The hazards of live television. During a live report on the Alpha Warrior Challenge, KNSD reporter Megan Tevrizian got herself stuck on the 30-foot high obstacle course (video above).

Tevrizian was quickly helped to safety by one of the course’s employees. “See you later. Happy Friday,” Tevrizian joked at the end of her report. “That’s it. Reporter participation is enough.”

KNSD, the NBC-owned station in San Diego, will dedicate two additional full-time staffers to its investigative reporting unit. Mari Payton (pictured) will be the station’s lead investigative reporter and Wendy Fry will be the investigative producer.

Payton currently works on investigative pieces part-time in addition to her midday anchor duties and Fry currently works on the assignment desk. Payton will will be replaced on the 11 a.m. newscast by Christine Haas, who will be the midday anchor in addition to the 4 and 5 p.m. anchor.

“We expect this shift in duties for both Mari and Wendy to be a game-changer for the I-Team’s work and look forward to the positive impact they will make in the San Diego community,” KNSD vice president of news Greg Dawson.

Tania Ortega is joining KTBC, the Fox O&O in Austin, as a general assignment reporter for the morning newscast.

Ortega was most recently a reporter and producer for KCEN in Waco. She has also worked as a reporter, anchor and sales representative at KXXV in Waco. Her television career began as an intern for KNSD in San Diego.

“Tania’s energy combined with her extensive knowledge of Texas is great for our expanding reporter team on ‘Good Day Austin,’” KTBC vice president and news director Pam Vaught said in a statement.

WMAQ general manager Larry Wert is leaving the NBC O&O for a top job at Tribune Co. Wert will be the president of local broadcasting,  overseeing strategy and opreations for 23 television stations and Chicago-based WGN Radio, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Wert will report to Peter Liguori, who stepped into the CEO role after the company emerged from bankruptcy last month.

“Our TV assets are an incredibly important part of the Tribune Co. We wanted to bring someone on board who had the breadth of experience, the depth of relationships and the energy to take innovations and get them across the goal line,” Ligouri said, according to the Chicago Tribune. “I just felt that we could take these local broadcast stations and really supercharge them behind Larry’s expertise and stewardship.”

Wert, a Chicago native, has been president and general manager of WMAQ since 1998. In 2008, he was named president of NBC Local Media’s central and western region, overseeing KNTV in San Francisco, KNBC in Los Angeles, KNSD in San Diego and KXAS in Dallas in addition to WMAQ. In 2011, NBC named Wert executive vice president of station initiatives for the NBC-owned stations.

“I grew up here, I spent most of my career here so I respect the great legacy of the Tribune co. I’m familiar with their great assets,” Wert told Broadcasting & Cable. “Their station footprint is significant in 36% of the country. I think there’s an opportunity right now to be part of its future in a very positive way.”

Rumors of Wert’s departure from WMAQ began last week. In his new job, he will remain based in Chicago.

>Update: NBC Owned Television Stations President Valari Staab has released a statement:

This is a rare and exciting opportunity for Larry to run a broadcast group and stay in his hometown of Chicago. I greatly appreciate his dedication and have truly enjoyed working with him over the last 18 months. I wish him the very best in his new role.

The massive Fourth of July fireworks fail in San Diego, in which a 15-minute show’s worth of pyrotechnics went off in 20 seconds, was so big it rattled the newsroom of local NBC station KNSD.

KNSD is located just across San Diego Bay from the site of the fireworks display and reporter Diana Guevara told viewers Wednesday night that the blast was felt through the station’s newsroom (video above). Read more

Los Angeles NBC O&O KNBC kept the news of Ann Curry‘s departure from the “Today” show a secret during its morning newscast Thursday.

Unlike its NBC sister stations on the West Coast, KNTV and KNSD, who both reported on Curry’s departure, KNBC decided not to mention the news before the start of “Today.”

Curry’s teary announcement came around 8:50 a.m. ET so NBC stations on the West Coast had to decide whether or not they were going to break the news on their shows. Read more

Phyllis Schwartz, a former news director at Chicago ABC O&O WLS, has been named vice president and news director at WFLD, the Chicago Fox O&O. Her appointment is effective immediately.

Schwartz replaces Carol Fowler, who is “leaving the station to pursue other opportunities,” a Fox statement reads. Although Fowler’s departure was rumored last spring, WFLD general manager Mike Renda told TVSpy in June, “Carol and I are here for the long haul.”

“FOX Chicago appreciates all of Carol’s hard work and dedication during her time with the station,” a Fox spokesperson told TVSpy.

Schwartz spent 13 years at WLS, including five as the station’s news director. She has a long history in local television, with stints as vice president of news and creative services at Chicago NBC O&O WMAQ and as president and general manager at San Diego NBC O&O KNSD. Her last job in television was as executive vice president of news, promotion and original content for the NBC Universal local stations, a position she held from 2007 to 2009. Read more

NBC owned stations are partnering up with local, non-profit news organizations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia “to create new and innovative cooperative news gathering and reporting arrangements,” the company announced today.

KNBC and WCAU are teaming up with local public radio stations–KPCC in LA and WHYY in Philadelphia–while WMAQ will partner with The Chicago Reporter, an investigative monthly magazine and news site.  The New York-based independent news organization ProPublica, which has partnered with CNN, ABC News, and “60 Minutes,” will collaborate with all ten NBC stations.

In May, NBC began looking for non-profit news partners for its stations based on the successful relationship between KNSD and voiceofsandiego.org. Read more

Catherine Garcia is the new primary evening anchor at KNSD.  The NBC O&O announced today that Garcia, who has been with the station since 2003 and currently anchors the 4 o’clock hour, will begin anchoring the station’s 5, 6, and 11 p.m. newscasts.

“Catherine is a strong journalist, a terrific writer and a wonderful person, with a passion for her job and her role in the San Diego community,” said KNSD president and general manager Richard Kelley, announcing the promotion.  “We are fortunate that Catherine is already on our team and are excited she agreed to take on this important role.”

A California native and graduate of USC, Garcia replaces Susan Taylor, who recently announced she is stepping down from the anchor desk.  Her first day as marquee anchor will be Monday, December 5th.

Journal Broadcasting Group has named George Severson news director at KMIR, the NBC-affiliate serving the Coachella Valley in California.

Severson joins KMIR from KOIN, the CBS-affiliate in Portland, where he was an executive producer. Prior to that, he spent 10 years as an executive producer at KTVX, the ABC-affiliate in Salt Lake City.

“I look forward to leading our dedicated news team in producing engaging and relevant newscasts and quality local programming,” Severson said in a statement.

Severson replaces Kate Glover, who left for KNSD in August. She is an executive producer on the morning show there.