He's one of the best in the industry. Twenty years alone in this market. Quality guy with proven credentials and a high Q rating with viewers. Of course he's off the Bay Area TV airwaves.
Tom Sinkovitz, late of NBC Bay Area and the old KRON, got tired of the internal machinations between him and the San Jose NBC O and O and decided to split last December. Management was jacking him around and Sinkovitz, who was tired of the long SF-SJ commute went into self-imposed exile.
You would think a KGO or KPIX would scoop up the proven news anchor, but so far, no go. Even KTVU could highlight him at 6, (allowing Frank Somerville to breathe a little), but logic isn't necessarily a virtue in local TV news.
*Speaking of KTVU, some of the old-timers had a field day of back-room chatter, watching one-time colleague, Sara Sidner, shine, from the battlefield of Tripoli.
The CNN correspondent was universally lauded for her stand-out reporting on the historic events, including live shots with army fatigues on and gunfire everywhere. It wasn't just those elements that brought forth Sidner's acumen, but a cool and calm delivery under the most dire of circumstances.
Many local TV wags and a few of her KTVU buds wondered aloud why Sidner would suddenly leave the Bay Area's most successful TV station back in 2008 for CNN in India, no less.
Perhaps Sidner saw the writing on the wall. Maybe she, as one reader said, was "tired of covering fires in Walnut Creek and doing a live shot from the fountain." (The wrath of "Special Ed" too).
Seems to me Sidner knew what she was doing.
*Sad day in Bay Area news journalism: The Oakland Tribune is no more. Sure, that paper, under Dean Singleton and his army of corporate morons, long ago murdered this one-time king of local papers.
The Trib was once a powerful voice, even in the internet age, captained early on by the Knowland family, rescued by the late Bob Maynard, (a great newspaper man, but a poor businessman).
Most of you probably don't know these names, but a few stand out: Bill Fiset, (Oakland's Herb Caen), Ralph Wiley, (superb sportswriter who had a long tenure with SI and coined the term, "Billy Ball"), Ron Bergman, (great beat reporter and sports writer), Harry Harris, (still working the crime beat and one of the best in ALL the newspaper biz), and Ed Levitt and Dave Newhouse.
Another sad day in local journalism.
*Follow me on Twitter
I remember all of them...is Bill Fiset still with us? Levitt passed didnt he?
ReplyDeleteBut of them all,as a kid who was the greatest Trib employee? Ron Reisterer.I still have a old,old,scrapbook I made at 12 or so years old of Ron's Raiders photos. Big Ben crushing Greise's neck is the cover. And that was back in 1969 or 70. I knew Ron as great long before Ansel Adams.
The Raiders were made for Ron and black and white frozen in time moments. A perfect match.
The masked "S"
I remember them all also, along with Robin Orr the society writer. A nice little paper- good national and local coverage- even the roller derby results! It's sad, but inevitable, to watch the slow death of the newspaper business...
ReplyDeleteThe reason why no station snaps up Tom is because it is not a financially sound decision. I would guess Tom would want a fat check, and the stations know that paying a old, has been anchor a lot of money does not pay off in the ratings game. Get a clue Mr. Media. While Tom was at NBC11 did their numbers go up....no. You do not need a big name, old school anchor anymore. All you need is somebody competent in reading the prompter and works for less. Tom is a good guy but I am sure he won't take a drop in pay and refuses to do what is being requested by anchors now, which is to have a more active role in the newscasts, not just read the news. Once again, you are stuck in the past Mr. Media.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's the problem Brian. Over the years, the reason that people watched the local news was partly because they identified with the anchor and the reporters, and become acquainted with them as trusted friends. They invite them into their living rooms each night to explain the local and national news stories of import. Having some young bimbo or fresh faced kid just a few years out of college
ReplyDeletereading the news may save the station money, but it is not providing quality or public service to the community. It's unfortunately just another example of how local TV is slowly disconnecting from its audience. It's sad, because the really experienced and well liked and well regarded journalists (radio, TV and Newspaper) are being pushed aside by a core of
neophytes who are not nearly polished enough to work in the major market. Some of the best local broadcast and newspaper journalists have been thrown out of work at their peak years, just because these bloodless corporate a-holes such as Dean Singleton want to make more money.
