Veronica De La Cruz 'GAME ONNNN' Nightmare Infects Bay Area TV Airwaves; Caution: May Cause Temporary Insanity, (Video)

 HELP ME! --HELP!!!--HELP!




It's reached epic proportions of mass destruction --I'd assume KPIX thinks this is cool and has a sort of Bay Area en fuego. Not really-- more like a bad case of cholera littered with audio vomit like the following.


Do enjoy and afterwards, get some pepto and seven-up, drink lots of water and eat some sourdough bread. That might diffuse the long-term nausea.


Happy Friday: GAMMMMMMMME ONNNNNNN (Barf bag).


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GAME ON! The Most Influential Anchor At KPIX; VDLC And Power At 855 Battery; New Kid On The Block Rules; TRENDING



 "GAAAAAME ON!"

Veronica De La Cruz has built up quite a bit of cachet over at KPIX.

She's apparently taken over the newsroom and dare cross her, she'll handle it, maybe you too. Power is a bitch at 855 Battery.

TRENDING!

This much is certain: she's undeniably thee most influential anchor in the building. They didn't invest over a million dollars to bring her out, (salary, expenses, plus generous chit list), to rearrange the furniture.

They expect numbers and ratings. Everything else is pure coincidental, right? TRENDING!

PIX staffer: "She acts sorta like a dominatrix!" Well isn't that special!

Rich Lieberman and 415 Media are not responsible for comments made by others on this website.

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After Six Weeks, KPIX 'Nightbeat' Is Lost In Space And the Butt Of All Jokes Inside 855 Battery; 'GAME OFF!'

 Barely six weeks after its long-anticipated debut, KPIX's youth-oriented, (that's the intent at least), experiment, "Nightbeat" is attracting very few viewers and has become the butt of jokes among some of its own staffers. One need only watch it to discover why.

As I wrote here early on, PIX wasn't planning on going after KTVU's "10 O'clock News" viewership--concentrating instead on attracting a younger, tech-oriented demo that might be interested in watching an airy, lighter newscast dominated with quicker stories geared toward their liking. Nice concept, extremely poor execution. "Nightbeat" is an acquired taste: like herring in coffee. I really wanted to like this experiment and have tried long and hard to give it a chance but the look, sound and appearance of the show leaves me shaking my head in disbelief, like are they kidding? No they're not.

Veronica De La Cruz, the newbie star reader PIX brought out from NY to anchor this mess, (along with the conventional 6 PM newscast), continues to look diminished here in this vehicle. Bad enough the program is awful, worse yet, it marginalizes VDLC and she comes off looking clueless and superficial. For starters, the "TRENDING" graphics and over-reliance on gimmicks such as the weatherman and sports guys without ties is forced and contrived. Even geek millennials can smell a rat when they see one. Nightbeat's patronizing pillage to Gen Y is a sorry excuse of farcical minutiae with sophomoric "bits" and dumbing down of the news. Moreover, the idiotic and loud, "GAME ON!" shout each night uttered by De La Cruz to introduce the sports segment looks more like a "Saturday Night Live" skit. Why not just a snappy, "hey, Dennis, tell us what's going on in sports tonight?" No, that would have been too normal and acceptable --go with a stupid gimmick that has staffers texting in-house jokes to one another, that indeed is TRENDING!


Worse yet, the split-screen close-up of both O'Donnell and VDLC back and forth looks awful and awkward. Absurd, really. Who was the genius that came up with this beauty? Calling all interns.

Nightbeat is both condescending and foolish. Remarkably stupid too. It's perfectly fine to cater to a younger demo by offering Twitter and Facebook "updates" but when it's the centerpiece of your program and when the subject matter frequently is unabashed trivial garbage, what's the point? Here's PIX trying to offer an alternative newscast that has to rely on superficial crap --in essence mocking the very audience it's trying to cater to--why not just come out and say, "Hey, you kids are a bunch of fucking morons!" At least that would be honest.


