As Media Landscape Gets Depleted, Local Names and Faces Disappear

SANFRANCISCO

02-08-'09

Rich Lieberman

Familiar faces and voices of the SF Bay Area Media landscape leave and disappear-as massive cuts, layoffs take shape...KGO-TV/ABC7, KTVU/FOX2, KPIX/CBS5, NBC11 Fight for Local Identity.

Radio/Newspapers looking to survive as worsening economy forces new faces and voices.

SAN FRANCISCO

As the economy and fiscal state of the nation continues to worsen, and as the media landscape is further depleted by the corporations that own our radio, TV, and newspaper product here in the Bay Area, the most telling and obvious aspect of this situation can be seen and heard most especially right on our airwaves.

There's a significantly higher amount of new, (read: cheaper) anchormen and women delivering our nightly news and sports and weather; reporters out on the street covering stories in city's that they're not geographically aware of, and a slew of correspondents interviewing various local people, politicians, sports figures that look as if they just landed square into the nation's 4Th largest TV/radio market.

As one observer that watches a heavy dose of local TV news, and listens intensely to local radio news, entertainment, and sports stations, the familiar names and faces, the by-lines in the biggest paper in the area, the SF Chronicle are noticeably, increasingly absent.

San Francisco is a city of geographical landmarks; most obvious, the Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower, Fisherman's Wharf, and the Transamerica Pyramid. Cable cars, hills, and the Embarcadero too. To a lesser degree, there's also Mt. Sutro tower, the massive antenna that stands about 800 ft. over the city that drives the area's TV station's with it's power.

Locally, it's referred to as "Sutro Tower"; imagine the disgust the other day, when a very young, obviously newly-hired, female reporter referred to it as "Sutro Mountain Tower". Nothing earth-shattering, but any local TV resident most likely either shrugged their shoulders in disgust or simply gagged out loud like this observer.

During a news radio traffic report on KCBS radio, a metro-traffic lady reported of an accident on the "Bas-COM" avenue exit off a highway in San Jose. Anyone who has lived in the area knows the correct pronunciation is "Bas-CUM" avenue; it's fairly clear this woman has no knowledge of streets and freeways because she also referred to the approach to the GG Bridge as Doyle "avenue", when any local person knows it's actually "Doyal Drive".

Just a quick glance of the reporters and anchor folks reveals that the layoffs and new personnel that have arrived here as a result of the economic purge, is that your familiar favorite faces have either left and taken new jobs, retired, or have simply been let go.

The newspapers are not immune either, obviously, as a quick look at the SF Chronicle and/or the Oakland Tribune and San Jose Mercury News feature newer bylines and old standby columnists, the few that are still around, have begun to blog as papers try to find a way to reinvent themselves in these challenging times.

The new talent in the radio/TV local industry is of course not simply occurring in SF; the same audio/visual phenomena is also quite the stark reality in mostly all markets; as budgets are slashed and the cost of keeping quality reporters and anchors and newspaper writers shrink, owners are looking for cheaper workers and have quite a steady pool of sports anchors, news reporter/talent, who are quite willing to leave a smaller market for an alluring TV/radio arena like San Francisco.

Those anchors and/or news/sports readers that have been here for more than a decade continues to shrink. Gary Radnich, arguably the biggest, most well-known Bay Area media personality, (KRON4/KNBR Radio) has been in SF for 23 years; KGO radio's Ronn Owens has held forth the 'mike at the famed talkie for 34 years and rules morning radio; ditto morning news anchor Ed Baxter and afternoon-drives Rosie Allen. At all- news AM 740, reporter Bob Melrose has been on the streets of SF for 35 years for KCBS and Stan Bunger has read the morning news for over 20 years. Mark Ibanez just celebrated his 30th Anni. at KTVU/FOX 2 as Sports Director. KQED-FM Radio's Michael Krasny, host of "Forum" has been on the Bay Area radio airwaves for over three decades. These individuals are exception to the rule.

They are the dwindling talent as the entire SF-Oakland-San Jose media canvass is changing day-by-day. One can only hope the purge doesn't get worse.

ADDENDUM: Noted Bay Area Media columnist Bill Mann reminds me some notable local anchors I forgot to note, who have been here many decades, including, KGO-TV/ABC7 capable anchorwoman, Cheryl Jennings, and Don Sanchez, a reporter, sports anchor who began at KGO in the early 70's...Ken Bastida has been anchoring at KPIX/CBS5 for almost a decade, but started at KFRC radio in the mid 70's, ditto street-reporter, Mike Colgan. I'm sure I have left someone else out; if so, please leave a note and sign in.