WBLT Hires New Anchor

by Ben BeEssen

WBLT does a great job reporting on the news of The Valley. They’ve won multiple awards over the years, and they continue to do quality work. They’ve been an incubator for talent as well. Many talented news anchors have started their careers at WBLT, and they’ve moved onto much larger markets. That’s a good thing, but it can also be disappointing for viewers. You like and get attached to an anchor, and then they’re off to greener pastures. WBLT has taken a different approach this time around though; they just hired a well-known proven anchor.

WBLT producer Lettus Bayken said, “We lost a popular anchor recently, and we decided not to do what we normally do. We could’ve hired another green 23 year old out of journalism school on the cheap again, but we decided to go big this time. We wanted a young, beautiful female British anchor. That accent just adds a certain flair and sophistication to the broadcast. I watched a good bit of the World Cup, and this feeling was just reinforced listening to the female British commentators. We had to get a fit Brit.”

Bayken and his team didn’t have the funds to hire a search firm, so they just got to work on their own. They ended up finding their lady in London. Bayken took his shot and reached out to Diana Thatcher via Instagram. Thatcher is a BBC anchor who anchors a weekend show. Bayken and Thatcher started a dialogue, and now she’s headed to The Valley.

Bayken said, “It was really a long shot, but I shot my shot. You just never know. She was unhappy with her current situation, and she was actually looking to move to America. I seriously doubt The Valley was on her radar, but we can’t wait for her to start. She’s going to bring flair and professionalism that WBLT has never had; she’s going to be a huge asset for us. We think our male viewership will increase dramatically as well.”

I was able to speak with Thatcher via Zoom. She said, “I’m so excited to be moving to America. I’m a football fan, and I watched a lot of the World Cup. I also saw all the football fans that visited America, and I saw how much they loved it. I thought I have to try it. I want free refills. I want unlimited chips and salsa. I want to visit Buc-ee’s. I want to eat at Waffle House. I want to drive a big truck. Honestly, I don’t know that much about The Valley, but I’m excited to experience it soon.”

Thatcher will start anchoring WBLT news next week, so tune in to see her. The details of her contract have not been released, but the rumor is that she’ll be making well into the 6 figures. She’ll allegedly will be provided free tanning, botox treatments, a personal driver, and more. Thatcher could be in for a little bit of culture shock; The Valley is a bit different than London.