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Rick Bentley: '60s Fresno TV icon returns
February 21
Jimmy Weldon, a mainstay of local TV programming in the 1960s, was in town Saturday to attend a reunion party thrown for him by Gary Cocola, owner of 38 local television channels.
Those of you old enough to remember watching local television in the '60s probably recognize the name. Uncle Jimmy Weldon and his wise-quacking duck buddy Webster Webfoot hosted a children's program that aired on Channel 47, then known as KJEO, at 9 a.m. weekdays. Read more →Hollywood notes: Chenoweth says she wasn't a mean girl
February 19
It's always amazing to see Kristin Chenoweth.
Although she's no bigger than a sneeze, she has one of the biggest voices -- and personalities -- in Hollywood. Read more →Rick Bentley: Comcast goes all digital in April
February 14
Comcast is in the final phase of switching all of its customers to a fully digital service, and that means some of you are going to have to pick up some extra equipment. There's no need to panic, the switch will not be completed until April 10.
Ever since the local channels converted from analog to digital in 2009, Comcast has doubled up on 30 channels giving both analog and digital signals -- mainly to those with the limited basic package. Because one analog signal takes up as much space as 10 digital channels, Comcast wants to get rid of analog and add more digital channels at the end of April. The move also will increase its high-speed Internet service. Read more →Rick Bentley: Telenovela features Fresno footage
February 07
Fresno is the backdrop for the new Univision telenovela "El Talisman," seen locally on KFTV (Channel 21.1).
The series is shot in Miami, but it features footage of Fresno with a special focus on California State University, Fresno. The attention to the city and the central San Joaquin Valley will continue until June. There are 120 episodes planned. Read more →Hollywood Notes: 'Doctor Who' actress travels back in time for new role
February 03
Karen Gillan wanted to talk about her portrayal of modeling icon Jean Shrimpton in the film "We'll Take Manhattan," which will air on Ovation Feb. 11.
But never underestimate the power of nerds. Read more →Rick Bentley: Bud Elliott to join 'KSEE Sunrise'
January 31
Bud Elliott is returning to KSEE (Channel 24.1) to guest co-host "KSEE Sunrise," starting 5 a.m. Monday.
This is a co-promotion with KJWL (FM 99.3) where Elliott is co-news director and anchor of the morning newscasts. Read more →Hollywood Notes: 'Napoleon Dynamite' creator explains the name
January 27
Names of movies are always interesting.
I had no idea what "Napoleon Dynamite" was about just by hearing the title. The only time I heard the phrase used was when Elvis Costello referred to himself by that name. Read more →Rick Bentley: Ex-KGPE anchor Kevin Walsh now an author
January 24
Kevin Walsh has been busy since leaving KGPE (Channel 47.1) in 2003 to take a job with the Comcast Cable Network in his hometown of Philadelphia. The former news anchor is now in Boston working for Comcast SportsNet New England.
"I've switched from news to sports and it's so much fun. The Bruins Stanley Cup run was really something and I was there for it all. We might have another shot at a title with the Patriots," Walsh says of his new duties. Read more →Hollywood notes: Josh Lucas high on TV's 'Firm'
January 23
Josh Lucas is the latest film actor to make his way to television, starring in the small-screen version of "The Firm."
You might recall Tom Cruise starred in the movie about attorney Mitch McDeere, which is based on the John Grisham novel. Read more →KFSN anchor Matt Keller moves to Bay Area
January 17
A lot happened while I was in Los Angeles taking a look at upcoming network and cable shows.
Many of you have been asking about the departure of KFSN (Channel 30.1) morning anchor Matt Keller. He left the local ABC station on Jan. 5 to move to the Bay Area. Keller is married to former KFSN anchor/reporter Maureen Naylor, who has been working at Oakland's KTVU since leaving in 2008. The couple is expecting their first child. Read more →Rick Bentley: What's new for TV networks
January 10
PASADENA-The first of each year means resolutions, bowl games and the Television Critics Association Winter meetings. The 12-day event is at the midpoint, and here's some of the news that has come out of the sessions with the TV networks.
Still waiting: There's no word on whether FOX will bring back "House," "Terra Nova" or "Fringe." All three would be very costly for the network so the odds are high that only one of the three (if any) survive. Read more →Hollywood notes: A full-time gig for Melissa Rauch
January 08
It's always interesting to see how a character can start out for only one episode on a TV show, but because the performance is so good they get written into the series. That's exactly what happened with Melissa Rauch, who plays the bubbly Bernadette Rostenkowski on "The Big Bang Theory."
Rauch was cast to play the love interest for Howard Wolowitz for one show, but the character clicked and now she's a member of the cast. Read more →Clovis East graduates on 'Fear Factor'
January 04
Clovis East graduates Davi Ortegon and Jessica Palomar have been friends for years. As Ortegon describes it, "she's the strength and I'm the attitude."
That relationship was enough to get the attention of the "Fear Factor" producers and the pair likely will be featured on the Jan. 16 episode of the show. All schedules are subject to change. Read more →Hollywood notebook: Efron got to fulfill his Pfeiffer fantasy
December 25
Zac Efron had a little crush on Michelle Pfeiffer when they worked together on the 2007 film "Hairspray." He was 20 and she was 49.
Efron says he was so nervous around Pfeiffer that he tended to put his foot in his mouth every time they were together. Read more →‘0 to 5 in 30 Minutes!’ digs deeper with panels
March 03
The seventh season of the locally produced “0 to 5 in 30 Minutes!” — starting at 7:30 p.m. tonight on KVPT (Channel 18.1) — will feature a slight change.
Over the first six seasons, each episode has looked at multiple topics. The difference this season is that four of the 24 episodes will be devoted to a single topic discussed by an on-camera panel of experts. Read more →Former TV anchor launches Web show
January 27
Former KMPH (Channel 26.1) anchor John Malos will host “Straight Talk with John Malos,” a talk/news show Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 to 4 p.m. on centralvalleytalk.com. The Web site was created by Mike Briggs, a former member of the Fresno City Council and the state Assembly, and features several locally produced talk shows.
Programming on the Internet based radio-video network is simulcast on KSDI (Channel 33.1). Malos will discuss a range of topics from politics to entertainment. His plan is for viewers to call in their questions. Read more →Big changes for Valley broadcasters in 2009
December 23
With the end of 2009 rapidly approaching, it’s time to look back at some of the biggest local television and radio moments of the past 12 months.
* Change is good: Local television stations switched from analog to digital signals, which led to better pictures and opened the door for local stations to add multiple channels. Read more →KVPT adds the channel Create TV
November 04
KVPT (Channel 18.1) adds the new channel Create TV (Channel 18.2) to its digital lineup at 6 a.m. Sunday. You may already have seen the channel during test runs before the official launch.
Create TV is the second new service offered by the local public television station. It launched the Spanish-language V-me (Channel 18.3) in February 2007. The new channel can be seen via an antenna or on Comcast Cable channel 194. Read more →TV Beat: KAIL rolls out two spooky specials
October 21
Halloween comes early on KAIL (Channel 7.1) with two locally produced spooky specials airing this weekend. “Eye on Horror,” at 8 p.m. Sunday, explores several central San Joaquin Valley haunts and offers a sneak peek at the locally produced horror film, “Stricken.” Sharon Kille Jenkins hosts.
It’ll be followed at 9 p.m. by “Hauntings in Central California: The Sierra Sky Ranch” where the Central California Paranormal Investigators look for proof that Sierra Sky Ranch is haunted. Read more →