MediaWeek magazine reports that WJW/8 "FOX 8" vice president/general manager Mike Renda is leaving the Cleveland FOX O&O after some 10 years to take a similar post at the company's Philadelphia O&O, WTXF/29.
(Well, we actually heard the news first Tuesday on the WKNR/850 "ESPN 850" mid-morning show hosted by FOX 8 sports anchor Tony Rizzo, but our Round Tuits[tm] hadn't come back from the factory until today.)
Renda has held the top post at the local FOX station for some 10 years, and the company's Jack Abernethy glows about his performance:
“Under Mike's leadership, WJW enjoyed seven years as the market leader with strong ratings success. This proven record, along with his expertise in strategic planning and development, will be valuable as we continue to grow Fox 29's position in the market.”
And the sentence above shows one advantage Renda had here that he won't have in Philadelphia.
Though it was certainly an adjustment to get older-skewing CBS viewers to stick around when FOX showed up on WJW in the mid-1990's, it was an established VHF channel with an established full-fledged news operation at the time.
Though the station has added morning, midday and early evening newscasts like most FOX O&Os, WTXF is at its heart a traditional UHF "FOX station", with its news strength coming at 10 PM.
And Renda will recognize at least one former Cleveland TV news anchor when he makes the move. Former Cleveland anchor Dawn Stensland is an anchor at his new home station...
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
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(btw Dawn is married to Larry Mendte, the anchor on CBS KYW/Channel 2 in Philly)
When was she here in Cleveland? Where did she work?
Dawn was at WKYC Channel 3 in the early 90's, co-anchoring the evening news with Judd Hambrick. IIRC, she left to join CBS News for their short-lived "Saturday Morning" program, and Romona Robinson replaced her.
- Nathan Obral
I think info-babe Amy Hasten was there at that time, too.
Ohhhh LORDY!! What happened to Amy Hasten? Where is she these days?
Amy is now know as Amy Murphy and here's an interesting fact. She was dating comedian Richard Jeni when he killed himself a few weeks ago. Amy discovered the body and called 911. She now works at the Fox station in L.A.
In my 3 years at Fox-8, I found Mike Renda to be a classy person.
Good luck, Mike.
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