Your media mavens will likely be gone this week, Christmas week. If there's a major news event between now and Sunday, good lord, who knows what and who will be covering it.
A few thoughts...
I see Frank Somerville was being Frank Somerville the other day. Frank seems lost and lonely but his latest schmooze is truly bizarre.
Frank recently hit up KTVU and they said, "no thanks, we're good." Frank did the impossible: he made KTVU look good.
*KCBS spent the good part of Sunday and Monday morn with top/hour World Cup local angle, at least five minutes --I know, I'm beating a dead horse.
*Woefully inadequate of late: Phil Matier.
*The long and winding road of nowhere: AM Radio.
*A delicious thought: Trixie Watkowski, Jenny Selig, and Amber Eikel have lunch at Tommy's Joynt and after a few glasses of cab, dish it out and all hell breaks loose.
*And then Eric Thomas walks in and everyone starts moaning.
*It's getting to a point at Circle7 that Dan Ashley's contract status has reached this level: Nobody gives a damn, Dano!
*Holiday parties and places to go: Raj Mathai and Janelle Wang.
*Larry Beil is hoping Ashley gets shunned by Disney so he can boogie down with Sze but if not, Larry has sent his resume to everyone in town to let them know, "hey, look at me, I can anchor!" --WITH AUTHORITY!
*John Rothmann planning for an all-out holiday party with the likes of Herbert Hoover, Richard Nixon, FDR and Milton Marks at his West Portal home. Just astounding!
*Speaking of dead, the Cumulus building on Broadway and Battery: with the loss of KGO and dwindling radio stations,lots of dark room inside the Cloud cluster, Lee Hammer says, "WTF!."
*KQED Radio is planning a busy Christmas week on "Forum": The history of CSPAN3 and its interviews with the authors of books on melba toast, wonder bread, Damon Bruce and Art Bell.
*Coffee, anyone?
Frank Somerville's career is dead. The sooner he realizes that the better for him, his family, et al. As for Matier, don't know where you've been. He's been phoning it in for decades now.
ReplyDeleteFrank is finished.
DeleteSuch a nice positive uplifting holiday message. Well wishes and good cheers to all from Rich, especially to John Rothmann. John have now been off the air for a few months and you still have to take shots at him. Classy.
ReplyDeleteI sure miss the days with Paul Harvey, Steve Hartman, Charles Kuralt and others I can't think of at the moment were on the radio. Maybe someone can add a few.
ReplyDeleteRich, don't you EVER have a nice thing to say???
ReplyDeleteYeah, sure, my oatmeal was spectacular this morning, there.
DeleteMine oatmeal was too! Even my better half enjoyed it!
DeleteBoy, I love Oatmeal.
DeleteSpanky
KGO-radio should provide an educational Christmas mini-series, teaching listeners how to extract the content from the fast-talker guy. You know, the guy who's stating a bevy of disclaimers at the end of commercials, but talking so fast whatever he is saying is completely incomprehensible.
ReplyDeleteWhat are you talking about? The is no KGO anymore.
DeleteFrank Somerville's FB post was so desperate for attention and totally delusional. He got his followers attention, lots of pitty comments and praise. He's still not owning his actions, zero mention of his extra martial affair with an INTERN. Claimed PTSD!?! From sympathizing with the black community?!? Geez this guy uses his youngest daughter to be relatable and now attending funerals too. Frank tries too hard too be relevant. SHM
ReplyDeleteI hear these extra "martial" affairs are really tough and require a lot of physical skills and training, you know, like "martial" arts.
DeletePTSD from reading the prompter?
DeleteHoly shit Frank...what about the photogs, reporters and field producers who actually go to the stories?
Punt-off Frank!
Sober up!...and TRY getting to your 4th step.
Did you actually read his post? It’s from him actually going to the funerals or the memorials on his own time? Name one other anchor in the market who has done something like that on their own time??? I watch a lot of news and I can’t think of anyone.
