From broadcast sources, some of whom have direct access to sensitive information: the very possible blueprint to a possible SALE of the station!
It's a behind-the-scenes missive by Disney to begin massive financial trimming of its O and O's to maximize a potential sale and KGO wouldn't necessarily be the only station involved. Think LA here too. "Leaner and Meaner" comes into play. Nothing is imminent mind you but weeks ago the first target was KGO when all air talent and newsroom personnel, (with the exception of cameramen), were told there would be a 20% across-the-board pay cut. (Ouch!)
Carolyn Johnson, one of the station's higher-profile anchors and a stalwart of the operation would have nothing of that and began looking at other options--she found a higher-paying gig with significant perks in a bigger market, Los Angeles no less, and is leaving. The station is unknown, but I'd bet it would be KNBC. (Don't believe the bullshit memo that Johnson was leaving amicably --she left 100% due to the pay cut announcement). Only the sheep press bought that spin.
KGO News Director, Tracey Watkowski, has been given the directive to begin the process of slashing and mashing and, from a source, "she's the perfect person to do it--has 'ice in her veins--she knows a lot of people don't like her but she doesn't care." Until afterward when Watkowski becomes the scapegoat and she herself gets the Disney axe.
*TRANSACTION: Here's an interesting one. Mark Mathews, who is a veteran political reporter and was unceremoniously dumped by Watkowski a few months back, has been hired by NBC Bay Area and begins his new position on Monday. Odd coincidence.
Here's another: Leigh Glaser, the KGO veteran meteorologist that retired abruptly last week. Glaser leaving wasn't that shocking but the timing, in lieu of the pay-cut directive and Johnson's splitting sheds new light on why she took off so suddenly.Here's a laundry list from another source of what management is thinking of various personnel. It's not the gospel and far from being enacted but good enough to show what's on the horizon:
In Sports: Shu is out too old and expensive. ( Nice guy ) They looked at Scott, (Kate), but it's not worth the effort. Freelance is the best option
*Keep Biel only because he does news & sports
*Retire Eric Thomas, he's too old.
*Keep Kristen, (Z morning Amma evenings)
*Management will hang on for at least a year because they've been tapped for dirty work. Hire a "nice guy" team after the damage is done and the station is sold
Are KGO radio and tv still brother and sister? Seems like they're owned by two different companies yet their website is 1 in the same.
ReplyDeleteI figured the Scott thing didn't turn out with KGO. I think Tracy Whatshername knew that she would soon read, She fired the Asian anchor for the Lesbian,and isn't that the way it goes- pitting two far underrepresented sports minorities for the same job? And now she doesn't have too.
ReplyDeleteShu?...that would be an age discrimination lawsuit..why would KGO want that from him AND Eric? Too obvious.
I think the Dan's and Spencer's and the Chery's all figure..take the 20% cut for now..and then get it back+ with new ownership. Better when your older to use your mind instead of the ego...
To answer your question, no, KGO Radio and TV are not related. The nationwide sale of the ABC Radio stations to Citadel from Disney extinguished the relationship. The website landing page is and always has been a handshake agreement both before and after the sale.
ReplyDeleteHard to believe Cheryl Jennings is not on the chopping block. You simply cannot look at her without changing the channel. Why anyone would choose plastification of their face to read a teleprompter is flabbergasting..
ReplyDeleteHas it occurred to anyone that selling off of KGO radio would permit Mickey Luckoff to possibly come back into the picture and rebuild the station? For that matter, I could also see him buying KSFO and rebuilding that.
ReplyDeleteYou would be nuts. Mickey is not a kid and has better things to do in retirement than spend his many millions to rebuild two radio stations. The price would be many many many millions and the rebuild would take a long time. Mickey, enjoy your retirement. . Not going to happen. No need. He's been there done that. As for an investment group -- no need. The stations are overpriced and the market already destroyed by Cumulus. Investors aren't buying radio just to lose money. Buying the original ABC stations wouldn't even help as they all have incredible debt -- including KGO & KSFO.
DeleteLook, you can't tell me that as a town we can't do better than this. Yeah, Mickey's up in years. Who was he mentoring? There has to be someone.
DeleteThe general public doesn't understand the in-house dynamics at stalag 7.
