ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS I WRITE THIS, among other things, is I like to write about the pulse of various outlets; in this case mostly TV/Radio stations in the Bay Area.Much of my feedback is based on e-mail and direct and indirect communication via text and phone calls.
Which brings me to the situation at KGO-TV; (ABC7) where I continue to receive mostly negative and toxic descriptions of its newsroom atmosphere and heavy amount of management abuse. There exists, say a lot of the people that work there, a News Director, that rules the office by fear and intimidation. I don't know Tracey Watkowski-Silva that well; I've only been aware of her existence through media industry people and eyewitness accounts of her style of governing the office. I have written and commented based on all of what I've have taken in and people that I know and respect who have both supported her (few) and those who can't stand her. (many)
 |
| Tracey Watkowski-Silva |
Good managers try to avert, overt, existing problems and issues --there will always be issues in any office environment --be it TV News, law, retail, medical, education, you name it--it's called life and reality--but especially in an ego-driven world like local TV news station where creative and technical staff interspersed with management bravado creates intense hardships. How do you deal with it? How do you run a successful operation and maintain keeping people happy? It's a tough job in any situation. I get it, unfortunately, apparently, Trixie doesn't. She could save herself and her staff a whole lot of stress by opening up to staff and having a office cleansing. It couldn't hurt. Watkowski would prefer the more illogical angle which only further alienates her from the rank and file and make matters worse at KGO-TV. In the end maybe that's what she wants anyway.
Females like Trixie are all too common in the workplace. I guarantee you that she didn't attain her position by being nice.
ReplyDeleteWhat I will never understand is why people up the chain of command allow this type of toxic environment. Usually the excuse is that the asshole making everyone's life miserable is also producing good numbers. That's not the case at Channel 7, so what gives? Good head from Trixie maybe (disgusting/desperate as that sounds)?
The worst of the worst. The Devil Wears Prada 2.0 Maybe the Natasha F-Up will finally sink her.
ReplyDeleteRich, this story from the 10 o'clock news last night reminds me of old KTVU. Sincere and understanding, but an absolutely devastating story. Debora Villalon is one of the best reporters in the Bay Area.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ktvu.com/news/death-on-the-fire-line-a-family-s-heartbreaking-loss
She is and yet KGO fired her basically because she is old.
DeleteThe one kind of discrimination you can't sue against. Why some forms are so abhorrent while others receive a shrug is the elephant in the room.
She was canned by KGO because she was a pain to work with and she was a nightmare having her stories frequently miss slot. Just ask any photog.
DeleteSo you say you "don't know her that well", and they describe how you don't know her directly, at all. Then you offer up that you have given (without her having any interest in your consulting skills) her the opportunity to let you tell her how to do her job. Hmmm then, you insult her further by printing a letter that suggests her position managing the most successful newsroom in San Francisco is because she provides sexual favors to men. Are you kidding me? BTW, newsrooms are never wonderful, happy, cuddly places. The nature of the beast is competition in and among the talent stable, all with big egos and all fighting to keep jobs. IF you want a warm and loving work environment, you are looking at the wrong field. this is nothing new.
ReplyDeleteSurprised Rich let your post go through. He blocked mine. This blog is so bush league.
DeleteYou got blocked because you don't know about the "code" word Rich inserts in his longer posts. It's usually found in the middle of the post, is very descriptive and decisive, not an everyday word. If you reference to or use the word in your post, you will not be blocked.
DeleteHint...Think "crossword puzzle."
@3:08: I mean, he's gotta allow a negative opinion once in a while. Even if it is completely incorrect and ignorant. I assume 1:18 is a Trump supporter.
DeleteKeep on truckin', Rich.
How many TV newsrooms have you actually worked in, 1:18?
DeleteIn the Bay Area, I've worked in literally all of them. Everything you're saying is caca.
1:18, sure sounds like you're one of those bad newsroom re-treads who can't seem to hold a job at any of the Bay Area TV stations. I know your kind. Couldn't wait for you to be fired. Yet again.
DeleteDear 101...hmmm. televisioin?.KSBW,KPIX,CBS network, KEYT, Ch9(Kansas City), KEYT(again)KRBK(Sacramento..started their news organization..news director and principal anchor/reporter)KQED(This Week in NOrthern California..Spelling Belva).
