Former CBS 2 News Reporter Helps End Hostage Situation

A detective was held at gunpoint overnight for over three hours at the 19th Precinct House. The man then demanded to speak with a reporter. That's when Michael O'Looney, who is now the Deputy Commissioner of Public Information for the Police Department, became involved. O'Looney, who served as a general assignment reporter for CBS 2 News from 1995 until the end of 2001, says, "He just wanted to tell me his story. He thought if he was able to tell somebody his whole story that some of his problems would go away." The standoff ended at around 3:30 in the morning with no one seriously injured.

CBS 2 News Reporter to Recieve Post Under Bloomerberg Administration

Sunday, 12/30/01, 12:20pm CBS 2 News Reporter to Recieve Post Under Bloomerberg Administration
According to today's New York Daily News, CBS 2 News reporter Michael O'Looney will be New York City's new deputy police commissioner for public information. O'Looney's post will be closely connected with New York City's new mayor, Michael Bloomberg, and police commissioner, Raymond Kelly.

The article reads:

WCBS-TV/Channel 2 reporter Michael O'Looney will become the next deputy police commissioner for public information, sources said yesterday.

O'Looney will be the second prominent media face in recent years to work as the city police commissioner's chief spokesman. In the early years of the Guiliani administration, WNBC reporter John Miller, now a correspondent for ABC News, held the post under Commissioner Bill Bratton.

O'Looney has worked at WCBS since 1995, and reported for NY1 for three years before that.

O'Looney was tapped for the post by incoming Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, sources said, and will be Kelly's chief liaison with reporters.

Kelly and O'Looney have known each other for a decade, and Kelly attended O'Looney's 1996 wedding to TV reporter Annika Pergament, now a NY1 business anchorwoman.

Congratulations and Good Luck to Michael O'Looney on receiving this very important position!

-Michael

Michael O'Looney To Report From Israel

Last week, CBS 2 News reporter Lou Young traveled to Israel and reported on the latest developments in the region, including the terrorist suicide bombings and the Israeli retaliation. The reports are titled "Assignment: Israel". CBS 2 continues their committment to the ongoing situation in the Middle East when CBS 2 News reporter Michael O'Looney will report from the area, starting tomorrow. Last month, O'Looney traveled through Europe for a series of special reports called "On The Terror Trail".

CBS 2 News Sunday Morning

The same team as last week anchored CBS 2's Sunday morning newscast today, Michael O'Looney and Hazel Sanchez. Craig Allen, who has been on this newscast for the past five times, was back again this morning with the weather. Don Piccin had the traffic report.

CBS 2 Update

Because college football on CBS was using Studio 43 last night, CBS 2 Weekend News at 11:00 was anchored by Kirstin Cole in the CBS 2 Newsroom (it was actually delayed for about 25 minutes). Vince DeMentri was off for personal reasons. The open only began with the first part ("You're watching CBS 2, home of the CBS 2 Information Network."), and then went straight to video of the top story. A second camera has been added to the newsroom for CBS 2 Newscasts that may sometimes originate from there due to CBS Sports's use of Studio 43. Craig Allen did the weather report from the CBS 2 Weather Center, and Gary Apple reported on sports from the Continental Airlines Arena.
(Thanks to Kevin for providing the above snapshots!)

This morning on CBS 2's special Sunday newscast at 8:00, Michael O'Looney and Hazel Sanchez anchored from the studio. Craig Allen was back for the weather forecast, and Lori Blanchard was in the CBS 2 Traffic Center reporting on the roads. A new split-screen was used between weather and traffic: it was the "eye" animation behind the two boxes and the "RoadWatch" graphic underneath (seen at left).This morning on CBS 2's special Sunday newscast at 8:00, Michael O'Looney and Hazel Sanchez anchored from the studio. Craig Allen was back for the weather forecast, and Lori Blanchard was in the CBS 2 Traffic Center reporting on the roads. A new split-screen was used between weather and traffic: it was the "eye" animation behind the two boxes and the "RoadWatch" graphic underneath (seen at left).

