It is.
Sze was particularlyn mortified by Dion's offer from the network, ABC, to anchor from LA with a multi-million offer (Lim turned it down); Sze saw that as an indirect threat to her status at Circle7. Beyond that, the catty, mean-spirited Sze is roundly DETESTED by a number of KGO folks, while the always-smiling Lim is both adored and RESPECTED at the offices. Even though the studio isn't back to pre-Covid status, the few people working admire and enjoy working with Lim, while Sze's eternal gloom and paranoia is a bummer.
Either way, the whole shebang is quite the talk at ABC7.
*Stan Bunger is GONNO at KCBS come June 11. He's RETIRING (as I reporter here in April) --KCBS and AUDACY( formerly CBS/ENTERCOM) hasn't made a decision on Bunger's replacement, but a new dynamic duo is gaining steam: Veteran MARGIE SHAFER and DAN MITCHINSON.
Shafer is a longtime KCBS anchor/reporter; Mitchinson joined KCBS from Sacramento. Both are well-qualified and would make solid sense, but no decision is imminent. One, Audacy has to post the job opening on-line as is requirned by employment standards. That process takes a lot of time. Furthermore, the MORNING DRIVE gig (or gigs, depending on whether KCBS wants a two-person team) is one of the most important decisions the station faces.
*NOTED WITHOUT COMMENT: GIANTS PBP broadcaster, DAVE FLEMMING's SF residence (near USF) is adorned with a STANFORD flag in the front of the house. The low-key Flemming is a Stanford alum.
*KRON's new GM had an informal first meeting with all the troops at the office but barely 10 people showed up. That's not a good, first sign. Then again, when is there anything positive at ALBATROSS KRON? Thank you.
*A KPIX contact says mornings are now "officially dreadful." Funny, I don't recall when things were otherwise. PIX has to come to realize that their morning presentation (I'm being kind) has to be thoroughly BLOWN UP and deep-cleanded before they can have any success there. There is NO DIRECTION. No one taking the iniative to LEAD. It all starts at the top and there is ZERO presence at 855 BATTERY. They just basically show up to work and DO NOTHING, right Mister Neerman?
*All quiet on the KTVU anchor front: FRANK SOMERVILLE barely talks to anyone at KTVU and they barely talk to him. Something is fishy.
*MEANWHILE, stoking rumors of her current aloofness, JULIE HAENER, continues to also, remain SILENT. She doesn't even talk to the producer off air. What a swell person.
BILL MARTIN: still there at the request of THE FIRM who have yet to hire his replacement. Martin RETIRED from KTVU so he can enjoy life in renaissance Lafayette, the Contra Costa Paris. (wink)
*Hey "The Breeze" (98.1 FM) (IHeart), take care of JACK KULP. Trust me.
*PUT PAT THURSTON on, KGO, from 10-Noon and switch UBER-ANNOYING, MARK TOMPSON from 12-3 where he can play footsie with his two, equally annoying sidekicks, BRET BURKHART and producer, "Albert", the schmuck that plays the STUPID "Text it" sounders that are dumb and make no sense. All idiotic remnants that characterize Tompson's doofus show.
*RADIO TALK SHOWS at their ulimate strength RELY on GOOD caller-driven TOPICS. But in order to mission accomplish, you first NEED good callers. In the old days, screeners were responsible for the quality (or lack thereof) of the caller. They actully asked would-be callers what they wanted to say, subject matter, point, question, etc. They were paid mighly handsomely to make sure the voice on the other end made sense for airing. Nowadays, screeners mostly don't do anything other than pick up the phone. Calls are taken in the order they're received. Which explains why the vast majority of calls are from incompetent morons who make no sense and sound like utter schmucks. I have had issues with KGO PRODUCER, LYNNE SLOAN, for her sometimes neanderthal call screening, but overall, I like her work.
*CHRIS MERRILL: thanks for proving one thing: Darwin was wrong.
*STILL THE NICEST MAN on Planet Earth: DON SANCHEZ.
*BEST BAY AREA PBP broadcaster, hands-down: RANDY HAHN.
*BETTY YU factor at PIX, basically an unwritten rule: DON'T MESS WITH BETTY. On and off the air.
John Rothmann takes calls in the order received because it works for him. No other KGO host does that. In other dayparts the calls are quickly reordered based on quality, brevity, gender balance, and political balance. All that depends on the topic and the length of the segment. Every show handles things different and I can speak authoritatively since I do it every day.
ReplyDelete> KTVU's next big decision LOOMING:
ReplyDeleteKTVU's next big decision is whether to give a full-time contract to Kyla Grogan, the most talented person at the station, and the answer is YES!!!!
How that's even a question is beyond me. It would serve them right if she went across the street and competed against them. I think she has family here.
DeleteHey look... another post that includes whining about Papa and Lund. All these endless complaints but you can't stop listening so they must be doing something right.
ReplyDeleteIf Sze and Kim get in a real fight, my money is on the Asian one.
ReplyDeleteI want to see that fight. Put it on OnlyFans.
DeleteI'll put money on the fat KRON weather chick with the dyed blonde hair to swoop in and steal their purses while they're fighting.
DeleteMing your best bet is to get Dion to take that promotion to LA or national. She is just better at everything and people like her. She has become the Asian Face of the station replacing you. You still have your 3PM show that nobody watches
ReplyDeleteLen Kiese. I hope you rented and did not buy. Michelle is never the cause of the poor rating no matter how many co hosts she has.
