Michell Valles Departs

Michelle Valles is leaving KEYE TV (CBS).

She announced on Facebook Monday morning, October 25,"I have just announced to my beloved colleagues at KEYE-TV that I have decided to pursue other interests after my contract ends this year. It was a wonderful experience helping launch Austin Live, but I am ready to begin a new journey! Thank you KEYE-TV and Central Texas viewers, this has been a GREAT chapter in my life."

Her last day will be December 15th.

Valles says her plans are still up in the air.

"It's all in the works and too preliminary to give you a long-range plan. I have a lot of prospects and am considering which one I fit in best. Short term--time off and rejuvenating. This has been the most laborious role I've ever had in TV. It's extremely demanding and with that I need time to re-focus.

Would she return to local TV? She doesn't rule it out. "If it's the right company and philosophy. I have so many options! I'm thrilled, a little acting, writing (i have plans for a book) but most importantly time for me and my close ones. I am so excited!"

Valles came to Austin as the main 5, 6, and 10 anchor on KXAN TV (NBC) in 2003. While there, she won "Best Anchor" honors from the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters.

After a much-publicized DWI arrest, which was later reduced. She left KXAN when she and the station couldn't agree on a new contract.

KEYE TV hired Valles as a morning anchor with Fred Cantu in 2008.

When the station decided to abandon its traditional morning broadcast, Valles helped lauch a "live style" show at 4 p.m. with co-anchor Jason Wheeler. Much of the show was built around her personality.

"We are launching a nationwide search for her replacement," says Suzanne Black, KEYE TV news director. I wish her much luck and good fortune. I will miss her."

(C) Jim McNabb, 2010

Gone

KEYE TV’s Gregg Watson Gone

“I looked up and you were there. I looked up and thought you were there, but I was wrong. You were gone,” I told Gregg Watson formerly of KEYE-TV (CBS).

"After five years here at KEYE TV, I am leaving to start a new adventure,” Watson says on his blog, http://www.greggwatsontv.com. “I just wish I knew what that adventure is. The folks here at KEYE have been awesome, and I feel blessed to have worked here. The TV news business is brutal, and you can’t take management decisions personally.”

The UT-Austin graduate says that his contract was up, and “I’m too old to get tied into a situation that would make me unhappy in six months. No one wants to work with a negative Nellie,” he says on his blog entitled “Life After KEYE TV.”

Watson will turn 45 next month. He was the station’s most experienced and seasoned reporter. Watson moved on about a week ago.

Watson says he’s not through with TV news, if TV isn’t through with him. “I’m hoping to stay in TV news, although I have no offers. I turned down two jobs in the past month because they didn’t feel right.” He is exploring freelance offices in the Dallas area where his mother lives. Many stations are choosing to hire freelance reporters and avoid having to pay benefits. “I miss the folks in Austin, especially at my church, but I've moved on. Don't know if it's for the better yet because I still love TV News, he says.

Watson grew up in Denison, north of Dallas. Now, his mother requires 24-hour care for dementia costing some $6,000 a month. For now, he is taking on that responsibility, saving that money. “If I didn’t love this woman who gave me life, I would have walked out on her days ago. One doctor told Watson, “She doesn’t know how to do much, and [she] is depending on you for her care.”

Gregg Watson is a good guy, a talented guy. He’ll be missed.

© Jim McNabb, 2010

Trying to Out Groupon Groupon

When is a newspaper more than a newspaper?

Answer: Now.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010, the Austin American-Statesman announced another interesting possible revenue stream having absolutely nothing to do with journalism but everything to do with money.

“Dealswarm” is the newest product of the Statesman and Cox Media Group (CMG), the Statesman’s parent company. What’s Dealswarm? It’s “a new group-buying discount program,” according to their news release. It “will soon offer bargain hunters in Austin outrageous online discounts of 50 percent or more on local dining, entertainment and other services from some of the most popular local businesses. Customers can now simply and quickly register on dealswarm.com to receive daily e-mail alerts about discount offers in their area. In the next few weeks, daily DealSwarm deals will be ready and available for purchase.”

