BAY AREA MEDIA FIGURES:
STOCK UP--
*Frank Somerville, KTVU: As long as the numbers remain steady, and they have, Somerville begins his third year as the lead anchor at KTVU, ("AR"--After Richmond) with solid work and consistency. He gets a few cat calls because of the "anchor look", but he remains Channel 2's top dog.
*Ken Wayne, KTVU: Arguably the most underrated anchor in the market, Wayne delivers a solid, steady, no-nonsense delivery. He's great on the weekend, but he might be headed for a weekday gig if KTVU doesn't see him long term somewhere other than Sat.-Sunday.
*Tom Sinkovitz: The recently-departed NBC-BA anchor is enjoying life with his kids and family waiting in the wings for a local outlet to offer him a gig. Sinkovitz is a veteran performer, A-rate newsman with both style and substance. He'd be an instant ratings-grabber for a station that wants some extra buzz, (Hello KPIX, KTVU?)
*Carolyn Johnson, KGO-TV: I have consistently said that Johnson has immense star power. A supreme hard worker with grace and style who is part of Channel 7's weekday anchor team. Johnson is network-quality talent often taken for granted at ABC.
*Dana King, KPIX: There are some in the local industry that says King is overrated and a 'softie', but I beg to differ. I find King a dedicated, hard-working anchor who has become CBS5's top personality. And even as she gets older, still is drop-dead gorgeous, (It IS, after all a visual medium.)
*Mark Ibanez, KTVU: After 32 years, the dean of Bay Area sports anchors is still holding court at KTVU and has now even dabbled in the news anchor chair. Something tells me that the widely-respected Ibanez has "news tonsil" written all over him. Ibanez proved on many occasions that he can handle any assignment, so don't be surprised to see him in another chair sometime soon. Either way, he's the consummate pro.
*Roberta Gonzales, KPIX: Sure, go ahead and laugh at this one. I get a flood of e-mail from industry peeps knocking me for applauding CBS5's weather wonder woman. Gonzales may be perky and sweet, (and yes, hot too,) but she's simply doing her job. I like it. I like the fact that the giddiness is from the heart; sorry if that sounds corny, but yes, I like looking at her and she's knows her stuff.
*Rita Williams, KTVU: Really, what else can be said. She's just damn good. Period. End of story.
*Wayne Freedman, KGO-TV: I often goof on Freedman's 50 or so Emmy trophies, but one forgets that the longtime Bay Area TV reporter is still doing magical stuff after two decades. Freedman could have easily gone to NY and become a network news star, but he wanted to remain here and prosper. He has and we're all grateful. (By the way, Freedman, where do you house all those trophies?)
*Pam Moore, KRON: Effortless delivery and steady performance, all-around professional with a capital "P"--and a nice person to boot.
STOCK DOWN--
*Brian Copeland, KGO-TV/Radio: Must have pictures.
*Scott Reiss, Comcast Sports Bay Area: Seriously now, how much more vanilla and phony can one get? Gees, Scotty, you're doing sports. There's only one Brian Williams, (and, yes, Jim Nantz)
*Damon Andrews, Comcast Sports Bay Area: Yo, Damon, quit reading the handbook and try to act as if you're not that "important"--Bryant Gumbel already has the job too. Put away the pretentiousness and just read the damn sports.
*John Sasaki, KTVU: Please!
*Dennis O'Donnell, KPIX: Another guy who thinks his -hit doesn't stink. Denny, it's just sports, not nuclear science. Don't be so damn serious. And Mike Singletary says hello.
*Darya Folsom, KRON: I don't have to say another word.
Mark Ibanez, 'the dean' of local sports anchors!? I think that title is owned by Gary Radnich. Like him or not Radnich owns more star power in one hand than Ibanez. More personality (for good or bad) than Ibanez, more name recognition (thanks to KNBR) and more fun to watch.
ReplyDeleteYou want truth? Down:
ReplyDeleteCatherine Heenan. Ever since the BART "riots" in her head,and other "Anything for the company" things she has done...explains why she (and anybody else) has lasted so long at KRON.
Damon Bruce-so bigtime I have to include him when you already have!..he was sucking up to Larry Riley..the end is near. And also,this isnt just he 's a pain to hear-no,its so bad,he's getting turned off and forgotten many a day.
Tony Bruno-His segment with Raddy is sabotaged by Raddy doing all the leading,so Bruno sounds like a echo and imitator of Radnich. So,why have him on the show? you could add Dan Dibley to the imitator list.
KQED ch9..Garbage all day long. Everything the wife in Pleasanton likes and her kids..then by night All the yuppy dreams shows like the anglophile English shows of rolling green Hills and accents...and not a Asian,Latin and the rare black guy-usually only as a shocking lover to the sophisticated blond wife. KQED,no wonder they dont call themselves public education TV anymore.hmm,could be their new motto...
Many more-but some are your favs like Pam Moore,who I see as a company girl all the way.She's not rocking any boat while they pay her big money to sit and knit while Raddy does the news. Pam aint getting younger and one day she's going to be doing macrame,grandma like, while he rants.
So,I wont list her.
