Wow -- Huge Change at 12 News

[formeraa]

On AZcentral.com, there is a press release that Fay Fredricks will be the new MORNING anchor, alongside Scott Light starting in mid-December.  Tram Mai will be hosting a new 4:30pm lifestyle show (yet unnamed), which will replace the 12 News at 4:30 newscast.  Interesting news!

[ihEARDtHAT]

The story was covered on Examiner.com on 11/16:

http://www.examiner.com/x-9938-Phoenix-Television-Examiner~y2009m11d16-Ch12-to-kill-Up-Front-newscast-Tram-Mai-Fay-Fredricks-swap-shows

[KOHS]

Here's a working title for the new 'lifestyle' show- Mai Tai's and Mojitos: The McTram Project on Mc12 News

Show #1: I know Regis
Show #2: I sat in Kelly's chair once
Show #3: I was on national television once
Show #4: Sleeping in (after working mornings for 4 years)
Show #5: Video footage of Mai Tai covering Phoenix's most raging, scary monsoon storms
Show# 6: Jenn Burgess: Photos from the beach

[Teddyo]

Here's a working title for the new 'lifestyle' show- Mai Tai's and Mojitos: The McTram Project on Mc12 News

Show #1: I know Regis
Show #2: I sat in Kelly's chair once
Show #3: I was on national television once
Show #4: Sleeping in (after working mornings for 4 years)
Show #5: Video footage of Mai Tai covering Phoenix's most raging, scary monsoon storms
Show# 6: Jenn Burgess: Photos from the beach

Cool.  I'm there!  Except I heard Show #6 is "Jenn Burgess:  Photos from the beach in India."  Hmmm, not sure about that one.

Also, I heard that "I know Regis" is a four-installment miniseries. 

[formeraa]

The story was covered on Examiner.com on 11/16:

http://www.examiner.com/x-9938-Phoenix-Television-Examiner~y2009m11d16-Ch12-to-kill-Up-Front-newscast-Tram-Mai-Fay-Fredricks-swap-shows

So???  The 12 News press release on azcentral.com was dated 11/3/09.  How nice of the Examiner to pick it up two weeks later!  I was just surprised that nobody mentioned it on THIS board.

The Examiner claims the Fay is a serious, evening-oriented newscaster.  Well, she subbed for Tram a few weeks ago and did EXTREMELY well.  I was impressed that Fay was awake, engaging, but still a solid newscaster.  While Tram is likable, Fay is a true professional.  I'm glad that she's joining the morning team at 12 News!  Now, if they would just add Brahm Resnick back to the Saturday evening newscasts...

[MusicFan2009]

Well I would like to thank you formeraa for sharing this information with us. 

I remember the recent thread regarding too many anchors on Channel 12, didn't understand it until I watched it and realized having 3 news anchors isn't a good idea. 

It will be interesting to see how well this show works out for Tram Mai and not to be too pessimistic but thinking long term, what happens if this fails miserably?  Contingency plans are essential for this kind of show. 

I do wish her the best of luck and will be curious to watch this new show.

[formeraa]

Hey, MusicFan, I do hope that Tram has a contingency plan as well.  The track record for these types of shows is not very good.  With Fay doing the morning newscast, I wonder who is going to fill in when Mark or Lin Sue is off.  Fay did quite a bit of substtute anchoring in the evenings.  Will Tram be the primary substitute now or will it be Kim Covington or Brahm Resnick?

[MrHajji]

So???  The 12 News press release on azcentral.com was dated 11/3/09.  How nice of the Examiner to pick it up two weeks later!  I was just surprised that nobody mentioned it on THIS board.

Thanks, you all, for following my work at Examiner.com. I learned about the Tram and Fay switch before it hit the paper.. but I didn't want to simply quote from a press release. It took a while to actually reach each of them for interviews. So yeah, I didn't get my story published until two weeks after the announcement.. but my feeling is that a stronger story will result if I actually put some work into it.

Then there are stories like Diana Sullivan going to 15 and Suzanne Bissett leaving 3. If I can't get in touch with the people involved, there's not much of a story there except that one line update.. which in my mind isn't worth putting on Examiner without an interview. And Suzanne's last day turned out to be the same last day as Rick DeBruhl's (http://Please use the full length URL).. and I wouldn't have had time to write both their stories on the same day. So I guess the point is that there are multiple factors that influence what stories I get to.. and when they get posted.

Cheers and thanks again!
-Scott

[Mike]

Tram is moving to a new time?  Who cares?  I don't like any of the news readers at channel 12...or, anywhere else for that matter.  That factory that turns out all of those news people has to be stopped.   I think it's a plot to drive all the viewers away and then the stations can tell the FCC that they can't make money anymore and they need to drop news for infomercials.

That's what I think.

Mike

[formeraa]

I've noticed that the 12 News Weekend Today newscasts are getting cheaper and cheaper.  Since Caribe's on maternity leave, they have no live weather forecasts.  The anchor just reads the forecast.  How cheap will 12 get?  I'm sure that Ron Merrit is available, if necessary.