IndyStar reporters Johnny Magdaleno and Chris Sims contributed to this report. As a breaking news reporter, Felicia provided live national reports for FOX News Channel and other FOX affiliates across the nation. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Doesn't even come close to enjoyable for me. Being a journalist is very demanding. And if you're ever in Minneapolis, send her a message. Nicole Pence is way bigger than WTHR. What you need to know about former Morehead's suit, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Get the latest news and breaking news from the Eyewitness News team. SHAKE UP THE WORLD! -FELICIA. Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on Twitter: @DanaBenbow. Radio-TV Broadcast History is a FANDOM TV Community. "They made me an offer," Kevin said on his decision to sell. IndyStar reached out to employees named in the lawsuit. After leaving Channel 13, Jill went on to own a wine shop on Mass Ave and later featured artist and musicians through a program called "Curious Mix" at WFYI. Indianapolis news anchor sues WTHR-TV's parent company, Former WTHR anchor says lawsuit tells 'small portion' of mistreatment, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. https://t.co/dsc0odnlq7. "One thing thats been unusual is how many people have asked me what are you going to do now," he said. Please enable JavaScript to view this content. ", Related:When TV meteorologist Randy Ollis won that culture war. Nominate a company for IBJs exclusive ranking of fastest-growing privately held companies by March 1st. Keep in mind, too, a producer was also fired, so there may be something to all of this. Many viewers took to Facebook to tellstories of how Pearce had helped them through the years. Digital: (Television Host and Creator of the Preschool Television Series 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood') 44. Flye did not return phone calls or an email seeking comment. 13News Anchor - @JennieWTHR. "Its true that I am taking that crucial step toward opening my heart, my mind, and my soul to walk with the wind, and continue to be an agent of good change for others," she wrote. Nicole is a budding star of the future. On Tuesday, IBJ reported that WISH-TV Channel 8 is losing two popular on-air personalities: morning anchor Lauren Lowrey and reporter Brittany Lewis. She will be missed! She was just a joyful, loving human that I had the pleasure of working with for several years. According to the Tegna website, the company owns 64 television stations and two radio stations in 51 markets across the country. Sounds like someone was looking for a reason to get rid of her. Pearce, who grew up in Martinsville and is a 1986 Butler University graduate, came to WTHR in 2002 as the Sunrise team traffic anchor. Milz grew up in Evanston, Illinois, and earned a broadcast journalism degree from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Editor's note: You can comment on IBJ stories by signing in to your IBJ account. WTHR's Bruce Kopp After 33 years with WTHR, Kopp announced in January that he was leaving the station to pursue other opportunities. Kevin Gregory (the chief meteorologist) is the son of former WTHR chief meteorologist Bob Gregory. I'm not sure where they found the weather reporter that is now on there, but she doesn't have the personality to be a weather anchor. This is very disappointing. "I pray you couldnt see or feel the pain that was real and emotionally consuming and exhausting," she wrote in the open letter. Ken Smith. About. Founded in 1957 WTHR is owned by Dispatch Broadcast Group ofColumbus, Ohio. However, the partnership ended when WNDY was purchased by LIN TV Corporation, which also owned WISH-TV. One of WRTV's former news staff was Emily Gimmel. Since 1974, WTHR has been owned by the Dispatch Broadcast Group of Columbus, Ohio. Very sad news to share. WHAS11.com is the official website for WHAS-TV, your trusted source for breaking news, weather and sports in Louisville, KY. WHAS11.com. The station signed on October 30, 1957[1] as ABC affiliate WLWI (often rendered in print as WLW-I), owned by Crosley Broadcasting Corporation. I'll go back to channel 8 now. Morehead's lawyerTerrance Kinnard alleges she suffered unlawful and discriminatory actions in the lawsuit. I would hope she follows her goals and keeps us informed wherever she goes on her career. Copyright 2005-16. The only response came fromWTHR General Manager Michael Brouder statinghewas unable to comment on pending litigation. After 18 years as a reporter and news anchor at WRTV-TV Channel 6, Ericka Flye has flown the coup. Here's a look at some of the key changes. It's sad that she got fired like that. WTHR.com is the news leader for Indianapolis and Central Indiana. Here's what you need to know about Andrea Morehead's lawsuit: Morehead is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning news anchor, who most recently worked for the NBC affiliate at WTHR-TV Channel 13 in Indianapolis, according to her Twitter profile. Employers, Weve Got You Covered! Im still figuring it out. He was moved from the early-morning "Sunrise"program in March 2016 to take on "other tasks." The lawsuit was filed in federal court Jan. 13. INDIANAPOLIS Former WTHR anchor and reporter Jill Ditmire has passed away at the age of 56. He was moved from the early-morning "Sunrise" program in March 2016 to take on "other tasks." And now . Now we have neither! WTHR is owned by Virginia-based Tegna Inc., which acquired the station in 2019. if ( typeof LD == "object" ) { LD.initPage(); }. SERVE OTHERS. Broadcasting can be a very political. Either way, the truth is liable to come out seeing how Pence is consulting with her attorney. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Crosley/Avco poured a lot of money into WLWI, but eventually concluded that it was a third-rate operation and put it up for sale. Morehead on Jan. 13 filed a lawsuitin Indiana federal court againstWTHR-TV's parent company Tegna, Inc. claiming employees at the station harassed and discriminated against her. Sad to see her go always appreciate TV journalists who are actually out and about doing reporting and dont just sit in front of a monitor and read whats on it like the WTHR evening anchors do. Follow him on Twitter @lawrencegandrea. Heres how it got the story. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisFSims. WTHR posted Pearce's farewell message video Wednesday morning. Example video title will go here for this video. Call IndyStar reporter Holly Hays at (317) 444-6156. Since the lawsuit was announced, Morehead made a post on Facebook Wednesday. Morehead is seekingattorney's fees, compensatory and punitive damages, lost wages and benefits and other relief. Matt McCutcheon, a reporter and anchor for WTHR since 2013, also departed in January, sayingthat he had retired from the news industry and was taking a corporate communications gig with a local life sciences firm. I am glad to see her on 59 that's the news I watch ttc, She was fired because he's the governor's niece in Indianapolis is a predominantly democratic socialist area. God Bless!". According to the Wrap's new Q Score survey, CBS' Scott Pelley is the most-liked news anchor, while Chris Matthews falls in last place as the least-liked newscaster. Pearce, who grew up in Martinsville and is a1986 Butler University graduate,came to WTHR in 2002 as the Sunrise team traffic anchor. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! That's why I don't, anymore. Don't think it was just about spending more family time either. She also cited other journalists who served as her inspirations throughout her career, saying she hopesshe had a similar impact as a "positive mentor" to interns and young journalists she has worked with. The Chicago native then found herself at the FOX affiliate in Charlotte, North Carolina. You are a class act and we wish you nothing but the best! WTHR's newscasts surged to second place in 1996 after it hired former CBS News correspondent John Stehr as anchor of its evening newscasts around the same time that WRTV saw its ratings plummet following a botched format change. Wow, four grammar mistakes in a single sentence. ", Search for accused Johnson County scammer ends in arrest, Boone County Deputy Jacob Pickett remembered on 5 year anniversary of line of duty death, Live Doppler 13 Weather Blog: Record-breaking rain raises ongoing flood concerns, Live Doppler 13 Weather Blog: Mild air returns with more rain, snow returning late week. Indianapolis news anchor Andrea Morehead recently filed a lawsuit against her former employer in Indiana federal court. ", Related: Ex-WTHR meteorologist Nicole Misencik joins Indy marketing firm. Flye's departure is the third one in this market to make news this week. "Its true that I am taking that crucial step toward opening my heart, my mind, and my soul to walk with the wind, and continue to be an agent of good change for others," Morehead wrote. Indianapolis news anchor Andrea Morehead recently filed a lawsuit against her former employer in Indiana federal court. LACK OF BELIEF IN ONES SELF KILLS DREAMS SWIFTLY! The one they should fire is Anne Marie Tiernon. Biles credits IndyStar for revealing gymnastics abuse. All rights reserved. Hard Knocks to showcase Colts for first in-season episodes, Republic sues flight school students over deal for reduced tuition, Investors wary as Elanco pins hopes on new products, Robotics curriculum initiative targets younger, nonwhite kids. Credit: WTHR. Good luck to NP, perhaps Lexington will take her back. I am grateful to RTV6 and I am blessed by the support of viewers who have watched me for many years, Flye said on WRTVs Facebook page. Matt McCutcheon, a reporter and anchor for WTHR since 2013, also departed in January, saying that he had retired from the news industry and was taking a corporate communications gig with a. TV anchors and reporters who left Indianapolis. WTHR broadcasts its local newscasts in 1080i high definition, which is the same high definition resolution as NBC network programming. As for WTHR, YOU SUCK! This comment has been removed by a blog administrator. 