415 Media Exclu: KGO-TV Newsroom Down; Bleeding Talent; Bloom Fired; Marzullo and Harrington Quit; Watkowski at Center of Storm; Monday Open

AT KGO-TV, the newsroom "is down", a veteran staffer tells me. Doom and gloom everywhere at 900 Front and I'm being kind.

First off, a clarification from Sunday: Jonathan Bloom was let go --fired by her highness, embattled ND, Tracey Watkowski-Silva.

Elissa Harrington

There's no official reason but Bloom, a much-respected reporter who'd been at KGO for seven years, was on Watkowski's shit list; he'd been tormented by her and after repeated berating, was finally let go. It may be a blessing in disguise for Bloom who is rumored to be headed to a local station.

KGO is bleeding talent: Katie Marzullo is leaving the station in a couple of weeks; she quit. According to my spy inside Circle7, Marzullo desired to report part time but was rebuffed by the new GM, Tom Cibrowski. Another Trixie-influenced move.

But there's more.

Freelance GSA reporter, Elissa Harrington, also quit and is headed to KTVU. She too was reportedly fed up with the scene at Channel 7 and said adios.

Katie Marzullo

So Watkowski-Silva once again is at the forefront of an apparent personnel lack of confidence in KGO leadership. Whatever that is.

Her rule of force and intimidating style is now not only affecting morale, it's leading good people to leave on their own volition and escape the wrath of her highness. Almost all newsrooms have major tension and unease; it's a common negative part of the business, but Watkowski's demeaning treatment of otherwise dedicated news journalists goes way above and beyond the scope of decency.

ABC has to make a decision soon about Trixie's reign otherwise they may have an empty newsroom.

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