Bosco, Stacy leaving WNWO to head south

12/14/2006

Stacy

The morning anchor team on WNWO-TV, Channel 24, is moving on to other cities, leaving Toledo's third-rated television station without two important fixtures in its morning lineup.

Tom Bosco is moving from Toledo because his wife is taking a job at Ohio University in Athens, and Jennifer Stacy is leaving for a job in Fort Myers, Fla., said Gil Buettner, the interim news director at WNWO.

Both Buettner and the station's general manager, Rick Lipps, said the NBC affiliate plans to replace the morning team as soon as qualified candidates are found for the demanding jobs.

Buettner said the station's management will look at the contracts of current employees interested in the anchor positions to ensure that if they're selected, they intend to be in the job awhile.

"We want some longevity there, and if we promote someone and put them on the air we want to make sure they stay awhile," he said.

The anchor slots, which are on the air from 5 to 7 a.m. weekdays before Today starts, will be filled on an interim basis until someone is hired, Lipps said.

He said morning shows are extremely important for local television affiliates. "There's even a saying in the industry that it's the new prime time. The morning news is as important to us as any other newscast," he said.

The job is a tough one. Buettner said the morning team comes into work everyday at 3 or 3:30 a.m and has to fill two hours of air time day after day. It's also rewarding in terms of getting "face time," he said.

"For someone who really enjoys it, it's a good job because you're on the air for a long time," Buettner said.

Bosco, who was with WNWO for 10 years, said his wife received a job with Ohio University in the marketing and communications department and they plan to move to Athens, which is where they met.

An alumnus of OU, Bosco, 36, said he intends to go back to school for his master's degree and also will consider teaching. He said the time away from the business is a "sabbatical" and he won't hesitate to return to TV journalism in the future if the right job comes along.

"If I want to get back in the game I'll jump right back in," he said.

He said the hours were rough, but he enjoyed the work and wouldn't hesitate to return to Toledo.

"It's been a great place to work and we've done great work that hasn't always been reflected in the ratings," he said. "In a way it's tough for me to leave, and if Toledo ever came calling again it wouldn't be a tough decision to return."

Stacy, who could not be reached yesterday for comment, was moved to the morning spot last month when Shenikwa Stratford became the evening anchor. Stacy has been with the station since 2002.

Barrington Broadcasting became WNWO's owner in August.

Duran Duran, Bryan Ferry, Elton John, Joss Stone, and Pharrell Williams head the line-up of performers confirmed for a concert at the new London Wembley Stadium next summer to celebrate the life of the late Princess Diana.

According to Billboard.com, others named to the bill include the English National Ballet and composer and impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber, who will oversee a medley of songs from some of his leading theatrical shows. A number of other major acts are yet to be unveiled.

Diana's sons, Princes William and Harry, are organizing the Concert for Diana on July 1.

Proceeds from the program will benefit various charities that were supported by Diana and the Princes' charities Centrepoint and Sentebale.

The fund-raiser is the third music concert announced for the London stadium. The old Wembley was demolished in 2002, and the new one has has been hit by huge construction delays. British alternative rock trio Muse on Monday confirmed the second in a pair of concerts to be held there on June 16 and June 17.