Split Edition of Noon News

Chris Wragge is co-anchoring CBS 2 News at Noon from near Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan today on the arrival of President Bush. Kristine Johnson is at the desk in Studio 46. This is believed to be the first time since News Director David Friend's arrival that a newscast has been done in this split format. The station experimented with it often last summer for several big stories.

New Research Director

CBS 2 announced yesterday that it has named John Yang to the position of research director, according to this press release. He was most recently research manager for the CBS Television Stations Group. Here's his job description:

As Research Director for WCBS-TV, Yang will work closely with the CBS 2 sales department on client presentations, maintain the station’s avail system, and also provide research support to the news, programming, promotion and communications departments while handling sweep analysis and tracking.

CBS 2 Presents "The New York Times Arts & Leisure Weekend" Tonight

CBS 2's Dana Tyler will host an hour-long special tonight featuring conversations with well-known people in the arts and entertainment industry. The event, called "The New York Times Arts & Leisure Weekend," took place January 5-7, and was sponsored by The New York Times and WCBS-TV. Highlights will air on CBS 2 tonight at 7:00.

For more information, check out the press release and this wcbstv.com section.

Audrey Puente Joins "My 9 News"

Audrey Puente, who, until this month, was CBS 2's morning and noon meteorologist, is heading to WWOR-TV, according to the Daily News. Starting Monday, she will be the lead meteorologist for "My 9 News," where she replaces Storm Field, who started at Channel 9 ten years ago after leaving "2 News This Morning." (He was apparently let go in a way similar to how veteran sports anchor Warner Wolf was let go back when Dennis Swanson and Lew Leone were at CBS 2). Puente was replaced at CBS 2 News earlier this month by John Elliott.

The column also mentions Jay Crawford and Lonnie Quinn, though nothing has been confirmed. ESPN 2's "Cold Pizza" is moving back to Bristol, CT, and it had been reported that Crawford wanted to stay in New York, which is why the sports director job at CBS 2 is so appealing.

"Deep Freeze"

As temperatures dropped to the lowest levels in two years, CBS 2 News decided to name its coverage "Deep Freeze." There's even a promo running to advertise the station's continuing coverage of the cold. Here's video of one that ran last night:

Coming Up at 5:00: Gimmicks

Since Chris Wragge and Kristine Johnson became the anchors for CBS 2 News at 5:00 (and Noon) in November, the newscast has undergone several changes to differentiate it from the others.

For starters, Wragge and Johnson occasionally comment on the stories that viewers have just watched or heard about. While it is not unheard of anchors offering such comments every once in a while, it seems to be much more pronounced at 5 p.m.

"Soapbox" is a feature that pops up every so often. It actually appeared a few times before November but has been seen more often in recent weeks with fresh graphics. Man-on-the-street-style soundbytes of random people sounding off on a chosen topic are shown a couple times in the hour. Such topics have included New Year's resolutions, the Jets and the Giants making it to the playoffs and whether there should be a limit on the amount of homework students are assigned. Back in 2001, CBS 2's 11 p.m. newscast sometimes had a very similar feature that went by the name of "Nightcast Soapbox."

"Top 5 at 5" is an occasional tips segment. Earlier this month, CBS 2 gave viewers five tips on "spicing up your love life." (CBS 2's "Fresh Grocer," Tony Tantillo, used to have a segment of the same name where he would show the week's top five buys at the grocery store.)

The latest interesting video is showcased in "Got To See." It comes complete with an opening animation and a "swoosh" sound.

While not exclusive to just the 5 p.m. broadcast, "Plus 2 Info" is the title given to the part of the show where the anchors add a bit of information that wasn't in the package that was just aired. There's nothing new about this except for the shiny graphic and the anchor telling viewers, "In your Plus 2 Information...."

Last week, a grouping of three or four stories going on across the country were given the name "What's Happening." And today, "The Buzz" became the title for entertainment headlines toward the end of the 5:00 half hour. Both, of course, not without graphics.

Will they get you to watch?

Kristine Johnson's Baby Due in March

The Daily News reports today that Kristine Johnson, co-anchor of CBS 2's noon and 5 p.m. newscasts, is due to give birth in March. She joined CBS 2 in November.

Brendan Keefe Arrested While Covering A Story

The Daily News reports that Brendan Keefe was arrested on Wednesday for cursing at police officers telling him to move. It happened when he was covering a water-main break in East Elmhurst, Queens.

