Aloofness at KTVU; Rosenheim's Salary at PIX; Surly Ama Daetz; KNBR Not Ready For Prime Time Players; Bastida and VLDC; Thursday Notes

 THURSDAY NOTES...

While no one will say anything publically, (duh!), a longtime KTVU staffer says the newsroom is completely out of the loop with a lameduck GM and News Director. "We're all in the dark and it's a guessing game."

Staff awaits the direction of the station once Fox takes over in October but clearly, the mood in JLS is tepid at best.

The Boy Wonder, Lee Rosenthal put his Eastbay house up for sale in June and now it's closed. Most likely, as I've said here, Rosenthal is headed to Boston with GM, Tom Raponi, who has already landed the GM gig with Fox25 in Boston.

*The Game, (95.7 FM All-Sports) has a morning show whose star jock, Aubrey Huff, has taken a lot of time off recently, (Mostly vacation), probably to count his Giant's money and update the resume because the program is clearly in trouble and so is Huff's radio career.

*A TV trade based in Florida questioned my report that KPIX's ND, Dan Rosenheim was making somewhere in the 'hood of $350K...a former PIX reporter told me Rosenheim was at about $330K six years ago. I'll take his word for it.

*Ama Daetz, new KGO-TV weeknight co-anchor: more than charming ON the air, a little surly OFF the air.

*Sussman: Drudge Report headlines, repeats stories, bash Obama, play stupid Joe Biden 7-11 actuality, repeat more stories, bash Obama, fake banter with traffic chick whose voice sounds like a gravel machine at the Hayward dump, end of show.

*Spencer Hughes/KSFO hate monger: Was I too harsh? No, kind of tame actually.

*That new KRON VP and GM: looks can be deceiving.

*It's pretty evident that when Gary Radnich, even in his sunset years, takes vacation, his KNBR show suffers from a case of the Not Ready For Primetime Players.

*Ken Bastida and Veronica De La Cruz: Not exactly chummy. The body language alone speaks volumes. More ominous for PIX: Bastida likes everyone!

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LA Radio Data Screw-Up Jolts Southland; Yes, Veronica De La Cruz is Big News; The All-Sports 'The Game' and Its Issues; Comcast Difference on Giants and A's Games; Paul Deanno is Cool; Brodie Brazil Apparently Isn't; Thursday Media Notes

 THURSDAY RUNDOWN


The broadcasting people down in Los Angels are fuming over a screw-up by Nielsen in the May Radio ratings, reports the LA Times


I've heard a few rumblings that LA is not alone and that other markets, like SF, (#4) may have received false data, only SF numbers were released.


Probably not a swell time to be in the Nielsen research department conference room.


*Let me set the record straight. I don't take pleasure in writing about anchors whose contracts won't be renewed. It's not my decision, its decisions made by management and the corporations who run the vast majority of local TV News operations. I don't just wantonly throw on the wall that such and such are goners. Most of my info comes from sources and they're usually accurate, like here for example. Or here too.




*Why did I write so extensively about new KPIX anchor, Veronica De La Cruz? Some of you thought I went overboard. And that KPIX hadn't really made a "splashy hire." Really, then I guess this wasn't splashy?


Or this?


The fact is when significant personnel moves involving major market players, then it's a legitimately big story, at least in the TV News business. Moreover, when De La Cruz mysteriously was absent for over a month and her status unclear, yes, I gravitated to the story. It became a lot more intriguing and mysterious when there was no reason(s) given as to why she was MIA. Fortunately we got that squared away and she seems to have ironed out her problems, at least for now.


But the point remains the same: when a big time hire comes to SF, yes, it's big news. And it's not just VDLC. Recall the buzz when Sylvia Chase, she of ABC News and "20-20" fame departed NY to come out here to KRON.


*Until the all-sports FM outlet, 95.7 FM 'The Game' gets a stronger signal, alters its doomed new morning program, (and a few other shows), it will have zero chance as a relevant radio player in this market. Add to that dominant AM power, KNBR and its first-tier franchise affiliates like the Giants and 49ers, Warriors too and you don't need to be a heart surgeon to make that observation.