Delete@Ghost, He claims he's been to so many young black mens' funerals and vigils that he feels like he has PTSD from those experiences and that caused him to self medicate.
Delete10:21...the memorials and funerals and attendance at same are only noteworthy and admirable when you don't feel the need to pimp your participation in the above.
DeleteDid you read his post!!!! He was trying to put it in context. Good lord are you really that clueless
Deleteclearly Frank reads this blog and comments because he then felt the need to add a SECOND post about how he didn't originally post to gain attention or pity. Sadly that's exactly what his posts are about - he's still insincere and making excuses - he still hasn't come clean and honest about the fact that he's just an addict / alcoholic (still drinks like a sponge to this day!) - mentions NOTHING about separating from his wife and moving out ... which then spiraled him into more drinking and prescription drugs. He only lists excuses that he thinks are holy and worthy enough to justify his actions. And unfortunately a few die-hard fans pretend to buy it, thus fueling Frank's ego.
DeleteFrank Somerville can make a successful comeback at KTVU if he gets the proper rehab and sticks to a sober life. He's far better than what has replaced him. The public loves a comeback story.
ReplyDeleteFrank is done at KTVU if not the Bay Area. I see him resurfacing like a cockroach in some other market
DeleteThe FORUM program on KQED is a shell of its former self. Mina Kim is fine, Alex is the weak link. Not sure who chooses his guests and topics, but I am so tired of his sighs, his poor interviewing skills. He may have an Ivy League pedigree, but even Murph on KNBR has a UCLA degree; both sound like wannabe hipsters at the JC (and fail at that).
ReplyDeleteI really would prefer a kid fresh out of SF State than these two puffed chests. Rich, what d’ya think?
I listened when Michael Krasny hosted but not so much anymore.
DeleteI like Mina Kim. She's a good host. While I am sure Alex is smart, he doesn't know how to interview and his voice is annoying espcially when he changes his pitch - I assume when he gets excited about a topic it goes up?
DeleteAlex hosted a really hot topic today (Tuesday). Food expiration dates ...lol ...
DeleteFood expiration dates? A good topic for an insomniac!
DeleteLocal news sucks. I don’t even watch it anymore.
ReplyDeleteAh, yes...the last two weeks of the calendar year...when the JV and Freshman team gets to play--while the starters are on vacation.
ReplyDeleteAM radio is all but dead in Europe and several electric car manufacturers are already fazing it out. And, with the volume of cars connected to phones for streaming it is just a matter of time before it goes the way of the 8 track and cassette.
ReplyDeleteI always hate to hear stories of broadcasters who burn their bridges because of personal problems, but we’re all human. It’s nice to be able to stick with a profession for many years and then walk away on your own terms when you get into your mid-late 60s. Unless you’ve got some spectacular job where you don’t have to deal with any of the BS, it’s best for your health, sanity and longevity to call it a day when you start collecting social security. And that pretty much goes for any job. It’s just so hard to tell what the future holds in broadcasting. But for many of us, we got to work in the last days of a ‘Golden Age.’ The appearance of the dreaded social media and the deregulation of radio-TV changed everything, sadly much more for worse. But those who get shoved out the door because of personal issues really should feel fortunate. There are other things in life besides broadcasting and the profession, especially in radio, is slowly going into the sewer. Hopefully Frank Somerville is getting some help and has family and friends who care. He was a terrific broadcaster who deserved a better fate but life can be cruel! You hang in there Frank and don’t let your recent ill fortune pull you down.
ReplyDeleteSomebody at KPIX is reading this page: Sara Donchey was wearing a figure-concealing beige pant suit tonight, apparently taken from The Golden Girls' wardrobe.
ReplyDeleteAnd a Charlie Walters was doing the sports
Matier has always been overrated. Andy Ross did the real work in that pairing.
ReplyDeleteI'm among the people who believe that most people love a 2nd chance comeback story. Frank has all the makings for just such a story but there's a piece missing that's preventing the story from moving forward. The readers here have pointed it out numerous times, apparently Frank doesn't read this blog.
ReplyDelete