. . . . Also in March, NBC on the 17th at 9 p.m. will air a film, ``Born Into Exile,'' which is about teen runaways. One of the kids is 17-year-old April Minnie Wall of South Boston, who has been missing since late in 1995. Virginia Beach is a magnet for the runaways. . . . The Pilot's dance critic, Judith Hatcher, is back from her brief appearance on ``Fox After Breakfast'' in Manhattan where she did the Friday strut. How brief? ``I never even had my five minutes of fame,'' she said. Her neighbor taped the show. Hatcher says all you can see is elbows, arms and one ear. . . . Am I the only one to notice that WVEC's Mike Gooding (he covers politics) has been on camera hiding behind a bush of late? Wait a minute. That's no bush. He's grown a beard. MEMO: Call in questions or comments about local TV to me on Infoline

640-5555, press 2486, or 3333 if you want the TV thought of the day, and

who wouldn't? ILLUSTRATION: Photos

Velma Scaife, left, takes over on the noon newscast as Sandra Parker

becomes weekend anchor for ``13 News.''

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