General manager gone after a year at WTKR

Posted to: Business Norfolk

By Tom Shean
The Virginian-Pilot
© May 15, 2008

NORFOLK

After one year on the job, the general manager of TV station WTKR NewsChannel 3 has departed amid depressed ratings for the CBS affiliate.

Shane Moreland, news director at WTKR, confirmed Thursday that Dave Bunnell, the station's former manager, no longer worked there. Moreland referred questions about Bunnell's departure to station owner Local TV LLC. Officers of Local TV did not return phone calls left Thursday afternoon at its Fort Wright, Ky., headquarters and at WTKR.

Bunnell arrived at WTKR in May 2007 after the investment firm Oak Hill Capital Partners acquired the Norfolk station and eight others from The New York Times Co. Before moving to Norfolk, Bunnell was general manager of the Roanoke TV station WFXR, a Fox affiliate.

In an effort to boost its ratings, WTKR last month hired Les Smith, a veteran news anchor who earlier worked for 22 years at rival WAVY-TV in Portsmouth.

WTKR attracted attention earlier this month when it filed a lawsuit against the city of Suffolk for restricting the news media's access to neighborhoods ravaged by a tornado on April 28. The station dropped its suit a few days later.

Tom Shean, (757) 446-2379, tom.shean@pilotonline.com

Graphics? So what?!

Submitted by tvpirate05 on Sun, 05/18/2008 at 6:27 pm.

So, if WTKR's VIPIR really kicks everyone else's butts like you say they do, then why do they consistently finish last in every single newscast throughout the day, and finish behind talk and court shows during the evening? Their news operation is a joke.

Once again, another idiot

Submitted by davidl55003 on Sun, 05/18/2008 at 12:39 pm.

Once again, another idiot who's been brainwashed by WAVY speaks about something he doesn't even have knowledge of...

VIPIR is the most cutting edge technology in weather forecasting. If 10 or 13 were REALLY as good as they SAY they are... they wouldn't keep getting their butts kicked technologically by WTKR.

WTKR

Submitted by ntro_popeil on Sat, 05/17/2008 at 11:54 am.

WTKR needs a complete overhaul. They have lost almost all of their credibility, especially with the lawsuit At least they have Les Smith now! A new GM is definitely what they need... hopefully they get someone that knows his/her stuff. Their ratings were in the tank 11 years ago but they were more watchable than they are now.

VIPIR is a software by Baron Services, and it means "Volumetric Imaging and Processing of Integrated Radar." Many other TV weather departments around the country use this and brand their radars with it.

BOYCOTT WTKR 3 TODAY, TOMORROW, FOREVER

Submitted by Daniel Causey on Thu, 05/15/2008 at 10:11 pm.

Remember the acts of this despicable news organization my fellow Virginians. They sued the City of Suffolk,the Suffolk Police, and the State police for protecting citizens from harm during a NATURAL DISASTER!

Their primary motive for doing this was to increase their profit margin and to continue to parade gloom, doom, and horrific acts of destruction upon an already over medicated populace.