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Al Keck joining 28's sports teamBy SHARON GINN and ERIC DEGGANS © St. Petersburg Times, published May 4, 2001 Former WTSP-Ch. 10 sports director Al Keck, who left the station in February after it did not renew his contract, signed Thursday with WFTS-Ch. 28. He will return to the air July 1, after his non-compete clause with WTSP expires June 30. Keck, 46, will be the weekend sports anchor, backing up sports director Jay Crawford. The two will co-host the station's Sunday night show SportsRap. Crawford will be on vacation during Keck's first week, so Keck will begin his new job anchoring weeknight broadcasts. Current weekend sports anchor Mark Olesh will see his role reduced. WFTS interim news director Shawn Briggs said the station had been pursuing Keck since March. "Al said his No. 1 priority was to keep his family here," Briggs said. "We won't miss a beat between Al and Jay. . . . He's top-drawer. We're thrilled." Keck's wife, Cheryl Keck, works at Time Warner's Bay News 9. Keck will continue his freelance duties, doing TV play by play for University of South Florida football and basketball and the Bucs' pregame, halftime and postgame radio shows. "After Ch. 10, I had such a bad taste in my mouth about local TV news, quite honestly. I did not think I would go in that direction again. I had some other opportunities around the country, and I really wasn't that interested in them. "But Ch. 28 was very persistent. . . . They just flat-out sold me. I've been real excited about this. It's so refreshing to be around people so committed to local coverage and community and not just making your budget look good." Keck would not say how his salary at Ch. 28 will compare to what he earned after 12-plus years at Ch. 10, but he said, "If it wasn't a very good deal, I wouldn't be interested. . . . I was pleasantly surprised." Ch. 10 news director Jim Church declined to discuss Keck. "I don't feel it's appropriate for me to comment on what other stations are doing," he said. "I wish him the best and hope things work out for him."
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From the wire |
