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TheBuzz
Erika Engle
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KHON cuts deal to give us 10 years more of Moore
Joe Moore has a new 10-year deal to anchor the KHON-TV news. He has been leading up to the announcement on last night's 10 o'clock news since Friday, when he began talking about his 40 years in news as a prelude to a statement about his future.
"I never imagined back in 1969 when I got out of the Army and started as a young TV reporter here in Hawaii that 40 years could pass so quickly, but it has," he said.
He built suspense, saying his contract is about to expire, but that "Channel 2 News is in good shape, still Hawaii's No. 1 choice for (TV) news." He also praised News Director Lori Silva and others.
"It's always been important to me to retire while our newscast is on top."
Insert dramatic organ stab here.
He continued: KHON owner New Vision Television, President Joe McNamara "and I all agree that 40 years is a good, solid career, and we've made the joint decision that ... 50 years would be better."
The new deal expires in 2018. Terms were not divulged, but "to paraphrase a line from a classic movie," he said, "KHON made me an offer I couldn't refuse."
That he would use the end of the May Nielsen ratings to hook viewers with possible drama brings up another movie line: We are "shocked, shocked!"
Moore has often used the news desk as a platform to promote his stage and screen work, rant or rave about network shows and to rail against Montecito Broadcast Group LLC, KHON's previous owner.
Were it still the owner, "I would not have reached this decision," he said. "They were not committed to the staff ... or the people of Hawaii," but New Vision "is committed to both."
Noncompete clauses usually keep on-camera types from jumping to a competitor, but he said he never considered another station.
"While I respect the talent they have, I'm not a fan of the consultant-driven, cookie-cutter style of newscasts that they've adopted from the mainland."
The other newsrooms will likely take exception to his statement.
His Friday night sign-off spawned gossip on- and offline. In forums such as hawaiithreads.com, posts speculated he would retire, about replacements, and that he was using air time to enhance his deal. Cynical opinions were posted, as was support for Moore as "a phenomenon in TV news."
A ploy was also suspected, as the Nielsens conclude today. But McNamara said he doesn't think there will be a ratings spike because, "we have loyal viewers there every single day."
Station-commissioned researchers told him people often interrupted the survey to talk enthusiastically about Moore.
"The news is in a great position and he is the No. 1 element with the news that makes it so great," he said.
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Call 529-4747, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached at:
eengle@starbulletin.com