As is sifts through yet another big name leaving its plush studios in the Southbay, NBC Bay Area has an identity issue.
Is it a San Jose station or a Bay Area outlet in the SF market that happens to be headquartered in Silicon Valley? Seems NBC-BA wants it both ways and clearly, that strategy hasn't worked with viewers.
KNTV's ratings in the recent February 11 PM news Arbitron's were meager; they were fourth barely above flailing KRON and the CW Network, (KTVU's vaunted "10 o'clock News" was #1.)
Clearly, a glance at NBC-BA's news programs reveal a decidedly San Jose-oriented broadcast. But as one prominent Bay Area media observer put it, "I live in SF, work in SF and want to know what's going on here and in the region--I could care less about San Jose."
And that's just the problem. San Jose is the most populated city in the Bay Area, with over a million people, but mostly everyone will tell you that San Francisco, like it or not, is both the media and cultural center. While San Jose is a bustling city that continues to grow daily, its still considered the second fiddle by most people here and outside the Bay Area.
Whatever the case, NBC-BA has to figure out a new plan that will translate to more viewers for its news shows. The decision to phase out Tom Sinkovitz as its chief anchor with up and comer, Raj Mathai is a calculated move.
Personally, I don't like the decision.
Granted, Sinkovitz' high-profile, (and considerable salary,) didn't amount to the kind of numbers NBC-BA upper brass were counting on, but the move to go all out with Mathai, (a former sports anchor) is a risky maneuver.
Mathai is a dedicated trooper and works hard. He gets a bum rap because of his boyish looks and perceived arrogance, but in time, I think Mathai will develop into a solid anchor. I like his work and news prep. It's not Mathai's fault that he looks like a GQ model.
That's the least of NBC-BA problems right now. As a news veteran in town told me, "They just haven't figured out a successful formula to attract North Bay viewers. They can't be all-in-one. They have to figure out what they wanna be and right now, that's not working."
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