WHERE'S ERIC THOMAS? Veteran KGO-TV (ABC7) anchor Eric Thomas has been off his regular weekend night duty for almost a month.
Sources at KGO tell me Thomas has taken a medical leave --a leave that might have been hastened by management's clamping down on the senior newsman who is well-liked and respected at Channel 7's 900 Front studios.
One newsroom source speculated that Thomas may be leveraging for a buyout --fed up with management's consistent carping over his lack of "social media" activity.
In any event, Thomas's absence has many staffers--including friends and colleagues who have known him for years, concerned about his status.
Thomas has had some prior health issues but it's believed he's not in any imminent danger.
I'll be investigating and get back with any news if it warrants and UPDATE.
#415Media
If I showed up to work one day and was told participation in the inane world of 'social media' was now a job requirement, I'd change career paths post haste.
ReplyDeleteHow demeaning.
What is the obsession over social media? Why should anchors, reporters, sports guys, and weather people be required to tweet or post on Facebook?
ReplyDeleteAll it does is splinter a station or channel's audience -- spraying them around to various individuals. It doesn't build traffic on their website -- where ad revenue can be sold. So what's the point?
I'm in marketing -- and honest to Pete -- this obsession with senior management over social is downright ridiculous. Post to Facebook or whatever. Never mind the fact that most of this crap people don't care about -- let alone improve your organic search rankings.
Go for him for wanting to get away from it. It's just plain useless and stupid.
I knew it was time to retire when peripheral activities like social media became more important than just doing the damn job
ReplyDeleteCronkite used a dictaphone for his tweets. He was a pioneer.
ReplyDeleteIt goes along with their relentlessly pushing their ABC news app.
ReplyDeleteI don't even do social media, no Twitter or fb for me. Posting responses on a few blogs and mboards is as close I'll get.
ReplyDeleteThe social media he is subject to is full of racism, perverts and other low life's. He should hold KGO legally accountable for any negative aspect that he is subject to on SM.
ReplyDeleteThe women should also sue.
Tracy should listen up... the Anti-Social Media war is going to be fought in the bay area. The women will no longer take the abuse...the men are also fed-up with the rampant abuse.
Sue!
Sue! (Gloria Allred)
Sue!
Not you again! Your work history written and "unwritten" will follow you for your entire life, doesn't matter where you go!
DeleteLet's see what he looks like when he gets back. Ashley came back with hair and a face lift, others boob jobs.
ReplyDeleteIt's true, television stations are at the point of near obsession with having their news personalities active in social media, to the point of having those absurd "selfies" with anchors clowning off the air posted to facebook and twitter. Stations have always tried to make viewers think that newspeople are just a bunch of good friends who happen to get together each day and give you the news extemporaneously. I wonder if heavy duty social-media users bother with broadcast television news anyway.
ReplyDeleteI have always held Thomas in high esteem. He has a great presents and speak voice. And from what I have read about him in the past, he's no nonsense. At this stage in his career, he's probably thinking to himself, I don't this social media non sense. It would be a lost if they parted ways with him.
ReplyDeleteNo matter if he is sick or not demoting him on weekends is already like asking him to leave. If he is sick, he will be like Julie replaced by Heather and eventually, the station will find ways to let them go or demote them.
ReplyDeleteFor Eric, he should blame the two morning anchors, you know who, for stealing the spot and making KGO morning news like PG news. But, still not as bad compared to KPIX news, a big big mismatch.
Eric Thomas really is a good news anchor. He is what you want in someone delivering the news. He gives it straight, and you can trust him, sort of like Cronkite back in the day. The other thing about Eric Thomas is that really, he is someone who should really be respected too, just for BEING THERE. I mean, in today's world, if someone sent in a resume and it said the person was a middle-aged black man, sort of pudgy on the weight side, and with only one eye, I mean, do you think that resume would ever see the light of day? And yet, that is exactly what KGO has in Eric Thomas, and really, he is one of the best anchors they have.
ReplyDeleteHe only has one eye? I see two eyes.
DeleteIt's all about lean, and free. Facebook is free ads, and since the sales people are busy SELLING ads, it's important that the hired help be part of the free ad process as a part of an overall healthy station platform.
ReplyDeleteOnce the ads are placed...the reporters are free to report, or do whatever reporters are supposed to do.
We have it all figured out...so please butt-out.
Along those lines, what has happened to Chris Nguyen? He has been off Saturday mornings for a long time. Wasn't he in a KGO-TV van when it was in an accident?
ReplyDeleteI've worked with him and think he's great, too good for Trixie, who doesn't appreciate him, surely. He'd be better off leaving if he has the finances in place. KGO no longer appreciates real journalists. They want narcissistic Millennials.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of weird - where is Ama Daetz? She mysteriously disappeared from the 4:00 news on Monday - they said she became ill - and she hasn't been back since....
ReplyDeleteWondering about Ama also - don't need details - but hope she's OK
ReplyDelete