Frank Somerville, even if some of his co-workers back at the KTVU studios, are not as sympathetic as you might expect, (and they're not) has built up enough of a reservoir of good will with viewers, that everyone expects him back. Even in the unlikihood that he does not return to KTVU. Nothing is certain.
It's roughly six weeks since Frank's on-air incident; on May 30th, the Sunday night before Memorial Day, the Bay Area saw a troubled Somerville slur his words, look and sound uneven, under the influence of something--he swears it was a mistaken dose of sleeping pills. TV viewers and observers thought otherwise. We know what's taken place since. He was asked to go on a LOA (leave) and has been hiding out in his Oakland Uptown condo.
*KTVU and Fox2 are hoping, with time, the entire episode fades away. They've been using fill-ins at 10 PM and their early-evening newscasts. Conventional wisdom remains that pretty much no one can fill Somerville's position, at least for now. It's a good thing it's in the middle of summer when very few are watching the local news. I've predicted a fall, probably sometime after Labor Day return for Frank when the mood might be a little different on ALL fronts, but...
*A number of anchors here, and a few outside the markey say the whole episode will not ever fade awy. "That video will follow him the rest of his life," said a broadcast contact to me. One industry person here was more emphatic: "Disney, for one, would never hire him." At least in one sense, Somerville can be happy he works at FOX.
*As indicated, Somerville has been pretty much alone (with his kids) at home. He hasn't said anything publically since his response to me after the immediate incident. I've reached out to him (via text), at various times in the past few weeks and he's been silent. KTVU/Fox brass are not talking about anything Frank, leaving the matter for their PR spokesperson.
*There is the possibility, still unlikely, that both parties go their separate ways. Fox could always see the possibility that the entire affair is too problematic and decide to work out some sort of arrangement. They might be forced to be thinking long-term. In the nterim, mum's the word.
*Somerville has privately prepared for the possibility he might be gone from KTVU. It would be a tough deal. He has thirty years in the company, nine as lead anchor at the 10 o'Clock News. His contract is up next year in March. There's already a great degree of industry speculation on his future.
*A SCENARIO NO ONE WANTS: What if Somerville sticks to his story and Fox suits balk. What if Somerville decides he's OK and asks to come back and Fox says no? Would the lawyers be involved? Nobody wants to go that route.
*What station(s) if any, would consider hiring Frank? A good question. Right now, probably not a one. But we'll see. It's probably a moot question for now.
Meanwhile watching the 10pm news has become the anchor Hunger Games edition where News Director Amber Eikel pits every anchor against the other for his job. The whole thing is very uncomfortable to watch. The plan is there is no plan.
ReplyDeleteSommerville is absolutely not missed in our household.
ReplyDeleteI still like Andre Senior the best. I don't know how he is with breakers where you have to think on your feet, but he reads as well as any of them, has a certain presence, and let's face it, a black main anchor at a station located in Oakland and with the legacy of Dennis Richmond makes a certain amount of sense.
ReplyDeleteThe worst replacement candidates so far have been Mike Miback, who is too hyper and acerbic, and Frank Mallicoat, who's about as exciting as watching paint dry. (And he can barely read the prompter half the time.) KTVU has never had a deep male talent pool and it really shows now.
He'd fit right in with the anchors over at CNN. Many of them have problems as well.
ReplyDeletesuch as??
DeleteI love Mallicoat who has not been in for Frank yet. Hope he is soon! Love his delivery and energy.Total pro.
ReplyDeleteI miss Cristina. Hope she hurries back!
ReplyDeleteCalifornia Labor Law specifically states that an anchorman can only be let go for bad hair. Frank will be back drinking and reading the news before you know it.
ReplyDeleteAnd if "he" were a "she", firing would have been instant.This isn't brain surgery, folks, it's reading off a teleprompter while affecting a "concerned" look.
DeleteSorry, his hair is fake.
DeleteI like Frank, and I’m rooting for his return. Listen we all f’up at some point in our career, his just so happened to be on live TV. I say allow him to return and fess up for the error of that night.
