So, from a number of KGO-TV staffers, Leigh Glaser, who's set to leave this Sunday after 23 years at 900 Front, wasn't a big fan of News Director, Tracey Watkowski... Supposedly, Watkowski is a control freak. That wasn't what accelerated Glaser's decision to leave; she was ready to split and wanted to be with her family.
On the other hand, the polarizing Watkowski, who's been monitoring weekend newscasts with a mounting urgency, was known to call into the assignment desks and producer's box and make a lot of rash inquiries, including talent. Watkowski wasn't going after Glaser directly but some of her busy bees may have passed on some notes. Weekend newscasts, particularly Sunday nights, generate some of the highest viewer numbers in the Bay Area and Channel 7 in particular. The good news for Watkowski is that given KGO's fairly solid numbers her status is safe but some veterans aren't thrilled with her mercurial style. Factoid: Glaser's sudden decision to leave was announced to the staff via an e-mail by Watkowski. Draw your own conclusion.
*Veronica De La Cruz is set to join KPIX in May and will work the 6 and 10 News. We told you that and made an inference about what may have led management to look for a "prominent hire." Turns out, according to my spies at PIX, Elizabeth Cook, who was almost the face of the operation working the 5, 6, and 11 newscast, seemed to be burning out. Cook is a capable news reader and proverbial "cutesy female anchor look" but PIX's early-evening numbers have been steadily down and just recently they have been getting killed by KGO. The De La Cruz hire is the first major move by PIX upper management. She came to the city via MSNBC and will work alongside Ken Bastida.
NEWS, NOTES, and COMMENTS: Score round one of the guest wars between KNBR and 95.7 FM, "The Game" to Damon Bruce. Bruce, who began his new show on Monday, had highlighted his first guest, retiring Cal basketball coach, Mike Montgomery. Only problem was KNBR's PM driver, Tom Tolbert, had also told listeners "we're trying to get in touch with 'Mike Montgomery...turns out Montgomery did his scheduled 10 minutes with Bruce and about 30 minutes later, went on the air with Tolbert. Kudos to Bruce and The Game which seems to be attracting the better guests and scored another coup by nailing down Giants MGR, Bruce Bochy on its morning show a few days earlier. The latter was especially embarrassing for KNBR considering Bochy was on the A's flagship station. Probably helped that one of the Game's AM drivers is ex-Giant, Aubrey Huff...A note about Bruce: only heard bits and pieces of his first show and while I've had my ups and downs with the new Game PM host, he's at least a breath of fresh air and more than an alternative to commercial spot-heavy, KNBR with 800 hours of commercials, traffic and sports updates. While KNBR's Tom Tolbert has the advantage of Giants/Warriors lead-ins and a better signal and 50K-watts, Bruce's edgy repertoire will sway a few listeners over to FM...Freaky situation over at legendary leftie airwave Berkeley's KPFA where a bigwig was fired only she locked herself into the back office and blocked the door and has the support of many of her staffers...
Wasn't sure about Damon Bruce, and of course only a couple days in, but so far I like what I hear. But the "new" morning drive show of Bucher, Townshend, and Huff is a DISASTER. Bucher & Townshend were okay in the afternoon, but they just are not the right fit for a morning show. And obviously Huff was only brought in for a March 31st start date because it's baseball season. But he's just as dull as Bucher and Townshend, doesn't know JACK about other sports, and surprisingly doesn't offer great insights on baseball. Plus he sounds like a guy that is already thinking twice about why a loaded ex-baseball player would take a job where he has to get up at 4am 5x/week.
ReplyDeleteMemo to 95.7: You might have done well with the Bruce hire, but it was beyond idiotic to fire The Rise Guys with the plan of bringing in Bucher & Townshend...TRG had fun, quick bits they'd do ("text tussle", Questions for Kreidler, Jockpardy, etc.), and Whitey Gleason knows how to keep a show moving. He even made Dibley tolerable. But "BTH" are abysmal...they try to be morning "edgy" and it just comes off as forced and creepy, but even worse, it's BORING. Heck, Haberman and Middlekauf were MUCH better the couple weeks they filled-in in the morning, I'd rather listen to them.
