Mike Lopez

Lopez joins the NBC affiliate from WVEC in Norfolk, where he was the assistant news director for seven years. He has also worked as an executive producer at WAVY in Norfolk and WISH in Indianapolis and as a producer at KRON in San Franscisco.

Lopez, who started earlier this month, replaces Eric Shepard.

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On Saturday February 16, Grant’s four FOX affiliates, WZDX in Huntsville, AL, WFXR, Roanoke,VA, KLJB in Quad Cities and WLAX-WEUX in La Crosse, WI, as well as two CW stations and one MyNetworkTV station went dark as part of the dispute.

WZDX, the FOX affiliate in Huntsville posted a statement about the dispute on its website saying,

Contrary to what you may have been told or read, FOX 54 has asked Dish to pay rates comparable to those being paid by your local cable systems now. That is fair and equitable, as already determined by the marketplace. We understand the public’s frustration with this situation, and we remain committed to reaching a solution with Dish without disrupting FOX 54′s programming. continued…

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“I understand her anger and that we should not be intimidated or bullied by cyber commentators. I also think her intervention sparked good discussion about obesity and how people react to obese people,” says the University of Wisconsin’s Stephen Ward, who heads the Madison campus’s Center for Journalism Ethics.

“That said, I am still uncomfortable when journalists use their power and access to media for their own ends — whatever ends they may be, good or bad,” Ward says. “In particular, I am uncomfortable with using a newscast as the forum for such a personal intervention.”

The piece also features an interview with WKBT news director Anne Paape, who defends Livingston’s editorial: continued…

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Jennifer Livingston, the WKBT anchor whose direct on-air response to a viewer who criticized her weight went viral last week, is a guest on “Ellen” Tuesday.

During the show’s taping, Ellen DeGeneres told Livingston she wanted to shoot a promo for the WKBT morning newscast, which Livingston anchors with meteorologist Bill Graul (video above).

“I like you very, very much. I really do,” DeGeneres told Livingston. “I just think more people should watch you. I’m sure that a lot of people do watch you, but I want more people to watch you. So I thought we should do a promo together for your show.” continued…

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Ron Livingston

According to People, Ron Livingston said, “My sister Jennifer … brings an exceptional dedication to her job, her family, and her community, and has been a role model of mine for many, many years,”

The email Jennifer Livingston received said in part, “Surely you don’t consider yourself a suitable example for this community’s young people, girls in particular. Obesity is one of the worst choices a person can make and one of the most dangerous habits to maintain.”

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Kenneth Krause‘s critical email to Jennifer Livingston about her weight sparked a national controversy when the WKBT anchor delivered a forceful on-air editorial admonishing Krause for his bullying. Krause responded to Livingston’s editorial in a statement to WKBT Tuesday afternoon (video above).

“Given this country’s present epidemic of obesity and the many truly horrible diseases related thereto, and considering Jennifer Livingston’s fortuitous position in the community, I hope she will finally take advantage of a rare and golden opportunity to influence the health and psychological well-being of Coulee Region by transforming herself for all of her viewers to see over the next year, and, to that end, I would be absolutely pleased to offer Jennifer any advice or support she would be willing to accept,” Krause’s statement reads.

WKBT also reported Tuesday night on the community response to Livingston’s editorial. Watch after the jump. continued…

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Just a day after Jennifer Livingston delivered a gutsy on-air editorial responding to a viewer complaint about her weight, the WKBT anchor told her story on the three network morning shows.

“This was a personal attack,” Livingston said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” (video above). “Calling me obese is one thing. Calling me a bad role model to our community that I’ve worked at for 15 years, and especially young girls when I have three girls, was a low blow. I thought it was uncalled for, and I wanted to call him out on it.”

Livingston, who is the sister of actor Ron Livingston, appeared on “GMA” with her husband, WKBT evening anchor Mike Thompson, and on NBC’s “Today” and “CBS This Morning” solo. Watch the other two appearances after the jump… continued…

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WKBT anchor Jennifer Livingston took a moment during Tuesday’s morning newscast to directly address a recent email she received from a viewer complaining about her weight (video above).

“I was surprised indeed to witness that your physical condition has not improved for many years,” the email reads. “Surely you don’t consider yourself a suitable example for this community’s young people, girls in particular. Obesity is one of the worst choices a person can make and one of the most dangerous habits to maintain.”

“To the person who wrote me that letter — do you think I don’t know that? That your cruel words are pointing out something that I don’t see?” Livingston asked in response. “You don’t know me. You are not a friend of mine. You are not a part of my family. And you have admitted that you don’t watch this show. So you know nothing about me but what you see on the outside. And I am much more than a number on the scale.” continued…

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“It was gut-wrenching,” said Ron Wiedemeier, WEAU’s chief engineer, in describing his reaction to the tower collapse, which left wreckage strewn in three different directions.

WEAU provided a eulogy for the tower, which has been around since 1966, during the 10 p.m. newscast. “We had great pride in it,” said WEAU engineer Ron Viste, the station’s longest-running employee.

While the station works to rebound from the collapse of their 35-year-old landmark, the incident works to highlight the ways in which recent technology has significantly changed the way WEAU reaches its community. Less than a day after the 2,000-foot tower was reduced to 25 feet worth of wreckage, WEAU was back on the air thanks to online streaming and digital broadcasting. continued…

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WEAU‘s transmitting tower unexpectedly collapsed on Tuesday night, knocking the NBC-affiliate off the air.

The 2,000-foot tower, located in Fairchild, WI, stands just 25 feet this morning. Luckily no one was injured in the incident and officials are still investigating what caused the collapse.

WEAU’s chief engineer, Ron Wiedemeier, originally thought that there may have been a power outage at the tower after the station’s signal unexpectedly went dark a little after 9:00 p.m. last night. As Wiedemeier drove out to investigate, local officials informed the station that the tower was no more.

“It just basically made me sick to my stomach,” Wiedemeier said of hearing the news. continued…

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