Television: Changes On The Fox19 Morning Team

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Changes On The Fox19 Morning Team

When Christie Dutton from Lexington joins WXIX-TV on June 25, she'll do the "Fox 19 Morning News" with Rob Williams and Cindy Matthews. Valerie Abati will return to weekends, says Tony Phillips, Fox 19 marketing manager.

Dutton has been morning and noon meteorologist at Lexington's WTVQ-TV (Channel 36). She fills the vacancy from the promotion of Paul Horton, from the morning show to chief meteorologist in January. Horton replaced Rich Apuzzo, who was fired in October.

44 Comments:

at 6/12/2007 1:22 PM

Anonymous said...

I have seen Dutton before and she is VERY GOOD! It will be great to see her on in the mornings. She will be a great addition to the station.

at 6/12/2007 1:56 PM

Unknown said...

Very interesting... I thought it was funny that we never got an announcement that Valarie was officially taking the morning weather slot.

This leads me back to a question I posed about a year or so ago... What is the pecking order or hierarchy of local news? Obviously the evening (6:00 & 11:00) anchor spots are tops on the totem pole. How about morning news vs weekend news rank as far as status and pay? Simple math says you get more airtime (and evenings off) doing mornings. Weekend anchors seemingly work less hours (but give up their weekend nights) and probably have viewers than their weekday counterparts.

Maybe some of the “insiders” out there could shed a little light on this…

at 6/12/2007 4:19 PM

Anonymous said...

Valerie Abati is the "only" reason I watch that morning show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

at 6/12/2007 4:48 PM

Anonymous said...

I liked Valerie - why change?

She's bubbly and good looking - great for the mornings!

What a shame.

at 6/12/2007 4:55 PM

Anonymous said...

Valerie's getting screwed. She does a great job - always sucks to see someone already there, waiting in the wings, get passed over for someone outside the station.

On the topic of changes - anyone else see the um, er, "changes" on Local 12 the past couple of mornings? Wow. Kinda makes you think that >anyone< could be on tv. Absolutely horrible.

at 6/12/2007 5:07 PM

Anonymous said...

The ONLY reason?!?!? What about Bruce Davis and his fine traffic reports?

at 6/12/2007 6:00 PM

Anonymous said...

When you see Dutton deliver the weather, you will understand why she deserves to be on the moring show. While Ms. Abati does a good job, she is not morning or chief caliber.

And, fot those who watch local news because the believe that the talent in "hot". Dutton is much hotter than Abati!

at 6/12/2007 8:04 PM

Anonymous said...

Maybe Valerie did NOT want the am position permanently. You probably didnt even consider that

at 6/13/2007 5:58 AM

Anonymous said...

Well, now I have no reason to watch morning local TV in this town.

at 6/13/2007 7:08 AM

Anonymous said...

who cares, nobody is watching channel 19 news!!!! Another intersting fact. Who in the hell ever avoided a traffic issue watching TV traffic reports. What a waste of time with some goof telling you to watch for an accident on the interstate, as though you are watching a tv on your dashboard.

at 6/13/2007 8:55 AM

Anonymous said...

when is Sheila due back?

Is she coming back?

at 6/13/2007 10:06 AM

Anonymous said...

The morning team on-air is more likely to be considered high-priority. They may not get the high rating number of a weekend show - but you have to consider that mornings get a continuous flow of viewers over a two, three, or even four hour period compared to a one-shot half-hour on the weekends.

Plus, mornings are considered a "high-growth" area of the news since it seems more people are likely to wake up with the news in the morning now compared to ten years ago.

9/11 and the internet probably have a hand in that, in changing people's thoughts of what happened overnight while I was asleep - compared to what happened while I was at work. People have the internet now - so they can check the news all day.

Someone posted on here that 12 did something seemingly horrible on mornings the past few days. Anyone have any idea what that person is talking about?

at 6/13/2007 10:28 AM

Anonymous said...

Sheila will be back in early August.

at 6/13/2007 10:30 AM

Anonymous said...

to anon 6:36am.
could it be they put that giggly
goof ball who normally does traffice on the anchor desk with that 11 year old Anna. This guy is so goofy I think he giggles in his sleep!!!

at 6/13/2007 10:37 AM

Unknown said...