The News says that he was told over a loudspeaker, "Sir, get out of the street." Keefe walked a block over to the police van and said, "Why don't you get out of your warm, f-----g car instead of saying it over your microphone?"

He was charged with obstructing governmental administration at the 115th Precinct. He was issued a desk appearance ticket and released, according to the paper.

This is not Keefe's first run-in with the NYPD. In fact, he was threatened with the "obstructing governmental administration" charge in August when he didn't move upon officers' demands. He believed that it might have been a form of police intimidation for CBS 2's summer "Selective Enforcement" series of reports, for which Keefe received threats from people claiming to be officers. He spoke in October to the New York Press Club about press credentials and the NYPD.

New Spokesperson

CBS 2 named a new director of Communications and Community Affairs today: Joanna Brahim. The press release says that she has been with the station since September 2005, serving as manager of Public Relations and Community Affairs. The promotion means that she will be "responsible for the day-to-day management of its media relations, talent relations and internal communications functions."

Weather NewsBytes

- CBS 2 weathercaster John Elliott appeared on CBS's "The Early Show" this morning, filling in for Dave Price. Elliott was also on CBS 2 News This Morning, and Jeff Berardelli handled the local weather updates from 7-9 a.m.

- Lonnie Quinn said goodbye to WTVJ Miami last Thursday. Pictures and video are available on nbc6.net. One of the pictures has this as the caption: "But just think... Lonnie will get to sleep late!!" Still no official word yet on whether he'll be joining CBS 2 but it looks like he's on his way.

- This poster over at TVNewsTalk.net spotted former CBS 2 meteorologist Craig Allen doing weather overnight on News 12 Long Island.

Weather Computers Freeze For Bolaris

Tonight while giving the weather forecast, John Bolaris had to apologize for the computer freezing up, making him unable to show the rest of the maps and the graphics.

It happened as he was standing in front of the VIPIR radar map of the midwest on CBS 2 News at 11:00. Bolaris mentioned the "computer snafu," and luckily he didn't freeze along with the computer as he was able to recite in detail the forecast without the aid of the graphics. He then walked back over to the desk and noted that the three backup systems were all frozen. "This is an outrage," Jim Rosenfield joked.

Bolaris returned at 11:30 with the now-working weather graphics after Rosenfield introduced "the forecast you've been waiting for." The graphics included a new "Out The Door Forecast" for 7 a.m. with a virtual door opening up to reveal "Weather Dog 2 Finnigan." Bolaris apologized again for the earlier problems, saying that it happens every once in a while.

Executive Producer Shift

This was mentioned last week but here's a closer look at the changes, according to Broadcasting & Cable:

	Old Assignment:	New Assignment:
Emad Asghar	Senior EP	11 p.m. EP
Kristin Quillinan	6 p.m. & 11 p.m. EP	5 p.m. & 6 p.m. EP
Jerry Andrews	Noon & 5 p.m. EP	Weekend EP
Byron Harmon	Morning EP	Morning & Noon EP

New Managing Editor

CBS 2 has named Elaine Peake the station's managing editor, effective Monday. Peake joins CBS 2 after spending more than 16 years at ABC 7, most recently as the senior executive producer of specials.

Here's her job description, according to the CBS 2 press release:

As Managing Editor, CBS 2 News, Peake will be responsible for overseeing the department’s editorial operations by supervising story selection and the newsgathering process. She will also be responsible for maintaining the editorial integrity of the station’s newscasts by working closely with anchors, reporters, producers, writers and editors to ensure that the highest standards of broadcast journalism are upheld.

In related news, WCBSTV.com has started to once again update The Press Room, which links to station press releases. Past announcements dating back to September have also been added, such as the arrivals of Dr. Holly Phillips, John Elliott and Kristine Johnson.

The Papers on Dr. Phillips

The Daily News has two sentences about the new doctor:

Dr. Holly Phillips is joining WCBS/Ch. 2 as a medical correspondent. She replaces Dr. David Marks, who was recently let go. Phillips, an internist in New York, starts Jan. 15.

The Post has just one short sentence and they managed to get it right:

Dr. Holly Phillips is Ch. 2's new medical reporter.

CBS 2 Moves Into The New Generation

CBS 2 News used a theme from Gari Communications' "CBS Enforcer New Generation" package for the first time this evening. The new theme debuted in promos for tonight's 6 p.m. and tomorrow's 5 p.m. newscasts and is an updated version of the current "CBS Enforcer" theme. It is not yet clear if CBS 2 will use this theme more widely soon.

