This was posted Tuesday, March 14, 2017 by Rodney Ho on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
HLN continues to pluck talent from the ranks of CNN to populate its current all-female line up. Michaela Pereira, then Ashleigh Banfield, then Carol Costello, now S.E. Cupp. (Erica Hill is a former CNNer as well though she was working elsewhere immediately before coming to HLN.)
Cupp is a political contributor for CNN and former "Crossfire" host. Her show is set to debut this summer. Costello's is targeted for late April.
Cupp's show will air at 7 p.m. right before Banfield's 8 p.m. show, which replaced Nancy Grace last October.
The only long-term player left at HLN on air is Robin Meade, its morning star and remaining on-air talent left in Atlanta, where HLN is still theoretically based. All the newcomers, so far, have been based in New York or Los Angeles. And the only reason why Meade is still in Atlanta is because she wants to be and her popularity gives her that power.
HLN, since abandoning much of its old line-up last year, has been relying on copious amounts of old "Forensic Files" repeats (since re-dubbed "Mystery Detectives"). It also announced three new original series and a second season for a recent newbie.
- Beyond Reasonable Doubt: a crime series from the team behind CNN's Finding Jesus. Coming June 2.
- Something's Killing Me: a medical mystery series. Coming July 21.
- How It Really Happened with Hill Harper (second season): Coming Sept. 15
- Inside Secret Places with Chris Cuomo: Coming Nov. 3
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Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Chris "Crash" Clark has found his home at 11Alive as morning traffic dude. He just signed a new contract with the station. He joined the NBC affiliate in early 2014.
He posted this on his Facebook page:
In my almost 30 years of broadcasting, (mostly radio, but who thought, now TV) I've finally found a place where I can mix serious with silly. I'm excited to officially announce my contract extension with my 11 Alive family and hope this is just the beginning of a long and wonderful relationship.
Clark began his career in radio in the 1990s at stations such as Hot 107.5, 99X and Q100. In the mid 2000s, he moved to Boston for four years with Rich Shertenlieb and Fred Toucher before returning to Atlanta in 2010. He did traffic for Dave FM and V-103, then co-hosted for a couple of years with Ryan Cameron on V-103 in afternoons and mornings. After he lost his V-103 gig, he segued onto TV, his goofy persona working well in a new medium.
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Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Charles Ross was a regular presence on V-103 for many years in the 1980s and 1990s as a financial expert targeting African Americans.
He provided nuggets of financial advice on the V-103 morning show in the late 1980s for Mike Roberts and Carol Blackmon. He also had a talk show for a time on WAOK-AM.
The 59 year old has been off air for about 15 years but has reappeared in the spotlight running for city council in the new city of Stonecrest. (His publicist is Marjorie Coley, who used to do news on V-103 when he was there.)
"I want to be an anti-poverty advocate and pro education," Ross said. "I can do it as an advocate or have a seat at the table where decisions are made. This is a great opportunity to have an impact."
Since his radio show ended, he worked as a financial planner and held finance seminars. In recent years, he has been an elementary school teacher.
If he wins, he won't have direct jurisdiction over the school system or the police. But he said he will provide input. He said the council could coordinate with DeKalb County police, sponsor workshops and set up neighborhood watch. The council will handle zoning issues.
Ross, who has raised about $2,500, is competing against Jimmy Clanton Jr., president of the Stonecrest Community Civic Association.
He said his district, which includes Stonecrest Mall, has about 6,400 registered voters. Special elections, he said, tend to draw very few actual voters so he believes he needs only a few hundred voters to win.
He has lived in DeKalb since 1982 and the Stonecrest area for eight years.
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Drex, who was part of the Star 94.1 morning show before Jeff Dauler and Jenn Hobby took over, is currently subbing in for Tripp West on B985. mid days as a part timer and handling some of the music for B98.5.
There has been no recent update about West's condition on his Facebook page since he had a tumor removed from his brain in January.
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