A Duluth radio station is sponsoring a unique online poll that would “draft” the mid-sized media-market’s “Duluth TV Fantasy News Team.”
Legendary Duluth, Minnesota, TV news anchor Dennis Anderson is like the Marshall Faulk of Duluth TV Fantasy News Team. People would still be talking about his stats years later. Some people would still draft him every year on the rumor of a comeback.
Mix 108 is hosting the online balloting, which includes “positions” like anchor, meteorologist, sports anchor and reporter. Visitors can vote once per day.
In looking at the list, I am reminded of how much turnover there has been in the Duluth market in recent years. I actually watch local news and couldn’t picture any of the sports anchors. You could probably convince me they are all the same guy, or brothers from a large family of migrant workers from Sportclichestan.
The reporters category, too, is a little thin in the familiarity metric. A lot of the reporters I know of double as anchors and are included in that category.
Nevertheless, anchor and meteorologist results could be interesting. Who’s your number one overall? Do you go with the safe bets at anchor, or seek value in in a hot meteorologist because that’s the main reason people still watch local news?
For reference, here are the names on the Mix 108 Duluth TV Fantasy News Team ballot:
Anchors (Up to 2)
- Marja Anderson (WDIO 10)
- Edward Moody (KBJR 6)
- Natalie Froistad (FOX 21)
- Barbara Reyelts (KBJR 6)
- Jennifer Austin (KBJR 6)
- Renee Passal (WDIO 10)
- Jennifer Walch (KDLH 3)
- Michelle Lee (KBJR 6)
- Kevin Jacobsen (KBJR 6)
- Diane Alexander (FOX 21)
- Dan Hanger (FOX 21)
- Darren Danielson (WDIO 10)
Meteorologist
- Justin Liles (WDIO 10)
- William Seay (FOX 21)
- Adam Clark (KBJR 6)
- Adam Lorch (KBJR 6)
- Dave Anderson (KDLH 3)
- Dan Romano (WDIO 10)
- Travis Patterson (FOX 21)
- Dana Zimmer (WDIO 10)
- Gino Recchia (FOX 21)
Sports Anchor
- Zach Schneider (KBJR 6/KDLH 3)
- Nick Franck (FOX 21)
- Alec Ausmus (WDIO 10)
- Dan Williamson (WDIO 10)
- Greg Chandler (FOX 21)
- Norman Seawright (KBJR 6/KDLH 3)
Reporter (Up to 2)
- Kati Anderson (KBJR 6/KDLH 3)
- Lena Takada (FOX 21)
- Maya Holmes (FOX 21)
- Baihly Warfield (WDIO 10)
- Mackenzie Scott (KBJR 6/KDLH 3)
- Ramona Marozas (KBJR 6/KDLH 3)
- Kay White (KBJR 6/KDLH 3)
- Kris North (FOX 21)
- Katie Lange (FOX 21)
- Nick Minock (KBJR 6/KDLH 3)
- Stef Manisero (FOX 21)
- Tara Terregino (KBJR 6/KDLH 3)
- Julie Kruse (WDIO 10)
- Heidi Enninga (WDIO 10)
The idea that TV stations produce news IS a fantasy.
The only Duluth tv news people that stay memorable for me are former anchors Dennis Anderson and Jack McKenna. Over his career, Anderson had several hilarious episodes of being overcome with uncontrollable giggling when something struck him funny. You couldn’t help but laugh too. McKenna had a folksy delivery and was a darn good weather forecaster decades ago without today’s weather technology. Then again, maybe even with decades of advancements in meteorological data, the weather patterns are less stable and predictable. I found a 1986 video of one of his weather forecasts and had to go back to hear if he really called Albuquerque, NM, Albucuckoo. Yes, he did.
You must add Jack McKenna and Marsh Nelson to the list!!
I second that, Mary Kaye, especially the latter.