DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY DECORUM ANYMORE? I mention this because we've lately been prone to accepting mediocrity from our TV/Radio brethren. And in mediocrity I'm being diplomatic. The bulk of Bay Area TV News is at its worst. Radio is downright abysmal; we really don't have a decent newspaper anymore either because newspapers are dying. The Chronicle? Gimme a break. SFGate? Cute pictures and nice, quick stories from Bay City News. Lovely. Thanks Hearst.The Bay Area used to be a news hotbed with some of the finest anchors and reporters in the country. Of course, yes, times have changed but so what? Is that a real defense for the state of the industry here. I realize it's a lot worse in other markets but at the same time it's far better in others; NY TV News still has it; LA is awash in superficiality--always has been. For the #2 market you would think they'd try hard to find legitimate talent but instead rely on the KTLA model which means attractive women who look great on TV but lack certain news model protocol. Again, I'm being diplomatic.
Bay Area TV had great stations with awesome anchors and reporters; some of the finest News Directors in the nation. Now we have ego maniacs who scream and yell to flaunt their power; old newspaper guys who have no focus, no originality and no sense of direction. Creativity out the window.
Outside of Dan Ashley, Frank Somerville, Raj Mathai and Jessica Aguirre, I can't watch our anchors here. Terry McSweeney at NBC Bay Area is underrated. Juliette Goodrich at PIX is wasted on the weekend. Ken Wayne used to be solid and steady but apparently has an ego problem. Julie Haener is very solid if not spectacular but seems to be a little blasé lately. Carolyn Tyler is classy and old-style but on Sunday only. I'd like to see more of her. Mark Ibanez is a 40-year veteran and dynamic sports anchor.The TV News reporters are a dime a dozen. Vic Lee has pedigree at KGO and longevity; Rob Roth the same at KTVU; Cheryl Hurd rocks the world at KNTV but doesn't get a lot of stories. Weird. Jesse Gary is all over the place but doesn't exactly excite the senses, ditto Amber Lee at KTVU. Wayne Freedman and his 67,000 Emmys in his garage looks a little tired but is still a solid B.
I miss Rita Williams. I miss the solid steadiness of Evan White and Bob Jimenez. Dear Pete Wilson up in heaven, your on-air persona is a marked quality that died. Nobody stands out here. Like a desert wasteland of vanilla wafers. Surely, we can do better or can't we? If Kenny Choi is supposed to be a "star" in the morning then I'm Kate Upton. Whatever happened to decent talent? I know the pay is not as great as it used to be but seriously, how do we have so many buttheads here?
What a disgrace.
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As always, thank you.
Good solid post. It's the truth. All of it. There will be non-believers and those are the dolts who think 240 characters and silly memes do the job.
ReplyDeletePretty sad that hard-hitting journalism is slowly disappearing. In short, THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING! Prepare to be brainwashed.
"The KTLA model." I couldn't have said it any better. That's how KTVU ended up with Dave Clark, whose delivery I simply could not stand since day one and I refuse to watch, and it has infected the other Bay Area TV news crews ever since.
ReplyDeleteYou are right 11:18 Dave Clark has infected KTVU...can't understand why he is still there.
DeleteRich, where is Tom Sinkovitz? You haven't mentioned him lately. He'd sure be a help at kpix
ReplyDeleteMaybe a year or so ago I was walking with a friend outside the KGO studio and Vic Lee exited the front door bounding up the street, probably in a hurry. I said out loud, Oh my gosh, that's Vic Lee! He stopped in his tracks, walked back to me, shook my hand and said, Thanks for watching. Class all the way. That's why he's always been one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Vic Lee is a classy Professional and I'm not Vic Lee writing this.
DeleteIt's much worse then that Rich.
ReplyDelete"Ken Wayne used to be solid and steady but apparently has an ego problem. Julie Haener is very solid if not spectacular but seems to be a little blasé lately."
ReplyDeleteThat just might be a KTVU problem, really hard to dodge the cameras and maybe, just maybe they're getting really tired of it...
Surprised you didn't mention Tom Sinkovitz as another to be missed...
The new crop of reporters are for the most part nothing to write home about and don't nearly have the ability to grab you and get you interested in the story like Rigo Chacon or Lloyd LaCuesta or Rita Williams...some do; Cristina Rendon seems capable in all multimedia aspects, and can also anchor when needed...Andria Borba is another...
Andria Borba sucks, what are you smoking?!
DeleteOne can only hope...
DeleteAbout Ken Wayne: What the hell's going on with him? I saw an interview with some guy (outreach guy, maybe?) talking about how amazing "Black Panther" is doing at the box office, and it seemed to me he was all over the place. So obvious he hadn't seen the movie, and he was asking questions that appeared to be on the edge of inappropriateness. Actually made me squirm...and normally when it comes to squirming there is no Ken; only Darya...
DeleteKTVU’s Allie Rasmus is high-quality and had great delivery... I am not Allie posting this
ReplyDeleteAmber Lee can't get through a live shot without stumbling, usually on the most basic things. Why she's on the big "Ten" is a mystery.
ReplyDeleteGiven her longevity, I view Amber Lee as among the most credible of Bay Area reporters. I've never noticed any problems with her reporting.
DeleteI like the KTLA model with more attractive women. I miss Peggy Bunker and Michelle Roberts.
ReplyDeleteMe...after watching local TV news:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5lZ4czTR4o
I think Jesse Gary at KTVU is a very solid GA reporter..... Seems steady enough for me!
ReplyDeleteRich---One of your best columns! I miss Peggy Bunker who could have been another solid full time staffer. At least LA has Carolyn Johnson who probably will not be returning to her Stanford roots here.
ReplyDelete