WSB GM Tim McVay wrote a note to viewers on the station’s facebook page yesterday saying he wants departing meteorologist David Chandley to stay but is prepared if he doesn’t.

Yesterday TVSpy reported Chandley was leaving WSB because he always wanted to be a chief meteorologist. Currently, he is one of five meteorologists on staff at WSB. Current chief Glenn Burns has been at the station since 1981.

“Although I still hope that David will change his mind and stay with Channel 2, we congratulate him on the great work he’s done while a member of Severe Weather Team 2,” wrote McVay.

But McVay added the station has a plan if Chandley leaves, “If he doesn’t return we will begin looking for the person to join Chief Meteorologist Glenn Burns, Karen Minton, Brad Nitz and our newest Severe Weather Team 2 member, Katie Walls.” Read more

KSAT anchor Isis Romero was unable to continue reading a story Monday, overcome by emotions as she told viewers of the San Antonio ABC affiliate of an infant badly injured in a fireworks accident. Romero, who is expecting a child, apologized on her Facebook page for becoming overwhelmed by the news:

“My apologies everyone. We did a story about a 4 month old baby that got burned by fireworks, and then a story about another baby who was left abandoned on a subway platform, and I just couldn’t get through it. As a mommy-to-be, my heart just couldn’t take it. Those poor, precious babies. Thanks to Steve (Spriester) for jumping in for me.”

Viewers, who hate fake tears but respond overwhelmingly to real ones, flooded Romero’s post to voice their support. “I immediately knew what happened and I got a lump in my throat thinking of you,” wrote viewer Cecilia Herrera Diaz. “Steve made a flawless transition. You don’t have to apologize for being human!”

Another viewer, Lea Phelps, said she was deeply moved. “I was in my kitchen when the story started and I heard your sweet voice. Then, I heard Steves voice. I asked my husband to replay the story and sat down to watch. Isis I have to tell you. I now have a new found respect for you. You brought tears to my eyes. Your sweet love and compassion was so evident. Thank you for being you.”

Toni Konz is joining WDRB, the Fox affiliate in Louisville, as an education reporter. Konz comes from The Courier Journal, where she has worked for seven years.

“WDRB is committed to covering our community like no other media outlet in Louisville,” Konz said in a statement. “That is proven by the fact that the newsroom continues to expand, hiring journalists who have covered this area for years. I am excited to join such a talented and experienced team.”

WDRB has poached several journalists from The Courier-Journal over the past two years.

Konz wrote about the decision on WDRB.com, saying she believes the opportunity is one that will “bring happiness, professional growth and allow me to continue serving my readers — just in a different way.” Read more

Gannett Co. has completed the acquisition of six London Broadcasting stations in Texas for $215 million, the two companies announced today. Included in the sale are KCEN in Waco-Temple-Bryan, KYTX in Tyler-Longview, KIII in Corpus Christi, KBMT and digital subchannel KJAC in Beaumont-Port Arthur, KXVA in Abilene-Sweetwater and KIDY in San Angelo.

London Broadcasting COO Phil Hurley will continue to lead the stations, reporting to Gannett Broadcasting president Dave Lougee. With the sale, Gannett will reach 83 percent of the households in Texas.

Thrilled to join #7news in August & continue to report in my beloved hometown alongside great talent! #changingchannels #newjob #hooray!

— Kimberly Bookman (@KimberlyBookman) July 7, 2014

Kimberly Bookman has announced she is joining Boston NBC affiliate WHDH as a general assignment reporter.

According to New England One, Bookman comes to WHDH from WCVB in Boston where she was a freelance reporter. She has also worked at WMUR in Manchester, NH, WFXT and NECN in Boston, WMAR in Baltimore, WSPA in Spartanburg, SC and WETM in Elmira, NY.

Taylor Swift, as it turns out, knows a thing or two about the local TV news biz. Just look at the lyrics of her hit song “Ours”: the stakes are high, the water’s rough, but this love is ours. That could easily be said about the love many of us feel for working in television, a business rich with history, but roiled by change.

This morning, The Wall Street Journal published an essay by Swift on the future of the music business, where she argues all is not lost in the face of declining sales, piracy, streaming, and audiences facing an endless sea of digital distractions. “Music is art, and art is important and rare. Important, rare things are valuable. Valuable things should be paid for.” You could say the same thing for journalism.

Millie Tran, a writer and editor at the American Press Institute, shared Swift’s WSJ piece on Twitter, noting “it has a lot of parallels for the news industry.” And it really does.

Swift’s best advice, both to aspiring singer-songwriters and journalists hoping to keep viewers coming to local news—whether it’s at six o’clock or via a station’s iPad app? Read more

As Darby Douglas returns to KHOU as morning traffic reporter, Katherine Whaley — who has been in that role since 2009 — is leaving the Houston CBS affiliate. The Houston Chronicle has details:

Whaley, a graduate of Memorial High School and Rice University who joined Channel 11 in 2009, said she was offered a reporting position with the station that she said she “ultimately determined was not the right fit for me.”

She said she will continue with Channel 11 through most of August and is “engaged in conversations for upcoming opportunities.”

Houston media blogger Mike McGuff, who first reported the story, also talks to Whaley about what’s next.

Was KNBC photographer Kenny Holmes being insensitive—or simply smart—when he used Twitter to reach out to a person who claimed to be one of the riders stuck on a disabled California roller coaster Monday?

Four people were injured when a tree branch fell onto the track of the Ninja, a 2,700 foot ride at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Shortly after the accident, Holmes used Twitter to find a user named Israel who may have been one of the 22 riders who had to be rescued from the coaster by firefighters. “Stuck upside down on Ninja at Six Flags…scary. The news is here as well” he tweeted.

Holmes reached out with his own tweet:

@diskiddooo_ hey man glad you’re ok. I’m with NBC LA. Do you have pics?

— Kenny Holmes (@KHOLMESlive) July 8, 2014

That tweet was quickly pounced on as an example of uncaring media interested only in getting those exclusive photos, with one person sending a mocking tweet, “Stay classy @NBCLA @KHOLMESlive. “You haven’t been rescued yet, might fall, but u have pics bro?”

Holmes, who also reached out to relatives of potential victims of the coaster accident on Twitter, defended himself, saying he confirmed “Israel” was no longer on the ride, and not in danger of falling—actually, he’d never even been on the ride, but had sent out the “stuck upside down” tweet as a joke. Read more

WJBK anchor Alan Lee announced on-air this morning he is leaving the Detroit FOX owned station.

Lee, who has been the morning show anchor at WJBK since 1996, said he decided not to renew his contract and instead will pursue plans to write a novel.

WJBK general manager Mike Renda said in a statement, “We want to thank Alan for his many contributions to the FOX2 news team over the past eighteen years.”

Lee’s last day will be July 31.

Today we look at the number two market in the US where the top stories seemed to be the Donald Sterling trial, immigration issues and the focus on the beating of a woman on a local freeway by a CHP officer.

KCBS was the only surprise with its first block focusing on recent beach dangers.