Somerville isn't the problem at KTVU

Frank Somerville is not the problem at KTVU. Not even close. He is one of the biggest assets to the station and has had a smooth transition since taking over for the retired, Dennis Richmond, almost five years ago.

I will say this: I think Frank would be better suited, (and the station too), would he be on at 6 and 10 PM as opposed to 5,6, and 10. In fact, just Tuesday, Ken Wayne and Julie Haener were paired together and provided a very solid show. No knock on Frank, (full disclosure: yes, I've had Somerville on my radio show but I've ripped him every now and then. He gets it and there's no hostility, so get over that.)

Somerville gets chided because he's a good-looking guy and knows how to read the teleprompter good, but that's just lazy. He's a very talented and capable #1 anchor and he's been at 2 Jack London Square for over twenty years. It's not Somerville. It's over-exposing him and thus, diminishing his star power. That's not good.

Some other KTVU notes---


*A lot of you hit on it too: many of KTVU's anchors are tone-deaf, almost robotic. They need to loosen up and show some element of we're here, we're human. Claudine Wong, for whatever reason, refuses or simply can't warm up or offer a smile. Maybe she's deliberately being wooden and frozen, I don't have a clue but Wong's cold shoulder is getting old.

*Mike Mibach is an acquired taste. Initially I thought he was below-average but he's grown on me, (and viewers too), and seems to have become comfortable in his weekend anchor/reporter post. He's a keeper.

*Ken Wayne: The unassuming Wayne is Channel 2's most underrated and exceptional anchor. He should be re-signed immediately but as of now, Wayne's status is up in the air. His contract expired in February and he's working without a contract, although insiders tell me a deal could be reached any day now. Hope this is the case.

*Too many weather anchors. I like Steve Paulson quite a bit and Bill Martin is steady although Martin needs to get the chip off his shoulder. He knows his stuff, that's pretty evident, but sometimes he can be far too serious. Weather is not theatre, Billy, it's the 5-day forecast and outta here. Especially here in the Bay Area where it's fairly routine stuff, (fog, sun, fog, an occasional shower, etc).

*Station GM,  Tom Raponi, known for his candid and openness to staff, would do well and even better, if he managed to become even more transparent when it came to returning calls to reporters asking about station personnel. It's not just me that's been ignored. Yo, Tommo, is e-mail better?

Thanks for not trusting me.