IT WAS AN EERIE SITE; If you were watching the "10 o'clock News" on KTVU last night you didn't see Frank Somerville, Julie Haener and Mark Ibanez. Only Bill Martin was among the regulars on screen.Was a protest taking place because of the sudden revelation that veteran anchor/reporter, Ken Wayne was leaving?
Not exactly but bet your bottom dollar something was going on; Somerville, for one, is "deeply concerned", I'm told, about the current state of affairs at KTVU, which are spooky and has the natives on edge and a staff quite unnerved over the future of the station's news direction and how it conducts business.
Julie Haener, Somerville's co-anchor, was reportedly furious over Wayne's departure but she had a scheduled night off. Mark Ibanez, the just-signed lead sports anchor is on vacation (good timing, Mark)
As I mentioned on Friday, KTVU staff (including most off-air; producers; writers; cameramen; technical people) have been in a tizzy with Fox over, among other things, labor relations and general management. The key people who make the station go; those that start up the engine, were already sick and tired over Fox's antics and this has been the case even before Wayne split the premises.
Wayne himself is priming for a new place --probably KPIX, which is looking for a male anchor but don't rule out KGO; KRON? I can't imagine they have the money to offer Wayne nor would Wayne be interested, but I never say never. We'll talk about that development soon; we should know by early next week.
More ominous for KTVU viewers: the rapid-fire turnover, especially reporters. It's an exodus dictated by tight-fisted Fox execs that are more bottom line and don't care about viewer loyalty and regard their staff as mere little people that can be replaced with little damage to the product.
Making matters all the more worse is the overall mood inside the building --the 54 cameras that have people nervous and weary of being spied on; conversations that even hint of malaise are now held outside the newsroom and clear of the front parking lot. A siege mentality exists; uncertainty permeates the premises.
There's some smoke here; stay tuned.
Let's cut costs!
ReplyDeleteFox shareholders desire more profit
Frank Somerville should be "deeply concerned", he can probably envision his engorged paycheck dropping down to a more reasonable level like to a third (or less) of what he is getting now.
ReplyDeletePretty simple read here. Look at what TEGNA is doing. They laid off a bunch of people and are now rehiring but the salaries are substantially lower than what they were before. The attitude in general in media is to simply fatten up the bottom line so the stock will go up. It doesn't matter how you get there. If you can save 25 grand by dumping a producer that's been doing the job for 15 years by hiring a someone who is barely out of school, sure why not. Same goes with on air. Go get some youngster with minimal experience at a fraction of the cost of your seasoned veteran who has been in the market for years. In a big business, everyone is replaceable. And if the people you have don't seem to fit or don't like the gig, just dump them and get some new folks. Corporate America folks.
ReplyDeleteBarely out of school?
DeleteAt several stations where I worked the 11pm producer was still taking college courses; in both cases she was 21 years old and had ZIP experience. The stations were KGO and KRON.
NP...3:34, just offer to work for the wages they paid the 21 y/o
DeleteJust got downsized by corporate america myself...no problem it's the new normal.
ReplyDeleteDitto to all of the above. It's happening in every type of business across the nation, not just the media.
ReplyDeleteI know in my heart Frank Somerville will march right up to the management of KTVU and say...
ReplyDelete"Enough of this Tom Foolery!"
And demand workers rights!
RIP Vern Troyer
Who is this Mr. Foolery that you speak of?
DeleteI've never found a missing news reader to be an "eerie" thing. Whats eerie is that others do ...
ReplyDeleteKen Wayne and Michelle Griego, Mornings on KPIX???
ReplyDeleteIn other news, Heather Holmes seemed eerily similar to a normal human being tonight.
ReplyDeleteIt was a pleasure not seeing Frank Somerville on the Ten O'Clock News for a change. I'd like to see that more often!
ReplyDelete