On The Terror Trail

On CBS 2 News at 5:00 today, Michael O'Looney joined Todd McDermott and Angela Rae at the newsdesk today to discuss his recent assignment in Europe. His first report airs tonight on Nightcast at 11:00 on CBS 2. Also related to this story is that I noticed a CBS 2 "On The Terror Trail" promo locally on the three major cable news networks today: CNN, Fox News Channel, and MSNBC. It looks like CBS 2 is trying to get the word out about their latest investigative series.

CBS 2’s Michael O’Looney Goes Inside Mohammed Atta’s Hamburg Apartment for Special “Nightcast” Reports

A CBS 2 Press Release:

CBS 2’s Michael O’Looney reports from Hamburg, Germany where suspected terrorists Mohamed Atta and Marwan Al-Shehhi had lived prior to the attacks on the World Trade Center. Atta and Al-Shehhi are believed to have been at the controls of the two planes that crashed into New York’s twin towers. O’Looney’s reports will be featured during NIGHTCAST beginning on Thursday, Nov. 15 (11:00-11:35 PM).

Only days after police lifted the seal on the apartment shared by Atta and two of the 19 suspected hijackers, O’Looney was given an exclusive look at where authorities suspect the terror attacks were plotted. He visits with the landlord of the building who said, “I’m shocked… normal students and they’re terrorists!”

O’Looney’s reports also focus on the investigation into the Hamburg terrorist cell, including a look at a radical mosque being monitored by the German Secret Police where Atta and his followers often met. He also examines the alleged link between al Qaeda and Iraq, as well as the relationship between the father of suspected hijacker Ziad Samir Jarrah, a former member of the Stasi, and the al Qaeda terror network.

O’Looney has served as a reporter for WCBS-TV since 1995. His credits include foreign assignments in Egypt, where he investigated the rise of the Islamic fundamentalist movement following the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and in the Bahamas, where he tracked the criminal trail of Sante and Kenneth Kimes, the mother/son grifter team convicted of murdering Manhattan millionaire Irene Silverman.

Cliff Cohen serves as Executive Producer of ON THE TERROR TRAIL. Joel Cheatwood is Executive Vice President for News, Viacom Television Stations and WCBS-TV News Director.

Michael O'Looney To Report From Europe

This past weekend CBS 2 began to air promos for Michael O'Looney's trip to Europe. He will travel to France, England, and Germany and will report on how Europe is fighting terrorism. O'Looney will also interview Interpol's top detectives. His reports will start Thursday night at 11:00 on Nightcast.
(Thanks to Kevin for the "CBS 2 Information Network" snapshot!)

CBS 2 News Sunday Morning

This morning was CBS 2's eighth edition of their Sunday morning newscast. At the anchor desk were Michael O'Looney and Hazel Sanchez. Craig Allen had the weather forecast, and Don Piccin reported on the traffic. There will be at least three more of these one-hour Sunday morning newscasts at 8:00 as CBS 2 tries to increase its weekend presence. Starting tomorrow, Lou Young reports from the Middle East on CBS 2 News at 6:00 and on Nightcast at 11:00 in his reports, "Assignment Mideast."

CBS 2 News's Sunday Morning Newscast

The Sunday morning newscast on CBS 2 News went on this morning for the seventh time since the September 11th attacks. Michael O'Looney and Alexis Christoforous anchored. Meteorologist Craig Allen had the forecast, and Lori Blanchard was in the CBS 2 Traffic Center. Last week CBS 2 issued a press release stating that this 8am Sunday newscast will continue through "Sweeps Month" November.

