TOP 5 (ranked in order)1. Dan Ashley/KGO (ABC7) The almost, three-decade veteran has quietly built up a tenure as one of the most compelling, steady, and smooth anchors in Bay Area TV News history. Ashley is right up there with some of the great broadcasters --including Dennis Richmond, Dave McElhatton, and the late
2. Frank Somerville/KTVU: I've had my issues with Frank but have grown to appreciate his solid work for over twenty years at the still-dominant, news powerhouse. KTVU has lost a lot of its news legacy; it's once mighty stream of anchors and reporters have either left or retired but Somerville still commands the screen. Yeah, he really does "look like an anchorman" but behind the face is a hard-working TV News journalist who is as passionate off air as he is on air. A versatile presence on social media too which is all important these days, like it or not.
3. Jessica Aguirre/KNTV (NBC Bay Area) If there's still such a thing as "star power", even in something as mundane as local TV News, then Aguirre has that "IT" factor. She's been on the Bay Area TV screen for almost thirty years; made her mark at KGO and has become NBC's most prominent anchor in Silicon Valley. Aguirre also "looks like something" --her screen presence (that's right, I said it) is just as alluring as ever and that's saying a lot for a middle-aged woman anchor. 
4. Ken Bastida/KPIX (CBS5) OK, so he can't ad-lib that well and he's sort of superficial; that said, Bastida has somehow survived at PIX for over two decades when most people said he would never make it as a TV guy. The former KFRC news guy has worked with the likes of Wendy Tokuda, Kate Kelley, and McElhatton. He isn't "great" by any standards but he reads very well off the teleprompter and is one of PIX's few star talents that viewers seem comfortable with. 
5. Terry McSweeney/KNTV (NBC Bay Area) This might be a surprising entry in my Top 5 but I've always liked McSweeney; in fact, if I were station brass I would seriously find a spot for the versatile newsman during the week. For starters, McSweeney has a personality, a sense of humor, and seems to be having a cool time on the air. Some anchors think they're a sort of god and come off as ancient boors. McSweeney reads the news well and looks like the type of guy you could have a beer with at the local pub. Yeah, he doesn't take himself too seriously and that's an A-plus in my book. 
No Henry Tenenbaum? This list=fake news.
ReplyDeleteTenenbaum was a reporter, never an anchor.
DeleteJim, I have to run an important errand. Grandma wants you to do the dishes.
DeleteI distinctly remember a few Saturdays or Sundays where Henry seemed to be behind the anchors desk. Maybe as a fill in?
DeleteTim, I'm not doin shit for you. Your fat ass can wash the fucken dishes on your own. And stop stealing Grandma's credit cards.
DeleteGit! Git on outta here!
DeleteMy Grandson James is right. Tim, go to your room now. You're grounded. And stop using my credit cards.
DeleteI agree as a non-professional in the media field--a good selection!
ReplyDeleteI worked w/Terry McSweeney at the "old" KNTV (pre-NBC) when he was a reporter (I was a photog). He was a great guy to work with...for all the reasons Rich mentioned: Great sense of humor, great personality, knew his shit and always gave me his audio tracks in time to edit the PKG. Hell--he'd even helped break down the live-shots.
ReplyDeleteI hope he hasn't changed, because he was a helluva guy to work with.
Hey Rich what about the 5 anchors you hate, my list of dislike...,
ReplyDelete1-Darya Folsom
2-Reggie Aqui
3-Natasha Zouves
4-Michelle Greigo
5-Kenny Choi
Kenny is too boring to be on any list
DeleteCome on in a Rich Top five Gasia makes the list
DeleteRich would bend over backwards and kiss Gasia's feet if she ever gave him the time of day and made a pass at him.
Delete5:44 Who wouldn't!
DeleteI've worked in sales for two local TV stations (and still do currently). Here's the latest Bay Area focus group results:
ReplyDeleteMost well known/well liked anchors are Frank Somerville, Raj Mathai, Pam Moore, Dan Ashley and Julie Haener. IN THAT ORDER.
Also, there's a good chance the Ken Bastida and Jess Aguirre will be replaced within the next 18 months (new GM at KNTV and management shakeup at CBS).
I can't get past Ashleys hard dye on his hair. Its too distracting and phoney. Nuff said, I just can't take him seriously. Raj comes off as an ass, Haener a ditz, Sommerville a dork, McSweeney a weenie and Aguirre as Frankensteins wife. Slim pickings but give me Bastida or Pam Moore.
DeleteTied for number one in my opinion: Phil Matier on KPIX Sunday mornings.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm waiting for your list of the WORST Bay Area news anchors. I have my pick, but I'll hold off for now!
Replace Jessica Aguirre with Julie Haener!
ReplyDeleteYou made the East Bay times. "Blogger names top five anchors" with a big picture of Dan.
ReplyDeleteEvan White, Bay TV is your TV!
ReplyDeleteWhere's Ama Daetz? Pam Moore?
ReplyDeleteDennis Richmond was a pompous ass. Similarly Pete Wilson, with his endlessly predictable, overly dramatic audible sigh was such a bore. Dave McElhatton was the real deal. Anchoring tv news does not require big skills, you know. It's not brain surgery.
ReplyDeleteMy take on Bastida: He seems to take a lot of delivery cues from Pete Wilson from the late KRON4 days, particularly the "circular file side-eye"...not that there's anything wrong with that.
DeleteAlso, with few exceptions, the great ones tend to be a bit on the pompous side off-air. Could be they just wanted to be left alone after the news was over...
What about Ken Wayne? The field anchoring from Texas (Hurricane Harvey) boosted coverage to the next level. Take away the prompter, social media blah, and a generic push to a website...he deserves big praise for his excellent skill-set working in a challenging environment.
ReplyDeleteNo Julie Haener????? Truly professional and very genuine news anchorwoman!!!
ReplyDeleteI trust and pray, you can get this info published
ReplyDelete