"Good Morning, Four States" is one of the few programs where you are actually grateful when one of the co-hosts is gone and that is not a knock at Alan Matthews, who was named one of the Favorites in the Four States in the Joplin Globe over the weekend, or Antonia DeNardo.
Miss DeNardo, who reportedly took the position after KSN's Toni Valliere elected to stay with that station's weekend team (of course, she is now one of the morning hosts on KSN), is from all reports, a hard worker, while Matthews, as he noted on this morning's program has been a mainstay of "Good Morning, Four States" for eight years.
I have good memories of the way Matthews and his former co-host Malorie Maddox helped the Diamond Middle School Student Council a few years back when it went on the program to publicize its book drive.
That being said, it is still always a pleasure to see Gretchen Bolander subbing for either co-host on the morning show. She has the type of friendly, but authoritative presence that wears well on a morning show. Hopefully, she will never be put on there fulltime, though, because Ms. Bolander is definitely one of the key components in the KODE newsroom.
In the constant changing world of local television news, with its combination of hard work, long hours, and low pay, it is hard for a team of reporters to establish an identity, but KODE has the only area news team that actually overshadows the anchors.
Led by the veteran presence of Ms. Bolander and Shannon Bruffett, with rising stars Alan Cavanna and Dan Tordjman, the news team is the main reason to watch KODE News. It offers a welcome contrast at 5 p.m. from KSN's "Live with Gary and Tiffany," even though there is still too much back of the book type features on the program.
KODE might consider using the approach that has been a success for the CBS Evening News with Bob Schieffer (which is still number three nationally, but number one locally) and open its program by giving these reporters a chance to explain the stories they are going to be telling. They have the presence to handle it and it would offer a stark contrast to how the news programs start on KOAM and KSNF.
This might help bolster the emphasis on news approach that KODE has emphasized in its promos and help it overcome the advantage its sister station has in the 6 and 10 p.m. Nielsens and grab the runner-up position to KOAM.
KODE does lead KSNF at 5 p.m., which is probably as a result of the Oprah lead-in, though there may be some viewers who are turned off by the circus approach to news offered on "Live with Gary and Tiffany."
Nice to hear the kind words about my former co-workers. They do work hard and for very little money. The one component that you left out is one you never see...although you do see their work. Photographers Gary Headley and Darin McCann are without question the class of the market and have been for more than a decade. They could be shooting video anywhere in the country. Video is kind of like a referee at a sporting event, the only time you notice it is when it is bad. That is never the case with those two.
ReplyDeleteThere are other good shooters in Joplin but those two help KODE's reporters put together packages with "good color and nat sound".
One more thing Randy...give that anchor team some time. There is no substitute for experience and familiarity in any market. Tara and Brian will earn the trust of viewers...it just takes time.
J.Siedlecki
Darin is the man.
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