Barely six weeks after its long-anticipated debut, KPIX's youth-oriented, (that's the intent at least), experiment, "Nightbeat" is attracting very few viewers and has become the butt of jokes among some of its own staffers. One need only watch it to discover why.
As I wrote here early on, PIX wasn't planning on going after KTVU's "10 O'clock News" viewership--concentrating instead on attracting a younger, tech-oriented demo that might be interested in watching an airy, lighter newscast dominated with quicker stories geared toward their liking. Nice concept, extremely poor execution. "Nightbeat" is an acquired taste: like herring in coffee. I really wanted to like this experiment and have tried long and hard to give it a chance but the look, sound and appearance of the show leaves me shaking my head in disbelief, like are they kidding? No they're not.
Veronica De La Cruz, the newbie star reader PIX brought out from NY to anchor this mess, (along with the conventional 6 PM newscast), continues to look diminished here in this vehicle. Bad enough the program is awful, worse yet, it marginalizes VDLC and she comes off looking clueless and superficial. For starters, the "TRENDING" graphics and over-reliance on gimmicks such as the weatherman and sports guys without ties is forced and contrived. Even geek millennials can smell a rat when they see one. Nightbeat's patronizing pillage to Gen Y is a sorry excuse of farcical minutiae with sophomoric "bits" and dumbing down of the news. Moreover, the idiotic and loud, "GAME ON!" shout each night uttered by De La Cruz to introduce the sports segment looks more like a "Saturday Night Live" skit. Why not just a snappy, "hey, Dennis, tell us what's going on in sports tonight?" No, that would have been too normal and acceptable --go with a stupid gimmick that has staffers texting in-house jokes to one another, that indeed is TRENDING!
Worse yet, the split-screen close-up of both O'Donnell and VDLC back and forth looks awful and awkward. Absurd, really. Who was the genius that came up with this beauty? Calling all interns.
Worse yet, the split-screen close-up of both O'Donnell and VDLC back and forth looks awful and awkward. Absurd, really. Who was the genius that came up with this beauty? Calling all interns.
Nightbeat is both condescending and foolish. Remarkably stupid too. It's perfectly fine to cater to a younger demo by offering Twitter and Facebook "updates" but when it's the centerpiece of your program and when the subject matter frequently is unabashed trivial garbage, what's the point? Here's PIX trying to offer an alternative newscast that has to rely on superficial crap --in essence mocking the very audience it's trying to cater to--why not just come out and say, "Hey, you kids are a bunch of fucking morons!" At least that would be honest.
Furthermore, and quite frankly, utterly befuddling, why would KPIX constantly utilize the Facebook/Twitter card? Wouldn't that be defeating the purpose? The Facebookers and Twitter crowd are more than likely NOT watching a local TV newscast--maybe the blueprint would have been better off by merely concocting a fresh, good, compact, simple news program, remember that age-old relic? GAME OFF!
Furthermore, and quite frankly, utterly befuddling, why would KPIX constantly utilize the Facebook/Twitter card? Wouldn't that be defeating the purpose? The Facebookers and Twitter crowd are more than likely NOT watching a local TV newscast--maybe the blueprint would have been better off by merely concocting a fresh, good, compact, simple news program, remember that age-old relic? GAME OFF!
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I'm not a Liz Cook fan but when she sat in last week Nightbeat just worked better with her then VDLC. Less contrived and less over the top stuff.
ReplyDeleteWho cares what comes out of Veronica's mouth. I just turn down the sound and watch her on the small screen. Drop-dead Gorgeous Woman! VDLC, you've got more than a few fans out here!
ReplyDeleteYou really need to get out more!
Delete@9:22 If you think Miss Schertz is hot I've got a recommendation for you. You need to check out Asia SF! It's a restaurant and there are plenty of good looking...um ... women for you to drool over. They all look just like Veronica - the plastic, over made up look. Enjoy!
DeletePerhaps VDLC is genuinely "clueless and superficial?"
ReplyDelete"...she comes off looking clueless and superficial." Could that be because she is?
ReplyDeleteI became aware of her superficiality the first night because she was trying very hard to fit in by being overly familiar with the crew, i.e. calling Ken Bastida "Kenny". No new anchor can arrive and achieve immediate intimacy.
Her constant emoting is so distracting.
The younger people who KPIX was hoping would watch this, are out drinking and partying and working long hours. They pretty much get their news online.
ReplyDeleteThink about it!
You all sound like idiots from San Francisco. The woman is beautiful. She should do a morning show. What could be better? If you do not like, do not watch. Quit your petty bitching and get a life.
ReplyDeleteIf you're not Gonzalez, you probably enjoy her...Pfft.
