I remember Mike Sugerman way back in his KFRC radio days, (working along side Vicki Liviakis and Mike Colgan--Liviakis, now at KRON; Colgan at KCBS).
He was, and is, a constant walking time machine and energetic presence in the business. The Eveready bunny would be proud.
As his KPIX bio states, Sugerman is one of the best story tellers in the country. Although he's now more a fixture on CBS5, I look forward to Sugerman's weekly "About The Bay" features on KCBS Radio. Think of a combination Mal Sharpe meets Mickey Spillane on the streets of San Francisco. That's the essence of Sugerman's mass-quantity, highly-spirited, actuality-enhanced man and woman takes about the bay. It's the kind of old-style radio that's rarely heard in this day of Walmart content.
It helps that Sugerman has been in the Bay Area for over thirty years and knows his territory. And his subjects too. You name it, he'll ask you about it: gas prices, the Middle East, Ross Mirkarimi, the Giants, there's a flavor for everyone on board.
Sugerman's work is well-regarded by the industry. He's won eight separate Edward R. Murrow awards and 14 Emmys. That's a lot of hardware recognition. Knowing Sugerman, I'm almost certain the gold statuettes are probably in his basement. After all, there's only so many to you can place on the coffee table.
An aside: Sugerman's wife is longtime KCBS anchor, Janice Wright.
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Mike Sugarman is one of the best radio newsmen this area has ever had. Plus, he is the ultimate gentleman, and unlike many who have 'made it big' in broadcasting, he hasn't let success go to his head.
ReplyDeleteMike had a close call a few years ago when he suffered a blown out heart valve but was saved because a paramedic happened to be in the elevator that he was riding in, and was ab le to stabilize him until he could get to a hospital.
Mike should be around for a good long while to come....KCBS is lucky to have him and a number of other top talents at their disposal. I appreciate the fact Rich that you're giving this
'unsung star' some much deserved recogition.
He deserves it!
Well done.. Mike deserves the recognition.. but I might add that there are many over the years who toil behind the scenes who make Bay Area Broadcasting something to be proud of..
ReplyDeleteAmazing the talent the old KFRC had in its news department. Sugarman, Vicki Liviakis, Ken Bastida and I know I'm forgetting a few.
ReplyDeleteSugarman's cool. My wife was like why is he always doing stories while BBQing on his terrace. (I guess a couple of recent stories he did from home). I said cause he got it like that. Rather that than some boring "newsroom" shot". Funniest one was recently when he was doing a story and marijuana was involved and I swear he never denounced it and looked way too relaxed during the story. But yeah- very good man about town reporter. Better than the Foodie Chap dude who used to stories along those lines.
ReplyDeleteAgree with your post regarding Mike Sugarman.
ReplyDeleteEasily one of the best (along with Stan Bunger) in Bay Area radio.
He has a fluid and easy style. Never forced.
His stories are the bright spots on KCBS.
Too bad a radio station at 680AM does not have professionals like Sugarman and Bunger. Listen up KNBR hosts you might learn something about your craft.
I have nothing but good things to say about Mike Sugerman. I had the good fortune a couple of years ago to be one of Mike's About-the-Bay feature stories. As I was driving over to meet him at a mutually agreed upon rendezvous location here in Fremont, my mind was running riot with curiosity about how Mike plies his trade, having heard countless About the Bay features over the years.
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased to say that Mike was the gentleman's gentleman. Professional through and through, yet smooth, calm, and extremely easy to talk with. No pretensions... jeans and a flannel shirt. Not just a reporter going through the motions to complete an assignment, but a man who clearly was genuinely interested in the community volunteerism I do and why I do it.
I'd guess we must have spent about 40-45 minutes together and it passed like it was five minutes. It was not only interesting to watch a smooth professional doing his thing with his well-used audio recorder, but a lot of fun to boot! And when I heard each of the three different versions of my story that he composed from all that raw audio, he had focused in on exactly the portions that I think best represented me and my cause.
Based on my experience, I can see why Mike has won all that hardware. After five minutes in his presence, you feel like you've known him for years. What better way is there to garner believable, spontaneous, and award winning "people stories"?
I second all of the above comments about Mike's gentlemanly demeanor. Unfortunately, a nice, goofy attitude does not guarantee reporter skills. If you dispassionately examine his work, he is a one note samba. His pieces are formulaic and much too predictable. "Wacky" only works one-off. For just one example, how many times has he used an actual pie to demonstrate a pie chart? Facts in his stories are usually incidental. It is a great blessing that he is still alive and I am sincerely happy to see him on the air, but the truth is, he is not a very good reporter.
ReplyDeleteThose Murrow Awards....they're the highest in the country. The Emmys are fairly prestigious. Turn off the tv and listen to his radio stuff. After many years in newsrooms, I can tell you the only thing wrong with Mike is there aren't more like him.
DeleteThe guy is "best of class" as I'm sure many of you will agree!
ReplyDelete