Channel 4's Wrobel Looks for a Silver Lining

Former Channel 4 meteorologist Mary Beth Wrobel didn't return my phone calls to discuss her dismissal Tuesday by the top-rated news station in town. I wasn't surprised. Perhaps she couldn't talk because management at TV stations often require ousted personnel to keep quiet until their severance package is paid.

But Wrobel did send along an email that may be the closest thing she gets to saying goodbye to her fans.

Wrote Wrobel: "From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the viewers and the wonderful group of people I've worked with for nearly nine years. It was always my dream to get back to my hometown, and I'm grateful for the opportunity.

"I'm a big believer in Buffalo and its future... it's a place filled with culture, tradition, diversity and spirit, where family values remain strong, not to mention we have the best fans anywhere in the good ole USA! I'm going to deeply miss weather forecasting and my active participation in all the charities and community events on behalf of the station. It was a privilege and an honor. After every storm is a silver lining, and I look forward to that."

Channel 4 management has been notably silent on the dismissals of Wrobel and reporter Rob Macko. General Manager Chris Musial and News Director Joe Schlaerth haven't responded to phone calls or emails.

The dismissals are believed to have been made for economic reasons as broadcasters face increasing financial pressures during the recession.

According to sources, Wrobel and Macko were in the unfortunate position of having expired contracts.

What do you think about the dismissals of Wrobel and Macko? 

-- Alan Pergament

   

Comments

[Mark]

I don't know how many of us who are natives of WNY and haved worked here for a career have not been laid off at some point in our business career. Hopefully for them they find something new to do sooner rather than later.

[Kathleen Kovach]

Channel 4 may be using economic hard times as a reason to release Wrobel and Macko but "You get what you pay for!" Both were professionals to the MAX! The "newbies" at Channel 4, Schwartzwalder,Arena and Cruz are far from professional TV reporters. I choose to watch a news broadcast for concise, accurate and educational information. I stopped watching Wake Up 4 because I didn't want to hear news screamed to me at 5:00 am from Joe Arena. Lindsey's weather forecasting is more like playing charades by trying to guess what her poor sentence structure really means? Don't have the bass on your surround sound turned up because you can not hear what Ms. Cruz is reporting.
Kudos to the Veterans but watch your back! Well Channel 4 you finally did it, you made it to the bottom of WNY Broadcasting. Congratulations to Channel 7, you have moved up!
Advise to Channel 4- "Keep your staff connected 4 your sake!"

[Jack]

I thought MB was one of the best meteorlogists in the market, but as usual, the almighty dollar is the only thing that matters.

:(

[ks]

MB AND MYLOUS WERE QUITE THE TEAM...SO MUCH FOR CHANNEL4....KEEP THE NEWBIES FOR LITTLE PAY...THE AMERICAN WAY!!!!

[nykaren]

Well if they plan on using Lindsay they need to give her a makeover or some new clothes. She always looks sloppy. I watch 9,7 now. 2 has become to political motivated. And 4 has lost all there good reporters.

[Jeff]

If WGRZ is still looking for a meteorologist, MB is a shoe-in. Maria Genero doing the weather just doesn't fit. Mylous is the only on air personality at ch 4 with any sense of professionalism. Joe Arena is horrible. He's flat and has no delivery, but he came cheap.

[Anton C.]

MBW is a nice, decent person. I hope she does well.

[George]

I guess they will have to pull the promo where they talk about Channel 4 being the ONLY station committed enough to weather to have 4 full time meteorologists working 24/7. Until they hire someone and with the current station managements hiring practices I guarantee 4 things. It will be a female, blonde, young and cheap.

[paul wieland]

This pattern of laying off on-air reporters, anchors, etc. runs through the business today. If I were Don or Jacquie, I would plan well for a future in another field. The day of the anchor driving ratings is over, with the proliferation of newscasts. There is so much content on the air that it's hard to sort out the players (talent).

