Subject: Dennis Leonard

• More Messages: Bear Facts

  October 9, 2006

• Channels 2 and 31 merge -- and that's bad news for the former

  September 17, 2008

• Fox/Deuce exec Carolyn Kane on Natalie Tysdal's new show, Martino TV

  Natalie Tysdal. As noted in a blog published earlier today, Martino TV, the pay-for-play show hosted by Tom Martino, debuted this morning on both Channel 31 and Channel 2 -- and another new program, Everyday, bows this afternoon at 4 p.m., with Natalie Tysdal and Fox 31 anchor Libby Weaver as co-hosts. Tysdal recently earned a Best of Denver award as the market's top female anchor, in part because the ratings produced by her excellent chemistry with Channel 2's Tom Green on that station's morni

  June 1, 2009

• Tribune's bankruptcy filing to have little impact on Channel 2 -- because the cutting had already begun

  Precious little coverage of the yesterday's bankruptcy filing by the Tribune Co. has been devoted to its most prominent Denver property, KWGN-TV/Channel 2 -- not even by the station itself. (At this writing, its home page doesn't mention the development on its ten top stories.) That's understandable, however, since the outlet was shaken up in a huge way prior to this action. As reported in the October Message column "Channels 2 and 31 Mix It Up in Denver," Channel 2 agreed to join a local mark

  December 9, 2008

• Fox 31 general manager Dennis Leonard on current rumors, future changes

  Rumors are flying, as rumors are wont to do, about the stations at the heart of the October 23 Message column "Channels 2 and 31 Mix It Up," and no wonder. Channel 2's parent company, Tribune, recently filed for bankruptcy, adding even greater uncertainty to this unexpected business partnership between two longtime rivals. Channel 31 general manager Dennis Leonard, pictured, doesn't fill in all the gaps. However, he does address speculation about possible layoffs, new sales approaches, branding

  December 16, 2008

• Laid-off Channel 2 news director Carl Bilek lands at 7News

  In an interview for the blog "Fox 31 General Manager Dennis Leonard on Current Rumors, Future Changes," the new top dog at Channel 31 addressed the recent departure of news director Brad Remington, who accepted a similar position at KTVK-TV in Phoenix. In noting that he's still looking to fill the local job, Leonard said that former Channel 2 news director Carl Bilek, who was among around thirty folks laid off as the result of a merger described in the October Message column "Channels 2 and 31

  December 16, 2008

• Steve Kelley on his ouster from Channel 31: "It's like a death..."

  Steve Kelley has been part of the Denver media scene for a generation, mainly as a radio host. Then, as outlined in "The Rookie," a 2005 Message column, he was convinced to leave his longtime perch at KOA/850 AM in favor of a hosting gig for Good Day Colorado, Channel 31's a.m. info block. Just over three years later, Kelley is out at the Fox affiliate -- displaced in a cost-cutting move detailed in the blog "Fox 31 General Manager Dennis Leonard on Current Rumors, Future Changes." He admits t

  December 16, 2008

• The Westword.com blog shortcut, December 16 edition

  Only eight blogging days until Christmas. Today in Cafe Society: • The List: Best hotel restaurants. • Happy fifth birthday to Mezcal, which will soon get a sibling. • Is the second Santa Fe Tequila Company drying up? • Smashburger is a smash in Wichita. Today in Backbeat Online: • Eric Eyl's Mile High Makeout on year-end lists. • Rap-Up: Nyke Nitti throws the "Top Back" with "Slap Muzik." • A sneak peak at the Ideal Fathers' upcoming EP. • The Fray reveals the track list for

  December 16, 2008

• Clear Channel's Lee Larsen talks about possible layoffs at Denver stations

  Layoff rumors of the sort Fox 31 general manager Dennis Leonard addressed in this December 16 blog are common throughout the media industry these days. But the loudest such rumblings around here may be emanating from assorted Clear Channel outlets -- particularly those on the FM side of the dial: KTCL/93.3 FM, The Party/95.7 FM, KBCO/97.3 FM, The Fox/103.5 FM and KBPI/106.7 FM. But employees at the affiliated AM signals -- KHOW/630 AM, KKZN/760 AM and even the ratings-leading KOA/850 AM -- are

  December 17, 2008

• Plug about to be pulled on Channel 2's 5:30 p.m. newscast

  The death of Channel 2's 5:30 p.m. newscast, which will occur following Friday's edition, shouldn't shock anyone. In "Channels 2 and 31 Mix It Up in Denver," an October Message column about the new partnership between these longtime rivals, Dennis Leonard, the vice president and general manager of Channel 31, a Fox affiliate, confirmed that the 5:30 offering would be going away soon. The late-afternoon effort has remained on the air since then to give Channel 31 time to gear up its own afterno

  January 7, 2009

• Channel 2 general manager Dennis Leonard on rebranding his station The Deuce: "It's the shit, dude!"

