Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Exclusive: Ex-KPIX Anchor Notarangelo Skips TV For CC County PR Gig; Anti-Union KNBR Enablers In The Morning; KRON's Pero: Sympathy For The Devil; Wednesday Notes

 WEDNESDAY NOTES...

I will tell you first that Ann Notarangelo, who had her last broadcast on KPIX Sunday will not be reading a teleprompter --she will become "Media Relations Manager" for the Contra Costa County 'Employment and Human Services in Concord. She starts May 11.

*Yeah, Imagine this: A blogger has the audacity to write negatively, relentlessly, about a News Director who continuously badgers a good majority of his workforce --then asks said director for comment. Someone call the cops.

*Sooner rather than later, a KRON notable will GO ON THE RECORD and we all can finally sort all of this out.

*Notarangelo leaving the business isn't so unusual: Priya David Clemens split KTVU to become the GG Bridge PR person. $114,000 a-year and not having to worry about ratings and egos.

*Sunday Morning anchors in the city and news people love, I do mean LOVE their gigs. The general consensus: "We like the fact that no one from management is here and we have relative calm and get to do our job."

*Union negotiations are tough enough but when KNBR's main "star" in the mid-morning 9-12 PM has been demonstrably anti-union (quietly) and one of the major players trying to louse up the efforts of the rank and file, he pisses off his few friends. His co-host hasn't been that much better.

*Speaking of union issues, lots of pissed off cameramen and photographers at KTVU as FOX has cut their wages and reduced their benefits. Across-the-board major headaches in Jack London Square.

*That's a hearty endorsement: Pero only has the ND gig because KRON and MG doesn't have anyone else who wants the job. Try Craigslist, guys.

*Dan Rosenheim: Maybe you should have taken the KTVU gig after all.

*I mentioned the other day that KPIX has no identity --no face of the station. When you have revolving anchors who are outside the market, don't have a freaking clue about the Bay Area, then you have major disconnect from your viewers. Hey Bruno, get a clue. Can't wait for that May book.

*John Rothmann, David Weintraub or Spencer Hughes: Talk 910 10-1 PM gig. We should know soon. There's an outside chance someone else is in the mix.

*The irritating "Tru-Car" ads: I've heard and seen worse. Here' a novelty approach: TURN the dial!

*KGO Radio's ace in the field: The versatile Kim McCallister --a true hard-working radio journalist reporter who tells it like it is and better yet, doesn't giggle or cackle on the air.

*Pero finally got an assist from one of the trades today, BREAKING NEWS!

*Geraldo in Baltimore for Fox News Channel: now that's a riot.

*Geraldo makes Don Lemon look like Ed Bradley.

*John Madden/KCBS: time for another bocce ball anecdote. I mean, there's only been about 42,553 stories as of Wednesday. Even Bunger is bored.

*Class and eloquence: KGO-TV weekend weather anchor, Lisa Argen. Does her reports and leaves the stage--no gimmicks needed when you possess grace like Argen.

*Ditto Carolyn Tyler.

*Finally...Aaron, take a hint from an East Coast media sage. He's been in the business for over 25 years. His wife works as a publicist for a NY stock company. They do a lot of schmoozing over lunch. They e-mail and text. They do lunch at 21-- he works the room. Even with his enemies. In other words, Pero, they know how to play the game. It's a game. Some get it, others don't.  Wait a minute, you started out in Sacramento, I should know better.

*Follow me on Twitter

31 comments:

  1. There was a very attractive former KNTV anchor who I think ended up working in county government media relations. Her name has escaped my aged brain!

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    1. Just remembered her name! Susan Siravo, and she did Communications work for the Santa Clara Valley Water District after her reporter/anchor life.

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    2. Just looked at her LinkedIn profile to remind myself of what she looked like. It says she's in Sacto now, working for Comerica Bank. Also lists SCVWD and KNTV11 as previous jobs, so it's the same Susan, even if the face hadn't been familiar in her picture.

