Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page A7

Ron Fineman, who operates a Web site devoted to critiquing L.A. broadcast news. gone through so many changes with different anchors and different Other Twin Citians have made the move to KCBS, which has seen five general managers and four news directors churn through its operation in the past five years. One of those former general managers was John Culliton, who left WCCO for the job. hardest adjustment I had there was getting everyone thinking they could win.

I came from WCCO, where we had a strong sense of ourselves, but at KCBS they just felt beaten Another transplant was former WCCO backup anchor Jonathan Elias, who worked at KCBS for five years. know why would want to do Elias, now a reporter at KNXV, an ABC affiliate in Phoenix, said Monday. know you had to go through hell to get to the Elias spent five years at WCCO. At KCBS, he held the 11 p.m. anchor slot new position.

is a big gamble. rolling the Elias said. a lot of infotainment going However, Elias added, anyone is going to make it work, got to be one of When asked what he could bring to KCBS, Magers responded in his classic low-key fashion. show up for work, go over scripts and read on the he said. do the best I can do.

try to get along with everybody out there something pretty good Staff writer Ann Merrill contributed to this report The writers are at and TUESDAY, AUGUST 19 2003STARTRIBUNE PAGE A7 expected to have a second full Nigerian battalion on the ground by the end of the week. The first troops from Ghana, Senegal and Mali would join them within the same period. President Bush said Monday that the Marines have a limited mission and will be withdrawn by Oct. 1. 150,000 dead Signing of the peace deal comes with many of people still desperately searching for food, after weeks of subsisting on leaves, snails and whatever else they could forage.

Despite the accord, most Monrovians remained indoors Monday night for fear of gunmen, and few have batteries or electricity for radios after 10 weeks of a rebel siege. The civil war killed at least 150,000 Liberians. The conflict, and the years of fighting after, displaced virtually all of more than 3 million people at one time or the other, aid groups estimate. Taylor won the presidency in 1997, elected largely out of fear he would reignite the civil war if he lost. The northern- based Liberians United group launched their insurgency in 1999, and were joined late last year by the Movement for Democracy in Liberia.

The Los Angeles Times contributed to this report. chosen. first priority is a government that wants to govern the population for the benefit of the population rather than to exploit the population for their own said Rudd, the European Commission official. Such exploitation permeated every segment of society. Under Taylor, people complained that the militia and government security personnel would beat them and shake them down for payoffs.

With a corrupt justice system from police to judges victims had nowhere to turn for relief. Observers say disarming the militias perhaps by putting them to work or sending them to school will be one of the keys to stability. Another will be bringing outlaws to justice. The signing of the accord comes in a fast-paced week of momentous events in Liberia, beginning with resignation and his Aug. 11 departure from Liberia under pressure from rebels, West African leaders and the United States.

Rebels on Thursday lifted their siege of Monrovia, allowing vital food and aid to flow. Under peace deal, rebels and government alike waive any claim on the top posts in the interim government yielding control to non-combatants for the first stretch of rebuilding. Rebels and members of ex-government will be allowed lower-ranking positions seats in the Cabinet and the Legislature in the interim government. Ghana President John Ku- fuor was on hand for the agreement, which saw representatives of the United Nations, European Union and African Union sign as witnesses. The United States has also had an influential delegation at the talks.

Brig. Gen. Festus Okonkwo, leader of a two-week-old West African peace mission, said he teer said Carolyn McAskie, deputy emergency relief coordinator at the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. is very easy for the U.N.

Security Council to vote for 5,000, 10,000, 15,000 peacekeepers and then sit back and let poor countries with poorly equipped troops be the ones to put their boys on the front line. The countries with well- equipped troops must Concerns voiced In recent days, the United States has beefed up its presence in Liberia, deploying about 200 Marines to back up a steadily building West African force here. Still, some in the Liberian government voice concerns that outside aid can become interference, threatening their independence. They bristle at suggestions that Liberia become a protectorate, overseen by other nations. cannot surrender the sovereignty of a said Samuel Jackson, minister of state for economic and financial affairs.

is nothing wrong with this country. What is wrong is the external interference. All we need to do is put people in government with That may be easier said than done. Delegates from the warring factions that have brought this country to its knees are trying to form a transitional government that would include all sides, with the goal of holding national elections. But the process has been slow and costly, and a head of state and vice head of state as the interim leaders will be known are still to be want to believe that with the signing of this agreement today, Liberia will never be plunged into another spiral of violence in the quest for political power, or under the false pretense of liberating the said retired Nigerian Gen.

