In a video produced by two professors–Scott Hodgson at  the University of Oklahoma and Chandra Clark at The University of Alabama–and their students, local meteorologist remember the devastating swarm of tornadoes that hit Alabama and Missouri last April (video above).

The short documentary, which was produced with help from the Broadcast Education Association and the NAB, emphasizes the important role that TV weathercasters play in the event of severe weather.  [Via TVNewsCheck]

Create a social media strategy, launch your campaign, and track the results in our Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting February 16. The online event and workshop will feature speakers including The Onion‘s Baratunde Thurston (left), Facebook’s Morin Oluwole, and bitly’s Tim Devane. Register now.

SJL Broadcasting announced today that WTVG news director Brian Trauring has been tapped to oversee news operations for all of the company’s stations.

Trauring will continue serving as WTVG’s news director as he takes on the additional title of executive news director for SJL Broadcasting.

In the newly created position, Trauring will, according to the announcement, “oversee strategic planning and work with news directors and staffs at the local level.”

Trauring, who has been WTVG’s news director for the past ten years, will be working with WJRT in Flint, MI; WICU-WSEE in Erie, PA; and WENY in Elmira, NY.

Calling it “traumatic to people at KUSA,” news director Patti Dennis has done her best to ensure that viewers don’t see the video of KUSA anchor Kyle Dyer being bitten by a dog during the station’s morning show Wednesday.

Dennis told TVSpy this week that, following the on-air incident, she contacted the news directors of every station in Denver, imploring them not to air footage of the bite.

While it appears most stations respected Dennis’s request, at least one, Fox-affiliate KDVR, aired footage of the bite.

In addition to trying to keep the video off the air, Dennis attempted to keep the video off the internet this week. Read more

Starting in April, newscasts on WBRE-WYOU, Nexstar’s Scranton duopoly, will be in high definition, the company announced today.

The HD newscasts will launch following “significant investments” in the studio and and production equipment, according to a Nexstar statement. The station was outfitted with new HD cameras, a redesigned studio, enhanced forecasting and weather presentation tools and HD upgrades for master control operations.

CBS-affiliate WYOU will also get two additional newscasts, at noon and 7 p.m. on weekdays, as part of the expansion. In a statement, Nexstar said the changes demonstrate “unwavering dedication to delivering an exceptional experience.”

KUSA morning anchor Kyle Dyer was released from the hospital on Thursday afternoon after undergoing reconstructive surgery for injuries she received when a dog bit her during the station’s morning show on Wednesday.

“Kyle is in good spirits, despite not being able to talk due to her injuries,” KUSA reported on Thursday. “She is, however, scurrily writing down messages and tapping away on an iPad to make sure everyone knows how appreciative she is of their love and support. She is up and walking around, which the doctors say will help in her recovery process.”

News director Patti Dennis says that Dyer will return to work once she is recovered, whenever that will be.

KUSA sent reporter Chris Vanderveen to the Denver Animal Shelter on Thursday to check up on Max, the 85-pound Argentine Mastiff that bit anchor Kyle Dyer. The dog is currently under quarantine following the on-air bite.

In a story that lead KUSA’s evening newscasts on Thursday, the shelter’s director told Vanderveen that Max will “most likely” not be put down.

“One of the things that Max has going for him is that it appears that this is his first bite,” the shelter’s director, Doug Kelley, said.

Recounting the incident in his story, Vanderveen emphasized the potentially stressful circumstances surrounding the bite (it was less than 24 hours after Max was rescued from icy waters and occurred under bright studio lights) as well as the fact that Dyer got “close, really close” to the dog. Read more

After six years at WKTV in Utica, Megan Koskovich is leaving the anchor desk for a job as a producer at WMAR in Baltimore.

Koskovich, a Maryland native, has been WKTV’s morning anchor, alongside Don Shipman and Bill Kardas, for four years.

“I am really sad about it,” Koskovich said on this morning’s newscast. “I’ve met a lot of great people. I’ve had a great run here at WKTV. This is very bittersweet.”

Her last day will be March 2. WKTV has not yet announced a replacement anchor.

Greg Kelly, who was cleared this week of rape allegations made against him, returned to the WNYW anchor desk this morning after a three-week leave of absence (video above).

“It was a tough couple of weeks, obviously, for a lot of people,” Kelly said. “I’m very, very grateful for all the support.”

Kelly joked with co-anchor Rosanna Scotto after his statement, asking, “You ready to get back to work?” Read more

Steve Shaw joins KWTV in Oklahoma City as a general assignment reporter.  Previously, Shaw worked as a reporter at KSTP in Minneapolis-St. Paul and WDAF in Kansas City.

Karl Torp also joins KWTV in Oklahoma City, where he’ll work as a weekend anchor and weekday reporter.  Torp comes to Oklahoma City from WAWS in Jacksonville, where he was a general assignment reporter and fill-in anchor.

Shaw and Torp are represented by Mort Meisner Associates.

If you would like to report a new move, send an email to tvspy@mediabistro.com with the subject line “On the Move.”

Buffalo NBC-affiliate WGRZ will stop showing video of a group of local high school girls affected by a mysterious disorder that makes them twitch and tic, the station announced this week.

More than a dozen students at LeRoy High School have developed the symptoms, which some doctors say indicate a psychological condition brought on by stress. WGRZ has been covering the story since it broke in November, news director Jeff Woodard says.

“We hear over and over from doctors that all the media attention doesn’t help them,” Woodard tells TVSpy.

Citing a desire to be “upfront” with viewers, Woodard says, the station discussed the decision on three separate newscasts this week. He calls the issue “a great journalistic debate” and says he can see both sides of the issue.

“I don’t know if this is something we should be doing or something we shouldn’t be doing,” he says. “It’s something we felt like doing as members of the community.” Read more