Sarah Landau has been named digital sales manager for Hearst’s Fort Smith-Fayetteville, AR, ABC and CW affiliates KHBS-KHOG.

“Sarah Landau is a leader.  Her knowledge of broadcast and online advertising, and her ability to translate those opportunities to our team and our clients, makes her the perfect fit for this position,” said KHBS-KHOG president and general manager, Brian Sather. “Sarah embodies our commitment to innovation and excellence and I have every faith this will translate into results for both the station and our clients.”

Landau has been a marketing consultant for KHBS-KHOG since 2009. In her new role, she will oversee all local digital sales for the stations’ website, mobile platforms and all associated digital properties.

“Sarah has already proven herself as a leader on our sales staff,” said Chad Happersett, general sales manager for KHBS-KHOG. “Her customer engagement is excellent, and I’m confident as our new DSM she will lead our digital sales effort to new heights.”

Here’s another video clip to add to our schadenfreude series.

David Paul, chief meteorologist for Houston CBS affiliate KHOU battled a bad case of hiccups all the way through a recent weathercast.

Paul successfully made it through his segment, but not without multiple stops and starts drawing out what sounded almost like jealousy from co-anchor Lisa Hernandez who told him, “Only you could pull off hiccups in severe weather.” To which he replied, “I made it through.”

[gawker.com]

KSL, the Salt Lake City NBC affiliate, has announced on its facebook page and its website it will no longer air episodes of the network series “Hannibal.”

PROGRAMMING NOTE: After viewing the past few episodes, as well as receiving numerous complaints from viewers, KSL TV will cancel the airing of the NBC show “Hannibal” on Thursday evenings.
This decision was made due to the extensive graphic nature of this show. The time slot will be replaced with a special edition of KSL 5 News at 9 p.m.
NBC remains a valued partner to KSL TV. KSL is confident that with the proliferation of digital media, those who wish to view the program can easily do so.

“Hannibal” is a TV show about serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a literary character created by author Thomas Harris and initially made famous by the movie “The Silence of the Lambs” starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. Read more

Two promotions at WRC in Washington, D.C.: Matt Glassman has been named assistant news director and Catherine Snyder has been named managing editor at the NBC-owned station.

Glassman has worked at WRC for 13 years, most recently as manager of news, press and programming. He has also worked as coordinating producer of special projects and on the assignment desk.

Snyder has been senior manager of content at WRC since 2008. She has previously worked at CNBC and MSNBC, as well as WUSA, the CBS affiliate in Washington, DC.

KTLA news director Jason Ball has announced five new hires, our sister site FishbowlLA reports. Courtney Friel (pictured), Jillian Barberie, Steve Kuzj, Kimberly Cheng and Olsen Ebright are all joining the Los Angeles CW affiliate.

Friel and Barberie both most recently worked at rival KTTV, the Fox O&O in Los Angeles. Friel, an entertainment reporter, signed off in February after her contract was not renewed. Barberie, a co-anchor of “Good Day LA,” left KTTV in September.

FishbowlLA reports that Barberie will host an entertainment news program, “The Hollywood Mix,” which will debut in June. Friel will contribute as an anchor and reporter.

Kuzj and Cheng both come from KNXV, the ABC affiliate in Phoenix. Ebright comes from rival KNBC, where he has been the social media lead and content producer since 2007.

Sinclair Broadcast Group reported net broadcast revenues of $259.2 million in the first quarter of 2013, an increase of 32.5% on the year-ago quarter.

Sinclair’s operating income in the first quarter of 2013 increased to $63.7 million from $59.9 million in the first quarter of 2012. Local net broadcast revenues, which include local time sales, retransmission revenues and other broadcast revenues were up 32.8% for the quarter. National net broadcast revenues were up 31.5%.

“We are excited the Barrington Broadcasting, Fisher Communications and certain of the COX Media Group stations will soon be joining us. We intend to continue analyzing and evaluating opportunities to aquire additional television station assets towards creating greater scale for our operations and  value for our shareholders,” Sinclair president and CEO David Smith said in a statement.

KXII, the CBS affiliate in Sherman, Texas, is launching a new morning newscast on a digital subchannel.

Beginning next Monday, KXII will air an hourlong newscast from 7 to 8 a.m. on the Fox-affiliated subchannel, which is channel 12.3 in the Sherman market. Hearther Sahr will anchor alongside meteorologist Megan Kranning.

In a statement on the KXII website, news director Matt Griffin wrote, “We’re excited to bring you a new, local option for your morning news and weather.”

Susan Barnett, evening anchor for Philadelphia CBS owned KYW and CW affiliate WPSG, is leaving the station.

Barnett said in a statement, “I have decided to not renew my contract with the stations at this time. I am incredibly thankful for having been a part of the CBS Philly family, but I feel that this is the right decision at this time.” You can read the statement after the jump.

Barnett’s co-anchor, Chris May reacted to the news on his facebook page, “Susan Barnett is the first person I met in Philadelphia. We’ve been partners for five years — and best friends. And that’s why it’s so hard to let you know that Susan has made the very difficult and personal decision to leave CBS3. Suffice it to say, I’ll miss working with my friend. But I am excited about our future.” Read more

Washington, D.C. ABC station WJLA and local news radio station WTOP have already teamed up to deliver news and weather reports to local viewers and listeners.  Soon, the two media outlets will share traffic reporting as well.

Starting tomorrow, WJLA reporter Amanda Meadows will deliver traffic updates from the WTOP “Glass enclosed nerve center” six times an hour between 5:00 and 7:00 a.m. weekdays. Between 7:00 and 9:00 a.m., Meadows will report twice an hour.

“Viewers can plan their commute by watching [Good Morning Washington] and then continue with WTOP’s radio reports when they are in the car or on the Metro,” WJLA news director Doug Culver told TVSpy. Read more

IAC/InterActiveCorp founder and chairman Barry Diller sat down with Bloomberg TV’s Willow Bay at the Milken Global Conference Monday. Diller, the primary backer of Aereo, talked about the future of television in an interview that aired on “Lunch Money” (video above).

“The law of the U.S. is that if you have an antenna, broadcasters must provide a signal that you can receive without any interference. That is the right of Americans who gave licenses to broadcasters. That is the covenant. We are providing a technological method for them to receive them,” Diller said. “In 1972 or 1973, [Broadcasters said] the video recorder was an illegal thing. They went to the supreme court. And of course we all enjoy video records.”