Furthermore, and quite frankly, utterly befuddling, why would KPIX constantly utilize the Facebook/Twitter card? Wouldn't that be defeating the purpose? The Facebookers and Twitter crowd are more than likely NOT watching a local TV newscast--maybe the blueprint would have been better off by merely concocting a fresh, good, compact, simple news program, remember that age-old relic? GAME OFF!

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KPIX/KBCW Set To Launch New 10 PM Show Monday; De La Cruz To Anchor Solo; New Newscast Tries To Attract Younger Demo

After a months-long delay, KPIX is set to launch its much-anticipated 10 PM newscast this Monday on its sister CW station, KBCW. It will be titled: Bay Area Night Beat. (Creative).


Finally.


We've been waiting.


The show, as we noted here, will focus on attracting a younger audience. Therefore, expect a lot of what's trending on Twitter and Facebook updates.


PIX knows it can't beat KTVU with its ratings-leading, "10 O'clock News", but that's not its intention.


PIX is attempting to attract a percentage of viewers; younger, (A18-49), mobile; those that have smartphones and live by the web.


The irony: those in that segment are likely not watching local TV News.


The show will be anchored by Veronica De La Cruz.


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The KPIX Catfight Between Elizabeth Cook and Veronica De La Cruz; Talk of Jealousy and 'Threat' at 855 Battery; Wednesday Opener

 There's a little mini-drama taking place at KPIX. I'm not so sure it has to happen because the characters in the play are good performers and talented news anchors.


Seems since the arrival of Veronica De La Cruz, a few people at 855 Battery have become jealous --one staffer, notably, anchorwoman, Elizabeth Cook.


See, it was Cook who began to emerge as the face of the station. Cook co-anchored the 5, 6, 10 and 11 PM news. Her popularity seemed to annoy a few people at PIX, most notably Allen Martin, who was resentful of Liz's lack of work credentials and inability to read a teleprompter. Clearly a major disconnect between Martin and Cook was the talk of the newsroom. Still is, although I'm told, the tension has lessened considerably with the emergence of De La Cruz which ironically has created more wrath --quite unexpectedly.


One of my moles at PIX says everyone is getting along, sort of. Any jealousy regarding VDLC? "There is some --but mostly it's more Liz versus Veronica. I think she, (Liz) regards her as a threat."

A threat? You betcha.


"They've had some catfights--it's all about power and perception. Everybody here sort of has been taking it in stride. It's part of the business."


De La Cruz has taken the high road and won't talk --sounds like a good plan.


Cook's working relationship with Martin is the one PIX suits should worry about--Martin has been noticeably happier and more engaging when working with VLDC--not so much with Cook, whom he feels is a spoiled brat and is resentful of her.


"Allen likes Veronica", says my mole. "Respects her. He still CAN'T STAND Liz and her superficial ways and lack of her experience."


Nothing like a good catfight at the PIX Battery Gulch.


Remember when watching the people who smile in front of the teleprompter; some hate their partner's guts.


You don't have to go too far to figure it out: It's happening right here in the city by the bay.









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KPIX 10 PM NewsCast on CW Station Is In a Holding Pattern; De La Cruz: 'Still Work-in-Progress'

 I asked Veronica De La Cruz what was up with the "new" 10 PM KPIX- Newscast on the CW; no Veronica and still no new program.


"It's still taking us a second to launch--work in progress", said VDLC, hardly sounding as if this much-ballyhooed was close to debuting.


Bad news for KPIX, because it's been on the drawing boards for months and it was the major impetus to bring De La Cruz out to the city to begin with.


The new 10 PM cast--geared to a significantly younger demo-- was to have unofficially started last Monday. But PIX personnel are still mulling the details and going over last-minute strategy --there's now no official launch date which is a both a bummer to viewers and KPIX management, I'm sure.


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KPIX Launches New Newscast on Duopoly KBCW; 10 PM Show Will Go After Younger Audience; Monday Night Debut

KPIX's duopoly station, KBCW, (KPIX sister outlet on the CW Network), launches a new newscast on Monday Night at 10 PM. The program will be anchored by Veronica De La Cruz, who also co-anchors KPIX 6 PM newscast. 

