KCBS Blows It on Bay Bridge Shooting; Circle7's Kristen Sze Proves Her Worth on Sunday Anchor Desk During Kincade Fire; Not The 'Old KGO Radio But Close'; Live Shots From North Bay Still an Art; Friday Open

KCBS sort of blew it this morning; traffic anchor, Kim Wonderly was relegated to a news reporter --(which isn't so bad, but...) reporting on a shooting at the east end of the Bay Bridge (which backed up traffic in the city for a time) Wonderly was using a police scanner to report details of the shooting and its effect on traffic condition. You'd think KCBS would have sent a reporter to the scene given the situation but no go. I have no idea who made this call (or non-call) but they blew it.

*Finally was able to see KGO-TV's Kristen Sze anchoring on Sunday during the initial frightening stages of the Kincade fire and yes, it was superb. I'm certain it should provide ample support that Sze has to be given more respect at ABC7. She's vastly improved her anchoring duty which has always been good in my book but underrated by the suits at 900 Front. In a moment where steady and sincere was needed, Sze was a calming presence on Sunday morning.

Kristen Sze

*KGO Radio is by no means the old KGO radio but its Sunday commitment to the big fire and wind situation was a welcome reminder to what the old 810 AM mainstay used to be. KGO in its heyday was more than a mere radio station; it acted as a friendly neighborhood watch in tense situations and encouraged and asked for listener feedback. It was especially evident during times of disasters and news events like the Loma Prietta earthquake; the Oakland Hills fire; the Moscone/Milk murders; Guyana tragedy; of course, yes, 9/11 most recently. When I woke up Sunday morning (to no power) listened on my car radio to Bret Burkhart talking to Spencer Christian I was stunned. But then I'm sort of a cynic. I expected nothing and got a huge whiff of what KGO used to mean to a community. It shocked me further to hear KGO continue on most of the day into the night with reassuring hosts like Pat Thurston and John Rothmann broadcasting live and providing live information and taking calls from listeners and those at the fire scene. As I said, it's never going to be the old KGO but it was a terrific retro play last week. I hope this continues if we face similar stories down the road and I think, unfortunately, I think we will.

*Yes, KCBS deserves tremendous credit too for its fire coverage with special props to Margie Shafer in particular. But why were we inundated with commercials and sports updates? Sports?!! The early scene up north was fraught with an unforgiving wind and fire; 101 north saw loads of cars piling on the freeway leaving the scene of an ongoing disaster and yet, we had sports updates? Seriously now, how foolish. How ridiculous. This was not called for but I guess you have to pay the bills.

*Live shots, live reporting, is a difficult chore sometimes, especially reporting from a fire scene like the one up in wine country. So I'll be a little more careful in my criticism but for some reporters, the most basic of chores: providing up-to-the-minute information seems like pulling teeth. In the moment, some of these folks want to roam around the scene and describe what's taking place and they become totally off base and try to act dramatic: WE SEE THE FIRE! We see the picture, you don't have to say the OBVIOUS! Tell us what we don't know. Report on what the fire guys are saying and what's going on on the ground. Don't be captain obvious. It drives me nuts. But I understand, I just wish they'd take those masks they wear and wake up!