Starting in March, NBC6 will have a new executive producer by the name Jose Suarez. He comes from Toledo, Ohio where he was the News Director for Fox affiliate WUPW.
With him chances are the days of slow paced, calm NBC6 are probably over. If you thought WFOR looked and copied WSVN soon you probably won’t recognize WTVJ. His 3 year stint at WUPW has been an interesting one to say the least. As the station’s News Director he made the station devote two and a half hours of commercial free “breaking news” coverage of a puppy trapped in a six inch diameter pipe. Insiders tell me that Suarez is known to be a very aggressive and very sensational guy so it won’t be huge stretch saying look for a 7-ized NBC6 very soon.
Thanks to one of my regular insiders for the heads up on this news
Toledo Blade
Suarez brought creativity and innovation to Channel 36
Suarez brought creativity and innovation to Channel 36
Jose Suarez arrived in 2001 as the youngest news director in the Toledo television market. He will leave next month as the one with the longest current tenure.
Suarez, 33, is heading home to Miami. He has been hired as an executive producer at WTVJ-TV.
His time at WUPW-TV, Channel 36, has been anything but ordinary. As he put it, “It’s been an action-packed 31/2 years.”
Snapshots from 2001: 1. WUPW expanded its 10 p.m. newscast from 30 minutes to an hour; 2. The station devoted 2 hours, 38 minutes of live, commercial-free coverage to the story of a puppy that fell down a six-inch-diameter pipe.
From 2002: 1. WUPW received a Regional Emmy for best newscast, a shocking victory over its Toledo rivals; 2. Suarez was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. (After eight months of treatment, doctors declared him cancer-free.)
From 2003: 1. WUPW won its second consecutive Regional Emmy for best newscast; 2. News anchor Ryan Serber was diagnosed with a lime-size brain tumor. (Serber was off the air for 14 months before returning as a reporter; he eventually quit because he was convinced he would not get the opportunity to anchor again.)
From 2004: 1. The Fox affiliate launched the market’s first 4 p.m. newscast; 2. The station brought some comic relief to the ongoing local “weather war” with spoof promos featuring a nonexistent radar, the “Super Duper Whoppler Dopplar.”
Suarez will stay at WUPW through the current ratings period, which ends March 2, and start at NBC-owned WTVJ five days later.
“My time in Toledo has been great,” he said. “I went through a lot personally; I went through a lot professionally. It’s very hard for me to leave, but how do you turn your back on a great opportunity?”
WUPW general manager Ray Maselli praised Suarez for advancing the station’s news operation.
“His arrival here came at a time when his specific abilities were needed,” Maselli said. “He brought us a great deal of creativity and innovation.”
Maselli said he hopes to have a new newsroom manager in place before the end of April.
Meanwhile, Suarez will be joining “a station I grew up watching” and working with some of the same people who, unbeknownst to them, “inspired me” to get into TV news.
KEY POSITION: Brian Olson is the new market manager for the eight Cumulus-owned radio stations in the area, including top-rated WKKO-FM (99.9) and WRQN-FM (93.5). He replaces Kathy Stinehour, who resigned in December. Olson, who started last week, previously was the market manager for Cumulus’ four-station cluster in Flint, Mich.
SPORTS MOVES: WNWO-TV, Channel 24, has hired Brian Ojima as a sports reporter. He previously worked at KSPR-TV in Springfield, Mo.
WTVG-TV, Channel 13, is advertising for a sports reporter. Jason Brown, who started in November, is being let out of his contract, according to assistant news director Anthony Knopps, but there is no firm departure date.
Russ Lemmon writes two columns per week for The Blade. His Behind The News column appears on Sundays. His column on the local media appears on Mondays.
» E-mail him at rlemmon@theblade.com or call (419) 724-6122.
» Read more Russ Lemmon columns at www.toledoblade.com/lemmon
hope svn has some stunts planned
p.s. cbs4 is trying to copy 7, but you can’t beat the nightteam (hope they have that tradmarket for the markrt), i cant imagine the nbc6 nightteam
To that I say thank goodness, they really need to shake up thing over there, so damn boring. I hope the forst move would be to move Jackie Nespral and Tony Segretto. Nespral just scream at me with an almost squeaky voice (she is beautiful though) and Segretto-i wont go there. I love Julia Yarbough but she will need a little more spunk but she does a better job Nespral. Michael Williams is ok. I dont like that sports guy they have either, I prefer that John Henry (cute). 7 tops them all though but can we please get back Laurie Jennings in the house. By now you all should know that Jennings is my absolute favourite. Best in South Florida.
when is that new 7 guy coming again?