De La Cruz has been anchoring only the 6 PM news this week as station officials have been dialing down the set and finalizing programming chits on the new show.


PIX has a simple strategy with this new venture: they acknowledge KTVU is still king at that time slot with its signature, ratings-dominant "Ten O'clock News".  They're not going to challenge 2 for overall viewers --simply impossible.


What they are trying to do is to capture a younger audience; the 18-49 demo coveted by advertisers as a prime buying entity. How successful, (or not), the venture becomes is anyone's guess but PIX is devoting a lot of manpower and analytics to the newscast, with more stories catered to the younger crowd, a quicker, shorter pace with an emphasis on health, sports, pop culture and the like. I'm guessing you're going to see a lot of music videos and entertainment features. Lite faire with some heady mixture-- something interesting to grab 10 seconds from an Amy in Pleasanton or Jack in Mill Valley.


Of course the usual top news of the day, breaking news, and sports and weather will be a part of the program but both the look and feel of the show will be readily different from the other "traditional" newscasts.


Experiments like this do not create winners overnight and I'm sure the powers-that-be over at 855 Battery are aware of that. Word is that this is not a short-term project and that KPIX is in it for the long haul. They'll be helped by the CW Network's younger audience as a lead-in and hope, with an emerging presence like De La Cruz that their 10 PM missive can ultimately carve a small, but loyal and younger viewership --or at least a whole of lot folks not glued to the Internet watching a Netflix offering.


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LA Radio Data Screw-Up Jolts Southland; Yes, Veronica De La Cruz is Big News; The All-Sports 'The Game' and Its Issues; Comcast Difference on Giants and A's Games; Paul Deanno is Cool; Brodie Brazil Apparently Isn't; Thursday Media Notes

 THURSDAY RUNDOWN


The broadcasting people down in Los Angels are fuming over a screw-up by Nielsen in the May Radio ratings, reports the LA Times


I've heard a few rumblings that LA is not alone and that other markets, like SF, (#4) may have received false data, only SF numbers were released.


Probably not a swell time to be in the Nielsen research department conference room.


*Let me set the record straight. I don't take pleasure in writing about anchors whose contracts won't be renewed. It's not my decision, its decisions made by management and the corporations who run the vast majority of local TV News operations. I don't just wantonly throw on the wall that such and such are goners. Most of my info comes from sources and they're usually accurate, like here for example. Or here too.




*Why did I write so extensively about new KPIX anchor, Veronica De La Cruz? Some of you thought I went overboard. And that KPIX hadn't really made a "splashy hire." Really, then I guess this wasn't splashy?


Or this?


The fact is when significant personnel moves involving major market players, then it's a legitimately big story, at least in the TV News business. Moreover, when De La Cruz mysteriously was absent for over a month and her status unclear, yes, I gravitated to the story. It became a lot more intriguing and mysterious when there was no reason(s) given as to why she was MIA. Fortunately we got that squared away and she seems to have ironed out her problems, at least for now.


But the point remains the same: when a big time hire comes to SF, yes, it's big news. And it's not just VDLC. Recall the buzz when Sylvia Chase, she of ABC News and "20-20" fame departed NY to come out here to KRON.


*Until the all-sports FM outlet, 95.7 FM 'The Game' gets a stronger signal, alters its doomed new morning program, (and a few other shows), it will have zero chance as a relevant radio player in this market. Add to that dominant AM power, KNBR and its first-tier franchise affiliates like the Giants and 49ers, Warriors too and you don't need to be a heart surgeon to make that observation.


*Add 'The Game" nugget: A prominent radio source told me The Game's PD, Jason Barrett wanted to have a powwow with one of the station's newest personalities, its best, by the way, and the personality told Barrett he could essentially go do something virtually impossible.


*The difference between Giants games on Comcast and A's games on Comcast, in a nutshell: Giants telecasts concentrate on crowd shots while A's telecasts rely on the GAME. Excuse me, I thought the team with the BEST record in baseball was first and foremost the attraction.


*If you've been noticing the very real toned-down voice from the person who hosts the 9-Noon show on the 810 AM dial, yes, you're not the only one.