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  2. You hit the nail on the head with KPIX. MY biggest gripe are their morning and weekend shows. A bunch of stiffs who have no connection to viewers. Tell the managers there to hire someone who can pronounce city names right maybe will put down roots here or has already?

    A study of TV demographics might help.

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  3. Speaking of annoying ads - the audio feed that starts with "Hi, it's MZ to confirm the rumour you've been hearing...." I don't know what it says after that because I silence it. It comes up on every page. I hope the income is worth it.

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    1. I second that. I was only commenting to tell RL to stop the auto-play on that annoyance.

      "the audio feed that starts with "Hi, it's MZ to confirm the rumour you've been hearing...." I don't know what it says after that because I silence it." -EXACTLY!

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    2. Rich, send out a tweet when you've got rid of this so I can come back.

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    3. I third it....horrible, horrible...come on Rich. You asked for people to subscribe...I did, I assume others did as well, since I believe none of us have been receiving daily postings to our inboxes, can WE at least be spared the horrible voice ads? Also, why no comment on you for changes coming Saturday afternoon at kgo...no chef? Another snarky money program...

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    4. Rich, I have to agree with the others. I think that many/most of the responders to this blog have worked in media, and appreciate the worth of advertising.

      My main objection to the "MZ" ad is that it cannot be muted UNTIL the visual ad next to the graphic of AT&T Park has loaded ... nor, can one opt off of the blog.

      C'mon, Rich - you criticize SFGATE for screen-freeze. You're doing it, here.

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    5. I heard a rumor that the ad is to be replaced with Kars4Kids.

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    6. I fourth the complaint! Unlike the rest of you I stuck around and heard the ad. MZ from KSCO is advertising that George Noory is coming to do a meet and greet at the station's new pizza oven. It is all a bait and switch job to sell multilevel marketing memberships for $500 a pop. Rich is so gutless he'll censor this comment. I guess he wants a free pie at the event.

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    7. MZ and KSCO are PAID advertisers to 415 Media. Since I don't have the needed paid subscribers I sell advertising --which I need in order to SURVIVE --so yes, it's advertising --I'm no different than anyone else.

      If you all want FREE, FREE content and little or no ads, then PAY and become a subscriber then I can limit the ads--until then, sorry, but I can't survive w/o sponsors and MZ/KSCO.

      P.S: I'm not a pie guy and I'm not going to the event.

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    8. Rich...what they're complaining about is that the ad would start playing audio by itself when you visit the blog. As soon as the page loaded....boom...MZ talking. It never did this before, perhaps it's some glitch.

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    9. install the adblock plus addon, click the MZ audio bar and install a filter.

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    10. 10:16 That worked, thank you for pointing it out.

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    11. MZ must read this blog with a fine tooth comb. He interrupted right wing hack Charles Freedman's show yesterday to update his previous ad which had a "mistake". He claims the $500 to meet George Noory was misunderstood. Tickets to the event are really $50 as per the new ad above. It is funny that he's keeping the location secret because he's afraid a mob of people will show up. Are people really that desperate to meet George Noory?

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  4. That seems common,I read of former bay area news media names as now working in big company media and public relations all the time.
    Speaking of Madden? First Radnich stole Fast Eddie Alexander's act at kron,NOW, he's stealing John Madden's on krons "Gary's World". He sounds just like Madden,complete with many pauses and "uhs".
    Go ahead, compare.

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  5. Jesus, Rich...Pero may have started in Sacramento, but he's been at KRON (with a year and a half off back around 2000) for 20 years. If he sucks (and I don't argue that point), Sacramento has nothing to do with it.

    Also, apart from whatever happened that sent him to Tech TV for 18 months 15 years ago, he's survived 20 years worth of General Managers and corporate types from the original Chronicle family, Young Broadcasting and now Media General. That suggests he knows how to play the game. Maybe not your game, but a game that keeps him employed in market number four....while porking his lead female anchor. My guess? He has video of EVERYONE with barnyard animals.

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    1. Jesus, Anonymous 10:17, it was a JOKE.

