It's the 20Th anniversary of the Loma Prieta quake? Have you heard the news? Of course you have because if you haven't, the SF Bay Area news outlets are all hellbent on letting all of us know. Just listen to your radio on KCBS and KGO, or if you watch the local TV news, and by golly I know you peek occasionally, check out KGO, KPIX, KRON4, (Channel 4 goes orgasmic on this type of stuff) and KTVU and NBC Bay Area too.
There's no denying the impact of the '89 quake; it was caught literally by the world, as the World Series game 3 was about to commence at Candlestick Park. It was surreal and definitely a singular moment in Bay Area history, but the overload of "special reports" is completely out of whack. What else is new.
There's nothing infinitely wrong about going back twenty years to highlight a significant story in the Bay Area's news history, but then again why are we being inundated about the "little 'big one" if the "BIG ONE" still hasn't hit? (How many times have you seen a geek seismic guy talk about the real big one on the Hayward and/or San Andreus fault, as if Loma Prieta was chopped liver?)
Both radio news outlets are going heavy here; Doug Sovern of KCBS, in particular, has a huge six-part "special report" on the '89 quake. That's a lot of time for the little big one. KGO too, but thern again, KGO is KRON4 in that department; they love this type of "community reminder" material. I bet Ronn Owens is gearing up for October 20th, (gotta be tough to discuss health care when Gavin Newsom presumably will be schmoozing in the marina that day)
News directors quietly love this anniversary because it gives them a reason to concentrate on "history" stories, as opposed to real news of the day. OK, its a cheap shot, granted, but I know I'm right because several in the biz have told me so.
NEWS, NOTES and COMMENTS: The Comcast Sports Bay Area 49ers post-game show featuring KNBR/KRON4 tonsil Gary Radnich and Willie Brown is getting trounced in the ratings by KTVU's post game show with Mark Ibanez, (as predicted here) It's not so much that most people stay with the local station following the end of a 49ers contest, its also because many suburban viewers have complete disdain for Willie Brown. What may play well in SF doesn't necessarily "move the meter" in Pleasanton...Speaking of post game shows, KNBR, the alleged "sports leader" chooses to run its after-game show from a local sports bar. Gotta get that revenue in...A refreshing show in a minefield of dreck: Patrick Mauro on "Sports Overnight Weekend", (heard locally on XTRA Sports) ...Most underrated radio anchor in Bay Area: KCBS' Steve Little is an A-grade newsman and it helps that his delivery is straight-forward and to the point. A delight to listen to.
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The problem with that Comcast postgame show is Radnich, not Brown. At least Brown appears to have watched the game they are critiquing.
ReplyDeleteHe'd rather talk about his wife, player salaries, 'inside'jokes, kissing Willie's ass and overdoing it with the laughing at everything Willie says. Ever see the episode on Sienfeld where Kramer has the Merv Griffin set? Kramer nails the Radnich impersonation.
btw-Eric Davis is great. Poor guy has to bring the show back to football whenever he's on camera.
I agree with you about Radnich; I'm planning a future post about his "performance", but Brown's q rating is so negative, particularly in suburban cities outside SF. The show is barely watchable, and without highlights, even more a non entity. Thanks for reading.
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