Below is video of the two promos.



SouthernMedia's News Music Search Archive has some more clips of "New Generation" here (from 0:17-0:36 and 3:49-4:01). And Gari's website has video from WBBM Chicago's use of "New Generation" (Skip Intro > Music and Sound > News Packages > O&O/Affiliate News Packages > CBS Enforcer (New Generation) ).

How do you like it?

EDIT: The theme was also in a promo for CBS 2's weather team during this winter, which debuted today after the first snowflakes fell in Manhattan:

Dr. Holly Phillips Joins CBS 2 News

CBS 2 News added a medical reporter to its team today: Dr. Holly Phillips debuted on CBS 2 News at 5:00. Chris Wragge and Kristine Johnson welcomed her before and after her package. Phillips said that she is in private practice on the Upper East Side and is affiliated with Lennox Hill Hospital, where she teaches and admits.

On this FindArticles page, Phillips wrote that she worked with Fox News and appeared regularly on NBC's "The Today Show."

Phillips fills the void that was created when Dr. David Marks left the station last month.

Bush to Delay CBS 2 News at 11:00

CBS 2 News at 11:00 won't begin until around 11:30 tonight due to the network's coverage of President Bush's address to the nation about sending more troops into Iraq. CBS News will sign on at 9 p.m. and the special report is expected to last half an hour, pushing back the primetime schedule.

What Happened at 11:29?

That's what viewers of "The Price Is Right" were left wondering after the show took a break. It's usually the time when CBS 2 News does a 35-second tease for the News at Noon, followed by a commercial or two and then a five-second CBS promo before "TPIR" returns.

Instead, the screen went to black for a few seconds before being replaced by a station identification slide. This went on for nearly a minute before Chris Wragge and Kristine Johnson finally came on to tease the noon newscast. All seemed normal with the tease, except that it went longer: approximately 50 seconds in total. Wragge and Johnson also seemed to ad-lib at the end as the two talked about possible upcoming snow; these teases are usually tightly scripted. After the tease, "TPIR" was joined in progress.

With all the talk about losing ad revenue, it is interesting that a commercial was lost in the problems.

So what happened? Was someone not ready to go live? Technical difficulties?

Post: "Slow-Motion Massacre"

"ONE BY ONE, CH. 2 SQUEEZING OUT OLD FACES" is the sub-headline for this lead story in the Post's TV section by Michael Starr.

Not a whole lot is advanced in this story -- it's mostly what has already been reported here and other places around the 'net. The layoffs are attributed to the need to trim the station's budget, which is due to lower than expected political advertising last year. Hillary Clinton and Eliot Spitzer, the Post says, spent "much less" in New York than projected, probably because they had no close competition.

Starr notes that Roz Abrams is off the air (since November) and is owed nearly $6 million for the remainder of her contract. Audrey Puente is also said to be gone (though her bio is still up, leaving me to think that she could be called upon to fill-in before her contract expires).

Cindy Hsu, who's described as "popular anchor-turned-reporter," has a contract expiring in March that won't be renewed.

The Post also speculates that Lonnie Quinn, "Sam Champion-look-a-like from South Florida," will likely mean that John Bolaris is on the way out.

This line sums it all up: "Industry types say Ch. 2 is cutting costs by chopping higher-priced, locally known talent, including Mario Bosquez and Lynda Lopez, and replacing them with cheaper anchors and reporters from outside New York."

The article also points out that "Judge Judy," which returned to CBS 2's 4 p.m. hour in September, hasn't helped CBS 2 News at 5:00. "The numbers have moved a little bit with 'Judge Judy,' " an anonymous insider said, "but they're concerned they haven't capitalized on 'Judy's' good numbers."

I wonder if it could be related to the fact that there are two unknowns at the desk at 5 p.m. that replaced Roz Abrams and Mary Calvi after just half a year. It's these constant changes and removal of familiar faces for cheaper, weaker talent that will continue to hurt CBS 2 News. Every new management team thinks it has the solutions, and that includes changing everything. The viewers have responded.

The Peter Dunn/David Friend team is very different from the one of Lew Leone/Dianne Doctor, which worked to acquire big names from other local stations. Dunn and Friend don't need them.

