WTVC News Channel 9 is changing several of its anchor assignments, news director Tom Henderson said.
Consumerwatch reporter and anchor Calvin Sneed will join Kim Chapman as co-anchor of News Channel 9 at 11, while veteran anchor Bob Johnson will add the Newschannel 9 Midday anchor duties to his 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. anchor responsibilities.
In addition, long-time morning co-host Don Welch will move off Good Morning Chattanooga to devote his full time to This n That with Don Welch, the station’s new local variety show airing at 12:30 p.m. daily focusing on community events and the region.
Mr. Welch’s move will make way for Anne Thompson to join Sarah Jennings and Bill Race on Good Morning Chattanooga.
Mr. Henderson said, “For years, viewers have made Newschannel 9 number one at 5, 5:30 and 6. These adjustments will put us in position to spread our success to early mornings and late evenings.”
The changes take effect Jan. 23.
Calvin Sneed will continue to anchor Newschannel 9 at 5:30 and his Consumerwatch reports, while Bob Johnson will still lead the station’s 5 o’clock and 6 o’clock newscasts. Mr. Johnson said, “I’ll simply be moving from a night time oriented shift to a daytime oriented shift. The series I’ve been doing for years, Wednesday’s Child, will continue and I’ll be introducing a new feature focusing on newsmakers.”
That new feature will help viewers better understand some of the Tennessee Valley’s most influential and intriguing characters, officials said. “It could run the gamut from people in top news stories – controversial people – to interesting personalities of every sort. I’ll be out to reveal the depth of the person. This is not about short sound bites,” Mr. Johnson said.
As for handing the 11 o’clock news off to Sneed, Mr. Johnson said “It’s like leaving a family member that you’ve gotten used to for three decades, and for that reason, it’s hard envisioning not doing it. But life is all about change, and anchoring the noon show will provide new opportunities and a chance to pursue a new audience. My wife likes the fact that I’ll be home at night for the first time in years.”
Mr. Sneed said he does not see himself as “replacing” Johnson on the late news. “Bob’s influence at 11 o’clock has been powerful. It has shaped the way Chattanooga sees the world. My role is to build on that tradition.”
Mr. Sneed continued, “11 o’clock viewers take their news seriously. They don’t like a lot of fluff. They want it straight up – and they want to know how it will affect their lives.”
On Good Morning Chattanooga, Mr. Henderson said he "predicts viewers will quickly warm up to the Jennings-Thompson combination." He said, “Sarah and Anne both bring credibility, professionalism and personality to the morning anchor desk. With Bill Race providing superior forecasting experience, this three person team will make a powerful option for morning news viewers who are looking for the news, weather and traffic information they need to start their day.”
He said This n That with Don Welch "debuted just weeks before the critical November ratings period, and immediately proved popular with the daytime audience, beating all competitors and contributing to WTVC’s daytime success."
Mr. Henderson said Newschannel 9 created This n That "specifically to take advantage of Welch’s relaxed, homespun style."
Don Welch said, "First I was excited over news of the show. Then when we started, it seemed to be working well. We got lots of positive viewer response. But we’ve been limited because of my other duties. This presents a brand new opportunity to do more and to make the program better.”
General manager Mike Costa said, “This move gives Don the chance to push This n That to even higher levels. He is such a strong local personality, I believe by allowing Don to focus his energy on This n That and other locally produced station projects, it will enable the station to present more of a community face for our viewers. Don is a natural for this role.”
Mr. Henderson said, November Nielsen ratings "revealed a string of pearls” for Newschannel 9, beginning with Good Morning America at 7 a.m. to Regis and Kelly at 9 a.m, to Martha at 10 a.m., The View at 11 a.m., Newschannel 9 at Midday, and This n That with Don Welch at 12:30 p.m.
Mr. Costa said, “Each of these shows won its time slot, and several of those wins were by runaway margins. In fact, WTVC is the Tennessee Valley’s number one television station for each hour from 7am to 8pm. Think about that, WTVC is the top rated television station in Chattanooga from 7 a.m. every Monday through Friday until 8 p.m. On top of that, many of ABC’s prime time shows now win their time slot.”