Well put 10:06 Annon... I used to think of the morning show as the B-team since I didn't watch much morning news. Over the last few years I've changed my viewing habits. I watch morning news regularly, rarely catch the evening (5-6pm)news and never watch late(11pm) news. I will however occasionaly catch Fox19's 10:00 news still even that's pretty rare.

at 6/13/2007 12:50 PM

Anonymous said...

didn't Cindy Mathews use to do Traffic for Channel 9? Look where she is now.

at 6/13/2007 1:13 PM

Anonymous said...

No one watches 19 News? What a stupid statement!
And I am quite sure someone that watched a traffic report, saw an accident on southbound 71 or Fields Ertel, or wherever..and was able to avoid it.
Now, the evening news is a different story.

at 6/13/2007 1:41 PM

Anonymous said...

i agree on the viewing of morning news being more important - I don't watch 11:00 anymore - I don't want to be depressed going to bed with all the gloom and doom reports.

Mornings give me the weather forecast faster, and I get my sports fix by switching to Sportscenter to catch the reds highlights (I like how they now list the upcoming highlights so I can plan my switch).

at 6/13/2007 1:55 PM

Anonymous said...

Hey anon 10:30 what do you mean by "11 year old Anna"? Is that because she looks young or are you commenting on her ability. I really like her & switched to 12 in the morning once she replaced the overly saccharine Cammie. I prefer's Anna Townsend's low key professionalism in the mornings.

at 6/13/2007 3:46 PM

Anonymous said...

Cindy Matthews did do traffic at 9....but check out her bio - she has a Masters in Broadcast Journalism.

at 6/13/2007 4:49 PM

Anonymous said...

to Anon 1:55. I say 11 year old Anna because she looks to be about 11 and have a phony laugh. Have you ever noticed when her partner reads a story and she looks to her right with SUCH A SERIOUS look which is so damn phony -- makes me crazy. As for traffice reporters. Denise Johnson is the only decent one because she is a babe. Traffic reports on TV are meaningless, but Denise is HOT!!!

at 6/14/2007 10:16 AM

Anonymous said...

Rich Apuzzo's running a swing shift at 22/45 in Dayton.

He's scattered all over the place.

at 6/14/2007 10:30 AM

Anonymous said...

Jen Dalton is hotter! Move Bob Herzog to the anchor desk and dump Lomax! Quit bashing Anna she's much better then Cammy Dierking.

at 6/14/2007 4:07 PM

Anonymous said...

"And, fot those who watch local news because the believe that the talent in "hot". Dutton is much hotter than Abati!"

Looked up her picture in Lexington - I hate to disagree with you on the definition of 'HOT", but she aint it. Paula Ferris was and is still 'HOT".

at 6/15/2007 11:51 AM

Anonymous said...

The picture of Dutton is an OLD picture. And, she has BAD hair in it. I just watched her weather-cast yesterday, and she is a beautiful woman! I think that the small audience that Fox has will be very happy that she is on the morning team.

at 6/15/2007 12:28 PM

Anonymous said...

I can't believe anyone would hire Rich Apuzzo based on the legal filings Raycom made against him in hamilton county. Those are public record, by the way.

at 6/16/2007 2:23 PM

Anonymous said...

Dutton is intelligent, understands weather and is a good morning personality. Her grooming is impecable. She is great in breaking weather situations.
This woman will be great for 19.

at 6/16/2007 2:32 PM

Anonymous said...

Dutton is a great hire for 19. People will love her in the morning.

at 6/19/2007 2:33 PM

Anonymous said...

To Anon 2:23pm. Great. I am so glad she is intelligent. What would we do if she was not?

at 6/20/2007 11:13 AM

Anonymous said...

What is this nonesense about nobody watching FOX19 and "the small audience". Did anybody look at the May book? 19 is #1 in every in ALL KEY DEMOS (A18-49 A 25-54) in every time period the produce news. That means that M-F 4:30am through 9am 19 has more of the audience advertisers want to reach than any other station in town. They win. 5, 9 & 12 loose. More people that matter watch 19. Whoever is making the no audience comments is either an idiot or in complete denial.

at 6/20/2007 8:04 PM

Anonymous said...

