Monday, March 2, 2015

KPIX Bad February Sweeps; Bastida/De La Cruz Team Should Be Front And Center; Martin Is Wooden; Cook Element; Monday Starter

 KPIX had a crummy February book--I told you that on Friday. The specific numbers aren't out yet but PIX had an across-the-board ratings tumble. How bad? Enough for News Director, Dan Rosenheim to reassign the evening EP to the morning and the morning EP to night. He also hinted there would be more changes coming.

One of the problems at CBS-SF is the constant shifting of a "team"--a solid team. PIX has no identity, certainly no anchor identity. Their best on-air anchor is Ken Bastida--he should be the face of the station but the way he's used he's largely confined to 2nd-tier status. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to suggest that a Bastida/Veronica De La Cruz pairing should headline the 5, 6, and 11 PM newscast. Period. I have been underwhelmed with De La Cruz for the most part since her summer arrival but in terms of star power and anchor coordination, she and Bastida should be front and center. They're PIX's most popular personalities. Which would spell bad news for Liz Cook and Allen Martin.

I like Martin and he's a solid newsman but his wooden appearance and stiff-look style doesn't exactly provide viewer warmth. In other words, Martin comes across as sullen. It's especially evident now; sometimes I think Martin gives the impression he's having root canal performed while reading the teleprompter. Every once and awhile Martin smiles and laughs, but not too often. He needs to reinvent himself and maybe a new time slot would help. Harsh? Sure, but needed. Along with certain other issues.

Cook is the subject of major derision at KPIX among Martin, notably, and to a lesser extent, weatherman, Paul Deannu. Cook's thanks-daddy way of getting the gig irritated the hell out of many but I've sort of warmed to her lately. She's much better at ad-libbing and does a decent job of reading the news. (We forget that they read copy on TV--that's what they do) Furthermore, and this might surprise you, Cook has a personality--she should use it. Her demeanor and dainty looks are not her fault; it's time for the jealous set to take a sabbatical and leave her alone. She's not as bad as projected. But she's also not nirvana--disadvantage, PIX.

Style and cohesion is not something that comes naturally. You have to work at it. In the old days, Dave McElhatton and Wendy Tokuda weren't exactly Donny and Marie but they eventually built up  good, convincing chemistry to the point where they both helped each other. It worked. Better yet, Mac helped Wendy at a time when she wasn't exactly lighting up the screen. Her frequent on-air flubs were neutralized by Mac being Mac. Stars. Add in Wayne Walker and you had quite a trifecta.

Not the case today at 855 Battery.

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26 comments:

  1. Elizabeth Cook should try to smile now and then. She looks like she is constipated.

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    1. Smile? they said the same about Claudine Wong and look where it got her.

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    2. Naw. Bad gum to tooth ratio.

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    3. No, it's just the diamond-encrusted stick up her ass.

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  2. The other day, I was watching and Ken Bastida was talking to the weatherguy about something local,and Veronica became like a ghost to them, They looked right over her, she was the invisible woman...I swear they never as much as glanced at her in the whole conversation to see if she was...alive ? See,when you have that kind of poor manners in treating the family like a stranger its not going to get viewers wanting more.
    It reminded me of what Harry Reasoner did to Barbara Walters way back when.

    See how things have changed in 40 years? Its not the Jewish smart woman not wanted by good old boys..its now the Filipina smart woman.

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    1. Oh STFU! Poor Veronica. As a white man, I wish someone would treat me the "awful" way they do her.

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  3. The best male anchor at KPIX--the best anchor in the Bay Area--is Brian Hackney. Bastida has the IQ of a turnip. But Hackney is intelligent, and if there's one thing that puts off news managers it's someone with intelligence, whether that person be behind the camera, behind the scenes or wherever. Intelligence in news gets your career sidetracked. Just ask Leslie Griffith.

    Mac loved Wendy and was very disappointed when they opted for Dana King instead of getting her back. (She went to KRON instead.) I never saw what the fuss was. Tokuda was another turnip, but Mac enjoyed working with her, for some reason.

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    1. I'll agree about Hackney. Smart--too smart for his own good and he likes to wear it on his sleeve. NOT the sort of guy you could drink a beer with and he doesn't care. Americans don't like to be reminded how dumb they are compared to the rest of the industrialized world.

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    2. Good to see Mac (even though it's the back of his head). What a nice guy.

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  4. In this market, I still think that Walker was the best sports anchor that I have seen in my lifetime.

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    1. I always thought he was dull.

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  5. Is Don Knapp still with PIX? Haven't seen him for a while.

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  6. Who is Liz cook father?

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    1. He's a Senior VP at Disney's Broadcasting Divison

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    2. Well there you have it. Replace the current Snow White with Liz.

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  7. I would have to strongly disagee with 11:17 about Hackney. A news anchor should not speed mumble the news, an affliction that is exacerbated when he can tangentially toss in a scientific factoid. Good news delivery is less a matter of intelligence and more of presentation. He is better suited for venues like Eye On The Bay. That is where he shines.

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  8. They should just let these high paid and/or inexperienced anchors go ! The bay area can see through the inexperienced ones and also the ones who are just hanging around for the pay check. I"m sure Ms. Cook is a lovely lady but she doesn't belong in this market. I have always been a fan of KPIX but it is hard to watch as of late. Shuffle the deck and see what happens.

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    1. True, Liz Cook would do good in Arizona, I'd also say Sacramento, but their local Anchors are the worst of the worst....Liz Cook ain't that bad?!

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    2. If you want to see something truly awful, tune in to a Reno local TV newscast. Daily unpolished irritants like "the Big Story" (one day a story about recycling day at the dump), weather "Time Warp", "take a look at our pinpoint map" preceding many stories, an anchor informing viewers that due to the flu her coworkers were "dropping like flies", poor grammar.. Sacramento is ultra sophisticated by comparison.

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  9. It is unfair to blame ratings solely on the personalities. Lousy ratings across the board means there are systemic problems-like content. "Is that dress white & gold or blue & black?", "cool video of the passed out skydiver", the SI swimsuit cover,-these stories are NOT NEWS. If I can see it already on-line, I don't need to see it on TV. I know they pay assignment editors to do more than surf the internet. Every fluff piece erodes the integrity of the "News"cast, and the current ratings slide confirms that. But a word of caution, don't respond by going full-on ambulance chasing like KTVU. Remember the geographical area of the survey audience and cover the stories contained therein.

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  10. Rich, try to be a little consistent. Martin isn't nearly as wooden or sullen as your hero Dennis Richmond.

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  11. I was thinking they should let Joe Vazquez a chance to co anchor. Bastida,Martin, same 'tudes. Joe has been a good soldier for KPIX. Started young and now has salt and pepper hair.
    Couldn't hurt KPIX.

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  12. The problems at PIX are bigger then just the on screen help, though that's a big part of it. Tonight they tried to pass off a stale story about Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg falling asleep at the State of the Union speech, as a fresh news story. I'd be embarrassed putting that on the air.

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  13. Not a big fan of either Cook or De La Cruz, but Deanno needs to STFU. He robbed Roberta Gonzalez of her prime weather spot after coming out of nowhere. In a perfect world your PIX lineup would be Bastida/Notarangelo/Gonzales/Glenn, with maybe Hackney as a backup...that would get people watching...

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  14. You my friend are drunk. Try working with that old Hack Gonzales and you'll soon know that everything is about her.

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