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| John Fowler/KTVU photo |
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| Tom Vacar |
Tom Vacar is a seasoned KTVU Bay Area News Reporter, Consumer Editor and aviation expert. He's been in the market for over three decades and has won a host of industry awards, including five Emmys.
Vacar is a lawyer too. He doesn't practice but he has a law degree. At various times in the past, management has wanted to part ways with Vacar but pulled back. Remember, he's a lawyer and he has mucho tenure at Channel 2. Not good to mess with a lawyer--they haven't...yet.
*Health and Science Editor, John Fowler, has been a KTVU stalwart since 1975. A station source recently told me the station has a problem: "Fowler doesn't ever want to retire." That's contrary to what KTVU wants/wanted but are you really going to show the door to a 38-year vet? Hell no and even if you tried, the union would be all over your ass. As they should.
*Follow me on Twitter
This is the epitome of a non-story.
ReplyDeleteYou claim in your headline that these are two reporters that "KTVU Management" wanted out.
There isn't a single word of substance in your article. There isn't a single word about who "KTVU management" is, nor a single word about anything that was actually done.
All you say is KTVU (whoever or whatever that is) wants or wanted to get rid of them.
You consider this news?
Can you say Lee Rosenthal?
DeleteI find Rich a liar much of the time. However, in this case he is spot on. Management has tried to force both Tom and John out the door for a long time. Ed clashed with both of them because he couldn't hold a candle to them intellectually or ethically. I can only imagine how how a little boy like Rosenthal must feel.
DeleteTwo consummate pros.. have worked with both of them... they've forgotten more than their ND and GM know about TV, News and Journalism.. plus they have great senses of humor and can spin a yarn that engages and audience... so.. Listen up KTVU... with audience demos over 50.. why would they want to watch kids playing tv... the once great blowtorch is no longer... me thinks the Emperor has no clothes...
ReplyDeleteThese are the best reporters left. Claudine Wong is very good in the field, I miss Jade Hernandez who pops up only occasionally, Ken What's His Name With The New Face and Mike Mibach are both very good reporters, Robert Handa is very good, Patty Lee is good, another long time Asian female whose name is on holiday in my brain is also great, but you can have the rest of the reporter no talents. The morning crew is just awful. Brian Flores has promise. I miss Kraig Debro, and Jesse Gary who landed in LA. I miss Randy, Rita, Dennis, etc. The news now is just pig slop.
ReplyDeleteClaudine Wong is also good in front of the camera.
DeleteFowler and Vacar are solid reporters. Experienced. What does that mean? They have good journalistic sense. They know the difference between what's right and wrong. Unlike the cheap labor that just graduated from the Columbia School of Broadcasting that media people who are slaves to the MS-Excel spreadsheet want these days.
ReplyDeleteI know not being able to jettison these two pros is really pissing off the penny counters in the tower. I'm crying crocodile tears for you mean-spirited gutless swine.
Just remember: you'll get yours in time. There will come a situation when YOU will be making too much and some other machete-carrying ass++++ will want to cut your cahones or vajayjay off too. I hope those you've hurt will be there to see you cry about not being able to pay the mortgage, liquidating your 401K or not being able to pay for your kid's private school.
Don't think for one minute that you're immune to anything.
> Fowler and Vacar are solid reporters. Experienced.
Delete> What does that mean? They have good journalistic
> sense. They know the difference between what's right
> and wrong. Unlike the cheap labor that just graduated
> from the Columbia School of Broadcasting...
What in the world are you talking about??? Most of these people today graduated from Chico State and learned how to keep their hair unmussed when reporting in a stiff wind. The *vets* graduated from Columbia.
Bob McKenzie, Betty Ann Bruno, Rita Williams, Lloyd LaCuesta, Sara Sidner, Leslie Griffith, George Watson, Shandobil, etc were All Pro at writing and producing stories that ran the gamut from REAL breaking News or stories that were those slice of life moments. 'Trending' as the people with master degrees carrying empty briefcases now refer is more about what the pollsters confirm.
ReplyDeleteWhat are you implying?
ReplyDeleteJust come out and say it or quit with the tip-toeing.
So much for "straight"-shooter Rich L.
@11:36 I thought the post was pretty clear. What exactly did you miss?
DeleteFirst the good news-
ReplyDeleteBoth do an outstanding job and KTVU is lucky to have them. Keep them and keep them happy. The youngsters may/should learn a thing or two if the admin lets them.
Bad news-
Rich, are you effing kidding me? If I were either of them, I'd go absolutely ballistic if you aired my laundry, true or not, based on a third party source rather than myself. If they rubber stamped the fact and approved release only if under the guise of the 3rd party ghost source, shame on them too. Information, misinformation, disinformation...where does it end?
Seriously, are you part of the problem or solution?
Is it possible KTVU management was fearing an age discrimination suit? I do not know, but it sure comes across that way.
ReplyDeleteI'm all for fair treatment, but fair or not, much of TV's appeal has always been showing attractive people doing or saying interesting things. Older folks can excite as well, but the impact and the demograph effected changes. Do any networks put visual appeal or marketability into the contracts so they can legally 'reassign' as needed? It seems pretentious for folks to be shocked, SHOCKED that a news show would more often than not want a younger face and physique to feature on the air. I say that acknowledging I'm only average looking and don't have an ounce of that sort of training.