*Add 'The Game" nugget: A prominent radio source told me The Game's PD, Jason Barrett wanted to have a powwow with one of the station's newest personalities, its best, by the way, and the personality told Barrett he could essentially go do something virtually impossible.


*The difference between Giants games on Comcast and A's games on Comcast, in a nutshell: Giants telecasts concentrate on crowd shots while A's telecasts rely on the GAME. Excuse me, I thought the team with the BEST record in baseball was first and foremost the attraction.


*If you've been noticing the very real toned-down voice from the person who hosts the 9-Noon show on the 810 AM dial, yes, you're not the only one.


*PIX mystery 2: Nothing against Ryan Takeo, who seems like a decent reporter, but PIX has been highlighting this rather innocuous tonsil. There's nothing special about him and he's a good guy, but why? Takeo? Just curious.


*PIX mystery 3: Simon Perez is back-I guess TV News pays better than teaching.


*World Cup required TV entity: beer.


*BREAKING NEWS***BREAKING NEWS***BREAKING NEWS: KTVU has not hired any new reporters within the past 24 hours.


*Brodie Brazil was just winning me over with his network-quality work when, according to a few co-workers who asked for anonymity, suddenly began acting like a complete jerk. Memo to Brodes: Before you begin pulling the prima donna card, get the NY gig first.


*OK, you're officially cool department: KPIX weather guru, Paul Deanno: at first, skeptical, now the guy is a real bona-fide good man who knows his stuff and comes off cool as hell.


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Tuesday Mid-Day Media Chatter; KTVU's Naylor on Maternity Leave; Star Rising; KRON does Newscast from Newsroom; Darya's Dough Second to Radnich; Back to the Storm Desk and Team Coverage

 KTVU newsreader Maureen Naylor has been on maternity leave--many of you have inquired as to her whereabouts and this explains it.

Moreover, and more significant, management is so high on the anchor they can wait for her return, or, as a Channel 2 source told me, "they love her."

What's not to love.

TUESDAY NOTES: KRON's main studio was down due to tech difficulties Monday they had to broadcast from the newsroom, funny--like KGO-TV, actually looked better...By the way, Channel 7 is killing everyone in the early evening news blocks, yes, ratings are very good...Darya Folsom makes more money than everyone at KRON except for Radnich...No, I did not listen to the alleged "all-sports" FM station with the "all- new" ID, (funny, they've been around over 3 years--all new? Huh?) programs in the AM and PM drive. From what I heard nobody else did either. Like restaurants, wait a month before visiting the buffet ..."Check Please" called--I wasn't interested...CSNBA "YSTL"gabfest doesn't want me on because the head warrior says the "writers" get annoyed when I did the show a few years ago. Yeah, I actually said something newsworthy and interesting as opposed to the vanilla wall-paper sect that spew forth Giants/49ers/Raiders sweet-nothings. They fear more than the beard over there on Third St...The orgasms are back: We go to 'TEAM COVERAGE", Pacifica is flooding!--yada, yada, yada...

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The Best bRACKet in the Bay Area: KTVU's Rosemary Orozco plus Sunday Nuggets

 I tune in Weekend "Mornings on 2" on KTVU --I'm more keen on the weather reports and the talents of Rosemary Orozco, call me curious.

*Clear Channel is able to operate with about $21 billion worth of debt. It's a toxic asset. Think of those of you that have ten credit cards, six or seven of which are maxed out so you use the others to pay down the maxis --Clear Channel has about a gazillion dollars worth of credit cards --they're all maxed but unlike you and me they get to keep on using theirs.

*If they nixed out Gil Gross and Frosty the Snowman that would free up about six bucks.

*Sarah and Vinnie from Alice: well-compensated groupies. Now put a lid on your disgruntled ex-comrades.

*CNN: PLANEly speaking, Jeff Zucker found a winning format. Screw those tiny little stories like Ukraine.

*Has there been any more satellite imagery from the Indian Ocean? We're due.

*It's not that Heather Holmes isn't worth nor talented it's more Allie Rasmus has the "IT" factor going for her: smart, quick, personality and just the right amount of gusto. And contrary to my anonymous anchor friend, she can ad-lib too. Extra credit points.

*Terry McSweeney-KNTV: better than first observed. And with Diane Dwyer and Rob Mayeda, a winning weekend news team.

