Uncle Barky has the news that Dale Hansen has signed a contract extension that will keep him at WFAA Channel 8 till 2017. But in 2014, when his current contract expires, he will take a 32 percent pay cut — which he’s happy with. The TV news business has changed since the glory days when the top anchors in Dallas made $600,000 and up. But when Hansen tells Ed Bark, “I do think it’s somewhat important that people — especially at Channel 8 — know I play by the same rules,” I’m sure some people in the Channel 8 newsroom make bitter beer face. Because 68 percent of whatever Hansen is making now is still a lot more than they’ll ever make.
In any case, Hansen is still, for my money, the best anchor on local TV. (Waiting for Eric Celeste to have conniption in the ATL.)
