Dana King Was Ready To Return To KPIX But The Bozos Who Run PIX Would Have Nothing To Do With It

 A month ago I wrote that Dana King would "strongly" consider coming back to KPIX--"if the situation was right."


So, what's the latest?

Pretty simple: King was ripe to return to PIX and would have gladly been open to talking about it --seriously.


Only the people who run PIX: notably, News Director, Dan Rosenheim and GM, Bruno Cohen, would have nothing to do with it.


In other words, the sinking ship known as KPIX's news operation would be "too proud" to bring back someone as noteworthy as King--a dynamic news personality and beloved Bay Area figure who still has major gravitas here. But that's PIX.


A source extremely close to King told me "Dana was (and still is) ready to talk to 'Dan and 'Bruno' but that neither of them made any overtures to her."


Nobody has said King would be a savior --but considering the current lack of identity at Channel 5 involving anchors--one would think the idea of reuniting King would be a shot in the arm to a news outlet that sorely needs it.


New York, are you listening?


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Dana King Could Rescue The Sinking KPIX Ship So Here's a Tip

 Hey Bruno, listen to me: she'd immediately rescue the ship. You have her phone number. Yeah, I know she'd say no but if you and Rosenheim were willing to work with her, she'd have to at least listen. Tell her it's for the good of the company; of course you'd have to make it worth it for her too if you know what I mean and I think you know --like, yeah, lots of green stuff. So what, you have a lot of that. CBS cash.

You could use her. Take her to lunch, guys. Maybe the back room at Tadich. Bring a sculpting book as an ice-breaker.

You have nothing to lose and much to gain. I know it's a longshot but why the hell not?

Dana King Happy With Life; Former KPIX Anchor Is Serious About Her Political Run In Oakland; Friday First Take

 Dana King was on my mind recently; can't believe it's been nearly two years since the talented and beautiful King left KPIX, retired, and chose to begin a life of art and politics. Politics?

King is running for city council in Oakland, where she lives near Lake Merritt.

I asked King on my KSCO Radio Show on Tuesday why politics. I mean the volatility and all. She's supposed to be retired, right.

"Well, I want to help out my community. I think I can make a difference,"says King who was working late into the evening manning phone banks at her campaign office. This is serious business for Dana, not some publicity stunt.

As I noted the other day, King sounded at peace and relieved to be out of the local TV news business.


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Dana King; up close and personal with the KPIX anchor; Wednesday media pulse

Dana King has been at KPIX, (CBS5)  since 1997. She co-anchors the CBS 5 Eyewitness News at 6 pm, 10 pm (on The CW 44 Cable 12) and 11pm.  She has won numerous Emmys and was the first Bay Area broadcast journalist at ground zero on September 13, 2001.

Oh, surprise: King just turned 50, (but looks about 39) and can out talk me, which should qualify her for another Emmy. Yes, she looks great, is hysterically funny, and is working on a  Master's Degree in Fine Art  from San Francisco's Academy of Art University.

I asked King a few questions.

Dana: you have become a fixture at KPIX. How does that feel?

Hmmm… It feels like I’m getting old. I’m now the one who says things like, “why, when I was a reporter, we blah, blah, blah”. This June marks my 13th year on the air at KPIX and my 17th with CBS. I still have a passion for news though some days are better than others …

There's a lot of buyouts at CBS5, and other stations too. How's morale over there? Is the state of the business the worst you've ever seen?

Morale is as good as can be expected in this economic climate. We have lost some very talented reporters due to cut backs and buyouts. Those of us still here are here to win. There are no divas at KPIX and right now we are pulling for one another. This is a time of transition and we accept the challenge. We have to accept it if we want to continue telling stories for a living. The only thing changing now is the “how” of telling those stories, not the “what”. When I first got in the business, we wrote our scripts with typewriters. The era of “a” and “b” roll meant film not video and every crew consisted of at least three people. Now we send our scripts in to the newsroom via cell phone and an interview can be conducted on Skype. Where am I going with this? The state of THE BUSINESS is always in a state of flux and could very well be “ the worst you’ve ever seen” if one is so inclined to be curmudgeonly (see first question).

You are considered both "attractive" and "very good", (which I agree); how much does physical appearance still play a part in TV news? (for better or worse)

Television is a visual medium. You can be as pretty as a picture and dumb as a post and work somewhere … just not San Francisco. The viewers here are sophisticated and smart and they don’t suffer fools, pretty or otherwise. Pass me the Spackle please.

You were once married to a NFL football player. And you subsequently had a divorce. Are you still "single" or is that none of my damn business?

It’s complicated.

I say you and Bastida are quite underrated as a Bay Area news team.

You got me there Rich. Who am I to argue? Seriously though, Ken and I have worked together for nearly nine years. We met for the first time when we co-anchored on September 11, 2001 (we worked opposite shifts prior to that day). We have covered the worst and the best news. We share an office we call the “dorm room” and there’s no one I trust more to watch my back on the air than him. Our whole crew here, on camera and off, is truly amazing. I am quite fortunate to work with them one and all. And viewers have chosen to award us with their loyalty, rating book after rating book. So, I don’t know… maybe could help us out a little on this underrated thingy?

Other than me, who is the one person in your life that you'd like to sit down and have lunch with?

Michelangelo …I’m getting my Master’s in Classical Sculpture and have a few questions …

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