KOMU, the NBC affiliate for Columbia, MO, was evacuated Sunday because of fears the broadcast tower might fall during the latest storm to hit the area.

Engineers, concerned by high winds along with a build-up of heavy snow on the tower, ordered the evacuation of the station just before 10:00 a.m.

Shortly after Noon, the station tweeted the all-clear saying, “We are happy to report KOMU has been given the all-clear and we are all safely back in the building.” Viewers saw no interruption on-air. The station was airing network programming during the evacuation. Read more

Brittany Pieper is the new evening co-anchor at KOMU, the NBC affiliate in Columbia, Mo.

Beginning March 4, Pieper will co-anchor with Angie Bailey for the 5 p.m. newscast and with Jim Riek for the 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts. She and Riek will also anchor the 9 p.m. newscast on KOMU’s CW-affiliated digital subchannel.

Pieper comes from Shreveport, La., where she is an anchor and reporter covering education at KSLA. She is a graduate of the University of Missouri and began her career as a student reporter and anchor at KOMU.

“We knew Brittany to be a terrific journalist when she worked with us before. So when the opportunity came to bring her back to work with us again, I jumped at the chance,” news director Stacey Woelfel said in a statement. “She has all the skills Mid-Missouri wants in a news anchor –intelligence, a passion for news and the ability to communicate in a way people will love.”

There are two new additions at Buffalo NBC affiliate WGRZ, the Buffalo News reports. Jeff Preval has joined the station as a general assignment reporter and Jonah Javad (pictured) has joined as a sports reporter and anchor.

Preval joins WGRZ from WTAJ in Altoona, Pa., where he was a reporter and multimedia journalist until August. He worked at WTAJ’s State College bureau during the Penn State sex abuse scandal.

Javad has previously worked as a production assistant for ESPN and as a sports reporter and anchor for KOMU, the NBC affiliate in Columbia, Mo. Javad began at WGRZ in August.

Weathercasters Rosie Newberry and Dave Schmidt are getting new jobs at KOMU, the NBC affiliate in Columbia, Mo.

Schmidt, who currently handles weather reports at noon and 5 p.m., will slide to the evening newscasts, replacing Michelle Bogowith, who recently left KOMU for WDAF in Kansas City. News director Stacey Woelfel tells TVSpy Schmidt will appear at 6, 9 and 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and at noon, 5 and 6 p.m. on Friday.

Rosie Newberry has joined the station full-time, replacing Schmidt as the noon and 5 p.m. weathercaster Monday through Thursday. Newberry will also appear on Sundays at 5, 9 and 10 p.m.  [h/t TVNewsCheck]

Nine months after WDAF meteorologist Don Harman‘s death, the Kansas City Fox-affiliate has named a replacement for him on the morning newscast.

Bottom Line Communications reports Karli Ritter, who has worked at WDAF since 2007 and has been filling in on the morning newscast, has been named the permanent replacement. Harman, a popular Kansas City figure, committed suicide in November.

As Ritter moves into her new role from 4:30 to 9 a.m. on weekdays, she will be replaced on the 9 a.m. and noon newscasts by Michelle Bogowith, who joins WDAF next month from KOMU, the NBC-affiliate in Columbia, MO. Bogowith has worked at KOMU since 2007.

Michelle Davidson and Michael Mackie will join KSHB in Kansas City as the co-hosts of a new daytime show launching this summer.

Davidson has previously worked at two Missouri stations: KOMU in Columbia and KYTV in Springfield. She anchored and reported at both stations. Mackie was most recently a senior writer and director at a Kansas City advertising and PR firm.

“We’re really excited about bringing this new show to our viewers,” KSHB VP-GM Mike Vrabac said in a statement. “41 Action News is continuing to develop local programming that is relevant to our community, and we’re thrilled that we were able to recruit the talents of Michelle and Michael.” [via Bottom Line Communications]

David Earl has joined WMAZ, the CBS-affiliate in Macon, GA, as morning and midday anchor.

Earl is a Chicago-area native who has spent the last two years as a reporter and fill-in anchor at KOMU, the NBC-affiliate in Columbia, MO. He began today as anchor of the morning and noon newscasts, and he will also serve as a multimedia journalist for WMAZ.

“Everyone has been really, really nice, very friendly. I’m not used to people asking questions about me. We’re kind of brisk up in Chicago,” Earl joked during his introduction on Friday’s evening newscast. “I’m really looking forward to it, it’s going to be a lot of fun.” Read more

Blake Hanson has joined WDSU, the NBC-affiliate in New Orleans.

Hanson comes from KOMU in Columbia, MO, where he has been a reporter, morning fill-in anchor and producer since 2008. During his time in Columbia, he also reported for Newsy.com and several local radio stations.

Hanson will be a reporter for WDSU’s morning newscast. His first day at the station is today.

KOMU‘s interactive newscast is moving to noon and scaling back on Google+ involvement from viewers beginning later this month.

Jennifer Reeves, the interactive director of the Columbia NBC-affiliate, told TVSpy the interactive newscast is not being cancelled, noting that the only changes are “the show’s time, name and format changes to boost its professionalism.”

“We’re scaling back on how we present interactivity in a way our audience is more wiling to accept,” Reeves said. “This is partly the challenge of bringing new delivery to a traditional space.” Read more

Several local stations have won Sigma Delta Chi awards from the Society of Professional Journalists.

Awards were given to a small-market and large-market station in five categories — breaking news coverage, documentaries, feature reporting, investigative reporting and public service in television journalism.

Large market winners were WISH in Indianapolis, KLAS in Las Vegas, News 12 Westchester, KPHO in Phoenix and WIVB in Buffalo. Small market station winners were WGXA in Macon, GA, KOMU in Columbia, KCRG in Cedar Rapids, WVUE in New Orleans and WTWO in Terre Haute, IN.

A full list of local news winners is after the jump. Read more