*PIX mystery 2: Nothing against Ryan Takeo, who seems like a decent reporter, but PIX has been highlighting this rather innocuous tonsil. There's nothing special about him and he's a good guy, but why? Takeo? Just curious.


*PIX mystery 3: Simon Perez is back-I guess TV News pays better than teaching.


*World Cup required TV entity: beer.


*BREAKING NEWS***BREAKING NEWS***BREAKING NEWS: KTVU has not hired any new reporters within the past 24 hours.


*Brodie Brazil was just winning me over with his network-quality work when, according to a few co-workers who asked for anonymity, suddenly began acting like a complete jerk. Memo to Brodes: Before you begin pulling the prima donna card, get the NY gig first.


*OK, you're officially cool department: KPIX weather guru, Paul Deanno: at first, skeptical, now the guy is a real bona-fide good man who knows his stuff and comes off cool as hell.


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Veronica De La Cruz Talks to 415 Media; Really, Really, Really Begins Tuesday Night on KPIX 6 PM NewsCast; Family/Logistic Issues Reason For Delay

 Barring locusts and/or nuclear war, Veronica De La Cruz officially begins her anchor duties on KPIX 5 Tuesday night on the 6 PM newscast.


Finally.


I just got off the phone and had a pleasant 10-minute conversation with the former MSNBC and NBC newswoman who has finally settled in the Bay Area and is in fact at the station finishing up loads of paperwork.


She explained much of her delay at KPIX was family-related. "My mom has a medical issue and I wanted to be with her--it extended out."


Furthermore, De La Cruz has a year-old child and between finding new digs, caring for her mom and being a single mother, put off her May 5 debut on CBS here. "I love the Bay Area. Can't wait to start. Full of energy and ready to go." De La Cruz will anchor the 6 and 10 PM, (on PIX sister station).


"They want to really beef up the 10 and make it a go-to station for news." In fact, De La Cruz told me she's going to be at PIX' 855 Battery Street studios Monday night to get a first-hand look and feel for the 10 set she'll be a key cog of. She'll only do the 6 News this week as the station finalizes both the look of the set and briefs both on and off-air personnel.


It's that plus PIX's intended purpose of making a splashy hire to supplement its evening newscasts that has led to 415 Media to write extensively about VDLC and her status. Channel 5, I'm told, wants to make the 10 PM Newscast a serious alternative to KTVU's still heady if tired "10 O'clock News"--and the De La Cruz hire is just the start of that mission.


We're happy she's finally on board and will debut Tuesday night.


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Veronica De La Cruz, KPIX Anchor, Just Might Be Reading The Teleprompter This Monday...Maybe

 Will begin, finally, Monday, I'm told.


Nothing official yet but that's the word from the Battery gulch.


KPIX should be thrilled, shouldn't they? But of course.






























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Veronica De La Cruz Is Still MIA at KPIX and KPIX Is Mum; High-Profile Anchor Nearing One-Month Anniversary of No Show; Rumor Mill Heating Up

 Getting weirder by the day. Already the rumor mill is heating up.


Where is she? No one knows. Just what the hell is going on? We're hearing stories but nothing that hasn't been confirmed. It would be nice to know unless it was something really unusual and personal but so far that's not the case.


We think.


She was to have begun her anchor duties on May 5th. Next week will mark the one-month anniversary of her MIA status.
And "family matters" don't take this long and even if they did, KPIX could put out an internal memo to staff. Make it real general, it doesn't have to be specific.


But KPIX is mum, not only to their own workers but the general public as well. And yes, Ms. De La Cruz has a right to her privacy but she's not your normal individual--sometimes it sucks to be a splashy, high-positioned news anchor who was supposed to become the 6 and 10 PM tonsil for the CBS station in the country's #-6 market.


By all indications, De La Cruz will eventually begin anchoring at Channel 5. We hope she's OK and that her family matters are being dealt with and remedied. We wish no intrusion but this is ridiculous.


