To their credit, you the viewer wouldn't know how anxious they are, the staff personnel. They are relieved, sure thing, that a tremendous burden has been thrown out to the street. Aaron Pero, the embattked ND and conductor of mass intimidation and confrontation is out of the KRON newsroom at 900 Front, but his presence is still felt even though he's 86ed.
Pero can't confront staff anymore but his ways and means are almost ghost-like in the newsroom. Lowel-level personnel haven't stopped looking over their shoulder. Paranoia? YOU BETCHA. And for good reason. Pero's hands-on, intimidation-central force hasn't easily been forgotten. "People are still freaked out," says a longtime KRON staffer. "Everyone's on edge." I can only imagine what'd it be like if Pero were still there.
Meanwhile, KRON continues to put forth a news product. Some how. Some way. And get this: KRON is actually competitive at the evening news platforms. KRON routinely BEATS PIX and has devoured KGO-TV (ABC7) in the 5-7 PM news slots. I've been critical of KRON and their sloppy look and amateurish style--the college reporters, the 47,000 weather boards, the KTEL-look news packages, etc. On the other hand, there's an abundance of occasional decent TV News at KRON. Even as they move away from Pero's rough play, they should be normal any day now.
Rich, how was this guy able to keep his job for so long? He clearly doesn't have the personality to lead.
ReplyDelete@08:34 Easy. Nexstar is just if not more responsible. EVERYONE knew what Pero was up to and they let it happen. His job was to spend as little money as possible, get rid of long time expensive employees and have ZERO shame about doing fake news advertising stories in the newscast. Doing this take a super special kind of AHOLE and Nexstar had their man. Also there have been some high profile unwarranted firings and I wonder if this finally came down from legal. READ: Going to cost us money. A lot of money. The place is a pit and everyone that works there and didn't say a thing is directly responsible.
ReplyDeleteGood to see you write something of a positive nature on KRON4's newscasts. I've been watching them more & more, and most times they are either comparable, or even better than what else is on.
DeleteIt's obvious that Nexstar is taking advantage of their personnel in Sacramento, DC and other markets.
"His job was to spend as little money as possible, get rid of long time expensive employees and have ZERO shame about doing fake news advertising stories in the newscast."
DeleteNailed it.
Think of it this way: He was Smithers, and Nextstar was Mr. Burns.
Anybody watch Dennis O'Donnell at beginning of 5 pm newscast. Had a hard time speaking properly. Tuesday 7/20
ReplyDeleteHe's hanging out with Frank Somerville!!
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