ReplyDeleteMost news programs/sources are geared for 8 year olds and fish.
DeleteSend a mature person and an 8 Y/O grocery shopping, each with their own cart and a $100.00 bill. The mature person's cart is filled with practical items...meat, fruit, vegetables, bread, soaps, paper products, cleansers, etc. The 8 year old's cart is filled with empty calories...Twinkies, candy, ice cream, hot pockets, beef a roni, comic books, etc.
Main stream news offers choices for the average 8 Y/O and there's little time allocated for the grown ups. Why does a newscast include topics like the goings on in reality tv shows? A diet that consists of less and less meat and potatoes...the 8 Y/O's food pyramid mimics the news pyramid.
Breaking news? that's the sugary cereal with a toy inside, just a mouse click away.
Want to capture a fish's attention? Bright shiney objects are the way to go. When was the last time you saw a local newscast with a tasteful background?
We are carp, doomed, malnourished carp.
The most popular news anchor, the most watched newsperson in the USA is over 65. do you know who she is?
Delete@4:27; brilliant post. Tom Tomorrow called it "Action McNews!". WASF.
Delete"much of TV's appeal has always been showing attractive people doing or saying interesting things. Older folks can excite as well, but the impact and the demograph effected changes. Do any networks put visual appeal or marketability into the contracts so they can legally 'reassign' as needed?"
DeleteExplain Dave McElhatton then. Seems he had a pretty good run and I highly doubt he ever blow dried his hair.
Ever watch 60 Minutes, 4:27? Proof that a healthy portion of the population prefers substance and doesn't care HOW old the pros are!
DeleteWe who want news want NEWS. Yes, attractive people help, but for God's sake, if I wanted just THAT, I'd watch ET.
60 minutes? Using 60 minutes as an example demonstrates how little people are paying attention to the err. It's just slow pitch softball now, selling premium commercial time based on the brand they created decades ago. They did a piece on Lady gaga for christ sake. All the stuff going on in the world and they only have 40 minutes after the commercials but they have time for trivial pursuits.
Delete4;59 asks about the most popular news anchor, most watched in USA who is over 65? I would guess you mean the one President Richard Nixon used to call "That tall blondish girl" now known as THEE MS Dianne Saywer. She's always a Lady, (even when shilling for the DEMS.)
ReplyDeleteHmmm....ever met her? I have. Ever worked with her? I have. Not a lady. Manipulative and cold. Cute as a babydoll on camera. Why do people always assume because someone is warm and sweet on camera that's what they're like. How do you think they get those jobs???
Delete11:54 has a point. We in the public are often easily fooled by a "warm" smile or a "caring" tone to the voice. I good actor or actress can pull it off. Good Looking people already know these secrets or social manipulation. I suppose for Dianne Sawyer to survive in that competitive business for as long as she has, by necessity, Dianne had become tough and aggressive with self promotion. They used to call that kind of smile "Butter wouldn't melt in her mouth", a saying where i understand the intent, but it never really made sense.
DeleteI didn't say she was a lady. Fortunately she isn't puffy , but hardcore savvy. I have met her and we did work in the same building for a few years, but on different shows. We had the same hairdresser and the same jumbo rollers...very good for the Veronica Lake style wave,terrific on camera.
DeleteDianne Sawyer? YAWN.
ReplyDeleteAnd Anon 10:41 AM asked: "Fowler and Vacar are solid reporters. Experienced. What does that mean?"
1. It means that if someone gave them copy to read, they would read it BEFORE they wenyt on air!
2. If last-minute copy included Asian-sounding names "Wee Too Low" and "Hole Eee Fuk" - they would NOT read them.
3. Even if told that such names were "verified by NTSB", seeing the FOUR offending names, they wold NOT read them.
Pretty simple.
(Give myself 100 points for this one, KTVU!)
Yawn is right. There's no doubt that 7:02 would find boredom at one of those famous NYC dinner parties thrown by Diane Sawyer and Mike Nichols (her husband) for the city's top artists,diplomats,financiers, and actors.
Delete6:13, Diane Sawyer worked for Richard Nixon, you know, helping him assemble his memoirs,post resignation.
@7:02 Experience in Tori Campbell's case meant Ho Lee Fuk!
DeleteA ' Anderson Cooper" Type @ KTVU-cox-fox is whats needed. For those young enough to remember Anderson Cooper was Programed to the Youth Via "Channel 1" Public school television Years Before CNN. KTVU needs to Hire NEW Talent in similarto how they got Gasia Mikaelian in 2005.
ReplyDeleteKTVU is stale in 2013. It has this Late 80's Early 90's Image that folks like Dennis Richmond and Ellaine Corral carved out. NBC 3 & ABC7 just look alot fresher with the news @ 11pm then "Channel 2" does.
J.S
7;02pm says ktvu has this late 80s early 90s look. Well, maybe they consider that "the classic look" the epitome of what a news room should look and sound like.
ReplyDeleteWorked at 2 with both John and "TV Tom". Fine fellows and indeed competent, smart and funny guys. They were dignified, straight shooting and honest. No wonder corporate media wants them out. It's been what? 30 years? I'm living in Ennis, County Clare where the pace of life is a little, eh, slower than in the SFO metroplex, but I remember some fine times in the KTVU newsroom.
ReplyDelete