CBS 2 To Send Reporters Young and O'Looney Overseas

Tuesday, 10/23/01, 3:00pm CBS 2 To Send Reporters Young and O'Looney Overseas
Today's Daily News reports that CBS 2 News's Lou Young will travel to the Middle East next week to report in that region for at least three weeks. Michael O'Looney will go to France where he will interview the head of Interpol (the International Criminal Police Organization) about tracking terrorists such as Osama bin Laden. CBS 2 News Director Joel Cheatwood tells The News, "We wanted a perspective from the opposite side of the coin. This is a story that demands a level of perspective and context that requires going halfway around the world to get." Cheatwood expects to spend thousands of dollars for the trips, mainly due to the high cost of satellite time needed to transmit the reports back to New York.
(Thanks to Michael for informing me about this article!)

"America Fights Back" Coverage

This morning on CBS 2, Michael O'Looney and Lisa Hill anchored the "early Sunday morning edition of CBS 2 Weekend News." The newscast was mostly coverage of America Fights Back and the Anthrax cases, but weather (with Craig Allen) and traffic (with Debbie DuHaime) was added. Tony Tantillo's "Breakfast With T" segment also aired. The newscast was an hour-long this morning starting at 8:00.

CBS 2 Offers Comprehensive Coverage of 2001 Primary Election

A CBS 2 Press Release:

Ernie Anastos and Dana Tyler host CBS 2’s coverage of the 2001 Primary Election on Tuesday, Sept. 11 along with first-rate reporters Marcia Kramer, Pablo Guzman, Michael O’Looney, Vince DeMentri, Lou Young, John Slattery, David Diaz, Kristin Cole and Jennifer McLogan.

CBS 2 will follow the activities at the polls throughout the day and feature special reports on the NEWS AT NOON, FIRST NEWS @ 4, the NEWS AT 5 and the NEWS AT 6. In addition, beginning at 7:00 PM, ET, CBS 2 will provide election result updates at the top of every hour, concluding with extensive coverage on NIGHTCAST (11:00-11:30 PM, ET).

Additionally, CBS 2 reporters Marcella Palmer, Aimee Nuzzo, Hazel Sanchez, Whitney Casey and Rose Walia will contribute reports throughout the day’s coverage. Viewers also will be able to log onto CBS 2’s website, www.cbsnewyork.com, for the most up-to-date results of the Primary Election.

Following are the scheduled assignments for CBS 2’s Primary Election coverage:

Kramer, CBS 2’s Chief Political/Investigative reporter, will cover the Mark Green campaign from the Sheraton Hotel and also take an extensive look into voting term limits.

O’Looney will report from democratic mayoral candidate Fernando Ferrer’s campaign headquarters.

DeMentri reports from Alan Hevesi’s headquarters, the Regent Hotel.

Guzman and Cole share reporting responsibilities from the Peter Vallone campaign site.

Young and Diaz report from Republican candidate’s Michael Bloomberg and Herman Badillo headquarters, respectively.

Long Island reporter, McLogan, provides updates on the Nassau County executive race featuring Thomas Suozzi and Thomas DiNapoli.

Slattery, a 16-year veteran of WCBS-TV, examines the race for New York City public advocate and comptroller.

(Thanks to Brian for sending this press release to me!)

CBS 2 Wins New York Emmy Award

Eyewitness Network News reports that New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences held its 44th anual Emmy Awards last night. CBS 2 won one of the two awards they were nominated for. They won in the topic of "Outstanding Coverage of an Instant Breaking News Story" for Lou Young's report on the Edgewater Fire on August 30, 2000 (cameraperson: Charles Simmons, assignment editor: Alexis Wackenstein). They were also nominated in the "Outstanding Coverage of a Continuing News Story" category for Michael O'Looney's "Acid Attack" on February 11 and June 20, 2000.

Are Tow CBS 2 Reporters Leaving?

In this morning's New York Post, Michael Starr reports that Annika Pergament and Michael O'Looney could be leaving CBS 2 soon. According to the newspaper, Annika Pergament could join CNN, and Michael O'Looney's contract expires in September and won't be renewed. The two reporters married each other while at New York 1 News.
(Thanks to Brian and David for sending me this article!)