Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Robert Handa Bolts KTVU for KNTV; Veteran South Bay Reporter Returns To His Roots; 'Big Blow' for Channel 2; Growing Displeasure with Rosenthal Back Story

 KNTV, (NBC Bay Area), has snagged another veteran reporter from a rival station: this time, South Bay correspondent Robert Handa from KTVU.


Handa will begin on June 23 as a General Assignment reporter and host of a new weekly program featuring the Asian community in the Bay Area.


Back story: Handa represents the beginning of an exodus of veteran reporters from KTVU News leaving the station because of growing disillusionment with the direction of KTVU. And at the core of that is the Boy Wonder, ND, Lee Rosenthal.


"Big blow for KTVU", a noted NBC Bay Area anchor told me. 


Handa has deep roots and connections in San Jose--after all he started there, but the real reason he left 2 Jack London Square is more about having no confidence in its future and that falls solely on Rosenthal.


Is it any wonder why there's so many new reporters at Channel 2? This isn't the last of this latest transaction.


More to come.


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19 comments:

  1. Interesting theory. Why don't you contactl him to find out why?

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  2. Robert Handa knows that there is Sum Ting Wong at KTVU.

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    1. Ho Li Fuk, you're right!

      Yoo work there tu loung, career go Bang! Ding! Ow!

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  3. Jessica Aguirre moved from KGO/7 to KNTV/11 some years ago. Diane Dwyer moved from KTVU/2 to KNTV/11 some years ago. Joel Bartlett moved from KPIX/5 to KGO (or was it the other way around?). Brian Hackney went from KRON/4 to KPIX. If I sat here for ten more minutes I'd come up with a dozen more examples. People become unhappy in their jobs, or get a better offer across town, and switch sides all the time. I wish Handa the best of luck, but it's not The End of Civilization As We Know It.

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  4. Handa is solid. I met him several years ago and he is no joke. Takes his craft seriously and is all business. This is KTVUs loss and KNTVs gain. I wish Robert all the best.

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  5. I have always liked Robert Handa, I believe he started at KPIX or KRON . I remember many years ago being surprised to see him on KTVU! He deserves a weekly program!

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    1. actually, he started at KNTV in the pre-NBC days.

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    2. Thank you 4:33!

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  6. Robert Handa is a good one, and I'm pretty sure it had nothing to do with the News Director. Some don't like him, but the stories here are far over-exaggerated. Why don't you ask Robert for a comment - you got VDLC to give you one?

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  7. He might have decided that the pay at KTVU had become Wei Tu Lo

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  8. Yawn, So!!!!!! my life stays the same whether these guys come or go.

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    Replies
    1. That's what you think.

      That's what you think...

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  9. On a separate issue, Barbara Simpson's Facebook page has been removed!

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  10. Good luck. I wish you well.

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  11. So sad, KTVU has been such a solid for so many years...

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  12. Robert Handa is from the South Bay, so now he can go home for lunch, and have a 10 minute ride to & from work...Its No Biggie, Robert is just reporting about his front yard now...

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  13. Handa is ONE SOLID REPORTER...a "pro's pro." Yes, he is all business. Yes, he can bang out a great package on any given topic. But he's also one hell of a guy..with a wicked sense of humor...great guy to travel with in the news vehicle on the way to a story (to talk sports, rock music, food).

    I loved working with him (I'm a former Videographer).

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  14. I had the pleasure of meeting him and his camera man, was watching the 2 News in the Monterey area and looked up and saw a remote shot of a view from my home, a beach sand dune shot, walked outside looked left and there they were, went up to talk to them and they seemed surprised that I was watching, since there are only two homes in the area, also what happened to the Hispanic Lady, morning reporter as I notice she has not been on lately actually a few seem missing from all news segments and some new ones

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