Of course when a high-profile anchor is hired and the station makes noise about it and then is mum regarding this mystery then clearly PIX might want to re-think its strategy --after all, like it or not, Veronica De La Cruz is a public person. She doesn't owe anybody an explanation but KPIX could do the public right by at least telling us what's going on. At the very least it would quell all the speculation. Of course by doing so it would require a degree of common sense--an apparent commodity in today's TV News business.


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KPIX High Profile Anchor De La Cruz Missing From Airwaves; Still 'Settling In'; Misses Important May Sweeps; Attends 'Cultural Event' at Station

 Veronica De La Cruz, the mucho-pubbed new 6 and 10 PM anchor KPIX hired to vamp up its content and probably lessen this anchor's 'face-of-station' status, is still absent from the Channel 5 news desk.

She was to have begun her reading-the-news duties back on May 5th.

More importantly, PIX had hired her well in advance of the May sweeps period which has now ended and presumably during that all-important time, to introduce her to the Bay Area and amp up their new acquisition.

Wrongo.

De La Cruz, who most recently was a MSNBC anchor, is not AWOL nor has been kidnapped by strange aliens in spaceships from another planet. In fact, she attended a recent "cultural arts" event at the station. Then why is it she's been missing from Channel 5's newsroom?

A PIX staffer tells me it's still family stuff: "I really think it has to do with settling in and being ready to take on the job." So, she has the wherewithal to attend a station function but is unable to go to work and be ready for sweeps? Sounds suspicious to me.

"They wanted to revamp the 10 PM 'big time' and she's, (De La Cruz), is anchoring it, but no sight of her.  Still settling in with her mom and nanny."

I find it utterly incomprehensible that a CBS O and O in the 6th market that makes a splashy hire to enhance its presence on the local news scene is OK with De La Cruz's mysterious absence. Furthermore, and all the more irritating, KPIX hasn't said a word. Not to its staffers nor to its viewers. A little nod every now and then is most helpful and doesn't rev up the rumor mill. How simple is that? Apparently KPIX is OK with the present status of people in their own building who don't know what's going on and a key news hire mysteriously "settling in" after sweeps. Or not, in this case.

Whatever.

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Where's Veronica? Pix Anchor Mystery Has a Few Issues But Maybe Presence Sooner Rather Than Later

 Last I checked new anchor for KPIX, Veronica De La Cruz hasn't yet set foot into the news chair --she was to begin anchoring the 6 and 10 PM News, (KCBW), last Monday but so far no Veronica.


The pictures, as I've noted look good. Can't wait.


What's going on?

A PIX staffer says tells me info is scant:


All I hear is she is a single parent with a nanny and a mother --but still having problems moving in...whatever!


Whatever, as usual, KPIX hasn't said a word...yet. Maybe by the TV gods, she'll be on Monday night but I'm prepared for further mystery.




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Wednesday PM Dish: De La Cruz Debut at PIX MIA; The Game Scoops KNBR in Jackson Interview; Papa/Lund Semi-Believer; Barbara Simpson is Still Nowhere To Be Found Amid KSFO Listener Backlash; The Wash

Wednesday PM Wash


Either an extraordinary case of bad luck or something going on dept: The much-hyped debut of PIX's 6 and 10 anchor, Veronica De La Cruz, who was to begin reading the teleprompter on Monday, hasn't happened.


Maybe she and the hubby got their first mortgage notice early and collapsed.


*Yes, kudos to "The Game", (95.7 FM) for getting Mark Jackson and cleaning KNBR's clock on the Warriors flagship. More telling: why Jackson didn't do Knibber? Here's a clue: think Noon-3 PM.


*OK, I'm slowly becoming a believer: Papa and Lund could be something as long as the fart noises and comedy routine get liquidated. The show doesn't need shtick--the information and back and forth is good enough, and yes, if it's a decent show, people, sports radio aficionados will listen especially when compared to the tripe at the same time at Knibber.


*Barbara Simpson backlash: they, (KSFO/Cumulus), didn't figure there would be that many people pissed off over a weekend host although she's been there 19 years and has a loyal following of conservative Johns and Joans in suburban abodes like Pleasanton ---a more ominous note: Simpson still MIA and hasn't said a thing, hope she's OK.

