KGO-TV's (ABC7) Dan Ashley and Ama Daetz have become my #1-rated anchor duo in the Bay Area.
I wasn't always on the bandwagon. It took me awhile to gravitate to Ashley-- now, he's about as smooth and steady as all get go.
And Daetz, at first, seemed just a tad too plastic for my taste, but she's now quite compelling and passionate. And a presence galore. Ama has positioned herself as a top-flight newswoman and her striking persona--with an assist from Ashley, makes for a solid twosome.
Ashley, I think, helps Daetz and she compliments him. Simplicity in its finest. They have the perfect repertoire: little, idle chit-chat and just the right anount of humor and off-copy conversation. In fact, it's that part of the equation that has transformed Daetz most prominently. Not only that, Ama can now do an excellent interview--not one of her strengths in prior years. She's improved there dramatically.
Ashley, one of Circle7's most tenured anchors, is just as smooth as ever. He has become ABC's Bay Area face-of-the-station, for good reason. He's simply unflappable. And particularly in moments of breaking news when an anchor earns their money. In my book, nobody can come close to Ashley --having worked in the field and demonstrating a real knack for news acumen, he has certifiable cred. You can see it.
Ama most assuredly helps Dan too. She has a winning look and projects confidence. It comes across every night. Like I said, the chemistry is quite magical for both. They know one another and they both do a pretty darn good newscast, in fact, the very BEST dynamic duo in the Bay Area.
If they can just drop the "Building a Better Bay Area" BS I would be happier than a lark...
ReplyDeleteVan and Jerry weren't to bad
ReplyDeleteeither
and she's a local girl.
ReplyDeleteOld white guy and younger woman of color. It's the new normal in news. How about older woman and younger white guy for a change? Or better yet how about people that are actually the best at their job and it has nothing to do with their age or color? Now THAT would be a novel approach.
ReplyDeleteFor more than forty years, anchor teams were always composed of dad and his second wife, the crazy uncle who did sports, and the mad scientist who did the weather. Names change, faces change. Approach stays the same.
DeleteBecause the same people who make racist comments like this don’t want to see an older woman. You wouldn’t have a problem if she were white.
DeletePointing out the stupidity of the old white guys running news wrapping themselves with random minority hires for cover isn't racist it's just the new standard of local news. It's no secret. It's how all of the white managers are keeping their jobs. And it doesn't change that news is still very much run by white people.
DeleteThe racist part is implying that they aren’t qualified and only have the job because of their skin color. News Flash: Smart and accomplished people come in all colors, it’s just that white men have made most of the hiring decisions.
DeleteLiterally NONE of what you wrote is in the comment you're responding too. Are you sure YOU'RE not racist? You've assumed you know my race. You do not. The point is that we need qualified people not people hired solely to hit a demographic quota. I made no disparaging remark about any particular anchor. I'm disparaging the formula that managers are using to hire. And I made it because I'm sick of the mindless decisions managers are making to play CYA with race issues. It doesn't solve the problem of diversity, it kicks the can down the road. Meaningful change is needed. That's not happening.
DeleteEveryone is always focused on the race and gender of the anchors. When are we going to focus on other characteristics, like, say height? Let's give the midgets a shot at the anchor spot. Then the Bay Area can lay claim to having "the first midget anchor at a major station".
ReplyDeleteThere are a few who stand on boxes. Does that count?
DeleteEven though nearly everyone else in this market sucks, their work would still stand out.
ReplyDeleteI was listening to KCBS this morning and heard Rebecca Corral. I have always liked her, has she been on that station long?
ReplyDeleteAnd on the local business station, I heard both Gregg Jarrett and Ed Baxter. Someone was mentioning Baxter here last week or at least this month. He is a real solid newsman and so is Jarrett. Glad to see that 3 of my favorites are still around and local. Going to miss Ibanez though. Big loss.
Rich, is there anybody doing television news that you think might be good on the radio?
ReplyDeleteThe problem with tv news types doing talk radio is simple. You can do news, or you can do opinion. You can't do both simultaneously.
DeleteWhile admitting Ashley's superiority in this market, I can't get comfortable with all his hand gestures. It makes his delivery as rehearsed as a Ted Talk. And labeling his op-ed pieces "What Really Matters" sounds presumptuous. I'd respect it more if he labeled it "What I think really matters".
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