Hetal Gandhi, a WTVJ NBC6 general assignment reporter, is not only gone, but has been gone for a few months. Now, general assignment reporters like this come and go all the time. So what makes her so special? Good ol’ Tisha-Diva-Lewis. Lets get into a little background about Hetal. Hetal had great contacts with police and was always breaking stories, something NBC6 doesn’t do very often. Many people thought she was one of the best at the station. She always came in with story ideas every day. That’s why, when she asked for more money, and was denied, people were shocked. Hetal decided she was not earning enough at WTVJ, so she left. Then, good-‘ol-Tisha was renewed almost the same week Hetal left. You see, Tisha has been a problem since she arrived, but for some reason, she’s untouchable.
She exaggerates. Many of you may have heard that Tisha was going around WTVJ saying she is the new weekend anchor of Today in South Florida. That would be false. As far as i know, Joel Connable is still that anchor. Even from day one, when she first arrived. She went around saying how she was a reporter from LA, when in fact, she came from Bakersfield, Califorina.
She is impossible to work with. Other reporters in the field refer to her as “Cruella de Vil” (The evil woman from 101 Dalmations.) They’re even allegedly rotating photographers around her, because no one wants to work with her. Apparently, photographers complain that all Tisha does is types on her Blackberry all day long, complaining about everything the photographers are doing. She seems to love to tattle, and make it known when people aren’t doing things right. One photographer even said that she “makes up her own stories, and reports unconfirmed information.”
She is a diva. One thing Tisha is good at, is barking out orders to people, and spending countless minutes applying, checking, and re-checking her makeup. She has even demanded to be put on camera so she could “see herself”. One producer at WTVJ says that when she’s doing a live report, she “refuses to give a quality mic. check, because she so busy putting on her makeup.”
My point in this rant. NBC6 is really screwing up. They need better directors and managers. Letting quality reporters like Hetal Gandhi leave, and keeping divas like Tisha Lewis is stupid. A blind person who had just been peper sprayed could see that this is a bad move.
Hey WTVJ, we’re all trying to save your station from being compleatly shut down. The least you could do is put quality reporters on the air.
Hetal Gandhi’s profile is still up on the nbc6.net, and before everyone jumps on me remember that a lot of what’s in this post is speculation and even alleged. Now, feel free to yell at me because of my ranting mood.
Wow. That is so interesting.
I’ve never liked Hetal though. Not at all.
I guess I’ve been indifferent about Tisha… until now.
Tisha is a good reporter and a nice person. Hetal Gandi was also solid.
In my opinion, Tisha was renewed because she is a qualified reporter. You claim “Other reporters in the field refer to her as “Cruella de Vil” (The evil woman from 101 Dalmations.)” But Tisha is respectful and professional every time I talk to her in the field.
We all know reporters, especially in Miami, always gossip and say cruel comments about other journalists. They don’t have the courage to confront the reporter face to face. Therefore, they log on their computers like children and post anonymous comments that are unfounded. A wise man once told me years ago, “If you’re in this business to make friends, join the Y.”
If I was Tisha, I would hire a private investigator and an attorney to find out who is slandering her name and that goes out to ALL the people who defame and slander on this blog.
FYI – (I like sfltv.com. I believe the people who run this blog are responsible and understanding. Oh and In case you’re wondering. I’m not Tisha and I do not work at WTVJ)
This has to be a post from bizarro universe. Everything I’ve heard suggested Gandi was ridiculously bad, and from watching her on air I tend to agree.
Whats with the hating on Tisha? what happened to the news worthy posts on this page, not these gossip columns.
Good point Julian.
It’s not a matter of hating on her, nor is it a gossip column. I’m simply incorporating my own personal views (that by the way, do not represent SFLTV’s) with the facts. You’ll either agree with them or not. You don’t have to always agree with my views. The root of this story is about how Hetal left NBC6, and rather then just post that, i posted my personal views along with it. I personally don’t like Tisha; and I’m allowed to not like her.
Why Hetal leaves and Tisha gets to stay is beyond me. Hetal was a solid reporter who worked her contacts and was very conversational on air. Tisha is so hard to watch.. and tries waaaaay too hard. She over-annunciates every single word that comes out of her mouth. She is whats wrong with Miami.. You get a girl straight from (Bakersfield) 100++ market and try to have her fit into market 16. Can’t happen. She needed to make a few more stops elsewhere before ending up here.
