bury the lede

WTHR Names Williams As News Director

This just in: The staff at WTHR was informed today that longtime assistant news director Carolyn Williams has been named to the news director post. Sources say the personnel news was well received by all.

Tracy Forner Signs Off Tomorrow

WXIN is losing an early morning co-anchor. The Star's Susan Guyett has the scoop:

Tracy Forner, the early morning co-anchor at WXIN Channel 59 for the past five years, will sign off Thursday after his contract was not renewed.

That means Angela Ganote will be doing the morning broadcast with subs until Forner’s replacement, Scott Jones, joins the Fox Station in mid-April from KJRH (Channel 2), the NBC station in Tulsa, Okla.

Forner is the second longtime Indianapolis newsman to go off the air in a week. Ray Cortopassi of WRTV (Channel 6) left the station on March 21 after his contract ended without being renewed.

Scott Miley Returns To Anderson

Ruth Holladay catches this announcement about former Star reporter Scott Miley:

Miley is returning to the Anderson area where he first began his career in daily newspapers.

He was a reporter for the former Anderson Daily Bulletin leaving in 1980 for The Indianapolis Star where he was a general assignment reporter for 22 years.

He recently returned to journalism serving as editor of The Southside Times, a weekly newspaper based in Beech Grove in southern Marion County.

Val Hoeppner Moving On From The Star

This is a tad belated, but...

Scott Goldman/INI
01/10/2008 09:25 AM   
To StarNewsroom
Subject Val Hoeppner    

Val Hoeppner is going to be leaving The Star next month to take a new job with the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute in Nashville.

She will be their new manager of multimedia education and work with students and professionals on advancing multimedia skills. This is a dream job for Val, who already spends three weeks a year working with Native American students under a Freedom Forum program.

In her new role she will be starting a program from scratch. She'll create a curriculum for the program; she'll be the primary faculty member teaching video, audio, photography and editing courses; she'll create a multimedia journalism website for the Freedom Forum to display work of scholars, alumni and professional journalists; and she'll also be an adjunct journalism professor at Belmont University. Sounds like she'll be very busy, just as she's been here at The Star!

Val has served as Deputy Director of Photography and Multimedia Editor for the Star, and she's played a huge role in the rapid development of multimedia here over the past three years.

   

Chelli Leaving Inside INdiana Business

Ryan Chelli, director of interactive media and market development for Inside INdiana Business, is leaving to take a position with the Community Health Network Foundation. He writes:

"An incredible opportunity was presented to me, and I have accepted a new position with the Community Health Network Foundation to serve as the Director of Marketing and Philanthropic Communications. As a member of the senior leadership team, I will help create and implement strategic marketing and eBusiness programs that will increase philanthropic support for the Community Health Network Foundation and position it as the region's premier healthcare foundation.

"For 4.5 wonderful years, I have had the honor to work with Gerry Dick and his highly-talented team. I have been privileged to be a part of a well-respected company that has changed the way Indiana business news is generated and distributed. I'll miss working with those of you who have assisted in making the organization successful and making my job unbelievably enjoyable. This was a difficult decision to make, and I leave the company with wonderful friendships with Gerry and my co-workers, who will ensure your needs are met during my transition.

"My last day at Inside INdiana Business will be January 4th, and I will assume my new responsibilities with the Community Health Network Foundation on January 14th."

Rob Schneider Leaving The Star

Veteran Indy Star reporter Rob Schneider is heading out after 33 years at the paper:

Joyce Rickards
12/18/2007 04:18 PM
To: StarNewsroom
Subject: Fw: Announcement An announcement from Pam Fine:   

Rob Schneider is bidding the Star farewell after 33 years. Rob, who everyone knows as a wonderful writer and human being has decided it's time to walk through some new corridors on the way to his desk. He will be working for the IU School of Social Work penning stories about students, profs and alums for a variety of school-related publications. Rob started at the Star as a police reporter, which was de rigeur for all young reporters, and worked his way through a variety of beats. He's covered a huge number of important stories for the paper including everything from Hurricane Andrew to the death of Julia Carson. Please join me in wishing Rob well. He's finishing out his notice while on vacation, at his request, but we'll figure out how to fete him so he gets our well wishes in person... --Pam

Teevee Happenings

Indiana Daily Insight brings us these two updates on past and present local market television reporters:

• WTHR-TV weekend morning weathercaster Nicole Miscencik adds the 6:00 p.m. Saturday evening weather broadcast to her retinue of current responsibilities.
• Eric Weisfeld, a former morning co-anchor at WRTV-TV in Indianapolis, becomes morning anchor at WZVN-TV in Fort Myers, Florida.

What's Going On At WTHR, Dispatch?

There are rumors afoot following the announcement of an impending management change at Dispatch Broadcast Group, the family-owned parent of local ratings powerhouse WTHR-TV.

Michael Curtin, the Ohio-based company's longtime Number Two, will step down at the end of this year to pursue other opportunities.

That's caused some folks to start wondering whether the Wolfe family, which has owned the media group since the late 1920s, is considering a sale -- and what that might mean for those outlets under the Dispatch umbrella.

Adding to the corporate uncertainty, WTHR is still dealing with its own management issues after the sudden -- and allegedly involuntary -- departure of longtime general manager Rich Pegram earlier this month.

What are you hearing?

INtake Staffer Halverson Heads To Sport Graphics

Ruth Holladay reports on her blog that Jessica Halverson is leaving the Indy Star's features department. Here's the note:

Jacqueline Thomas/INI
11/16/2007 04:46 PM
To: StarNewsroom

I'm sorry to announce that My Life staffer,Jessica Halverson has decided to take a job with Sport Graphics. Her last day at The Star will be Dec. 7.

Jessica, who joined INtake in June, 2004, has split her time between design and reporting responsibilities. She has been a major force in expanding INtake's music coverage with her weekly band stories and her Off the Record videos. Jessica also created and managed a Play section in print and online that offers readers CD reviews and show previews.

Please join me in wishing Jessica well.

Details will follow on plans for a newsroom sendoff.

Jackie