The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 580

IF Tn v7l v- 4 i iTli 4 iH ft fa "As long as our 'back of the book' stories are interesting and well done, we'll hold a percentage of our audience," he says. "No other station in town is really doing criticism of the arts or business reports, and viewers are interested in those areas." WTXF general manager Jim Boaz is counting on it. That's why he persuaded Paramount, the station's new owner, to authorize a $1 million expansion budget for news director Roger LaMay. Featured on LaMay's shopping list are 15 hires, most notably Chernekoff. Since its February 1986 debut, The Ten O'Clock News has sold itself as a hard news, "no-frills" broadcast Despite the addition of such traditionally "soft" features as movie reviews in the second half-hour, that image will not change, LaMay says.

"At times, I get the sense from other stations that they have 'stars' reading the news. And I'm sure there are shops where anchors count each other's stories. At our shop, the news is the star. It takes the pressure off our anchors. Everything is determined by the day's news.

We don't have any kind of formula." Not entirely true. As a carrot for viewers, Howard Eskin's sports segment and Bill Elias' weather report two critical drawing cards for a late newscast will air in the second half of the hourlong show. Says LaMay. "We're being realistic. We're thinking of the program as a whole.

Some people will be disturbed that they have to wait a little longer for weather and The Pnilafelpma mower MICHAEL MALIY Co-anchors Jill Chernekoff and Lee McCarthy on the set of "The Ten O'Clock News." By Gail Shister A news show dares to grow sports, but they'll still be getting the information halt an hour earlier than they'll get it anywhere else." Unlike the male-female tandems at the competition, Channel 29's co-anchors are not entirely equal More often than not, McCarthy will report the day's top story "because he's the incumbent, the senior member of the newsroom," LaMay says. "It really depends on how the news develops, but Lee's our established anchor. He's always been our lead guy." McCarthy, who turns 47 on March 22, is a respected NBC News veteran and original Ten O'Clock News member. Chernekoff, 34, was hosting Channel 29's weekly public-affairs show, Newsprobe, when LaMay gave her his last charter general-assignment reporter slot THE "EARLY LATE news" is about to get later. Will Philadelphia viewers stick around? "We'll still be saying 'goodnight' before the other stations say boasts Lee McCarthy, veteran co-anchor of Channel 29's The Ten O'Clock News.

Beginning tomorrow, our town's most visible independent newscast expands from 30 minutes to an hour, from 10 to 11 p.m. Jill Chernekoff co-anchors. There hasn't been an hourlong local news show in Philadelphia since 1968-'69, when The Ten O'Clock News catchy name aired on now-defunct Channel 48. "The Ten O'Clock News" is betting that viewers will stay tuned for an hour and is spending a cool million to try to make it happen. (The station went dark in August '83.) More than a few local broadcast executives believe that Channel 29's gamble will not succeed here.

McCarthy disagrees. 4 THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER TV WEEK. MARCH 4, 1990.