The Bay Area has lost a great journalist.
Longtime KTVU News reporter/commentator and writer, Bob MacKenzie, lost his long battle with cancer and died Thursday. He was 75.
The veteran worked at the Oakland Fox station for over thirty years. He won thirteen Emmys and numerous industry writing awards both for his TV and newspaper work.
Said a KTVU staffer: "One of the nicest people in the Bay Area media, and the BEST writer in the whole market. God bless him."
MacKenzie was the recipient of 13 local Emmys, a National Headliners award and numerous other professional honors.
Bob MacKenzie is survived by his wife Miyuki, his daughter Dana and her two grandchildren and his brother, Chief KTVU Photographer John MacKenzie.
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When I worked at KTVU early in my career he was such a great mentor.
ReplyDeleteRIP, Bob MacKenzie.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed his work for the 20 years I've lived in the Bay Area.
KTVU, TV Guide's glory years, KGO-TV, and the Oakland Tribune. All were blessed at one time or another to have the talents of Bob McKenzie. A terrible loss for the entire U.S. media.
ReplyDeleteTo all Rich readers, name as many KTVU alumni from 1968-2008 - the years its greatest reporter/anchor, Dennis Richmond, was there - that you can, and I can assure you most - if not all, albeit some posthumously - were influenced by McKenzie (& his brother John) in one way or another. Another Channel 2 treasure gone from us. Thoughts & prayers to Bob's family, friends, and others in his inner circle.
A career to be proud of. too bad he can't hear us now.
ReplyDeleteBob was everything that has been said about him, a gentleman, a brilliant storyteller and a kind and generous man. I remember asking once if we should use a soundbite from a old WW II vet he had interviewed several years before. I was concerned it might be painful to his family if we showed the video. He said "of course not, his friends will be happy to see him again and remember what a nice guy he was." I couldn't think of a better epitaph for Bob.
ReplyDeleteI am sad to hear of his passing. I grew up in the Bay Area and became a news junky since the age of 14. I always enjoyed his news stories and his calm but confident and informed delivery. I also enjoyed whenever he hosted the Sunday night evening show "A look back" or something along those lines about previous news reports. RIP and thank you for your work. My condolences to his family.
ReplyDeleteAll the local greats of the past for baby boomers are going. I hope Bob March (Captain Satellite) and Pat McCormak-of Charlie and Humphrey are still with us?
ReplyDeleteWe lost Mr.Creature Features 2 or 3 years ago.
McCormick still lives in Southern Oregon, I believe off the coast. Don't know the latest about March. And yes, Bob Wilkins passed in Reno, about 2 or 3 months after Richmond retired.
ReplyDeleteMacKenzie will forever be one of the Bay's greatest reporters ever.
ReplyDeleteBob was "Such an Awesome Reporter"...We will never see the likes of his kind again in the Bay Area...Godspeed Bob MacKenzie, your Job here is done, until we all meet again, its been a pleasure.
ReplyDeleteOh my god. I had no idea!!! When was he diagnosed? He was exceptional. I love watching him whenever he did the news, especially all the human interest stories.
ReplyDeleteEnjoying seeing some of his stuff on YouTube.
ReplyDeleteA master storyteller. You'd be watching the news, maybe only half-watching the news, and there was just a rhythm about a MacKenzie story, something that made you look up and listen....you always ended up learning something you didn't know you wanted to know after a MacKenzie "Segment Two" piece.
Hats off to Bob MacKenzie.
May god bless you and your family, rest in god
ReplyDeleteBob Matheson, who grew up in Millbrae watching Bay Area TV, remarks that "We grew up knowing there's only one two. Well there was only one Bob MacKenzie, too"
ReplyDeleteI had the good fortune to get to know Bob personally when I worked at KTVU in the 1990's as the Weather Producer for Dennis Richmond, Brian Copeland and Pat McCormick. . To say he was brilliant reporter was an understatement. Bobs passing is a great loss, not only to the his family, the KTVU family but the viewing family, as well. He was the absolute best TV writer and was as good if not better then Charles Kuralt of CBS News. Bob set the Gold Standard for writing and producing, and along with Chief KTVU Cameraman John MccKenzie, were miles ahead of anyone in the media in putting a story on the air. Anyone who fosters a desire to become a TV feature reporter or writer should study his work to see how it is done the RIGHT way. No one did it better and I suspect no one will EVER do it better! I can say that Bob was a good friend of mine and I was able to give him some stories ideas that made the air while I worked at KTVU. Bon Voyage, Bob, you will be sorely missed! Meteorologist Mike Pechner
ReplyDeleteI met Bob shortly after I moved to the Bay Area in 1979. His former wife was my boss at a well-known SF financial institution. He was a gentlemen and made me feel like we had been friends for years. He will be missed.
ReplyDeleteBob and I were of the same age (17) and from Oakland when we met for the first time at a magic shop where I worked part-time after school near the Oakland City Hall.
ReplyDeleteThat day he came up to me. I asked him if was shopping for a specific magic trick. He didn't replied to my question. He pulled out a deck of cards from his pocket and began to amazed me wilt his skill he was good, damn good.
I too was a card guy. I showed him my stuff. He smiled. We were on equal par.
We got together often and shared our card secrets.
Fast forward; he was a news reporter for KTVU and I was photojournalist for KRON. We often came across each other while covering the news in the Bay Area.
I good place he resides now. Dollars to doughnuts he will file a news story from time to time from his location.
When we meet again I will say, Bob I got a new card trick to show you.
Louis de la Torre
Bob MacKenzie and a photographer came to our home in San Jose, August 1999, to do a story on our daughter Judi, who had recently been diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome. Bob was very kind and caring and will be missed. God bless his dear soul.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad to see a familular face and voice go.. I've learned so many wonderful thing about him here.. I grew up in Oakland. During the early 90's I was in my late teen's and I worked at the International Deli on E.18th Street near The Merrit Bakery. A greek family owned it then and I remember him coming in there a few times. Cool guy... May god releive you of your pain, your suffering and bless you and your family always. -Mike Davidson
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