I'd have to agree with your assessment of BTH and the Rise Guys. Letting the Rise Guys go was a big mistake.
DeleteBut the irony is, BTH even in its infancy is STILL better than anything on KNBR.
DeleteThere are 2 reasons I switched from KPIX to KGO and KTVU about 6 months ago. First, the quality of their "news" stinks. It's all fluff. Secondly, they crank up the volume on their commercials. I have e-mailed them to complain 3 times. Nothing. They lost me. I actually liked Cook.
ReplyDeleteThis does make me laugh...how management will replace X with Y and assume that solves a very complex problem. There are myriads of reasons people tune in or don't tune in, but management, which has no clue despite what it may claim and the sheafs of "data" they'll wiggle at you, thinks it's as simple as pulling out one spark plug and inserted a new (untried, untested) one.
DeleteMorons.
Tracey W's "she devil" management style is kool-aid for a sinking ship. Nothing new here, just follow the carnage fom Philly to Fresno to SF.
ReplyDelete"The De La Cruz hire is the first major move by PIX upper management."
ReplyDeleteDid you forget the dumping of roberta? That was long overdue but the zombie weather lady just won't take the hint and beat it.
Dumping Roberta Gonzalez was the best move they made in forever at KPIX. She was to KPIX as Jan Wahl is to KRON IMHO....
DeleteI wonder if she was unable to stir up interest from the other stations. Why else would she stick around and take the abasement constantly dished out to her each and every day?
DeleteWhen the light bulb is only 5 watts.. its "burns" out quickly
ReplyDeleteWay to go, PIX management. Good to know you're aware of The Problem.
DeleteLiz Cook is a spoiled little brat who was not qualified for the job when she got it. She couldn't write, report or anchor for shit. She called Daddy who got her the job here. FACT: she thought people would recognize her in the streets because of her job. It's SF toots, nobody gives a fuck about the run-of-the-mill young nubie bimb on the news.
ReplyDeleteShe needs to go. And take her DB husband with her.
Who's her daddy? ("Who's your daddy!")
DeleteSeriously, this 20 something getting burned out just reading a teleprompter... please! There are so many people her age that would kill just to even have a job. Hey Liz, don't Cook because you will get burned...pun intended.
DeleteAgreed! The only reason PIX moved Cook in was that she was much cheaper than Dana King. Cook couldn't carry Dana's pen. Cook needs to take her "Joker" like mouth lines and head for Bakersfield.
DeleteWhat is it that Liz's daddy does that causes KPIX management to lose its sense of good business practice? And what is it that Liz's hubby does that allows him to allow her to embarrass herself each and every weekday evening? An oddment.
DeleteLeigh Glaser the last few months has lost a lot of weight. Maybe being told to lose weight or else,was the last straw.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't doubt she turns up an another channel when that contract allows it.
Why don't you lose some weight yourself Stan. Specifically the fat on your fatass mouth. Your better start your diet by drinking some fat free water ho.
DeleteI can't believe people even listen to clowns like Bruce and Radunich, or even sports radio at all...I'd rather hear an informercial...sports radio blowhards are the bottom of the intellectual barrell. Sports radio is inane and stupid, period.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck to Leigh...I've always considered her MILFy...maybe GIFLy at this point...wtf, I'd still hit it.
> So, from a number of KGO-TV staffers, Leigh Glaser, who's set to leave this
ReplyDelete> Sunday after 23 years at 900 Front, wasn't a big fan of News Director, Tracey
> Watkowski...
This made me laugh so hard it hurt. Who IS a fan of Commandant Tracey von Watkowski? Anyone? Helllooooo? [*crickets chirping*]. Oh sure, she has LOTS of fans...they're just all on vacation this week.
