Washington, DC

John Schriffen is joining ABC News as a New York-based correspondent, president Ben Sherwood announced today.

Schriffen most recently was a freelance reporter for WCBS, the CBS O&O in New York City. Prior to that, he was a general assignment reporter at WRC, the NBC O&O in Washington, DC, for three years. He started his television career in New York City as a reporter for News 12 The Bronx.

“John brings great energy, creativity and competitiveness to his journalism and will report for all of our platforms,” Sherwood wrote in a memo to ABC News staffers this morning. “Please join me in welcoming him aboard.”

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After 12 years at WTTG, sports director Dave Feldman is leaving the Washington, DC Fox O&O. His last day will be May 30.

“Dave has an incredible work ethic and will be remembered for the quality sports coverage he delivered to WTTG viewers for the last 12 years,” WTTG vice president and news director Phil Metlin told TVSpy. “We wish him the best of luck in his new job; he will be missed.”

Feldman, a California native, began his career at KCBS radio in San Francisco. His first job in television was at KTIV in Sioux City, IA. He has also worked at Orange County News Channel and ESPN. Read more

Richard Kim, the owner of Town Square Market in Washington, DC, was found guilty yesterday of selling alcohol to a minor (video above). The store has been a focal point of an investigation by CBS-affiliate WUSA since December.

WUSA reporter Andrea McCarren began investigating Town Square Market earlier this year as part of a series on underage drinking. The series sparked outrage and discussion amongst WUSA viewers, and McCarren took a week off from reporting the story in February because of calls for “revenge and retaliation” against her family. Watch her original report on Town Square Market inside… Read more

WUSA‘s morning newscast was suspended for 20 minutes today after anchors and production staffers were forced to evacuate the building because of a fire alarm.

The alarm sounded at 5:01 a.m., just as morning meteorologist Howard Bernstein was beginning his forecast (video above). “If you see me running for the doors, it’s not a drill,” Bernstein joked as he continued his forecast. Read more

Batman stopped by WTTG on Wednesday and did the weather during the Fox station’s morning newscast.

The Batman that visited WTTG was not Christian Bale, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, or even Adam West, but rather a local business man named Lenny B. Robinson who dresses up as the caped crusader to cheer up sick kids in the hospital. Video inside… Read more

JC Hayward returned to WUSA in Washington, DC today after undergoing surgery to treat stage two breast cancer.

Hayward, who has been absent from the noon anchor desk since April 6, sat down with Andrea Roane to talk about her surgery (video above). She revealed that she will likely undergo radiation in the coming months. Read more

WRC sports anchor Hakem Dermish is leaving the NBC O&O to join ESPN, a station spokesperson confirmed to TVSpy.

Dermish signed off from WRC last night after five years at the Washington, DC station. Prior to joining WRC, Dermish worked at WTVG in Toledo and WLUC in Marquette, MI.

News of the ESPN hire was first reported by dcrtv.com.

Dermish will join former WRC colleague Lindsay Czarniak at ESPN. A spokesperson for WRC said the station is committed to local sports coverage and actively looking to fill the two open sports anchor positions.

Audrey Barnes is joining WTTG as a general assignment reporter, the Washington, DC Fox O&O announced today.

The move is a return to WTTG for Barnes, who has contributed to the station on a freelance basis in the past. She has also worked as a morning anchor at WBAL in Baltimore and as a reporter at  WRC and WUSA, both in Washington, DC.

“Her depth of reporting experience and history in the DC market make her amply qualified to bring stories of interest to our viewers,” WTTG VP-GM Duffy Dyer said in a statement.

Barnes, who will report across all the station’s newscasts, will debut on March 26.

Richard Jordan has been named weekend morning anchor at WRC in Washington, DC.

Jordan joins the NBC O&O from WSVN, the Fox-affiliate in Miami, where he has been a reporter for four years.

“Richard’s solid reporting background will no doubt stand out in the Washington area,” WRC vice president of news Camille Edwards said in a statement. “But we’re also excited about what he will bring to our weekend morning newscasts.”

Jordan, who officially joins the station today, will co-anchor with Angie Goff.

WJLA‘s Super Tuesday coverage went slightly awry last night when the station incorrectly reported in an email alert that Mitt Romney was the winner of Georgia’s primary.

The Associated Press declared Newt Gingrich the winner in his home state shortly after the polls closed at 7pmET. According to DCist, the station sent out an email at 7:04 p.m. that read: “Mitt Romney wins Georgia primary, the AP reports.”

The Washington ABC-affiliate corrected the information in another email alert three minutes later, at 7:07 p.m. Although the correct candidate was named, his name was misspelled: “We apologize for the error. New Gingrich won Georgia.”

[via DCist]