*No, Marc Spears was not playing off the Ed Lee mangling of "Steve" Curry--he simply got an assist from some quick-thinking KNBR producer who bailed him out with a 3-point play.

*Damon Bruce Update: Even Hooters is reassessing.

*The figurehead Program Director at the alleged all-sports FM radio outlet is considering Brandon Tierney to join its morning zoo. I'm kidding of course but with this guy never rule anything out.

*Leslie Sbrocco: puff pastry.

*CSNBA's: Brodie Brazil: underrated.

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Savage Destroys Hannity; KTVU and Vacar/Fowler Shop Talk; Highest-Paid TV Anchors; KSFO/KGO Blather; Darya Folsom/KRON Intrigue; Karel No Red Carpet in Ireland; Friday Nuggets

Michael Savage

 Love him, hate him, revile at his rants, he's the highest-paid radio host in the Bay Area; Michael Savage, syndicated talkie that has destroyed his ghost rival, Sean Hannity not only here, (KSFO), but NY, (King of the apple), Chicago, Detroit, Dallas. It's not even close in the important radio demos that count although some advertisers are still weary of Savage's discourse. They might have to reassess that position.


Savage makes north of a million dollars but between his books and diversified business interests fortune, he's reportedly worth close to $100 million. Who needs radio?


*We've told you the inside story about KTVU's desire to rid itself of the services of ace, veteran reporters, Tom Vacar and John Fowler. A reader inquires why we don't see much of those correspondents. Fair question. Think age perception by management although both reporters still turn out quality work. One caveat about Vacar and why he's still on the payroll: They're afraid of showing him the door: he's a lawyer.




Tom Vacar

SPEAKING of KTVU and Assorted Media Notes: Heather Holmes: I don't get it, looks and all. Body of work? Meh...Where's Maureen Naylor? Mystery...Bill Martin looks kind of cranky and we wonder why: wait, everybody's in a crappy mood over there...Thank God for Sal Castaneda...Top 3 SF TV anchors in terms of pay, in order: 1. Dan Ashley, KGO-TV, $500K range, 2. Frank Somerville, KTVU, a little north of $500K and KPIX5's Ken Bastida in the $400K neighborhood...Just a hunch: Tom Tolbert will not be the Warriors TV analyst replacement for Jim Barnett next year. Radio is another story. Whoever ends up in Barnett's chair will have a tough hill to climb...Salary chat: Greg Papa gets about $300G from the Raiders and Comcast Sports Net Bay Area but he's nowhere near the high six figures of 49ers/CBS/NBC multi-platform man, Ted Robinson...Latest estimate time play when KRON's gear is moved to 900 Front: late Summer...Stay off my lawn, girl version: Darya Folsom and Justine Waldman. Cat fight with a central, certain male proxy...The only thing worse than a Jan Wahl report on KCBS is a Jan Wahl report...Mystery man still devoid of making the big change: PIX boss, Bruno Cohen who seems, temporarily, at ease with the Battery Boys...When KSFO puppets are boasting that "we beat KGO!" you know things are scary. Yeah, wonderful work. One albatross with Father and Daughter AM tag team beating the 810 AM little sisters of the poor. Terrific, go collect your Sweet Jack coupons...Sarah and Vinnie: you should hear what your slightly-disgruntled guy from IT told me! Gosh, better than I thought. But seriously, you'll never guess who, what, where, but good luck..."Hi, Welcome to the SF Zoo, er, KGO Radio on a Sunday Night!"...Breaking Karel News: No red carpets in Ireland. And a bunch of drunk weirdo-types asking: "Who the fuck is that asshole?" --Yeah, here's your free food and Guinness now get the hell out of our country!...Damon Bruce consensus: one year, tops...See, here's the problem: sure, in the room, Roberta Gonzales may not have a whole lot of allies but outside the hall she has a swarm of supporters who love her dearly whether guided or misguided, it's just the facts maam...David Weintraub has 50 lawyers lined up if KGO dare screw with him but I don't think they be that stupid. Yet...


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Tillem The Loyah on Syndication; Kohara on KQED's Talk of the Nation; KRON HD?; Wednesday PM Notes

**MID-DAY NOTES...

*Spoke to Len Tillem and got a semi-tepid response from The Loyah on his thoughts of syndicating his show, (currently on NewsTalk 910).