Radnich - can't stand his attitude. He is "President of his own fan club" -- Darya -- please go somewhere else, sick of watching you trying to be a superstar, which you aren't by any stretch of the imagination, you are just plain annoying. Dana King, beautiful and could do the job anywhere, she's a pro with so much talent. Sinkovinch -- Someone please pick him up, a terrific talent and I can think of a few stations who could use him and the class act he is. Pix maybe?? A good one to have beside Dana King....Ken is starting to look annoyed and not enjoying his job .....
ReplyDeleteedit to my post you didnt post-I was talking Damon BRUCE and you of course were talking Andrews.nah,no obvious joke about the difference.
ReplyDeleteTo clarify.
Yes D Bruce is a little softer now, but Giants win series(cant crush as much), 49ers and Warriors are transitioning (he crushed pre-regime change and has a wait-and-see attitude, but doesnt genuflect like 680), A's and Raiders get taken to task still and there's only so much Sharks talk for radio until the playoffs. Feel free to listen to Rod and Bob brownose and giggle this week while Damon is on vacation and try to come back with that opinion next week.
ReplyDeleteNothing but empathy for those who've lost their jobs in the downturn, but to list Tom Sinkovitz, who recently lost his job, as "stock up" is a bit silly.
ReplyDeleteThis such a great topic..
ReplyDeleteComcast at 5 stock is down. Diluted by also ran sports -then they rush through major sports talk.
And its more tightly controlled so no difference in opinion between writers. I find myself not the regular viewer I once was..from one of the best sports shows to stagnant speak no evil of local Franchise owners. Amazing they never mentioned Lacobs fan gaffe insult.
Who's stock is up? The Giants,Jim Harbaugh,Claudine Wong-but she's got to smile a bit more too,Christina Loren-she's different looking beautiful blond..not so aryan.
Stock thats nuetral -but could go either way as time goes by? Greg Papa..still the life line of Comcast at 5,it would be no show without him..he works great with comics- much better than Radnich who of course trys to top those who do comedy for a living,Greg rolls with them..hey ,maybe his Stock IS up..talked myself into a better rating.
K&K are in nuetral..they aint changing. Way too much nuetral for Krukow in particular. Dan Ashleys hair is like Jessica's lips...you just stare at it..it was reddish the other day. And the part seems to move around a bit. Why cant he part on the right like everybody else? why is he going for the Pat Sajak look?
more later..lol..
Darya Folsom is a total joke.
ReplyDeleteLove Pam Moore, but,
ReplyDelete"... She's not rocking any boat while they pay her big money to sit and knit while Raddy does the news. Pam aint getting younger and one day she's going to be doing macrame,grandma like, while he rants..."
Kinds of sums up her existence at KRON. As they say. She ain't trippin' as long as the checks clear.
Stock down:
ReplyDeleteMark Dannon - Went from network wonder-kid to KRON company man. He also appears to be enjoying a few too many doughnuts during his early morning shift.
Dana King - She may appear pleasant on TV but behind the scenes she is a slithering snake just waiting to spew her venom.
Rita Williams and most of the older female anchors - Ok Rich. You say TV is a visual medium. Tell her and the others to lose some LBS and get a face lift.
And for that matter, the older men in this business: Lose some LBS and get your eyes lifted and chins to tuck up instead of out of your too-tight collars. Radnich, are you reading?
Stock up:
Jessica Aguirre - Did you see her the other night? Sleek long hair, sexy top? She finally realizes she has to put some effort into her look or else Christina Loren will be taking her job as soon as her contract expires. But get those lips deflated before your stock becomes a sell.
Dan Ashley - Say what you will about his hair but the man is the best anchor this town has seen in a long time. Articulate and compassionate, and a believable delivery.
Darya Folsom - Was her stock ever up? Only in her and her boss' world. The rest of us viewers don't buy into her.
Gary Radnich is morphing into Jabba The Hut. He needs a girdle around that huge thick neck of his otherwise the collars won’t close. Anyone sitting close to him better wear protective goggles and a helmet lest a button from his shirt maims you when it pops. He makes my flesh crawl with disgust. Radnich has single-handedly ruined the Bruno segment. A previous poster got it right. He is always leading the conversations and 90% of the time he leads them right back into his comfort zone: Kim Kardashian and useless pre-Vietnam war era entertainment trivia. He was good in the 90’s. Now he’s just plain horrible. Way over the hill and past his prime.
ReplyDeleteDespite the Ch. 11 numbers, I always thought Jessica Aguirre was good, Joker lips or not. She looks great and has the gravitas of a lead anchor. Stock WAY up!!
ReplyDeleteThe line about Pam Moore knitting cracks me up!! lol
Stock is up for a relative unknown? 'Gates Vitt Tafur. I spotted something in the guys writing from when he started as... different. Then he went off on a east coast writer who had accused Vitt of something I don't recall..but it was fun to read none of that "We are all in the same club" that sportswriters are so anal about.
ReplyDeleteThat kind of honesty might explain why he-as a Chronicle writer- isn't on Chron/Com at 5,but KNBR flunkies as guests are.
Carolyn Tyler at KGO TV. You read almost nothing about here despite she's been here,what? 20 years? More?. Those big black doe eyes still stand out. Sure,she's put on some weight from her young drop dead gorgeous anchor days..but still a fine looking woman. She even seems happier now,when she started she came off as kinda angry or very serious..she has aged well!
ReplyDelete