I also wonder how they expect to save money by paying Abrams $6 million to watch the news from her den for a few more years and not at least have her anchor until her contract runs out.

What do you think about these changes? Will they help CBS 2 or hurt them? Do you think more people will be let go in the near future?

CBS 2 News Covers Manhattan's Strange Smell

CBS 2 News broke into programming multiple times in the 9:00 and 10:00 hours this morning to report on a possible natural gas leak in the city. It seems that thousands of people called in to 911 to report a heavy odor just after 9 a.m. attracting coverage from all of the local stations and the cable news channels.

Maurice DuBois handled most of the breaking news reports from the newsroom with admittedly little information. They were awaiting Mayor Bloomberg's regularly scheduled press conference at 9:30, but that had been postponed and the media were told that it would happen "shortly." After 10 a.m., DuBois was joined by Scott Rapoport live in Midown and John Elliott with how the weather was affecting the smell. Chris Wragge anchored a brief special report at 10:30 from the studio and was back on at 10:43 with the mayor's remarks about the situation. Video of the special reports is available on wcbstv.com.

Team coverage topped the noon newscast: Rapoport in Midtown, Dave Carlin in Jersey City, Elliott in the studio and Kerri Lyon on the East Side with how the schools were handling the confusing situation.

Lonnie Quinn to CBS 2?

Kevin sends along this story from WTVJ in Miami reporting that Lonnie Quinn, the station's morning weathercaster, is leaving NBC 6 for a "big-time job offer in one of the nation's top television markets" in the northeast. It was suggested a few weeks ago on the TVSpy.com "Water Cooler" message board that Quinn would be joining CBS 2 News. If he does, he would be the second "weathercaster" to join the station this year, though his bio says that he holds an FAA meteorology certificate.

Quinn has been with WTVJ since April 2002. Before presenting the weather, he was an actor for two soap operas: one in New York and the other in Los Angeles. He also hosted a celebrity-oriented morning talk show in Minneapolis.

WTVJ suggests that they "broke the mold" with Quinn's hiring and his bio says that he has a unique style. His last day is this Thursday.

Quinn did not return an e-mail sent to him last week inquiring about the move, which he calls an "amazing opportunity."

(Don't you think that he at least slightly resembles another weatherman who recently moved from a New York station to a network morning show?)

CBS 2 Looks For Lead Sports Anchor at ESPN

When Chris Wragge moved from lead sports anchor to co-anchor of CBS 2's noon and 5 p.m. newscasts, it left a hole in the station's sports staff. Ducis Rodgers, Sam Ryan and Kevin Connors have all been called upon to help fill the gap.

Yesterday's New York Post reports that ESPN2's Jay Crawford, co-host of the channel's "Cold Pizza" morning program, is in the lead for the job at CBS 2. The paper says that Crawford wants to stay in New York, where "Cold Pizza" is currently broadcast from, but that it might soon be relocated to ESPN's Bristol, CT headquarters. He has been with ESPN since August 2003.

The Post also says that "SportsCenter" anchor Matt Winer was interviewed for the job but has since re-signed with ESPN.

It wouldn't be the first time that CBS 2 has snatched talent from ESPN. Sam Ryan joined CBS 2 in June after being a reporter for various ESPN broadcasts. She now also appears on CBS Sports' "The NFL Today."

Alison Kosik Joins CBS 2 News

Alison Kosik debuted yesterday evening, reporting the top story for CBS 2 News at 5:00 live from Elmhurst, Queens.

She comes to CBS 2 from Sinclair's News Central, where she was a Washington correspondent, according to zoominfo.com.

Friday NewsBytes

- "Weathercaster" John Elliott appeared on the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts last night. He reported on the above-average temperatures from a miniature golf course in Wayne, NJ. John Bolaris (or "Inside John," as Elliott said in a tease, as opposed to "Outside John") tossed to him in each of the three weather segments during the broadcasts. Elliott was joined by an ice sculptor who created "CBS" and CBS 2 logos out of blocks of ice.

- Speaking of Elliott, he appears in five-second IDs for the station. In one, the announcer says, "CBS 2 welcomes weathercaster John Elliott." Another says, "CBS 2's John Elliott. He makes weather fun."

