415 Media Exclusive: Pete Giddings Reacts to Passing of Van Amburg; 'Nobody Quite Like Him'; 'Consumate Professional'

  JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH PETER GIDDINGS...the KGO-TV meteorologist that worked alongside Van Amburg for nearly 30 years ..and was a part of the "News Scene" team (along with Jerry Jensen and John O'Reilly)

Amburg passed away last Thursday.

Giddings was shaken.

"I'm shocked, " he said. "He was about as good as it gets." "Really, I can't believe he's gone."

"Van was the consummate professional--he was never satisfied with the finished product and always thought there was room for improvement." "I've never met anyone like that."

"He was always looking out for us; (KGO staffers) and was protective of 'us when management tried to intervene. It was that way until the end when he fought hard to become 'Managing Editor." It wasn't about ego; seriously, he was just determined to keep the product looking good and he succeeded."

About his private life:

"If you asked about the boys, that was OK; everyone else, his wife, he was extremely private and would not offer anything; will always respect him for that."

Finally:

"There was no one like Van, no one, and there never will be."

*415 Media Exclusive

Two ABC/KGO-TV Giants in TV Promo 30 Years Ago Thursday; Peter Jennings and Van Amburg

 Peter Jennings and Van Amburg. About as big as you can get.


Jennings passed away much too soon from throat cancer a few years ago. Amburg is alive and kicking in El Cerrito --retired and resolute to privacy and comfort.


The above promo debuted in February, 1984. Seems like yesterday.


To this day, Amburg was the highest-paid anchor in San Francisco TV broadcasting history at a salary of just over a million dollars. He also had considerable clout inside the KGO-TV newsroom and he flexed it--until the end. The king of "NewsScene" off his throne.


He left KGO--some said he was essentially shown the door, only a few years later. There's a lot of speculation as to who and what were the cause of his professional demise but I know it wasn't a happy ending.


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