Showdown at KTVU: Somerville Contract Up; Will He Sign New Deal Amid KPIX Rumors; Monday Open

FRANK SOMERVILLE is the topic of conversation around the Bay Area TV News scene: why? Somerville's contract is up. No big deal he will automatically be renewed would be the logical thinking so what's all the commotion?

The word on the street is that, yes, Fox/KTVU will re-up the veteran Monday-Friday anchor --but at virtually no raise and perhaps even a cut. Somerville's annual salary is among the highest in the Bay Area at roughly $630K a year. It's a lot of money for an anchor even one as popular as Somerville but KTVU is awash in cash and still has record ratings particularly at nighttime where Frank leads the way at 6 and 10 PM. He's been at Channel 2 for over two decades.

Making matters more interesting is possible interest from other stations should Somerville want to jump ship if he doesn't get a contract that's suitable for his standing. A source close to the situation tells me one outlet that might pounce on Somerville: KPIX, CBS-owned and operated has lots of money and KPIX needs a face of the station. At the very least, a PIX offer would provide much leverage to Somerville who, I believe, would prefer to stay at KTVU and finish out his career in Oakland.

I would bet he get's a deal done --a new contract somewhere in the $700K a year frame is likely. Then again, these days nothing shocks me.

I will be on this and report back to you when there's news, or not.

Jessica Aguirre Still as Graceful As Ever on NBC Bay Area Despite Her Lame Duck Status; Veteran Bay Area Anchor Lights Up Newscast; Classy and Elegant; 415 Media Friday Notice

Jessica Aguirre

IT CONFOUNDS ME STILL...I regard Jessica Aguirre as a classy, smart, news anchor with star status; that's saying a lot, I gather that, but when I watch her anchor the news on NBC Bay Area (KNTV) she adds a lot of allure to the newscast and her style, even from her KGO days, is something very refined and elegant. Unique too; in today's biz, that's saying a lot.

Which only further makes it maddening that the suits in San Jose have not extended Aguirre who is working without a contract (since March) A lame duck.

Aguirre is still mighty, mighty on the air and the contract (or lack of one) certainly hasn't affected her news reading. She's still dynamic and she can still light up the screen.

I mean that respectfully in every sense of the word because inevitably I'll be accused by some as being a male chauvinist pig because I have the audacity of saying how beautiful it is to watch an anchor like Aguirre.

OK, so sue me.

Aguirre has a huge following, particularly women of the PTA crowd and her feedback is mostly all positive. She is supposedly fretting the lack of commitment from NBC in San Jose; why is that guys? Is it because of her age? Jess is 55. That's considered "old" in the TV News business but only for women; men seem immune to that situation; gees I wonder why.

55 was old about twenty years ago; today, it might as well be 35. Different era.

I would hope that KNTV would do the right thing and extend Jessica Aguirre another few years at least (with a mutual option) because I believe she's still got it. A lot of it too. And not just her news acumen but a whole lot more.

And I believe I'm not alone in that assessment.

Million Dollar Baby

 "SHOW ME THE MONEY!"

*Expects a new multi-year deal in the $300K neighborhood --three years per!

*Helps that her bf is a key ally.

*Even small-alley KRON has to "protect their star." She thinks she has leverage ---she probably does to some extent.

*Deal would make her highest-paid personality at KRON. 100 Grand more than Radnich.

*Pero is under the gun from rank and file who object to yelling and screaming--this won't help matters, but he really seems not to care.

*Darya: "Men love me!" (They do, wonder why?)

*With bonuses, deal could total cool Million over fourth year option.

*Developing...

*Follow me on Twitter