Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Tuesday Shuffle; KCBS Yet Again Tech Glitch Hell; Off Air; "Signaling Issue"; Lt. Jessica Burch is a Dud; Artificial "Love" Selfies at KTVU; Clark/Wong Resentment; The Firm Has Issues in Oakland; Mibach Vanity; Holmes Overrated; Storm Door Boring Reports; Where's Originality?

TELL ME IF YOU'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE...

KCBS was OFF the air a good hour this (Tuesday) morn. Around 5 AM to be exact and what else is new. At KCBS this is the norm now.

I'm told some "signaling" problem related to the weather was the issue but nonetheless, how embarrassing, (again), when this happens all the while when you're trying to report on the latest storm. Again, this is an ongoing issue and nobody seems to be accountable at 855 Battery.

The ND? Oh never mind.

*Let's just state the OBVIOUS: Jessica Burch is an abject FAILURE, an INSULT every day you watch her on KPIX, (CBS News Bay Area), or listen to her on KCBS. We're supposed to honor her presence because of her military status, as if that justifies her incompetence? And of course she's a woman so by illustrating her awkward watch, you're then labeled a misogynist, doesn't matter the fact she's brutal to observe and listen to, which in and of itself, is a crock.

You know who agress with me? (As do many of you), a prominent PIX staffer, a woman who works there and has to watch this inferno every morning.

Ask yourself: were Officer Burch an ordinary-looking late 40ish guy from Toledo, would he/she be around still? Never mind.

*This is what they do know--they take selfies. Artificial interest.

Never mind the fact Dave Clark is a "nice guy" and Claudine Wong smiles despite her outward coldness to fellow workers, the KTVU mojo is none and both Wong and Clark are seen as the two most detested in the morning, but they're not alone. It's everywhere.

Emma Goss is the latest person to escape The Firm's Bay Area fortress but she's not alone. Everyone in the building pretty much wants out. The only people that stay at KTVU are those who've been there a lengthy time, (pre Fox) and even those folks want desperately OUT.

The FAKE giggle-smiles of the peeps who selfie are so transparent.

*Storm-door repetition: you could use all the footage from Santa Cruz and Marin from years past and insert them today, no one would notice. I'm not being harsh, it's just that they don't stand out and they're amazingly simple in scope.

You want originality? How about why, with all this rain, doesn't California build more resevoirs? Where's the push for desalinization plants? Not one creative reporter asks such questions too busy doing a live shot from the Russian River.

*HERE'S THE PROBLEM, (among many) at KTVU: when your two biggest anchors are Mike Mibach and Heather Holmes, you have a problem.

KTVU's numbers at night continue to go south --and Mibach in particular is a major DUD, his eternal smerk a turn-ff to viewers and Holmes waning popularity major issues.

I have never been a Holmes supporter and Mibach's vanity has been well chronicled here. He's about as genuine as a Foster City Arbys.

*Any day now if Cristina Rendon splits KTVU, I won't be shocked, neither shoud you. Rendon continues to be wasted, under-utilized and she's pissed off. She won't rock the boat at 2 but her offers from other stations both in the Bay Area and away, are mighty tempting.

54 comments:

  1. Well, it's true that Burch is totally UNLISTENABLE....but, with regard to KCBS being off the air this morning: 1) it was apparently totally weather-related, and 2) they could still be streamed. Just sayin'

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    1. Do we have any info if it was transmitter, studio, or link between issue? If I owned a news station I'd want to be sure it was available on broadcast 24/7 but maybe they've got another approach.

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  2. KCBS is a disgrace to the bay area. The only radio all news station is in the dumper. There are a lot of old folks (and young) that still listen to radio and tune in for emergencies. KCBS is in a very sad situation.

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  3. there is nothing wrong with Jessica. Storms cause problems for broadcast stations..next?

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    1. I agree. As a veteran myself, I didn't like it when KPIX referred to her as Lt. Jessica Burch, but they seem to have stopped that. So Rich should stop complaining about it. And while I don't find her to be exceptionally good, she isn't exceptionally bad, either.

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  4. Mr. Lieberman-

    As it pertains to your attack on Jessica Burch, can you please tell me what branch of the military you served in?

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    1. 11:49, I don’t see where anyone attacked Burch’s reservist duties. I do however see critiques of her work performance, which is totally fair as that what this blog is about.

      That being said, why is a commenters military service relevant to their opinions of Burch’s on-air performance?

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    2. So since she’s in the National Guard, everything she does is now beyond criticism?

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  5. Replies
    1. Rich, you are wrong. He does serve. He’s a keyword warrior in the troll brigade. Be careful, he may unleash some caps lock on you.

