Media Frenzy

By Rob Holbert Managing Editor

WPMI Sold

The shifting sands that make up the Mobile media scene continue to, well, shift. Late last week it was announced WPMI-TV and its sister station WJTC had been sold to a group called Providence Equity Partners. The change in ownership was part of a $1.2 billion sale that included 56 stations from Clear Channel’s television stable.

Clear Channel also announced last week an agreement to sell 161 radio stations in 34 markets for $331 million, but that does not appear to include any stations in the Mobile/Pensacola market. Local Clear Channel management have said the four radio stations in Mobile and two in Pensacola are not for sale.

Clear Channel announced last year it was divesting of all of its television stations and about a third of its 1,176 radio stations. Providence Equity Partners bought television stations in 24 markets, along with associated Web sites. The stations include seven NBC affiliates, 10 CW, eight Fox, six ABC, six CBS, four My Network TV, two NBC Weather Plus, two Telemundo and five independent stations. WPMI is an NBC affiliate and WJTC is independent.

The sale is the latest change at a station that has seen tremendous upheaval in the past couple of months. Since early March, WPMI has fired its three evening anchors, brought in two new anchors, redesigned its news set and been sold. There is no word at this time whether the sale will mean more changes are in the works.

New set

Speaking of WPMI changes, new anchor Raquel Eatmon debuted a couple of weeks ago along with the revamped set, which features an NBC peacock prominently peaking over the shoulders of the anchors. She came to Mobile from KTVT in Dallas.

WABB-AM Changes

Folks have been calling and asking what happened to “The Ron Fraiser Show” on WABB recently. The short answer is that Fraiser’s morning public affairs show has been cancelled and WABB-AM 1480 will now run a simulcast of “Fox 10 News on the Go,” the television station’s morning news show from 5 a.m. – 8 a.m. Following that, WABB will run the syndicated “Neal Boortz Show.”

WABB management cited low ratings as the reason for the change. The AM station has consistently been in the lower half of the market’s ratings over the past several years. Fraiser told Lagniappe he expected the change and is looking at other options, including possibly landing on another radio station or moving into a different line of work.

In a press release, FOX10 Vice President and General Manager Matt Pumo said, “We are excited about this partnership. Fox 10 and the Dittman family have enjoyed a strong business relationship for quite some time and we are thrilled to provide this news service to our combined consumers.”

WABB’s programming director Jammer said, “To team up with Fox 10 and bring live local news, weather, traffic and sports is a tremendous step forward for 1480 WABB AM.”

Blackledge Pulitzer

Former Mobile Register and current Birmingham News reporter Brett Blackledge took home a Pulitzer Prize last week for his work exposing scandal and corruption in Alabama’s two-year college system. Much of his work was done right here in Mobile, putting Bishop State Community College and its president Yvonne Kennedy on the front page of newspapers statewide.

The Pulitzer is one of the highest awards in American journalism.

Mildwurf wins award

Speaking of awards, I was remiss in mentioning WPMI’s Bruce Mildwurf in the last column. Mildwurf recently won a Regional Edward R. Murrow Awarrd for Feature-Hard News for his story “Pregnant victim’s husband speaks out for first time.”

The story dealt with the death of Nicole Castillo who was killed in February in a head-on collision. Castillo was eight-and-a-half months pregnant at the time. Mildwurf interviewed Castillo’s husband Alexis for the first time to talk about the loss of his wife and unborn son, Christian. The driver of the other vehicle in the accident was only charged with manslaughter in the death of Nicole, leading Alexis Castillo to support the “Brody Bill” that would give unborn children victim status.

Mildwurf said the Murrow win was bittersweet in that it was nice to be recognized, but the tragedy of the story takes some of the shine off of the win.

The win puts Mildwurf in competition for a national Murrow Award.

Byrd joins WALA

The FOX10 Weather Team got help recently with the addition of Chasity Byrd. A native of Bay Minette, Ala., Byrd studied meteorology at the University of South Alabama and is completing her second bachelor’s program in meteorology from Mississippi State University.

WKRG changes

The local CBS affiliate added one new employee recently and recycled another.

Jessica Nesbitt joined the station April 23 as a reporter, coming to WKRG from WCBI in Columbus, Miss. Nesbitt was the 10 p.m. anchor there.

She is a graduate of the University of Mississippi, earning a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism and Political Science. In 2004, she was named “Most Outstanding Broadcast Journalism Student” at Ole Miss. She has also won three Mississippi Associated Press Awards.

David Rencher also returned for a second stint with WKRG April 30, joining the station as Online Content Producer. Rencher worked at WKRG for almost 10 years before transferring to Richmond, Va. to work with Media General’s Interactive Media Division.

Rob Holbert is Lagniappe managing editor. Contact him at rholbert@lagniappemobile.com.

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