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Monthly Archive for February, 2012


Fox25 Brings Another In Another MA Native


Fox25 has brought in another fresh face to report from the field.  Catherine Parrotta, currently at Portland, Maine-CBS affil WGME, will be joining the owned-and-operated station as a general assignment reporter.

Parrotta, a native of Saugus, spent five years in Maine as a reporter and anchor.  No word yet on her arrival in Dedham.  She joins a host of new hires at the station, who has spent the last eighteen months on a hiring spree, and sending multiple staffers out the door.


“Kelley’s Story” Adding Installment, Viewer Expresses Heartfelt Gratitude


The final installment of the award-winning series “Kelley’s Story” airs next week, and one Haverhill woman is thanking the eponymous NewsCenter5 reporter. “She saved my life,” retired Haverhill teacher Shirley Sokol told the Herald today, adding, “She made me realize that a self-exam was very important.”

“Kelley’s Story” has been an ongoing project by Tuthill since her diagnosis in 2006. Throughout its five years, it has been the recipient of several awards for broadcast excellence. There will be an update on her story tonight on NewsCenter5, with the full installment appearing sometime next week.


Ridley Relocates, Hired by Hearst


Ousted 7News weekender Larry Ridley has landed in central Florida.   According to multiple sources, Ridley will be signing a contract with NewsCenter5 sister-station WESH 2 News in Orlando, where he will become sports director.

Ridley is excited about his new job, remarking, “I’m looking forward to it.”  He also told TVSpy, “I’m definitely looking forward to the warmer temperatures.”

According to the report, final details are still being ironed out, but Ridley is expected to be appearing on the weeknight shows.

As you may remember, btvn first broke the news that Ridley left channel 7 following a non-renewal.  He had held the weekend sports anchor position since 2006.


MyTV9 Star Decker Trains For The Weather


Brittany Decker, the 2011 Miss Connecticut winner and winner of the MyTV9 Star contest, is going to be taking a crack at meteorology.   As mentioned in a staff memo posted by our friends at The Laurel, Decker will begin the learning process to become a weather presenter with News8 and MyTV9.  Check out the memo below:

As I mentioned earlier this week, we have an AM Weather vacancy. I have already reached out to agents and the position will be posted shortly.

Meanwhile, our own Brittany Decker has quietly been interested in pursuing a weather career – and a meteorology degree – for the past few months. With that in mind – and with us looking for someone – Brittany will begin working with our Meteorology team to “learn the ropes” of weather. At some point in the coming weeks, we’ll look at how she is progressing and weigh her potential to join the News8 team. I bring this up because you will be seeing her working with Gil, SteveM & Erica in the studio quite a bit over the next few weeks, and figured you might get curious J

We’ll continue to look at other applicants even as we monitor Brittany’s progress. Meteorology is a very involved science, and the ability to tell a good weather story is something only a precious few can do well. My goal here is to find the person who can best be a part of our newsroom and weather team, both now and down the road, and I think we’ll do that.


Update: Baghdady and ‘TNH Reach Agreement


After a controversial job posting was reported on News8′s website nearly two weeks ago, news has emerged from WTNH that main anchor Sonia Baghdady and the station have signed a new contract.

According to TVSpy, the station’s main anchor signed a new contract following lengthy negotiations and swirling rumors about her departure, fueled in part by a job posting on the station’s website.

General Manager Mark Higgins told the New Haven Register that, “There was a rumor out there that the main anchors were going to leave,” adding, “it’s standard to post for a position… but it all worked out.”  The job posting has since been removed.