Louisville Magazine

FEB 2015

Louisville Magazine is Louisville's city magazine, covering Louisville people, lifestyles, politics, sports, restaurants, entertainment and homes. Includes a monthly calendar of events.

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46 LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE 2.15 Where do anchors ft in? Teir paychecks typically rank highest. Not ofcial decision- makers, but their opinions carry infuence. Some write and report stories. And dang it, they are some conventionally attractive humans. Exceptions exist. But even those folks just need some extra bronzer and a fancy hairdo to pass. Seriously, though: Sterling Riggs? Tat face is too perfect. Monsanto perfect. I recollect some video I watched about newborns preferring pretty, well-proportioned faces. I feel like Riggs could push that theory one step further. Next time my two-year-old rages toddler wild, I've got to see if his headshot has soothing powers. A collection of the above players have gathered around a glass-top conference table for the morning meeting on this, the frst day of November sweeps — Oct. 30. Sheets of paper listing 26 possible stories labeled in short slugs — Green Tree Mall renovations, corner market killings still unsolved, Clinton w/ Grimes @ Ali Center — slide across the table for hands to grab. Barry Fulmer, WDRB's news director, sits at the head of the table. A 46-year-old man with the proportions of an ofensive lineman topped by a baby face — soft blue eyes and a smooth bald head — he sips a bottle of Propel water, strokes his red tie straight and begins the meeting. "Stephan's working on his prostitution sting," Fulmer begins, explaining that the day before, reporter Stephan Johnson had ridden with police during an undercover prostitution sting in Old Louisville. Te cop car Johnson happened to be riding in was involved in a chase after a "john" sped away. "Tat's good sweeps video," says Jennifer Keeney, the assistant news director. "Very promotable." (In the next few hours, a middle-aged woman in a dark editing bay, with a stufed Snow Fox weather mascot propped near a monitor, will splice together fashy bait — the hood of a cop car bouncing fast down what looks like an alley — for promos and teases.) Fulmer determines the story will go to WDRB's new 6 p.m. show. Launched in September, the 6 p.m. newscast puts WDRB in direct competition with the other three stations for the frst time in the evening. Fulmer leans over to tell me that because the show is still in its infancy, they're giving it "a little more love" in hopes of attracting viewers from the other three stations with long-established newscasts in that time slot. WDRB went on the air in 1971, making it the newest to the pack. WAVE, the oldest, began broadcasting more than 65 years ago. Te 6 p.m. also nabs a "special report" on an Indiana Uni- versity strength coach who's in a wheelchair but is still training athletes and competing in athletics. "I love those kinds of stories because they're not trashy," Fulmer says. "It's about the human experience." Fulmer rests back in the confer- ence-room chair. Over his left shoulder, a Clockwise from near right: Barry Fulmer, WDRB's news director; Gilbert Corsey preps for the 4 p.m. show; Jennifer Keeney, WDRB's assistant news director, listens to story pitches.

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