[BobbyCat]

Ms Kovach makes some good points. Mary Beth Wrobel looked and sounded like a pro, Lindsay does not, her warm personality notwithstanding. But a lot of new talent need a makeover. Why the delay?

I used to wonder if Mylous's use of the initials "MB" was Wrobel's choice or his.

Replacing professional with newbies to save money is a false economy. It's one more bad management decision. The trajectory of all the local news stations is downward. They're all sinking ships. The ratings winner tells us which ship is sinking the slowest.

Here's another huge management blunder:

Congress and the entire nation is crying out for accurate information on health care reforms. Local TV news is perfectly situated to go into Canada and document the pros and cons of the Canadian,single payer system.
Are Canadians satisfied with their health care? Are the long waiting lists hype or true?

Where is the reporting on this vital question? Management is busy letting go of some quality veteran reporters. Once again, Buffalo media is asleep at the switch.

[Darryl]

First they canned Lisa Scott, who I thought was a quality newcaster. Now they canned MB who I thought gave a good forecast plus I think she's a doll. Now we have Joe "the stutterer" Arena, Patricia "my horse voice" Cruz, Don "i didn't turn my mike on" Paul, Lindsey " I need a makeover" Schwartzwalder. I guess I'll have to watch "digest" Ch 2 now. Thanks for wrecking Ch 4
Musial.

[BobbyCat]

Best wishes to Mylous for a speedy recovery.

[Mary]

What a disappointment to watch WIVB-TV dismantle a talened group of on-air talent. Mary Beth,I wish you the very best. I hope you find a positon where all of your talents (including singing & baking cookies!) are well appreciated. Our household will greatly miss you doing the weather. What's next Ch.4? Dumping Rich Newberg 'cause he's been around longer than 5 years? As for Tricia Cruz, her voice is like nails on a blackboard to me. How quickly can I change the channel? Rob Macko is a very professional reporter and will be able to land elsewhere & be successful. Good luck to both of them.

[Pat]

I have to agree with everyone above. MaryBeth was one of my favorites. I enjoyed the weekend news with both Mylous and MaryBeth. Tricia Cruz drives me crazy- I have to turn up the volume to hear her. Lindsay just doesn't cut it.

[Opana]

I am sorry to see Mary Beth go. She was a professional and very good at what she did. I wonder if Mylous's heart attach was brought on in part from the stress that Channel 4 is putting on their long time staff? Not that I dislike any of the new staff, because I don't, but it does seem that Channel 4 wants to go with the lowest paid staff that they can find. Jacquie and Don, watch out!!!!

[Toby Zintz]

MB had the distinction of being a meteorologist who was also a capable and listenable broadcaster. This, as opposed to meteorologist DP whose feeble attempts at comedy and extraneous "weathergeek" information is tedious and tiresome. She'll be missed.

[Sue Lewandowski]

MaryBeth Wrobel was a pleasure to watch and listen to. She did the forecast in a straight, no nonsense way and for people that are audible learners, hers was an easy forecast to retain. She didn't overindulge in "blather" - a welcome relief late at night. Rob Macko, too, a very professional broadcaster. The newbies will "get there", but the public may not wait. I was really annoyed when they let Lisa Scott go - she and Victoria were so comforting in the morning, but this is a new low. Hope the cost savings are worth it. Good Luck to MB and Rob!
I'm not jumping to 2 or 7, but using the PC instead.(Tricia Cruz should maybe think about the production end of the news business - something behind the cameras - her voice is really distracting and I don't think she can help that. She does seem to get all the facts, though.)

[Matt L.]

I was also shocked at the release of MaryBeth and Rob and agree with the many comments by the previous readers. One reader hit it right on the nose - Chris Musial - is the issue. I think they had to make room for his ego, for all of it (his ego, that is) to fit in the station. Lindsay needs a makeover, learn how to relax and act like she's telling the weather 'to a friend' instead of using the word tranquil every other sentence to describe the weather. Channel 7's personalities don't convey any passion for the news, channel 2 is more glitz, glamour (in my opinion). I'm sure wherever MB lands, it will be on her feet and running. Good luck MB!

