At first glance, the news was another violent blast against the side of Richmond's well-bruised psyche -- WWBT-NBC12's erstwhile anchor Gene Cox to step down from the 11 p.m. newscast.
Closer examination reveals that Richmond will limp along with 2/3 of their standard Gene Cox dosage -- a bit like Ukrop's only selling the dry good aisles to Harris Teeter. Cox will still confuse local viewers at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Gene Cox continues to confound, but there's an old adage that used to be drilled into the heads of elementary school children across Central Virginia -- The news ain't over 'til that old man says it's over.
But it seems a good opportunity to remind newcomers that, yes, Gene Cox has always been this way. As has Richmond's media arena. In fact, the competition was far more personal and bare-knuckled in 1997 when Caffeine Magazine unleashed its parting shot at all things Richmond, including the news media. The names may be different, but that's about all that's changed...
Are we the only ones in Richmond that feel bruised and pummeled by eighteen program hours a day of the same six "On Your Side" newscasters? Just when you think nothing's changed in Richmond, you turn on your local news and find out you were right.Gene Cox has a book out. A second one. Odder still, there's a publishing company whose sole existence, it seems, is based on printing the old coot's homilies. Brenda Hughes now works for the Richmond Police -- going from a media outlet that is plain bad to a government agency that is all bad news. Andrea McDaniel still starts our mornings with a horsey -- and painfully cheerful -- "Goooood Morning."
And did we not predict great things for little Jason Laney? Das Wunderkind of Weather no longer stands under the rail-thin shadow of that snow-skittish, meteorological elf, Jim Duncan. Ah, but we warned him of the fury of a woman scorned. Jason may be gone, but that tempest in the 12-News teacup -- Tracey Capps -- remains.
Channel 12, the erstwhile WWBT, the station that is on our side, always has found a fond spot in Caffeine's liver. Nothing makes us more nervous than a commercial venture that tries to come across as sincere and homely. Cynical waifs that we are, we find darkness is the brightest of dawns. WWBT is only on our side to raise cash.
And when we first identified Gene Cox as the "original bad boy of the Richmond news scene," little did we know what malicious schemes were being hatched by his minions. As we left town, WWBT made its move on the Sudatenland of television. Imagine our despair every time we see those gloating hep cats on the FOX News at Ten -- those damnable carpetbaggers from WWBT. Not to pick on our local Williard Scott affiliate. They are, after all is said and done, on your side. And like a bad rash, they will spread across the rest of Richmond's sick, corpulent body.
Back when WRIC was managed like the Clinton White House it, too, was fun to mock. Those were the days -- oh, so long ago -- that Channel 8 featured former snippy Miss Virginia Gretchen Carlson and Jackie "Fat Like Me" McQueen. When feuding staffers' studio fisticuffs and intramarital flings were widely reported by the print media. Say it ain't so, Lisa LaFata!
In a sure-fire sign of schizophrenia, we'll identify the three newscasters worth our time: the feisty Campbell Brown, the lovely Archinal Newlin and the dashing Doug Lozare. We would cook dinner for these three charmers without a second thought.
What a coup it would be for, say, Channel 6 to reel in Campbell, Archinal and Doug! Call it the Baywatch of local news. Call it pure genius. Pick up the phone, Charlie, and give us a call.
