Gimme a break.
*KTVU's 10 PM News has a fairly decent overall program with a tight, crisp wrap-up of the tragedy in San Jose. It wasn't fantastic but nobody's perfect. And especially covering a mass shooting where the authorities say a hundred times, "we're still in a 'fluid situation and have an active crime scene." It sounds trite but they were. Which made some TV station reporters griping about having to move their cameras from the vicinity of the suspects home sound ludicrous. Especially when you consider the guy mowed down eight people.
SPOT ON: Debora Villalon's top-of-newscast on KTVU report from scene: It was straight-forward, non-syrupy, informative and complete. Granted, she had time to make the report solid and it showed. So what. I want news and info, less drama the better. It stands out because the majority of the reporting wasn't as good at the other stations. Villalons's was good and it showed.
*Why was Raj Mathai sent to the scene of the shooting? Was it supposed to make it look as if Raj was from the San Jose area and so too, NBC Bay Area? No. It would have been better if Mathai was in the studio and on the anchor chair because Janelle Wang is still not ready for prime time.
*That KGO anchor that made a point of telling viewers "we have exclusive surveillance video of the shooter leaving his home" must have wilted soon later on when the video showed up on all the other TV News stations.
*NOBODY really looked or sound goofy. Then again, no one really stood out. Thta's good and bad. The good is that in a situation where news and info is coming out in a nanosecond, it's hard to cover. The bad: when reporters try their damnest to make news when ther is none to report.
*Those outlets (KGO and NBC Bay Area specifically) who kept telling us that "our investigative team" is "working on getting you information?--yeah, oh really, like what? Turns out nobody got anything that the others didn't already report. Another case of false bravado.
Early on when his name became public, the suspect's entire life was summed up by the description from the neighbor who lived across the street and who shot the cell-phone video --maybe it would have been wiser to wait and say, (pretty much) that the shooter was a :loner." We really don't know the man, maybe it was time for a good editor.
*Yes, a news outlet here that was A-rate and had about as good onformation and spot-on coverage: SFGate.
*On the other hand, KGO Radio is not the place to go when news breaks because KGO doesn't have a news team and it showed. And when you have a poser on the air when the shooting news first broke, then it exposes Nikki Medoro, whose only talent was to keep saying was tat the incident was in "my hometome of San Jose"--wonderful Nik, you're a real journalist.
*Medoro and KGO had a contest for a free dinner and told callers to call the contest line just when the shooting news was in full flight. Medoro said onair, "sorry, I have to do this, it's a legal thing." HELL NO it isn't, Nik, it's YOU that made that call. My God, what a disaster.
*Props to Greg Papa (on KNBR) who said some powerful things and set the right tone on a station that is all sports. It wasn't schlocky or overly sentimental. Papa said sports was to take a back seat when something awful happens and San Jose was all that.
Radio contests must adhere to the law. If you advertise a contest happening at a certain time, you can't just yank it without violating strict fcc regulations.
ReplyDeleteI don't normally comment on my own blog, but tis is exception. It's complete bullshit. I checked. You think on 9/11 they din't stop doing contests? Would they have run a contest on 9/11? They could have and should have canned the dinner contest--it was plain and dumb and clueless.
DeleteNo Sir, I will not touch Gasia’s Honey Glazed Ham.
Delete> No Sir, I will not touch Gasia’s Honey Glazed Ham.
DeleteWouldn't that be Sal?
American flags at half mast AGAIN? The people in charge of the flag poles all over the country must have sore arms. I always thought it was done for major public officials like former Presidents. Who started this which is getting more meaningless each time?
ReplyDeleteRaj was there on location because KNTV's studios are literally just a few miles away. It's a gimme for them to put an anchor there.
ReplyDeleteRich, I hear you on Papa, but then 2 seconds later he slipped into his girly voice. He has about as much class as the Stockton Forever 21
ReplyDeletePapa only talks like that when his throat is dry. Much like a newly planted lawn, he needs to keep his throat wet. Besides, the girly voice is kinda sexy.
DeleteThis is my town Craig so, Step off! Dont let me catch you at the Carlos Club hunting for us cougars!
DeleteIs the Orchid Room still open?
DeleteI watch the news when it is a different story, this was no big surprise story when we hear about shooting from other states on the world news at times. It just this one is in the Bay Area like an exciting news story.
ReplyDelete"Debora Villalon's top-of-newscast on KTVU report from scene: It was straight-forward, non-syrupy, informative and complete. Granted, she had time to make the report solid and it showed. So what. I want news and info, less drama the better."
ReplyDeleteYUP. Debora Villalon is a pro. All of KVVU used to be like that.
You're damn right it did. I miss those days. Experienced reporters who knew the community was standard. Now it's 23 year olds who are clueless. KTVU especially.
Delete"Those outlets (KGO and NBC Bay Area specifically) who kept telling us that 'our investigative team' is 'working on getting you information?'--yeah, oh really, like what? Turns out nobody got anything that the others didn't already report. Another case of false bravado."
ReplyDeleteYeah, I had the same reaction when I heard that. Is this the sort of thing an "Investigative Team" does? It's not a report on a company ripping people off on their warranties. It's NEWS REPORTING. Everyone does it!
Reporters are now called "Investigative Team", much like apartments are now called "Luxury Apartment Homes".
DeleteI made the mistake of watching KRON-TV where one of the newbie field reporters said at @ 8am that she saw lot of police and fire vehicles, but had not seen any ambulances.
ReplyDeleteRich, you're like my old Jewish neighbor in NY - never happy. "Oh it's going to rain Mr. Leibowitz".."Rain shmain, my windows will get dirty now..." You are never happy.
ReplyDeleteNext thing you know, they'll have Raj anchor a 7pm newscast. To compete against KPIX at 7
ReplyDeleteI miss Bernard Shaw, Elaine Corral, Dennis Richmond, Belva Davis in the previous century when there used to be journalism without over blown egos! Wonder what Cronkite, Mike Wallace think of where news is today? Rolling in their graves, I imagine?. What's latest with VDC? Is she officially gone? Why do Michelle Griego and Elizabeth Cook look like they could be related? Inquiring minds want to know.
ReplyDeletedidnt hear medoro at all, thank god, but how refreshing to least know for that segment she wasnt being her usual yenta self and whinning about her kids and husband
ReplyDeleteThe ugly about this situation is the fact that they call a news conference and they give the reporters and listeners nothing. Each person who stepped up to the mike had nothing to say. Get the information first, and then release it. Regardless how long it takes.
ReplyDeleteSince Northern California has a large Sikh population and since one of the victims of the San Jose massacre was a Sikh, can't serious broadcasters get it right? "Sikh" is not pronounced like "seek", it is pronounced "sick". Please use your pronouncers and be professional.
ReplyDeleteSportz clowns
ReplyDelete