2021-22 Hoosiers Talk About Why Indiana is a Great Place for Your Career, 2020-21 Todays College Students Older, Wiser, 2019-20 Former Indy 500 Driver Crosses College Finish Line, WRTV anchor Starrantino leaving station for new job in California, Fox59 adds Indianapolis-area native to meteorology team, Kurt Vonnegut Museum earns states first Literary Landmark designation. You've brought me a great deal of amusement. Paul, Minn., to launch a new 7 p.m. newscast. Jennie Runevitch. I currently work as an Anchor/reporter for WTHR in Indianapolis, Indiana. Now you have neither what? As a result, today is my last day on the station," she wrote, next to a photo of her with the quote: "She is clothed in strength and dignity and she laughs without fear of the future. She was the only reason I watched WTHR news. I wish theyd sell Channel 13 and go away. Which TV news anchor is your favorite? if ( typeof LD == "object" ) { LD.initPage(); }. Felicia Lawrence, who has previously worked in Charlotte, Chicago and Wichita, joined WTHR as a weekday evening news anchor in early February. Can't believe the wthr made that move. Also, ethical violations have absolutely nothing to do with whether another station aired a similar story in the past. No specific dollar amount is mentioned in the lawsuit. She also worked from 1993-97 at WTHR-TV Channel 13 as a production assistant, on the news assignment . She has a voice that is like fingernails on a blackboard. And nowhe's moving on. And what the heck happened to local sports coverage? "Guess the old saying is right: Time flies when youre having fun," Barras said during his final broadcast on Dec. 1. Reach her via email: dbenbow@indystar.com. Morehead's reporting and story ideas were delayed or completely ignored by station management while co-workers work was being approved and aired. Please note our updated comment policy that will govern how comments are moderated. She was first on the scene for a number of violent tornadoes, providing real-time, life-saving information to those in need. Gimmel was the youngest of news reporters @ WRTV @ the age of 22. Purchase your ticket today. Veteran TV journalist Mary Milz has resigned from WTHR-TV Channel 13 to head into retirement after a career that took her across the country covering some of the biggest national stories of the time. Prior to WTHR, she was a TV Host on one of Chicagos premier morning talk shows, The Jam on CW26 Chicago/WCIU-TV. WTHR, channel 13, is a television station serving the Indianapolis, Indiana metropolitan area. I am a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University with a . He and his wife, Kathy, who also retired this year, are planning a trip to Los Angeles and eventually plan to take a cruise through the Panama Canal. Co-hosting a four-and- a-half hour morning show, she interviewed a number of celebrities, sitting down with big names like Tyler Perry, Morris Chestnut, Kid N Play, Anthony Hamilton, CeeLo Green and many others. Felicia resides in Indianapolis with her husband, Teddy, and 3-year-old pup, KOngo. AnotherWTHR-13 fixture is leaving the local news team. Go watch Fox news if you want entertainment. But station officials and Flye aren't saying what led to the departure. "It has been an adventure," Pescovitz told IndyStar. Ex-WTHR meteorologist Nicole Misencik joins Indy marketing firm, When TV meteorologist Randy Ollis won that culture war, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Pence joined Fox59 and CBS4 in June 2014, where she helped launchFox59 NewsPoint at 11 p.m. and joined CBS4's morning program as an anchor in August2015. I really enjoyed watching Nicole Pence on the weekends especially when it was Nicole and Nicole. I did not care for Nicole Pence from the beginning! The change from weekend anchor Kris Kirshner was abrupt to viewers, and miss Nicole Misensik too! Since her departure, Pence has been documenting her adventures in motherhood on social media both Facebook and Twitterand told IndyStar her boys have been keeping her busy. The previous owner, Dispatch Broadcast Group, held the station for 44 years. Our former anchor and news director died in December of 2007. One of the original WKY gang who migrated to Tampa in 1957, Ken spent 12 years at Big 13, eventually becoming . Viewers who want to keep up with Pescovitz can follow her on Facebook and Twitter,and they can stream her new show, which covers a mix of local and national news,online. I enjoyed watching both Nicole's. A year later, Crosley and Fairbanks reached a deal in which Fairbanks bought WLWA in return for allowing Crosley to keep WLWI. WTHR-13 weekend anchor Naomi Pescovitz, an Indianapolis native, is the latest to announce she's leaving the local market. Scheduling and workplace adjustments during treatment were made difficult by management. However, after an appeal, the FCC reversed itself and awarded the license to Crosley. She had the most sincere smileof all your newscasters. "Its been a lot of fun. After leaving Channel 13, Jill went on to own a wine shop on Mass Ave and later featured artist and musicians through a program called "Curious Mix" at WFYI. Personally, Im going to miss my weekly journalistic debates with Mary about what to cover and how to cover it. What's on now is dreadful. Chung came into the limelight as the first woman to co-anchor "CBS. Skip Navigation. In a public Facebook post Wednesday, Andrea Morehead said there is more to the story of the "pervasive and unconscionable treatment" she experienced while working forWTHR-TV Channel 13. The lawsuit comes after a recent battle with breast cancer. 13.3 Universal Sports, Channel 13 (1957-2009) Fred Rogers. I loved Kris Kirshner when she did weekend news but I think she chose to scale back her schedule due to her family. Being strongly rooted in the community and philanthropy, Felicia hosts a number of events and often books speaking engagements to motivate women, youth, and those looking to step into a higher version of themselves. 