Sounds familiar? Sounds like Groupon?

“Groupon started in November 2008 … to make it easier for people to enjoy the great things in their community. We do it by offering daily deals at unbeatable prices through the power of group buying,” according to the Groupon website.

Michael Vivio, Austin American-Statesman and austin360.com publisher, thinks Dealswarm can out Groupon Groupon. “We believe we can be successful in the space because of our large database of readers (who have already signed up to receive deals) and existing local business relationships,” Vivio says. “Those two factors combined with the promotional power of the Statesman and our websites will give us a quick entry into the market.”

So, like Groupon, users will sign up for daily email notification of the specials for the day. “This new product will give customers unprecedented access to some of the hottest local retail discounts not found anywhere else, and will help local advertisers and businesses promote themselves effectively to existing and new customers,” according to the Statesman release. “The Statesman Co. is excited to be a player in the growing deal-of-the-day market,” Vivio says.

Cox media is also rolling out Dealswarm in Atlanta, Dayton, and Seattle, and more markets are coming in 2011.

“Different from others in the group-buying space, our local media properties in each DealSwarm market bring unprecedented marketing power with established readers, viewers and listeners,” said David Shipps, DealSwarm’s Vice President in the Cox news release. “For our business partners, there are no upfront costs. They simply benefit from new customers and a fantastic promotional opportunity for their business.”

Shipps added that the program will be promoted by CMG’s radio, TV and newspaper websites, Facebook applications and Twitter accounts in each market, and through their respective e-newsletters on the day deals are available. The program will also be advertised on air in certain markets with TV for additional exposure.

So, Dealswarm is the Statesman’s latest partnership following boocoo.com, a competitor to eBay.

“Our BooCoo partners said they are well above their growth projections. But, since it is a start-up effort, it is not producing much revenue,” Vivio says. “They are building traffic much faster than other auction start-ups thanks to the newspaper promotion, they say.” A quick check of the www.boocoo.com site does show that they have products for sale.

The Statesman also partners with Monster’s Hot Jobs and AutoTrader.com.

© Jim McNabb, 2010

She Will Be Missed

KVUE TV’s Thea Williams 1965-2010

KVUE TV’s home page has a small post and video today saying a somber farewell to a longtime friend who will be remembered by many in Central Texans:

“KVUE is saying goodbye to a dear friend and colleague.

“Our Daybreak and Midday executive producer Thea Williams passed away Wednesday night after a lengthy illness.

“Thea was a talented journalist and was widely respected for her high standards and great compassion. She was a leader in the newsroom, a mentor to young journalists, and most of all, a dear friend.

It is never easy to say goodbye. Thea lived every day with true grace and kindness.

“Our prayers are with her family and her two children.

“Her impact on all of us will not be forgotten.”

Patti Smith, KVUE president and general manager, informed the staff this morning.

“For those of you who were lucky enough to have worked with Thea, you know that she lit up the room with her presence. She was the guiding force behind KVUE’s Daybreak and Midday for many years and her contributions to this station will never be forgotten,” Smith said. “Above and beyond that, Thea was a wonderful friend to many, both inside and outside this building.

There were many times I’d be in the public representing the station at an event and I’d be approached by someone that had contact with Thea and our newsroom. They were always complimentary about Thea and would usually say, ‘Oh, I love Thea!’ We all did. Her laughter and friendship will not be forgotten; her impact on us all will not be forgotten.”

Williams joined KVUE 15 years ago as a producer. She was a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin. She also had her master’s degree in journalism, and she taught classes at Austin Community College. Prior to KVUE, she worked at WJXT TV in Jacksonville, Florida.

“She was the only person to call me “Franco,” and get away with it,” says Frank Volpicella, KVUE news director. “She always had a smile. She always was positive. Always a bundle of energy. I don’t believe she ever uttered anything negative about anyone.”

