KTVU News has had a few hiccups here and there since top anchor Dennis Richmond retired in May of 2008, but by and large, they continue to dominate the Bay Area news ratings in several blocks, morning, noon and night.
Beginning a week from today, they will expand their successful AM news franchise, with a Weekend "Mornings on Two", (with anchors Mike Mibach and Claudine Wong--Meteorologist Rosemary Orozco has been hired from KTXL Fox 40 in Sacramento to do the weather.)
KTVU has a simple formula: keep it straight and simple. They rely on mostly uniform reporting and anchoring and its that model that has kept them on top for well over a decade. The transition from Richmond's departure, (and Randy Shandobil too to an extent,) has been remarkably smooth and effortless.
While a few notable names have split and a some hands have uttered some angst toward a relatively new news director, the station as a whole remains first rate and infinitely profitable for its Cox broadcast owner.
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"Amber Lee in San Francisco". Has she ever set foot outside the City? Do they mail her a paycheck from Oakland?
ReplyDeleteChannel 2 is just ok (as Obama would say), it's "likeable enough". There are other good news operations in the area and certainly better operations in smaller markets. I don't understand your unrestrained enthusiasm for KTVU. If you're ever up Portland way check out Belo's KGW-TV, you'd swear you were watching WNBC or KNBC--it's first rate and last time I checked Portland was about 15 or 16 markets smaller than SF/SJ. Since we're discussing 2/KTVU isn't it about time they re-did the logo? This is the 21st century and that ugly "2" needs a redo. Maybe their design consultant could go on the web and check out some other "2" logos? If FOX is ever lucky enough to own the station I can guarantee you that logo would be gone in an instant.
ReplyDeleteIve seen KGW newscasts many times, they are just as good as KTVU. My problem with KTVU is reporters not knowing where they are reporting from like Rita Williams not knowing where shes reporting from! DOH!! Its' just as bad over at KNTV those reporters and the ND need to study up on how to get around Contra Costa with out looking stupid and using a GPS! They need reporters and photogs who actully live here in the area like KGO and KPIX have.
ReplyDeleteI, too, don't understand your ga-ga over KTVU. Yes, they're traditional when most of the rest have gone exploratory in trying to stay current (i.e. standing up in front of plasma screens and doing the news from the newsroom). Yes, they have the 10pm news, but the only reason their ratings are "dominating" is that its the only hour-long news at 10pm. If everyone was on at 10pm, I doubt they would dominate. Their major advantage is great lead-in programming. Their anchors are in my opinion the most boring twosome on television news. Julie has as much personality as my left ear. Show me some spice! Overall, Bay Area anchors are incredibly constipated but KTVU's are in desperate need of a suppository.
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