Mike Mibach's Tough Challenge Ahead at 10 PM for KTVU; Needs To Gain Viewer Trust; Heather Holmes Has to Wait Again; Andre Senior Not Thrilled; Alex Savidge Passed Over; Eikel Feels The Heat from Staff (Again); 415 Media Analysis

KTVU THINKS they made the right call: formally going with Mike Mibach to become the new 10 PM news co-anchor. But their own internal feedback says otherwise. While Mibach may look the part and have the backing of Fox2 suits and skirts, he has a long way to go to gain any confidence among 10 O'Clock News viewers.

My own readers have a lousy feeling about Mibach.

I'm not a fan, never have been. First off, Mibach doesn't look the part and that's a huge negative. Beyond that, he doesn't have the chops. It's a tough deal but it's reality. Viewers have to buy into whether they feel comfortable watching a guy read the news. Mibach doesn't exactly exude warmth and, fair or not, possesses a standoffish look. Over time, you can earn a viewer's bond but it's just that: over time.

Another negative: Mibach has the appearence of a college male jock. Ironically, that was one of the main reasons why he got the job, because the main viewer demo for local TV news these days are women in their 50's and 60's. Mibach is a local guy; he'll need every angle imaginable to gain viewer trust.

MORE Mibach/KTVU items:

*From the outside looking in: Andre Senior. He'll probabaly take Mibach's spot in the morning but he clearly wanted 10.

*Heather Holmes knew all along she'd be a longshot to anchor at 10; with Julie Haener on the desk, the idea of another woman along side, was not in the cards. Holmes, once again, has to wait, or at least has to be content to work the other nightly newscasts. Clearly, KTVU brass, namely Amber Eikel, the ND, a Holmes ally, haven't made room for her to anchor permanently beyond 7 PM and on KTVU's Plus channel. Bottom line: Holmes thinks she's KTVU's star (and to some degree she is), but she's once again left in the dressing room watching someone else get the goodies.

*Not exactly thrilled either: Alex Savidge, a secondary anchor who auditioned for the job and, who many felt, was a dark horse.

I'm a fan of Savidge and I think he hit on all cylinders. He's far more watchable than Mibach. He has news acumen chops. And he comes across as genuine and sincere, something Mibach doesn't possess.

In the end, KTVU liked Savidge but felt he was not prime time material and lacked star power. Mibach is hardly a big name but oh well.

*This is a rather tumultous time for KTVU. It is dealing with an extremely dire set of internal issues, mostly a staff that has no trust or confidence in its current management team. And this was at a time when KTVU still ruled the ratings.

Now KTVU's numbers have plummeted and Eikel's on the hot spot. She can no longer enjoy free reign from within or more importantly, The Firm (Fox) and its corporate runners. Which is why Eikel hopes like hell that Mibach is a winner. It was her decision to make the call and promote Mibach at 10. That decision alone won't kill off Eichel but if it doesn't succeed and the ratings don't go back up, Eikel might be looking for an apartment in Fresno.