Posted by chicagomedia.org on June 11, 2008 at 07:40:03:
The other man
Buzz about Suppelsa doesn't diminish respect for Sanders
Now that the cat's out of the bag about WGN-Channel 9's intentions to hire Mark Suppelsa, there's a sense of excitement in the air at the Tribune Co.-owned station.
While the bosses tried to downplay Tuesday's report here as mere speculation, the troops were practically giddy at the prospect of Suppelsa dropping anchor at 2501 W. Bradley Place.
» Click to enlarge image Mark Suppelsa (left) and Steve Sanders.
(Sun-Times files)
On reading the headline in the Sun-Times, one staffer described "frenzied jumping up and down" in the newsroom. I'm not sure, but I think he was serious.
By hiring Suppelsa away from Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32, Channel 9 not will only be picking off its main competitor's No. 1 anchor, but immediately will be strengthening and re-energizing its entire news operation.
Even with 15 years of Chicago television experience under his belt, the 45-year-old native son will bring a youthful vitality and enthusiasm that's rarely evident on Channel 9's newscasts outside of its top-rated morning show.
That's not to say the move is totally risk-free.
Beyond the matter of getting the deal done (which can't begin officially until Fox's 90-day right-to-match period expires next week), the most sensitive issue involves Steve Sanders, the loyal and likeable veteran Suppelsa is expected to replace.
In negotiating a new role for Sanders, whose latest one-year contract expires in the coming months, Channel 9 bosses will have to rationalize their decision to remove an anchor who's been nothing but successful in his 15 years on the flagship 9 p.m. weekday newscast.
Sanders, 59, has been a solid, low-key professional ever since he joined Channel 9 in 1982 from WTVM-TV in his hometown of Birmingham, Ala. He anchored the noon news before replacing Rick Rosenthal at 9 p.m. in 1993.
Even those who see Suppelsa as an all-around more valuable player as both an anchor and a reporter acknowledge Sanders' strengths.
Despite all that Fox has done to challenge "Chicago's Very Own" with a rival 9 p.m. news hour -- and the boost it receives from Fox network lead-ins -- Channel 9 has maintained its dominance (and even increased its lead lately) with Sanders in the main anchor seat.
The prolonged absence earlier this year of Sanders' co-anchor, Allison Payne, had no adverse impact on the ratings either. If weather savant Tom Skilling is the star attraction of the show -- as both his salary and popularity attest -- then Sanders has been an ideal leading man.
There's also the question of how fellow employees and longtime viewers will react if they perceive that Sanders has not been treated with respect. To this day, Deborah Norville bears the scars of replacing Jane Pauley on the "Today" show, thanks to the clumsy mistakes of the geniuses at NBC.
Twice before, Suppelsa has found himself taking over for well-entrenched incumbents -- first at Channel 32, where he eased into Walter Jacobson's top anchor chair, and more recently at WTMX-FM (101.9), where he replaced 30-year veteran Barry Keefe as morning anchor at the Bonneville International station.
In both cases, Suppelsa proved to be a most deferential and gracious successor. Now it will require no less finesse and tact to handle the transition with Sanders at Channel 9.
For that reason, the station may choose to ease in Suppelsa (as Fox bosses did at Channel 32 in 2003), by starting him out as anchor of an earlier newscast -- in this case, the planned 5 or 5:30 p.m. weekday show -- before his inevitable ascent to 9 p.m.
(Feder)