[Earth to Complainers]

Yawn. I remember a few months ago there was a mountain of complaints here about Ch 2 letting go Mike Igoe and people said the station management there were monsters.

When others pointed out this is happening across the industry as viewers turn to the web and local ad reveunes decline, they didn't want to hear it - didn't want their tantrum interrupted.

Since then, people complained about Ch 4 letting go Lisa Scott and somebody else, I forgot who, and now it's these two more.

Sure, it's sad when anybody loses their job at a TV station or other businesses here, but this is just how life is these days.

If you don't like it, get enough friends together to chip in and buy one of the local TV stations (they'd all be for sale at the right price) and then you could all run it the way you think it should be run.

Yes the business world is cruel, competitive, and often illogical.

[Matt L.]

Yawn right back atcha! Nah, that's the thing about opinions, we're allowed to have them, and they're free. So, no need to chip in and buy a TV station, I'll stick to reading the news online, sharing my opinion if I feel the need to...Yea, the business world is cruel, competitive and often illogical - does that make it right?

[31goalie]

Hold on people, I remember when MB started at ch.4 years ago, she wore WAYYY too much lipstick and said "if you will" about 28 x's a weathercast, everybody wanted her gone then something happened...she got better. Just like anyone starting a new job you stink at first and then get better. Give Tricia Cruz and Lindsay time. They will get better. Same with that Joe Arena guy. Were you people all great your first few months on the job? Probably not. I do have to say however I was happy they dumped that Lisa Scott, she was about the most annoying personality on local airwaves (seeing her run through the airport in her Mickey Mouse ears was the last straw for me). Give the new people time, they will improve.

[Dave]

I think Channel 4 made a big mistake in letting Mary Beth Wrobel go. Her weather casts were always informative and for the most part accurate. She had a warm and bubbly presence on the air and she was also very easy on the eyes. You could see she loved what she was doing and that she was good at it. You will be missed MB.

[Joe]

The TV stations are using a repeatedly failed business model. For example, remember when Circuit City decided to cut costs by firing all of their experienced sales staff and going with younger people? Bankruptcy, as people fled in droves. The TV stations getting rid of MBW, Rich Newberg, Mike Igoe, Susan Banks, etc., have decided that experience/quality of reporting doesn't bring enough viewers to justify the greater expense. Then they wonder why their ratings keep dropping. They should be trying to give us a reason not to go get our news somewhere else. Experienced reporters with good local contacts who can break stories could do that. Otherwise, why should I tune in?

[Rico Duro]

HI,
TWIMC:
I like the new channel 4. I think Tricia has the most wonderful and intoxicating voice I ever heard. I am sorry to see MB and Macko go too.
It takes a while to become proficient in this field and all the people on national TV had their small town period including Wolf. What I like the most about Channel 4 and the new crew is that they report the news.
They don't use the political spin that the other channels use. I do not need any one to tell me what should I think and with Channel 4 is clear straight reporting.

Thank you,
R. Duro

[Jeff Griffin]

I, for one, will miss Mary Beth. She is a class act and one of the few WIVB personalities to which I felt endeared. This is a damn shame. I have been growing exceedingly tired of the channel 4 news team of late, although they were my number one local news outlet for many years.

The only anchors left which hold any appeal to me are Mylous Hairston, Lisa Flynn, Victoria Hong and Michelle McLintick. A few of the reporters I like, but as for weather and sports, I'm done. I was not pleased when they relieved Dennis Williams in sports, either.

I watch more of WGRZ and YNN these days. Mary Beths' departure was the end of channel 4 for me.

That's business I guess. They've made thier choices, and now I've made mine.

Good luck MB. I hope we see you locally soon. If not, I wish you much success, where ever your travels take you. All the best.

Jeff