Speaking of Channel 7…what is going on with the “remodeled” newplex? I thought they were going to debut it during the February sweeps, but apparently not since today is the 28th.
Any news on when that change will take place?
Webmaster you have a few questions to answer, where are you?
the new 7 guy will be on air in march
the newsplex is in the works, no timeframe as to when it will debut yet
The first order of Business at NBC6 is getting rid of the General Manager..Ardy Diercks..This woman doesnt have a damn clue..!! Segreto and Nespral need to go..If they can woo Micah Ohlman back for ABC7 in Los Angeles that would be a good idea..I would love to see more of Kelly Craig..John Guaraldi need to be the new chief met..I for one really miss Jennifer Valoppi
I’m probably the only one who likes NBC6 the way it is. I like them, they make me feel comfortable. I just can’t stand SVN!! Though if the new guy gives Ms Kosinski and Ms Czarniak more airtime (perhaps have them both investigate mud wrestling tournaments ;)), then maybe…..maybe…..:D
What’s wrong with Tony and Jackie?!?! They seem fine to me. I hope to see more fats paced stuff soon.
how can someone not like 7News??????????
Hey guys,
I felt compelled to let you all know that Brian Andrews can be pretty funny when he thinks he is not live on the air, check this out.
http://techbuzz.iun.edu/media/andrews_cbs4.asf
I want to like WTVJ because I think their set allows so much flexibility but the chemistry just isnt there. Jose Diaz-Balart has more personality (even thought I dont want to see him as lead anchor
Saw you mentioned a new guy at 7..whats that all about? new anchor? reporter?
A new hot looking guy who will be joining 7 this month. I think he will be a reporter.
NBC6 is the pits. Segretto drags Nespral down, who cares if she is cute, I want someone I can believe and trust like Valopi, Kruger, Jennings, Michael Williams and Dwight. Diaz Balart is also good and sophmoric for the 5pm/530pm shows. Speaking of poor is Joe Rose and his sidekick Czarniak who looks like a mop turned upside down. She is in desperate need of a hair dresser. SOmeone said that Kelly Craig should be doing the news and I agree. She has brains, a nice smile and delivers the news extremely well. Ms. Dierks has no idea of what she is doing. She and Segretto should relocate to Anchorage Alaska. How about if we make a new dream team???
I love Laurie Jennings…
I really like Kelley Mitchell, formerly of WSVN in their “hey days”…I also really like Maggie Rodriguez..Kelly Craig need more visability at the lame duck station WTVJ….WSVN 7 doesn’t do it for me like they used to..they hire all this cheap new talent from small markets and it shows..the loss of Mark Londner, Brian Andrews, Delaine Matthew,Jackie Johnson,Kate Wentzel, Andre Hepkins, Beatriz Canals, Laurie Jennings, Charles Perez,…all in one years time people…says something about mgmt there..I for one Love WFOR, News 4…they are…..SOUTH FLORIDA’S NEWS STATION!!!
I for one think that NBC 6, when they moved to broward, was great. But now they are starting to fall a little. And now that they have this new executive producer, I guess you could start watching seven news again if you want to hear about the slightest problem look like a major problem to them. But I love Laurie jennings on Local 10, but she’s too good to be in Local Evening News, she should be on MSNBC again. I don’t like Rick Sanchez, he should not even be on CNN Live Today. But since NBC 6 is fixing up there web site and “cleaning house” what should happen is Kelley Craig and Arie Odzner (I think I spelled his name wrong) should be lead anchors. Then one of the hottest wemen in news, martha Sugalski and Julia Yarbough should be the 5:30 news team. I hate seeing the same faces for a full hour. Sorry but fire wanna be sports fan Tony Segreto please! Put Jackie Nespral on weekends in the morning. Make Tina(I think thats her first name) Robinson and Pam Giganti Morning anchors, sorry bob mayor you would be good on weekends. Lonnie Quin, the best person that has ever given the weather, should be on the weather channel because he is toooo good for local weather. Oh yeah, Ch 10 need a make over badly. Laurie Jennings again should be on something like the Today Show and Ch.7, need help, because I don’t know who these new talent are but They need to go back to the small markets where there came from. Make sure you keep me updated on Ch 6 “cleaning house”
Everybody here is going nuts! Jackie Nespral, besides being super cute, is very much a professional, and does a great job. Tony Segreto has been doing this job for 30 years or so, and gives a sense of stability to the news. I for one watch NBC 6 news over the other stations. If you want tabloid news, go then yes, go to channel 7, but if you want real, honest news, stay with NBC