415 Media Exclusive Monday: Paul Deanno Leaving KPIX

Paul Deanno leaving KPIX

Veteran KPIX weatherman, Paul Deanno, is leaving the local CBS O and O (owned and operated) outlet on Battery and Broadway --parts unknown, 415 Media has learned exclusively.

Deanno, I'm told by a few of my PIX spies has a gig but hasn't told anyone at the station just yet and is mum about his destination to even his closest friends. But a high-level station source confirmed to me he is headed elsewhere; this post may accelerate that announcement.

I wrote earlier in the year (and even prior to that) that Deanno was mulling a hybrid gig (news and weather anchoring) offered by PIX top brass but Deanno was royally ticked off by the money that was being discussed.

In fact, I'm told it was essentially a "peanuts" offer and that it would involve more work, more responsibilities, and less money. A recipe that didn't please Deanno, obviously, and may have influenced his latest move. He came to PIX via Seattle from KOMO, the ABC affiliate there, and that may be on his itinerary but he may also be headed east too. I'll know more soon.

Deanno is a good guy. A very talented personality to boot; one of the few PIX assets that garners local praise and attention in an Internet world that marginalizes local news talent. (Among other venues) It's therefore, highly surprising and unbelievably incompetent (but not entirely shocking) that PIX would let one of its prized assets leave the building.

This is not a good move but then again nothing makes sense anymore in these fractured times at local TV newsrooms.

I will post you any detailed updates as I gather more info.

The Latest on KGO Morning Diva Natasha Zouves; Recovering from Hair Mousse Fall and Contemplating Legal Action Against KGO/Disney; Castro MIA Probably $-Related; Deanno Talks at KPIX Still On-Going; He Wants More Dough; Darya Folsom Still Embarrassing KRON; Papa Will Make Adjustment to New Niners Gig; Rothmann/Owens Spiral Down at KGO Radio; Hot Rumor: 'Toonces, The Driving Cat' New PD? Friday Feast

Natasha Zouves

I WAS THE FIRST to tell you what went down with Natasha Zouves at KGO-TV. She's been home recovering from her hair goo slippage and planning a return to her Southern California roots. She's still on the mend and playing footsy about her status.

I e-mailed her and asked what was happening (giving her a chance to formally respond) and she said virtually nothing. I expected that. Remember, she might not be ready for primetime. Furthermore, she's no favorite in the newsroom either.

Here's another whammy: while she's essentially gone from KGO she has pondered a worker's comp suit against Circle7 and ABC; that would complicate her next gig in LA but don't rule out anything.

CASTRO MIA BUT...

Meanwhile, Jessica Castro, who's been filling in for Zouves has not been on the air since January 10 and no one at KGO seems to know why.

Jessica Castro

I have a source who speculates that Castro is pissed off at her paltry salary compensation (low six figures) and placement in the KGO morning presence. Castro can pout all she wants; she doesn't have any leverage and she knew full well that Disney (which owns ABC) doesn't pay their 4th-tier anchors any decent money. So too Zouves which might explain why she's considering suing the company.

DEANNO TALKS CONTINUE

My report about KPIX wanting to try weather guy, Paul Deanno in a hybrid news/weather gig is still in talks stage but if that venture would to emerge, Deanno wants to be paid more money. It figures that CBS would take care of Deanno if he performed both as a news anchor and weather talent. Especially if that were to include his presence in the evening.

Brian Hackney does the same job but on the weekend and doesn't get any added money. Then again, Hackney is way down the totem pole at PIX working on the cheap and has been downgraded for years. He might be viewed as bright and engaging but he's a virtual retread at 855 Battery.

Paul Deanno

Deanno is seen as an emerging presence on news; if that's the case (and I agree) then why not just 86 him from weather and make him a full-time anchor on news alone. Which seems to be what Deanno might be inferring --here's a rumor: Deanno replaces the forever bitter-beer-face-looking, Alan Martin.

