Anna Lisa Leaves
Staff stability is always key to a climb to the top of the TV ratings. Staff stability is problematic throughout the broadcast news industry nowadays. KEYE TV (CBS), fighting against the economic odds, is losing another talented reporter. Annalisa Petralia is leaving for all the right reasons, however. She is going home. Today (Friday, April 3rd) is her last day.
She was born and raised in Garden City, New York. She continues to have strong family ties there. So, Annalisa Petralia is going home. She hopes remain in broadcast news. Chances are good that she will. She holds a degree from Hofstra University’s School of Communication in New York.
Her news career began at a radio station near New York City. She was a radio news reporter and a disc jockey for almost four years.After spending some time at WABC-TV in New York City, she went on to work at News 12 Long Island. She was a reporter in Brooklyn for New York City Transit’s news magazine show on WNYE-TV. She won numerous awards over the years.
Petralia came to Austin from Tyler, Texas about a year ago. There, she rose through to the ranks at the start-up CBS affiliate beginning as their first morning anchor and leaving as their 5 p.m. anchor. According to the KEYE TV web site, reporting is her first love. From day one at KEYE, Annalisa came to the morning editorial meeting with a list of possible story ideas. People on the desk love that!
“Annalisa has been an eager, enthusiastic member of our newsroom,” said Suzanne Black, news director. “She is a real contributor, in terms of story ideas. We are all sad to see her go.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed working with Annalisa,” said John Salazar, KEYE director of photography. “She has a great attitude, volumes of talent, and volumes of potential.”
Earlier this year, KEYE learned that Julie Simon, one of the station’s strongest and most experienced reporters would not be coming back from maternity leave. Julie and her husband welcomed their first child late last year.
Also earlier this year, Investigative Reporter Nanci Wilson accepted an offer from competitor KXAN TV (NBC). She is waiting for her non compete clause to expire before she can appear on the air.
Meantime, Ryan Loyd joined the KEYE staff last November. He seems to have quickly grasped what Austin is about. Loyd is a Texan. He’s at home. Perhaps he’ll stay a while.
© Jim McNabb, 2009