"I'm always interested in getting syndicated...


I met recently with the Program Director and General Manager of an LA

talk station and they are interested in having my KKSF show simulcast on their station.

If I were on an LA station the callers would of course be weirder and my show would be even

better.

It's the stories."
 
**Former KPIX morning news anchor, Sydnie Kohara, is doing the news breaks on KQED's Talk of the Nation.
 
**I haven't watched, but a few local wonks tell me KRON has gone to HD during some of their news shows. Good. Too bad the mood is still gloomy.
 
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About the Wayne Interview and other Thursday Media notes

Several of you inquired why I didn't ask KTVU's Ken Wayne about 'Special Ed' Chapuis, news director over in Oakland who has made quite a name for himself.

A couple of things...if you read the short interview, I sort of reference it by indirectly asking Wayne about how things are going at Jack London Square, (home of the KTVU studios)

Keep in mind that Chapuis is Wayne's boss. It would be pretty dumb if he were to rip him in public. And because I like Wayne and know him to be a complete professional, I don't expect him to bite the hand that feeds him. Sort of awkward, don't you think?

And besides, the tone of the interview wasn't intended to be "gotcha." As was the case with Frank Somerville, (and others,) these are usually light-hearted Q and A's that are a momentary departure from the usual repertoire here. I'm not Mike Wallace and this is a media blog, not the Sunday NY Times magazine. Most of you get that.

Sure, we'd all like to get something of a pithy nature out of these people, but we also want to have fun too. Keep in mind that a lot of these guys don't do a whole lot of interviews--the mere fact that many of them share some time with me should speak for itself.

*It's fine that KQED-TV is looking into a Charlie Rose-type program, but am I the only one who finds it sad that the local PBS outlet doesn't have a nightly, local news program? Sure, I'm aware the cost of producing a 30-minute show is huge, but we're not talking millions here.

One anchor, a few reporters, and some interactive commentary. A simple set, nothing too elaborate, think old-style "Newsroom", then again that would make too much sense and boom! goes the dynamite.

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*Tips, Inter-office memos and E-mail: Rich.Lieberman@Gmail.com (All confidentiality assured)

Olbermann; Pi-Gonzalez; Bernstein; 95. 7 Morning Joke; KQED and more; Tuesday Rundown

*Caught Keith Olbermann's debut on SF-based 'Current TV'...Olbermann is long on terrific writing and well-packaged segments--short on the likability factor. His 'Countdown' show is effective, (if you can widdle through the cable forest to find the channel) and the program looks like a keeper.

Sure, Keitho's politics are another story, but you knew that going in. Another show factor: as my buddy at InsideCable pointed out, Olberman's Countdown is 63 minutes, just over the usual 60 to screw with MSNBC and Rachel Maddow's show, (ironically, it was Olbermann who jettisoned Maddow to her current cable star status)

*Now that ESPN Deportes will take over the control at fledging KTRB, you would figure, logically, that the A's would re-hire Amaury Pi-Gonzalez and take advantage of the huge Hispanic market in the Bay Area, right? Wrong.

Turns out the A's wanted Pi-Gonzalez to work for free. This, from an organization that is the fourth-richest among MLB owners, (John Fisher, GAP money) Class move.

*In spite of people who tell me that he's not a "team player", Bay Area broadcaster, Roxy Bernstein, (CAL basketball, baseball, ESPN, etc) is one of the most underrated pbp guys in the area.

Bernstein is solid on calls, not to0 overly homerish and calls a nice broadcast, especially on basketball.

*Gotta love the clowns who repeatedly called me out for being "soft" on the new FM sports-only station. Really? As if calling the doofus morning show nothing more than three boorish frat boys talking innocuous shitty mish-mash. They sound like morons chugging on endless rounds of Guinness while extolling the virtues of Mark Ellis and Jemile Weeks. Truly groundbreaking stuff, guys, way to grab an audience.

*KQED-TV is supposedly weighing a late-night 'Charlie Rose'-like local interview program. I just hope we can pray that the proposed show isn't a forum for boring Berkeley Rep actors, endless Willie Brown "introspectives", Beach Blanket Babylonmush and so on.