- There are many variations of those new anchor promos. The new ones seem to attempt to draw a more personal connection between viewers and the anchors: Jim Rosenfield talks about growing up watching "Channel 2 News;" Dana Tyler on earning viewers' trust; Kristine Johnson explains the importance of broadcast journalism; Maurice DuBois and Kate Sullivan joke about having to wake up early; and the anchors talk about what happens when news breaks where Tyler says, "Breaking news is our bread and butter." There's also a spot where Johnson talks about Wragge and then Wragge interrupts. As some of you have noticed, I've posted a bunch of these promos on YouTube:







Feel free to comment on these posts or the videos and tell me what you think so far and what you'd like to see in the future.

CBS 2 Dumps, Reassigns and Renegotiates with Talent

The Daily News' Richard Huff says "It's getting uncomfortable inside WCBS/Ch. 2." Here's some more of what he reports:

Cindy Hsu's contract expires in March and will not be renewed.

Audrey Puente's status is still unclear. (John Elliott's first day on the air, Tuesday, was the same day that Puente filled in for Dave Price on "The Early Show," despite appearing to have a cold. She was introduced as being from New York's WCBS-TV.)

Veteran reporters like Lou Young are renegotiating their contracts to take pay cuts.

Political reporter Andrew Kirtzman has been reassigned to general assignment reporting.

Producers for CBS 2 News This Morning and at 11:00 have also been shuffled.

As for what Huff did not report, tech editor Brett Larson's bio was recently removed from wcbstv.com. He most often appeared on the morning newscasts (weekdays and weekends). A video search shows his last day as possibly being December 21st when he showed off the new Nintendo Wii system with Kate Sullivan. However, Larson appeared on Monday's taped edition of CBS's "The Early Show" and was introduced by Dave Price as being from WCBS-TV in New York.

And the same TVSpy poster who broke the news about Hsu and Larson mentioned that Long Island reporter Reid Lamberty is also on the way out.

CBS 2 News at 5:00 Delayed Due To Ford Interment

CBS 2 News at 5:00 did not start until 5:22 today because CBS News was providing live coverage of the Gerald R. Ford interment ceremony in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The top story: "Is It A Meteorite?" - Tanya Rivero had a package on a strange object that fell through a house in Freehold Township, NJ. That was followed up by a chat with John Bolaris, who gave his best guess as to what the object is (a meteorite from the Quadrantids meteor shower).

CBS 2 News at Noon Shortened

Today's edition of CBS 2 News at Noon was cut in half today due to CBS News' coverage of Gerald Ford's funeral, starting at 9:00 a.m. Kristine Johnson anchored the newscast, which began at 12:15 p.m., from the studio while Chris Wragge reported from Capitol Hill on the events.

There were just two blocks in this scheduled abbreviated newscast. The first block consisted primarily of funeral coverage but did include some other local stories as well. The second block was just the weather, before which Johnson and John Elliott talked about how they had once worked together (at MSNBC), and the close.

John Elliott's First Day

"Weathercaster" John Elliott debuted on CBS 2 News today. He was first seen at 4:55 a.m. and he said, "I'm so happy to be here." He was welcomed at various times by anchors Brendan Keefe (filling in for Maurice DuBois) and Kate Sullivan but it wasn't until 6:09 before they mentioned where he comes from. Sullivan said he "hails from Michigan, most recently in Los Angeles and now in New York." "And I live in New Jersey," Elliott added.

For his debut, Elliott was generally very smooth but he made one error early. At 5:11, he went from the first slide in his presentation, the Almanac page, right to the Five Day Forecast. "And look, I've already made my first mistake," he pointed out. A few minutes later, he was back at the desk and he joked, "I'll have a clicker review during the next break," as he held up the device used to advance the slides. There is apparently a button on it that skips right to the five-day. "John, it took you 11 minutes to make your first mistake," Kate Sullivan said. "It usually takes me 30 seconds."

Elliott will also appear on CBS 2 News at Noon.

Elliott replaces Audrey Puente, whose status is "undetermined," according to a CBS 2 spokeswoman, the New York Post's Michael Starr reports. Puente first joined CBS 2 News in December of 2003 (read NewsByte2's coverage and see this Daily News article from 12/17/06) and served as Dave Price's backup on the morning newscast as he had to leave early to head to The Early Show's studio. She also handled noon weather duties and often filled in for Price on The Early Show. She became the full-time meteorologist for CBS 2 News This Morning on April 12 when Price left WCBS to focus on his national duties.

New Promo: Anchors Introduce Themselves To Viewers

A new promo premiered today on CBS 2. It features the six weekday news anchors, each featured in front of different parts of Studio 46, introducing themselves to viewers by saying their names and which newscasts they anchor. Different music and graphics effects than what have been observed are used in this 30-second spot.

