Bay Area TV/Radio News Coverage of the Chauvin Verdict; Steady if not Spectacular; Circle7 Injects 'BBBA" Crap into Newscasts; KPIX/NBC Bay Area Largely Stick with Networks; KGO/KCBS Radio Solid Interviews and Legal Analysis; The Day After

THE DAY AFTER...BAY AREA MEDIA WEDNESDAY REPORT

CHAUVIN GUILTY VERDICT ON GEORGE FLOYD MURDER

The only standout coverage of the post-verdict news was that there was nothing that stood out. Reaction from the usual suspects (SF/OAK mayors) was on everyone's domain. LIVE SHOTS from Oakland's Lake Merritt and a RALLY from the SF Mission District elicited citizen and protester reaction. Again, nothing verbal or visual that was anything unusual. Not that it wasn't a big deal; it was, here and all around the nation too.

KGO-TV (ABC7) did two good things, one of which turned embarrassing and corny. IT BROKE from its usual 6 PM newscast format (DAN ASHLEY, AMA DAETZ) and did a SPLIT SCREEN interview with CAL Professor, NIKKI JONES, about the verdict. Then CIRCLE7 went into multiple plugs for its "Building a Better Bay Area" propoganda series. CRINGE-WORTHY and ill-timed if you ask me.

The interview was good, solid news gathering and a break from the usual local angle. (There wasn't any, there usually isn't); just as I watched and was generally impressed with the segment, the "BABB" BS ensued. Sorry, DISNEY.

*KTVU tried its best to inject local flavor into the CHAUVIN VERDICT with a multitude of interviews and local reaction. It got an overall passing grade but like the rest of the other TV NEWS outlets, there was nothing of interest or any emeorable staement or visual that grabbed your attention. Not KTVU's fault just the nature of the story.

*KPIX, to their credit, pretty much left the verdict to its CBS NEWS network family. SURE, it was understated and non eye-catching, but it was probably more PRUDENT and SPOT-ON then then the others. You can accomplish a lot and deliver sometimes when you just try to deliver the basics. PIX did do a few live shots from the local sites but that was just SOP. By and large, the EYE was MINNESOTA and NY-centric. Good for PIX to institute the KISS method.

*LIKE PIX, NBC NEWS BAY AREA largely RELIED on its network news coverage; in this case NBC NEWS and LESTER HOLT (lots) and very little RAJ (Mathai) and JESSICA(Aguirre); the usual live shots and a few un-remarkable interviews dominated (if I can use that label, I just did) were the rule in San Jose.

*KRON did its best to place a "local flavor" into the news from Minneapolis but it didn't pan out much which, given the fact, it's KRON, was probably the very best outcome. If that sounds like a knock, it isn't but lets face it, KRON and its wacky MMJ pests fiddling around the city to look for something "unique" is not a good omen, sorry PERO.

*RADIO

*KGO pretty much stuck with ABC RADIO NEWS and its own local talk hosts, PAT THURSTON and CHIP FRANKLIN inserted network coverage and on-scene reports with their own interviews and of course, took callers from the Bay Area for REACTION and ANALYSIS. Thurston's one-on-one with LA Criminal Defense Attorney, DAVID KATZ was especially good and insightful. Katz broke dowm all the legalese and predicted the MINN judge would "throw the book at Chauvin."

*KCBS interviewed local lawyers and used its news reporters from the bay for reaction. A SOLID NOTABLE: Former SF DA, JIM HAMMER, delivered very cogent and interesting takes. Like many other LOYAHS, he said before-hand, the FLOYD JURY quickly-reached VERDICT was good news for the prosecution. He was right.

*KQED RADIO took NPR feeds and provided spotty interviews from local legal names, including a very good interview with Bay Area attormey, Robert John Levinson.