Sure, Anna Werner's abrupt departure from PIX isn't earth-shattering, and isn't likely to shock the town, but the move, (and about 80% of it was money--surprise) only reinforces what almost everyone knows: the economic climate is still pretty lousy, forcing ownership to dump high-profile names and more local TV anchors saying to hell with it.
**Brian Copeland's new TV gig at KGO/ABC7 was met with significant surprise by local industry figures, given the scarcity of money in bottom-line budgets.
Read this take from an anonymous poster:
"Copeland ought to hope unemployment remains high. How else to maintain an audience for a show designed to showcase a very minor media personality doing an exhausted format in a Death Valley time slot."
Add to that KGO's recently-axed "View from the Bay" program that debuted in 2006, but never was able to generate an audience, and lost considerable money. Indeed, the 3PM time slot is challenging at best, and lacks the A-25-54 demo that most advertisers covet.
My guess is that KGO wanted to try something new and giving Copeland a shot, albeit slim, at proving his wares is a risk worth taking. Worst case scenario if the show fails, there's always something, be it a judge show or synd. program, to replace it.
Copeland's debut is Sept. 13.
**One thing local TV ad coffers delight in: it's an election year and political ads are welcome particularly when the car dealers are still holding back, (car dealer ads are the biggest source of income for a lot of local TV sales dept.) Of particular note, Meg Whitman may be a lightweight, politically, but her pocketbook is a delight.
**Ran into Vicki Liviakis at Kokkari, (she never ages) and talked about the good old days of KFRC and the 80's and 90's. (Liviakis once toiled as news director at the venerable SF music radio station that Dr. Don Rose built)
**Mundane chit-chat level at KGO radio morning news at 'epic-proportions' level. News? Nada. More talk about American Idol, The Bachelor, Lindsay Lohan, Jennifer Jones-Lee's married life with 'Scott; just this morning, "Ed and Jen" spent an ENTIRE FIVE minutes chatting with a lady in-studio about The Batchelor.
They still don't get it.
Vicki Liviakis is my all time favorite of females on the Bay Area news. I've always figured she would be great to work with.....
ReplyDeleteBefore ch7 changed the news world back in 1969 with happy talk,I remember that ch.5 was almost first with Vicki's husband(ex?) Paul ? and sports with Barry Tompkins and later-Steve Sommers?..Long ago. What was her husbands name? I was always jealous of that guy for being married to her..
ReplyDeleteI can't beleive I actually watch her sell eagle sheild draperys venetian blinds on4 just to see her even now.
Lucky dawg Rich..have lunch with that beauty-I know you wanted the guys around you to think..uhuh..