Keeshan, who has been at Channel 7 for twenty-one years, (10 years as ND), gathered a "stunned" staff inside the newsroom on Tuesday morning and made the announcement to his colleagues. Per ABC policy, his departure is immediate.
The source indicated that Keeshan "literally had a bag packed" and was ready to go.
Keeshan's been offered a series of positions in the industry, at least locally, but never seemed to close on any deal. The NBC position at 30 Rock was one offer he apparently couldn't refuse.
No word on who might replace Keeshan was immediately known.
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Ohhhh...when a 10 year news director goes out, the next thing that happens is on-air staff changes...
ReplyDeleteNote... new GM.. from LA.... wants own person no doubt... key is what impact will that person have on the news coverage... KGO has been solid and with Channel 2 getting orders from Cox in Atlanta with 90 second reporter stories... unfortunately that means story count....sadly a key many forget is who are the demos.. certainly those under 45 don't watch tv news.. it's the internet baby... so why do these people insist on high story count.. fast pacing... last I looked older demos have an attention span... time to rethink what works instead of same old same old..
ReplyDeleteThey are not interested in what works. They are interesting in what confirms their prejudices so that they can look smart in the eyes of their equally-clueless peers (the blind leading the blind, or as Linda Ellerbe once said, the bland leanding the bland) and get promoted through the system. Take it from me. I'm an ex-insider from at one time or another ALL the Bay Area TV news stations.
DeleteDon't blame the guy. With the disaster that is KGO-Radio, I wouldn't want to be associated with anything with the KGO name on it. Bay Area news on TV & radio is circling the drain. Best to get out now!!!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. When I want to listen to news I'll continue to listen to KCBS. In its drive to cut its costs and maximize profits, KGO's parent corporation, Cumulus Media, has ripped the guts out of one of the most popular stations in the country. I like to think that someone/corp will reformat a local AM station to a 'talk format' and rehire many of the KGO alumni, which will include Ronn Owens in a few years. Sad.
DeleteKGO radio and TV don't share any management and haven't been owned by the same company in over 15 years.
DeleteKGO radio and TV share nothing but the initals KGO. What's that have to do with anything?
DeleteWhat is wrong with the KTVU tele-prompter readers on the 10 O'Clock News? Mistakes all through out the newscast!Summerville and Haener must have eye problems
ReplyDeletekeeshan is an overrated douche bag.
ReplyDelete@AnonymousJan 17, 2012 03:17 PM
ReplyDeletekeeshan is an overrated douche bag.
That hardly makes him unique.
Goodbye.
ReplyDeleteTime for Stef Adrouny to "move on up?"
ReplyDeleteWill they give the post to a woman?
Guess his stock dropped after Cecilia Vega couldnt get a contract here but then pops to ABC National News...wow, he must have been quite a talent spotter (rolls eyes)
ReplyDeleteStupid comment. He was the one who spotted Cecilia and promoted her career.
DeleteRich, this guy reads your blog: http://insidecablenews.wordpress.com/
ReplyDeleteKevin was and is a good guy. He survived some really bad times at KGO and made some unpopular decisions but he always had empathy. He considered the consequences of his actions, something the dikwod who preceded him could not be bothered with. Good luck with your next boss, guys. Kevin will be having more professional satisfaction at 30 Rock than you could possibly imagine. Too bad for the haters, it is too late to get on the bus.
ReplyDeleteComcast subscribers from the Santa Cruz area and perhaps others (would appreciate knowing if this affects you too) no longer get KGO Channel 7 news although we still get ABC programming. I wonder how many people that affects. It probably has nothing to do with how KGO TV news is doing in the ratings although on the other hand it must have some affect especially if it affects a broader area than I am aware of. Unfortunately, for us, we get the same news on channel 6 and channel 7 which is really stupid because one is NBC and the other is ABC. I don't get it.
ReplyDeleteKevin will be missed. A straight shooter.
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/SuqAYSbQgV4
Hi Noel Cisneros. I know that's you.
DeleteStupid comment. He was the one who spotted Cecilia and promoted her career.
ReplyDeleteHey, 7:23, there is a FCC rule about local carry. You cannot get the SF stations in Santa Cruz because you are part of the Salinas-Monterey market. The feds require cable and satellite operators to carry your local station for identical programs. It sucks, but it has nothing to do with network affiliation and channel numbers. The SF stations hate it but nothing will change.
ReplyDeleteWish him the best, knew his family. His sons were great kids and worked hard. I would imagine anyone in media would really have to look hard at the chance to move "up" to NYC. It is the capital off all news media. I am sure KGO will survive but changes will be coming w/out a doubt as someone else comes in and wants to put their "stamp" on the news dept.
ReplyDeleteBTW-The big story on the SF Sheriff? I KNEW it was a young white woman-before I ever saw the photo or heard the name- who would decide SHE would meddle and try to bring down her neighbors."Madison"..mind your own damn business. I think its the Oprah guru effect. Because we all know woman of color never bought into Oprah's bullshit.
ReplyDeleteThen why did Cecilia leave employ of KGO?
ReplyDeleteYou can't figure it out? Better job, national exposure. Pretty obvious. Same company, just at a better level and pay grade.
Delete9:58 in this case not true. KGO-TV used to be carried on local cable (although it was slightly modified, did not carry all ABC 7 programming) in the Mont-Salinas-Santa Cruz TV market because the market did not have an ABC affiliate. However, KSBW made an agreement with ABC to broadcast ABC programming on channel 8.2, thus no longer requiring KGO-TV to serve the area.
ReplyDeleteAlso for whatever reason, cable operators in Santa Cruz County continue to carry KTVU.
"Rich, this guy reads your blog: http://insidecablenews.wordpress.com/"
ReplyDeleteOf course I do. I live in the Bay Area, so why wouldn't I? I even comment on it as evidenced by the fact that I was the first commenter on this thread. DOH!
Anonymous 1/17 at 7:23 (what a way to communicate with people!), I am in the Monterey area and it was indeed a loss to lose KGO-TV in favor of a simulcast (on cable 6 and 7) of the amateurish KSBW 8 with its tired, mail-it-in anchors, obsessive gang-crime coverage, and editorials from a vain general manager who resembles a middle-aged Eddie Munster with a lisp. (Disclaimer--I don't work for rival KION/KCBA, which is even less watchable.)
ReplyDeleteI do try to keep with "ABC 7 News" as best I can online.
Re the "middle-aged Eddie Munster." He is well past middle- age- venturing into preserved mummy territory but ITA with your comments regarding lame stations down here. I particularly depise the CIA Center for Investigative Action logo for KION where the staffers are dressed in black and red in pseudo gang poses. Don't forget Manhunt Monday. No journalism standards at all. No surprise considering KION's delight in snagging a married couple as a news team which they love to promote ad nauseum.
Delete1;59, don't mean to get into a side issue here, but FCC rules require local carry on duplicate network or syndicated programming. The carriers could still run non-duplicated programs, such as the local newscast, but carriers do not want to reserve a channel for programming that is only viable 1 or 2 hours a day when everything else gets a "non-dup" full screen graphic
ReplyDeleteKevin was power hungry and bragged constantly about being the "next" General Manager when Valerie left him high and dry his days were numbered. He's not and will never will be G.M. anywhere because he simply doesn't have the right stuff. Too much ego not enough talent.
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