Friday was the last day with NBC Connecticut for Amanda Pitts.
In a social media post she announced her departure but gave no hint as to what is next professionally speaking. She came to Connecticut two years ago after five years as a reporter in Rhode Island.
Also Friday, Nexstar and Sinclair announced they would begin to once again carry Jimmy Kimmel Live! after pre-empting the program for over a week, in response to remarks Kimmel made on air following the death of Charles Kirk. Nexstar, the owner of WTNH and other properties in Connecticut, is seeking approval from the FCC for a merger with Tegna, owner of WTIC-TV and other properties in Connecticut. Fear that the Trump administration might tank the deal over the Kimmel controversy is believed to be behind Nexstar’s original decision to temporarily take Kimmel off the air.
Mike Allen, one of the news entrepreneurs behind the success of Axios and Politico has been honored by the Poynter Institute with Poynter 50 Make a Mark Leadership Award. Allen is well known in Connecticut. He covered the state for the New York Times where he developed his all work and no play 24 hour approach to covering the news. Former CNN reporter Jessica Yellin, who founded News Not Noise, was also honored last week by Poynter.
The Times featured Litchfield County last week in the latest installment of its series “36 Hours In…”
And for our NPR listeners, it’s good-bye Ari Shapiro. The afternoon host and long time reporter for the network is the latest to leave following the decision by Congress to de-fund public broadcasting. In all cases, we are told, the departures are not related to anticipated budget cuts.
