The Best and Worst Local Evening News Anchors (Patreon)

A couple of weeks ago, FTVLive put out a call to our readers to nominate the Best and Worst Local Evening News Anchors and you guys responded. 

We got thousands of nominations and we needed to whittle the list down to 5 of the Best and 5 of the Worst. 

Since FTVLive does not watch much news around the country, we had to rely on you guys for the nominations and then we had to work the phones, email, and text message to talk to GM's, News Directors, Agents, and News Managers to bring the list down to the 5 on each side. 

We looked at the Anchors, not only for how they performed on-air but also how they carried themselves off-air and in the newsroom.  This was more than just how they can read a prompter. 

So, let's start the countdown. 

No. 5 Worst Evening News Anchor 

Kicking off the list in the worst spot is WHDH (Boston) Anchor Jadiann Thompson. We got a number of nominations on Thompson and while many said that she was solid on-air, it was her actions behind the scenes that landed her on the list. 

"She is poison ...a real princess attitude and not many, if any are fans of her in the newsroom," said one person that knows Thompson well. 

Thompson has made FTVLive for what one FTVLive reader called her "tone deaf" social media post. 

That and her newsroom actions landed her on the wrong side of the FTVLive list at No. 5. 

 No. 5 Best Evening News Anchor

Kicking off the No. 5 spot on our best list is WPXI's (Pittsburgh) David Johnson. Johnson has been on the air in the Burgh for over two decades and he is a true professional that carries himself with class, both on-air and off. 

"David is the calming  waters in the newsroom, he never loses it and is a true pro," said one newsroom staffer to FTVLive. 

No. 4 Worst Evening News Anchor 

No. 4 on the worst list is WSYX (Columbus) Anchor Bob Kendrick. 

"This guy can not read a room and I think he is more suited to work somewhere on the East coast and not in Ohio," says one news manager that knows Kendrick. 

Kendrick made FTVLive back in May when he called people protesting the death of George Floyd, “Animals” in a post on social media. 

Hours after FTVLive posted the story,  Kendrick deleted the post and said he was sorry. But, a number of people inside the newsroom said that the original post showed  Kendrick's true colors. 

"He is so arrogant," said one newsroom staffer that works with him on a daily basis.

No. 4 Best Evening News Anchor 

We stay in the Columbus market for the 4th Best Anchor on our list. 

WBNS Anchor Yolanda Harris is a dream to work with said a couple of news staffers at the Tegna station. 

Harris spent two decades at WSYX in Columbus before crossing the street to WBNS back in 2016.  

"That was the best hire that WBNS ever made," said one manager to FTVLive. 

WSYX's loss was WBNS's gain and he sounds like many inside the station are happy she jumped the street. 

No. 3 Worst Evening News Anchor 

We head to the A-T-L for the 3rd Worst Anchor on the list. 

WGCL Anchor Shon Gables was mentioned many times in emails to FTVLive to be on the bad list. 

"She is a diva that cares only about herself," said one newsroom staffer at the Meredith station. 

Gables has made FTVLive a number of times and recently made the site after she showed that she didn't know where the state of Georgia is on a map. 

"I know it’s in this area,” Gables is seen in a video that has been since deleted. At one point, she put the state of Georgia in Kentucky.

She works in the state of Georgia!

Enough said.  

No. 3 Best Evening News Anchor 

Want proof you can make FTVLive for a not so flattering moment and recover? 

Look at the No. 3 person on our Best Anchor list and you will find your answer. 

WRIC (Richmond) Anchor Constance Jones shows that redemption is possible. Jones had a couple of stories about her on FTVLive that we not all that great, but she learned from the experience. 

Jones worked in big markets like Miami and Atlanta, but she has found a home in Richmond. 

Instead of going all Austin Walker and whine like a punk about being on FTVLive, Jones decided to grow, become more mature, and become a newsroom leader. 

"She has been a dream to work with and is a strong newsroom leader," said one news manager to FTVLive. 

