KPIX Post Mortem and a few other things about 415 Media

I never take glee in writing about the people in this business who get shelved and humiliated. "Layoffs", "retirements", "buyouts"--sure, some are legit, but in most cases, they are mere bodies deemed unworthy and told to get lost by usually incoherent and incompetent mgmt. suits, backed by multi-million dollar media companies.

You're fired!, essentially.

I had the Kessler story right from the beginning, but couldn't prove it--a little too much inside baseball to go into, but the bottom line was that I was flustered--both by the fact that I was professionally humiliated, and yet, here I was, writing about a person's livelihood going by the wayside, holy crap!

I've learned a few things--

1.Don't assume you're getting the truth by the other guys. Some of them will LIE to protect their interests and when it involves big markets, all the more so ever.

2. I mentioned that KPIX is having financial problems, (and they are,) but they still rake in millions of dollars and is infinitely profitable. Still, a hellbent bottom-line mentality that permeates the entire business climate is no different at large TV stations.

3. People that I deal with on a semi-regular basis, professionally speaking, who are quick to e-mail and ridicule and lecture, then mysteriously hide later on when the truth comes out.

--I take this job seriously.

They're were a lot of calls and e-mails "congratulating" me on the "scoop." At the risk of sounding a bit self-serving, I didn't do a symbolic high-five. This IS, after all, a story about a guy being shown the door, (and probably, his partner too.)

The professional accolades, the pick-ups by other trades and Internet sites, of course, sure, a sort of semi-"vindication", but the truth is no one, even me, takes solice in being ultimately correct about an individual(s) losing his gig.

The fact of the matter is that I really try hard to get it right. There are countless gazillions of other sites like mine who just throw a pile of crap on the wall and hope it sticks. They survive on rumor, innuendo, accusation and 90% of their -hit is bullbleep to the core. Some of them on the celebrity end make millions of dollars doing so, (Perez Hilton.)

When's the last phucking time you ever saw a blogger run a correction or clarification? It was me, in case you didn't know, and in the end, I was RIGHT. I was hung out to dry and vilified and pilfered; you'd think I'd get an apology.

ABOUT THIS SITE-

On another matter, I really appreciate the feedback--both positive and negative, from a lot of you in the business. It is refreshing and quite frankly, a bit humbling, to hear and read your e-mails of support and compliments. Even the naysayers who hate me to the teeth and wish for both my personal and professional demise, hell, keep it coming because at least I know you're reading this, and ultimately that's what counts the most.

This is a site that wants to write about Bay Area media; news, sports, culture, a little business, but mostly media, with a good dose of opinion and commentary. As I have said numerous times, this is not a forum of gossip and innuendo. Sure, if I get a tip and it sounds good, I'll check around and might report it, but I'll preface it with "its something I heard". Even then, it has to have some legs.

As I previously noted, took a lot of hits over the past few weeks--OK, it goes with the territory, but I strive to be as accurate as possible. There are those out there, some of whom sit near me when I venture out to the Press Box who don't like me--again, I don't care. I'd rather be loathed and despised, BUT, respected.

My loyal readers know that I will not kiss anyone's ass, kowtow to the ego-maniacs and their holier-than-thou persona; they'd rather tow the line and I will never, ever, run that route. Not my game. Never has been--never will.

Oh sure, I'm always on the phone or e-mailing such-and-such to ask, maybe plea at times to "get me on the show so I can say something", of course, but NOT at your expense.

You read this for a reason and I will always try to give you something that is worthy of your time. It's not always going to be a home run but I never claimed to be Babe Ruth. Maybe a .270 hitter who has a good on-base percentage and shows up to work on time.

I hear you out there. So do advertisers, who are returning calls for a change. Ultimately, that will dictate the future of this tiny little engine that still has a few cylinders working. As long as they bite, then I will keep fishin'.

About you readers, and I mean this, so sit down and stop for a minute: THANK YOU for your support. I read all your e-mails, even the bad ones. And to the bad guys, look, you want to be critical, fine, I can deal with it--get personal and you lose me, pretty simple. Nevertheless, feedback is vital and I'm always cool with hearing from the believers, even the nitwits too.

OK, time to chill.

**Follow me on Twitter