Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk > Archives > 2007 > December > 05
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
12/5: Cynne Simpson, Gene Norman leaving WGCL
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
WGCL-TV has lost two of its more popular on-air personalites, evening anchor/reporter Cynne Simpson and meteorologist Gene Norman. Simpson has been there for three years. Norman has been at the station a relatively long time, arriving in 2000. The CBS affiliate, which is just getting over the Cari Champion “mothersucka” firing, had stabilized management and staff the past two years after several years of turnover.
No word on where Simpson is going. Subscription-only NewsBlues reports that Norman is moving to Fox affiliate KRIV-26 in Houston to be that station’s primary meteorologist. (NewsBlues on Thursday said it erred. Norman is actually going to the CBS affiliate KHOU-11 in Houston.)
In a memo sent to employees Tuesday, news director Rick Erbach wrote:
I regret to announce the resignation of two key and beloved members of the CBS 46 News family.
CBS 46 News anchor/reporter Cynne’ Simpson and Chief Meteorologist Gene Norman have accepted new jobs outside of Atlanta.
Cynne’ is leaving us for an exciting new position. She will make her announcement by the end of the week.
Gene is also leaving to pursue an opportunity. He’ll make his announcement by the end of the year.
I can’t thank Cynne’ and Gene enough for all of their hard work and enthusiasm. Both are professionals and great people. They will be dearly missed. While I would like to see them stay, their new career opportunities will provide them with new challenges and rewards. We all appreciate their dedication and their never ending parade of public appearances.
Cynne’s last day with us is December 7th and Gene will be staying through the Holidays. His last day will be January 18th.
Again, we thank both for their accomplishments and their passion. We are a better station today because of their efforts
Good luck!
Rick
Here’s Cynne’s bio on WGCL
She is one of the youngest major market evening news anchors in the country. Cynne graduated magna cum laude from Howard University in Washington, D.C., where she majored in Broadcast Journalism and minored in Spanish. While in college, Ted Koppel was so impressed with her ability to report in English and Spanish, he selected her for a semester fellowship with ABC News Nightline. Cynne is a native of West Bloomfield, Michigan, but grew up in Sacramento, California. She has also lived in Spain and Costa Rica as an exchange student.
Here’s Gene’s bio on WGCL..
For Gene, there is nothing more interesting than the way a really good thunderstorm can crackle through the sky, shaking the windows and turning night to day. He arrived in Atlanta to cover the city’s historic Ice Storm in 2000.
12/5: WSB’s Chris Krok out, Herman Cain in (UPDATED)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Chris Krok is gone from WSB-AM after two years as a night-time host. He had been groomed to be a possible replacement for either Clark Howard or Neal Boortz if either chose to step down. But that was clearly not to be.
Krok, whose last job was in Minneapolis, focused intensely on local issues and was big on the anti illegal discrimination front, holding two raucous public rallies earlier this year.
Pete Spriggs confirmed Wednesday afternoon that Krok is out. He said Herman Cain, a black conservative talk show host who airs a weekly show on Saturday for WSB and subs for Boortz, will start a night-time talk show five days a week on January 2. Spriggs wouldn’t say exactly what his time frame will be, probably because it will likely affect Michael Savage, now on air from 7 to 10. For the next month, WSB-AM wil air a “best of” Clark Howard from 10 to midnight and “best of” Sean Hannity from midnight to 2.
ABOVE: Krok with his wife Faye at the AIR Awards at the InterContinental Hotel last Thursday
Just last Thursday, Krok was feted by WSB-AM at the Achievement in Radio Awards. He was given the favorite local personality award by management. I guess it was more a farewell gift.
“Not at all,” Spriggs said. “He earned it. The AIR award is for someone who has really made some impact at each radio station. Chris made an impact. He made a very good local talk show.”
If he was so good, why replace him with Cain?
“I’d rather not comment on that. That’s between me and Chris.”
Krok couldn’t be reached for comment.
Sadly, radio stations seem to like to make big cuts right before Christmas, possibly to clear out budgets for the next year. Clear Channel did the same thing last year when the company blew out Lite and 96rock as well as dismissed most of the local on-air folks from 640/WGST-AM.
Spriggs said this is not a budgetary savings since they now have to pay Cain full time.
12/5: Project 9-6-1’s Giant Brian raises nearly $100K for Empty Stocking
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Giant Brian show on Project 9-6-1 just finished up 50 hours to raise $96,535 for the Empty Stocking Fund, which found its warehouse stripped of $50,000 in gifts for needy kids. The thieves have yet to be found but he said it’s obvious the fund will end up with more cash than it otherwise would have had, said Don Crawford, the Empty Stocking Fund executive director.
“I’m tired but inspired,” “Giant” Brian Carothers said after the total was announced at 10:12 a.m. today.
“We thank you very much. It will help a lot of children,” said Crawford.
About 6,100 people contributed money. More will come in so the final total will likely be bigger and might break $100,000, said Chris Williams, program director.
John Cabaniss, a research scientist at Georgia Tech who lives in Marietta, stopped by the studio ((above, right, with Giant Brian)) and gave $16,000 from a charity foundation set up by his grandmother on behalf of his late grandfather. The radio station gave $25,000.
The two jocks didn’t stay awake or stay at the studio the entire 50 hours. They both snuck home overnight to shower, brush their teeth and shave. Brian Carothers slept three hours last night on a love seat while Shaffee found a spot on the floor in the control room under a desk to doze for an hour last night. “The carpet probably hasn’t been vacuumed since this building opened so I breathed in all sorts of dust, but it was worth it,” he said.
A company called Digital Blue, an education and entertainment company, said it will provide a matching total (including in-kind trades). So the final total could be closer to $200,000.
Crawford said the thieves focused on electronics, taking hundreds of DVD players and MP3 players. They didn’t steal any of the books.
Last year, the charity organization said it helped out 46,376 underprivileged children. You can donate directly here..
