KTVU/Fox Goes Cheap on Video Stringers; Mibach/Haener Craters at 10 PM; The Firm is Nervous; Raj Mathai NBC Bay Area Contract Impacts Dan Ashley at Circle7; Respecting Dion Lim; Master Control People Too; KRONvicts Think Pam Moore is Not Retiring; Andria Borba Weirdness at KPIX; Acknowledging Strong/Special Black Women TV News People; Monday Mash

KTVU and its Fox parent have begun to go for the cheap--it's a policy that directly affects those guys (mostly) that spend wee hours in the morning gathering news. More specifically, video--like a bad accident on a freeway or a crime scene--and that video tape ends up on your TV News screen.

KTVU is now essentially screwiing with these video photographers. They've adopted a system (it's not official but it's defacto) of 86ing the news gatherers and collect video off of social media and other avenues. So those early morning shots of a fire in San Jose or a bad accident on 880 is basically pirate video that KTVU is using and screwing the stringer video camera people.

How classy, Fox.

There's people now that make a living doing the work no one else can or wants to and Fox/KTVU has now shown the middle finger to.

*Speaking of KTVU, their once-vaunted 10 PM News ratings continue to crater--last week, KTVU was neck and neck with KRON and that is profound. But for all the wrong reasons.

Mike Mibach, as we've said here, is, most decidely, NOT a viewer favorite. It's been that way since day one. And worse for KTVU, Julie Haener is getting more negatives on a daily basis. Haener's taken a lot of vacation time of late. Maybe she's on to something--like, "god, I'm still here?!"

Of course The Firm has no backup team in place at its Oakland fortress. It'll continue to support the MIA GM and her unfit-for-duty ND (Amber Eikel) who has LOST the newsroom and is now in charge of The Titanic that is KTVU, circa 2022.

Mibach is a total waste--a guy who relies on smirk and image. He has ZERO chops and Haener's been exposed as the Barbie she's always been.

*Raj Mathai is still under contract at NBC Bay Area. But it's expected Mathai will signa new extension any day now.

That move will have a direct impact on the current (unofficial) on-going negotiations (or lack thereof) of Dan Ashley's new deal at Circle7(KGO/ABC7). Raj is making $400G a year at NBC. He is getting a major raise and while it's not huge, it's enough in the neighborhood of Ashley money (roughly $600K) to warrant a BIG raise for the Ash man.

ABC and Disney (like the industry in general) doesn't pay like it used to but Ashley has considerable leverag.

Something should get done by September. For both he and Raj.

Ashley is known to indutry people as hating to discuss his contract situation but when you've not signed a new deal in more than a few years (like five) it's not only news, it's particularly compelling at a station that leads the Bay Area news ratings and Ashley, its lead news anchor for the past almost three decades.

Sorry Dan, but your status at ABC is worthy of attention--even in its marginalized era at 900 Front.

*I TOO was put off by Dionne Lim's news anchor delivery --early on as she came from Florida to anchor at KGO.

I thought she was low energy and hew voice was phony and contrived. A total letdown. But I've grown on her--she's now convinced me she's bout as sincere as can be. She's genuine. She is who she is.

It's not perfect by any means but Dionne has grown on the job. It's evident if you watch her read the news.

*Someone completely the OPPOSITE: KPIX's woeful Amanda Starrantino. A total vanilla wafer and about as genuine as a Hayward 7-11.

Yes, I'm down on Starrantion who has no realness, no chemistry--she should be in Woodland Hills, not here. Not that the Bay Area is special anymore but seriously now...

*The people behind the scenes: at master control and near the camera, are the lifeblood you see and hear. They make the set and desk look better. They are the engine that drives the car, the oil that makes everything glue. As such, they are underrated and need to get paid. Of course I'm being naive because the suits get their money, always, and master control get peanuts. It's a damn shame and it needs to be taken care of. Yeah, of course I'm dreaming.

*KRON people are working on the assumption that Pam Moore will not retire and stay on, at least for now. Moore may look tired and worn out but her demeanor has changed. She's now suddenly showing new vigor and energy. She's also found out her $300K annual salary is pretty good coin.

I've been ripped by some for commending KRON and their newscasts. I'm sorry but they deserve credit when credit is due.

Moore is a reason but hardly the sole reason.

KRON still has way too many reporters who look like they just graduated college. They are capable but hardly admired but you get what you pay for, right?

I like KRON, lately, because on their most mundane of newscasts, they look decent. They aren't trying to do something they clearrly cannot do. They at least give you the news and yes, news that is too ordinary but done so, for the most part, in a professional manner. That's all I care about.

KRON isn't 1990 anymore. Gone is Jim Paymar, Pete Wilson, Bob Jimenez, Evan White and Sylvia Chase.

But it's 2022. Times have changed. Hell, even Darya Folsom, has (sometimes) read the room.

I'll regret the last sentence --you get my drift. I'm sure I'll have ample opportunities to rip KRON.

*SORRY, but I still can't figure out Andria Borba. God knows I've tried.

She is supposedly news savvy and PIX people tell me she's really cool. Great, but that's not translated on air. Borba comes across as pale and frigid. Her voice is bizarre. She's hardly engaging and she sounds, frankly, weird.

I know this is all superficial but remember, TV is a visual medium. Perhaps Borba should take notice and reinvent her style. Because the present form is a dud.

*BLACK WOMEN TV News journalists like Abby Phillip (on CNN) and Kristen Welker (on NBC News) excite the senses. They (mostly) inform and entertain. That's very cool and together. They do so under the most extraordinary of circumstances. It's a daily ritual and they all need to be acknowledged. I gladly recognize their work.