Yeah, honestly admin, you seem well off-base. There is no consensus on your post. At best, they’re equally qualified. Tisha may have signed for less money. And Hetal probably did the right thing by leaving a sinking station for potentially better prospects.
I liked Hetal’s work, and am shocked to hear that she’s gone. I just hope Hetal finds work at another station, preferably in South Florida. Hopefully, WFOR gives her a shot.
NO, they are not equally qualified. Yvette Miley thinks she is a crusader for equal rights and pushes incompetents who happen to be African-American (Tisha, Gray Hall), and unfortunately, when a guy with loads of potential like DeMarco Morgan come along, they get lumped in with the dead weight. Hetal was far better andknows far more than Tisha, and developed her knowledge daily. Tisha is an empty shell, shrill and juvenile on camera. She is not someone who is ready to work at this level of the business, and needs polishing at a smaller market before there is a prayer of her making it here. From what I’ve seen, I don’t think she has the intellect to make it, but then again, Miami is the capital of dumbing-down news (see WSVN). I personally miss Hetal but she will make it and probably at a network, once she finds a station where she is able to develop her potential. Same for DeMarco. The biggest question is why Miley still has a job. Or for that matter, Tisha, Gray, Nespral, Joe Rose, or any of the other dead wood on-air at 6. Can’t wait till WaPo takes over and tells eachof them to bring their playbook with them..
the media in general is dumbing-down news
Channel 7 is just the most hyper and glitzy
but they all do the same stories only the packaging is different
chuck i disagree with you on joe rose. i think he’s very good on air, likeable, funny, not afraid to laugh at himself, good knowledge of sports. way better than the other former athletes in the market who can barely string together a coherent sentence even if it is written down for them.
Alex,
I’m confused. I thought the creator of this blog is “not affiliated” with the media or TV stations.
I thought this blog was primarily created to discuss graphics and TV animation. With that said, I’m wondering how “Alex” knows Tisha.
Alex you posted, “I personally don’t like Tisha.”
Why are you using this blog to express your “personal” displeasure?
Do you work at a TV Station? If so, which one?
Are you a “former” TV (WSVN, WFOR, WPLG, WTVJ) employee? Photog? Former Photog? Producer? Former producer? Reporter? Former Reporter? Writer? Former writer?
Why don’t you call NBC 6 and tell Tisha how you feel, rather than use this blog to express your “personal” feelings?
Tisha. You are doing a good job. Keep up the good work!
The Gables,
The creator of this blog and I are not affiliated with the media. This blog is not a graphics and TV animation blog, and I’m sorry if you’re confused. This blog is to discuss all things about the South Florida local media, including the reporters. I am not, nor have ever been in the local media. In fact, i have no desire to be an anchor, reporter, or work for a news station. I only have close contacts in the South Florida news community. When i say that “I personally don’t like Tisha”, i mean her professionalism, mixed with her on air personality — and that is a personal opinion. As i said above, “I’m simply incorporating my own personal views (that by the way, do not represent SFLTV’s) with the facts. You’ll either agree with them or not. You don’t have to always agree with my views. The root of this story is about how Hetal left NBC6, and rather then just post that, i posted my personal views along with it.”
Miami News you’re a complete idiot. Any reporter or anchor or even actor for that matter knows the public is going to have an opinion about them. in this day and age with computers and internet sites being as advanced as they are, people are going to share their opinions. To say Tisha needs to hire a Private Investigator to find out who is “slandering” her is stupid. She should have thick enough skin to deal with it if she chooses to read it. Moron
Hopefully Hetal will be seen on CBS4. It is just like when NBC6 let Michael Williams go and stuck us with 30 mins of Jackie, oh please that was the last I watched NBC6 at 11:00pm
Hetal wasn’t great at first, but she came a very long way while at WTVJ. I noticed a while ago that she was gone, and it’s too bad. Tisha is almost unbearable to watch on TV. She is an amateur in comparison to other reporters in this market, and it is painfully obvious on air.
