Posts Tagged ‘Tyler Sieswerda’

As my subscribers know because of an inadvertent early post of a rough draft last week, after much consideration your humble proprietor has decided to close down the Listening Post. It’s been fun and I’m happy that some of you liked it and found it worthwhile, but it’s time to move on.

Writing the blog has become too much like a job, an unpaid job at that. To do this blog right means spending way too many hours in research, handling technical problems, developing relationships and writing several posts a week, not to mention watching lots of local TV news. I’ll do that anyway, but I would rather be free to watch what I want, when I want.

One of the reasons I started the blog was my belief that the Austin American-Statesman was not doing a very good job covering Austin TV news. Its media reporter/blogger has his hands more than full covering radio, retail and various and sundry other business and city desk stories. I know times are tough in newspapering, but I hope his editors will give the guy time to do some original reporting and in-depth analysis on the local TV news scene. I haven’t even been trying to compete with the Statesman, but I have consistently beaten them to stories they should have had. That’s no great credit to me, but it should be a concern to the Statesman. I fear it is not.

With that, I thank all of you who have read this blog regularly over the past 17 months and wish you news junkies happy viewing. I’m sure I’ll continue to have some thoughts on the local TV news scene on Twitter, so please follow me @billrr.

Ranking the Newscasts and On-Air Professionals

Before I go, a number of you have asked me from time to time to offer my opinion on Austin’s best newscast, best anchors, reporters, etc. I have refrained from doing so because I felt it would taint various stories I might write. I did not want to appear to be coming down on the side of those I had identified as my favorites or criticizing those I had left off my lists. Now, with no future stories to write and with 2013 upon us, it seems like the appropriate time to do a report card.

These choices are just my personal opinion, based on what I have seen on the air. I have no axes to grind or personal vendettas or anything like that to influence these choices. Almost everyone in Austin TV has treated me wonderfully and I am truly grateful.

For all of you who did not make my lists, I am in no way saying you are bad or that I do not like your work. I simply chose my favorites and in many cases it was a very close call between making the list and just missing.

Judging TV newscasts and TV news talent is a very subjective topic, and I’m sure most of you would choose differently if you put together similar lists. No rights or wrongs here, just differences of opinion. I’ll leave the site up for awhile so that those of you who feel strongly can comment on this post and make your case for why anchor “X” or weatherperson “Y” should have made my list. Please, no obscenities, especially about me.

I based my opinion purely on journalism and on-air performance over the long haul–those I think have the best chances for success in TV news for the foreseeable future.

Best Overall News Coverage

1. KVUE (Tie)

1. KXAN (Tie)

Comment–OK, I punted on the big one. Sorry, couldn’t choose between them.

Best on-set team

1. Tyler Sieswerda, Terri Gruca, Mark Murray, Mike Barnes, KVUE Prime Time

2. Robert Hadlock, Leslie Rhode, Jim Spencer, Roger Wallace, KXAN Prime Time

3. Bryan Mays, Yvonne Nava, Albert Ramon, KVUE Mornings

4. Brian Sanders, Sally Hernandez, Mark Monstrola, Amanda Dugan, KXAN Mornings

5. Greg Kerr, Katherine Kisiel, Keri Bellacosa, Zach Shields, FOX 7 Mornings

Comment–These are the teams that both deliver professional newscasts while also seeming to genuinely enjoy each other’s company. They are comfortable with each other and as a result, we are comfortable watching them.

Best Male Anchor

1. Tyler Sieswerda, KVUE Prime Time

2. Robert Hadlock, KXAN Prime Time

3. David Scott, KXAN Weekends

4. Mike Warren, FOX 7 Prime Time

5. Robert Maxwell, KXAN/KNVA Prime Time

Comment—While for me, Sieswerda is the best, KXAN seems to have cornered the market on male anchors. I could have added that station’s Brian Sanders, but I elected to put him on my top up-and-comers list (below) as he begins new duties on the KXAN weekday morning team.

Best Female Anchor

1. Katherine Stolp, KEYE Weekends

2. Sally Hernandez, KXAN Mornings

3. Yvonne Nava, KVUE Mornings

4. Terri Gruca, KVUE Prime Time

5. Leslie Rhode, KXAN Prime Time

6. Shannon Wolfson, KXAN/KNVA Prime Time

Comment–I have ranked three “secondary” anchors ahead of the prime time stars. For me, Stolp, Hernandez and Nava are essentially tied for first. Because of families and ties to Austin, I’m assuming Hernandez, Nava, Gruca and Rhode will be around for awhile, which is good. Wolfson has already announced she will be leaving in March in search of greener pastures and I fully expect Stolp to land a better job in a bigger market at some point, if she chooses. Still, this is her hometown, so we may keep her, too.

Best Meteorologist

1. Jim Spencer, KXAN Prime Time

2. Mark Murray, KVUE Prime Time

3. Scott Fisher, FOX 7 Prime Time

4. Burton Fitzsimmons, YNN Mornings

5. Zach Shields, FOX 7 Mornings

Comment–Spencer and Murray are tied for first in my opinion, and obviously Troy Kimmel would have made it a three-way tie had he remained at KEYE. This is probably Austin’s strongest category and we will be blessed indeed if these gentlemen continue in their roles.

