INDIANA PARLEY

Victor Locke Returns to the Fort and WPTA...for the Next Few Weeks

Promotions began last night on Indiana's News Center (WPTA/WISE TV) touting the return of Fort Wayne veteran broadcaster Victor Locke to the airwaves. He will be rejoining the news staff for a few weeks.

Victor Locke was sorely missed after he departed Fort Wayne and WPTA-TV 21 Alive and headed to Colorado. But... he's back in the Fort for an extended visit. A close source told Indiana Parley Locke only arrived in Fort Wayne yesterday afternoon. Which means that he must have immediately been wisked to the station to record the promotion segment with Linda Jackson.

Since Locke decamped to Colorado he has been doing voiceover work, radio and a once monthly Durango cable television talk program "Talk of the Town" similar to the IMPACT public affairs he used to host on 21 Alive. However, Locke hasn't done a television newscast in more than 21 months.

Things have changed in the Fort Wayne television market since Locke was last here. "Victor" has not been a word associated with the 21 Alive and WISE 33 newscasts after the combination of the two operations last year. LIN Broadcasting's WANE-TV 15 is now the ratings leader.

It is not known at this time just what Locke's on-air role will be over the next few weeks. Nor is it known whether this temporary gig may have implications for long time anchors Keith Edwards and Melissa Long.

Update: Indiana Parley has learned that the invitation for Victor Locke's temporary return was issued approximately two weeks ago when he dropped in at WPTA during a family visit to Fort Wayne. The promo with Linda Jackson was taped before Victor Locke returned to Colorado.

More: Andrew at ...Just for the Record fires away on Victor Locke in particular and local television news in general here. Oh, Indiana Parley comes under fire, too, but not by name. Our crime? Saying that Victor Locke was "sorely missed."