Hank Plante is leaving, as is Randy Shandobil, (in November, after the elections) which brings to mind that the Bay Area will be devoid of two of the best political reporters in the market.
KTVU still has the talented Rita Williams and Rob Roth, but the bulk of their political work has been led by the savvy Shandobil. He has a multitude of connections in both the city, Sacramento, and Washington.
Plante's imminent departure from KPIX, (CBS5) is more troubling because there's simply nobody over there on the Battery st. corridor that can cover politics like Plante. His shakedown on Gavin Newsom is still the talk of the town from room 200 at City hall to the counter at Tadich Grill.
**Ronn Owens is still talk-show king at KGO, but the shtick factor from his engineer, Chris Hernandez, has to go.
During Owens various topics in the hour, Hernandez plays back bumper music that are related to the subject. (For example, Wed. morning, the topic was the health care bill and Hernandez played Huey Lewis' 'I want a new drug.' Cute. For awhile.) As it keeps going and going, it becomes gimmicky and repetitive.
It's not as bad as the 'Sleeptrain shtick, but its catching up.
Yo Ronn, we like you. The show is great. We don't need the theatrics. I know I'm cranky here, but I'd rather listen to the show and leave the gimmicks to the other guys. You're better than that.
**"They're worthless": quote from a pissed-off radio veteran over the AFTRA local and its efforts of late in dealing with the SF outlets.
In this environment, what can they do? I'm not sucking up to the AFTRA suits, but there's a point where mgt./ownership holds the cards; am I right?
**Lovely state of radio: all the ads: Sleeptrain, Steve Moskowitz, male-enhancement pills and the 'cars-for-kids nausea every three minutes.
**Memo to KGO's morning news anchor, Jennifer Jones-Lee: more news, less giggle.
**Best political reporter on radio: KCBS' venerable Barbara Taylor.
**This little space is a Tiger-free zone, for what its worth. And yes, I know its a big story.
**It was sad to see Ross McGowan doing TV ads for some company the other day. I don't even remember the name of the business, and no knock on McGowan. Its just that he was just on "Mornings on Two" and now all of sudden, he's doing this? Too soon. (Another retirement)
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Was the ad McGowan was in plugging walk-in bathtubs? I saw that ad a couple months ago and thought the same exact thing :(
ReplyDeleteHe's unfortunately following in the same footsteps as Stan Atkinson, a retired news anchor in the Sacramento market, who's doing the same exact thing post-retirement.