Former Philadelphia meteorologist, John Bolaris went on “Dr. Phil” with fiancee Erica Smitheman to talk about everything from the loss of his job at WTXF, to the media coverage of his run-in with a Russian crime ring in 2010, and the more recent controversy over philly.com posting a naked picture of Smitheman.

A portion of the interview can be found on philly.com.  Most notably, Bolaris repeated his assertions, despite what The Philly Post reported, he did not defecate in his pants during what many are calling his “real-life Hangover” after being drugged and swindled out of $43,000.

“Just before I’m getting out there to testify,” Bolaris told Dr. Phil. “I get a voicemail from this particular reporter saying, ‘You have thirty minutes to respond that you defecated in your pants and we’re going to run with it.  You have thirty minutes to respond.’  And I can’t respond,” added Bolaris. “He ran with it.  And that was the headline he ran with.  That John Bolaris ‘blanked’ himself.” Read more

Philadelphia Fox O&O WTXF has tapped Jim Driscoll as its next news director. Driscoll has spent the last five and a half years working as news director of WWOR, the Fox-owned MyNetwork TV affiliate in Secaucus.

Driscoll is also a former assistant news director of WNYW, the Fox O&O in New York City. Prior to that, he spent 18 years at WWOR, where he began as a production assistant and eventually rose to executive producer.

“Jim’s impressive track record of success at WWOR and WNYW speaks for itself. I’m confident that his leadership, solid local news instincts and inventive style will continue FOX 29’s growth and expand the station’s presence in the market,” WTXF vice president and general manager Dennis Bianchi said in a statement.

WTXF has been without a news director since Steve Schwaid left the station in July. Driscoll’s appointment is effective January 2. Read more

Breaking: After three years as general manager of WFLD in Chicago, Mike Renda is jumping to another Fox O&O. Effective January 7, Renda will be the VP-GM at WJBK in Detroit.

Renda and Fox Television Stations CEO Jack Abernethy are announcing the news to the WJBK newsroom at 9:30amET. The pair are expected to travel to Chicago later today to announce who will succeed Renda at WFLD.

“I feel honored to have the opportunity to lead the #1 station in Detroit, known for its edgy, unconventional and hard-hitting news product,” Renda said in a statement. “I look forward to continuing the station’s legacy of serving Detroit.”

Prior to working at WFLD, Renda spent two years as the VP-GM of WTXF, the Fox O&O in Philadelphia. He has also been VP-GM of WJW in Cleveland, which was owned by Fox when he worked there.

“Mike has proven his great leadership abilities at three FOX-owned stations over a fifteen-year tenure,” Abernethy said in a statement. “Regardless of the roles he’s held, he always inspires his team to be better, work smarter and think differently. There is no person better qualified to take charge of our premier Detroit station than him.”

Renda replaces Jeff Murri, who died in February.

Read the full release from Fox after the jump. Read more

Former Philadelphia meteorologist John Bolaris is expected to testify this week in the case against Stanislav Pavlenko, the man accused of running an organized scheme to get men drunk and make expensive purchases on their credit cards.

Bolaris is one of 88 witnesses in the case, according to the Philly Post. The former WTXF chief meteorologist was targeted by Pavlenko’s group in 2010. Bolaris’ American Express was charged for $43,000 worth of booze, caviar and expensive artwork after he was allegedly drugged by two Latvian women he met in Miami.

The Philly Post has obtained a copy of the FBI report, which includes some sordid details from Bolaris’ night with the women: Read more

WTXF, Philadelphia’s FOX O&O, along with Xfinity Live! Philadelphia, Comcast Spectator and WMMR have teamed up with the Salvation Army to collect supplies for those who need help in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Beginning tomorrow at 6 a.m. the Salvation Army will be at Xfinity Live! Philadelphia to collect the following:

• Bottled Water/Soda/Juice

• Wrapped snacks

• Batteries

• Toiletries

• Gift cards to Wal-Mart

Those who donate Wednesday will receive 20% off their bill at Xfinity Live! and a VIP card to Xfinity Live!

The Philadelphia Daily News is reporting Lauren Cohn will be leaving Philadelphia FOX O&O WTXF at the end of the year.

Cohn joined WTXF two years ago as a reporter and anchor for the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. news.

She previously worked at WPIX in New York, WLIG (now WLNY) in Long Island, KJEO (now KGPE) in Fresno, CA, WEWS in Cleveland, WLS and WFLD in Chicago and WCAU in Philadelphia.

Howard Eskin is the latest addition to the sports team at WTXF, the Fox O&O in Philadelphia. The veteran sportscaster talks to the Philadelphia Daily News about his new gig:

 ”I think personality on TV is important. Sports is an area where you can have a personality, and be a personality and do things with a personality. When I go into something, I really commit to it. At Fox 29, sports is not a ‘service’ to people, it’s part of what they want . . . They encouraged me. If I have an opinion, they want me to [give] it.”

Because Eskin – who would only describe his current contract as a “multiyear” deal – has appeared somewhere on local television for 30 years, his move to Fox29 has hardly been a new experience. Read more

John Anderson is returning to Cleveland NBC affiliate WKYC as the weekend evening co-anchor.

Anderson, who worked at WKYC from 2000 to 2007, will anchor the 6 and 11 p.m. weekend newscasts alongside Lynna Lai beginning October 24. During his seven years at WKYC, he anchored the morning newscast with his wife, Kristin Anderson.

“We are really happy to be moving back to Cleveland,” Anderson said in a statement. “Kristin and I loved our time there, and I’m looking forward to jumping back into the news and sports world of Northeast Ohio.”

Anderson has spent the last five years as morning anchor at WTXF, the Fox O&O in Philadelphia.

WCAU will be exiting the Local News Service it helped start, according to Broadcasting & Cable.  The LNS, an agreement between Philadelphia TV stations WTXF, WCAU and KYW, allows the stations to pool resources while covering non-enterprise stories like press conferences.

B&C says the decision comes from WCAU upper management and not from parent NBC owned television stations in New York and is spurred by the station wanting to set itself apart from other stations in the market.

The report also says the station will be getting its own helicopter by the end of the year.

Dawn Stensland is making a return to Philadelphia’s airwaves with a new show on WMCN.

Stensland told the Philadelphia Inquirer her new show, tentatively titled “A New View”, would “delve into the issues – not politics, not sports, but it could be about health, social issues, education.”

“We’re absolutely thrilled to have Dawn joining us at wmcn44.” Jon Gorchow, president of Lenfest Broadcasting told TVSpy.  “Aside from being a terrific journalist, she has a warm heart, great sense of humor, and a terrific personality.  Her new program will feature all of those characteristics when it launches next month!  Viewers will get to see the real Dawn!

Read more