The name of the
UPDATED: We've learned through a source the name of the fired person: It's "7 on Your Side" Associate Producer, Ricquel Newman.
Making matters worse, the dismissal of the producer had the OK from mercurial News Director, Tracey Watkowski-Silva who might be in troubled waters after this transaction. A source told me this could result in walking papers for Watkowski-Silva who is not a favorite by many staffers inside the KGO newsroom.
The overall story here is the fact that Finney is livid and that doesn't bode well for the News Director.
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Finney's ship sailed long ago. Disney wanted him to rise to the national distribution level of Dr. Dean Edell or the LA consumer guy David Horowitz. It never happened primarily because he's a lightweight and doesn't do his consumer homework. His old boss Kevin Keeshan is kicking ass running the KNTV "call center." It's Finney on the bubble not the ND- although she is despised by most who toil under her broom.
ReplyDeleteNope. Finney still has the respect of the station and staff outside of Trixie. Finney didn't go national because he didn't want to - Disney had no issues with that or they would have said otherwise. Trixie long ago destroyed KGO-TV morale, even with the continued success of Ashley & Daetz. As Lieberman pointed out a few blogs ago, now Friedman is tuning out Trixie. The Finney producer mess is likely the last straw. An undeserving ND is going to get bit by karma.
ReplyDeleteHey 9:57 or Finney? No to big bucks syndication? With that kind of ego? Are you high? At least two dozen producers hate the guy- some leaving Front Street in tears. Respected? Not by many. Here's his new problem. Finney's act did little to budge the AM morning news numbers. My bet is Trixie survives labeling Finney as "difficult" in the work place.
Delete> The Finney producer mess is likely the last straw. An
ReplyDelete> undeserving ND is going to get bit by karma.
Whether it's Pero or Ashley Gould-Whoever or the ND at KTVU or Radnich, been hearing about "last straws" now for years. Notice not one of them has been shown the door? Trixie will outlast all her enemies, because she's got something on someone to get where she is in the first place, and like Marissa Meyer or Elizabeth Holmes, you can't keep a good woman down. Not without zipties, anyway.
Finney is full of crap. He thinks he knows it all. Gets all the info from consumer reports and presents it like it is his research. dump him.
ReplyDeleteNot sure about his consumer work, but his commentary on the St. Patricks Day parade was atrocious. No decent prep whatsoever.
DeleteFinney needs to contact the folks at 7 on Your Side to get this issue resolved.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure if a man was running the show, he would be viewed as a good leader and results driven. But a woman is viewed as simply a B! Nothing new, just unfortunate. Last I heard, KGO was pulling pretty good ratings.
ReplyDeleteI dunno, I've been reading this blog for a few years now, and Rich seems to have equal opportunity contempt for bad broadcasting and management.
DeleteCircle 7 staffers don't hate Trixie for her newsroom drama. They hate her because she actually gets off on firing people. This has nothing to do with the B word its the P word. Power hungry. Don't believe me? Just ask around.
DeleteNot true. I worked under various male NDs (Daniel Webster, Andrew Finlayson, that guy who got fired in the late 90s at KRON for going to a journalism conference and spending all of it on a bar stool) who were equally large assholes--and equally reviled. On the contrary, I've found people more wary of criticizing a woman for fear of being accused of sexism. How do you think Marissa Meyer is still at Yahoo and Elizabeth Holmes is walking around like nothing happened?
DeleteRich you should know better. That staffer was let go because they can lower the payroll and still get the job done. It's simple.
ReplyDeleteOk Christine, we got it!
ReplyDeleteI actually like Frank Mallicoat. He has energy and knows sports.
ReplyDeleteHowever I put Gasia with Roberta from KPIX. Annoying! Don't talk to us like children. Be a professional like Pam Cook.
Frank doesn't have any lips. please watch him report the news.
DeleteAll these comments about Tracy and Michael ignore the real issue, Ricquel Newman. A talented woman who was liked by everyone. She ran the department's interns and had other important duties that funneled thousands of stories to Michael. She's worked at KGO for around 20 years and will be sorely missed. With no direct knowledge I'm guessing it's all about saving money by eliminating the position and not about Ricquel.
ReplyDeleteRicquel wasn't paid that much in comparison to other producers with similar experience. There is a story here, I wonder what it is. Ricquel is a really nice person and extremely competent. A big loss for Finney.
Delete