Alex you posted, “i mean her professionalism, mixed with her on air personality — and that is a personal opinion.”
How do you know about her “professionalism?” Give a specific example of how she was “unprofessional” to YOU, not a third party.
Does it matter if it was through me, or through multiple third parties? I know plenty about her professionalism. Correct me if I’m wrong, but your basically saying i shouldn’t judge her professionalism because she has never demonstrated it to me personally. That’s almost like saying you shouldn’t judge politicians because you haven’t met them in person. I don’t like people who are unprofessional, and therefore, i have the right not to like Tisha…and that’s all.
LOL!!! How does Tisha get this much attention? In all honesty, she really is just…okay. As was Hetal. Neither have a strong on camera presence. And can someone explain, how has Tisha been a problem? and where is Hetal?
Here’s a third party for you Alex. Someone must have told Tisha about “reporter participation” and she took it to heart. You may have great video of the person you are interviewing doing whatever the story is about but instead you have to use stale video of Tisha talking to the person. Lots of two shots and stand ups! It really isn’t about the reporter. A very small market mistake.
this is so childish. Hetal was a nice girl but she wasn’t a stand out reporter. Her leaving has nothing to do with Tisha. If you don’t like Tisha fine just ignore her…this is only giving her wasy too much attention and screams that you have a personal vendetta against her….like I said so childish.
I’ve seen Hetal on the air at WTSP in Tampa.
She looked like she just rolled out of bed (she was in the studio).
Very unimpressive for this market size, but then again, all the places are on a downhill slide in the reporting ranks.
That’s what happens when you pay very little; you get a warm body speaking, but that’s about it.
I know many people who no longer watch tv news for that reason.
Tisha. Ignore the haters and keep on shining. You are blessed and the enemy hates it.
Miami News, it is not a matter of hatred. This news biz just isn’t for Tisha. I invite her to investigate the many opportunities available to her in the burgeoning fast food industry.
Tisha is one of the rudest reporters I have ever come across in the field. That being said…she’s very young and how would you respond if you were in your young 20’s and thrown into a top market like Miami after working in tiny Bakersfield?
I’m sure she’s a little insecure and probably overcompensates for that. She’s just a young immature kid but give her some time and she’ll be fine. It’s like when a certain WSVN reporter (who shall go unnamed) came into this market. He immediately tried to backstab all the other reporters and even pissed off his own photographers. And while he’s not exactly the Dalai Lama now….he has matured and is actually a nice guy to talk to.
Miami is considered a “top market”?? If that’s even true, you’d never know it from watching the stations here…
Amen Joe. There used to be giants walking the earth here, now…mostly due to incompetent management.
When you’re coming from Bakersfield,,, yes Miami is a top market. #16
DL that’s not a very nice thing to say about Q Mcray
Thanks for reminding me…does anyone think the next Walter Cronkite will be someone with a single letter for a first name? How silly. Q for what–but at 7, he’s liable to be next in line to co-anchor with Belkys. This is my old argument with 7–their whole operation lacks gravitas…and I used that word long before Stephen Colbert came along.
Hetal I LOVE YOU! I saw you & him walking in the rain.
DL, I wouldn’t call #16 as being in the “top” regardless of where you’re coming from (especially with what we viewers experience here).
Given the current rankings, I’d say that the “top” stops at #8 Atlanta, or maybe #9, D.C.
Please remember that market size is solely based on population. It really has very little to do with how much money people make or how good the news is. Miami should be a top market in the sense of quality. Unfortunately, stations in Miami have gone cheap, so NBC, Fox, CBS and WPLG all suffer with the amount of great reporters who have experience. If you look at salaries in Miami, you jump from reporters making 35 thousand a year because they have no experience to reporters and anchors making well over 400 thousand because they have been working for years.
This might be totally subjective, but I don’t consider MIA/FTL at 1.5 million households a “top” market. I think the “top” markets start at around 2 million (e.g., D.C or maybe even Houston).
You all are really missing the point. “Top” market or not…there’s a world of difference between working in Bakersfield and working in Miami. It’s a 100+ market difference.
Well, sure, DL – Bakersfield is nowhere compared to here. I’m just saying that MIA/FTL isn’t a “top” market – it’s sort of near the top of the middle.