WCCO says it's not storming KARE for Sven Sundgaard

By C.J., Star Tribune

Last update: August 18, 2008 - 11:16 AM

Hot gossip has Sven Sundgaard leaving KARE11, when his contract expires, for a new morning meteorological job at WCCO-TV. It's apparently not true.

The talk has it that KARE11 low-balled Sundgaard, who became what news director Tom Lindner has called a "Svenomenon," when he was hired in 2006 from a Duluth station. Sundgaard's looking to get paid!

"Well, that's news to me," WCCO's news director, Scott Libin, said today when I told him the gossip. "Sven Sundgaard is not coming to WCCO to my knowledge, and I think I'd know. I think he does fine work, but nope, he's not coming to work here unless somebody out there hired him without my knowledge. That would be news."

Shoot. I was looking forward to a noncompete year of tips about Sven's bar-flying and jogging around the lakes with alacrity. I was also looking forward to his new employee making up Sven-shirts that were not in the ghastly brown selected by somebody over at KARE11. They are usually so good with the promotional material, as in the case of Sven's jogging TV commercial and those recent "Star Wars" spots with the characters. The spot with receptionist Veronica Richmond announcing Darth Vader as Ralph Nader is a stitch!

However, the new personality-driven KARE spots are not so good, even with the shocking sight of Belinda Jensen showing off her kids. The Jensen spot always causes me to double take because I have not forgotten how condescendingly, snide and critical she was in 2002 about a colleague behaving like proud parents. But I digress.

Returning to the subject of Sven and where he's reportedly NOT going, I leave you with this gossipy cliff-hanger. There is word of other turbulence among the ranks of KARE11 meteorologists, from one who formerly looked so much like a boy scout.

C.J. is at 612.332.TIPS or cj@startribune.com. E-mailers, please state a subject -- "Hello" doesn't count. Attachments are not opened, so don't even try. More of her attitude can be seen on FOX 9 Thursday mornings.