*Have you noticed the schlock at KTVU News? How about numerous story counts, (much to the disdain of editors), buzzed, high-amped reporters doing high-strung teases, and "Blair-Witch"-type camera angles darting away from said reporters. It looks weak. And it's beginning to destroy the old Channel 2/KTVU brand.
Said a SF TV news wag to me, "Welcome to 21st Century local news." Oh shit, can't they leave some stuff alone.
Most evident of the ugly new style took place Saturday night when uber-hyper Eric Rasmussen cafineated all over the screen during a stand-up. Shit TV. And Rasmussen, (an out-of-towner who makes Mike Mibach look positively droll), would be better served doing infomercials.
I feel for Ken Wayne trying to conduct that orchestra.
*KGO-TV News Director, Kevin Keeshen, recently turned down the GM job at NBC Bay Area.
*Good Ralph--Bad Ralph: As my sources continue to tell me that Barbieri's days at KNBR are numbered, let me say that I've got a lot of respect for the grizzled 24-year veteran; that said, there's talk of the "good Ralph, bad Ralph."
The good: Barbieri still elicits loads of pub for Knibber and is a dominant personality regardless of whether you like him or detest him. He can still do the occasional "only Ralph" interview where he'll ask, (albeit, long-winded) questions that no one else can or will...The bad: the frequent off days, (that Cumulus suits don't like), the tacky Amici's plugs/spots that have become overwrought, (even as a paid commercial), the gruesome Larry Baer love-affair, in which Barbieri has been accused of being overly-cozy with Mr. Giants, (who do you think paid for Ralph's trips to playoff and World Series games?)
There are those who say Barbieri, (whose deal expires at year's end), will stay on at Knibber one way or another. They can't imagine him NOT being at KNBR....We'll, two things can be mutually exclusive: Ralphie may stay at 55 Hawthorne and Ralphie could be working far cheaper than his expiring deal.
*Follow me on Twitter
KTVU has been my only local news for the most part of the last 35 years.......
ReplyDeleteBut they are nearly impossible to watch for an hour now. WTF happened? It's great so lets screw with it.
I agree, it's a shame what is happening (has happened) to KTVU. There are still some great folks there, but very spot on on this column. Especially with the "Blair Witch" camera shakes. Well, not especially, considering some of the reporting, but right up there.
ReplyDeleteAgree about the goofy camera angles and hyper-reporting. Rasmussen is always leaning into the camera, or leaning in from the side, has a disconcerting effect. Is he capable of standing straight?
ReplyDeleteUsed to be the best local commercial newcast in the Bay Area; now it's back to "if it bleeds, it leads" and "chasing firetrucks, ambulences, hearses, and undercover sex raids." But don't blame the producers -- programing simply reflects focus-group research.
ReplyDeleteThere is no good Ralph.
ReplyDeleteIf it's true that Barbieri's days at KNBR are numbered, let's hope it's a small number.
I think what your saying is that Ralph is a total sell out,who always has his palms open to "gifts" and "favors" in return. And then openly admits he's in the Giants pocket.
ReplyDeleteStill,isn't that what Fitz and Brooks and Raddy also do? Damon Bruce is shameless in getting free meals.
I think Ralphy boy must have given too much attitude to the suits at KNBR. Maybe too much "You need me-you dopes". Just look at what happened to Bill Nuekom.
Fred Zehnder held off the shlock. All the changes did not occur immediately after he left, but soon, reporter package lengths were cut to 1:45. Other newsrooms in town correctly identified to their own reporters and producers the increasingly apparent lack of context in Ch. 2's crime stories. From being the gold standard, KTVU then became held up as an example of how not to report. The station still has high ratings. It's only the quality that's dropped.
ReplyDeleteRalphisms:
ReplyDeleteWhenever he refers to an athlete as "surprisingly articulate" he is referring to a black person.
Occasionally he feels he has the need to remind everyone that he is heterosexual and will remind his listeners that he (when he lived in Hawaii, of course) "dated many beautiful women".
"Suffice it to say..."
When he is brown nosing, uses the first name or nicknames. "Nelly, Larry (or Lare), Mooch, Ned, Timmy etc."
When he detests someone it is "Davis, Beane, Nevius..."
