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

1. Time Inc. and Meredith Talks Stall Because No One Likes Iowa, March 6

2. Freelance Journalism’s Downside Perfectly Captured, March 5

3. Cablevision Lays Off Dozens in MSG Varsity Restructuring, February 27

4. WNBC’s Scott Stanford (left) Makes News Anchoring Debut, March 4

5. Ashley Morrison Returns to WCBS as MoneyWatch Anchor, February 27

6. WPIX Falls in February Sweeps; ‘Expect Changes Everywhere’: Source, March 1

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It’s a double “homecoming” for Chris Wragge. The veteran WCBS news anchor is returning to sports, at least for two weeks. Wragge is getting a spot with CBS Sports at the U.S. Open Tennis Championships beginning Monday, August 27 at Flushing Meadow.

Wragge says it was “totally unexpected” when he was asked last month by Harold Bryant (VP/Production/CBS Sports). Groundwork had been laid by CBS Sports president Sean McManus, who was integral in hiring Wragge for The Early Show in late 2010.

“Sean has been great to me over the years,” Wragge says. “This was a welcome home call.

With the blessing of WCBS executives David Friend and Peter Dunn, Wragge makes his first network appearance since the morning overhaul at the start of the year, and his premiere on CBS Sports.

Wragge is called on primarily as a weekend studio host. The move was necessitated, thanks to the ascension of Bill Macatee to lead play-by-play voice at the Open.

“What it boils down to is, you’ll see more of me if there are rain delays,” Wragge laughs.

But Wragge isn’t joking when it comes to the CBS Sports brand.

“Obviously, it’s just such an amazing franchise, top to bottom,” Wragge says. “To be associated, and to be asked to be a part of any of their properties, I was overwhelmed and flattered to be honest with you.”

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The calendar says July, and next week is the Baseball All-Star Game. But don’t be fooled. Today was opening day!

A confluence of events created a trio of local morning changes.

The biggest is at independent station WLNY 10/55, now under the auspices of WCBS, which makes its first foray into daytime news.

Live from the Couch brings WCBS morning weathercaster John Elliott and sports anchor Lisa Kerney to the sofa with TV newcomer Carolina Bermudez.

The program is a mix of news, lifestyle and entertainment features. However, the accent is definitely on the lighter fare. There is the typical news and weather update on the half-hour.

Despite he fact that Bermudez comes to WLNY from her time as news reader on WHTZ/Z100, every aspect of the show is shared. Although Elliott goes to his other “day job” with the forecast.

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Take a behind-the-scenes tour of CBS News. In this episode of mediabistroTV’s “Cubes,” Erica Hill, co-host of “CBS This Morning,” shows us around the CBS Broadcast Center.

Located on Manhattan’s west side, the building is home to the “CBS Evening News,” WCBS, the iconic CBS news desk, and the brand-new studio and newsroom of “CBS This Morning.”

For more mediabistroTV videos, check out our YouTube channel, and be sure to follow us on Twitter: @mediabistroTV

We know all about cost cutting. The broadcast industry isn’t immune to belt tightening when times are tough. But in the last several months, WNYW/Channel 5 dropped several veteran reporters, becoming the proverbially “salary dump.”

Entertainment reporter Anne Craig and Andrea Day were two standout reporters who failed to get contract renewals in 2011. But in March, there was a surprise from the WNYW camp.

The station’s longtime political correspondent, Dick Brennan was sent packing after 11 years.  

Apparently, he didn’t have a non-compete clause as Brennan is now reporting on a per diem basis for WCBS/Channel 2, a station spokesman tells FishbowlNY. He was seen Saturday night doing general assignment work.

It’s a great move by WCBS, adding the Little Neck native and Fordham University graduate. A greater move, though, would be finding a full-time role for the accomplished Brennan.

The February sweeps came and went, but the results are the same for WABC/Channel 7. The station was tops among total viewers for the sweeps period that concluded Wednesday.

Starting before dawn, WABC maintained its success with Eyewitness News This Morning. Led by anchors Lori Stokes and Ken Rosato, and meteorologist Bill Evans, the broadcast was the city’s number one at 4:30 in Households rating and among Adults 25 to 54. In the 5 a.m. hour, the trio was tops once again in the Households.

WABC crushed the competition (WNBC and WCBS) at noon with a 52 percent lead over its closest rival in Households. Additionally, the Stokes, Rosato, and Evans newscast kept its strong advantage in the Adults 25 to 54 and Women 25 to 54 demographics.

At 4 p.m., WABC tied for the top spot in the pivotal Adults 25 to 54 race. The newscast, which debuted last summer, was second in the Households to Judge Judy on WCBS.

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No Jets or Giants, no matter. Sunday’s 4 p.m. Patriots/Cowboys game on Fox was number one for the week  in New York, according to Nielsen.

The game had an estimated 1.2 million viewers on WNYW/Channel 5 and a 6.5 rating.

The Dancing With The Stars result episode on WABC/Channel 7 was next at number two (1.1 million/6.0), while the two-hour performance show had a fifth-place finish (1.1 million/5.7).

A pair of sitcoms tied for third: Modern Family on ABC (1.1 million/5.8) and Two and a Half Men on CBS (1.1 million/5.8).

More from the Top 10 after the jump

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No Dancing With The Stars for WABC this week. But no matter, as the NBA Finals landed in the top three positions for the week, according to the Nielsen Company.

Game three of the NBA Finals, pitting the Mavericks against the Heat, was number one for the week with an estimated 1.1 million viewers and a 5.4 rating.

Game two settled for number two (1 million/5.1), while the series opener took third place (1 million/4.9).

WCBS was represented by 60 Minutes in a fourth-place tie (918,000/4.5).

WNBC cracked the Top 10 with a pair of talent competition–America’s Got Talent at four (903,000/4.5) and The Voice at number seven (723,000/3.6).

With another successful American Idol season wrapped up on WNYW, Channel 5 now has So You Think You Can Dance? which took sixth and seventh. The shows averaged 740,000 and a 3.7 rating.

More from the Top 10 after the jump

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From the “Here We Go Again Department,” several more than 10 inches of snow fell in Central Park through the overnight.

As familiar as the snow falling has been this season, so are the reporters gathered throughout the tri-state to assess the situation.

Another mainstay of the winter weather has been Mayor Bloomberg. Once again, New York’s TV stations were ready to take the mayor’s storm update live at 10 a.m. 

As our sister site TVSpy reports, WABC, WCBS, and WNYW stayed with expanded snow coverage following Bloomberg’s status report.

The New York Jets attempted to reach their first Super Bowl in 42 years. Fans were glued to the screen for Sunday’s AFC Championship game between the Jets and Steelers. As you’d expect, it was without rival in being the number one prime time program for the week.

An estimated 5 million people watched on WCBS with a staggering 24.7 rating.

However, once the Jets’ second-half rally fell short, viewers left the post-game show in droves. It still took number two, but lost more than half of its audience (2.3 million/11.7).

American Idol returned to WNYW for its 10th season. The two-hour debut was third for the week (2.2 million/11.1), while the second night was fourth (2 million/9.8).

More from the Top 10 after the jump.

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