What ever happened to the idea of community service? The radio and TV licenses used to be granted to companies with the assurance that they would provide the local community with news and important public service. But over the years that seems to have been disregarded. Now it's all about making as obscene a profit as possible to satisfy a bunch of greedy shareholders and adding more money to the already bulging pockets of fat cat CEOs so they can finance their newest yacht or vacation home.
This is one of the many reasons why our country is going into the tank!
Thanks again Rich for pointing this. So many people, (especially the folks born after 1970 who were brought up in the 1980s and have no recollection of what it was like before) just blindly accept the way things are and say:
"well, that's just how it is." Instead of doing something about it, they would rather spend hours straining their eyes (I wonder how many people are going to have eye problems 30 years from now from so many hours in front of the computer and cell phone!) gazing at screens large and small as they try to connect from their fellow human beings.
And this isn't happening just in journalism but in many other fields as well. In our greed driven society of today it seems to be acceptable that the some of the best
and most experienced workers are expandable because they make more money. Well guess what? You want quality, you have to pay for it! You want crap, like Walmart and Target, and much of the local TV and radio, and you'll get plenty of it. The old saying: "You get what you pay for: has never been more applicable in this country as it is today! The problem with many people in our society today is that they're so busy chasing a buck and racing around in their cars and having
text-messaging mini-conversations on their cell phones and they can't even take the time to think, let alone care about what's going on. That's very sad!
As you might have already surmised, I am not a big fan of what is happening in the 21st century in America! It's another sign that this one great country is going to hell in a hand basket!
The Tribune has a rich legacy. It published editions reporting of the 1906 Earthquake under a combined banner when the San Francisco papers lost their presses in the fire.
ReplyDeleteBefore it began, the producers of "Lou Grant" spent some time in the Tribune City Room, and brought back photographs to recreate it as the Los Angeles Tribune. Runyon's, the bar in "Lou Grant," is the Ringside.
When Gannett owned it, the Tribune was the incubator for the USA Today. It began as The Eastbay Today, a pet project of Gannett chair Allan Neuharth and Tribune publisher Bob Maynard.
To 9:47 anonymous - good comment although it is a flawed arguement. People did not tune in because they 'identified with the anchor and trusted them', they tuned in because they were the only game in town. Now with all of the fragmentation it only proves the fact that those big names do not carry any weight. Just because somebody spent time honing their craft in a smaller market does not make them ready for a major market. I have seen several people who have worked for about a year in a small market and jump to a major market and do just fine. It is all about finding somebody who is competent and talented. Doing a newscast is a public service but it is also a business. If there is no money coming in that public service goes away. You may not think it is a business but it is. The company has to make money to upgrade and improve. If Walmart and Target are, as you said, 'crap', then why are they so popular? Because the price is right for what you get. It is simply smarter to buy an ice chest at Walmart for $10 than $30 someplace else. Same goes for information. How much more inportant is it for some 'quality' person tell me about a BART protest than it is for somebody who is making less money? I think none.
ReplyDeletenice blog fatso. go get a sandwich
ReplyDeleteWho cares? I mean really, who cares? Tom Sinkovitz? Really? He did a great job wherever he worked, but the reason why he and other veteran anchors have been so devalued is that reading the news in a compelling way just isn't a very important JOB anymore. Sorry, it just isn't.
ReplyDelete"Man, that guy, he reads the news so well, he just takes me along for the ride of my life...wow."
Yeh, right.
Here is what they should do: hire four or five serious, accomplished investigative journalists with the salary they would pay a, "top anchor." Put each on ONE story per week or maybe one every two weeks. Uncover some real dirt. Ferret out a real story that matters to me where I live.
Deliver two-four BIG local stories each week that matter to me where I live.
In essence, become relevant. The audience will return.
