A case of good LOCAL TV News on display: Stephen Stock of NBC Bay Area and Eric Rasmussen of KTVU reminded us that there's still quality workmanship out there if you can apply it and hunt for a story.
Rasmussen went to a Downtown Oakland residence hotel and exposed a filthy, obscenely dark, dank and gutter place --and was able to come face to face with its owner (who didn't talk) but also a young mother with kids who had no alternative but to live at the dump. I've been critical of Rasmussen before but he was great here and his relentless pursuit of the slumlord and getting to the bottom of the affair was quality work.
*Stock, part of "NBC Investigates", (KNTV) provided a lengthy and informative essay of the state's fragile levee system --I knew it was bad but I didn't contemplate the future hellhole that awaits us if a big earthquake were to hit at the wrong place. Good work, Mr. Stock.
*The vacuous Ronn Owens at his best: Mr. Voice of Reason's hideous defense of Brian Williams based on "I really like him." Owens, "Mr. Softie"--what a complete schmuck.
*The few talk-show hosts left at KGO (on the weekend) are shaking their head over being left out of consideration for the 7-10 PM weeknight slot. The guy that got the gig got it based on his mushroom recipes.
*KRON has a new weatherwoman --thanks for keeping me abreast of the situation.
*It's easy for me to rip KTVU's new look and format but I like it. It's more crisp and fresh and it moves along at a decent pace. There's more stories and information. It's considerably more of an appealing look. It's not perfect --but nothing is perfect anymore. And yes, I've seen WEATHER AUTHORITY--is it campy and ridiculous? Absolutely ..but welcome to the world of modern-day TV News.
*Stock up: Azenith Smith: I'm loving her more every day. Talk about transformation from the news outhouse to the penthouse.
*Brian Williams easy call: if he's still got the gig at the end of Friday he'll get spared and not fired; the weekend is always the best friend of those public people whose jobs are in peril.
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| Azenith Smith--KTVU |
*The morning news gigglers on KGO and their daily tease with the mattress man: About as enticing and cool as a Fresno Arby's.
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| Stephen Stock--NBC Bay Area 'Investigative Unit' |
*Mike Nicco giggles and Jennifer Jones-Lee giggles-back: I think all we need is Chuck Woolery
*Remember, The 'Voice of Reason's sole existence is to get out of the house and sweet-talk sweet-nothings with middle-aged women in Pleasanton who regard Target as the same as Nordstrom.
*Dear Chef Ryan Scott: I thought you were bad but after listening to 7-10 PM you might as well be the reincarnation of Jim Dunbar.
*KRON: OK, so you got the lighting right now if only you could get a bigger desk! Go down to Office Depot and do it right away. There's a sale today.
*Brian Copeland: "What if Urkel wanted to be a talk-show host? I smell a one-man show.
*Hey, did you hear? It's supposed to rain like hell for a few days! Oh Nellie!
*Ronn: Mattresses, manicures , heaping praise on dorky new talk-show hosts from 7-10 PM, you're just a fine man, Mr. Lowenstein.
*Follow me on Twitter
Blowensteinnnnn is such a company man! What a guy coming to the defense of Brian Williams and the DreX-guy yet when his colleagues were fired the pedicure mannnnnnn decided to talk cell phones. What a guy!
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Ronn Owens. The position Williams holds is a MAJOR face of the network. The perceptions of NBC News are embodied in how people perceive Williams. The NBC Nightly News anchor is paid top dollar, and it is essential that he or she be above reproach and above even the slightest hint of impropriety. That is a major reason why he or she is paid so much money. They need to be choir boys and girls. He needs to go.
ReplyDeleteRonn Lowenstein wishes he could have the same power as Brian Williams "had." Ronn is just stuck getting his special lunch meal while driving home from his three hours of noise and being an expert at kissing ass. Hey putz, people are on to you. Don't you get it? Either you're dense or you know what you're doing, but don't give a shit. Well, more and more people could care less about your pandering pale ass, too. When does your contract expire so you can go far far away?
ReplyDelete10:56, with all due respect, NONSENSE!
ReplyDeleteNetwork "anchors" are emcees. They welcome the viewing audience, then set-up the various stories to be covered, then introduce their various colleagues who are assigned to cover the appropriate "beat."
Occasionally, they do a short Q&A with an "expert," (medical for Ebola/Measles, climatological for massive storms, etc.). The questions are basic ... hardly "probing."
They do, indeed, get "top dollar." Nice work, if you can get it.
But, "above reproach," and "even the slightest hint of impropriety," is just silly.