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  6. Thank you for stating the obvious, Rich. Burch serving as a reservist in the CA National Guard has absolutely nothing remotely to do with her incompetence on air. None. I’m not sure why people conflate two completely unrelated issues, yet it happens.
    I served in the US Army in my younger day. Like Burch, now I do something totally unrelated. I can assure you that if I was incompetent and ill-equiped to do my job, my employer wouldn’t keep me on board simply because of my prior, unrelated military service.

    If people think Burch is good on-air, then fine, that’s their opinion. But when they introduce her reservist duties as a way of defending her on-air performance they instantly lose credibility.

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  7. When exactly did Jessica Burch ask you to "honor her presence". If she were a black woman with fake plastic chest bags, you'd be falling all over yourself.

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  8. I don't understand your fascination with Christina Rendon. Yes, she's attractive and reads the teleprompter well, but she is a charisma black hole--there's nothing there, there. She's probably a very nice person and someone I'd like to know personally, but she doesn't have the presence or gravitas to be the lead anchor in any major market. At least in my humble opinion.

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  9. You are incorrect. I served my country.

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    Replies
    1. As Ted Turner once said to Jane: 'Absinthe makes the heart grow Fonda"

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  10. Burch didn’t even make a mark in the mediocrity capital of the Northstate — Redding. Most of the time she was there she was actually gone with the Guard. Her replacement — the weekend meteorologist — was much better. Her monotone delivery was much the same as it is here. She has as much flash as San Bruno Sizzler.

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  11. What’s the problem with Burch? She is fine and good on the air.

    The only thing is that Burch was there in the early morning but after about 9AM (or earlier), Peck took over as this is related to a storm event.

    Pretty much on KPIX/streams, meteorologists are working and teaming together and working overtime. Peck is doing it the MOST. He even stayed until the end of the 3PM newscast, very rare if working in the morning but again he wasn’t on till at least 9AM so guess makes sense. Heggen took over after 4 or 5pm.

    Last night we saw Brian Hackney teaming with Paul Heggen on the stream side in the evening whereas Peck with Jessica. Mary Lee on the other hand was around the South Bay alone.

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  12. Jump ship Christina! Don't listen to the schlubs on here who are critical and say you have no charisma. I like how you report the news without a slant or bias like so many others report... ERR! Read the news. (I'm talking about Gasia, Pam Cook (Yuck!), Heather Holmes (who I bet is a very nice person), Kristen Sze (THE WORST!), Ama Daetz, Elizabeth Cook, Juliette Goodrich, Sara Donchey, Janelle Wang, Raj and Laura Garcia-Cannon. Where have you gone Wendy Tokuda & Elaine Corral? Current Bay Area anchors are lacking in my opinion. = (

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  13. CBS News Bay Area??? MAN...I thought the old-KNTV's "The San Jose NewsChannel" was a mouthful.

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  14. Finally they stop promoting Jessica as LT Jessica Burch. Maybe KGO should stop promoting the mouse owns KGO

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  15. Heather Holmes is awesome.

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    1. Love Heather too.

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    2. Heather Holmes is one of the best. She is ready for network news. Christina Rendon is also.

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    3. Thanks for chiming in, Heather! See you at the station later today.

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    4. Not Heather but love Heather. See how many people on here comment when Rich slams her. She moves the needle and so does Jessica.

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  16. How about why, with all this rain, doesn't California build more reservoirs? Where's the push for desalinization plants?

    Because Rich, this costs money and time to build those things and it would take years to complete!

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    Replies
    1. But we can spend trillions on a high speed train. Which one is really needed? People can live without a train, they can’t live without water. Jeez, have some common sense.

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  17. imho, I suspect the whole Burch/military thing is because that’s exactly how KPIX has packaged her from day 1.

    Her TV identity is comprised of both her military background and her tv duties. So when you think of one, you think of the other. And when you attack tv Jessica, you’re attacking military Jessica.

    I agree that the two are unrelated and one can take issue with her on-air performance while expressing gratitude for her service to our country.

    There may be others in broadcast media who have served in the armed forces, but because they don’t advertise it or mention it, people don’t take it as a knock on their military service if you leave a critical comment about their tv performance.

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    1. 4:09pm, I agree. It’s by design cbs5 and burch chose to link and intertwine these two aspects of her life even though there’s no direct correlation between the two. You said it well, it’s possible to suck in front of a green screen and be an amazing rescue helicopter pilot at the same time.

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    2. She was in the Guard....not the "REAL" army.

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    3. The Guard has fought in every war since its 1903 founding, except Vietnam.