Here’s a little-known fact: “She hated squirrels. She was very afraid of them. Sometimes she would walk through our courtyard, and have to run back inside out of breath, because she saw a squirrel,” Volpicella says.

She was also a pack rat like many journalists. Her desk was always jammed with stuff. Journalists claim they never know when they might need something in there.

Williams had been battling breast cancer. “She courageously battled against her illness. She was very spiritual and religious. I know her faith helped her considerably during her illness. It is a difficult day at KVUE news. Everyone is deeply saddened,” Volpicella said.

Thea Williams was 45.

(c) Jim McNabb, 2010

Time Warner Cable Austin’s “Customer Service”

Whose Pixel Problem Is It?

Does Time Warner Cable-Austin (TWC) not have a competent engineer on the clock during prime time? If viewers wanted to watch MSNBC Friday, September 17, 2010 they could not help but be annoyed. I was annoyed.

I started trying to watch during “Hardball with Chris Matthews” around 6:20 p.m. Central. I finally gave up and switched to baseball shortly before 9 p.m. during “Rachel Maddow”. OK, so I revealed my viewing choices. This isn’t about MSNBC. It’s about what TWC calls customer service.

Tuning in MSNBC, “Standard Service” on Channel 49, it was periodically pixelling (Is that a word?). The pixels are little boxes and garbled sound when a channel isn’t tuned in. If you use your digital TV converter to pick up live television, you’ve seen this phenomenon before. When you’re tuning with “rabbit ears”, it’s one thing. When you’re watching cable TV, a service you’re paying for, it’s another issue.

Pixels can happen when a satellite transponder isn’t tuned. Rarely the problem is at the source. Most of the time, the problem is where the signal is received, in this case, Time Warner Cable.

Having worked in TV, I assumed (Never assume.) that some engineer was working on the problem. After an hour, I began to wonder. So, I called.

A nice guy—we’ll call him Bryan—said he’d check. Early on, Bryan said that he’d gotten other calls about Standard Cable Channel #49. Hmmmm. Then, Bryan came back on to say that he would reset my cable box. NO! This is the Standard Cable tier. There is no box. Others have complained. The problem clearly is not on the consumer’s end. The problem is either with TWC or MSNBC. Bryan seemed to understand. He put me on hold again.

He came back with this suggestion: He’d give me a telephone number, and I could call the network. NO! No, Bryan. “It’s TWC’s job to call the network, not mine. I’m buying the service, and you’re the provider of the service,” I said. He put me on hold again.

When he came back, I asked if TWC had an engineer on duty. An engineer should check the satellite transponder and tweak it until it is tuned, or the engineer should call their provider. He put me on hold again.

When he returned he claimed that they were working on it, and if it wasn’t resolved by tomorrow, I should call back. “No,” I said, feeling like a member of Congress having said “No” so much. I asked again whether they had an engineer on duty who could check on the problem because it could be a quick fix.

I didn’t want to hammer the poor guy whose job it is to answer the phone, but apparently is provided with little information and little understanding of how cable TV works.

He put me on hold again. I said that it was OK.

When “Bryan” came back, he claimed that their technicians were working the problem locally, and if TWC determined that it wasn’t their issue, they’d call the network. I thanked him for his efforts and time. When I gave up, the problem had not been resolved at the Standard Service level.

So, I ask again: Does TWC have a competent engineer on duty during prime time? Now, I’ll add the question, is this TWC’s definition of customer service?

TWC needs competition.

© Jim McNabb, 2010

Mickey Mouse and TWC are Friends Again

Who won? Who lost?

Time Warner Cable says it is its customers who won.

Customers/users/viewers of TWC found this email this morning:

"To Our Valued Customers...

"Time Warner Cable is always negotiating new deals with TV networks. Recently, we reached a new long-term agreement with Disney/ABC and ESPN, so you can continue to watch your favorite channels and the shows you love for years to come.