Best Sportscaster

1. Dave Cody,  FOX 7

2. Roger Wallace,  KXAN

3. Bob Ballou, KEYE

4. Mike Barnes, KVUE

5. Ricky Doyle, YNN

Comment–Again, tough call. Veterans all who seem to love Austin sports. We are the winners.

Best Male Reporter—Non-Regular Anchor

1. Chris Willis, KXAN

2. Chris Sadeghi, KXAN

3. Mark Wiggins, KVUE

4. Rudi Koski, FOX 7

5. Jim Swift, KXAN

6. Shelton Green, KVUE

Comment–For day-to-day, on-the-street coverage of any story, Sadeghi is the best in this market. You can argue that Willis does not belong here since he was a long time anchor and still fills occasionally on the desk, but as KXAN’s chief investigative reporter, he has assumed that role as his main job. He has become the face of KXAN’s branding efforts with frequent on-air promotions. You can also argue that Swift is more a story teller than a regular news reporter, but that’s quibbling. I love his work and it’s my blog.

Best Female Reporter—Non-Anchor

1. Heather Kovar, KVUE

2. Jessica Holloway, KVUE

3. Noelle Newton, FOX 7

4. Erin Cargile, KXAN

5. Jessica Vess, KVUE

6. Karen Kiley, KEYE

Comment–These women all do a good job. Kovar’s experience shows. Holloway has brought a real skill to sensitive interviews.

Up and Comers to Keep an Eye On

1. Brian Sanders, KXAN anchor

2. Mark Monstrola, KXAN meteorologist

3. Angie Beavin, KXAN reporter

4. Amanda Dugan, KXAN traffic

5. Shawn Clynch, KVUE sportscaster

6. Adam Bennett, KEYE reporter

Comment–I guess there’s not too much doubt about which station I think has a bright future.

A major problem in this, the 45th largest TV news market, is the seemingly constant turnover in the reporter ranks. Just when a reporter starts to learn how to pronounce our street names and towns and begins to have a feel for the important issues and personalities in the news, he/she is on the move to seemingly greener pastures.

When they first move here, all news reporters rave about how much they love Austin, its quality of life, its beautiful views, its live music and great people. Eventually, however, that’s not enough, and if they are any good, off they go.

Why? An obvious guess has to be a relatively low pay scale. We can only hope that ownership and top management think about correcting that if we are ever to get the reporting levels we deserve. Until then, with a few exceptions, we have to endure while the kids from West Texas, East Texas and Waco learn the ropes here.

Morgan Chesky
Photo courtesy KVUE

While all the stations have their reporter turnover moments, this week it’s KVUE’s turn, with one leaving and two joining. Morgan Chesky, who joined KVUE in April 2011 and who had become one of the station’s better reporters and fill-in anchors, has landed a weekend anchor job at KOCO, the ABC affiliate in Oklahoma City. His last day at KVUE will be December 19.

Chesky moved here after two years at KLTV, Tyler. While there, he earned a “best reporter” award from the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters. Like a certain Heisman Trophy winner, Chesky is a graduate of Kerrville Tivy High School.

Chesky says he was not looking to leave, but that KOCO contacted him because of the experience and guidance he gained at KVUE.

“Terri Gruca, Tyler Sieswerda and our news director, Frank Volpicella, took me under their wing and taught me the skills I needed,” Chesky told me. “It’s no secret that KVUE is a great place to work, so anchor turnover doesn’t happen often.”

In Oklahoma City, Chesky will be anchoring five shows a weekend, three on Saturday and two on Sunday, and will report nightside on three weekdays. He says the market never has a dull moment. “It’s a very competitive market and a lot more people watch news there than in Austin,” Chesky said. “I feel confident my time at KVUE has given me the tools to do well and earn their trust in Oklahoma City.”

Shawn Clynch
Photo courtesy KVUE

Reversing the trend in both geography and age is KVUE’s new sports reporter/fill-in sports anchor, Shawn Clynch, 39, who has begun work at KVUE. For almost six years, Clynch has been a sports reporter, anchor, producer and sports photographer at KOKH, the Fox station in Oklahoma City. He’s an Austin native and graduate of Anderson High School.

“I always said that Oklahoma is one place I will never work or live, but it turned out to be a great place,” Clynch said. “Still, you can’t get Austin out of your blood. The opportunity to cover the Horns and work for such a solid station is just a great opportunity. I’m a firm believer that things happen for a reason.”

Before Oklahoma City, Clynch worked at KACB, San Angelo, and KTRE Lufkin-Nacogdoches, where he was sports director for four years. While there, he worked with current KVUE anchor Bryan Mays and photographer Scott McKenney, both of whom were in his wedding. Clynch earned a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Communications degree from Stephen F. Austin State University.

Shannon Murray
Photo courtesy Shannon Murray

Finally, replacing Chesky in early January will be Shannon Murray, a Dallas native and broadcast journalism graduate of the University of Texas. She has been a reporter and fill-in anchor at KOSA, Midland-Odessa for two-and-a-half years and also a radio correspondent for KCRS, Odessa.

“I lived in Austin for four years and most of my friends are there, so it was always my goal to get back there,” Murray said. “I’ve had a great experience here in Midland-Odessa and I’m sad to leave everybody here, but I could see myself building a life in Austin. I love the town.”

Murray interned for a summer for the Ellen DeGeneres Show and also served an internship with KXAN news.