If you like a fast-paced, no-nonsense, crisp, hour-long newscast with minimal chit-chat and straight-forward pacing, then you must watch KGO's 9 PM news program on KOFY (TV20) --for my money, the BEST newscast on Bay Area TV.Ironically, this best news offering is on KOFY's air, which has a news share agreement with ABC (KGO).
In either case, the 9 PM cast is a winner.
Anchors Dan Ashley and Ama Daetz (sometimes they go solo) keep the program running with quick stories and rundowns --its frenetic pace gives the newscast a nice flowing show that doesn't have any useless giggles nor false banter if any banter at all and that's the main thing that gives it its quality and signature look.
That's not to say there's robots anchoring the news at 9 o'clock, far from it in fact, it's just Ashley and Daetz reading the news and keeping it straight --a good portion of the content too comes from a staple of ABC News correspondents--so if you like a variety of both local and national stories, you get quite a bit of that at 9.
So many newscasts these days sound and look so much alike --there's really nothing there. Furthermore a lot of these news programs are chock full of wasted time with useless stories, anchor banality and phony interaction with reporters doing live shots. The faux look of concern. The patently ridiculous back and forth between weatherman and anchor. The usually silly remark at the end with sports guy.
This sort of clumsy performance gives viewers a legitimate reason to mostly hate local TV News not just here but in other markets too. Gone are the days of the old-style "10 o'clock News" on KTVU which at one time was considered the gold standard of TV newscasts.
KGO's 9 PM news broadcast is lean and mean and gets right to the point and I like it like that.
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Dan has the Peter Jennings-Brian Williams- I am 007 off air thing going for him. But Beil and Daetz seem reality based.
ReplyDeleteCredibility. Something KRON has none of at the anchor desk,KPIX is in limbo and KNTV has some gravitas but that's outdone by the weight of being San Jose based.
KTVU has Frank and Julie who are good at what they do..but make no needles move.
KRON? I believe what I heard that they fight like cats and dogs off air. Then,the show goes on...
I agree. This is the best local newscast. KTVU at 10 isn't as good as it used to be but still solid as well.
ReplyDeleteBest local newscast.
ReplyDeleteThat doesn't say much for the competition (Daetz is very good, Ashley-meh)
Eric Thomas is still filling in for Dan Ashley as of last night. I do agree ABC News @ 9 is the best, always tuned in unless Kristen Sze is in that night trying to take over Dan Ashley camera spot. Ama is more calm and never do such as thing.
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ReplyDeleteThe 'ABC 7 on KOFY' news is VERY commercial-heavy, and the ads are only slightly above the 'low-rent' of KRON. ("Hi, I'm Celeste Perry, and you need to watch that Tim Allen sitcom that isn't 'Home Improvement!)
ReplyDeleteAlso, unless there's 'breaking' news, the newscast is almost word-for word the same as what airs at 6 on 7...and KOFY also repeats the 6 o'clock newscast immediately afterwards. And a lot of the complaints you make about other newscasts also apply to ABC7. However, it is a very capable and competent team.
Dan has a way of taking his co-anchor to another level. He's that good. He was working with Natasha when she first started. And she was good, not great. Watching her work with Reggie in the early am now, she sucks. Comparing Dan to Reggie is like comparing an apple to an orange.
ReplyDeleteI can't get over Dan Ashley's hair...Looks like my 2 year old grandson...Not as many curls...He's good though...
ReplyDelete