Quick PIX bullet points:
*Bruno Cohen will inherit a newsroom with deep division among some of the wily veterans--those who are liked by news boss, Dan Rosenheim, and those he clearly doesn't like. Most of his old KRON consortium aside, Rosenheim's act among some inside the building is getting tired and there's some grumbling.
*Enter Bruno Cohen, who has a ton of respect among the rank and file, spent time at the old PIX, pre-CBS5 days, and has virtual complete control, all with corporate Black Rock blessing. In other words, expect more moves both on and off-air.
*Is Rosenheim's gig safe? Depends on who you ask. Some speculate that the recent morning quagmires, (Frank Mallicoat, et al) and the other in-house angst has accelerated the Bruno hiring. (With Ron Longinotti taking the fall for the ND--and that naturally, Rosenheim is next. Wait and see on that).
*NY influence and money: Many of the personnel moves involving high-profile talent, (among them, Roberta Gonzales) have come from NY CBS' affiliates directives. That's not all on Rosenheim, but clearly, Rosenheim has never liked Gonzales. She remains immensely popular and although is making less on her current deal, (replaced by the far cheaper and innately boring, Paul Deanno), is comfortable and safe.
Others may not be so fortunate. (Dana King is safe; Ken Bastida recently re-upped.) Brian Hackney makes a lot of money and is a Rosenheim buddy. That's hardly as asset, (stay tuned.)
*Managers: too many chiefs and not enough Indians.
*Bruno will come in, sip some water, and do what he has to do. NY has full confidence. Most importantly, NY wants leaner and meaner pods with better repartee. Bruno has the cachet, the respect and unlike the ND, won't be looking over his shoulder.
Manhattan is calling.
Good. We may get a decent newscast back in the bay.
ReplyDeleteDon't hold your breath. The mediocrity in local news is a symptom of systematic change in the business and not caused by deficient individual local management.
DeleteNY standardization is a way of life for O and O's, but it's admirable that PIX has yet resisted a complete generic identity. (while the station uses the default WBBM news-music theme, the old Westinghouse logo remains as a symbol of the good old days.)
ReplyDeleteThe recent personnel changes (Mallicoat, Griego, Deanno) smack of the generic, but the presence of King and Bastida as lead anchors is a holdout for an old-school SF tv news tradtion--capable people who are anything but propped-up Kens and Barbies, and maybe even look kind of quirky and frumpy.
How long this will last who knows, but we can hope that some vestiges of the KPIX we've known for so long can remain.
for those of you thinking we may be getting a decent newscast.. don't hold your breath.. it isn't going to happen.. trust me.. having working in the biz for years.. I may not know for sure.. but my gut tells me.. the biz has changed for the worse...
ReplyDeletegod you wish you were important, dont you? Why you go back selling used hyundai's? Your crush on Roberta Gonzalez is sad. I would love to see Randy Hahn sock you in the face. It would be society doing us all a favor. You like Roberta? great. You dont like Paul Deanno? great.THe truth is, it DOESNT MATTER WHAT YOU THINK. The sooner people realize that media members are using you as an outlet to whine about their bosses, the sooner people will start to question YOUR motives, which are rooted in handouts, freebies, and pathetic grudges. The SMART, free thinking people will realize that you have no real information,that you are nothing more than a puppet to those trying to slight their management or get a raise, and that you are the embarrassing shadow of a wannabe never made it assclown loser. Do yourself a favor and beg for a pizza somewhere else, like a box, or a corner. At least people will not be diluted into thinking you are anything more than what you are: a professional troll.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet you continue to read Rich. And who's the troll?
Delete@ 11:46 Dan Rosenheim, is that you?
DeleteCouldn't agree more with the OP.
Delete@ 11:46 Copie, is that you? I hope you're not still bitter about Rich reporting that you will become the new host during the weekdays when Ronn Owens's contract expires.
DeleteI agree that the days of a decent newscast seem to be over. Like Rich has mentioned in the recent past, there are too many "Breaking News" stories, which turn out to only be minor things. To me, a "Breaking News" story is one that is of the utmost importance. As for the personnel changes, these have been happening for the past 2-3 years, beginning with the buyout of contracts of good veteran people such as Sue Kwon, Anna Duckworth, and others. In addition, it culminated in the sweeping out the door of John Kessler and Sydnie Kohara, although Sydnie eventually left of her own accord after agreeing to a new contract, it was clear that she stayed on too long in such a harsh environment. Jennifer Jolly, late of 7Live fame, is currently hustling as an independent tech "expert", but clearly, she is quickly aging out. Example? KGO just a couple of days ago announced that they had acquired the services of some female tech expert who has a high profile. Looking at her though, clearly, she is just another younger, prettier, and probably cheaper version of Jennifer Jolly.