Abdulsalami Abubakar, chief mediator in the talks. The two rebel movements Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia signed, along with representatives of post-Taylor government. is a good day. Today is a happy day. The war is Liberians United leader Sekou Conneh declared, exchanging copies of the deal with his government counterparts, and embracing them.

Taylor may be gone, but the country he left is in ruins. Unemployment is well over 80 percent, government officials say. Most civil servants have not been paid in two years. Businesses have collapsed because few can afford to buy goods. Those that have survived are prey to rampant looting and lawlessness.

is economically in the worst situation it has ever been said Geoffrey Rudd, chief of mission at the Office of the European Commission in Liberia. basically have an economy. Taylor government has impoverished the country so much that it have the human and financial resources to return to normality in the foreseeable he said. are going to require a lot of in-depth learned from Sierra Leone is that it is not enough for a country to volun- LIBERIA fromA1 Shops opened in Monrovia for first time in a month an opportunity for him to work his magic on a much bigger playing Napoli said. think a good opportunity for many people to see his work and a good chance for him to be looked at for many new opportunities as Network anchors Connie Chung, Tom Brokaw and Bryant Gumbel all used Los Angeles as a launching pad to national television.

Magers had a small shot at network fame in March, when he substituted on The departure was huge news at KARE, which led its Monday newscasts with an interview with Magers, who teared up on camera as he talked about how he would miss the station and his friends here. will be said John Remes, president and general manager. has been a big part of our success, but we feel good that the rest of our team is That team soon will include Julie Nelson, who made a highly publicized defection from KSTP, Channel 5, to KARE, where she is slated to replace Diana Pierce as co- anchor for the 10 p.m. news starting next month. They will work together until departure later this year, said Tom Lindner, news director.

He declined to speculate on replacement. competitors who have spent years fruitlessly trying to knock the station off the top of the ratings pile were predictably cheery about news. exit from the Twin Cities broadcast market will the playing field said Ed Piette, vice- president and general manager of WCCO, Channel 4, and before that, general manager at KSTP. ruled the roost with Paul over there. I think now that could change Don Shelby reacts WCCO anchor Don Shelby, who has perennially come in second to Magers, warned Los Angeles news anchors to Shelby described Magers as best prototypical anchor in the country.

not only clever, charming, witty and an exacting reader, just one of the best-looking men God ever Ted Canova, news director at Fox-owned KMSP, Channel 9, and WFTC, Channel 29, said, was always the hope in the market that when he moved on, it would create a big vacuum. I think that time will tell whether brand can outlive brother Ron, also an anchor, left the Twin Cities years ago for a job in Chicago, the third-largest TV market in the country. Paul departure is the latest in a series of shakeups in the Twin Cities broadcast market over the past two years. The news leadership at WCCO toppled and then was retoppled after a short, tumultuous reign. The longtime general manager at KSTP has jumped to WCCO, and significant reporting and managerial talent from all over the region has gathered at the two Fox- owned stations.

