(Updated 9-12-09) The situation in the KEYE TV (CBS) sports department is about as muddled as this picture of Chris Pelikan. This little picture is the only image that I could find after he was scrubbed thoroughly from the “We Are Austin” web site, evidence that he is no longer the weekend sports anchor with the TV station.
Station management has not commented on the official reason for Pelikan's departure so far saying only that questions regarding him are a “personnel matter.”
Other sources, however, say that Pelikan was dismissed after airing some locker room video. He interviewed a Round Rock Express player Monday, September 7th. In the background for a split second viewers could see the naked rear-end of an athlete. A quick check of the Federal Communications Commission’s site revealed no complaints against the station in connection with the incident. KEYE TV has a zero-tolerance policy regarding such video.
Pelikan came to KEYE in February, 2008. Last year, he along with Sports Director Bob Ballou and producer Anthony Geronimo received honorable mention for “Best Sportscast” from the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters. Pelikan came to Austin from the Fox affiliate in Saint Louis where he was a sports producer and reporter. He worked three years. Prior to that he was a sports reporter and anchor based in Dallas with Texas Cable News. Pelikan is a native of St. Louis. He graduated from the University of Missouri at Columbia in 2000 with a dual degree in Broadcast and News-Editorial Journalism. His wife recently gave birth to a baby girl.
Pelikan’s departure leaves a gaping hole in the sports de
partment. The position is not now posted on the KEYE web site. The opening could be filled by Anthony Geronimo, a one-man-band sports producer who has been working behind the scenes for a number of years, making the on-air staff look good. Geronimo’s blog appears on the station’s www.weareaustin.com. He is shown wearing a suit and a big smile. Geronimo always wears the big smile but not the suit.
Otherwise, heading into football season with the second-ranked Horns ranked #2 nationally and lots of high school football, Sports Director Bob Ballou and Sports Photographer Pedro Garcia are going to be very busy.© Jim McNabb, 2009
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9 comments:
what. a. joke. seems like they were looking for a reason and found one. he is in great company of unfairly fired keye sports personnel. Just watch ESPN.
Jim
Exactly ... they must have been looking for a reason to can him. Maybe they want to bring in a bilingual No. 2 so they can use him/her for the Telemundo news, too? In any event, a very classless move by KEYE brass, esp. considering Pelikan's wife just gave birth a few weeks ago. Now, with an extra mouth to feed, he finds himself homeless.
While I don't know the exact circumstances surrounding Pelikan's departure, KEYE has adhered to CBS's zero-tolerance policy of no on-air naughtiness from the days of the infamous "wardrobe malfunction" at the Super Bowl.
Normally my cynicism would point to economic reasons, but in this case I would guess it's more likely Pelikan ran afoul of that legacy.
On a semi-related note, it's interesting how "1984" we are now when we can wipe out the existence of someone with a few keystrokes on a computer.
Those that control the past, control the future.
The reason was exact, though there is swirling rumor that station GM Amy Villareal cut Pelikan because the station is bleeding cash. His slight error was just an easy exit. Guess she forgot he had a brand new baby, that the station has just one main reporter now and that Austin folks don't stand for this BS. No wonder they're ratings are so shitty.
Someone needs to pick this guy up. He's a great reporter beloved by those who work with him.
Piss on KEYE's management.
KEYE's idiot GM and management continue to save money by cutting off body parts. The bloody stump remaining leaves nothing interesting to watch.
One move after another, Amy Villareal is destroying KEYE.
Not just Amy is destroying KEYE
the news director is too, they have a great team of people and they're miserable, just waiting for the shop to shut down.The ND is a bad judge of what is news and it is unfair what is going on at KEYE. I feel very bad for everyone who works there asses off for them. Chris is a great guy and would be an asset to anyone who hires him!!! Screw KEYE
Looks like one of the posters here was right: the job description is up on their site and they want someone who is bilingual. Looks like not knowing Spanish -- and not a bare butt -- got Pelikan fired.
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