Offering a serious tone on this morning’s funeral of Mayor Koch, New York stations covered the entire solemn proceedings.

But, WCBS/Channel 2 went one step further. Channel 2 brought in its main anchor team of Maurice DuBois and Kristine Johnson to lead the 11 a.m. coverage.

At WABC/Channel 7, Bill Ritter joined morning anchor Lori Stokes for its special reporting.

Related: FishbowlNY, Memories of Longtime Media Favorite, Mayor Ed Koch

Otherwise, it was the morning talent that handled the coverage. Good Day New York anchors Rosanna Scotto and Greg Kelly hosting the programming that took WNYW viewers to Temple Emanu-El. Sister station WWOR stayed with it regular lineup.

WPIX/Channel 11 opted fot its usual “must see” daytime TV, starting with Jerry Springer.

Michael Gargiulo and Darlene Rodriguez anchored for WNBC.

In addition, WLNY was used as the way station for WCBS shows pre-empted by the special coverage.

Yet another mass murder…this time in Newtown, Connecticut. The deranged man opened fire in an elementary school killing 20 youngsters, all shy of their eighth birthday. Seven adults were also gunned down, including the shooter’s mother.

The rampage is the second deadliest school shooting in U.S. history, behind the Virigina Tech massacre in 2007 where 32 students died.

The weekend was the time for families and friends to cope with the insurmountable loss. President Obama attended last night’s prayer vigil.

Although Newtown is on the outskirts of the New York tri-state area, it’s close enough for stations to easily send reporters to cover the services.

By Saturday, this was anything but a typical story. WNYW/Channel 5 brought in Dari Alexander to co-anchor with Christina Park. Likely unrelated, top meteorologist Nick Gregory was on-duty Saturday night as well.

For the Sunday night vigil, it was WABC/Channel 7 that shined. Bill Ritter anchored for Newtown, while Sade Baderinwa was behind the desk. Ritter struck the perfect balance of reporting the information, while masterfully dealing with the incredibly sad story.

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Call it musical chairs without the music! WNYW/Channel 5 anchor Dari Alexander is part of the station’s 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts. She co-anchors the early broadcast with market veteran Ernie Anastos, and the late news with Greg Kelly.

That part is known since the major anchor shifts in July. But more subtle is where Alexander places herself, and why.

Viewers of the 5 p.m. see no changes–Alexander in her familiar spot next to Anastos on her (TV) right. However, take a look at the 10 p.m., where Kelly replaced Anastos. Instead of seeing Kelly taking Anastos’ seat, it’s Alexander who’s jumping into her on-air partner’s spot.

Two factors could be at play here. First, it would appear that Fox management is trying in subliminal fashion to take “pressure” off Kelly. Grabbing Anastos’ seat, still used at 5 p.m., could be viewed as “stealing” his job.

But now we’re faced with an TV news anomaly. When was the last time an anchor sat in different positions for multiple newscasts? It’s a rare occurrence, if it happens at all.

Another point to note: on all of the major newscasts the male anchor is sitting on the left, whether it be Maurice DuBois, Chuck Scarborough, or Bill Ritter. (One exception: WNBC’s Today in New York has Darlene Rodriguez on the left, alongside Michael Gargiulo.)

A WNYW spokesperson had no comment to FishbowlNY on the record.

Courtesy: newscaststudio.com

WNBC has been in the market for a new studio since October. Channel 4 is joining the influx of city stations with new sets for their newscasts. In WABC’s case, it moved out of the traditional surroundings for a ground-floor windowed facility on the Upper West Side.

WNBC also is making the jump downstairs to 3C.

But as we reported last month, there were apparent delays to viewers finally seeing the new digs.

While the station isn’t ready to unveil the studio, and a spokesperson had no details about the target date, newscaststudio.com has the first photos of the new look. The pictures were taken with Today in New York anchors Darlene Rodriguez, Michael Gargiulo, Chris Cimino, and Lauren Scala.

The Website, which last month, said WNBC was scrapping the planned set design, has backtracked saying it’s a revised version.

Newscaststudio.com also says the new graphics were leaked.

With another Super Bowl title for the New York Giants, now comes the celebration! Several stations are planning to televise the ticker tape parade tomorrow up the Canyon of Heroes in Lower Manhattan.

WCBS/Channel 2 begins its live coverage at 11 a.m. with the celebrations at two venues –New York City and at the Giants’ home, MetLife Stadium.

WCBS will have cameras along and above the parade route and will feature reports by news anchors Maurice DuBois, Chris Wragge and Don Dahler, sports anchors Otis Livingston and Lisa Kerney, reporter Jennifer McLogan, and WFAN morning co-host Craig Carton.

Those unable to get to a television can watch the festivities streamed live on CBSNewYork.com.

WNBC/Channel 4 is providing live coverage as well, starting with Today in New York at 4:30 a.m. Darlene Rodriguez and Michael Gargiulo then join sports anchor Bruce Beck for live coverage at 11 a.m.  Several reporters will be staked out along the parade route, including Andrew Siff and Katherine Creag.

