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Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Changes Coming To Zell's KTLA

Kevin Roderick • BioEmail
LA Observed

I'm told that staffers at Channel 5 were gathered together for two all-hands meetings yesterday and told that News Director Rich Goldner would exit today for that new job in San Diego we reported over the weekend.

Allison Hunter was introduced as the interim news director at KTLA, but my source says "it was clear to everyone there that Steve Charlier would be running the place." Charlier left a Sacramento station in February, blamed (or credited, if you prefer) for overseeing "a complete overhaul...of the on-air talent and changing the tenor of the newscasts from sleepy to tabloidy." It won't be Hal Fishman's KTLA anymore — more like Sam Zell's or Lee Abrams'. Source:

He said they were going to tear down the glass partition between the assignment desk and the rest of the news room. The acting General Manager told the assembled mass that 'some people will lose their jobs" in this transition. Certainly a morale booster to an already demoralized staff.

Antonovich mourns 'loss' of KTLA News

L.A. County Supervisor Mike D. Antonovich adjourned the Supes meeting with a motion to mourn the reduction of live news coverage at Channel 5.

"When we lost Hal Fishman, Channel 5 lost its leadership and its owner, the L.A. Times has failed to fill the void. Channel 5 used to be an institution that we really relied on and Stan Chambers was the number one news gatherer along with his colleagues from the other stations. People are watching the other channels to find out what’s happening --because KTLA is showing sitcom repeats and third-rate soap operas."


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