Editing WSVN (section)

=== Revamping under Leider ===
{{Quote box
| quote = He is unique among news directors. He is a [[Spartan]], an individual totally immersed in his profession. He almost has blinders on that shield him from outside Involvements and personal contacts within the community. He is an inside operator.
| author = Ralph Renick
| source = on Gene Strul{{r|MiamiN19790321p90}}
| align = right
| width = 275px
| qalign = left
| salign = right
}}

Edmund Ansin relinquished his general manager duties in June 1979 to devote more time to Sunbeam's real estate holdings, with incumbent station manager Robert Leider taking over the position.<ref name="FortLa19790610p 103">{{Cite news |last=Bianculli |first=David |date=June 10, 1979 |title=WTVJ Signs For 'Magazine'; Anson (sic) Steps Down At WCKT |page=15F |newspaper=Fort Lauderdale News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95390970/wtvj-signs-for-magazine-anson-sic/ |access-date=February 21, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> News director Gene Strul resigned after the May 1979 sweeps period showed ''The Fariss-Hicks Report'' at 6&nbsp;p.m. tied for third place in local ratings alongside ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' reruns on [[WFOR-TV|WCIX]],<ref name="MiamiN19790713p10">{{Cite news|last=Woods|first=Sherry|date=July 13, 1979|title=Fatal ratings: Numbers sank Skipper Chuck, then it was Gene Strul's turn|page=10A|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95885413/fatal-ratings-numbers-sank-skipper/|access-date=February 21, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> along with an overall decline in the station's ratings.{{r|FortLa19790610p 103}} While credited for channel 7 having won over 200 regional and national journalism awards,{{r|MiamiN19790713p10}} Strul was also criticized for not adding flair to the newscasts or allowing them to be more feature-driven.<ref name="MiamiN19790321p90">{{Cite news |last=Woods |first=Sherry |date=March 21, 1979 |title=TV hard-hitting loner, Gene Strul, up against news styles gone soft |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96044231/tv-hard-hitting-loner-gene-strul-up/ |access-date=February 21, 2022 |newspaper=The Miami News |page=6C |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Granted complete control over the station's management, Leider was tasked with hiring Strul's replacement, telling the ''Fort Lauderdale News'' he sought someone whose views were "in harmony with mine".<ref name="FortLa19790616p 162">{{Cite news |last=Kelly |first=Bill |date=June 16, 1979 |title=All Eyes Focused On WCKT As News Team Gets Shuffle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95391663/all-eyes-focused-on-wckt-as-news-team/ |access-date=February 21, 2022 |newspaper=Fort Lauderdale News |page=74D |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

David Choate rejoined WCKT as Strul's replacement following a brief stint at NBC News's Miami bureau.<ref name="MiamiH19790804p28">{{Cite news|date=August 4, 1979|title=Channel 7 Regains a News Director|page=2B|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95973075/channel-7-regains-a-news-director/|access-date=February 21, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Choate initiated multiple changes that included adopting the ''NewsCenter 7'' brand—already in use among several of NBC's owned-and-operated stations<ref name="MiamiH19800205p32">{{Cite news|last=Reddicliffe|first=Steven|date=February 5, 1980|title='Love' Wheezes Its Last, Corny Gasp After 28 Years|page=4C|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95254957/love-wheezes-its-last-corny-gasp/|access-date=February 21, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>—and replacing lead anchors Connie Hicks and Wayne Fariss with Steve Rondinaro<ref name="MiamiN19800715p21">{{Cite news|last=Woods|first=Sherry|date=July 15, 1980|title=Fariss' reassignment bungled by Channel 7|page=5B|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74605525/fariss-reassignment-bungled-by/|access-date=February 21, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and [[Donna Hanover]],<ref name="MiamiN19800712p8">{{Cite news|last=Woods|first=Sherry|date=July 12, 1980|title=Fariss definitely out, WCKT confirms|page=8A|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74605226/fariss-definitely-out-wckt-confirms/|access-date=February 21, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> respectively. Fariss's removal was criticized for its abrupt nature that ''News'' critic Sherry Woods deemed "bungled" given his years of service to the station and status as the only anchor to have successfully competed against Ralph Renick.{{r|MiamiN19800715p21}} At the same time, the revamped newscasts met positive reviews for better pacing and a more visually appealing set.<ref name="MiamiH19800220p27">{{Cite news|last=Reddicliffe|first=Steven|date=February 20, 1980|title='NewsCenter 7': Welcome Changes in Critic, Setting|page=5B|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95889175/newscenter-7-welcome-changes-in/|access-date=February 21, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> WCKT also made headlines by assisting [[Miami Beach Police Department|Miami Beach police]] with an [[Undercover operation|undercover]] [[surveillance]] team that arrested a [[postman]] for selling [[quaaludes]]; footage taken by WCKT of the arrest was used as [[admissible evidence]] in court. WCIX and WPLG management criticized WCKT's participation for going against journalism ethics and compromising the station's ability to cover police-related stories objectively.<ref name="MiamiH19800421p131">{{Cite news|last1=Buchanan|first1=Edna|last2=Fleischman|first2=Joan|date=April 21, 1980|title=TV News Crew Criticized for Aiding Police|pages=1B–[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74631246/tv-news-crew-criticized-for-aiding/ 2B]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74631190/tv-news-crew-criticized-for-aiding/|access-date=February 21, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

