SARA SIDNER--remember her? We talked not so long ago. So here's the deal, a 415 Media Exclusive: The CNN star and former KTVU anchor is being wooed back by the Channel 2, uh, FOX2 Bay Area O and O but would the well-respected newswoman come back to KTVU?
Sidner has built up quite a resume at CNN --both on the foreign and domestic front. She's covered some very famous stories from Mumbai to Libya to US police misconduct protests. Furthermore, Sidner has been given the anchor desk on CNN's International channel --how could she possibly leave all that and come back to an albeit, big market, but still LOCAL TV News operation? Well, for one, Sidner lives in Los Angeles and has a yearning for the Bay Area. She also told me leaving KTVU "was one of the hardest professional decisions I've ever had to make."Let's evaluate some reasons as to why the Sidner, back to the Bay Area TV News Scene makes sense: Try timing and money. Add personal situations and you have yourself a story here.
Timing. Sidner, as I noted, loves the Bay Area--hated leaving here. Her decision to go to CNN was purely professional and she got noticed with great work and was lavished with praise from peers. It's hard to turn off the national adrenaline especially when you're right smack dab in the story. But that was then and this is now.
Sidner, I believe, wants a new challenge. KTVU presents a new challenge. A high-profile anchor gig at a prime-time spot might wet Sidner's appetite --for one, the money would be a major influence Isn't it always?) --factoid: CNN is well known in the business for not paying talent real well. Unless your Anderson Cooper, Jake Tapper or Wolf Blitzer. The rest get rather mediocre compensation. Fox, KTVU's owner has the financial wherewithal to pay someone with the star appeal of Sidner --it would benefit both her and the station. Of course it would but will it happen? Well, ...
It's not by anything a done deal. It would involve the two sides agreeing on money (relatively easy) and Sidner's duties: anchoring in prime time and high-profile reporting but there's discussions taking place. Sidner would love to come back, that I'm sure of; it's KTVU's duty now to seal the deal.*Follow me on Twitter
CNN pay is competitive with ABC, CBS and NBC. All depends on the contracts and whether they specify a salary, salary plus appearance fees, or daily rate if a freelancer. No one goes to CNN for minimum wage.
ReplyDeleteAs for bringing back former anchors, the old saying is very true - you can't go home again. The return of a former anchor is a short-lived curiosity and not longer after the ratings drop.
The world has changed and so has the business. Even if Sara Sidner or Dana King want to "come home," no one, repeat no one will pay them the money they want and expect.
My advice: watch something else if the local news stations are not to your liking. There are plenty of online news sources to keep you informed or spend 20-30 minutes with KCBS radio. You would be amazed at the amount of aggravation you will save yourself when you don't watch the local news.
Next time she does an on-the-scene report, I hope she wears her Special Ed Helmet she ordered from Crank Yankers. YAY!!!
DeleteI worked with Sara and she is an amazingly talented reporter and anchor. I think that she would be better suited to trying to get a posting here in the Bay Area as a CNN reporter who could be based out of here and even do CNN anchoring gigs from here. Going to the current KTVU would be a big let down, it is not the place she left and I think she would be really frustrated working at what has become a second rate shop with third rate management.
ReplyDeleteNo point of coming back to KTVU when it is all chaos around the station with their anchors. One day they put Frank Malicoat and Rosemary on two shifts, morning and evenings and one day Frank Somersville or Julie need to work on a weekend. Stay with CNN or avoid KTVU.
ReplyDeleteHow'd that coming back to KTVU work out for Ted Rowlands again?
ReplyDeleteLove to have Sidner come home. And with Dud Lemon and the continuing flops happening at CNN, who could blame Sidner (and Cooper, if he wants to move to CBS full time) for wanting to leave?
ReplyDeleteBlitzer and Tapper may end up being all that's left as far as consistency on CNN goes.
> She also told me leaving KTVU "was one of the
ReplyDelete> hardest professional decisions I've ever had to make."
Um, they always say this. It's part of the script.
After working at CNN which has a worldwide audience vs a local station like ktvu, it seems like a big step down as far as career moves go.
ReplyDeleteI removed CNN from my resume. It's a curse!
ReplyDeleteIf Sara ever decided to come back to KTVU, She'd deserve to have the Anchor Seat next to Frank...Imvho
ReplyDeleteAll the KGO Morning women are gorgeous, including Castro and Smith!
ReplyDelete