DeleteRadio? KFBK, KGO, KSAC
you?
The difference is every other industry is growing and local TV is eroding. Nobody sane will take a job in SF because the cost of living and pay both suck.
ReplyDeleteThe insane ones come to SF...and quiclky learn the housing truth (just ask VDLC) but then they are committed...but stuck in poo-ville.
KGO has no budget...and nothing to offer. The ABC OnO's are all in holding patterns and just waiting for the sell-off of the broadcast properties.
BA media is DEAD, Natasha is wise to bail.
Poo-ville….I applaud the new Mayor and her effort to clean up the streets but there is one small problem. They are power washing the feces into the street and down the storm drains. I would imagine the runoff from the drains go into the Bay.
DeleteIf my memory is correct I once heard you cannot scatter your loved ones ashes into the Bay because so doing adds to the contamination of the Bay.
Windsurfer..."Did you see that whale, looks like he had a turd stuck in his eye!"
When in solving a problem you create a problem, you have a problem. There doesn't seem to be any solutions for the social problems we have created for ourselves, they just seem to get worse!
Rosemary is doing the evening weather reports (KTVU) this week, the World no longer sucks! The women are the News, she is proof of that...always will be.
Love to see a memo to Cibriski, Iger's right hand person at ABC HQ, and anyone else to explain why Disney's desire to remove Trixie hasn't been fulfilled.
ReplyDeleteEveryone in a newsroom hates the news director. They tell you she's mean. They'll add for good measure that the assistant ND doesn't know what a story is, and various EP's have their jobs only because they are footlockers.
ReplyDeleteAnd the reason that the news director remains employed is because management feels she is doing her job.
Come on folks. Unless you are prepared to back up your feelings with a)evidence and b)not hide behind anonymous, suck it up. If it is really that bad, send out your tapes. Perhaps there is a job for you in Rich''s favorite market, Fresno.
At this time Disney has no desire to remove her. When , and IF they do so desire to remove her... they will do so.
ReplyDeleteSimple stuff.
Boy, that's deep.
DeleteHave you ever gone out into the real world?
The real world?
DeleteYou mean outside the BA where the sane rule and reality is freshly paved streets...free from trash, parolees, and a place where a child doesn't need to know where the closest "sharps container" is located?
Ahhhh
The real world.
I win!
To Mr.Liberman I love your site many folks on other sites attach your stories and page site...You've definitely have shed a light on KGO's issues numerous times...If anybody at KGO is reading this then take a page out of sister station WABC TV Channel 7 in NYC...Remember when they had issues with their news director and general manager...The big bosses from ABC came in and many of the talent had issues with both ND & GM.
ReplyDeleteI assume since Dan Ashley is the lead anchor (also the leader in the newsroom) he has alot to say and maybe he has the phone number to some top brass bosses at ABC..He definitely needs to rally the troops and come up with a plan to do the same thing the folks at WABC did...WABC also produces great #'s as well...It time for someone at Channel 7 to upstage Trixie and her many bags of Trixs....Why should the employees suffer, because she's a basket case? Just sayin'
Every Circle 7 GM starting with Russ Coghlin way back when-brought in a loyal ND. This new GM is either a Burbank puppet or can't see the weeds. Trixie's juice is power, Trixie wants the GM gig. The evil bitch won't stop till she gets it.
DeleteIf she were a male nd who dared to have ambitions beyond being an nd, would you call him an evil prick? In your perfect world, women in management should not want to be on an upward career track, because you find it too threatening. There's a show coming up on CNN that you really don't want to watch. RBG, the notorious Ruth Bader Ginsburg, has a few words for you.
DeleteHey 9:57, uh Tracey, wake up and smell the de-caf. This isn't about RBG, its about a bona-fide jackass. Just look up ALL the posts from KGO employees. How do you keep going with so many haters? Better que up Taylor Swift.
DeleteSan Francisco does not have a separate storm drain system. It all ends up at the sewage treatment plant.
ReplyDeleteIt's considered by public health officials to be an "open sewer system" when citizens shit in the streets circa 1600's in merry old England.
DeleteWow!
I can get fined $500 for letting my dog poop in the SF streets...but it's a freebie if I scat in the street.
Why bother with sewers anyway if we can all dookie in the streets.
Stanley Roberts is going to be soooooo bored!