Former WMAZ anchor comes to CBS 46

[gartv]

Reports from "NewsBlues" say that Bill Gaines has been hired as the new primary co-anchor at CBS 46. He comes from WNCN "NBC-17" in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill North Carolina market.

Bill Gaines was a morning anchor at WMAZ-13 in Macon in the mid 1990's.

So this makes three people at WGCL who once worked at WMAZ. Adam Murphy, Chris Smith and Bill Gaines.

[atlnewsfan03]

I see that it took nearly 7 months for CBS 46 to hire a new primary anchor to replace Rich Noonan.

I find it very puzzling that WSB-TV has no problems when it comes to hiring replacement anchors and reporters. It really seems like when 1 of their reporters or anchors decide to leave, they'll have a replacement named within a month or 2.

When you observe CBS 46, it's usually 6 months or more before they have a replacement anchor or reporter named. I'm guessing that FOX 5 and 11Alive could be somewhere in between.

1.) CBS 46 hasn't had much stability with their news staff, especially since the departures of John McKnight (don't know what really became of him) and Karyn Greer (currently at 11Alive). It seems like they can't seem to hold on to good anchors and reporters. We've seen several different anchors and reports come and go over the past 7 years... like Jane Robelot, Calvin Hughes, Steve Johns, Joy Barge, Lori Wilson, Tony Harris, and Steve Taylor... among others.

2.) CBS 46 had tried reinventing themselves over the past 7 years, with different news brandings and formats, like "CBS Atlanta News" (1999-2000, 2002-2003), "Clear News" (2000-2002), "Atlanta's NewsChannel" (2003-2004), and "CBS 46 News" (2004-Present).

3.) CBS 46 dumps the morning newscast... without notice. As well as dumped the 5 p.m. newscast, in favor of the current 4 p.m. newscast.

If anything, I believe Meredith Corp. would be better off just selling WGCL to another company, like 1 of these 2 companies... E.W. Scripps Corp. (the same company that owns HGTV, HSN, Food Network, and several ABC and NBC affiliates)... or Landmark Communications (the same company that owns The Weather Channel, and CBS affiliates WTVF and KLAS). Maybe 1 of these companies could put some money into this station, and help better the news product. Just a thought.

I'm also hoping that Bill Gaines could and might bring some stability to CBS 46's news department, and help CBS 46 toward an improvement in the ratings.

[producerboy]

atlnewsfan, I think if you look closer at CBS 46, you'll notice that things there are more stable than you think. Yes, Rich Noonan's been gone for 7 months, but most of the main anchors have been there for several years (Neill, Fisher, Tyree, Norman, Huckabee). The majority of the management there has also been there a while (a lot longer than Micah Johnson was there). Getting a station like this into a competitive stance with the other stations takes years, not months.
What the folks at GCL should do is aim for 11 Alive, and try to beat them first. They're a long way from going after WAGA or WSB.

[atlnewsfan03]

Back in 2003, when 11Alive ended their 5 p.m. newscast in favor of moving "Dr. Phil" to 5 p.m., and beginning a 7 p.m. newscast, I thought that would have hurt them. I remember WSB-TV, CBS 46, and FOX 5 bragging about it... "Hey Channel 11 viewers, listen up! They've canceled your 5:00 News!" I'm guessing that Dr. Phil's top-rated show would be giving their 6 p.m. newscast some good lead-ins. Plus, the previous "Atlanta's NewsChannel" branding and format being a bit too tabloidish.

Then, 11 became the first local station to begin offering news in HD. 3 months ago, 2 began offering their news in HD... 5 and 46 have yet to begin offering news in HD.

Other than my hope for more stability at 46... I'm hoping that the ratings will continue to get better for them. I'm also hoping that 46 could and might be planning on bringing back the morning newscast, and maybe the 5 p.m. newscast too.

[producerboy]

The news director has been overheard saying the morning show could return sometime in '07, but I'll believe it when I see it.

[ATLinsider]

Bill Gaines made his debut today on CBS46 News at 6. I hope WGCL will keep him around, he may actually be a winner.

[newsdudeatl]

Bill Gaines is pretty solid.

Don't expect to see him stick around for much longer if current trends hold true. How many male anchors has 'GCL been through in the past 5-10 years? Rich Noonan, Tony Harris, Calvin Hughes, Chris McWatt, Charles Molineaux, and Steve Johns (mornings). A veritable revolving door.

I'm starting to get dizzy...

[atlnewsfan03]

I agree with you newsduteatl. Since 1999, we've seen a lot of male anchors come and go.

Calvin Hughes - 1999 through 2002 as evening anchor.
Steve Johns - 1999 through 2002 as morning anchor.
Todd Shearer - 1999 through 2003 as weekend anchor.
Chris McWatt - 2002 through 2003 as morning anchor.
Tony Harris - 2003 through 2004 as evening anchor.
Charles Molineaux - 2002 through 2005, first as weekend and then morning anchor.
Rich Noonan - 2004 through 2006 as evening anchor.

I hope CBS 46 will keep Mike Moore and Bill Gaines around for a while, and break the cycle of male anchor turnover.

[newsdudeatl]

I had forgotten all about Todd Shearer (then again, he was a solid but forgettable anchor...)