Great Pay to put up with the Big Chill...
SENIOR NEWS PRODUCER &
BASYS SYSTEM MANAGER
Mid October '88 to Mid October '90
During my two years at the Meredith station, I implemented various format, production, and pacing changes - bolstering dominance of primary newscasts. I also directed the installation, staff training, and management of the BASYS newsroom computer system.
One of the real treats of working at WNEM was the warm people, who compensated for the cold weather out the back door which the news people used. One of those folks was Allison Payne, who anchored the 6 & 11PM shows. She's now at Channel-9 in Chicago. Most cable systems carry WGN, so you can see for yourself. Not only is she beautiful.. she's smart! How many anchors do you watch with her charisma and a Masters degree? Click Al's picture to cyber-visit WGN - where it's also cold & windy.
Of course it really got hot one time while I was living in Saginaw... when a gasoline loaded supertanker caught fire and exploded in the Saginaw River's main shipping channel to Lake Huron.
Even after the famous oil rig fire fighting team of Boots & Coots snuffed out the big flames, the ship stayed hot and erupted in rekindles for several days. It made for some beautiful pictures - beautiful until you realized the environmental catastrophe caused by the disaster.
The flames and belching smoke of the ship accident was one of the few stories to overshadow the primary newsmakers in Saginaw & Flint: GM and the UAW.
If it wasn't layoffs and production slowdowns because of little demand for new cars during a recession, it was the threat of a strike when workers and plant management failed to agree on a new contract.
That kind of stuff was the lead more often than not, because seven out of every ten jobs in the area depends on the auto industry generally, and General Motors specifically. If you think Michael Moore's movie "Roger & Me" exaggerates the situation, think again. And yes, Michael wore a baseball cap and jeans at the premier of his movie. I saw it with my own two eyes!
Incidentally, in the freeze frame above, Mel Serow is on the right. He's one of the best reporters when it comes to covering the UAW/auto biz. Anchor Rod Meloni is on the left. He worked in Tampa before coming to News-5... and tried to talk me out of moving south. I often regretted NOT taking his advice.
Another of those strange calls out of the blue was filled with promises: of bright sun & hot weather, less time in the control room and more in the board room. To find out what the trip to Florida cost, click this LOGO:
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