WNEP weathercaster Joe Snedeker stopped his morning forecast Wednesday to respond to a couple of angry emailers who apparently wanted colder weather. Snedeker informed viewers that he, personally, enjoyed warm weather, before launching into a disjointed monologue that included the admission that he maybe doesn’t like all of his co-workers (video inside).

“I like it warm, I like snow. That’s just my stupid opinion,” Snedeker told viewers, before referring to his morning colleague, anchor Mindi Ramsey. “I’m a person. I like Mindi. Maybe off-screen I don’t. Maybe I have other colleagues here that I don’t like.” Read more

Robert Bee has been named vice president and general manager of WBRE in Wilkes-Barre-Scranton.  In addition to overseeing the Nexstar Broadcasting-owned NBC-affiliate, Bee will be in charge of WYOU, the market’s CBS-affiliate, based on a joint operating agreement between Nexstar and Mission Broadcasting, which owns WYOU.

Bee has spent the last 18 years working in Pennsylvania broadcasting.  Most recently, he served as director of sales at WTAE in Pittsburgh.  He is replacing Louis Abitabilo, who is retiring.

“Bob has a long-term record of generating exceptional results through his experience and leadership,” Nexstar executive vice president Tim Busch said, in announcing the move.  “He brings to his new position an impressive background in all aspects of our business, having led teams that delivered compelling and effective marketing solutions for local and national advertisers.” Read more

Jeremy Settle, the news director at WBRE in Wilkes Barre-Scranton, is leaving the station to join Fox News Channel, TVNewser reports.

Settle has been news director at the NBC-affiliate since December 2009. He will join Fox News as senior producer of the DC newsroom this month.

WBRE general manager Lou Abitabilo tells TVSpy Settle’s replacement has not yet been named.

Carl Abraham has been promoted to news director at WNEP in Scranton.

For Abraham, the promotion comes after nearly three decades with the ABC-affiliate.  He started with WNEP in 1983 as an assignment editor and since then he has moved up the newsroom ranks, working as a show producer, assignment manager, and assistant news director.

“Carl’s knowledge of our market and our strengths, coupled with his work ethic and passion for news, make him the very best person to lead Newswatch16 into the future,” WNEP president and general manager Chuck Morgan said in announcing the promotion.

WBRE is set to launch a one-hour local news show at 4:00 p.m., the first of its kind in the Wilkes-Barre-Scranton market.

The new show, titled “PA Live!,” will offer a mix of news and lifestyle content while promoting interactivity with viewers through Facebook and Twitter.

“Based on the feedback and demands of our Northeast Pennsylvania viewers the unique format of ‘PA Live!’ is a natural fit for the market,” said Lou Abitabilo, WBRE’s vice president and general manager, in making the announcement. “The show is going to be unlike anything else produced in this region and will highlight WBRE’s commitment to provide our viewers with convenient, timely and topical lifestyle programming.”

“PA Live!” will be hosted by WBRE reporter Monica Madeja and weathercaster Dave Kuharchik.

The new show will make its debut on September 12th. In the meantime, the NBC-affiliate has launched a new “PA Live!” Facebook page to stoke viewer interest.

WNEP, an ABC-affiliate serving northeastern Pennsylvania, unveiled a brand-new set last week as part of its planned move to broadcasting the news in HD.

The new set, which made its official debut last Thursday during the station’s 4 p.m. newscast, has a large video display behind the main anchor desk with wings on either side that contain large, flat-screen monitors. WNEP also debuted a new, HD graphics package to accompany the new set.

WNEP’s news director Erik Schrader says that the new set, with its array of video displays, will allow the news team to more effectively tell the day’s stories.

“The Video Wall will allow us to synthesize story video with our anchors much more effectively,” Schrader told TVSpy via email. “The set also gives us better places to place reporters in the studio… allowing us to show video and the reporter simultaneously, which helps us communicate the story in a better way.” Read more

Weathercaster Kristi Capel is set to join Cleveland Fox-affiliate WJW after three years with WBRE in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

“My whole goal in this business is to keep working hard and keep moving up,” Capel told Wilkes-Barre’s The Times Leader.

Capel, 27, is a former beauty queen who began her TV career at KSPR, in her hometown of Springfield, MO.  She is currently working towards a certificate in meteorology through Mississippi University.

Capel actually started her career wanting to be a sports anchor but fell into weathercasting when a position opened up. “Our weekend meteorologist at my previous station quit, and they asked me to step in for a couple of months while they found someone, and I absolutely fell in love with it,” she told The Times Leader. “It’s so interesting. Something new everyday.”

Video of Capel after the jump… Read more