ReplyDeleteJust as video killed the radio star. Internet killed the tv news concept. You can get any news you want on your phone in seconds. The reason Cronkite was the most trusted was because viewers didn't have a choice. It'll never be like it was -- doesn't matter who is hired to sit in the big chair.
DeleteCronkite earned his chops as an AP reporter in the trenches and flying missions during World War II. He was the real thing. He had decades of experience as a reporter and editor. His news judgment was impeccable.
Delete@3:49 And if he was working during the internet age, no one would care. People in this age don't care about experienced war journalists. Sad, but true. If I were wrong, local, and cable news for that matter, would know how to get ratings, but they don't. Instead, most local news stations are still using the Cronkite model in the internet age. "Thank you for trusting us." Well, we don't.
DeleteYou can still catch Duckworth on KCBS.
DeleteCohen has a great reputation and a history of success, but I doubt he will have the money for more reporters, even if he gets rid of most of the managers. Rosenheim is toast. He and Ron simply ran out of ideas. You can't say they didn't try, and both are good people, but their time is up.
ReplyDeleteNews department aside, Bruno will be the chief money guy. Once he gets a look at how many millions of CBS dollars were wasted on uncompleted, failed or unneeded big projects and incompatible computer systems, it won't be the fourth floor that gets cleaned out first.
ReplyDeleteThis could finally be an end to "KRONyism" at KPIX.
ReplyDeleteHey, 4:26, all good, but it started about 5 years ago, not 2 or 3, when NY dictated a $1M budget cut and gave SF a week to figure it out. Rosenheim wanted to drop Dana, saving about $800k and preserving the maximum number of jobs, but Ron ruled correctly and with great difficulty that the anchors were the principal connection to the viewers. The Ron and Dan era ended that day. They knew it, whether they admitted it to themselves or not. Ron was crying for the good people he fired, but the subtext was the loss of his station and the ability he had to do some good. Their careers are essentially over. Not because they killed somebody or ran off with the CEO's wife, but because they will not be able to take a prestige job at a larger station or major network without an overabundance of cynicism. Omaha, Cleveland, Buffalo, Fox. These are their choices now.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Rich is fawning all over Roberta. She is very popular and he states it. I fail to see the orgasm in that fact. Since I get most of the news on the net-when I watch a TV newscast I am looking for attractive personable people who can deliver it clearly. I am also looking for good local stories. I watch ABC7 at 4:00 P.M. and CBS5 at 5-6:00 P.M. It works for me..
ReplyDelete@2:51 respectfully disagree.
DeleteRich has two categories, he either despises you - i.e. Radnich, Dickeys, Cumulus, anyone succeeding in the current media environment - OR
he loves you i.e. anything from the past or someone like Roberta who might become a victim of the new villainous media organizations.
No in-between and he loves Roberta.
So, I guess Dave McElhatton wouldn't fit in today's environment. Pity
ReplyDeleteMaybe Manhattan will read this:
ReplyDeletePlease, oh please, dump Ann Notorangelo. Her random emphasis on equally random syllables is crazy-making.
I understand that mgmt has probably told her to emote - and she does do a fair job with the hands - but her voiced emotion, at the very least, should be appropriate to the topic (not to mention what the writer intended).
King is much worse with her smirks, hmmm's, and judgmental remarks. She's unwatchable. Her being employed, in a key role in less, is living proof to all you atheists that a merciful God does exist.
DeleteOn the drive home on KBCS, I hear Roberta give a quick weather update and a plug for the later TV news. She does that same random syllable thing. Drives me up the wall.
DeleteAsk Dana, how's her ex -hubby Linden King?
DeleteOur little bay area media world is a microcosm of the larger pool inhabited by the national media, politicians, performers, and artists, and activists. People seem to want to know all of the little quirks and twists in other people's lives. I guess it's human nature to get off vicariously through someone else's life, because to a certain degree our own lives may be unfulfilled.
ReplyDeleteThere are some really interesting people in the local media, but it was a lot more compelling back in the 1960s through about 2000 before all of this consolidation and 'dumbing down' cheapened the product and prematurely ended careers.
My favorite bay area broadcaster of all time was Bill King. He was the only guy who did all three major league sports (NBA, NFL and MLB) at the same time, and he brought such creativity and
energy to his broadcasts. I like the fact that he also eshewed TV, because it was "not a true broadcaster's medium."
I still occasionally listen to his calls of those famous Raider games such as 'The Sea of Hands' playoff game vs Miami in 1974, and the 'Ghost to the Post' overtime post season game with the old Baltimore Colts back in 1977. Bill rose to the occasion when a great play happened, kind of like a singer who hits just the right notes.
Bill had so many other interests outside of sports, and I think that's one of the big reasons he was such a fine broadcaster. He was an accomplished painter, a sailor, studied the Russian language and history, loved the opera and ballet, and believed that paying over $1,000 for a car was in his words: "a ridiculous waste of money!"
Alas, Bill King was like the buffalo; broadcasters such as King just aren't around anymore!