A clip from 1975 – WTVJ was the first station to broadcast a live report from the field. Bob Mayer had the honors reporting and Ralph Renick at the anchor desk
15 COMMENTS
Little bit of trivia. The guy who threatened Reagan is the same guy arrested about 10 years ago for threatening Howard Stern.
Too bad WTVJ how were the innovators of local TV news are slowing becoming the weakest TV news station in South Florida.
NBC fix your issues and revamp your TV news team. Upgrade Joel Connable to main anchor and hire a more talented female main anchor to join him. Would love to see someone like a Laurie Jennings working alongside with Joel.
Jackie is beautiful and great to see…but she should not be the main anchor. And sorry…I don’t believe Julia, DeMarco, Amara, Pam or Kelly belong in a main anchor position either.
in spite of the low ratings wtvj continues to innovate. not positive, but i think they were the first station in south florida with robotic cameras, first to partner with a newspaper, first to use servers for news playback, first duopoly, first hub, first to go hd, first with control room automation, and apparently now they are going to be the first american station owned by Al Jazeera. i’m sure there are many i’ve forgotten about. not sure about all those firsts, but i know they were first with some of them. they always seem to be on the cutting edge especially with new technology (for better or worse).
Anon, I don’t know what you’re getting at with Al-Jazeera. Yes, WTVJ is technologically innovative, they just need a new owner that will put them back in serious business. Of course, I don’t know too much about the potential buyers themselves, but Admin said three of Belo’s stations were top dog in their markets. Also, Cox’s WFTV is king in Orlando.
actually MockTV, that Al-Jazeera rumor has been growing stronger and stronger in recent days…apparently, “talk” of them wanting to expand in the US emerged at the same time that “talk” of a WTVJ sale came around…supposedly, Al-Jazeera execs have been seen in and around ‘TVJ…WHO KNOWS…it is Miami, after all…
The Al Jazeera rumor is BS. There is no reason why Al Jaseera would want to buy a local station in Miami. If they were buying local stations, they would target, New York, Los Angeles, places like that. They have a US operation in Washington DC and that makes sense. It would be bad publicity for NBC to sell to them. It would be a public relations nightmare. I think many WTVj anchors and staff members were quit if Al Jazeera came in. The Post Newsweek bid was not denied. It is still a real possibilty. This is true for Belo, Cox and Media General
sorry “nbc producer”. that’s why they would look at a lower profile market like miami. in washington, ny, or la the public relations fall out would be worse. why do you think it is taking so long for this to happen? from what i hear, the fcc is working out foreign ownership exceptions right now. and by the way, trust me, the post newsweek thing was denied. it was the first one to be summarily rejected. wtvj management had a good laugh over the whole proposal.
Tf the Al Jazeera rumor s true, I will resign as one of the anchors at NBC6. I will do it live, on air once we are owned by Al Jazeera. I refuse to work for a company that has been named as an Enemy of the State by the American government.
NBC Anchor, that will be you tube moment for sure. Unfortunately, I don’t think you get chance to resign on the air. From whispers i’ve been hearing, AJ has radical plans for the on-air product that don’t involve current anchors.
Despite me having credibility issues with people who blatantly put there username as “NBC……”, it’s not our place to really judge it. I think the main thing to think about in the whole “Al Jazeera” issue, is common sense. Do you REALLY think NBC would sell off there South Florida station, to a network that has had more controversy then Fox News :P…. I don’t think so…
Just my two cents.
As for the actual liveshot, it’s pretty cool. Sad to think that there may not be a WTVJ news station in the near future.
I honestly think NBC cares most about money at this point, they will sell off all their o&o’s eventually and there is no doubt GE is dumping NBC after the olympics. Do you really think they are worried about the controversy of who they sell to?
And if they were worried about controversy, would they sell the historic WTVJ to Post Newsweek and Sunbeam, to be dismantled? I’d believe the al jaz rumor before that. If you think NBC isn’t capable of outrageous decisions, just look at who is running them.
Actually, many of us would get a chance to give Al Jazeera one zinger on air. Many of us are still in oru contracts, others have signed new contracts, so Al Jazeera woul dhave to buy everyone out. This Al Jazeera stuff is Bull. If it happens you will see a revolution at WTVJ and in Miami.
NBC Anchor, your contract doesn’t mean they have to put you on the air. just means they have to pay you. and i’m pretty sure AJ can afford your contract. there are probably also clauses in your contract that would allow them to stop paying you, should you go all sue simmons on the air.
and do you seriously think there will be a revolution in miami once AJ’s purchase is announced? this town could care less about stuff like that. why do you think they’re buying in miami vs. washington, d.c. or NY? now maybe if Cubavisión bought WTVJ, then you’d have a revolution.
I’ll restate this. Al Jazeera, WILL NEVER get there hands on WTVJ. It’s just not going to happen. Despite the money factor, there are really no pros in NBC selling to Al Jazeera. You KNOW the baboons at Fox would have a field day with it. It would be all over national news; “NBC: Hates America!”, “NBC Supports Terrorism?”, “NBC: Thinks 9/11 was a good thing…” I can hear the Fox BS headlines now, it’s a PR nightmare. Not to mention how Fox can spin things. I never gamble, but I’m willing to bet my practice on the fact that NBC6, will never be Alahlalalalalalalalallalala 6.