The more vital credibility should be required of the news correspondents who actually DELIVER the stories.
Are we so unable to think for ourselves that we are devastated at the feeling of being mis-led, when something THAT WASN'T EVEN CLAIMED ON A NEWSCAST,
was embellished ... even untrue?
Sorry, I don't cede that kind of power to anyone.
Right or wrong, he is the face of the network news in the average American's mind. He is the star of the News Department. His credibility has to be without question -- a trusted voice -- and, for that, he is paid handsomely and should behave accordingly. I know what you're saying but this is a fact of life.
Delete10:56, no dummy, you're the one talking nonsense.
DeleteIf they were just emcees, the networks wouldn't send them into dangerous situations. Sure they're pretty boys (and girls) but they are reporters too. If they don't have integrity, how can it be demanded of the people below them?
No surprise that Ronn Owens would defend Brian Williams.
ReplyDeleteThey come from the same cloth. Do your best to self-aggrandize.
KTVU rolled out this silly 1980's blue banner and it has some serious problems.
ReplyDeleteIt's 16x9 and looks like shit.... because its "Squished" into a cell phone screen when you try watching the news video on a cell phone.
Whos dumb idea was that ???
Same problem on a tube tv.
Greg Papa and John Lund are doing regular bits now on people abusing animals. I guess no low is too low for Greg Papa. He's got that "edgy Republican" humor.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had that and could laugh like the republican frat boys do. But,no,Instead I get offended at animal abuse.
Are they "doing" Christine Craft?
DeleteGuess who is back on the air. It's Friday at 4pm, and I think I'm listening to David Weintraub on 910am. Kinda nice, in spite of his 'incorrect' or negative view on the Amercian Sniper.
ReplyDeleteThis might be the first time anyone has ever been happy to hear the odious Weintraub on the air. Most would agree he's better than the even more odious RhooooDDAAAaaaa Gross. Get rid of Rhoda and put Weintraub on Fridays, I might tune in to 910 again unless Weintraub is going to do 3 hour monologues. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz
DeleteI pine for monologues. At least he can do them. Sorry I missed it. all of these new hosts are moving topic to topic to topic. It is brutal. If I wanted to read Twitter I can do that myself
DeleteLet's see the hands of those who DON'T think that Brian Williams will show up on SNL, tomorrow night, in a skit that is devoted to this situation.
ReplyDeleteI think you're wrong.
One hand right here. I guarantee and will wager large bucks that it won't be on SNL tomorrow. (SNL this week is a repeat from December 20 of last year.)
DeleteRich: As to the new KRON weatherwoman Vanessa Bezic, it appears from one of her Twitter replies to a follower that she is "just helping out" at KRON
ReplyDeleteBezic was doing the morning weather gig at the CBS affil in San Diego a few years back.
DeleteAfter a few months she was off the air, with no explanation to the viewers. She didn't really stand out of the wx crowd.
Maybe she was just another on-air freelancer like many faces on the air now.
With freelancers you pretend you have a deeper bench, and save a ton of money.
Say what you will about Azenith Smith. All I can think of when I hear her name is that she was named after the brand of TV that was on in the bedroom when her parents conceived her. I too, was probably conceived in the shadow of a Zenith.
ReplyDeleteFunny, my friend Malibu Chevy was saying the same thing...
DeleteBrian Copeland doesn't sound nerdy. He sounds like a bright young guy. Radio is better for him,because he will say on the radio what he couldn't on the ch7 show. I mean,Radio he's more meat,and on TV he had to do Martha Stewart cake.
ReplyDeleteStan as usual your observations are vapid and fatuous. Brian Copeland is not exactly a young man if you consider 51 to be youthful. Plus on TV, Radio & the Stage Copeland still sounds nerdy, dorky & Elmer Fudd Like.
Delete51? he passes for 36. That's liberal clean liv'in for you.
DeleteVapid? Like my Nancy Snyderman is a bitch call before the rest of the country caught on? Or the "A's will sink like rock" call, when last years and this years sportswriters of the year said it was a genius trading of Cespedes at the time?
I would go on about my calls and observations,but your type usually then claims amnesia as a comeback.
Friday night DreX actually used clips from Thursday's episode of The View to start the conversation about Brian Williams. "Are you on Team Whoppi or Team Rosie?" God I miss Gene Burns.
ReplyDeleteIr was refreshing when Ronn was off and another guy filled in for a few days. I thought he was good.
ReplyDeleteI remember a very early post slamming Azenith…
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Rich: I LOVE Azenith Smith!