Or, you can cut the overpaid veteran anchor, hire a pretty face for cheap, let the station pocket the money, and move up the corporate ladder as a "finder of efficiencies."
Yeh, that sounds easier.
* Readers and others have 4 months before the 'East Bay Tribune' takes place in November to convince They-BANG to reverse their decision. Maybe one reader of both the Trib & Mr. Media can convince Ed "Lou Grant" Asner to launch a campaign. Who knows? We've had past, present, and future famous faces come by the Eastbay like Robert Redford, Maya Angelou, Jesse Jackson, the late George C. Scott, Rita Moreno (still residing in Berkeley), and Anna Deavere Smith among others who have done local community work for the Eastbay (even U2 voice Bono stopped by 85TH AVENUE, of all places!). Why not have a little activism fun and see how far a harmless protest like this can be taken?
ReplyDelete* BTW, I miss Sidner. Outstanding reporter, professional beauty, took no Special Ed crap. It's sickening that Special Ed is still at KTVU. Morale will still be a struggle no matter what Somerville said to Lieberman months ago until all the bad seeds leave JLQ.
* Don't know the whole story about why Sinkovitz & the SF Bay Media can't find a new connection, but why not try the Monterey Bay? Beautiful scenery, nice community, oh yes, obviously not enough cash and viewers. Never mind. Same with Sac, Chico, Fresno, SLO, etc.
* Other Trib names from the past: Perry Phillips (daughter Frosene took over her late dad's column 20 YEARS AGO; man, does time fly by), Ed Schoenfeld, Bob Valli, Brenda Payton, and many, many more. I'm surprised they don't just rename it 'Eastbay Today', like they did in the early-mid 1980s.
The day that Trib dies is the day that bay area will be a lot less better place. The earthquake last night was Bob Maynard and all the previous owners of the Trib. I grew up reading the paper and CCTimes. It's a sad day for the bay area.
ReplyDeleteGee our old La Salle ran great!
ReplyDeleteIts all about..."Its The Economy Stupid!" If you look at KPIX Ch.5, they let go all of their Ace Reports, (i.e. Hank Plant)and hired on all Cheaper Reporters & Anchors.
ReplyDeleteIts all about the News Outlet bottom-line nowadays....$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Money talks BS Walks!
I've said it before. I believe there's a stench attached to kron 4. The station is so god awfully amatuer, that anyone who appears on it brings that stench. Why would another sf outlet want to put that face on their newscasts? It only serves to bring down their value.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's the big problem! It's all about money!
ReplyDeleteI understand that businesses need to make money to survive, but when you downgrade the product so that your clientele gets less quality, you're doing everyone a disservice. And to answer the earlier question: If Walmart and Target are so bad, why do people still shop there? Because Americans are less concerned with quality these days and just want everything for cheap. We've all become obsessed with the almighty dollar since the 'era of greed' under good old Ronnie Baby started back in 1980.
This attitude is eventually going to be our downfall, as people aren't supporting American products by buying them, they're buying cheap crap from China just to save a few bucks. When you shop at Walmart and Target and other 'big-box' stores of that ilk, you're actually undermining America and are being unpatriotic. I say: Boycott these big-box businesses and then eventually we'll go back to supporting companies that invest in American products and American workers. Companies that serve the local communities should have full support, but if they don't, then boycott'em! The same certainly holds true for the media.
Just look at how far down once highly regarded stations such as KNBR and once proud TV operations such as KRON and KPIX
have fallen in recent years. They've cut costs by divesting themselves of their most valuable assets:
The on air people who brought viewers and listeners to those stations. By being shortsided and cheap, they've cheated the bay area, and unfortunately, our government has allowed this to happen through deregulation.
Dergulation of industry has been a disaster, and the conservative and middle of the road politicians who originally championed the idea are now strangely silent when the topic is brought up. Those folks are as guilty as anyone for the downgrade in our society!
12:33pm is full of shit. Sounds like some low end twit that works in the TV News business for pennies on the dollar, because he needs the job. His argument is flawed greatly, as the great anchors were often more than news readers. They brought a point-of-view or persona in a highly competitive market situation. Today the B & C level talent is anchoring and making far less. This know it all, never made it to to the top level, he's bitter.
