KCCI has announced Elizabeth Klinge will join Steve Karlin and meteorologist Kurtis Gertz on the Des Moines CBS affiliate’s morning news.

“We are delighted to have Elizabeth join the KCCI morning news team,” said KCCI president and general manager Paul Fredericksen. “She’s extremely knowledgeable about central Iowa and our morning news viewers are going to really enjoy her intelligence and personality.”

Klinge worked at Des Moines NBC affiliate WHO from 2005 until 2011. She left to form a business venture with her husband.

She begins the week of August 19.

The fifth day of jury deliberations in the racketeering and conspiracy trial of Boston gangster James Whitey Bulger brought a guilty verdict on 33 counts which included 11 murders. Bulger was one of America’s most wanted fugitives after disappearing in 1995 until being caught in California in 2011.

Boston station’s responded quickly to the news a verdict had been reached.

FOX owned WFXT interrupted the “Ricki Lake” show at 1:33 p.m. with the news from a tweet sent by the Massachusetts US attorney’s office that said, “There is a verdict in the James Bulger case.”

ABC affiliate WCVB broke into afternoon food show “The Chew” at 1:34 p.m. with Susan Wornick.  “Good afternoon,” said Wornick. “Susan Wornick in Newscenter 5 with the news we have been waiting for now for five days, actually for more than a month. There is a verdict in the trial of James Whitey Bulger.”

Boston NBC affiliate WHDH broke into soap opera “Days of Our Lives” at 1:35 with b-roll of Bulger being escorted to the courthouse by helicopter which was voiced over by Kayna Whitworth. Whitworth then tossed to Ryan Schulteis live at the courthouse.

WBZ, Boston’s CBS owned station, broke in at 1:38 p.m. with anchors Jack Williams and Lisa Hughes who tossed to Sera Congi live at the courthouse.

 NECN cut into regular news reports anchored by Steve Aveson and Mike Nikitas at 1:38 with John Moroney outside the courtroom and Alysha Palumbo inside the courtroom.

When “major technical problems” derailed WSPA‘s ability to show video during Todd Summers‘ sports report, the sports anchor for the Greenville, SC, CBS affiliate used his imagination, a souvenir football and a mini baseball bat to bring the games to life…well sort of.

One highlight: While describing the Atlanta Braves win against the Florida Marlins, Summers showed off his ability to hit the curve. “In the bottom of the first,” said Summers. “It went something like this. Justin Upton at the plate…and…WHAM!” Summers said while swinging a mini bat at what may have been a whiffle ball tossed from off camera.

[FTVLive]

Broadcasting & Cable reports, Mignon Clyburn, the acting chairwoman of the FCC, has expressed her frustration with the lack of progress in the ongoing retransmission dispute between Time Warner Cable and CBS during a press conference after the commission’s monthly public meeting.

“Quite frankly I am deeply disappointed that the parties seem to be unable to reach a retransmission agreement,” Clyburn said. “I am really distressed that consumers and viewers are being adversely affected and my primary concern remains with them. We will continue to urge both parties to stay and resolve in good faith this issue as soon as possible.”

Time Warner Cable pulled CBS owned stations from its system because of a dispute over retransmission fees. Time Warner subscribers in New York, Dallas, Los Angeles and other owned station markets have been blacked out since last Friday.

CBS executive vice president Martin Franks confirmed with CBS moneywatch yesterday the two sides have resumed negotiations.

Don Shelby, former anchor for Minneapolis CBS owned station WCCO, told his former station he will not run for Congress.

“When you see statements by John Boehner that says our job is not to pass laws but to repeal them,” Shelby said. “It makes you wonder who in his or her right mind would really want to get into that business, especially if they come from a background of trying to change things … trying to be helpful, trying to be a true public servant,”

Shelby said he was not comfortable being labeled either a Democrat or Republican. He said he’s neither. He also said he didn’t want to give up time with his family.

According to WCCO, National Democrats had approached Shelby in hopes he would seek the 3rd Congressional District seat currently occupied by Republican Congressman Erik Paulsen. Watch the interview with WCCO after the jump. Read more

KYW has announced Matt Rivers will join the Philadelphia CBS owned station as a reporter.

Rivers comes to KYW from KSAT in San Antonio, TX. While reporting for the station on the violence in the Mexican border city or Reynosa, he was detained and later released by the Mexican military. He’s also worked at KTSM in El Paso, TX.

His first day will be Monday, August 12.

Belo has announced Thanh Truong will return to its New Orleans CBS affiliate WWL as an anchor and reporter.

“Thanh is an excellent journalist and a gifted storyteller,” WWL news director Bill Siegel said in a statement. “He has a special connection with Southeast Louisiana and we are lucky to have him back at WWL-TV.”

Truong left NBC news last month after his contract wasn’t renewed. Based in Atlanta, he contributed to “NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams,” “Today,” and MSNBC. Before working at NBC, he worked at KUSA in Denver. He has also worked at WMAZ in Macon, GA, and WWNY in Watertown, NY.

Truong last worked at WWL from 2004 until 2006. He will anchor the Saturday evening news and will also report. His first day will be Wednesday, September 18.

[TVNewsCheck]

KCCI weekend evening anchor Emily Price is leaving the Des Moines, IA, CBS affiliate to become the public information officer for Johnston City, Iowa, according to the Des Moines Register.

“Emily has a background that will help us do a better job of communicating with our citizens,”Johnston City administrator Jim Sanders told the Register.

Price will be the media contact for the city as well as heading up its social media efforts. She started her career at KCCI in February 2002.

Gina Pitisci is adding the 5:30 p.m. newscast to her anchoring duties at WCTV, the CBS affiliate in Tallahassee.

Pitisci joined the station in 2012 as the weekday morning anchor. Since December, she has anchored the 11 p.m. newscast on WCTV and the 10 p.m. newscast on sister station WTLH. In her new role, Pitisci will continue to anchor the 10 and 11 p.m. newscasts.

Pitisci replaces Angela Howard, who left WCTV in June, on the 5:30 p.m. newscast.

An escaped Kansas convict is back in custody, but not before calling Topeka CBS affiliate WIBW and telling staffers there he was going to surrender.

Mark Lucas escaped from the Hutchinson Correctional Facility on Saturday afternoon. The station said a man who identified himself as Lucas called WIBW at 6:00 a.m. this morning and said he planned to surrender peacefully at the Shawnee Count Department of Corrections between 8:00 and 8:20 a.m. He told the station he is “not the monster” he has been made out to be.

According to the Topeka Capital-Journal, Lucas was serving time for serial shoplifting and his earliest release date was still ten years away.