FRANK SOMERVILLE used to carry considerable clout at KTVU, even in the two-year Fox-owned reign but that clout has dissipated --gone Jessie, so to speak.Somerville is KTVU's Face of the Station. He was asked by bosses to read the apology for the station in the Asiana fiasco. Somerville obliged but was not thrilled with the task.
Moreover, in a seminal moment that rocked KTVU (and still does today) his taking-the-bullet for someone else's (and a few others) massive blunder was loyalty above and beyond the call of duty.
Somerville's influence used to stand for something. He publicly defended Keba Arnold and Mike Mibach here even though their new 4 PM newscast looked as if that new project was on borrowed time from the start.
It didn't help.
Embellishing his "face-of-station" status he regularly posts daily musings on Facebook. In most cases Somerville's missives reek of righteous tripe and overly-sanctimonious drivel; it's a good PR-marketing machine for the station but I've called him out on this; even so, he seems to revel in it and his fans love it. It reinforces his image as unofficial station spokesman and leader.
Only Somerville's cachet is mostly symbolic and unwoven. It speaks of a little emperor with no clothes and a big media company reminding its most powerful worker bee that it still holds the keys to the kingdom.
I've never thought of Frank as someone influential. When I see Frank I automatically think of Ted Baxter of MTM fame. If you think of him in this way he becomes much more understandable. Just another ego filled self important broadcaster.
ReplyDeleteCorrect. I've worked with Frank. Nice guy, very upright, but not the sharpest tool in the shed.
DeleteHe also lost a bar of soap. Something smells.
DeleteHe just lost it a minute ago with Heather..couldn't start laughing or remember the name of the Coloseum. Scott Reise-there- was not smiling.
ReplyDeleteI get the feeling it was something off air he was in stitches about while Reise did his thing and got caught laughing at it.
Unless KD joining the team really worked him up to a lather.
I never seen him to do that with Julie. She would kill him.
What broadcaster has any kind of power these days? The days of Walter Cronkite are long gone. You think Fucks would give any of its announcers power?
ReplyDeleteFrank makes lots of money. Management wants him to get pissed off enough to quit or look elsewhere. Management can replace him with almost anyone at any salary.
ReplyDelete