DeleteYou are aware that this is a blog about Bay Area media and like it or not San Francisco is still the headquarters for most television and radio stations in the region. As far as Veronica Schertz is concerned she's not really any more attractive than the average 18-24 year old that you run across at Serramonte on any given weekend. There are many, many more attractive women on SF TV not to mention just walking around.
DeleteYes, I know it is a Bay Area blog. That is my point. Just because the women haters in SF do not like Veronica De La Cruz, does not mean she might have an appeal to the rest of the Bay Area. San Francisco is just an overpriced tourist town full of a bunch of pinheads. KTVU is in Oakland and NBC Bay Area is in San Jose and the 49ers have moved out of SF. Just stick to your ironing boards in front of Safeway gathering signatures banning circumcision. The rest of the Bay Area can decide what to watch without you.
DeleteVdlC IS an attractive lady. There are many in this area that have a problem with attractive ladies.
Delete> attracting a younger, tech-oriented demo that might be interested in watching
ReplyDelete> an airy, lighter newscast dominated with quicker stories geared toward their
> liking. Nice concept, extremely poor execution.
I disagree. It's not a nice concept. Everyone seems to think today's young people want superficial and breezy, but actually many of them don't watch the news as it now is because it's already too superficial and breezy for them. They want real reporting on technology, and they don't get it. They want to know what's going on in their neighborhoods, and they don't get it. They read East Bay Express and other alternative papers which, lo and behold, have real articles, and long ones, longer than the Chronicle and Examiner, which they don't read because they're jokes. They don't watch local news but prefer podcasts because they get more depth about things they're interested in.
I was just yesterday talking to a "lowly" barista who has no college degree and is obviously working a minimum wage job. I asked him what he was reading: Dostoyevsky. His favorite writer. In the course of the conversation I happened to mention Kurosawa, who directed a feature version of The Idiot. Turns out he's his favorite filmmaker. I'm betting the rest of your readership on this site have never heard of Kurosawa. We then talked about everything from Middle East politics to locally-grown vegetables before he went back to his apron and asking snobby commuters if they want room for cream. Oh, when their computer system went down the other day, he could do the change for the customers' orders on the fly in his head. Bet most of Rich's readers can't do THAT.
But we keep assuming these people are all shallow and want the latest news on Kardashians. Some are that way, just as some of any demographic falls on the left side of the bell curve. But there's already a million outlets for them, and they don't need Night Beat. There's a huge market of people who read alternative presses because mainstream news is bland and filtered, and who can discuss Philip Roth and Saul Bellow intelligently. No one is appealing to them. When someone does, they might end up with a hit on their hands. TRENDING!
You hit the nail on the head! Well said 12:03.
DeleteWow, a Kurosawa AND a Dostoyevsky mention IN ONE POST, and then the nice aside that the rest of the readers probably don't know who they are...are you that pretentious, not to mention incorrect?
DeleteActually never said the readers wouldn't have heard of BOTH of them, but I should have also mentioned that these baristas are probably better and more careful readers than the people around here too. And how much Dostoyevsky have you read, 3:07?
Delete12:03, arrogant much? I've seen several Kurosawa films more than once. They are among my favorites. I also enjoyed Toshiro Mifune's work in the Samurai trilogy by Hiroshi Inagaki.
DeleteI read Rich's blog regularly for entertainment. I am a local and lean to what is called the "right" politically though I grew up a punk rocker in the 80s. I've experienced a lot, and have seen a good bit of the world, from many sides of the spectrum. From my experience, you do seem like an arrogant agist. I'm not a millennial but do have my share of experience and knowledge. And I don't feel the need to be in my "mobile device" all day long.
10:03 - No question about it. And get comb that hair off your left eye.
ReplyDeleteThe 10pm KPIX change has really worked out for myself personally. I'm turning the TV off earlier, sleeping earlier, getting up earlier, and having a more productive day!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone recall the similar 'experimental' show on the old KOFY - when the former KNTV owners acquired the station? Same basic idea. Tried for a 'younger' vibe.. lots of camera movement, standing anchors, hi-tech sounding chat. It happened around the turn of the century (wow- that sounds weird).. and lasted for a couple of years. The reaction was exactly what's being shared here. In the end, it just went away, with the anchors/reporters assumed into the regular KNTV staff.
ReplyDeleteAre you talking about the "WB20 News at Ten"? It's pretty forgettable but I do remember Catt Sadler who did entertainment reports called "The Bay Beat". I only remember that because she's on the Comcast On Demand menu now telling me that I can own King Kong before it's on Netflix and that I can catch up on past seasons of Mike and Molly before it premieres. Maybe Veronica DL Schertz can parlay her "success" on NightBeat into a lucrative infomercial career.
DeleteLike Malou and Jennifer Jolly?
Delete