Just because a person has a Masters degree in journalism dose not mean that they are good at anchoring.

at 6/22/2007 1:15 PM

Anonymous said...

TO: Anon 2:33 on 6/19:

To Anon 2:23pm. Great. I am so glad she is intelligent. What would we do if she was not?

Change her name to Valerie Abati? ;-p

at 6/22/2007 1:26 PM

Anonymous said...

ha. How about the new weather person coming to 19 being intelligent. That makes the weather reporting better because the reporter is an intelligent babe?

at 6/22/2007 1:27 PM

Anonymous said...

to anon at 11:13. Good numbers I agree, but this is Cincinnati, not a main stream tv market. Everyone here lives in the past!!

at 6/22/2007 4:21 PM

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
TO: Anon 2:33 on 6/19:

To Anon 2:23pm. Great. I am so glad she is intelligent. What would we do if she was not?

Change her name to Valerie Abati? ;-p

6/22/2007 1:15 PM

LOL!!!! Abati is not the brightest bulb on the christmas tree!

at 6/25/2007 6:28 PM

Anonymous said...

All the idiots on here don't know a thing about ratings... you could be in an OLD market (lets say Pittsburgh) 18-49 people/women are the same... thats kinda the idea of ratings.

Oh but that's right, if you're 18... its really like 54 because Cincinnati is so old school... I assure you thats not what advertisers think.

at 6/28/2007 7:23 AM

Anonymous said...

I can't say I'm thrilled by this personnel change. I thought Valerie was a great fit to the morning show, her good looks notwithstanding. She spoke very eloquently and seemed to have a genuine passsion for her job. I wish there was an official announcement on the actual Fox19 webpage because nothing was more annoying than waking up to the droning voice of Paul Horton. Mind you I'm sure he's a good man but he's no Valerie by any stretch of the imagination.

I'm watching the new girl now and while she sounds fine, she too is no Valerie. As for the person who thinks she's hotter than Valerie, sorry but I don't see it. She's not unattractive but it'd be like comparing Joan Collins to Jessica Alba.

The good news I guess is that Valerie is still part of the Fox19 news team so she can fill in for vacation spots and do special reports on location more. I'll miss hearing her on a daily basis but I'm glad she's still in town and didn't quietly disappear to "greener" pastures.

at 6/28/2007 9:58 AM

Anonymous said...

Oh, I noticed the new weather person on Channel 19 this morning (Thursday). Not impressed. Looks like someone they found wandering somewhere. Long live Michelle B over on 12. She was drab at first but has now become VERY HOT!!!!!

at 6/28/2007 11:51 AM

Anonymous said...

Oh please people GET A LIFE!!! Abati is not a Jessica Alba and her nsal voice is annoying. However, she is not terrible on camera, but Paul and Christie have much more experience and far more composure. Abati is green and Fox made a great decision by bringing somone else in for the mornings.

I don't think that Abati will be sticking around much longer. I heard that her contract is up in Sept. and she is looking to move.

at 7/02/2007 6:11 AM

Anonymous said...

I am from Lexington and really liked Christie. She was my favorite part of the morning show.

at 7/06/2007 4:53 PM

Anonymous said...

valerie is stepping up to a media institution in pittsburgh. congratulations to her. the burgh's gain is a big loss to cincinnati.

she did a great job.

at 7/18/2007 3:17 PM

Anonymous said...

I want Valerie back. I love to watch the weather when she presents it and it started my day off on a high note. Now I am depressed and have to wait until the weekends to see a good weather report. Thanks Fox, now it's time to change the channel.

at 9/03/2007 7:00 PM

Anonymous said...

Christie Dutton appears to be a nice young person but doesn't have the POP that Valerie had. Pittsburgh's gain is our loss.
Valerie was the only reason I put up with that annoying 30 minute repeat of the news word for word. dull!. Time to check out the competition. BYE.

at 9/28/2007 9:33 AM

Anonymous said...

I didn't even realize that we were in a severe drought because of all the tears that have fallen around my house due to Valerie leaving. Before Valerie, I never cared about the dew point and pollen count. Without Valerie, my allergies are the least of my concern. Steeler fans do not deserve her.

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Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Changes On The Fox19 Morning Team

44 Comments: