2007 Favorite Television Personality
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29.14% Melissa Long (Indiana News Center)*
Others with Votes (more than one):
* On the ballot |
Despite her long run as Favorite TV Personality, Melissa Long was genuinely surprised by her victory at this year’s Whammys. The last few years have been challenging for the veteran news anchor. Things first got dicey when the local NBC and ABC affiliates – WISE and WPTA – merged, forming one newscast, dubbed Indiana News Center. Although the on-air talent has no input in the decision, they bore the brunt of viewer unhappiness. “This March 8 will mark the third year since the merger,” she said. “It’s a date that’s burned into all of our memories. Viewers were not happy with how things went. But things have settled in, and we’re really one big happy family now.” The recent, and surprising, retirement of Keith Edwards caused another stir, and now Long faces being a solo anchor after years of working with a partner. It’s provided one more transition for everyone, particularly Long – one which could have turned audiences off after finally forgiving the previous changes. But Long discovered, thanks to her Whammy, that people still love her. “I told my brother that I wasn’t going to win, that my time had passed,” she said. “But I turn 50 this year, and I just saw the clip of Ruth Gordon winning her Oscar and saying ‘You can’t imagine how encouraging a thing like this is.’ And that’s just how I feel to be winning something like this at this point!” (Michele DeVinney) |
Copyright 2008 Ad Media Inc.