ReplyDeleteWhy all the negative comments about our good friend Richie Lieberman! He's one of the few folks out there who actually acres about the local media and the quality of what it is doing.
ReplyDeleteRitchie has been around for a long time, knows all the names and faces and appreciates fine talents such as Sara Sidner and Tom Sinkovitz who are unfortunately a dying breed.
Lay off the guy! He's bringing the bay area quality commentary, and providing a forum that is quite valuable. Many of you little self-important little weasels who cowardly hide behind a keyboard and rip the perennials and the 'old school' mentality that still has a place in our mixed up, messed up world need to have a little historical prespective. You bring nothing except your bile to our discussions, and many of us are growing weary of it. If you don't like what's being said here, Go elsewhere a...holes! We don't need your juvenile, low brow drivel !
As far as you go Rich..keep up the good work. You're providing the bay area with a much needed public service and there are plenty of folks out here in the cyber world who need and read your blog daily, and not only appreciate your point of view but respect the even-handed manner in which you deal with sometimes controversial and sensitive subjects. Stations like 'Knibber,'
KRON, (how do they ever stay in business with the crap that they put out there!?) and Comcast Sportsnet need to be taken to task!
Reading some of these comments really makes me laugh. For instance, "Brian," who says things like Sinkovitz is a has-been anchor, or you don't need "...an old school anchor anymore." OK, if you have some rookie in the anchor seat, two things happen: they have no true judgement and experience, especially in a live, breaking news situation. And if they don't have the depth, then you must go back a step and look at the producers, writers, desk staff, etc. How much experience and insight do they have. I think it's also misguided to say someone like a Tom Sinkovitz is either unable or unwilling to do what's asked of him as an anchor. If you've ever worked with him, you know that is not the case.
ReplyDeleteYep, you CAN fake it on a news day with lots of rookies and save $$$ when nothing really happens. OTOH, you'll find many newsrooms now woefully unprepared for breaking news situations for that same reason.
And, perhaps, the main issue is the public isn't aware of the quality of news they're getting--or NOT getting.
Ultimately, it comes down to is a news organization trying to practice journalism of some sort, OR is news content simply filler between commercials?
Funny. The battle over the importance of a news anchor. Hank Plante leaves, ratings stay the same. Tom Sinkovitz leaves, ratings stay the same. John Kessler leaves, ratings stay the same. Ken Baustida leaves, ratings stay the same. Alan Denton leaves (KNTV), ratings stay the same. Anchors are important but they do not have a great impact on overall numbers. Lead-in and time does. KTVU rules because it is on at 10pm. 11pm numbers depend on how well the newtwork primetime lineup is. Those two shows dictate how well the morning show is.
ReplyDeleteGive me Pam Moore on KRON 4 anytime. I love her and that station.
ReplyDeletePam is okay, but you love KRON?! Are you serious?
ReplyDeleteI'd like to know what you'e been smoking lately! KRON is a four-star disgrace, the butt of local jokes, and the antithesis of what a large market television station should be. First Young Broadcasting completely screwed up and ran the place into the ground. Then they brought in nit-wits and jerks to run the newsroom, and they rudely and unprofessionally shoved a lot of good experienced people out the door by brow-beating and intimidating them with bullying tactics. I have a good friend who has been working there for years, normally the most happy-go-lucky of people, but even he admits the working atmosphere of KRON as "Toxic."
It's sad to see how far KRON has fallen, given their once respectable status in the community and their core of solid, experienced, and popular news folks. They're kind of like the 49ers, struggling after some great times and not able to find themselves. At least they still have Pam Moore, Gary and Vernon Glenn!
I used to read the Trib so I could look at Russ Reed's cool photos! Too bad that USA Today couldn't step up and buy the Trib and the CCTimes. Like you said Singleton and his morons have killed the papers here in the bay area and have allowed the newsblogs to take over. Examples are Claycord and Patch.
ReplyDelete