Be wary of what you read from the other so-called "mainstream media", like the Chron and SJ Merc, who continue to STEAL from me --on this story--and others, but on THIS, they not only STEAL, they don't even CREDIT where they they get their "sources" (ME) ...but I digress.
I'VE TALKED to the central character in this story and I told him I don't think he can continue to work at KTVU. I think the News Director, Amber Eikel, has LOST the station. Never mind the issue as to why Somerville was SUSPENDED (and probably DONE at 2) --that's really NOT the story here. It's an editorial decision that, at its worst, would be a disagreement and handled inside the company. That it got to be an employee suspension is just the recipe for a more direct MOVE: yes, a DIVORCE. An agreement that both parties agree to move forward. Because BOTH parties CANNOT co-exist. It's all over, folks.
*To be continued.
It's probably for the best that the two separate at this point. FS is obviously battling with some issues and it's clearly effecting his performance at the news desk. May be the best for both parties, Fox can start a new era without Frank and hopefully Frank can get some help to resolve his personal affairs.
ReplyDeleteExcept for May, I have not noticed a thing at the 10 hour. Probably best for FS. This KTVU regime sounds like a bunch of autocratic a holes!!
ReplyDeleteRich, it comes as no surprise to me that lamestream media outlets steal from you. As a veteran of two Bay Area newsrooms over the past decade I quickly came to realize the influence that you have at stations, at least the ones I worked at. In some instances the influence was significant. Many of the same people who claimed to despise you around the building actively looked to your blog when considering personnel moves or simply to gauge the temperature of whatever is going on. I don’t mean just the rank and file foot soldiers, I’m talking about decision makers responsible for programming and personnel. Off the top of my head I can think of no fewer than six people who were obsessed with checking your blog and in some instances would post comments to attempt to counter the narrative. Some of the on air talent didn’t care but others were obsessed with reading comments about them.
ReplyDeleteI think the dispute over whether Frank could post on Facebook his view of the Gabby Petito case is contrived and was used as a way to suspend him, allowing management to avoid the issue of alcoholism/personal health/disability. This dispute is a missed opportunity. Years ago Frank should have been doing on-the-air commentary as the senior anchor who has seen it all, done it all, etc. Dan Ashley does the same on Channel 7 and Kent Brockman has been doing his "my two cents worth" for years.
ReplyDeleteIt could be that Frank, who has an adopted black daughter and is very left wing, was going to parrot Joy Reid's take on the Petito murder -- that the case is making the news only because the victim is a vulnerable, pretty white woman. And Fox, being Fox, wasn't going to allow that on the air or on social media.
I agree with other commenters who say people don't tune in to local news anymore because of the anchors. But Channel 2 needs to step up its game. Jana Katsuyama was given a shot at the late night news the other day and she was terrible. It was like watching a weekend newscast in the 200th market. She'd be a good "Romper Room" host, but can't cut it as an anchor. (I hear too that she's one of Rich's biggest critics.)
I watched Frank all the time and loved the way he presented the news. His is a face that is wll known in the bay area. I have watched him for many years and truly loved the way he presented himself and the news. If he does not return, he will be truly missed by many fans. I wish him well in whatever comes next in his life.
ReplyDeleteI will miss him too whatever the reason I wish him well
DeleteWhy is Ember the Eel still employed? For that matter, why are most Bay Area NDs still employed. THEY'RE where the real weaknesses are, not the anchors or reporters. KCBS, KGO, KPIX, KNTV, KTVU, KRON when Pero was there (new ND hasn't been in the seat long enough to be graded), E-in-C of the Chronicle...they were/are all utterly incompetent. None of them could night-manage a 7-Eleven. But they run media properties that are worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Baffling. Don't these investors want to make REAL MONEY off these properties?! Then install people who may cost more money, but are WORTH IT because they are COMPETENT. Weed out these idiots and you will see a bigger return on your investment.
ReplyDeleteSF Gate, via a report by a freelance writer, seems to be spinning this as the Fox network trying to deny Frank his right to free speech. Retweets of the story have people taking Frank's side on this. If Frank ever editorialized on-air about anything, it hasn't been for a long time, and was before his recent bad performance. The Gate article only refers to that one on-air episode a few months ago, but his bad performance has been going on for months now. Maybe Frank was intentionally playing to the online social justice crowd and now he can attempt to sue Fox or use it as leverage in departure negotiations. I doubt he cares anything about this issue, or he would have brought it up weeks ago when this story began to dominate the news. Well-played, but he revealed himself to be a manipulative, uncaring person undeserving of sympathy.
ReplyDeleteSome idiot who knows nothing wrong:
Delete> I doubt he cares anything about
> this issue
Oh yes he does. I know him and can confirm it, but aside from that, if you've read the stuff he's posted in the past, he's completely the kind of guy who would care about this.
