Posted by Bud on September 04, 2009 at 10:05:14:
From today's Chicago Sun-Times, here is Lewis Lazare's column:
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What's next for Davlantes?
MEDIA | Ex-Ch. 5 anchor/reporter can't say yet, but pairing with Sirott rumored
September 4, 2009
LEWIS LAZARE
What's up with Anna Davlantes? That may be the hottest question of the fall season in Chicago's gossipy television news circles. Despite the chatter, the former weekend anchor and reporter at NBC- owned WMAQ-Channel 5 remains tight-lipped about her plans.
"There would be all kinds of lawsuits," she keeps telling us. Yet she is keeping her fans thinking about her. On Facebook this week, she responded to inquiries from fans by reminding them that there are only two months to go before she can begin to negotiate with a new employer.
And what about that potential new employer? A lot of the talk has Davlantes landing at CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2, paired with another former WMAQ anchor talent, Bob Sirott, who is considering his options since departing Channel 5 in June. The two, so the rumor goes, would pair up to co-anchor Channel 2's 10 p.m. weekday newscast and would be in place in time for all or part of the November ratings book. Some who know Davlantes well say she has long coveted a 10 p.m. news anchor role -- though she insists that's not true.
But if Davlantes is to be handed that plum assignment at Channel 2, she will have to receive the blessing of the station's news director, Jeff Kiernan, who has been hard at work since January recrafting WBBM's news product to attract new, loyal viewers. So what does Kiernan think of the rumor that Davlantes and Sirott are headed to WBBM?
"I'm not going to help you with your speculation," he told us repeatedly, whenever we tried to rephrase the question. Kiernan could have simply said "not true," and killed the rumor. But he didn't. And he also reminded us that if he has anything to announce, he will do so to his news department staff first, rather than fuel speculation through our column.
So what if Kiernan isn't looking to hire Davlantes? There remains that other rumor out there -- that she is headed to Fox-owned WFLD-Channel 32. Certainly this week's change in general managers at WFLD suggests more change will be coming to the station. It's too early to know just how much, but undoubtedly it will come. As for any role Davlantes might have at Channel 32, various scenarios have her anchoring the morning show or a possible new early weekday newscast. But right now, WFLD has both image and ratings problems. Maybe bringing in Davlantes would be a big step toward improving both. But is that a role she wants to play at that station?
In any event, we'll certainly know exactly what's in store soon. Just two months to go, we hear.