New Anchor Veronica De La Cruz Makes Debut on KPIX

 Veronica De La Cruz has begun her new anchoring duties at KPIX, (6 and 10 PM) and we welcome her to the Bay Area --in due time we will critique her performance but so far what we see, we like.

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Glaser and ND Watkowski Weren't Chummy; Overworked/Exposed Cook May Have Been Impetus Behind De La Cruz KPIX Hire; Damon Bruce scores Guest Coup over KNBR's Tolbert; Thursday News and Notes

  So, from a number of KGO-TV staffers, Leigh Glaser, who's set to leave this Sunday after 23 years at 900 Front, wasn't a big fan of News Director, Tracey Watkowski... Supposedly, Watkowski is a control freak. That wasn't what accelerated Glaser's decision to leave; she was ready to split and wanted to be with her family.

On the other hand, the polarizing Watkowski, who's been monitoring weekend newscasts with a mounting urgency, was known to call into the assignment desks and producer's box and make a lot of rash inquiries, including talent. Watkowski wasn't going after Glaser directly but some of her busy bees may have passed on some notes. Weekend newscasts, particularly Sunday nights, generate some of the highest viewer numbers in the Bay Area and Channel 7 in particular. The good news for Watkowski is that given KGO's fairly solid numbers her status is safe but some veterans aren't thrilled with her mercurial style. Factoid: Glaser's sudden decision to leave was announced to the staff via an e-mail by Watkowski. Draw your own conclusion.

*Veronica De La Cruz is set to join KPIX in May and will work the 6 and 10 News. We told you that and made an inference about what may have led management to look for a "prominent hire." Turns out, according to my spies at PIX, Elizabeth Cook, who was almost the face of the operation working the 5, 6, and 11 newscast, seemed to be burning out. Cook is a capable news reader and proverbial "cutesy female anchor look" but PIX's early-evening numbers have been steadily down and just recently they have been getting killed by KGO. The De La Cruz hire is the first major move by PIX upper management. She came to the city via MSNBC and will work alongside Ken Bastida.

NEWS, NOTES, and COMMENTS: Score round one of the guest wars between KNBR and 95.7 FM, "The Game" to Damon Bruce. Bruce, who began his new show on Monday, had highlighted his first guest, retiring Cal basketball coach, Mike Montgomery. Only problem was KNBR's PM driver, Tom Tolbert, had also told listeners "we're trying to get in touch with 'Mike Montgomery...turns out Montgomery did his scheduled 10 minutes with Bruce and about 30 minutes later, went on the air with Tolbert. Kudos to Bruce and The Game which seems to be attracting the better guests and scored another coup by nailing down Giants MGR, Bruce Bochy on its morning show a few days earlier. The latter was especially embarrassing for KNBR considering Bochy was on the A's flagship station. Probably helped that one of the Game's AM drivers is ex-Giant, Aubrey Huff...A note about Bruce: only heard bits and pieces of his first show and while I've had my ups and downs with the new Game PM host, he's at least a breath of fresh air and more than an alternative to commercial spot-heavy, KNBR with 800 hours of commercials, traffic and sports updates. While KNBR's Tom Tolbert has the advantage of Giants/Warriors lead-ins and a better signal and 50K-watts, Bruce's edgy repertoire will sway a few listeners over to FM...Freaky situation over at legendary leftie airwave Berkeley's KPFA where a bigwig was fired only she locked herself into the back office and blocked the door and has the support of many of her staffers...

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KPIX Hires New Anchor with MSNBC Roots; Veronica De La Cruz Will Do 6 and 10 News

 KPIX has hired a new anchor for its 6 and 10 PM News.

Veronica De La Cruz comes to PIX from MSNBC where she was a host of First Look and NBC’s Early Today Show. She starts Monday, May 5. She will co-anchor with Ken Bastida.


Presumably, Elizabeth Cook is now off the 6 and 10, (KBCW) newscast. Was Cook overcooked in virtually all of PIX's news blocks? We have been in touch with our moles at 855 Battery and will try to get the straight picture.


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