  Say goodbye to the old Channel 2 logo -- 'cause the Deuce is about to drop! One of the most persistent local-TV rumors of early 2009 has been confirmed: KWGN-TV/Channel 2 is being rebranded as "The Deuce" on or about March 30. If you're snickering like a middle-schooler right now, that's because you know the third definition of "the deuce" in the online Urban Dictionary reads: "A crap measuring 2 lbs. or better." Sample sentence: "My bung hole was torn by the deuce!" When Channel 2 president

  March 12, 2009

• The Westword.com blog shortcut, March 12 edition

  Keegan Gerhard and Lisa Bailey. What's cookin'? Today in Cafe Society: • Sweet talk from Keegan Gerhard and other tasty events. • Zaidy's Deli Downtown is still Zaidy's... but now with fusion. • The Wynkoop's canny new strategy. • Veggie Girl: Pasquini's Pizzeria. Today in Backbeat Online: • Mile Hi-Fidelity playlist -- 03.11.09. • Get your goth on with Pictureplane tonight. • 3Oh!3 taking the U.K. by storm. • The Fray still in top ten on Billboard 200. • Cricket on the Hill

  March 12, 2009

• Channel 2 general manager Dennis Leonard on layoffs, a prime-time shift and the concept behind "The Deuce"

  Dennis Leonard, in a file photo from last October. Yesterday's blog "Channel 2 General Manager Dennis Leonard on rebranding his station The Deuce: 'It's the shit, dude!' " featured an excerpt from a conversation with the aforementioned Leonard, who also oversees Channel 31 as part of merger that took place last year. (Get the skinny in the October Message column "Channel 2 and 31 Mix It Up.") Now, to paraphrase Paul Harvey, here's the rest of the story -- or at least a bigger chunk. Like all l

  March 13, 2009

• The Westword.com blog shortcut, March 13 edition

  Danielle Ate the Sandwich. Yeah, that's her name. Wanna do somethin' about it? This Friday the 13th isn't even remotely scary. Today in Backbeat Online: • Meet Danielle Ate the Sandwich, your new favorite singer-songwriter. • New Heavyweight Dub Champion album features KRS-One, Killah Priest. • Enjoy 1,200 songs free courtesy of SXSW. • Freaky Friday: Thru You by Kutiman. Today in Cafe Society: • Rock and soul tonight -- with chile and wine. • Fuel Cafe gases up for extended dinne

  March 13, 2009

• The debut of News on the Deuce: Were they trying to make it so funny?

  The Deuce's new logo. The idea of Channel 2 rechristening itself as "The Deuce" -- a popular slang term for bowel movements -- in a strained attempt to woo a more youthful audience was mighty amusing. Still, even this decision couldn't adequately prepare viewers for the off-the-rails catastrophe that was last night's launch of News on the Deuce, the outlet's evening newscast. The show, which was moved to 7 p.m. -- two hours earlier than before, so that it would no longer compete directly with t

  March 31, 2009

• Channel 2 drops the deuce

  March 19, 2009

• From the week of November 13, 2008

  November 13, 2008

• Channels 2 and 31 mix it up in Denver

  October 23, 2008

• Channel 31 stars go from anchors to skank-ers

  Libby Weaver and Natalie Tysdal prepare to get their freak on. Click to enlarge the photo, as well as a certain part of your anatomy, dudes.​The folks at Denver Magazine call their September edition "The Men's Issue," and no wonder. The two women on the cover are literally busting out of their flirtatious attire, with the girliest of the two wearing a breast-boosting garment that turns her wiggle rack into an awesome blossom. Meanwhile, her more masculine partner is clad in an open shirt f

  August 26, 2009