The days of the good Ralph are increasingly rare and I cannot stand to listen to all the !@#$% in between. Go soon Ralph, go soon.
ReplyDeleteIf Mr. Keeshan was offered a job at NBC, does that mean his duration at KGO is coming to an end?
ReplyDeleteI think Keeshan was offered the KNBC job in Los Angeles... Not KNTV. KNBC job has since been filled, and there is no GM opening at KNTV... so I'm guessing Keeshan is staying at KGO?
ReplyDeletere: KTVU. The major thing that bugs me is the useless man on the street interviews. Do they go out of the way to pick the most useless people out there? Never do any of the wo/men on the street have anything intelligent to say nor do they add anything to the story.
ReplyDeleteI used to watch all the time, it's pretty rare I do, and when I do I find myself yelling who the fuck are you at the screen as some idiot blathers about something they know nothing about.
You should do a post of yesterdays 49er press conference. Wow,what winning does to grown men who cover sports-and WO man,as its obvious that Ann Killion loves Jim Harbaugh as she gets melty melt at everything he says. You know it Ann.
ReplyDeleteThe guffaws from the crowd-those are the same guys who make of the White House corps for horse laughing at everything Obama says...and they fawned over every Harbaugh utterance.
Wasn't Harbaugh the villain two weeks ago with his no more Tweets?..Now the press loves him and he can get Ann anytime he likes!.
All of the stuff at KTVU is part of a consultant driven program enforced by COX in Atlanta. Broadcasts must have a minimum number of stories no matter whether they deserve to be on air. Reporters are required to be creative in their stand-ups or walk arounds these days. Packages must be no longer than 1:45 with intro no matter what the story is about. The producers even the News Director have no choice. This is a demand by the owners and anyone who won't tow the line is on warning that they will be canned.
ReplyDeleteHmmm... so if KTVU's News Director and General Manager have no choice in what goes on the air, why does COX employ them? Wouldn't is make much better fiscal sense to just fire overpaid automatons and replace them with a college intern with a Xerox machine to distribute memos from Corporate? Perhaps they could, I don't know... do their job for a change? Make good decisions and then stand by them... Perhaps sit down and explain to Atlanta that the San Francisco news audience has a longer attention span than the average TMZ viewer and might just want to actually know something about news, not just sit and watch a Twitter feed for an hour?
ReplyDeleteIn other words, why doesn't COX remove Special Ed? By doing that, there will be more positive dominoes for KTVU & its viewers. Not only should we feel for Wayne, but for Holmes, Sommerville & Haener, and Campbell, too. They also have to put up with Rasmussen and Mibach!
ReplyDeleteI don't feel sorry for Heather Holmes, she's annoying on the air when anchoring, her reporting has seemed a bit "sensational" when I've seen it, and she's not really that good as eye candy, either. I've never understood why some folks think she's all that...
ReplyDeleteKTVU used to be terrific; now it's merely average. That's sad because, at 10, it has no real competition. I think expanding the newscast schedule to 5 & 6 started the downhill slide. On a solid, big story, they still do a good job but, day to day, there are way too many fill-in-the-blank cop-shop stories. And then take Heather Holmes. Please. Send her back to Lubbock or wherever it was. Her "I'M HEATHER HOLMES AND I WANNA ROPE A GOAT!!!" anchoring style doesn't work in the Bay Area. Mibach is actually not so bad if he would just relax a little bit and not be so wound up. A few other of the new hires are fine; others should have stayed in market #sub-150.
ReplyDeleteGaaack! KTVU is doing the Facebook thing now - "reporting" things that people posted on the KTVU Facebook page.
ReplyDeleteI also don't care for that goofy, "Thanks for trusting KTVU"-thing they say at the end of their broadcasts.
How about a serious, non-trendy newcast, KTVU? That's why so many people liked you before. Now you're becoming indistinguishable from the other newscasts.
I like the idea of firing special Ed and replacing him with an intern to send out corporate memos. They could spend his salary on more writers and video editors.
ReplyDeleteagreed about Holmes, she is just awful.
ReplyDeletecan't read a story from beginning to end without a mistake if her life depended on it. Also she just sounds like an idiot. have to always be ready with the mute button when she is on. Praise for the mute button.