ReplyDeleteDisney is owned and operated by all those stellar individuals and their offspring who
fled to Paraguay and other points South America after WW2. Disney/ABC has systematically installed incompetent junior nazis to decimate the O&O station's
highly skill staff. Among them at KGO are the chief engineer and her valet, Janice Reyes and Jack Frasier and the field Ops manager Michel Camus. These cretins in concert with like likes of TW et al are laying waste to something that was once the standard of excellence in Bay Area broadcast news.
Why would Disney sell KABC though? It's in their backyard, and I think it's still #1. KNBC hasn't been #1 in quite some time, and KCBS hasn't been #1 since it was KNXT.
ReplyDeleteThe profit of a sale -- especially at the top of the game, not in operating. ABC would gladly sell if the inflated price were right.
DeleteThe concerns expressed by Taipan @1:47 are not unlike the situation in middle management at so many corporations these days.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it that Rich and you other Lieberman loyalists act like this is only happening in broadcasting and only in San Francisco? You over-dramatize, like it's all about you, and fail to understand the context.
Your angry indignation is childish and foolish.
A quick review of Disney's latest 10-K and 10-Q show that broadcasting is bleeding the organization. It is still profitable but not nearly as much as it has been previously. It is also a minor source of revenue relative to the other groups.
ReplyDeleteYou can't bleed the organization and return a profit at the same time.
DeleteHow do some of these twits get job in management? I guess being an asshole is a pre requisite. You have to look no further than KGO or KRON for that matter. A former employee over at KRON told me that when Aaron Pero took over as News Director after being a producer, he immediately alienated practically everyone in the news room. Do these folks just figure that they have to put the fear of God into everyone to make things work? What kind of warped philosophy is that anyway? I'll never understand it. It doesn't work, has never never worked, and will never work!
ReplyDeleteIt is so funny as I'm reading this,...the former site of KNTV studios in San Jose is burning down.
ReplyDeleteOnce an ABC affiliate,...the abandoned site at 645 Park Ave, ..San Jose....has been torched by homeless people.
You'll love it!...on ABC......hahaha
Why don't they just keep the tower and transmitter and a $12/hour graduate to watch over them.
ReplyDeleteThen, originate ALL the programming from Texas or Georgia or wherever they could simulcast stuff to 30 or so markets. If you can do traffic from Texas, you sure as hell can do news from there too.
Wait! Wait! here's a **bonus** idea---->
Why not originate the progamming from India or Puerto Rico or some other really low wage or really subsidized location.
Pure genius!
My resume will be in the mail to Dickey in the morning.
That's great except KGO-TV and KGO radio are entirely separate and owned by two different companies. Save the postage.
Deleterootvg.....don't hold your breath awaiting a return of Mickey Luckoff. Mr. Luckoff is approaching 80. His era has past.
ReplyDeleteTrue that the observation that what's happening at KGO is typical of corporate America in general. I am unable to grasp the corporate wisdom of management through fear.
ReplyDeleteCounter productivity by design to what possible end? I need more wine.....anyone else?
Some of you need to wake up.
ReplyDeleteIf mickey Luckoff had a magic pill he'd have a job.
He's fortunate to have escaped when he did, leaving behind a legacy of success which makes people believe he has a special formula.
He doesn't.
I'm wondering what's gonna happen to KSFO. I'm a conservative sitting here and telling you what they have is an abortion.
DeleteRich,
ReplyDeleteJust a thought here but I don't think KGO is for sale right now. Disney and DirecTV are due to renew their carriage agreements. The O&O are a huge part of that deal just like ESPN is, Local TV is a cash cow for all these large networks....I think someone didn't think through all their info before they gave it to you......
Disney and DirecTV are both trying to hold their lines Disney wants to see DirecTV add SEC Network and Longhorn Network. DirecTV wants to show they have power and make Disney cower down like they did for Comcast/The Weather Channel. Selling off local O&O takes away a lot of that power. Take away a local major market station in the top market(s) plus no ESPN, DirecTV could see a mass exodus of customers.
The traditional view is that the O&Os were the cash cows of the business. Why would ABC look to unload them?
ReplyDeleteHas something changed in the business?
As a secular Jew I didn't care for Luckoff's affirmative action of many mediocres simply because they were Jewish. Krasny, Rothmann, Owens, Spann, Wattenberg, Rodgers and countless others were simply self-adoring legends in their own minds. Ergo for the Gentile boobs like Eason, Dunbar, Ward, ad nauseum.
ReplyDeleteGood riddance to KGO.