> or he would have
> brought it up weeks ago when
> this story began to dominate the news.
WHAT??? The issue didn't begin to "dominate" the news until last week.
You're one of those sad idiots who thinks he's so much smarter than the rest of us.
They may have done Frank a favor by this move, which makes him a martyr for a cause (pointing out "missing white woman syndrome") that certainly has supporters that range from interested to rabid and that is hard to argue doesn't exist.
ReplyDelete"There I was, getting my act together after challenging times, and when I DARED voice a different viewpoint from that which they were comfortable with, they sidelined me, doing irreparable damage to my reputation and professional options!"
It could be the culmination of aggregated events over the last few years that you have pointed out as well as other unknown factors, but by itself Frank (and his representatives [would Vacar take the case? ha ha]) have an intriguing option that perhaps gives him at least some leverage. I have no idea if there is language in his contract that would keep him away from posting his personal opinions in such a way, but at this point with all the antics that have gone on from both sides things are quite muddled.
Too bad he did not strip in front of LIVE TV acting drunk, this can shut down KTVU 2 if they let it on air.
ReplyDeleteHe did! Weren't you watching that night? ;-)
DeleteWhere I work, I have to watch what I say on my social media pages. What I say reflects on the company that I work for. It sounds like KTVU had the same clause in FS’s contract, and he violated that. Now, having said that, he was not wrong in saying that the news reports more young, attractive white women missing, than they do any others. But, I suspect that his suspension is also because of is alcoholism. For all we know, he’s doing a stint in rehab, and that’s why he’s been of air. This is not their first go round with a news anchor who has been drunk on air. Anybody remember George Watson?
ReplyDeleteYou got so much wrong there, Beaches1. Go back to the beach and sun yourself.
DeleteHe didn't say anything on his social media page. He asked to comment on air, was told not to, and DIDN'T. What part of that don't you understand.
For all you know is nothing. He's not in rehab. This latest stint has nothing to do with alcoholism. It's been well documented; learn to read before posting again. And yes, we all remember George Watson; we've been talking about him recently here.
Agreed: KTVU management blew this one. Frank was bonking a 28 year old intern recently and now he's a champion of women. This is like a Russian drama, not that Tolstoy or Dostoevsky are available to comment.
ReplyDeleteAnyone in media who uses all caps like this should not be in media. He sounds like a petulant teen,
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis appears to me to be a replay of George Watson 2.0. The three nano seconds that Frank did in rehab weren't enough. Had he stayed and got himself real help, who knows, he may have been able to save his job. What a terrible way to end his career.
ReplyDeleteand now we get to watch as The Firm plays musical chairs with every anchor and (non anchor) filling franks spot for the next several months. I guess they don't realize that taking this all-hands-on-deck approach cheapens and further degrades the quality of their newscasts.
ReplyDeleteDoes Frank still have the money to sue KTVU if he officially gets fired? Divorce, settlement, rehab, luxury car and house, child support, wife support, how many savings does he still have left??
ReplyDeleteLawyers take cases on a contingency...Find out what that means, junior.
DeleteYou don't know that. His health is his business. I hope Frank comes back.
ReplyDeleteI hope Frank come back as well but think his time is up. Look like the director don't support him coming back. He being my favorite after Dennis left his due to illness.
DeleteA broken person can look impaired even when they are not. You lose everything, Wife, family, friends, self confidence yeah you start to look and feel pretty bad. Mainstream media sucks. KGO really sucks. Don't live in the bay anymore so don't watch the news. The radio sure does suck.
ReplyDelete"missing white woman syndrome" is such a liberal strawman. It sucks at so many levels. I am shocked that KTVU got rid of Somerrville because he wanted to cry "missing white woman syndrome" too like all good liberals want to do. "missing white woman syndrome", systemic racism, all these phony virtue signaling makes me throw up in my mouth a little. Don't liberals ever give it a rest?
ReplyDelete@8:52 -- I'm with you, brother! White racism has NEVER existed -- Show me proof. Slavery and Jim Crow were liberal hoaxes like dinosaurs or cavemen. Seriously, liberals, give it a rest!
DeleteThere is no doubt, at least imho, that there is more intense media coverage when a white woman or child goes missing, but the injecting of race into every subject does get a bit nauseating. It begins to be like the boy who cried wolf, liberals bring race into everything and at some point, even if there is validity to the claim, people tired of hearing racism this, racist that, end up tuning it out. Not everything is about race. Not everyone is racist. It does get tiresome when the card is played all too often, that much I agree with.
