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Surfing The upcoming WCAU/Traffic Pulse open casting call for a new traffic reporter has rival Metro Traffic feeling road rage. An employee at Metro Traffic said, “The folks here are reeling. Let alone they don’t get respect in general, but now minimizing what they do by just having anyone stepping up for an audition has many of them po’d. It is insulting and smacks of a May sweeps stunt.” A WCAU spokesperson acknowledged that the contest titled “The Ultimate Summer Gig” would begin in May (which happens to be a sweeps ratings period.) On May 1 and 2, the station will host auditions for traffic reporter hopefuls at the Loews hotel in Center City. WCAU news director Chris Blackman will be one of the judges. Ten semifinalists will be selected. The week of May 5, two semifinalists will get to do traffic reports during the morning and afternoon news each day. Viewers will vote for their favorites on Friday, May 9. The five finalists will compete May 12-16. The winner will become a WCAU traffic reporter for the summer. WCAU switched to Traffic Pulse, based in King of Prussia two years ago. WPVI, WTXF, and KYW use Metro Traffic, based in Bala Cynwyd. If this is the way that stations are headed, wouldn’t it be great if viewers could vote anchors or reporters off the air? “Don Polec…the tribe has spoken, bring me your torch.” CN8 has announced talent for its new weekday daytime shows, which debut on May 12. Abington native Kevin Walsh (no relation to CN8 news director Margie Walsh) will anchor “CN8 News Midday” from 1-1:30. A source familiar with the situation said that Walsh’s family is friends with CN8 consultant Larry Kane. He arrives from a KGPE-TV in Fresno, CA, which is the 57th largest market in the U.S. Cathy Ballou and Cyndi Edwards will co-host “Your Morning on CN8” from 9-11 a.m. Ballou hosted “Calling All Cooks” on The Food Network and Edwards from CHRO in Ottowa, Canada. She can join the Canada-South club with other recent transplants, Tom Negovan and WTXF’s Kerri Lee Halkett. Both shows will originate from the CN8 studio in New Castle, DE. No new reporters will be hired for the shows, as they’ll use their existing crop. The Barbara Walters interview with Rabbi Fred Neulander on ABC’s “20/20” got twice the ratings in Philadelphia compared to the rest of the country. It earned a 10.1 rating/14 share compared to a 5.6 rating/9 share nationwide. Each national rating point equals around one-million households. “Trading Spaces: Boys vs. Girls” is looking for kids between the ages of 8-13 that want to trade spaces and help redecorate a room in the other one’s home. The new show will air on NBC on Saturdays in the fall. Philadelphia’s Banyan Productions is producing the spin-off to “Trading Spaces.” Go to www.banyanprod.com to register.
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