ReplyDeleteI cannot watch Dion Lim. Her voice. Her robotic delivery. I'm no Sze fan either but Sze showing up on screen doesn't make me reflexively change the channel. Lim does. In general I don't watch KGO much these days. Mornings are a disaster. Lim keeps popping up all over afternoons and evenings. So I tune in to KPIX, KTVU, and...yes...KRON.
ReplyDeleteSince Trixie took over, KGO is the worst place to work and the worst place to get your news. They should change their call letters to KPC—"Building A Better Bay Area with Lies, Distortions and Selective News that Won't Offend People 'o Color."
DeleteI agree wholeheartedly! Lim is simply unlistenable.
DeleteI agree. I much prefer Sze. I'm sure Dion is a perfectly wonderful person but what puts me off of her is her painful attempts at banter, especially when it's obvious she has no idea what she's commenting on. I'm sure some of you know what I'm talking about. It's like she's late to the party and trying desperately to fit in while the regulars are shaking their heads. I'm loyal to KGO news but Lim isn't a draw for me.
DeleteThe weekday midday anchor and the weekend evening anchor are rarely together? CLEARLY something MUST be UP!
ReplyDeletespot on betty yu ... looks like a sweet assassin that can kick ass... and i like it!!!
ReplyDeleteHow did sal castaneda ever get into TV news? With his always present five o clock shadow and wooden delivery its quite amazing.
ReplyDeleteI often wonder that myself. He always looks like a deer in the headlights with nothing else going on.
DeleteSure Sze can find a job at the Modesto 7-11!
ReplyDeleteHave you ever even met Ms. Sze? Commenting on what you say you know is going on in her mind, without knowing any such thing, is defamatory. She ought to sue you.
ReplyDelete"Anonymous 6:46 PM" *written by Ms. Sze or one of her pals.
DeleteDid you google all the nuances of defamation before posting that and showing us all how ignorant of the law you are? You have to prove a lot; by your definition every media outlet in America would be out of business in a week.
DeleteSo you get your legal knowledge from google, do you?
DeleteTime to kick Kristen back to the morning news and give Dion the spot. With Kristen evil attitude to staffs, I hope Carolyn Johnson wasn't let go because of Kristen backstabbing her to take over the 5PM spot even when Johnson should long be retired. Funny thing is both Kristen and Dion are Taiwanese American (Chinese) and the one with small lips choose to be the evil one. One lesson I learn, choose the reporter with bigger lips and friendly smile like Dion getting along with me and more friendlier.
ReplyDeleteEven Kristen does not deserve spending the morning with Reggie. i'm not a fan but that seems cruel and unusual punishment.
DeleteI understand Kristen has a poster of Ellen Degeneres in her office.
Delete- LOL, 6:46
ReplyDelete- Won't hold my breath on improved audio when all KCBS radio staff are allowed to return.
- Flemming is a Lockstep fave. Hence, no ESPN-only plan here.
- IHeart is cutting too many IFarts with their equipment.
- Nothing new at KRON. Smart to avoid Dysfunction smiles at Darya.
- Or is it NeenerNeerman?
- Lots of integrity and trust gone just like that with the 2 Leads.
- Just how burned out is Haener?
- The Foolish Firm leaving Kyla hanging for how much longer?
- I would ask who'll blink first, but Vacar supporting Sal C?
- Make a new Kulp contract a Breeze, please.
- Mark Thompson, the biggest waste of Bay Radio money.
- The Gulf of California is asking to keep Ronnnn away from it.
- Screeners are being given the Rodney treatment? No respect?
- Lockstep only has a Crowe Clown case if the No. 1 NL Rivalry seizes the opportunity to pounce on Defending Champ injuries.
- LOL, RL!
- Sanchez retired in time to stay away from Trixie.
- A rat is better than a Lundhead, in this case.
- If only the Sharks realized that Doug Wilson needs to move on, the roster needs to be retooled, and that Hahn has to work just as hard to keep his nose clean as he does with his outstanding PBP.
- When Maria Medina can't give the Great Jules a break, Betty Yu steps in and does her usual consistent, strong work on the air. Chair or field, Betty Yu knows how to report.
I will always be in Dion's corner as long as she continues to call out DA, Chesa Boudin on his incompetence.
ReplyDeleteDion Lim is doing what no other San Francisco television reporter has done in years, or perhaps ever -- spotlighting the incompetency of a San Francisco public official. I'm not aware of any other TV reporter who has confronted District Attorney Chesa Boudin and has reported how he has time and time again released repeat criminals onto the streets, only so they commit more crimes. Lim is a real reporter, doing real reporter's work. If Sze is as you posted "not only terrified of Lim's growing influence and status," it's only because Lim is doing the type of hard reporting and real journalism that no other SF television reporter is willing or able to do.
ReplyDeleteLim has asked Boudin hard questions about his management of the DA’s office. She has been the face of reporting on the AAPI community which Sze never embraced or even bothered to cover. David Muir acknowledged Lim’s reporting on ABC News regarding violence towards AAPI.
DeleteDion has grown professionally since her anchoring the desk for Gilroy Garlic
Festival shooting. She was unsteady by herself, but once Dan Ashley sat next to her that day her confidence grew steadily. She had proven that she can report from the field or anchor from the studio. You never see Sze in the field
Now she supposedly is being courted by the national network, but is happy here. She appears at ease with Larry Beil and Dan Ashley. No one is talking about Beil, Ashley, Sze or Ama Daetz going to the network.
Don Sanchez wears too much makeup.
ReplyDelete