Post by gartv on Aug 26, 2007 10:17:48 GMT -3
Jerry Matthewson, the chief meteorologist at "Todays MGT" (WMGT-41-NBC) in Macon has disappeared from the station. His bio is gone from the station's website. This currently has Chrissey Keeley working overtime on ALL newscasts. It also means that Brandon Long is the last of the original on-air personalities to remain from the 2004 debut of WMGT's current news department.
The station has been running promos at station ID's with slogans saying things like "The way you see weather is about to change" starting September 10th" and simular promos for news indicating that a makeover is coming in September.
The promos also have a slightly updated version of the MGT logo, the letters are slanted with a different font and the music in the promos could pass for a news theme.
WMGT re-started their news department in September 2004 and quickly became the #2 news department in Macon while Fox 24 seems to have cut back further. And with the competition of WMGT, other TV stations finally saw a need to make some updates.
WMAZ finally updated their department although done on a budget with a news set and vehicles from other Gannett owned stations. It was a much needed improvement a decade overdue.
WGXA fox 24 focuses on local issues with a daily live call-in show at 10:30pm and WPGA-58 "ABC Macon" recently began offering news programs.
While their news is "outsourced" and the anchors are in another state, WPGA recently hired popular local personality JAMI GAUDET as a field reporter for the station. She was best known for co-hosting the "Kenny B and Jami G Macon's Morning News" on AM 940 WMAC radio and local lifestyle TV programs produced for Cox Cable channel 15. Both "Kenny- B" Burgamy and "Jami G" resigned from the radio show. Burgamy resigned early in 2007 and is now on the board of a local bank. Jami Gaudet resigned a few months later and is now part of the locally based WPGA reporters who will feed reports to the Iowa based producers of "ABC Macon News"
The addition of Jami Gaudet to WPGA's news will give that station a boost.
I think we may finally see some competition and even more improvements in the Macon area news offerings.
Now, just waiting to see if ANY of these stations will begin to compete in certain timeslots. Only WMAZ offers weekend newscasts and three major stations now offer news weeknights at 11pm. However, each station has 30 minute newscasts at Noon, 5, 5:30, 6p, 7pm and 10pm alll to themselves. And it appears in response to that, WMAZ's 5pm news runs normally until 5:32, which if you were watching WMAZ you would miss the lead news story on WMGT at 5:30 (just in case you wanted to change the channel). WMAZ often promotes a feature or big story on their 5pm newscast that airs near the end of the show with their traditional "Andy Griffith" reruns beginning immediately after the report around 5:32pm.
One good move for WMAZ is the "Scene-13" entertainment news program on Friday's hosted by Ben Jones. It is a well produced program. If you are not in the Macon market, then check it out online from www.13wmaz.com.
I have criticized Ben Jones as a meteorlogist on this message board before only because I believe he is much better in a different type of appearance on TV. I like him just as much as anyone else as he is a great person. But give him something else to do. He did great with WMAZ's local version of "Survivor" a few years back and "Scene 13" is great for him as well. I wish him the best. And I wish that WMAZ would finally drop the Andy Griffith reruns which we already get on other channels. It's time to let it go. What is it now, 20 plus years of this show at 5:30? (I know of at least the 13 years that I lived here)
Last thought, I am sad to see Jerry Matthewson leave. He appeared to be very dedicated to his work and was also great in promoting WMGT's holiday toy drive. He was also the most professional and experienced meteorologist in the market. Even though WMGT didn't have news on the weekends, when bad weather occured, Jerry was there on his weekend off broadcasting special reports.
I hope he lands in a good situation somewhere.
The station has been running promos at station ID's with slogans saying things like "The way you see weather is about to change" starting September 10th" and simular promos for news indicating that a makeover is coming in September.
The promos also have a slightly updated version of the MGT logo, the letters are slanted with a different font and the music in the promos could pass for a news theme.
WMGT re-started their news department in September 2004 and quickly became the #2 news department in Macon while Fox 24 seems to have cut back further. And with the competition of WMGT, other TV stations finally saw a need to make some updates.
WMAZ finally updated their department although done on a budget with a news set and vehicles from other Gannett owned stations. It was a much needed improvement a decade overdue.
WGXA fox 24 focuses on local issues with a daily live call-in show at 10:30pm and WPGA-58 "ABC Macon" recently began offering news programs.
While their news is "outsourced" and the anchors are in another state, WPGA recently hired popular local personality JAMI GAUDET as a field reporter for the station. She was best known for co-hosting the "Kenny B and Jami G Macon's Morning News" on AM 940 WMAC radio and local lifestyle TV programs produced for Cox Cable channel 15. Both "Kenny- B" Burgamy and "Jami G" resigned from the radio show. Burgamy resigned early in 2007 and is now on the board of a local bank. Jami Gaudet resigned a few months later and is now part of the locally based WPGA reporters who will feed reports to the Iowa based producers of "ABC Macon News"
The addition of Jami Gaudet to WPGA's news will give that station a boost.
I think we may finally see some competition and even more improvements in the Macon area news offerings.
Now, just waiting to see if ANY of these stations will begin to compete in certain timeslots. Only WMAZ offers weekend newscasts and three major stations now offer news weeknights at 11pm. However, each station has 30 minute newscasts at Noon, 5, 5:30, 6p, 7pm and 10pm alll to themselves. And it appears in response to that, WMAZ's 5pm news runs normally until 5:32, which if you were watching WMAZ you would miss the lead news story on WMGT at 5:30 (just in case you wanted to change the channel). WMAZ often promotes a feature or big story on their 5pm newscast that airs near the end of the show with their traditional "Andy Griffith" reruns beginning immediately after the report around 5:32pm.
One good move for WMAZ is the "Scene-13" entertainment news program on Friday's hosted by Ben Jones. It is a well produced program. If you are not in the Macon market, then check it out online from www.13wmaz.com.
I have criticized Ben Jones as a meteorlogist on this message board before only because I believe he is much better in a different type of appearance on TV. I like him just as much as anyone else as he is a great person. But give him something else to do. He did great with WMAZ's local version of "Survivor" a few years back and "Scene 13" is great for him as well. I wish him the best. And I wish that WMAZ would finally drop the Andy Griffith reruns which we already get on other channels. It's time to let it go. What is it now, 20 plus years of this show at 5:30? (I know of at least the 13 years that I lived here)
Last thought, I am sad to see Jerry Matthewson leave. He appeared to be very dedicated to his work and was also great in promoting WMGT's holiday toy drive. He was also the most professional and experienced meteorologist in the market. Even though WMGT didn't have news on the weekends, when bad weather occured, Jerry was there on his weekend off broadcasting special reports.
I hope he lands in a good situation somewhere.
