I'm Coming Back Soon. Well, Maybe, Maybe Not. You Make The Call.

 I'M TORN.


Pay attention.


I didn't expect the response I got from many of you; even my most ardent critics; that you missed my 415 Media rants and news and commentary. Many of you wrote to me extensive emails and comments that you liked my material for the most part and even those of you that thought I was a pain in the ass, you were deprived of your daily fix. I'm sure you didn't lose and sleep but I did. (Wink)

Frankly I don't know what to do. I'm still wondering if this is all worth it; contrary to what you think, it takes a lot of time and energy to write a daily blog. Time that I don't have a lot of now (due to another development in my life --which is good) nonetheless, writing 415 Media is a laborious task and not just as simple as you think. And I'm no longer nor at any time doing this as a hobby. Remove that from your vocabulary immediately. Those of you that have consistently donated to my site, again, I thank you. Without you, there's NO 415 Media. Then and now.


Yes, a multitude of events have taken place --the Larry Baer video (and his subsequent resignation) that you want me to write about; especially when your pansy SF Bay Area media refuses to give you the real Larry Baer in perspective. And Jeff Adachi, the SF Public Defender who died a week ago and you got the press release story. How sad, how pathetic. You deserve the truth and all you got was benign coverage, WONDERbread before your eyes and ears.


I'm coming back. Or am I? This is not a tease. But there's so many variables. For one, my time is extremely limited now but I'm a good multitask --and don't even suggest an every now and then blog. It's either all or nothing.


But again, if you want me back, you have to step to the plate. Or not, it's up to you. Those of you that have supported me in the past and present are not obligated to carry on but I'm not going to turn you away if you want a daily dose of my 415 Media. I know, it's addictive. That's not bragging, that's a fact. Read the comments. I certainly did. Which prompted this response. Simple as that. This was not some scheme to generate donations. I was ready to say goodbye and I did. And am still prepared to take a hike but I will await your response and act accordingly.


It's your call now. Or it isn't. If you are desirous of a daily media blog that goes beyond the normal placid BS that you're given every day then you know what to do now.


Or not.

The Pam Cook/KTVU Memo Gets Picked up By The Desk; A Quick State of 415 Media; Personal Reflection; Wednesday Wash Open; UPDATE

Matthew Keys from The Desk wrote a piece about the Pam Cook/KTVU memo that I highlighted.

You should read it.

The past few days have been sort of rough and sort of enlightening too. I'm happy, for the most part, that Keys took the time and wrote a nice and very accurate story that includes me and my site, 415 Media. It is well-written and factual and illustrates the mighty and powerful up against lesser foes. The good guys versus the bad guys. That may be stretching the point but I think you get my drift.

I don't have any axe to grind with Pam Cook in particular and KTVU in general. I find fault in some of their reporting and activity and I will call them out in response just as I will call anyone out. It's a facet of my blog that I'm mostly proud of. Because between the commentary and opinion; OK, occasionally making fun of people too; men and women journalists in our Bay Area media; there is a point and purpose here. You may or may have not noticed and I should keep you aware of what I deem important and in truth, the main reason I write this blog and ask for your support.

So much of what we consume as media purveyors is out and out decrepit and abysmal and we need to hold those responsible accountable. They have a very vast network to operate their electronic machinery; much of it they take for granted and seem to think the average viewer and listener is sheep and lemmings. I may be over-generalizing but it's true.  Some old-school journalists (and new-school too) do a good job and offer outstanding reportage and I'm there to applaud them but the vast majority, unfortunately, offer mediocre-at-best content and I will call them out too. As long as you allow me.

Which gets me back to Pam Cook and KTVU. Some of you surmised that Cook's memo, (which I obtained and published) was "great publicity" and "you couldn't have been more vindicated" by its subject matter.

Funny, because I didn't take it that way. Pam Cook has the right to rip me and insinuate that I'm deplorable, etc. And KTVU, bullies they are, has a right to go after me if they think I'm a threat to their brand, whatever that is today. At one time, it was gold standard news delivery, today, I don't know anymore, there's a lot of questions.

I don't claim to be one-hundred percent spotless; never have. This is a blog. I know its place and acknowledge its highlights and lowlights. There is no attempt here to either glorify or deify my existence on the web. It is what is is if I can borrow a cliché. Most of you who come here want and expect the content that you get and have been very supportive. Cool. That's why I'm here.

So as long as you continue to support me and this blog I will hopefully continue to have the will; both personally and professionally and with financial resources that you have supported my work, will be here, still, and read 415 Media. Even under the most difficult and arduous of circumstances.

Because in the end that's what this is all about. It's really that simple.

*NOW more than ever, I need your contributions and donations to fight back the tyrants doing anything in their power to take this site down and compromise its existence as a watchdog for Bay Area media consumers.

PLEASE, DONATE to 415 MEDIA now. 

TO CONTRIBUTE: Scroll down the right side of blog to the Pay Pal "donate" button and click on it and follow the prompters. It takes less than a minute; it's 100 percent safe and secure and it's completely confidential. You don't have to have a Pay Pal account to contribute and I will personally call and e-mail you thanking you for your donation.


  

'What Really Matters' Provides Welcome Respite From Usual TV News Minutiae; ABC7's Ashley Sets Right Tone In Commentaries

 ABC7 chief news anchor, Dan Ashley, is doing something fairly noble these days--a little old-fashioned commentary at the end of various newscasts.

"What Really Matters"--it's about two minutes --usually an anecdote about something in the daily news; an observation; analysis; god forbid, and I mean this in a good way, an opinion or two.

It's a human touch you don't see much in today's world of homogenized local TV News which tends to skew formulaic and without passion most of the time. I don't care for that and I'd bet most of you would tend to agree with me.

Ashley's commentaries remind me a lot of the late Jerry Jensen, also a KGO anchor, who ended each newscast with a similar type of presentation. Like Ashley, most stories weren't sappy nor righteous, set a proper tone and provided much-needed laughter and levity. When a subject matter was serious the issue was presented in the right context. Of course, they weren't all good but what is?

Here's hoping Ashley continues to do more of these--they are welcome and most appreciated.

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