Wayne Departure Leaves Dark Cloud Over KTVU News; Staffers Nervous; Fox Digs In; Uneasy Times at 2 Jack London Square

YOU CAN READ Ken Wayne leaving KTVU (Fox) two ways; he was working without a contract and got tired of being given the run-around by the big boys (it's not known now where he's headed if anywhere) or Fox essentially saying to Wayne, go ahead and leave, make our day.

My own analysis is that KTVU is in full Fox-iteration mode; after four years running the Bay Area's #1 news station, the era of high salaries for the big shots (and not-so-big shots) are over.

Ken Wayne

Wayne was considered a valuable anchor but not to the tune of $300K a year-contract variety. He's solid but not a household name; not someone that would make KTVU suddenly slip off the radar. Under the old ownership, (Cox Media) Wayne would have probably received an extension and slight raise to boot. But Fox didn't regard Wayne as a prized asset worthy of a six-figure salary. And they're probably right. Hence, Wayne worked without a contract for over a month.

More disturbing for the remaining on-air talent is that this strategy of paying less for average, even above average anchors and reporters is not going away. Mark Ibanez, the four-decade sports anchor recently signed an extension but nowhere near the money he expected to get and Ibanez is one of the most popular personalities at the station. Frank Somerville makes $615K a year but I'm betting his next contract will be for far less money even though he's the face of the station.

Fox is notorious for paying less-than-average compensation for reporters too. Notice the rapid amount of correspondents leaving the station for PR jobs that lack the limelight of TV News adrenaline but pay decent wages and are far more stabile. Add darn good benefits and you have the ultimate package. Or as one veteran reporter who left told me, "It sure as hell beats getting up at 4 AM to cover a refinery fire in Richmond."

Frank Somerville and Julie Haener/KTVU

A station once known for its great legacy of TV News talent and "10 o'clock News" valor is fighting to keep its staff from suffering long-tern morale issues. The newsroom is teeming with malaise. The bright-eyed younger folks have suddenly discovered that the big suits at corporate prefer haunted houses over Disneyland. Even good ratings don't make the lasses happy. There's more a feeling of resignation and "it's just a damn job now." People who I've talked to that work there tell me it's the worst case of morale ever felt in Oakland.

Rita Williams

KTVU was never going to be the "old KTVU" of Kevin O'Brien (ex-GM) days simply because Fox isn't Cox Media. Cox was family-owned and took pride in running their stations with TV News journalism as a major entity. Fox is more bottom line and less loyal even to those who have lengthy runs. Which is why there are so few long-termers left at KTVU. The anchor roster still has old timers but the reporter turnover is quite disturbing.

KTVU still makes a lot of money; the most revenue of any station in the Bay Area and feeds off its Fox Network shows and NFL football affiliation --which accounts for its massive emphasis on sports.

Its success in that department allows for its news commitment too; unfortunately its management isn't so warm and fuzzy with the boys and girls that have to do the heavy lifting.

On Fridays at the station there used to be a large couple of boxes of pastries and doughnuts for the morning staff; it's gone now.