Screenshot from a promo for "Local10 News" featuring WHDH past and present: Matt Lorch and Laurie Jennings. Click to watch the video.
Since it’s debut in 1994, WHDH’s 7 News format has been mostly successful. However, a key piece of the formula is the “revolving door” effect when it comes to talent. As a result, 7 News alumni are scattered throughout the country. One such example is Miami’s WPLG, which also has been home to some current 7 News personalities.
The video today is from May 2005. WPLG, Miami’s channel 10, is a strong number two to WHDH-sister station WSVN. While WSVN is somewhat of a “farm system” for our adaptation of 7 News, WPLG also has a number of familiar faces. Current 7-anchor Matt Lorch was at ‘PLG for the better part of the naughties, and former-7 News morning anchor Laurie Jennings is a current anchor at the station.
WPLG, facing stiff competition from WSVN, hired Jennings in 2004 from her floating role at NBC News. Having left WSVN after five years, Jennings decided to fulfill her dream of working at the network level. However, she quickly backtracked and moved to ‘SVN’s crosstown rival to cement the station’s position as #1.
This promotion from 2005 shows Matt Lorch reporting on a police chase that had occurred earlier in the day. This fitment is similar to his current set-up at ‘HDH, where he anchors during the day and reports at night. Lorch, who had been anchoring in a similar capacity that he does currently, was demoted abruptly in April of 2006 to weekend anchor, possibly due to WPLG cutting its 5pm news altogether. Soon after, rumors began to swirl that Sunbeam had hired him in Boston for double his salary. He left WPLG in summer 2006 for WHDH and has been a weekday anchor since. However, his replacement, Charles Perez, became lead anchor at channel 10 shortly after his arrival, leaving one to consider whether the scene would have played out differently had Lorch stayed.
I think as you article eventually points out, WSVN is not the top rated station in that marketplace. Laurie Jennings not only left 7 for eventually greener pastures on a station well respected in the marketplace, but for one that actually draws a larger audience for her news programs. The News Director, as are many of the other staffers, are former WSVN people.