After a seven-month hiatus, Wayne Fariss returned to anchor duty on February 2, 1981, to co-anchor the noon newscast with Connie Eng; in addition, Fariss joined WKAT radio as a newscaster.<ref name="MiamiH19810113p32">{{Cite news|date=January 13, 1981|title=Wayne Fariss joins WKAT radio news|page=4C|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95641432/wayne-fariss-joins-wkat-radio-news/|access-date=February 21, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Despite the changes, ''NewsCenter 7'' remained in third place in evening ratings; Hanover left WCKT in May 1982 to marry [[U.S. Justice Department|Justice Department]] attorney [[Rudy Giuliani]].<ref name="FortLa19820415p 64">{{Cite news |last=Kelley |first=Bill |date=April 15, 1982 |title=Most limited run series fail their 'spring tryouts' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96022472/most-limited-run-series-fail-their/ |access-date=February 21, 2022 |newspaper=Fort Lauderdale News |page=8E |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="nyt120195">{{Cite news|last=Bumiller|first=Elisabeth|author-link=Elisabeth Bumiller|date=December 1, 1995|title=Clash of Careers For First Lady; Donna Hanover's 2 roles are not always separate|page=B1|newspaper=The New York Times|location=New York, New York|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/01/nyregion/clash-of-careers-for-first-lady-donna-hanover-s-2-roles-are-not-always-separate.html?pagewanted=print|access-date=December 3, 2007}}</ref> Sally Fitz, who anchored local news updates during ''Today''{{r|Fort860615}} along with general reporting duties, was Hanover's replacement.<ref name="MiamiN19820512p26">{{Cite news|last=Jicha|first=Tom|date=May 12, 1982|title=Fitz is new anchor to follow Hanover on WCKT nightly|page=4C|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96034211/fitz-is-new-anchor-to-follow-hanover-on/|access-date=February 21, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Sandra Easely of the ''Herald'' said of the switch, "Fitz is 29 and has short, dark hair. Hanover is 32 and blond. And that's all about there is to say about the changeover in female anchors at Ch. 7."<ref name="MiamiH19820602p92">{{Cite news|last=Earley|first=Sandra|date=June 2, 1982|title=Changing anchors doesn't mean a change|page=12A|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96038729/changing-anchors-doesnt-mean-a-change/|access-date=February 21, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Discrepancies also began to emerge between [[Nielsen Media Research|Arbitron and Nielsen ratings]] for the Miami market: both placed WCKT's 6&nbsp;p.m. news at third during July 1982 surveys, but Arbitron had it 10 points behind WPLG, while Nielsen showed the race as closer.<ref name="MiamiH19811101p257">{{Cite news|last=Cosford|first=Bill|date=November 1, 1981|title=Playing the numbers|pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95888817/playing-the-numbers/ 4], 5, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95889043/playing-the-numbers-p3/ 6]:TV|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95888858/playing-the-numbers-p2/|access-date=February 21, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Still, station officials were optimistic about NBC's prospects entering the [[1982–83 United States network television schedule|1982–83 television season]], with Edmund Ansin calling newly installed network chairman [[Grant Tinker]] "superb" and "the best management team they've had in 20 years".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Harmetz|first=Aljean|date=May 19, 1982|title=NBC's affiliates optimistic on network's future|page=C26|newspaper=The New York Times|id={{ProQuest|424344925}}}}</ref> [[Rick Sanchez (journalist)|Rick Sanchez]], a Cuban exile<ref name="MiamiH20190526pA1">{{Cite news|last=Robertson|first=Linda|date=May 26, 2019|title=How Rick Sanchez, raised to hate the Soviets, ended up working for Russian TV|pages=1A–[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94632670/how-rick-sanchez-raised-to-hate-the/ 2A]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94632638/how-rick-sanchez-raised-to-hate-the/|access-date=February 22, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> who joined the station in 1982, produced the five-part series ''Why I Left Cuba'' that November<ref name="MiamiH19821105p58">{{Cite news|last=Earley|first=Sandra|date=November 5, 1982|title=With ratings under way, stations vie for viewers|page=16D|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96091696/with-ratings-under-way-stations-vie/|access-date=February 22, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and was part of the station's coverage of President [[Ronald Reagan]]'s visit to [[Little Havana]] the following May.<ref name="MiamiH19830521p54">{{Cite news|last=Earley|first=Sandra|date=May 21, 1983|title=Big news on local TV: Reagan visit, May 'sweeps'|page=8D|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96092977/big-news-on-local-tv-reagan-visit-may/|access-date=February 22, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> WCKT also aligned with the [[Satellite News Channel]], an ABC/[[Westinghouse Broadcasting]] joint venture, providing hourly local news updates; in announcing the affiliation, Leider said, "we have to become the news information center for South Florida. That's where our future lies."<ref name="MiamiH19820506p433">{{Cite news|last=Burger|first=Frederick|date=May 6, 1982|title=WCKT hooks up to ABC's cable news service|page=27C|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96039270/wckt-hooks-up-to-abcs-cable-news/|access-date=February 21, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>