The feeling at KTVU among most of the staff, on and off air:
KTVU, as I reported, is in a can't win situation. If they 86 him, (Frank) then they'll have a terrible situation with the minority community (they already do) and it'll be seen as them flipping off an important demo and especially in the diverse Bay Area market. If they bring him back, then it'll be only on a lame duck status; he will probably be GONE in March, '22.
*General feeling at KTVU is Somerville fatigue. Even those that support him, his placement in the news has begun to take its toll at the Oakland studios. With a puppet ND (Eikel) and a MIA GM, things are none to rosy at KTVU.
While 2021 has been a hard year to be Frank Somerville it would be a bad move to let him go. He's someone viewers love and trust. If anything I think they see him as more human and relatable than ever.
ReplyDeleteI'm sick of the guy. I used to like him until he started feeling the need to make comments every time a reporter in the field ended their report.
DeleteIf its just reading a teleprompter and delivering the news they could just bring in someone. I don't see Frank moving the needle in a way that justifies his large salary. It seems he's heading the way of Ron Burgundy at SeaWorld and relapse has put him in a difficult situation. He's not the same Frank who took over Dennis Richmond's anchor chair. I'm a GenX and I rarely watch TV news. I just watch it now to see if Frank is sober or not.
ReplyDelete> I'm a GenX and I rarely watch TV news.
Delete> I just watch it now to see if Frank is
> sober or not.
So we care about your opinion.......why?
B.S.Toxic is toxic!Swing a dead cat in that News room and nobody wants to get that fur in their mouth. They are parting like the Red Sea.
ReplyDeleteFrank is the architect of his own misery! Never grab hold of a drowning victim that chose to dive headfirst into oblivion.
So there I was, switching stations in my car from KQED to KGO today during Chip's show. He took up the Frank issue, saying essentially that Mr. Somerville was suspended because he wanted to add a "tagline" to the Gabby story that if she were black, the story would likely not be covered. Chip gave none of the context about Mr. Somerville's epic stoned or drunk speech problems as an anchor, and the station's proper edict that he do news and not opinion. Chip went on to call Gabby Petito, "Gabby Petino"again and again and again. It really isn't difficult , whether you are delivering opinion on talk radio, or unbiased news on a news station to get a name right. Perhaps it's because she WAS white.
ReplyDeleteHuman? Relatable? The Firm? HA! That's never been their ammo!
ReplyDeleteLet the contract run out and each side moves on. Wouldn't surprise if FOX decides to leave KTVU. They've left stations in the middle of the country before, even in red areas. Leaving a most blue part of their affiliates might actually save them money.
What are you babbling about? Fox OWNS KTVU. They're not going to "leave" it, like it was a simple arm's length affiliate relationship in a mid-sized market. Fox has a boatload of money invested in owning and operating a station in the sixth largest TV market.
DeleteI think it's mostly the progressive white community that are the staunchest defenders of Frank. The minority community might prefer a minority member as a replacement for Frank.
ReplyDeleteThat's why, were I running the store at KTVU, I'd appoint Andre Senior.
DeleteAside from checking the demographics box, I think he's really quite good. A little green maybe, but he'd grow into the job. Frank was green once too. (And in many ways still is.)
The 'progressive white community' are now part of the 'minority community.' Hispanic are now the majority in CA. I agree, the minority community might prefer a minority replacement. Since I am now considered a 'minority' in CA, I would recommend a white minority for his replacement.
DeleteThe Women Are The News