Tag: Justin Farmer

Jeff Brady in Brad Hawkins out at WFAA Channel 8’s Daybreak

jbrady_n
Jeff Brady

Jeff Brady is taking over for Brad Hawkins now on WFAA’s Daybreak.


Brad Hawkins

Brad Hawkins has left Daybreak for “corporate America” and former 5 p.m. anchor, Jeff Brady is taking his slot alongside Cynthia Izaguirre “for the time being.”

Hawkins posted a video blog on WFAA explaining the switch and seemed to really put an emphasis on “this is not permanent.” Sounded like perhaps he’s not too happy with the switch.

Been a crazy 12 months for the Daybreak team. First was the change of bringing in Izaguirre, next was the departure of Justin Farmer, who was replaced by Brad Hawkins, and now Hawkin’s departure. Will be interesting to see what happens next.

It’ll also be interesting to see what kind of reaction this gets – the original announcement about Justin Farmer remains one of the #1 blog posts on my site. Crazy!

Brady Media Group

UPDATE (11/13/09): Jeff Brady has left WFAA as well. As of March 12, 2009, he left the station to start his own new media/PR consulting company – Brady Media Group.

In a Tweet from June 27, he suggests that folks aren’t interested in “appointment TV” anymore. We don’t rush home to watch the news at 5,6 and 10 anymore. He’s right – probably why I hadn’t noticed he was no longer with the station.

From his site:

My name is Jeff L. Brady. I’m the CEO of a new media advocacy agency called the Brady Media Group. We are journalists, photographers, creative digital architects and – in the end – professional storytellers. We have not formed an ad agency, production house or a traditional PR firm. We approach commercial marketing from several new directions. All focused on authentic, value-driven media content. All of them focused on the future.

So good luck to Jeff and his new venture! Hopefully he’ll start Tweeting again as he continues on this new journey.

Jerry’s not happy with WFAA and Cynthia Izaguirre

Cynthia Izaguirre
Cynthia Izaguirre

So, as previously mentioned, a post I wrote back in Jan. 2008 about WFAA morning anchor Justin Farmer leaving continues to get a lot of visits and comments.

But I’ve come to realize something over and over again now.

One guy in particular is apparently not happy at all with new morning anchor Cynthia Izaguirre and he’s sharing his 3 thoughts all over Dallas blogs.

As of the last count, he’s posted 8 or 9 comments on my blog. He’s copied three of the comments on two separate posts. I did a quick Google search for one phrase he’s used — and as it turns out, it’s not just my blog he’s copying and pasting to.

google search

Looks like he’s also hit up Frontburner on a couple occasions as well as Dallasismyhome.com.

I wonder if he had his heart broken, or is just two busy to write original comments for all the different blogs.

Hmmm. Oh well. Makes those “Obama hates everyone” e-mails seem that much less surprising.

related ::
Uncle Barky’s original post
SSL :: Justin Farmer’s out Brad Hawkins in
SSL :: Justin Farmer to leave WFAA
Uncle Barky :: Local Nielson ratings snapshot
WFAA :: Daybreak
WFAA :: Brad Hawkins
WFAA :: Cynthia Izaguirre

Justin Farmer’s out Brad Hawkins is in… for now

Brad Hawkins - WFAA reporter/anchor
Brad Hawkins - WFAA reporter/anchor

As reported by Uncle Barky (as well as here) earlier this year, Justin Farmer’s last day with WFAA, Channel 8’s Daybreak was Friday, August 1. His contract officially ended August 5th.

Farmer made the announcement back in January (the same day morning co-host Cynthia Izaguirre joined the WFAA team) that he would be heading back to Atlanta to work for WSB.
Uncle Barky also reports that Brad Hawkins will be given the the rest of this year to win the job permanently.

It appears there was no mention of the switch on the air. Just a new face next to Cynthia Izaguirre on Monday morning (even though Hawkins has been filling in for Farmer throughout the year).
Hawkins will join Izaguirre, Alexa Conomos and Greg Fields weekday mornings from 5 – 7 a.m.

Folks seem to have varying opinions on the switch and move (see the comments on my original post). Amazing to see how dependent/accustomed we become to our favorite news anchors.

related ::
Uncle Barky’s original post
SSL :: Justin Farmer to leave WFAA
Uncle Barky :: Local Nielson ratings snapshot
WFAA :: Daybreak
WFAA :: Brad Hawkins

Justin Farmer to leave WFAA

Uncle Barkey reports that half of WFAA’s (Channel 8 ) newly joined morning anchor team will be heading back home to Atlanta.

“Hometown girl” Cynthia Izaguirre returns to the city that raised her on the same day Justin Farmer decides to go home home again, too.

Except that Belo8 wasn’t planning on his surprise departure from the station’s increasingly important early morning Daybreak. The announcement came just a few hours after Farmer and Izaguirre had teamed for the first time on Friday’s program. They were supposed to be teammates for years to come.

“This isn’t about leaving WFAA,” Farmer said in an email sent early Monday morning. “This has been a great ride on many fronts. This is about going home to WSB in Atlanta. I learned to shoot and edit in that place. I was born and raised in Atlanta. My family and I thought long and hard about this decision and make it with conviction. With that said, I am glad to have a number of months left at WFAA. This place is all class and Cynthia and I have a lot of work to do.”