*IT HAS BEEN SAID TIME AND TIME AGAIN, but bears repeating every so often: Darya Folsom continues to EMBARRASS KRON. Sure, KRON has a lot to be embarrassed about but Folsom's continuing circus show in the morning is a sad ass spectacle; she has no shame; she doesn't give a damn about what almost everyone else thinks and she KILLS whatever credibility KRON has by her BS presence on its morning news.

Darya Folsom performing journalism on KRON morning

If KRON brass thinks she helps the ratings, they're sadly mistaken. She's in actuality a detriment to the operation and nobody looks at her anymore nor takes her seriously. She's a nothing; a nobody and her boobs have been a non-story for years. The only BOOB that thinks she still got it is her boyfriend/slave master/schophant, Aaron Pero, the News Director that keeps  job because he possesses state secrets and has compromising pictures in a local bank safe. I'm joking on the latter but who knows.

THIS AND THAT

*New 49ers PBP broadcaster, Greg Papa, is great on radio and I like his 95.7FM 'The Game' takes, but it's questionable he'll stay on that show once football season starts; I can't imagine The Game allowing a rival (KNBR) talent on their air but it's just a guess.

Greg Papa

An analysis on Papa doing 49ers: the professional and talented Papa will make the adjustment to broadcasting Niners' football and easy one. Over the years, I've been critical of Papa but I've never questioned his broadcast ability and football acumen. He's damn good. His pivot to the 49ers from twenty years with the Raiders will be unusual and jarring at first but eventually people will get used to his play-by-play. Probably more an adjustment for Niners' fans then Raiders' rooters.

*Speaking of the Raiders while the world awaits their home (before Vegas) next year, where will they be on radio? Hardly a word. They will NOT be on KCBS that's for sure.

*Internal issues galore and a plethora of turmoil inside their respective newsrooms: KTVU and KGO-TV.

*If and when KGO Radio has a new/latest 2019 iteration, both John Rothmann and hanger-on, Ronn Owens will not have any role. Owens has been drifting away on the horrifically awful, "Ronn Owens Report" and Rothmann, whose stock has continued a steady spiral downward has been told he'll have no position there, only as a perpetual fill-in, if at all.

Meanwhile, a HOT RUMOR!! New KGO Radio PD? Hard to believe but word on the street is the PD will be Toonces, The Driving Cat! Wow, now that's some extraordinary depth by the fearless kitty!

Toonces the Driving Cat

Storm Seriousness Highlights PIX Primary Weather Anchor Paul Deanno And He Steps Up To The Plate; 415 Media Tuesday

Paul Deanno/KPIX5

 I've slowly warmed to KPIX (CBS5) chief meteorologist,  Paul Deanno, but better late than never.

As the storm and ensuing rain events have hit the Bay Area en masse, the weather folks have become, in essence, as central as the news anchors.

The storm(s) are now news with major flooding in and around the nine-county Bay Area.

Deanno is smooth and steady; calm and collected too and what I like most about him is that even as the weather gets extreme, he doesn't. That's a big plus.

There is no on-air histrionics --there is accurate information, statistics and forecasts and Deanno doesn't miss a beat.

At first, I didn't like his ultra-smooth persona, I thought he was too slick. Then I was informed by a PIXie; someone who knows Deanno real well said what you see is the real Deanno, no fake or simpleton --sincerity counts a lot here.

I'm also impressed by Deanno's A-grade forecasts and explanation to non-weather geeks like me just how powerful a "storm surge" is, like the one that seems to have centered over the entire Bay Area and Northern California area.

Keep up the good work, sir.

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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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Trouble brewing at KQED; Roberta Gonzales/PIX Dynamic; The Knibber Morning Frat Boys; Radu and Damon Bruce; KCBS; SF Posers; Media Notes Thursday

Trouble Brewing at KQED ...Media Notes Thursday

KQED, SF's acclaimed and highly profitable PBS outlet, has some egg on their face and some veteran workforce rank and file are none-too-pleased.