ReplyDeleteSome people aren't allowed to f'up in their career: airline pilots, surgeons, police officers.
DeleteGreat point, 4:25.
DeleteMike, Andre and the other 7PM anchor are all fighting for Frank spot. Andre is the best choice bringing back the symbol of Dennis Richmond, the only Bay Area African American anchor in the Bay Area, Prime Time News.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that you have to say "Mike, Andre and the other ...anchor" just shows how memorable Frank Mallicott is.
Delete8:16, I think he meant Alex. Frank Mallicott is on Saturday mornings. Frank M would be a decent replacement.
DeleteDoes a well known anchor really move the needle positively into more viewers? Dion Lim seems to have made an impression in this market based on her connections to the Asian community and her stories on Boudin. If I were KTVU and had no solid replacement I would keep Somerville and see how the ratings were through his contract end. I would also be looking at replacements. If I were Somerville and knew my time was probably up at KTVU, I would do everything to repair my reputation and then sell myself to KPIX which is floundering at best. KPIX then starts marketing Somerville and maybe he moves that needle a bit and puts KPIX back on the news map. KPIX has no news presence period. I go to KTVU or KGO always first for mid day, early and late news. The market is searching for a news leader and KPIX could be it with a couple of solid hires. How about Somerville and Jessica Aguirre as your leads? With proper marketing that would cause some buzz in the market because they both have screen presence. The average news viewer is not going to be aware of Somerville’s moment at KTVU and would likely follow him to KPIX. In any event, not a huge Somerville fan but we all deserve a second chance. Hopefully if he needs help he gets it’s done enjoys life with his kids.
ReplyDeleteIf Betty Yu were anchoring, I'd watch every day.
DeleteSomerville is such a non-starter. Bland, stiff, forgettable. Senior would be an upgrade.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Senior has some style, and I think he and Heather go together really well. Nobody goes with Julie. She's a corpse that somehow manages to read the teleprompter.
DeleteAndre and Heather do very well when they're anchoring together. I never get annoyed during their broadcast, which is something I can't say when Frank is making forced comments after each live report, and Julie is sighing and moaning after each sad story.
DeleteFor the past couple years Frank looks like he is perpetually constipated. The muscle stiffness has crept into his face.
DeleteOr maybe he needs larger collars on his shirts. Looks like he has a swelled head, since he took over for Dennis.
DeleteAll Somerville has to do to protect his job is have the same lawyer as Vacar. Was long in the tooth before the career-threatening incident. Best that he return in the fall and leave for good in the winter. Probably won't happen. The Firm will remain uncertain like others.
ReplyDeleteSommerville is an Alcoholic. Is he attending meetings? This is a day to day process that can go for years. They will not renew his contract. As for Senior, they're not going to put a black body builder in as permanent anchor.
ReplyDeleteDid he do Leslie Griffith like so many others did?
ReplyDeleteQuite honestly, I do not miss Frank Somerville. If KTVU does not hire internally and Andre Senior is not quite ready for prime time, I am certain that could do a national search to find qualified anchors who want to move to the Bay Area, the 6th largest media market in the nation.
ReplyDeleteFrank had been slurring for months. It wasn't a one time thing, although the confused reading was. Did his co-workers think he was drunk or high during those other newscasts? Why was he allowed to be on-air in that state for so long with no intervention? If Frank is let go, then his enablers need to go as well.
ReplyDeleteIf you follow Frank on Facebook he comes off as holier-than-thou. It seems the ones who act pious are the ones with the biggest problems. Frank seems to be proof of that.
ReplyDeletehe has a very commanding demeanor but i have not seen the episode everyone is talking about but i have seen him recently and he appears to be ill. He has lost a lot of weight and his hair appears to have been dyed recently but no one is perfect at their job all the time. If he is replaced, his replacement will have faults too. It's good to see so many minority employees on local news staffs.
ReplyDelete