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  6. It is very common and has been happening since the death of print journalism for years. Mark Simon, former reporter for the Chronicle, has worked for the San Mateo County Transit District for years. Print journalists have flocked to PR and media relations for years. Way more stability too in government media relations and the pay is pretty good.

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  7. Gary Radnich prides himself on being anti-union.
    He wears it as a badge of honor.

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    1. Yeah, the guy who's paid buttloads of money to work an hour a day at KRON is anti-union. That's rich.

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  8. John Rothmann is a no brainer, he should have been given the opening last time! He is very up to date on all national and local happenings(He is a native of the Bay Area). Let's get it correct! Rothmann is the choice!

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    1. Nah...Rothman's too expensive...I think there's at least a 50% chance the "someone else" Rich mentioned is Karel. Say what you will about him, but his entertainment value-to-cost ratio is good. And I bet he'd do M thru F 10 to 1 for $1000/week plus union health benefits.

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  9. I TOTALLY agree/am down with with TV, print and radio folks going over "to the dark side" (PR).

    I was a behind-the-scenes guy (producer & news writer) who worked at a couple of Bay Area stations for years...before leaving in 2008 for a PR gig.

    The pay is comparable--if not more--than what many producers/writers make. But to me, the REAL beauty is that I got my life back: No more overtime (unless it's scheduled in advance)...weekends off (unless it's an event which has been planned many months in advance)...all holidays off...and pretty much 8am-5pm every day. I can actually have an hour (or longer) lunch without having to worry about hearing from the desk.

    Oh yeah, I have a state government PIO job--which means I have a PENSION!

    What I've come to realize since I left "the biz" 8-years ago (after working in it for 21-years)...is that no one (meaning the average "Joe" and "Josette") really gives a damn about anchors, reporters, producers, photogs & editors. That "rush" we all used to get whenever we "scooped" the competition? Those Emmys I won (three of them)?

    Nobody cares.

    Pretty much of my current co-workers do not watch the news--and when they do, they don't have a particular favorite channel. I've asked them to name their favorite Anchor--most do not know the anchor's names; pretty much everyone couldn't come up with a reporter's name. NOBODY know MY name--which was sad and funny at the same time--seeing that I worked in SF for 12 out of my 21-years in the biz).

    Life is great over here in "the Dark Side."

    My advice to my former TV newsies: If you get word of a PR job opening up--especially if it is a federal or state gig--BY ALL MEANS...TAKE IT!!! It is great!

    PS--I don't even watch local news any more...even if my own agency is featured!

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  10. Every time I read one of your posts about this Aaron Pero guy, I wonder to mslef: "how does he keep his job?" And I'm guessing that he must really suck up to the big bosses at KRON to earn this long a pass. I have heard first-hand from those who have worked for this cretin that he's one of the worst-ever bosses they've ever seen in broadcasting. These are people who have worked on the air for many years at KRON, but who were lucky enough to have gotten out. I feel sorry for the folks who work there now, except for of course, Gary Radnich, Pam Moore and Kathleen Heenan. They are among the few on-air folks at KRON who are still pros. Pero seems to drive other people out into the street or to other jobs, or is that just my perception of the situation at KRON? Tell me Rich!

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  11. All I wanna know is who is the Tru-Car Lady? What's her name? Picture, please, so i can finish sculpting my cute little Voo-Doo doll into her doppelganger. Wouldn't it be
    'funny' if she lost her voice, but only when reading for these commercials?

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  12. Here's betting iHeart will choose syndicated programming. They get no ratings and won't be able to justify a live host. Hiring Baxter was a HUGE mistake and now they missed their window to put someone local on. It won't be any of these guys or anyone else we know who builds a local audience. Mark my words on it. Baxter, Gross and Cory and Joel are their hosts. What a boondoggle. Next up Spencer Hughes? At least he's local albeit a total bore. iHeart will launch some cheap nonsense from 10 to 1.

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  13. I know this is a little outside of your area, but anyone know what happened to Steve Cockran who used to work for the Contra Costa Times?

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