New Graphics Debuting Tonight

A few minutes ago during the Primetime Emmys broadcast, CBS 2 showed off the new graphics that appear to be debuting tonight on CBS 2 News at 11:00 after the Emmys. Maurice DuBois and Kristine Johnson are anchoring and the same cut of Enforcer is used in this spot:



According to this post on TV News Talk, KYW in Philadelphia launched the new look, along with a different version of Enforcer, this evening during an NFL halftime broadcast and during their 10:00 broadcast on their CW sister station.

We'll have more on the new look shortly...

Heat Wave Weekend NewsBytes

Here are a bunch of quick headlines for you as you try to keep cool in the tri-state this weekend... Feel free to weigh in in the comments section:

> For the first time since Christmas, Cindy Hsu anchored a newscast. The nearly 15-year veteran of the station filled in alongside Chris Wragge on CBS 2 News at 5:00 and at 11:00, and next to Steve Bartelstein this morning.

> A day after two climbers scaled The New York Times building in Times Square, Don Dahler tried to give viewers a sense of what the two publicity-seeking men were feeling. The anchor climbed a 25-foot wall in Chelsea Piers three times and said that, by the end of the climbs, his arms and fingers were cramping, even though he does rock climbing and has done 200-foot cliffs. "The physical feats these men accomplished are nothing short of astounding," Dahler said, adding that they were "very dangerous, illegal, foolish and they could have easily ended in death." Watch the video on wcbstv.com here.

> Megan Glaros filled in for Lonnie Quinn at 11:00 last night even though Quinn was on hand for the 5:00 and 6:00 newscasts. Quinn had to be in Newport, RI to do the weather live from the "Great Chowder Cook-Off" on this morning's The Early Show.

> And speaking of CBS 2 News at 11:00 last night, there were no commercial breaks until 11:32. Hsu and Wragge did a ten-second tease just after "NUMB3RS" and this is usually followed by a 60-second commercial break. Instead, there were a few seconds of black and then the newscast started up. After the one break at the end, Glaros was called on to give another look at the forecast and Hsu and Wragge chatted about it for a few seconds. In the close, Wragge mentioned that it was a "commercial-free edition of CBS 2 News." Was this intentional?

Thunder During the Weather

A strange noise was heard during the 11 p.m. weathercast tonight. After a puzzled look from Lonnie Quinn, Chris Wragge joked that it was thunder. Quinn laughed and agreed, saying, "Possibly thunder. This is why I love that Chris and Kristine." He then continued on with the forecast, making it clear there was no thunder expected tonight. It takes place about 1 minute, 50 seconds into this video.

Daily NewsBytes

Richard Huff's Tube Talk in today's Daily News has a lot of information about CBS 2:

> Kristine Johnson will "eventually" return to anchoring CBS 2 News at Noon with Chris Wragge, the station says.

> Katie McGee is the traffic and entertainment reporter for CBS 2 News This Morning.

> Emad Asghar, who was named executive producer of CBS 2 News at 11:00 back in January, now has that title over at the "CW 11 Morning News."

> And, says Huff, "There is a real downside to good weather - it frees John Elliott to terrorize people on the streets." Elliott reported outdoors a few times earlier this week at noon where he "has been turned into a roaming goofball for the station's noon news."

Happy May Sweeps! (It began yesterday.)

11:00 Snapshots

Changing Up The Camera Angles

CBS 2 News at 11:00 seems to have been experimenting with the camera angles lately. Many of the two-shots are coming from a camera that's placed lower than usual. There are also some shots that are coming from a higher position.

Here are a few snapshots from tonight's newscast:

Sweeps: Jim and Dana on Sunday Night

Jim Rosenfield and Dana Tyler are anchoring the late-night news right now. It began at 11:26 because CBS Sports' golf coverage went nearly a half-hour late. John Bolaris is on hand with the weather.

Chris Wragge and Kristine Johnson anchored the late news on the previous two Sunday nights when CBS 2 News followed the Super Bowl (on the 4th) and the Grammy Awards (on the 11th).

Lou Young Slips On Ice Live

Just a few minutes ago, CBS 2 News reporter Lou Young took a tumble while doing a live report on the snow. While in Middletown, NY, he slipped onto his backside. He seemed to be okay, though, as he laughed and continued on with his report. A few minutes later, Dana Tyler joked to Young, "What hurt more: your pride or your bottom?"

11:50PM UPDATE: Here's the video:


12:06AM UPDATE: CBS 2 News replayed the event later in the newscast for viewers who missed it or just wanted to see it again. And WCBS NewsRadio 880 just played a brief audio clip of Young's fall.

Oh yeah, and do you think that the new style of lower-third graphics used for "Storm Watch" and "Spring Training" are a sign of changes to come?

Wragge and Johnson Tonight at 11(:30)

For the second Sunday in a row, Chris Wragge and Kristine Johnson will anchor CBS 2 News at 11:00. (The newscast is actually slated to begin at 11:30, delayed a half hour because of CBS's presentation of the Grammys.) The rookie team also anchored last Sunday night after the Super Bowl. It looks like CBS 2 News' way to showcase its newest team during Sweeps.

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.

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.

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.