KGO-TV Picks Up New Weekend Sports Anchor Via The Fresno Greyhound Line; Chris Alvarez Headed to Circle7 900 Front

Chris Alvarez

KGO has hired a new weekend sports anchor and they apparently went the cheap route: they plucked Chris Alvarez from Fresno ABC affiliate, TV 30.

He'll be anchoring and doing a lot of MMJ (multi-media journalist) work which translates into "I will work my ass off and work cheap."

Mindi Bach will also stay on and work in a limited capacity.

(Bach will handle anchor duty and do fill-in too.)

This is further proof that the local TV News business is declining and that the lovely Fresno Greyhound Depot continues to thrive!

Greg Papa's New 49ers' Gig at NBC Sports Bay Area Spells Probable Doom for Dave Feldman; 'Feels Blindsided' by Pop Power Play

Greg Papa

CALL IT A COLD AND CALCULATED POWER PLAY 

News that Greg Papa will be the pre and post-game host for 49ers broadcasts on NBC Sports Bay Area will have a ripple effect on the sports cable outlet.

It more than likely spells doom for now, ex Niners' host, Dave Feldman, who my spies tell me is fuming over the Papa announcement.

These two big shots have a history and it's not very warm and fuzzy.

In fact, I've learned Feldman feels blindsided by the move and that he was undermined by Papa's behind-the-scenes negotiations to land the 49ers' gig.

Feldman, who is doing some Giants' pre and post game work is more than likely going to pursue other interests, maybe back east where he has worked for several outlets.

Dave Feldman

A couple of things to note: Papa is coming off 20-plus years as Raiders radio play-by-play broadcaster. His new gig as a 49ers cable host should be seamless but how will the Faithfull receive a multi-decade Silver and Black announcer? NBC obviously thinks the transition will be just fine.

Don't forget Papa's daily radio show on 'The Game' (95.7 FM) --which happens to air Raiders' games and is primed for Raiders talk. Again, which potentially creates a most awkward situation given Papa's new Niners' affiliation.

Maybe Feldman might have to call his buddy, Jim Harbaugh, for some guidance.

We'll wait and see.

Roberta Gonzales Being Creative

Roberta Gonzales, uh, what the hell?

Fox Secret 'Internal News Review' of KTVU Over Nia Wilson Controversial Picture; ND Eikel Probable on Hot Seat

A SECRET FOX CORP. Internal news review of KTVU was both brief and unofficial --so secret in fact no one even knew about it ..except me of course.

The brief one-day internal involving executives from both LA and NY on the situation at KTVU didn't provide a whole lot new information but did recommend a "more detailed audit" of the goings on at its "Bay Area outlet" (KTVU)

What do the big suits want to know? How and who was responsible for picking out that picture of murder victim, Nia Wilson?

There won't be anything substantive from the network but word on the street is that KTVU News Director, Amber Eikel, might be on the hot seat. If she's shown the door Fox then may pull back on any recommendations from its internal investigation.

My Memo to Watkowski-Silva at KGO-TV

ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS I WRITE THIS, among other things, is I like to write about the pulse of various outlets; in this case mostly TV/Radio stations in the Bay Area.

Much of my feedback is based on e-mail and direct and indirect communication via text and phone calls.

Which brings me to the situation at KGO-TV; (ABC7) where I continue to receive mostly negative and toxic descriptions of its newsroom atmosphere and heavy amount of management abuse. There exists, say a lot of the people that work there, a News Director, that rules the office by fear and intimidation. I don't know Tracey Watkowski-Silva that well; I've only been aware of her existence through media industry people and eyewitness accounts of her style of governing the office. I have written and commented based on all of what I've have taken in and people that I know and respect who have both supported her (few) and those who can't stand her. (many)

Tracey Watkowski-Silva

I've e-mailed her (Watkowski) and offered her a chance to comment and respond to various charges by her staff of the way she operates. She hasn't responded and has been silent probably because she's either in denial or she doesn't want to give this site/me any legitimacy even though her newsroom reads me and send me correspondence (that's not bragging it's the truth) Believe me I have no dog in this fight and would love clarity on the issue(s) that currently confront the bulk of the people who work at KGO on and off the TV screen.

Good managers try to avert, overt, existing problems and issues --there will always be issues in any office environment --be it TV News, law, retail, medical, education, you name it--it's called life and reality--but especially in an ego-driven world like local TV news station where creative and technical staff interspersed with management bravado creates intense hardships. How do you deal with it? How do you run a successful operation and maintain keeping people happy? It's a tough job in any situation. I get it, unfortunately, apparently, Trixie doesn't. She could save herself and her staff a whole lot of stress by opening up to staff and having a office cleansing. It couldn't hurt. Watkowski would prefer the more illogical angle which only further alienates her from the rank and file and make matters worse at KGO-TV. In the end maybe that's what she wants anyway.

KCBS is Being Entercomed

  SLOWLY BUT SURELY, KCBS continues to sound like it is declining before our very ears.

The all-news AM radio powerhouse is beginning to morph into a wretched excess of unnecessary happy talk (for the sake of just plain talking, as if it was needed absolutely); it is not the same station; we knew this was a given because newly-minted Entercom butting in to make sure it had its stamp on fucking up pretty much a news station that needed nothing to be really fucked with.

We now have relentless on-air contests which sound especially poignant after an update from hell. The nuance of hardcore reporting live and local news is suddenly on the back burner and even traffic and weather together has been mucked up by a torrent of forced happy talk  by super-chirpy anchors. It's a carnival of laughs, really.

Megan Goldsby

All of a sudden I'm hearing Megan Goldsby 24/7. She's not bad mind you but do I have to hear here every five minutes? Can we be fresh and have a little small sample. OK, at least Goldsby 24/7 is better than Jeffrey Schaub on a Marin fire. Grouchy Schaub not.

KCBS is still the go-to when a disaster breaks out but when there's nothing on the dock and it's a slow news day the cackling and broadcast minutiae smells to high heaven now with a cacophony of noise.

KCBS is being Entercomed.

Natasha Zouves Rumored to be Headed Back to SoCal

"I DON'T THINK SHE WAS READY FOR SAN FRANCISCO."

That's what a veteran KGO-TV staffer told me about rumors of morning anchor, Natasha Zouves, leaving the Bay Area and headed for Southern California, possibly back to San Diego, where she originated before coming here to ABC7.

Zouves has been recovering from a fall on the newsroom set --she slipped and fell on some hair mousse a few weeks back and is recovering at home.

My sources at KGO believe she's done at 900 Front. Zouves' latest adventure is one of many --which may have accelerated her decision to leave the 415. Again, it's only a rumor but it seems to have legs (no pun intended)

Said a longtime staffer: "She's a nice woman, a smart woman, but she hasn't adapted to this station and to this area." The staffer was quick to point out that the latest brouhaha seems to be legitimately fluky and not to insinuate anything else but clearly, Zouves has battled several mysterious issues since coming to Circle7.

Complicating matters for KGO is current fill-in, Jessica Castro, is considered a flat-out airhead and is but merely a temporary placemat. "She doesn't have the mental make-up to carry a permanent position," said a source.

Jessica Castro

Which means KGO might be looking for a new morning news anchor. Keep in mind when Zouves took the gig a few years back several other potential people turned down the gig. It wasn't a high-paying job. Zouves' contract is up this year.

We'll monitor the situation.