Jones really has helped people in the newsroom at WRIC and she has also helped the ratings for the station. Since her arrival, WRIC is seeing ratings they have not seen in years. "She really has made an impact on the market," said a newsie that works at a competing station in Richmond. 

Jones may have gone to big markets before she was ready and that might have lead to some of her stumbles. But, she dusted herself off and went to Richmond and showed that she could become a top Anchor and a newsroom leader. 

We expect that when her contract comes up, you will see Jones in a much bigger market and this time she will be completely ready for it.   

No. 2 Worst Evening News Anchor

Coming in at the deuce spot of the worst list is KSAZ (Phoenix) Anchor John Hook. 

Hook has been at The Firm's station since 1993 and as one KSAZ staffer says, the guy has changed into quite a diva. 

"Years ago John was a good guy, a solid Anchor, and a newsroom leader, but not anymore," said a KSAZ employee. 

Hook recently made FTVLive for an interview that he conducted with Donald Trump that looked like it was a commercial for the Trump Campaign.  

"That's all it took for me," said one Phoenix newsie. "I'm a Trump supporter and I thought the interview was such a softball that I lost my respect for Hook," the newsie added. 

"He really has changed and not for the better," said one KSAZ staffer to FTVLive. 

No. 2 Best Evening News Anchor 

It's time to head to the No. 1 market to find our No. 2 Best Anchor. 

WNBC's Chuck Scarborough has been giving New Yorker's the news for almost 50 years. 

"Chuck is the dean and one of the last of a breed," said one New York News DIrector to FTVLive. 

Don't look for Scarborough's selfies on Twitter. In fact, don't look for him on Twitter at all. The longtime Anchor is not on the social media platform and he lets the news be the star and not the anchor delivering the news. 

A few years ago, Scarborough pulled back his duties at WNBC and came off the late newscast. He's now only doing the 6PM news and maybe looking to retire. 

When it does the industry will lose one of the best. A guy that believed the news never thought he was a big star and did not feel the need to post selfies each and every day. 

The Worst Evening News Anchor

Well, would you look at that...

The second worst and the worst local evening news Anchor both come from the same station. 

FTVLive readers and industry insiders say that Kari Lake is the Worst evening Achor in local news. 

"She absolutely not even a once of credibility left in her body," says one person that works with Lake. 

Lake has made FTVLive a number of times and more often than not it is for pushing her political agenda. While referring to other Journalists, Lake said "Fuck them and called them dopes."

She pushes her political viewers and shows is not objective what-so-ever. 

She also said that she has no problem with Trump's statement about grabbing women by the pussy and says it was nothing more than "locker room talk."

Lake wasted viewers time in a one on one interview with Trump that could be described as an RNC spot for Trump's re-election. 

"If Kari Lake wasn't working for a Fox station she would be out of work in a New York second," said one big market News Director. 

"Kari is not only an embarrassment to the news industry, but she is also an embarrassment to females in general," says one person that works in the KSAZ newsroom alongside Lake. 

FTVLive got a lot of emails that suggested the Worst Anchor in TV news and Kari Lake was a run-a-way to be the first of the worst. 

The Best Evening News Anchor

A big congrats go to a South Florida Anchor for being named the best of the best by many of his peers in the industry. 

WSVN Anchor Craig Stevens tops the list and a number of people working inside the Miami station rave about Stevens and the job he does. 

"This industry is full of assholes, but Craig Stevens stands out as one of the nicest guys you will meet," said one WSVN insider to FTVLive. 

Stevens is one of the longest-serving Anchors in South Florida and he worked his way up the food chain at WSVN. 

He reported, anchored weekends, and just kept moving up the ladder. 

When Rick Sanchez left WSVN, many thought that the station was in for a downward trend. But, Stevens stepped into the role and has remained humble the entire time. 

Stevens is a true Journalist that presents the story and lets the viewers make up their own opinion. While other Anchors are spouting their personal opinions all over social media, Stevens maintains an unbiased approach and it is so refreshing in these times. 

That lands Craig Stevens at the top of the list.