Local-based anchors return to host weekday shifts at Spectrum News (2024)

On May 5 during the 40th annual Syracuse Press Club Awards ceremony,WSYR-Channel 9 reporter and weekend anchor Tammy Palmer earned anumber of awards for her station, as well as snagging several prizes duringthe evening’s frequent raffles.

On May 29 Palmer channel-surfed up the dial ever so slightly, as sheswitched from local broadcaster WSYR to cable television to host the eveningsegments on Spectrum News’ channel 10.

Palmer’s surprise return to the cable system could make her Spectrum’shomecoming queen. In 2003 she helped start News 10 Now, the Salt City-basedall-news channel created by Time Warner Cable. Palmer stayed through2011, handling everything from reporting and anchoring chores to kibitzingwith junior movie critic Lights Camera Jackson.

Following her seven-year stint at Channel 9, Palmer is back at her formerstomping grounds, inside the former train station turned TV station on ErieBoulevard East. She now occupies Spectrum senior reporter Bill Carey’snewsroom desk, which had remained untouched since his August 2015 death.Palmer is part of the on-air transition team that will now re-emphasize localanchors, instead of relying on broadcasters employed at Spectrum’s Albanybase.

“This is the third time I’ve hired Tammy,” notes Ron Lombard, longtimenews director for the Syracuse Spectrum operation. “The first time was whenshe was out of college at Channel 9 as an investigative researcher,” back whenLombard was news director for that station. “The second time was in 2003when we launched Time Warner News; she was one of the original veejays.”

It was anchors away from this market in 2005, however, when Time Warnerconsolidated the Syracuse operation with the master control setup at their Albanyhub. That decision resulted in on-air personnel such as Palmer relocatingto the state’s capital region. The meteorologists stayed in Syracuse, includingsome forecasters that have been at the station from the start, such as greenscreenveterans Michael Gouldrick and Carrie Cheevers.

The 2005 move “was really designed for efficiency,” recalls Lombard. “Thetechnical hub remains in Albany so we haven’t split that apart: The controlrooms are still there, the technical staff that has been working for us wonderfullysince 2005 are still there.”

Lombard credits Spectrum (a brand of Charter Communications, whichacquired Time Warner Cable in May 2016) with bringing back the station’soriginal concept. “I think they felt it was a good idea to have the anchors backhere and just to improve the content. The previous model worked for what itwas, but we’re thrilled to have the anchors back in town and anchoring fromour studios.”

Palmer admits, “There’s a reason why I’ve come back to work for Ron threetimes. Obviously, he’s a great guy to work for. He’s been around a long time,has a great news sense, and he’s a good leader. I’ve always respected thedirection he’s taken his staff into, and how much time he’s put into them, evenoutside of the product.”

Palmer will staff the nightside shift, while Iris St. Meran will hold down the midday slot. St. Meran will also continuewith her 4:30 p.m. half-hour live newsbroadcast, which began in March 2017.

“Viewers have responded to it verywell,” says Lombard. “I think it’s a goodshowcase for what we do well. It’s aregional show and it covers our wholefootprint including the Southern Tier. And4:30 p.m. is an interesting time period forus, because it’s the only time in all of thesix markets that we compete in where noone else is doing local news.”

An unnamed morning-drive anchor isalso slated to come on board later in June.“He’s coming from outside the marketbut he has local connections,” Lombardsays. “He’s a good, experienced, seasonedprofessional.” Whenever this newbiebegins his run, viewers will likely nolonger see the current Albany-based dawnpatrol tandem of JoDee Kenney and JulieChapman, although Albany hub anchorswill still be doing weekend shifts for theSyracuse market.

The accent on local anchors will alsomean they will be available to attendmore area events. “Although our anchorshave always come over from Albanyfor the New York State Fair, obviouslyhaving them here in town makes things alot easier. I definitely want to get them outthere,” Lombard declares.

“And Tammy already hit me with a listof appearances she had scheduled, whichshe is going to continue to honor. Thefirst day she was on our payroll she had afour-hour career day at the Fulton SchoolDistrict (at G. Ray Bodley High School,Palmer’s alma mater), and I said, “Yeah,go for it! That’s a good first day at work!”

Palmer says with a laugh, “I knew it wasa priority with Ron because I’ve workedwith him three times before, so I knewthat he would want us to do a lot of thosepublic events.” One such event will be theannual Syracuse Take Steps for Crohn’sDisease and Colitis Walk, which takesplace Saturday, June 9, 9 a.m., at OnondagaLake Park’s Willow Bay shelter.Palmer, who has struggled with the effectsof ulcerative colitis, will again head herColon Crusaders team for this fundraiser.For information, visit ccfa.org.

With the channel about to celebrate its15th anniversary, Lombard recalls withfondness how it all began. “I had a great15-year run at Channel 9, but when somebodysays, ‘Hey, you wanna launch a24-hour local news channel in your hometown,and have these kinds of resources,’how can you turn that opportunity down?So it’s been a great ride: We got it going,we’ve been through different morphs andchanges, but it’s all been good.

“Everyone busted their neck to get thisthing launched, but if you hire well andbring in good people who are as committedas you, it makes it that much easierfor everybody. We’ve always had a verystrong newsroom station culture and thatmakes a difference.”

Aside from the prospect of receivingfree cable, Palmer also has personalreasons for returning to the channel —and contrary to Thomas Wolfe’s wisdom,maybe you can go home again.

“I was here when they launched and Iwas assigned to the first story on the airabout a reported missing woman,” sherecalls. “And my aunt called me and said,‘You were the first story!’ Because it wasa big deal then to have a new televisionstation launched in Syracuse and it wasreally exciting to be a part of it. AndI knew that I would never ever have achance to do something like that again inmy life.

“Like Ron, we both left Channel 9 to bepart of this venture. And once you do it,you have ownership in it. I remember Ronsaying to me years ago, ‘This is my baby,’and we’ve all adopted that feeling.

“When I put pictures on Facebook andsocial media about coming back here, Iheard from so many reporters, producersand managers who were here when welaunched. And they were saying howhappy they were to see me back here,because they went on their careers inother ways but a little part of this stationalways stayed with them. I think that kindof special connection only happens whenyou had a part in creating something likethis.”

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