"There will be no interruption of ESPN or Disney channels, as well as WABC in New York, KABC in Los Angeles, WTVD in Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville and WTVG in Toledo. They'll stay right here on Time Warner Cable. In fact, our agreement means more networks and services for you, including the following*:

"Disney Junior - a new 24-hour basic channel for preschool-age children, parents and caregivers launching in 2012.

"ESPN3.com - ESPN's live sports broadband network will be available to all Time Warner Cable subscribers who get ESPN.

"A New ESPN Service - customers will be able to view ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU through broadband and mobile Internet devices.

"ESPN Goal Line - a college football super-highlight channel will be available only to Time Warner Cable’s Sports Pass customers starting as early as September 4, 2010.

"ESPN Buzzer Beater - a college basketball service similar to ESPN Goal Line, will be available to Time Warner Cable’s Sports Pass customers for college basketball season.

"Expanded Video On Demand Services - including ABC On Demand, Disney-branded On Demand offerings for kids, local sports content in select markets, plus the subscription Video On Demand service "Disney Family Movies."

"Start Over and Look Back - featured on a variety of Disney Media Networks content.

"ESPN Deportes - will be available to a larger Time Warner Cable footprint.

"ESPN 3D"

And so ends the latest TWC drama. There will be more, to be sure.

It will be interesting to see the roll-out of these newly announced features and what they will cost. I'm thinking that they will not be free.

(c) Jim McNabb, 2010

Here We Go Again

TWC Vs. Mickey

Poor Time-Warner Cable. Mickey Mouse is trying to rip them off.

Time-Warner Cable customers are getting email and spots are running on the cable that Disney, owner and operator of ABC TV, ESPN, and Disney Channels, is threatening to pull programming from Time-Warner. It’s another one of those revenue things that seem to happen with TWC every six months or so.

Of course, if Disney plays hardball, “Baseball Tonight” and “Desperate Housewives” could disappear from the cable line-up. (It seems that channels are disappearing from the standard line up all of the time. More about that later.)

“To connect you with all the shows you love to watch, we must pay the companies that own the broadcast TV stations and cable networks. We fight to keep those fees as low as possible, because they directly impact the cable bill you have to pay each month,” says TWC on its web site RolloverorGet Tough.com. “When all is said and done, Time Warner Cable earned a profit for its shareholders of about $0.06 for every dollar that we brought in during 2009. (That’s slightly below the average of 7% for the past 10 years among US companies in the S&P 500, according to the Wall Street Journal.)”

Let’s not forget that TWC is the second-largest cable company in the nation. The figures above notwithstanding, they make lots of money.

August 5, 2010, TWC reported its second-quarter profit rose 8.2%, as demand increased for its broadband and phone services and capital expenditures decreased, according to MarketWatch.com. “It earned $342 million, or 95 cents a share, compared with a profit of $316 million, or 90 cents a share in the same quarter a year ago. Revenue rose 6% to $4.73 billion.”

They’re doing OK. Better than most of us. Viewers should keep these things in mind as they read their email and see the spots from TWC. Also keep in mind that ABC programming will be available off-the-air via your digital converter and antenna. Watching ESPN and other cable channels are more problematic. TWC makes a point of saying that it won’t do any good to switch since Disney already pulled its HD programming from Dish Satellite in June.

Meanwhile, a spat between the City of Austin and Time-Warner Cable is brewing. When Time-Warner wrote a new franchise contract, it included public access channels for the City of Austin, the Austin School District, Travis County, the state legislature and even ordinary citizens. As of October 1, 2010, those channels are slated to be boosted to the digital tier.

It will take a cable box to receive them. Those boxes cost $7 per month each. TWC says it will supply one box for varying periods of time to customers who have standard service. What about customers who have multiple televisions?

Stacy Schmidt, TWC spokesperson, says the cable company is moving the channels to increase services and speed. “It’s what customers are demanding”

To this writer and perhaps the City of Austin, the move of local access and government channels to the more expensive, digital tier violates the spirit of the original agreement that created them. The City of Austin is threatening to take TWC to court over the changes. Austin City Council and commission meetings are telecast on Channel 6.

© Jim McNabb, 2010