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I’ve been covering  Wednesday’s at Michael’s for five years and have never seen anything like the head-spinning scene that unfolded there today. Harvey Weinstein and Steve Tisch threw a pep rally to end all pep rallies, and the media A-list all came out to cheer on their favorite team. Peggy Siegal and her minions descended on the place before the crowd rushed in with plenty of New York Giants paraphernalia, transforming the California cool decor into an indoor tailgate party.

By noon, I counted at least a dozen paparazzi staked out at the entrance, and they certainly weren’t disappointed. Drew Nieporent was the first to arrive (“What’s for lunch?”), and in short order the lounge was flooded with famous folks, including Brian Williams, Gayle King, Piers Morgan, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb (wearing newly identical red dresses and looking fabulous), former governor George Pataki, Matt Lauer and various members of the Tisch family.

Everyone’s mind was on the big game; conventional wisdom says the Giants will be this year’s Super Bowl champs, but it’s going to be a close one.  (All except Jerry Della Femina, who predicts the Patriots will take it 27-24.) “I think it’s going to be a squeaker,” offered Andrew Ross Sorkin. “At least I hope so because it will be a better game.”

Not surprisingly, Giants legend Frank Gifford, who will be watching the game from his home in Greenwich with family and friends, predicts a 30-10 win for his former team. “Eli Manning has really come into his own as a quarterback,” he told me. “But a quarterback is only as good as his team. They’re a great team. If you were playing for the Giants, you’d be a great quarterback.” Doubtful, but we appreciate the sentiment. Brian Williams, who’ll be going to the game, refused to speculate on the final score for fear of tempting the gods. ”You just don’t do that,” he told me.

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Countdown is on before 2012 arrives. But before we say so long to 2011, there’s just enough time to gather some new year’s resolutions. Several notable personalities provide their resolutions for 2012.

WNYW/Channel5 anchor Ernie Anastos:

I’ve always looked forward to starting a new year with a renewed sense of purpose.  

One of my personal resolutions for 2012 is to bring more positive and uplifting stories to the media by highlighting the good things happening in our world. We need it. Viewers have always been asking for it, which is why I hosted my first TV special on Fox 5, “Positively Ernie.” Now, I’m hoping to turn it into a regular weekly show to help make a difference. My wish is for good news for the new year! 
WNBC/Channel 4 sports anchor Bruce Beck:

• I would like to lose 10 pounds to get down to old playing weight.
• I would like not to choke on the 18th hole in the club championship.
• I would like to cover a New York team winning a world title in all four major sports in 2012.

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WNBC/Channel 4 morning anchor Darlene Rodriguez is being recognized for her leadership within the Hispanic community as a broadcast journalist. As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, Rodriguez is being honored by the Westchester County Board of Legislators.

The free event is Monday, September 19th at 6 p.m. at the Michaelian Office Building in White Plains.

Since joining WNBC, Rodriguez has covered an array of news stories for which she was given a New York City Proclamation and a Latina Excellence Award by Hispanic magazine in 2000. She is also the recipient of the 1998 Silurian Award for Best Spot News Coverage for her report on a Queens subway crash.

Rodriguez co-anchors the award-winning Today in New York newscast with Michael Gargiulo, weekday mornings from 4:30 to 7 a.m.

As Hurricane Irene churned in the Atlantic with a bulls-eye at New York City’s back, TV stations went into non-stop coverage throughout the weekend.

The category-one storm made her first landfall early Saturday morning in Cape Lookout, North Carolina as stations began their wall-to-wall mode.

Accentuating the serious nature of the story, virtually every anchor was on the air.

WNYW’s Dari Alexander was one of the few anchors not seen during the weekend coverage. She was last seen by viewers on Friday night. Her 10 p.m. colleague Ernie Anastos (above, center) made his first appearance at 3 p.m. Sunday with co-anchor Christina Park, as the storm weakened significantly.

But Channel 5 did have its Good Day team, Rosanna Scotto and Greg Kelly, in place. However, much of Scotto’s screen time during the weekend was with WNYW’s newest member–Steve Lacy, and not her “TV husband” Kelly.

Kelly and Scotto were together Saturday, helping provide of the special moments.

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As Hurricane Irene churns 1,000 miles away from the New York City, today’s noon newscasts on WCBS/Channel 2 and WABC/Channel 7 predictably emphasized the potential serious storm.

Both stations gave team coverage to preparations for Irene, which is expected to make landfall in the tri-state area Sunday.

On WABC, with anchors Lori Stokes, Ken Rosato, and meteorologist Amy Freeze (filling in for Bill Evans) tracked the now category three hurricane with the latest data.

The team coverage included reporters gathered throughout New York and New Jersey.

WCBS also dedicated a large chuck of their regular noon broadcast to Irene. Rob Morrison and Mary Calvi led the newscast with weather anchor John Elliott.

But, if you want to know how serious Irene may be for New York, just look no further than WNBC/Channel 4.

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