Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Key Talking Points On KGO-TV Zouves Hire; GM Burton Main Link; Insists 'Social Media' Important; Zouves Fits Persona; Marzullo Not Too Thrilled

  William (Bill) Burton (pictured below) KGO's President and GM was behind the hiring of new KGO-TV weekend anchor, Natasha Zouves. News Director, Tracey Watkowski, had little, if any, say on the addition of Ms. Zouves.


TALKING POINTS:

*The lay person might say, "who cares about some chick doing weekend anchoring--it's no big deal!" Think again. KGO's weekend rating are good enough for their personnel to tout to just about everyone in town. The weekends do count.


*The word from a station source is that Burton has placed significant importance on anchors who are connected to Social Media. "It's almost more important than how they do on their job at work."


*I don't know much about Zouves--we had a small conversation this morning --I asked her about her new gig. Having seen a few of her hits on YouTube seems she has a personality and is pretty good. Not every attractive, young woman anchor is automatically lousy and it's not her fault she won some "hottest news girl" award. I'll give her credit too for making fun of the award. "Someone had to win."


*I love Katie Marzullo and applauded her for attempting to smile a little more and display her personality but she's better in the field, frankly. She's a decent anchor but she's not anything to ride home about. I'm told she's not that happy about being demoted but that's life in the big city.


17 comments:

  1. She does have her journalism degree from USC, one of the top journalism schools in the country.

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  2. Its GM vs ND. Its not a Tracey hire, she's "old guard." if Miss W isn't nervous she should be.

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  3. Katie & her BFF Drew can now skip together hand-in-hand all the way to Fuckin' Mare Island for all I care!!

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  4. I'm not a tech guy but this app called Periscope has a big upside for media personalities to put their faces in front of the public. Tony Bruno, Spencer Hughes using it...social media, even to a 60 year old like me, is mandatory down the road if you want to make an impact and be noticed.

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  5. Hey Marzullo, drop the fuckin' abacus & pick up an iPhone! Get with the program, Tard!!

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    1. I think that this comment should be deleted. It is rude, unnecessary, disrespectful and uncalled for.

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    2. I am a Kira Klapper fan.

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    3. Hey 7:31, ever heard of Freedom of Speech? Don't like what I have to say? See you later, pal. Take it up with Rich.

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    4. @7:31, I totally agree with you!

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    5. Remember that time I bm'd in Synagogue? Oh-Oh!!!

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  6. She's legit. I've worked with her. Fully expect her to make network one day.

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  7. Here's the deal:

    Bill Burton ultimately answers to Rebecca Campbell, President of ABC O&Os. They are very close. She hand-picked him for the position in a move that accelerated the departure of Kevin Keeshan who was up for the job. In fact, Keeshan never had a shot. He was a Valari Staab ally and Staab and Campbell were like oil and water, especially after Campbell beat out Staab for her current position. Staab then bolted for NBC, poached Keeshan and awarded him with a cushy gig.

    Burton was out of his league, but he's learned on the job and has done well. Make no mistake about it, though, he gets his marching orders from Campbell. The edict was to get a young, cheap, pretty, ethnic woman to take over the weekend gig. Katie Marzullo never had a chance. She is BELOVED in the newsroom. This just goes down as another one of Burton's curious moves: low-balling Carolyn Johnson, letting the Cheryl Jennings/Spencer Christian news to leak, hiring Trixie Watkowski and so-on. Burton's strong suit is that he's affable. A likable guy. Our newsroom is, overall, a good place. Sure, management is clueless at times but we're still the best newsroom in the market. The jury is out on Natasha but we all want her to succeed. People feel bad for Katie but she is a great reporter and she's still on our team. That's the business.

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  8. She's the hottest San Diego had to offer? Must be some foul looking ladies down there.

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    1. As a resident of San Diego and an avid viewer of local TV news, I can assure you there are plenty of better looking female anchors on the air here. And most (not all) have brains too.

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    2. Glad some folks down in SD have brains. Because with ignorant comments like these, it's clear neither of you are counted among them.

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  9. > The word from a station source is that Burton has placed significant importance
    > on anchors who are connected to Social Media. "It's almost more important
    > than how they do on their job at work."

    Proof, if anyone needed it, that news managers are retarded and don't have an idea in their heads.

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  10. Swap: Natasha Zouves for Jacqueline Bennett. Sorry to say, San Diego wins this round.

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