Here are some snapshots:


"I'm Maurice DuBois. I anchor CBS 2 News This Morning."


"My name is Kristine Johnson. I anchor the noon and 5:00 newscasts on CBS 2."


"I'm Kate Sullivan. I anchor CBS 2 News This Morning."


"I'm Chris Wragge and I anchor the noon and 5:00 newscasts here on CBS 2."


"I'm Jim Rosenfield, anchor, CBS 2 News at 6 and 11."


"I'm Dana Tyler. I anchor the 6 and 11:00 news at CBS 2."


The promo ends with a CBS 2 logo transitioning in.

UPDATE: Here's the video:

CBS 2 News Does Not Cover Spitzer's Inauguration on TV, As Was Originally Planned

They lucked out with a delay last night but lose out with one today...

CBS 2 had announced on the air over the weekend that CBS 2 News at Noon would be a full hour today to provide coverage of Eliot Spitzer's inauguration as governor of New York. However, due to today's heavy rains, the outdoor ceremony was delayed by an hour until 1 p.m. CBS 2 News at Noon with Chris Wragge (who will be headed down to DC later today) and Kristine Johnson went the usual length and the station filled the 12:30 - 1:00 p.m. slot with "Chevrolet's Tim McCarver Show."

WCBSTV.com is currently providing streaming coverage of the event while CBS Sports is covering the Gator Bowl.

Spitzer had a private swearing in ceremony just after midnight but the public oath of office was scheduled for today.

Chris Wragge To Report From DC on Ford's Funeral

Noon and 5pm anchor Chris Wragge is headed to Washington, DC Monday to cover the funeral services for former President Gerald R. Ford. The station has been promoting Wragge's reports, which will begin Monday night on CBS 2 News at 11:00.

The funeral is scheduled to begin 10:30 Tuesday morning.

Wragge was last seen tonight anchoring "Sports Sunday."

CBS 2 News Covers Times Square Ball Drop

In a departure from CBS 2 tradition, the station lucked out from CBS Sports programming that went late and was able to be live as the ball dropped in Times Square tonight.

The "NFL on CBS" coverage concluded a few minutes after 7:25, instead of 7:00, delaying the entire network schedule and meaning that CBS 2 News at 11:00 with Mary Calvi started late. The 35-minute long broadcast managed to be delayed just long enough so that it would end one minute after midnight, allowing for Brendan Keefe to report live from Times Square in time for the countdown, the confetti and the fireworks. Video from wcbstv.com is available by clicking here.

In recent memory, CBS 2 News has not provided live programming as the New Year arrived, usually airing a taped "The Late Show with David Letterman" when New Year's Eve fell during the week while ABC and NBC were live in Times Square.

John Elliott Joins CBS 2 News

John Elliot will join CBS 2 News This Morning and at Noon as weathercaster, according to his bio page that was recently added to WCBSTV.com. He was most recently at KCBS-TV in Los Angeles, where he spent the last two years, after a two-year stint at MSNBC and NBC News as weathercaster, anchor and correspondent.

Video of one of Elliott's final weathercasts on KCBS is available here.

His bio shows CBS 2 News This Morning as his new favorite program, replacing Everybody Loves Raymond for the top spot. He writes that he is in this business because he "love[s] the connection television provides with the viewers."

Elliot replaces Audrey Puente, whose bio is still posted on WCBSTV.com, though no assignment is listed.

And there are rumors of more weather changes in CBS 2's forecast to come. Stay tuned...

Welcome Back to NewsByte2!

NewsByte2 was the news section of the WCBS-TV fansite called "CBS 2 New York" from July 1999 until August 2005. It covered ratings, personnel moves, graphics updates, new studios, theme changes and other assorted gossip about all things WCBS. Sources included newspaper articles, station press releases, and observations from watching CBS 2. The site also relied heavily on the input from its readers.

As a new year begins, NewsByte2 returns, now hosted by Blogger. What was true in the past remains true today: It is YOU who will make this site what it is. Feel free to add your input by commenting on the posts. And if you have any news about CBS 2 News to report, fire off an e-mail to newsbyte2@gmail.com.

Thank you for coming back and have a great 2007!

~Geoffrey~
NewsByte2 webmaster (and WCBS-TV fan since 1996)