Here’s a look at what FishbowlNY stories made the most buzz this week.

1. NY1′s Pat Kiernan (left) Auditions for Dream Job, Co-Hosting Live, March 6
2. Sue Simmons Out at WNBC After More Than Three Decades, March 7
3. Nick Cannon, Former NOW Morning Host, Battling Autoimmune Disease, March 5
4. O, The Oprah Magazine Has No Love for Stedman, March 8
5. WNYW’s Julie Chang Handicaps American Idol, March 7
6. Veteran Sports Anchor Len Berman Resurfaces at Channel 5, March 2

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With WNYW/Channel 5 as the New York home to American Idol, membership has its privileges for entertainment reporter Julie Chang. In-season her focus is the “Idol Chatter” during the  10 p.m. newscast with Ernie Anastos and Dari Alexander. Chang had been handling entertainment fare on Good Day New York until recent personnel changes. Last year, Jill Nicolini was brought on board mornings from WPIX and Anne Craig left the station and the arts beat behind.

Chang just returned from Los Angeles after the Top 13 finalists were unveiled Thursday. She’ll return to the red carpet for the two-night finale in May.

FishbowlNY caught up with the busy, frequent flier for her take on season 11 of Idol, which remains the most popular show each week.

Among the group vying for the title are several singers with ties to the New York area: Elise Testone who grew up in Kinnelon, New Jersey; Jermaine Jones, who hails from Pine Hill, New Jersey; Jeremy Rosato was born in Brooklyn and raised in Queens, although listed Valrico, Florida as his hometown on the show. Rounding on the local field is Flushing’s Heejun Han.

“In the last ten years, eight of the winners have come from the South,” Chang tells FishbowlNY. “I feel that this year we really have a strong shot at having a winner from the Big Apple.”

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Fans of Jill Nicolini, wait no longer! The popular WPIX/Channel 11 morning personality, as previously reported, resurfaced today on WNYW/Channel 5′s Good Day New York.

In the waning minutes of the 8 a.m. hour, Nicolini made her first appearance on Channel 5.

“Do not adjust your sets,” Anchor Rosanna Scotto joked. “You’re not seeing things. We’re not melding stations.”

Scotto and Greg Kelly took two minutes to introduce her to the WNYW viewers.

Many wondered what Nicolini’s role at WNYW would be. Kelly, immediately, put an end to the speculation, saying that Julie Chang will handle entertainment on the evening newscasts with Ernie Anastos and Dari Alexander, thus, clearing the way for Nicolini.

“Now you get to play with us in the morning,” Scotto told Nicolini.

“I love you guys, I’ve always watched you,” Nicolini countered.  

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Get Jill Nicolini some new business cards! The popular traffic and entertainment reporter left WPIX/Channel 11 earlier this month for bigger opportunities. Although those opportunities are still hazy, Nicolini has taken her talents to WNYW/Channel 5. She’ll begin on October 3, the Daily News reports.

Channel 5 already has traffic reporter Ines Rosales, while Julie Chang handles the morning entertainment beat.

Nicolini first appeared on WPIX in 2004, and her star has been rising ever since.

You know Julie Chang for her three years of work at WNYW/Channel 5. The entertainment correspondent is featured on Good Day New York, alongside anchors Greg Kelly and Rosanna Scotto.

However, Chang will be alongside actors Neil Patrick Harris and Sofia Vergara in the feature film The Smurfs opening next week.

In the four-second unspoken cameo, Chang is seen walking down a few steps with Vergara and standing in the background.  (Click here for the clip) 

Chang said on Friday’s Good Day that she’s playing herself for the brief role, but joked, “We have to loop it, because my scene is so short.”

Lynda Lopez, a veteran of various New York TV and radio stations, is joining Fox 5/WNYW as entertainment contributor for the 10 p.m. newscast. Her primary role, at the start, will be covering American Idol. Ironically, Lopez is the younger sister of Idol judge Jennifer Lopez. Her first report aired last night.

Lynda Lopez previously worked for Fox, first as a weekend anchor for WWOR in 2006. A year later, she moved to Fox 5 and Good Day New York.

As for the 2011 version of Good Day, Julie Chang will provide Idol updates on the Fox 5 morning show anchored by Rosanna Scotto and Greg Kelly. Chang, along with Lopez, will be at the Idol finale in Los Angeles later this month.

Most recently, Lopez was anchoring on WCBS 880.

Lopez replaces Anne Craig who left the station last month.