Still, departure is media news of tectonic proportions. are very few events in the local television business that are potential said John Rash, senior vice-president and director of broadcast negotiations for Minneapolis-based Campbell Mithun, the largest ad agency. anticipate aggressive challenges from channels 4, 5 and MAGERS fromA1 competitors see chance to gain in ratings easygoing personality and strong sense of humor made him one of the Twin most popular news personalities. At his new station, Magers might need both qualities, say those worked there. In the May ratings period, KCBS ranked fourth among 11 p.m.

newscasts in that market. Two other stations with 10 p.m. newscasts also drew bigger ratings than KCBS. The length of KCBS agreement and his salary were not released, but top anchors in the Los Angeles market generally sign multimillion-dollar contracts. thrilled to have an anchor of Paul stature joining said Don Corsini, the president and general manager.

are only a few anchors who have established a bond and earned the respect and trust of a community the way Paul has in Minnesota over the past 20 years, and we look forward to having him on our Troubled L.A. station KCBS needs a big hitter like Magers. been in trouble for years and years. Most people rely on it said PROFILE Paul Anthony Magers Born: Santa Maria, Calif. Family: Wife, Kathy, and two daughters.

Home: Minneapolis. Education: degree in speech and economics, University of Washington; doctorate in law, Hamline University. Career: Reporter, KATU-TV, Portland, 1979-81; reporter-anchor, KGTV-TV, San Diego, 198183; anchor, KARE-Channel 11, 1983-present. Hobbies: Golf, singing, practical jokes. How the stations rank KARE holds a decisive lead in the late-night news ratings.

That margin is even greater among viewers age 18-59, an attractive demographic for advertisers. Nov. Feb. May 2002 2003 2003 All viewers KARE-11 15.3 15.9 15.7 WCCO-4 13.6 14.0 12.6 KSTP-5 7.3 9.1 8.3 5.4 6.5 8.1 Ages 18-59 KARE-11 10.9 11.9 10.8 WCCO-4 4.7 5.3 4.9 KSTP-5 4.5 4.0 4.0 3.1 4.2 5.9* late news is at 9 p.m. Its ratings in May rose sharply in part because of the Minnesota playoff run.

Source: Nielsen; ratings are percentages of all potential viewers KARE-Ch. 11 Paul Magers (hired 1983) Diana Pierce (1983) The longest-tenured anchor team in the Twin Cities, Magers and Pierce came to KARE in August 1983 after Gannett Co. purchased the station. In five years, it went from an also-ran to top-rated at 10 p.m. Pierce is expected to be replaced at 10 p.m.

by former KSTP anchor Julie Nelson, who starts next month. WCCO-Ch. 4 Don Shelby (1978) Randi Kaye (1998) The arrival of outsiders to manage the CBS-owned station caused a rash of departures, and the station recently fell from its perennial No. 1 spot at 6 p.m. This summer the station fired its general manager and news director and hired former KSTP boss Ed Piette as general manager.

KSTP-Ch. 5 Kent Ninomiya (July 2003) Harris Faulkner (2000) Will a new face on the anchor desk win new viewers? The local ABC affiliate recently won 20 regional Emmy Awards twice as many as its competition but remains stuck in third place. News director Scott Libin resigned earlier this year, and WCCO hired away general manager Ed Piette. KMSP-Ch. 9 Jeff Passolt (1996) anchor Robyne Robinson (1990) Formerly a UPN affiliate, KMSP became newly competitive last fall when it became a Fox station, switching identities with sister station Channel 29.

It airs an hour-long news program from 9 to 10 each night. who in the news wars Paul MagersDiana Pierce Don ShelbyRandi Kaye Kent NinomiyaHarris Faulkner Jeff PassoltRobyne Robinson freetime startribune.com is a registered trademark of The Star Tribune Company 0819.DY.MAIN.DME.007.A Mon Aug 18 17:52:19 2003 Mn 2382 www.sawhorse763-533-1010.com 26 yrs. of horse sense in home remodeling design and construction. 763-533-1010 FREE All-Laser LASIK Seminars Exams Call: 651-645-3997 1-800-TLC-EYES www.proeyecare.com St. Paul Midway Apple Valley Shoreview Richard Launer MD John Foley MD Custom Laser Flap: a safer more precise approach Individualized LASIK: high definition vision All-Laser All-Laser LASIK LASIK No Metal Blade means Peace-of Mind! No Metal Blade means Peace-of Mind! Richard Launer MD John Foley MD Mn 2382 www.sawhorse763-533-1010.com A National Leader in Home Remodeling for 26 Years.

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