Exclusive: Pushback at KRON; Staff Bitter Over Star Talent That Knew About Pero Excesses; 'They Were Quiet', Critics Claim; Early Glee Now Turns to Anger

SUMMER BURN AT KRON: MORE ANGER THAN ELATION

It's been a little over a week since Aaron Pero was fired as KRON News Director. The initial glee and euphoria has now subsided and turned into the exact opposite. In fact, there is genuine ANGER on the news set and in the newsroom and into the back offices where a genuine feeling of dismay and outright hostility permeate.

What's going on?

My contacts at KRON tell me staffers, particularly senior and a few lower-level personnel--including ON-AIR talent, producers, writers, reporters--virtually everyone except the janitor, are ANGRY over the apparent latest findings that has gripped the newsroom detailing Pero's abuse and intimidation factors. Not only that, which was prevalent. More so, say my sources: the DISCONTENT by staffers that the majority of STAR ANCHORS, including Pam Moore, Vicki Liviakis and Ken Wayne, like everyone else, not only KNEW about Pero's excesses, but looked the other way when they had the oppurtunity to report the abuses.

"They were well aware he (Pero) was living with Darya (Folsom) and that their relationship would be a conflict with the newsroom and the people that work here," a prominent KRON contact told me. Like all sources, the contact spoke only with the promise they would not be IDed becuase they feared retaliation.

KRON and its NEXTSTAR corporate owner 86ed the embattled Pero last week. There was no official reason for the termination but industry word and my own reporting indicate his ouster was because of his on-going relationship with Darya Folsom, the AM News anchor who he's been living with for years. The bosses were confronted with a CONFLICT of INTEREST case even though that relationship existed for nearly a decade.

The biggest GRIPE now, according to my contacts at the 900 FRONT fortress stems from the fact those that could have done something; those that held considerable POWER and influence; had the means to at least report Pero's affair and his endless confrontations and voilatile encounters with pesonnel and DID NOTHING.

One such encounter involved Pero's shouting and ridicule of anchor. Justine Waldman--a jarring incident that had Waldman exiting Pero's office in tears and anguish. The confrontation took place at the old KRON studios at Van Ness Ave but was so outlandish it's still talked about in the Embarcadero outpost. Waldman, who is married to anchor, Grant Lodes, was one of the "star" talent mentioned to me by various staff. As infuriating and toxic her spat was with Pero, she never reported it to management. Likewise, Lodes knew about the incident later but didn't say anything, at least officially.

Severall of KRON's most prominent on-air staff were aware of Pero's controversial actions and tactics but either didn't care enough to go to higher-ups or attempt to talk to Pero and inqiure about his managing. The general consensus was that the anchors were weary about what they might have perceived as "snitching", according to one particular source.

"They were all fearful of saying someting; they didn't want to 'rock the boat but doing nothing? If someone had said something, anything, we might have avoided all this." "Nobody that worked here then and are still here now will forget it."

This latest outburst from the KRON fortress comes amidst a future Nextstar investigation looking into the matter. KRON hasn't named a new ND but will look into the position in the coming days.