Where's Sports Maven Steve Bitker? Another KCBS Mystery; Somerville Success at KTVU Despite Inner Turmoil; Gasia Should Be Thankful; PIX 5 PM News a No-Go; Ashley Benefits from Frank Re-Up Soon; KRON Tinkers with New * PM Cast; Monday Start

ANOTHER KCBS MYSTERY in the morning: Where's sports guy, Steve Bitker? Hasn't been on the air for over a month --not that people are losing sleep, but you know.


*I WAS trying to compliment Frank Somerville, KTVU's most tenured anchor, for being able to compartmentalize his personal issues, namely an impending divorce. Sources close to Somerville say he was royally pissed off his issue was put out by yours truly. Only one thing: another site was about to leak the news and I didn't want that to happen.


Another thing: divorce is becoming the norm now so there's no big deal. And yes, Somerville is a major public figure in the Bay Area. It's not like I said he's committing perjury. The "!0 o'clock News" on KTVU is still the ratings winner and continues to make mincemeat of the dreck trying to challenge it.


*The real story at KTVU is the intern that got some juicy texts from another widely-known anchor not affiliated with news; I'll be coy for now because I don't want to embarrass the person just yet, it's not my M.O.  Yet.


*Here's the real deal about Gasia Mikaelian: She's not that good to get special treatment from her bosses; in fact, she's rather ordinary and overly-cutesy for no apparent reason. She's lucky KTVU has a penchant for retaining extraordinarily overrated talent and most especially, Fox. The GAAS! could be more effective and credible if she showed some self-restraint and ditched her frequent unnecessary giggles and cackles but that would be extremely tough for her. She's not destined for the evening and should be thinking morning glory eternally.




Alan Martin (l) Liz Cook and Paul Deanno

*The notion that Veronica De La Cruz is going to save KPIX at 5 PM with perennial boor and bore, Allen Martin is like a tugboat trying to save the Titanic.




Dan Ashley

*After Somerville's extension (signed any day now) at around $700K for another three years, KGO-TV's Dan Ashley, who is a year away from his contract renewal, expect ABC to give the Ashmeister a new three-year deal over $800K a year with a mutual option for 2023. Ashley is a valuable commodity to KGO not just because he's the captain of the ship and does a lot of charity and ambassador work, he's also sturdy frequently doing the 4, 5, 6, 9 (on KOFY) and 11 PM newscasts. That's five shows a night and even Sinatra didn't do 5 unless you count the cocktail show.


*If you believe the word on the street. KRON is about to unveil a new-formatted 8 PM News which is good since every newscast on KRON looks and sounds the same. KRON needs a deep cleansing, a sharp makeover and NEW MUSIC! Seriously, their theme is dated, like an old Orleans single. Not that refreshing the corpse is going to make a difference but it can't hurt.


*Even if the Raiders stay in Oakland another year, they most certainly will not be on KCBS because that experiment was a disaster for both team and radio station.


*The A's to KSFO continues to gather steam but nothing is firm yet.