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  18. The lieutenant can't deliver weather. I've heard her voicers on KCBS and she rushes through them as if she has to go to the potty. It doesn't matter if she's served. What matters is whether or not she can serve the viewers by clearly communicating the weather. When she reads as if she's guzzled down a gallon of Red Bull, that serves no purpose.

    As for Rendon: she should leave. Her talent is being wasted. As long as Heather the Albatross is lurking in the weeds and Jake's mom needs to work, she won't get the time of day. Cristina is solid talent.

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  19. If Jessica Burch is so bad KPIX would get rid of her. She’s going The am weather for crying out loud. She’s doing fine. I’d hate to be a reporter in the Bay Area with all of the arm chair critics. If you don’t like her style turn the channel.

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  20. “If Jessica Burch is so bad KPIX would get rid of her.”

    Oh, young child. One day you’ll learn.

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  21. Has Justine Waldman finally toned down her outfits and started dressing respectably?

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  22. I really like Jessica and Heather. I am a man who likes to see beautiful, smart, independent and successful women and they both qualify. Heather is amazing in pants and so is Jessica. I really do not know why they get criticized so much. And I really like the way Channel 2 has handled the weather. Very professional.

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  23. I can tell you one other good thing about Jessica other than her solid weather delivery & potential to get better overtime.

    She’s not like Mary Lee, who would on weeks-end take every other week or so off and put all the work on Darren Peck. Yes she has taken a week & a half off in October & also in January but much of the year she has some stability in showing up to her duties, even if it’s a holiday (i.e. Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving (Mary missed 2 years if I recall), Christmas/New Years (Mary missed both but not in 2019). That’s why up to the first 2 days of 2023, Peck subbed for Heggen an entire week when Heggen went on vacation and it was great to see him presenting graphics like the atmospheric river, etc…Hackney is smart but a little boring on weather sometimes so except the 1st and 2nd, I’m glad he wasn’t there an entire week like the last 2 years.

    Burch did present Peck’s graphics on the atmospheric river “Seeing through the clouds” which made me believe Peck would be there the entire week presenting or modifying his graphics and also handing it over to Jessica in the mornings after his evening shift filling in for Heggen is done, helping her learn a bit more and going deep. She has potential, it will take time, so I feel she will get better.

    But then why was there a weather anchor job posting (mornings & noon) a few months ago? Adding another person or replacing Jessica with someone else? Hmmm…

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  24. The pedantic diatribe leveled at Jessica Burch makes you appear hateful and obtuse. Leave her alone, move on.

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  25. 9:39..Burch has more than a little experience actually "seeing through the clouds". She didn't learn this from a t.v. weathercaster. She learned if from piloting a chopper through it.

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  26. Since everyone is sharing their opinion about Jessica Burch, I’ll share mine:

    She sucks. Big time.

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    Replies
    1. Completely disagree. She's smart. She's beautiful. And she is bad ass.

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  27. If Rendon leaves the Bay Area I'll be truly ticked. I watch KTVU only on the weekends specifically for her. If she goes to another local, I will follow.

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  28. Jessica Burch was the only one who really explained what happened with the FAA shutdown. Maybe her flight experience and her weather experience can coexist.

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    1. Wrong. Ken Wayne too he is a pilot

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    2. Exactly! She is the only meteorologist that I'm sure has received many a NOTAM and could explain it.

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  29. I like Jessica Burch. Easy on the eyes along with Amanda Starratino

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    1. Both Jessica and Starrantino are very pretty.

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  30. I don't think Jessica Burch is any less competent than your average morning-weather forecaster, Rich, it's a rare occasion when I'm not completely in agreement with you. I was surprised at how low-key her aviation career was called into service, it wasn't overdone. On another subject, social media might be one of the worst things to happen to local news; stations have to make news anchors pose for Instagram and Twitter with "selfies' that are supposed to portray them as just some wacky buddies who meet every day and happen to bring the news, the duck faces, etc.

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  31. Easy on the eyes is why she was given the job. She has NO business being on air. NONE. She is GREEN, GREEN, GREEN. Makes me so uncomfortable to watch I look away or change channels.
    The revolving shit show at KPIX is what caused me to come online to Google for answers and how I found this site!

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  32. Is Jessica Burch still buying Instagram followers like the insecure little girl that she is?

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  33. Wouldn't be surprised. This is the pathetic world we live in. What happened to honesty, merit and paying dues? Am I naïve or did this never really exist?
    Having Lt. in front of your name doesn't make one qualified to do the weather, and vice versa. She needs to hone her skills as an intern somewhere then maybe she wouldn't turn into a dear in the headlights when someone banters with her. I'd feel sorry for her, but I got a feeling she's had a lot of cutsies in linesies so far in her short life.

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