Seems the station posted six positions for work behind the scenes in master control and all the hires were white--no minorities were chosen despite the fact that at least two candidates, one of whom has been a 20-year veteran, were not picked. The 20-year vet was Hispanic.

 The shop steward at KQED-- upon seeing the three hires wondered why not one was of color. No plausible reason was given and a great case of hush-hush has ensued. I actually called KQED to inquire and couldn't get a call back to comment.

 

Another level to the brewing storm is that a few people who freelance there, (at KQED), are full timers at KTVU which is in direct violation of Channel 2's competitor clause. Not sure if that's what started it, but another twist to ponder.

 

And here I thought our lovely local PBS outlet was the personification of "diversified."

 

*It bears repeating: KPIX has made a monumental blunder in its dissing of popular weather woman, Roberta Gonzales. New weatherman, the bland and insatiably wonderbread torso named Paul Deanno --he may be a nice guy but his mayonnaise style has staffers perplexed and Gonzales' fans in a constant stupor. It goes to show the buttheads in upper management at 855 Battery still haven't got a clue. Except they do posses the craft of hiring more mangers with less and less reporters.

 

*The frat boys in the morning over at KNBR made an impromptu visit in the Giants clubhouse and were startled to learn, firsthand, that one of the team's star players told them directly that he's never heard of them and that he doesn't listen to sports-talk radio. Dude!

 

*A big powwow of a meeting took place over at KGO Radio Wednesday. My mole says a few people are worried because, in addition to the fact that nobody knows what the hell is going on and that the station is rudderless, everything else is fine. Except that Lew Dickey isn't happy and that is not good.

 

*"Celebrity" chef, Ryan Scott: maybe a couple cups of coffee--too much Red Bull. Maybe there's something in the water at Hawthorne St.

 

*Eric Byrnes is a colossal joke at Knibber, so much so that even the interns are laughing. One intern at least has the distinct pleasure of working with the frat boys which is cause enough to inflict pain and suffering. It could be worse: they could be locked in a room for an hour and forced to listen to "Paulie", the guy with the fake Jersey accent compose and sing his lovely song parodies.

 

*The "Who cares" dept: Betting fool, Larry Kruegar and traffic yenta, Kate Scott hate one another. In the meantime, the main circus performer continues his insecurity act with mail-it-ins every day. Maybe the used Bentley needs a tune-up.

 

*One person who absolutely can't stand the Radu: 1050 AM's Damon Bruce. Then again Bruce is a team player who while he detests the bloated one, also understands that it's best not to confront him. Speaking of which, I lauded Bruce's new gig at CBS Sports Radio only to be informed that the money isn't great and that the CBS folks simply needed a West Coast guy really fast.

 

*It bears mentioning at the good old KTVU Sports dept. that one of the assembled three anchors has been schmoozing just a tad too much and at least one of the three is none too pleased. Especially when the gossip has nothing to do with sports.

 

*Lovely market we have here: A group of relatively young to middle-aged posers just hoping they make it through the pecking order and not be subjected to a bunch of narcissistic assholes in the back offices. It could also explain why all of them have been turned into the 2013 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

 

*Worse than waterboarding: A. The weekend line-up at KGO Radio. B. Chef Ryan Scott. C. Eric Byrnes. D. Ann Killion. E. "The Saloon with Peacon." F. "Live from the Conklin Brothers studios in  the 'Sleeptrain mattress chair with the Gadget man at the microphone...

*How bad is "Paulie" and his sound tracks? An ex-Knibber worker told me: "I'd rather stare at a Byrnes bowel movement."

 

*The beer boys at PIX should know that the beers flow better when the ratings are better. Now? Not so good. (And try to tip a little better at the Old Ship--they tend to notice.)

 

*Dear Stan Bunger: I like you on the air but really, you're not God. Try to inject a bit of levity. And ditto Steve Bitker who acts as if he's entered into the Bryant Gumbel school of purity. Jesus Christ, you're on radio!

 

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