It's all about longevity and Tom Tolbert will maintain his following. Damon will have one year max enjoying that bloated salary and then he'll be making sandwiches at Ike's
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping KNBR does bring back Byrnsie, so I might have a fighting chance. OK, I know I have no shot but he's even worse than me. I know, HUH!? My sandwich @ Ike's is overpriced though, close to $14 for a sandwich? I'd rather go to a Raider game.
DeleteSpeaking of Tolbert and KNBR.....where is Ratto this week?? No mention of him from Tolbert. If Hammer brings back bull lungs...I'm done...I'll switch to Bruce
ReplyDeleteBruce sounds like he has a chip on his shoulder. So far I love it.
ReplyDeleteNot really related to this blog, but I found it interesting. Just heard Gil Gross discussing the retirement of David Letterman with his newswomen, forgot her name (Valerie Grant I think) saying he has not watched David Letterman in years, because he i.e. David Letterman has been phoning it in, it is the same old, same old, no creativity, Gee, Gil if your rating is down which they are, but you need to take a good look at YOUR OWN SHOW, and how much creativity YOU HAVE.
ReplyDeleteAmen 3:20. Gil gross has become unlistenable for me. The one thing I could never stand was how he elongated words while struggling to find what he wanted to say. I listened to him recently for the first time on his new station and found him still doing it. But now he does it a much more elaborate fashion. Just took me mere minutes to find the off knob.
DeleteI posted the 3:20 blog, Gil use to be listenable when he was on KGO and took calls, he was never my favorite, but given the right subject I would listen. Now he tries to fill 4 hours 5 days a week with no callers, might explain how he tries to fill time with hm, hm, answering his own questions (the most annoying) and just talking without saying anything. When he goes into his newsman mode, he is better, but for the most part his show is just boring, problem is there isn't much else on that time of the day. Depending on where I am on the Bay Area, I can get Dave Ramsey he is on 3 to 6 pm. 650 am Sacramento, otherwise it is music, and checking in with Gil, but for most part like you I can't listen for long.
DeleteRich, you aren't being consistent.
ReplyDeleteWhen KNBR has an A's player as a guest, or Ken Korach etc. you don't call that "especially embarrassing" for the A's station. (instead you criticize the Giants flagship for not having them on enough); so when the A's station, who you compliment for having a more balanced bay area sports coverage, gets a Giants player or manager it is "especially embarrassing" for KNBR? How so?
Surprised last night Sf Giants game was relegated to Csn Hometime Network instead of their usually location with the warrior game shown in its place.
ReplyDeleteThought the giants would have priortiy even though the game was an hour earlier for basketball.
I think Liz Cook had some work done during her recent absence. Every time I looked at her I thought to myself that she sure looks like Charlie McCarthy's dummy! Now I cannot find those same lines on both sides of her mouth. An improvement, I guess. But, she is such a young woman that I find it sad she felt it was necessary to alter her face so early in her career. Wonder what she will look like when she reaches Cheryl Jenning's age!!
ReplyDeletePossible work on the forehead, too. Like Julie Haener.
DeleteGreat move by PIX. Cook and Allen Martin are a good team with great chemistry. Highly competitive at 5:00 P.M. Bastida and Del La Cruz should kill at 6:00 and 11:00 P.M. Two pros, very attractive and can deliver with the best of them. Their main competition? Plastic surgery and a hair transplant-not a fair fight..
ReplyDeleteMartin seems to work well with all of his co-anchors.
DeleteYawn.....I don't see what's the big deal of Bruce Bochy's being on the GAME.... Right before every Giants game on KNBR, they have the Bruce Bochy show.....Also....The Game's sudden obsession with the Giants is troubling to those who want The Game to be the A's flagship.... What's the deal there? (even though I'm a Giants' fan).
ReplyDelete