PETER GIDDINGS was not only the highest-paid weather anchor in the Bay Area (around $300K a year) at KGO, he was also a complete asshole too, which partly led his demise in 1998, you would think, right?
Here's the BS story.
And now the real deal.
Giddings was aghast at the concept of long-range forecasts. He hated the 3-day and 5-day outlooks, even back then when computers began taking over weather reporting.
The KGO GM at the time, a guy by the name of Joe Ahern, went directly to Giddings and demanded that he (Peter) implement a "five-day forecast." Like, now. Like, do it, the boss is ordering you, no if's, and's or but's.
Giddings, per his egotistical ways, refused.
Ahern had enough and FIRED him. With full ABC backing.
Giddings didn't back down even though his gig was seized, and he had a good point too. He argued that Bay Area weather, even with the accuracy of computer, had a micro-climate effect and therefore, five-day forecasts were dumb and stupid, not to mention inaccurate. I'll side with Pete on that one but I'm not his ABC minion either.
Advantage Circle7 boss, Ahern.
Do tell the story about the polka dot neckties rule... and the time in a fit of rage he locked Lloyd Lindsay Young out of the weather office... or barge in unannounced to the GM's office, slam the door and draw the window blinds shut
ReplyDeleteWe all have bosses, when they say "set down and shut-up", we need to do it. If an employee feels they can better run the Company. Best wishes starting your own Company.
ReplyDeleteI concur w/10:01.
ReplyDeleteYou work for a company, you abide by the rules...or decrees issued from the top.
You can voice your opinion--but if the brass disagrees, then end of story: You do it their way.
It's a pretty simple concept.
Ahern's tenure also was notable for the 1999 departure of Terilyn Joe in a contract dispute. As for Ahern, he returned to Chicago in 2002.
ReplyDeleteOr being an ass when on the sky slopes...
ReplyDeletePossibly 'rood rage?
ReplyDeleteWhy do these weather doofuses think they're so important?
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Terilyn Joe, who replaced her afterwards and before the blond in Los Angeles before Ama
ReplyDeleteCarolyn Johnson
DeleteI miss Carolyn Johnson. She is an excellent reporter and anchor!
DeleteWell it's an honorable disagreement to have. I'll bet Van was proud when they met up to talk about it
ReplyDeletePete Giddings - a pro through and through.
Ahern - also a pro - viewers want the 5 day, and the other stations offered. Cleaned up a wayward KGO and brought Pete Wilson back in the fold.
He was a prick. Plain and simple
ReplyDeleteI don't get all the hoopla around Spencer Christian. Can't stand to watch the guy and end up changing the channel when he comes on.
ReplyDeletePete Giddings went on to a (successful) stint in Reno. Who got the last laugh there?
ReplyDeleteDid he have a long range forecast there?
Interesting guy. Weightlifter and cigarette smoker. I understand he negotiated his employment contract to require that he always be paid at least $1 more than the KGO TV General Manager. His timing was perfect, a different era for sure.
ReplyDeleteHad a condo at Incline Village near his cameraman Fred Pardini.
Definitely entertaining and great weather forecasts. Go Do It!
Thank You, Rich, for reminding us of the exact year Giddings left KGO-TV. Even with Joel Bartlett in the fold (remember Bartlett's KPIX years, when he was renowned for twirling his marker like a pom-pom?), 1998 was the year that Spencer Christian moved from NYC to SF, to both take over the anchor's role and start a new life after overcoming a gambling addiction.
ReplyDeleteI haven't looked at Pete Giddings' website in a long while, but I will guess that it is extremely detailed about the wildfire smoke plaguing the West Coast.
Miss the days when he had bangs, ah the early Peter......
ReplyDeleteI believe ex wife is a upscale realtor. Who dumped who? BTW Prick Franklin is a pos. Nikki Medaro? Why? No need to fall asleep on the way to work. No news there I would rather listen to than JJL on KFI. Remember she worked for all radio stations and landed and the best. Bay Area radio is pathetic and have to outsource news. Lee. What a brilliant dude you are says Prick Franklin. Do you have any programs like fork report, leo paporte, No you have purity products. FU. Lee is the best. No, Robin Bertolucci is the best, Get your note book out and take notes.
ReplyDeletePete either liked you, or didn't, cut and dry. When I was a kid I walked up to him, Hello Mr Giddings I learn so much from your weather reports. We hit it off. He started the little peoples fishing program and took intercity kids out once a week. These are kids who would have never been on a boat, seen the water, or caught a fish. The say you want to learn about a man take him golfing, fuck that, take him fishing. I did the program with Pete quite a bit.
ReplyDeleteYes he did have a condo in Incline Village and his ex wife sold high end properties in SF.
...I am in complete agreement with your summary of our beloved Pete Giddings. FUCK that station for doing that shit. Pete was THE MAN ...
DeleteDoesn't matter what Pete thought. The boss wanted him to do a five day forcast. He didn't want to do it. You do what the boss tells you to do...that's how it works. I would of fired him also.
ReplyDeletePete was right, but he was wrong. No one is irreplaceable as he found out. He probably just didn't give a shit, he couldn't stand being told how to produce his weather cast by someone he obviously didn't respect.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing Pete Giddings doing the weather at KOLO 8 in Reno. Tad Dunbar was still the news anchor at the time.I think it was in 2000
ReplyDeleteI absolutely know for a Fact he beat his wife. She had to have panic alarm buttons installed throughout the house.
ReplyDeleteI know, because I worked for the alarm company that installed them.