Another leaving WXYZ

[Editorcj]

When I was hired, Grace Gillcrest was in on my interview process and in fact for every TV station I've worked for I met the GM before I was hired.

[TeleCine]

Brian would be great in TV car ads!

[Herm]

Brian would be great in TV car ads!

He did the Auto Show gig for a while, so you’re probably right.
Brian would be great at pretty much anything he decides to do.

[sinklair]

Meeting the GM is always good. Having the GM be a deciding factor in many of these decisions isn’t.

[nonewsgoodnews]

I don't think it is that Murri is a control freak. It's that Murri wants to make all the decisions to make sure they benefit him.
Don't do negative stories on Duggan because Mike rubs shoulders with him at the DAC. Anything his buddy Mort Meisner represents they must do a story on. Any on air talent Mort represents Mike pushes the hire. Mike likes people who just listen to him blindly, hence their latest News Director.
That is why they have been through 6 News Directors in the past 10 years. Tim was brought in with the full direction that long timers would be retiring and the station was going to save a lot more money with new hires . Tim was a through and through news guy. Channel 7 actually did pretty well during that time with ratings considering all the long time big names that retired. It was very much a rebirth for the station. Even Dave Manney who was MIke's boy - didn't last long because Mike was always in his business like calling him about reporters hair being too long or pushing Meisner's agenda. Then lo and behold-- Mike's hire and Mort's client Rhonda LaVelle was a train wreck. She blew the newsroom up with her management style of yelling and demeaning everyone. Her only news judgement was chasing after whatever the other stations were doing. I kid you not, I had a great interview with the aunt of a victim once. Then she saw channel 4 had a friend and she screamed at me in front of the whole newsroom because we didn't get the victim's friend. I was dumbfounded like seriously we had a really great interview with the aunt- what was the difference? She wanted revenge on 4 so badly that it is all she thought about. Look how many people left under her? Then corporate tries to save it by bringing in one of their long time News Directors. He didn't last long. Well, at least they actually promoted their Asst ND with Kennan, who was actually pretty good at trying to bring morale back but yet, same thing-- wasn't allowed to think for himself so he left. Now, they have Tim, who is probably the biggest whatever you say Mike guy there is. Tim very seldom thinks for himself and can't make a decision to save his life so it's a good thing he won't have to with Mike there to run the newsroom. But, hey look at it this way, at least he will be there for more than 2 -4 years like every other news director.

[Rate This]

I don't think it is that Murri is a control freak. It's that Murri wants to make all the decisions to make sure they benefit him.
Don't do negative stories on Duggan because Mike rubs shoulders with him at the DAC. Anything his buddy Mort Meisner represents they must do a story on. Any on air talent Mort represents Mike pushes the hire. Mike likes people who just listen to him blindly, hence their latest News Director.
That is why they have been through 6 News Directors in the past 10 years. Tim was brought in with the full direction that long timers would be retiring and the station was going to save a lot more money with new hires . Tim was a through and through news guy. Channel 7 actually did pretty well during that time with ratings considering all the long time big names that retired. It was very much a rebirth for the station. Even Dave Manney who was MIke's boy - didn't last long because Mike was always in his business like calling him about reporters hair being too long or pushing Meisner's agenda. Then lo and behold-- Mike's hire and Mort's client Rhonda LaVelle was a train wreck. She blew the newsroom up with her management style of yelling and demeaning everyone. Her only news judgement was chasing after whatever the other stations were doing. I kid you not, I had a great interview with the aunt of a victim once. Then she saw channel 4 had a friend and she screamed at me in front of the whole newsroom because we didn't get the victim's friend. I was dumbfounded like seriously we had a really great interview with the aunt- what was the difference? She wanted revenge on 4 so badly that it is all she thought about. Look how many people left under her? Then corporate tries to save it by bringing in one of their long time News Directors. He didn't last long. Well, at least they actually promoted their Asst ND with Kennan, who was actually pretty good at trying to bring morale back but yet, same thing-- wasn't allowed to think for himself so he left. Now, they have Tim, who is probably the biggest whatever you say Mike guy there is. Tim very seldom thinks for himself and can't make a decision to save his life so it's a good thing he won't have to with Mike there to run the newsroom. But, hey look at it this way, at least he will be there for more than 2 -4 years like every other news director.

Actually since this latest guy took over it’s been better on-air than it has in years. How bout that. The presentation is noticeably better than it was with Kennan in charge and he was an improvement over the previous ones.

The guy they had in the early 2010’s, Tim, was a train wreck and they hired folks with no business being there.. ahem Smita Khaloke, David Solano, Ronnie Dahl etc. He could have all the news judgement in the world but the product was horrid. They lost whatever remaining lead they had in ratings by the end of his time there. Cheap and godawful don’t have to go hand in hand. The reporters weren’t even giving street names or using peoples names in the stories for gods sake. They had been doing this before. They would say things that simply didn’t make sense. That didn’t happen before. 4 is having this problem now. My News experience consists of being an intern for 3 months at 4 and I can figure out that’s screwy. 4 is one toxic place. Anyhow, They also threw out all the style that they had used with the old talent. I agree that Rhonda LaVelle was a disaster. Keep in mind that although I sympathize with morale problems on the inside… ultimately the product wasn’t good and people slowly stopped watching and since viewers = higher ad dollars… yeah… the outside presentation is pretty much the ballgame. Tim Dye made 7 look like 3rd place in Grand Rapids. If that made you feel good that’s nice. It doesn’t count for much if the presentation tanks. Comments on what was going on over there at the time and how bad it looked from the outside were overwhelmingly negative on this board at the time. Unfortunately that got lost in the many crashes we’ve endured around here from hackers and whatever else.

[sholmes031105]

From what I see watching the news in the morning on the app 7 is still pretty much a train wreck in my opinion presentation is absolutely awful. A lot of head bobbing and pausing because he can't get the audio to connect with the live shots. Coming back from commercial thinkers Mike's aren't turned on and they start talking the morning team I just don't feel it with the anchors Alicia Smith is how hum. It seems like the weather guy is just hiding out over in his area trying not to get associated with the rest of the group which might be a good choice. The whole group doesn't seem to have cohesion and work together they're all in their little silos and staying there.

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[MrTaterSalad]

When did Kimberly Craig get let go from Channel 7? I noticed she hasn't been on TV and isn't listed on the website anymore. I thought she was one of their better field reporters (along with Heather Catallo and Ross Jones).

[Newsman123]

When did Kimberly Craig get let go from Channel 7? I noticed she hasn't been on TV and isn't listed on the website anymore. I thought she was one of their better field reporters (along with Heather Catallo and Ross Jones).

She wasnt. She was promoted to a management role behind the scenes. Still at 7.

[MWmetalhead]

Excellent. I always liked her reporting. Hope she does well (and is treated fairly) in her new role.

[Rate This]

When did Kimberly Craig get let go from Channel 7? I noticed she hasn't been on TV and isn't listed on the website anymore. I thought she was one of their better field reporters (along with Heather Catallo and Ross Jones).

Her new title is Executive Reporter if I'm not mistaken which is about what it sounds like... she manages the reporters and the way they are covering stories. Hopefully helps coach them and what not. 7's Talent development is pretty decent.