Ask Rich Lieberman

Answering your Bay Area/national radio/TV questions; please, name and town--that gets first priority.

Marcia Brandwynne: An Immensely Talented and Complicated Anchor in Bay Area TV News History

A talent and a head-turner: Marcia Brandwynne. One of the most unique and complicated --(in a good way) anchors in Bay Area TV News history.

Marcia Brandwynne

SHE WAS MORE THAN HOT. She was great anchor who became very powerful too, from KTVU to KGO to KPIX. A modern-day Evita who knew who to work a room let alone a newsroom.

Late 70's she was the singular most powerful woman in SF TV News; even the late Van Amburg was conscious of her clout and moxie. Dennis Richmond respected her edge and had to play second banana --much to his chagrin.

Brandwynne used her sex appeal to gain maximum edge but she didn't have to; her talent was so immense she turned down multitude offers to go the big apple and conquer NY only she stayed in California and furthered her career in LA where she got even bigger.

The Difference Between Bill King and Greg Papa

Bill King

Bill King wasn't just a phenomenal broadcaster; a wonderful play-by-play man; a fantastic wordsmith; he was a great man too, in every sense of the word. He was special on all fronts be it professional and personal.

He was Aplus on football; Aplus on basketball, baseball. His greatness almost superseded the Raiders, A's and Warriors, teams he broadcast for in the Bay Area.

King NEVER would have voiced a "Holy Toledo!" and extended it had the Raiders been down 33-nothing. He'd have simply called the play as it was and moved on, "Touchdown, Raiders."

King would never have to resort to a "Touchdoooooooodown" if the situation wasn't called for. The moment dictated the style and Bill knew the moment. He seized the moment. It defined him almost as much as "holy Toledo."

King didn't have to manufacture excitement--he let the action on the field tell the story.

Bill King was honest and straight-forward and would be nice to you and talk to you if you were lucky enough (like me) to have met him. He wasn't a different tone or personality off the microphone. He was ungodly consistant.

Bill King is a Hall-of-Famer.

A certain other will never be.

Not even close.

One YUGE Thing (Among Many) that Pissed off Pete Giddings at KGO: Lloyd Lindsey Young Short Story; 'Helooooooooooo Hayward'

Lloyd Lindsey Young

THIS IS A GOOD ONE ...and a HUNDRED PERCENT TRUE; Listen up.

Among all the things that pissed off Pete Giddings (and there were many) was Lloyd Lindsey Young who managed to impress a Utah GM that saw Young doing one of his early KGO forecasts..."HELLO, Brisbane!"< you know that stuff?

Back to story...

Giddings was all about control in his reign at Circle7. Anyone in his way he was a control freak. He never really cared about LLY's ascent because he didn't consider Young a threat. And in truth, he wasn't.

Then Lloyd gets a call from WOR and the Super Station in Atlanta. And proceeds to get a $900K offer to go to NY and become the star weatherman.

Now Giddings gets steamed but before that, LLY takes a vacation from KGO for a week; comes back and sees that ALL his office supplies and personal stuff missing. Turns out Giddings went and threw out all his (LLY) shit --man, what a guy, eh.

Peter Giddings

Hey Pete, it's good here, I still love ya man.

It's the Holiday Season and...

Bay Area media is in a perilous state. What's going to happen next? More consolidation? Of course. The FCC is a rubber stamp for conglomerates.

To me, this is a mission. Who else is going to do this-- The Chronicle? Don't make me laugh. Its why you come here, TO READ ME and get the REAL stuff, the REAL TAKE, NO BS! HARD-CORE OPINION --SCOOPS GALORE!

I care about good radio and TV. I take no prisoners. Who else is going to do this? But I can't do this alone.

That's why I need you now.

Like you, I hate listening to the public media semi-annual pledge breaks. I hate it even more when I have to emulate their model and ask you for donations to keep 415 Media going.

I know I've come to you in the past saying things are urgent but this time, I'm running on fumes. The holiday season makes it worse. 

If you can find it in your heart, Paypal me a contribution. I know some of you have already donated, and I most appreciate it.  I understand if you think it's someone else's turn.

 

The decision is yours.

If you come here wanting and relying on 415 Media to be your watchdog; to offer unedited, unfiltered, and independent thinking not to mention scoops and inside information galore, then please contribute.

Just click on the Pay Pal icon located on the right; all contributions are completely confidential and you don't have to have a Pay Pal account to contribute.

I will PERSONALLY CALL YOU and/or e-mail you THANKING YOU for your contribution(s)

Happy Holidays to all.

THANKS.

Rich --415 MEDIA

That Dennis Brown Sounded Pretty Good on 49ers' Broadcast Too Bad Papa Screwed It Up

BROWN DOES DECENT ON 49ers KNBR Broadcast but Insecure Papa mentions Ryan "will be back next week" several times

Greg Papa managed to screw up a wet dream.

Figuratively speaking.

Throughout the 49eers-Saints thriller in New Orleans, Papa was relentless in his plugging that Tim Ryan (the guy that said "blackness") and was suspended for the broadcast, "will be back."

While kowtowing for Ryan, Papa made Dennis Brown, sound almost obscure. Brown did a pretty decent job and made pointed references throughout the broadcast but Papa was incredulous about Ryan.

Nothing against Ryan, but what was Papa trying to preach? How to make your partner look bad on the radio? El schmucko strikes again, "SAN-FRAN-CISCO!"

Greg Papa: Sabotages Brown

Fresh off Telling CNN 'Fuck You' (On Impeachment) Geraldo Does Bay Area

GERALDO DOES BAY AREA YOU READY?

Geraldo Rivera Bay Area visit

He's coming out to the Bay Area on Wednesday --ostensibly to speak at a private engagement in Berkeley but he's got a local (KTVU) visit on his itinerary --probably a Fox (which owns 2) related-gig but he's already making waves.

I've always found Jerry to be so warm and fuzzy, what's all the commotion? (wink)

*half a bada-bing