Little bit of trivia. The guy who threatened Reagan is the same guy arrested about 10 years ago for threatening Howard Stern.
Wow…what great nostalgia!
Too bad WTVJ how were the innovators of local TV news are slowing becoming the weakest TV news station in South Florida.
NBC fix your issues and revamp your TV news team. Upgrade Joel Connable to main anchor and hire a more talented female main anchor to join him. Would love to see someone like a Laurie Jennings working alongside with Joel.
Jackie is beautiful and great to see…but she should not be the main anchor. And sorry…I don’t believe Julia, DeMarco, Amara, Pam or Kelly belong in a main anchor position either.
in spite of the low ratings wtvj continues to innovate. not positive, but i think they were the first station in south florida with robotic cameras, first to partner with a newspaper, first to use servers for news playback, first duopoly, first hub, first to go hd, first with control room automation, and apparently now they are going to be the first american station owned by Al Jazeera. i’m sure there are many i’ve forgotten about. not sure about all those firsts, but i know they were first with some of them. they always seem to be on the cutting edge especially with new technology (for better or worse).
Anon, I don’t know what you’re getting at with Al-Jazeera. Yes, WTVJ is technologically innovative, they just need a new owner that will put them back in serious business. Of course, I don’t know too much about the potential buyers themselves, but Admin said three of Belo’s stations were top dog in their markets. Also, Cox’s WFTV is king in Orlando.
actually MockTV, that Al-Jazeera rumor has been growing stronger and stronger in recent days…apparently, “talk” of them wanting to expand in the US emerged at the same time that “talk” of a WTVJ sale came around…supposedly, Al-Jazeera execs have been seen in and around ‘TVJ…WHO KNOWS…it is Miami, after all…
The Al Jazeera rumor is BS. There is no reason why Al Jaseera would want to buy a local station in Miami. If they were buying local stations, they would target, New York, Los Angeles, places like that. They have a US operation in Washington DC and that makes sense. It would be bad publicity for NBC to sell to them. It would be a public relations nightmare. I think many WTVj anchors and staff members were quit if Al Jazeera came in. The Post Newsweek bid was not denied. It is still a real possibilty. This is true for Belo, Cox and Media General
sorry “nbc producer”. that’s why they would look at a lower profile market like miami. in washington, ny, or la the public relations fall out would be worse. why do you think it is taking so long for this to happen? from what i hear, the fcc is working out foreign ownership exceptions right now. and by the way, trust me, the post newsweek thing was denied. it was the first one to be summarily rejected. wtvj management had a good laugh over the whole proposal.
Tf the Al Jazeera rumor s true, I will resign as one of the anchors at NBC6. I will do it live, on air once we are owned by Al Jazeera. I refuse to work for a company that has been named as an Enemy of the State by the American government.
Cool.
NBC Anchor, that will be you tube moment for sure. Unfortunately, I don’t think you get chance to resign on the air. From whispers i’ve been hearing, AJ has radical plans for the on-air product that don’t involve current anchors.
Despite me having credibility issues with people who blatantly put there username as “NBC……”, it’s not our place to really judge it. I think the main thing to think about in the whole “Al Jazeera” issue, is common sense. Do you REALLY think NBC would sell off there South Florida station, to a network that has had more controversy then Fox News :P…. I don’t think so…
Just my two cents.
As for the actual liveshot, it’s pretty cool. Sad to think that there may not be a WTVJ news station in the near future.
I honestly think NBC cares most about money at this point, they will sell off all their o&o’s eventually and there is no doubt GE is dumping NBC after the olympics. Do you really think they are worried about the controversy of who they sell to?
And if they were worried about controversy, would they sell the historic WTVJ to Post Newsweek and Sunbeam, to be dismantled? I’d believe the al jaz rumor before that. If you think NBC isn’t capable of outrageous decisions, just look at who is running them.
Actually, many of us would get a chance to give Al Jazeera one zinger on air. Many of us are still in oru contracts, others have signed new contracts, so Al Jazeera woul dhave to buy everyone out. This Al Jazeera stuff is Bull. If it happens you will see a revolution at WTVJ and in Miami.
NBC Anchor, your contract doesn’t mean they have to put you on the air. just means they have to pay you. and i’m pretty sure AJ can afford your contract. there are probably also clauses in your contract that would allow them to stop paying you, should you go all sue simmons on the air.
and do you seriously think there will be a revolution in miami once AJ’s purchase is announced? this town could care less about stuff like that. why do you think they’re buying in miami vs. washington, d.c. or NY? now maybe if Cubavisión bought WTVJ, then you’d have a revolution.
I’ll restate this. Al Jazeera, WILL NEVER get there hands on WTVJ. It’s just not going to happen. Despite the money factor, there are really no pros in NBC selling to Al Jazeera. You KNOW the baboons at Fox would have a field day with it. It would be all over national news; “NBC: Hates America!”, “NBC Supports Terrorism?”, “NBC: Thinks 9/11 was a good thing…” I can hear the Fox BS headlines now, it’s a PR nightmare. Not to mention how Fox can spin things. I never gamble, but I’m willing to bet my practice on the fact that NBC6, will never be Alahlalalalalalalalallalala 6.
Take what i said with a grain of salt.