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BE A GIANT. Thanks for responding, Ms. "Channel 13 has made a change to traffic operations. For the next three years, the station waged a pitched battle with then-dominant WISH for first place. Heres how it got the story. Whether youre a broker, developer, or serve the real estate industry, youre invited to a night of mixing + mingling. if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } "And boy, have I had fun. I think that is ridiculous that Nicole would be fired for a similar story that another tv station had aired a few years ago! I have not read a book or seen a movie or had time for lunch with friends for a long time. Beginning with the 10 p.m. Eyewitness News Nightbeat newscast on November 12, 2006, WTHR became the first station in Indiana to broadcast local news in High Definition, making it one of only seven TV stations in the Midwest broadcasting news in HD (the others being fellow Indianapolis station WISH-TV, WKYC-TV in Cleveland, KSDK in St. Louis, KARE-TV in Minneapolis/St. If you have not registered, please sign up for a free account now. WLWI spent most of its first 17 years as an also-ran behind WFBM-TV (now WRTV) and WISH-TV. But hey. Hard Knocks to showcase Colts for first in-season episodes, Republic sues flight school students over deal for reduced tuition, Investors wary as Elanco pins hopes on new products, Robotics curriculum initiative targets younger, nonwhite kids. Her TV career started as an anchor/reporter for the ABC and NBC affiliates in Joplin, Missouri. Youll find me on my new FB page Mimi Pearce Traffic and Ill still help you with the commute on my radio home WFMS. Kopp has served in a variety of roles at WTHR, including business reporter and weekend anchor. https://t.co/4DMzsFa8Fu, Great to work with Jill at multiple media organizations. Jill was one of Indy's biggest arts, food, and entertainment advocates for decades. May you find peace and comfort in these uncertain times and may God Bless You.". At one time, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, Kevin Silva had the biggest Batman collection you'd find anywhere in the entire world. Four! You seem like a person who thinks highly of themselves for know credible reason or your very insecure! Advance Indiana, LLC. Pearce's post received more than 500 comments with many viewers outraged -- not only that Pearce was being let go from the station, but that it happened duringan uncertain time in America with the coronavirus outbreak. In some cases, it even fell to fourth place behind WTTV. The reason I watched WTHR weekends was Nicole Pence. I'm done with you. Nicole was great and I will miss her. Before joining WRTV in early 2000, Flye was an anchor and reporter for the Ohio News Network. "Dude you were in the background of every 2 hour delay and school closing for my entire life," one viewer wrote on Facebook about WISH-TV's Dave Barras' retirement. another viewerwrote on Facebook after WTHR's Naomi Pescovitz announced her departure. She reported on the tense protests of 2016 after the police shooting death of Keith Scott garnered national attention. TheEmmy Award-winningnews anchor suingWTHR-TV Channel 13's parent companyafter alleging she suffered unlawful and discriminatory actionssaid Wednesday the allegations laid out in the lawsuit are just a "small portion" of the treatment she received. Nicole was moving up the ladder at a rapid pace. It was also dogged by a weaker network affiliation; ABC would not be on an equal footing with CBS and NBC until the 1970s. Also, work she pre-taped featuring Heartland Film will air this Thursday night on WFYI. Morehead is suing the parent company forWTHR-TV Channel 13, which is Tegna Inc. Anonymous Replier. Felicia Lawrence is a Chicago native Lawrence, whose first day on air was. Even my wife, who never spent more than a minute inside a studio, said what were they thinking when they hired this one ?I am sure it had a lot to do with connections and what a reporter might be able to get with those connections, as it often does in the TV. In 2009, Flye founded a not-for-profit organization, Wings to Flye Inc., focused on youth empowerment. All rights reserved. Look for her someday on the Today Show or GMA, if she chooses to continue a career in broadcasting. Birthdate: March 20, 1928. As a health beat reporter, I've never seen anyone who can't pronounce medical terms or the products she's reporting on, like her. Kopp told IndyStar this monththat after a year away from the anchor desk, he was actively searching for a new full-time job. Im ready to do some new things. Contact Lawrence Andrea at 317-775-4313 orlandrea@indystar.com. 2023 www.indystar.com. Let's take a look back at TV broadcasters over the years and see how they have changed. Under the partnership, WTHR produced a 10 p.m. newscast for WNDY. All rights reserved. ("Chronology of call letters WTHR") . WTHR-TV abruptly fired weekend anchor Nicole Pence last week just before she was scheduled to air an investigative story on the 35-year old unsolved murder of four young employees of a Burger Chef in Speedway, who were kidnapped from the restaurant and later found dead in a wooded area in Johnson County.