DeleteYou must not be a person of color. You hear this saying all the time by people like you. Walk in there shoes
DeleteFrank may have a personal opinion on the Patito case but this missing white women syndrome is a myth, as with a lot of things these days nobody checks facts or statistics per se, more white males are killed by police then black males in any givin year, and now for him to try to stay relevant he goes off on the latest news fad,hate on whitey. As if he didn't have enough issues on his plate.
ReplyDelete@Holmes -- Not only is white women syndrome a myth, so is white racism! I haven't seen ONE shred of historical evidence proving whites have ever committed a single sin against any minority! Keep preaching, Holmes!
DeleteHolmes, good point on more white men being killed by police. You would never know it watching the news. They only cover Blacks killed by the police. You could even call it "Black men killed by police syndrome"
Delete11:03 and 8:52 You are kidding right. No evidence of whites committed sins against blacks and other minorities. You have heard of slavery and KKK right? Having said I do agree that often some sees racism where it does not exists. However, that is a far cry from denying slavery and Jim Crow ever existed. Are you not familiar with the Emmett Till case, or the 3 civil rights workers that were murdered in Mississippi in 1964? Of course the KKK hated not only blacks, but Jews as well and other religions and races. Are you also deny the holocaust?
Delete10:34 I'm only agreeing with my brother, Holmes -- You see, we're a dying breed, us shamelessly ignorant white men. We gotta stick together when facts and logic attack us. If I don't stand up for a fellow moron like Holmes, who will? Surely, you understand our plight?
Delete3:45 Tongue in cheek, right?
DeleteRe: 1:05pm post on Katsuyama. I saw her several weeks ago as an anchor and she did a VERY credible job reading the teleprompter.
ReplyDeleteSo now Frank is some fighter for social justice? Right. Last week he was trying to destroy Dave Clark's career with that video he kept showing around the building of Dave's on air gaffe. Wake up black people. Frank cares about FRANK and you're being used by him to WAG THE DOG. It's almost amazing how much it's working.
ReplyDeleteSo you're saying the *reason* Frank was showing the video around the building was because Dave is black?
DeleteIf the answer is "I DIDN'T SAY THAT!" then what does race have to do with this?
He could be fighting for social justice and still think someone made a terrible mistake...and that person just happens to be black!
That's what I hate about today's idiot breed of liberals...they can't separate race from ANYTHING.
All this talk about race but let’s not forget that MONEY is the main driver here. When it comes to TV it’s all about the money that networks can make from advertising dollars, that is their primary source of income generation. They air programming and content that they believe will generate the highest ratings which in turn will generate the most advertising dollars.
DeleteThis is true for their news programming as well.
If KTVU, or any other network, believed that they would get maximum ratings by airing wall-to-wall coverage about a missing African American or indigenous woman then make no mistake about it, that’s exactly what they would do. News execs aren’t stupid people, they have figured out what people CARE about, and they know that slapping a pretty white girl all over the tv (a purely visual medium) will get people watching.
The sad truth is most of us don’t care about a random missing black woman or indigenous woman. It’s almost as though all expect this sort of thing to happen to black and brown people. News execs know this.
But a cute, all American white girl with a beautiful smile and glowing blonde hair? Well that’s different. That’s fascinating. We collectively care about girls like Gaby because this type of stuff shouldn’t be happening to someone who looks like her. We want to see the pretty girl and follow the mystery of the monster who would kill such an angelic beauty.
News execs have figured out this formula.
So yes, it’s about race BECAUSE it’s about money.
The irony here is that Frank’s suspension is already drawing national attention. Most will come out on Frank’s side and as always The Firm and the halfwits that run their operation will come out looking inept.
ReplyDeleteExactly. Wouldn't be surprised if eventually Amber Eikel is the one replaced. She's made KTVU into a shitshow, and even blind loyalty and ass-kissing has a price.
DeleteCome on, man! Heather Holmes is the Sum Ting Wong of Melanie Morgans. KTVU will always be a local beachhead for Bush League broadcasting.
DeleteWhere is Mel Wax when you need hi
Re: 9:01am, which Dave Clark gaffe are you referring to? On any given newscast he makes at least two dozen. Only one worse at reading the promoter over there is Frank Mallicoat.
ReplyDeleteWhat's with the microphones? Every broadcast practically there is a mike failure. A disproportionate number seem to happen to Bill Martin, but they've all had their share of glitches. Sometimes I think they get their equipment from Radio Shack.
DeleteI made a comment on one of the paper's comment thread saying Rich needed to be credited, but they nuked my comment.
ReplyDeleteYou'all really don't know what's going on behind closed doors. Frank is a womanizer, know it all, and an ass. He has a problem with women managers an thinks he's the smartest in the room. Blame Frank, no one forced Frank to drink.
ReplyDelete