"Online @ Five": Time to Reboot

Watching someone surf the web (or talk about it) isn't exactly the most riveting television. It ranks somewhere between Andrea McMaster's "Heartland Focus" and televised fishing. Channel 7's "Online @ Five" feature is worse. The segment seems to be the product of several station aims, most notably to give the impression that the folks at 7 are "with it," as the kids say, when it comes to "

Brace

As bad as SuxNews programs have been all week, we may look back on them fondly after the newscasts this evening. If, as has been the case the past two weeks, the embarrassingly under-qualified Nadia Singh is anchoring, we could be in for a real treat.Even before the big switch, Singh's Friday 'casts were riddled with miscues and dead air. Add all the new "software problems" that have plagued the

Shaniqua and the Pronouns

When WOWT's bumbling management, in their zeal to double the number of non-caucasian reporters at the Big Six, hired under-qualified reporter Maniko Barthalemy, they must have known this kind of sentence was coming. Teasing one of her several inconsequential live reports on Saturday morning, Shaniqua said, "If a student can't see in class, it can make it harder for he or she to focus."Maybe

When It Blows, It Blows

Having expectorated diminutive "anchor" Pat Persaud from its system, WOWT would do well to turn its attention to overhauling its bloated and seemingly clueless weather department.OK, Jim Flowers looks like Ned Flanders from the Simpsons. He has that porn mustache. And he seems to simultaneously hyperventilate, soil himself, and suffer premature ejaculation every time there's even the slightest

New WB "News"cast to Debut on January 16th

An alert reader informs us that KXVO's new 10 p.m. program anchored by Calvert "Larry 'Bud'" Collins will begin rehearsals on January 2nd and begin airing to an only slightly larger audience on January 16th. Anyone wanting a bellyfull of Collins' self-congratulatory, delusional description of the new show should get a copy of the Reader and check out Sean Weide's interview with her. Here's one

Gotta Love This

Read Sean Weide's column on how KETV is owning WOWT. Life is good.

We'd Link to It If We Could

In this week's "Media Notes" column in The Reader, Sean Weide reports that KETV has hired an "executive producer" for its newscasts. The story quotes news director Roseann Shannon as indicating that the position is newly created. There is no mention of what specific duties this person will have, but we're praying that it involves stuffing a sock in Shiloh Woolman's mouth and breaking the news to

A Big Loss for the Big Six

In an enormous blow to a station already short on male talent, "Live at Daybreak" co-anchor Trey Jones has informed the station that he will be leaving WOWT after his May 6th broadcast. According to sources, Jones has said that the demands of the early morning schedule just aren't compatible with raising young children. His departure breaks up one of the best anchor teams in Omaha, which had only

Journal Broadcasting Buys KM3

Emmis Communications is selling its TV operations in bits and pieces. Among the deals reported earlier today is the Journal Broadcast Group's purchase of Omaha's KMTV, along with stations in Fort Myers, FL and Tucson, AZ, for a total of $235 million. This seems like especially bad news for those of us who despise the sight (and sound) of Travis Justice on our TVs: Journal radio stations Z-92 and

Maltard Word of the Day

*dess: multiple losses of life (example: "The attack resulted in twinny-five dess.")

Channel 6 Breaks 1998 Technology Story

During a report on rumors that ran through Papio-LaVista South High School, OPS-toady-to-be Doug Walker revealed on Tuesday's 10 p.m. that it's possible to have several different Instant Messenger windows open at the same time. Why doesn't this guy have his own technology show?In a rare episode of stupid banter, Tracy Madden then stunned Omaha by informing Walker that IM is "the way kids

Awards

Channel Sux is running promos about awards it has won, including Best Newscast.Who were they competing against? Cox Channel 23? Or is this some contest that only Channel Sux enters?Isn't this the same station that puts together a promo featuring its anchors ad-libbing and can't find J-Pa saying even one full sentence that makes sense?

WE'RE BEGGING...

We are by no means blaming local media for this one, although we are imploring local reporters, anchors, and producers to please please please please please please refrain from any further use of the phrase "Dr. King's dream" in news stories about today's federal holiday. We must've heard it two dozen times before 7:30 this morning, and there's no sign that it's going to let up without a