*That supposed SF Chronicle/SF Gate paywall trial baloon appears to have been shelved, at least temporrarily. Reports circulated a few months back, that a $10 a-month paywall, (similar to the NY Times) was to have been started around late May, but so far, no go.

*Yes, Gene Burns on KGO Radio, appears to be sounding more lucid and fluid, the old Gene Burns, here's hoping he makes a complete recovery. While I'm not the greatest Burns fan, he at least provides a completely sincere program.

Too bad other KGO hosts, (including one who recently de-friended me on Facebook--oh, the sleepless nights) sound as if they just got off the Amtrak train from Lompoc.

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Monday Media Minutiae from the 415 Saloon

I'm back. (Duh.)

NEWS, NOTES and COMMENT: Between the saturation coverage of the unfortunate incident involving the Giants' fan, Bryan Stow, and the Dodgers coming to town tonight, ("mass security presence",) seems that nothing else is being covered. Of course, we haven't even mentioned the Bonds trial and can't wait for that one...Attorney Ivan Golde predicted on knibber that he wouldn't be surprised if Bonds were convicted. I smell a hung jury or outright acquittal...Expect the usual "live team coverage" as the lead from the ballpark tonight with the usual predictable reporters asking stupid questions--"So, Skippy, you're wearing a Dodgers jersey--do you fear your safety? 'Uh, 'blah, blah, blah."...And of course, about 200 shots of the various cops and security yellow-jackets too. All in all, nothing will happen, (of course) and the "Beat LA" chant with endless Giants footage will lead the evening news...A reader tells me that ex-KRON weather diva, Kristy Siefkin, has migrated to KPIX in the morning. Gees, what a concept. More blondiful local weather guessers. How original...Comcast SportsNet Bay Area and KNBR: Your 24-7 Giants media PR dept. Maybe they outta just embargo everyone and everything else and set up shop at Willie Mays Plaza. It's getting rather toy-storyish, actually and oh, by the way, 2011 has arrived. 2010 is over. The ring ceremony was lovely and time to move on...Bruce Jenkins, quit drinking the kool-aid. Maybe we'll see Jenkins go up to Uribe tonight and shake hand, (how disturbing)...One last point: The reason why Scott Ostler stands above the rest, (including the overbearing Jenkins) Ostler can write the column and still be giddy and loving of the locals without becoming the downright homer that Jenkins and his ilk have become...Bonds trial brings in the media heavyweights: Steve Futterman from CBS Radio, Alex Stone from ABC, and a crew from "60 Minutes" waiting in the wings...Talk about unintentional laughter dept: KGO Radio shamelessly trying to capture the younger demo by giving away Charlie Sheen tickets. (Via Twitter, naturally) Dear Jack Swanson: do you even have a phucking clue? I mean, Karel? The complete AM and PM "news" dreck? Maybe you should just broadcast from Facebook and screw the frequency. After all, nobody listens anymore anyway...The A's on "The Wolf--95.7 FM." Sounds good and can actually HEAR the broadcast too. And a plug for pre and post-game host, Chris Townsend...I'm still trying to confirm the non-Giants employees who were given rings and yes, several of our local freeloaders were on the list, (some of whom you'll be surprised to know) I'm still gathering the info and when I'm ready to go, I'll get you all the news...Eric Byrnes: I listened once and that'll be the last...Guilty pleasure: 91.1 Saturday morning jazz brunch...When someone says anything worthwhile on "Chronicle Live", stop me, otherwise I can't watch that anymore...There's more grumbling inside the KTVU newsroom, but that's not news anymore. Sooner or later, someone up top has a decision to make...I neglected to acknowledge longtime KGO-TV anchor/reporter, Carolyn Tyler. My bad. Yes, she's a pro...Gloom and doom shtick jumping the shark personified: Ray Ratto...Never ever thought that Phil Anschutz would be favored over Arianna Huffington. Talk about ironic...Class and stature: Belva Davis. Still...Ronn Owens, Tom Sinkovitz, and Pam Moore were holding court over at the North Beach Restaurant last week. Herb Caen would have been proud...Finally, did you hear? The Dodgers are in town tonight.

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