America, meet Charles Ramsey.

Ramsey was interviewed live at around 7:20 p.m. by John Kosich, a reporter for the Cleveland ABC affiliate WEWS, after he and another man freed Amanda Berry. Berry went missing ten years ago and her discovery turned up two more missing women — Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus — along with a small child. While Ramsey is being hailed as a hero for his actions, it’s his use of words that’s gaining an equal amount of attention.

Kosich told TVspy, “My main concern is he had just dropped a s*^t bomb on me during the taped part so I was admittedly ready to quickly pull the mic when we were live.” Kosich added, “I’ve learned over the years when you find someone like [him] just let them go and try to stay out of the way.” You can read the transcript of the interview posted on the WEWS site after the jump. Read more

With the addition of the spire atop One World Trade Center, the tower’s property manager looks forward to what can be for local broadcasters while remembering what was.

TVNewsCheck spoke with John Lyons, vice president and director of broadcast communication for The Durst Organization. Lyons is trying to woo local broadcasters who were forced to relocate their antennas after 9/11 to place their antennas back on top of the New York skyline.

So far no broadcaster has bit. WCBS told TVSpy their transmitter is atop the Empire State Building and declined to comment about where it would sit in the future. One of the biggest holdups, according to TVNewsCheck is the upcoming spectrum auction. Read more

Paula Lopez, the KEYT anchor who returned to air in early April after her February disappearance sparked a police manhunt, is mysteriously off the air again.

According to station monitoring site TVEyes, Lopez worked the 6:30 p.m news on April 18, but was absent from the 11:00 p.m. show. Her co-anchor C.J. Ward told viewers Lopez had the night off. She hasn’t been on air since.

“I can tell you that KEYT and NPG continue to wish Paula well,” KEYT general manager Mark Danielson told Santa Barbara’s Noozhawk after saying he could not comment on an employee’s health or personnel issues. “I don’t have any information on when Paula might be able to return to work,” he added. Read more

Bob Slovak is the new weekend sports anchor at KTRK in Houston, Houston media blogger Mike McGuff reports.

Slovak has worked at the ABC O&O since 1998. Tim Melton, who has been off the air since 2011 recovering from a stroke, was previously the weekend sports anchor. Melton announced his exit from KTRK last month.

Before joining KTRK, Slovak worked at KTEN in Ada, KFDM in Beaumont, KOTV in Tulsa and KNXV in Phoenix.

Viewers of Nexstar’s Memphis ABC affiliate WPTY, Memphis CW affiliate WLMT, and Jackson FOX affiliate WJKT, will see a new look on-air after the stations move into a new state-of-the-art facility over the next month.

“With our soon-to-open Memphis broadcast and digital operations center and HD news facility, we are simultaneously raising our commitment to our viewers and advertisers with improved and enhanced content, production, marketing opportunities and overall viewing experience for the community at large,” said Ardyth Diercks vice president and general manager of WPTY, WLMT and WJKT.  “Our staff will benefit from the market’s most contemporary facility, fostering greater creativity through a modern work environment.”

Nexstar said in its press release the 27,000 square foot facility would be “operational and fully staffed on June 1,” and will include HD news production, HD commercial production and playback, and updated tech for producing weather and traffic reports.  You can watch a sneak peek video of the facility done by WPTY after the jump. Read more

Jamie Ostroff, reporter for Idaho Falls, ID, ABC affiliate KIFI drew the short straw Monday. She went live during the station’s 6:00 p.m. news in the middle of a dust storm.

“When the winds kick up, dust often blows from farms next to I-15 and forces transportation officials to close the road,” Ostroff told TVSpy. “By afternoon, winds were blowing over 60 miles per hour and the road was shut down.”

After informing viewers of the dangers of driving or even being out in those conditions, Ostroff tossed back to the studio. She then asked meteorologist Michael Coats, “Michael, when is this going to end? I want this to end.” Read more

Scott Pickey, news director for Wilmington, NC, ABC affiliate WWAY told the StarNews Online, he has agreed to take a defensive driving class in hopes of ending the legal drama over his recent arrest.

Pickey was charged with failure to obey a traffic officer and careless and reckless driving after attempting to drive through the local Martin Luther King, Jr. parade in January.

“I’m looking forward to coming to some sort of agreement with my next court date in July,” Pickey told the StarNews Online. Read more

The Scripps owned Indianapolis ABC affiliate WRTV has announced it will begin producing a weekend morning newscast.

“We are excited for the opportunity to add to our team of journalists,” WRTV news director Terri Cope-Walton said in a statement. “This is a major investment in talent and resources for RTV6. Users on all our platforms will benefit.”

WRTV will add eight employees to produce the new shows that begin airing September 7. The station hasn’t said who will anchor the weekend shows. Read more

A news van for Tampa ABC affiliate WFTS caught fire “for no apparent reason.”

Photojournalist Tony Jacobson and reporter Ryan Raiche escaped the Dodge Sprinter van without injury. Raiche posted a photo of the burned out van (pictured) on his facebook page with the caption, “Is it bad luck if your the last guy to go live from a sat truck before it burns to a crisp? RIP Sprinter.”

Reporter Ashley Glass also posted a photo of the van, this time in what appears to be mid-burn, on her company facebook page. “One of our big boy live trucks caught fire (for no apparent reason) in Lakeland, FL. ” Glass added, “RIP to the Sprinter, the only truck with enough counter space for my entire “get ready” spread. Survived by Tony Jacobson and Ryan Raiche.” You can see the photo Glass posted after the jump.

TVSpy reached out to WFTS for more info.  We’ll update if we hear back.

Read more

WXYZ has named Fred Corbus as its director of sales.

Corbus comes to the Scripps owned Detroit ABC affiliate from WOOD-WOTV-WXSP in Grand Rapids, MI. He also previously worked for Grand Rapids CBS affiliate WWMT.

His first day will be next Monday, May 6.

[TVNewsCheck]