It’s pretty rare when a TV personality leaves one station in a given market and lands on a rival station in the same market.
It’s even rarer when two personalities leave one station and land on rival stations in the same market.
But that is the case now that Bottom Line Communications has confirmed that longtime KMBC personality Joel Nichols will be joining KSHB this summer.
Recently, meteorologist Lisa Teachman, who had departed the Hearst-owned KMBC in January, joined the the staff at rival KCTV.
Nichols, who had celebrated his 25th anniversary with the ABC affiliate in June, left the Kansas City station at the start of the year over contract issues, sources had told Bottom Line Communications.
At the time of his departure Bottom Line speculated that Nichols could very likely land at rival KSHB, where Brian Bracco is vice president and general manager. Bracco was a highly respected news director at KMBC (and Hearst executive) and had worked with Nichols for about a decade.
Nichols was known mainly as the morning weather personality, but also did a variety of other interviews and often hosted specials at KMBC. He was known for his quick wit, relaxed delivery and sense of humor and will likely be the replacement for Michael Mackie on the station’s “Kansas City Live” morning show in addition to other duties. Insiders say he will not likely be on the KSHB weather team since he is not a meteorologist.
In January, Bottom Line announced that Teachman, who joined KMBC 2007, did not have her contract renewed. However, it was recently announced that she will now be doing weather and traffic on KCTV, KC’s CBS affiliate.
GOOD NEWS
Well, congrats to Joel. I hoped he’d turn up again on a local station. Since KSHB has all those new mets, hard to see him doing weather, but that he’s back is still good news!
Maybe News Anchor.
WATCHING KSHB
Glad to hear that Joel and Lisa will be back on the air. I still can’t believe they were let go from KMBC but that’s alright because now I’ll watch KSHB!
GOOD NEWS AND…
Good news and luck to both Joel and Lisa. Now all they have to do is get rid of Busby. Especially if the talk about him messing around with a former Intern causing his Intern to flee KC for safety/privacy reasons is true.
GOOD FOR JOEL
Well good for Joel ! Been wondering for a long time about him. Glad he and Lisa got new gigs in the KC area. This new weather guy at channel 9 pulls about a 4 on my scale of 10, others I talk to agree as well !
9 VIEWERS ARE NOT IDIOTS
I couldn’t be happier that Joel and Lisa are back. Channel 9 has been taken over by someone that doesn’t understand the viewing audience isn’t full of idiots. We love Joel and Lisa and are loyal to them and I will now watch them and not KMBC. Rather than Erin Little appearing on GMA it should have been one of these two, but then again, neither one of them are blonds. KMBC has lost its mind.
CHANGING STATIONS
i don’t care for kmbc because of terminating natlie gouche a few years ago and kctv5 for recently letting kelly jones go.