Somerville Replaces Richmond at KTVU

[LKellerIII]

A real shocker! From sfgate.com:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/09/DD0I102K4O.DTL&tsp=1

 

[1069_KIFR]

I wasn't so shocked at the announcement. It seems to be a natural move. And a good move at that. I wonder who will take his spot on 'Mornings on 2'?

 

[LKellerIII]

"I wasn't so shocked at the announcement. It seems to be a natural move. And a good move at that. I wonder who will take his spot on 'Mornings on 2'?"

Uh...when I said I was shocked, I was joking. It was not only the natural move,but the most obvious one. It's also more proof that the old star-anchor cult is dead and gone. Nowadays, stations don't go out of town for some slick new face, they promote journey-man anchors with years of experience in the market, and at the station. I guess I should say journey anchor-people since it applied to Julie Haener as well.

 

[1069_KIFR]

I agree, the days of welcoming a new face and the hype that went with has gone by the wayside.

 

[LKellerIII]

"I agree, the days of welcoming a new face and the hype that went with has gone by the wayside."

Another recent trend - probably to save money - is not replacing retiring anchor people at all, just going with a single anchor, like both KNTV and KGO-TV have done. Dan Ashley anchors alone now at 9:00 and 11:00, and Lisa Kim is solo at both 6:00 and 11:00, though they seem to bring in Jessica Aguirre at 6:00 to help when they feel like it.

I guess KTVU was not ready for that - especially not on the prestigious one hour 10:00 o'Clock News.

 

[sloux]

"I agree, the days of welcoming a new face and the hype that went with has gone by the wayside."

Another recent trend - probably to save money - is not replacing retiring anchor people at all, just going with a single anchor, like both KNTV and KGO-TV have done. Dan Ashley anchors alone now at 9:00 and 11:00, and Lisa Kim is solo at both 6:00 and 11:00, though they seem to bring in Jessica Aguirre at 6:00 to help when they feel like it.

I guess KTVU was not ready for that - especially not on the prestigious one hour 10:00 o'Clock News.

KTVU is still trying to figure out how it lost its place as the premier news broadcast outlet in the Bay Area. I believe it continues to be better than the competition, but it has definitely lost some of the luster it once had. Some will recall the old "teletype" SFX which looped behind the newscaster's voice for like 20 years after the last teletype machine was hauled out of the station. Why the archaic, goofy SFX? Because KTVU ruled with the 10'oclock News in those days, and no one wanted to mess with something that worked, however silly the element might seem. I think that same conservative decision making is going on with the two-anchor news broadcast (which is utilized for most of KTVU's news products, not just at ten.)

Congratulations go to Sommerville; he has demonstrated a very hard-working committment to his job and deserves the appointment. Since the creation of the five o'clock news product, he has had an extremely long work day. He is in stark contrast to the laid-back presentations of both Richmond and Ken Wayne, delivering with a heightened sense of urgency.

 

[sloux]

It's also more proof that the old star-anchor cult is dead and gone. Nowadays, stations don't go out of town for some slick new face, they promote journey-man anchors with years of experience in the market, and at the station.

Lest we forget however, Dennis Richmond was hired by KTVU not as a star, but as a lowly staffer. He became a star riding the remarkable wave of sucess the 10 o'clock news experienced in part due to his contributions to that program. Indeed, he is probably the very last superstar news anchor the Bay Area will see, and certainly the longest serving in one outlet. The station created some of the most memorable and legendary figures in Bay Area broadcast history to be sure. Yet I cannot recall KTVU hiring any legends to come work at Channel 2. So you might say this is always the way they've done business. (And the fact that someone of Sommerville's talent can get the job done for KTVU for many, many, many thousands of dollars less per year than Richmond is a bonus for Cox.)

 

[LKellerIII]

"KTVU is still trying to figure out how it lost its place as the premier news broadcast outlet in the Bay Area. I believe it continues to be better than the competition, but it has definitely lost some of the luster it once had."

 

[LKellerIII]

"KTVU is still trying to figure out how it lost its place as the premier news broadcast outlet in the Bay Area. I believe it continues to be better than the competition, but it has definitely lost some of the luster it once had."

Oops - pardon the itchy trigger finger on the post button.

In my humble opinion as an industry outsider, I don't think think KTVU is doing anything wrong, I think most of the other stations have caught up in terms of delivering no-nonsense, non-sensational news without all the silly teasers and happy talk. The first station to catch up in terms of quality was KRON in the early 90s - before Young Broadcasting destroyed the station. department.

So the quality has improved...though I think KPIX lags - I find Eyewitless News superficial at times, but both 11 and 7 deliver a good product. Perhaps KTVU still has an edge, but not by much.

I always wondered about that anachronistic teletype F/X on KTVU too...though I read recently that KFWB (radio) in LA, has brought the teletype back...it's a nostalgia thing, I guess.

 

[rickradio]

In my humble opinion as an industry outsider

You shouldn't sell yourself short, Llew. Your opinion as an "outsider" is worth a lot in that it's more objective. There's a lot to be said for someone whose perspective on TV or radio programming is only that which comes out of the speaker or the screen without the overhead of industry experience to color one's judgment. (Like knowing the program director's a real jerk or, that anchor's just a pretty boy, hired because of his looks and is full of himself...you get the idea.) My opinion on radio isn't objective because I've been at it for close to 25 years...yours is, though, and THAT'S what good PDs want (I would if I were a PD currently), but more importantly, NEED to hear. Plus, you're an intelligent, articulate, insightful guy.

I've never been in TV, though. That said, I think Sacramento's CBS 13's newscasts lean toward the sensationalistic, "tabloidish," almost "Entertainment Tonight"-like. I don't know, maybe I'm just "old school," but I quit watching 13's news because of this. The anchors themselves are OK (I like a couple of them, like Kris Pickel...she's really good), it's just the presentation that turns me off.

 

[landtuna]

I watched KTVU each and every day from 1960-1962 and again from 1966-1968. It was one of the best independant TV stations I've ever watched. My favorite locally-produced program was called "Mr. Bob" (which was the first name of the host, a comedian, who showed Three Stooges shorts and did skits in between).

But like most of the independants who have joined Fox, UPN, WB or CW it is nowhere near what it once was. These sub-networks all seem to carry the "death gene".

 

[LKellerIII]

"I watched KTVU each and every day from 1960-1962 and again from 1966-1968. It was one of the best independant TV stations I've ever watched. My favorite locally-produced program was called "Mr. Bob" (which was the first name of the host, a comedian, who showed Three Stooges shorts and did skits in between)."

I didn't move to the Bay Area until 1973, but I'm wondering if "Mr. Bob" was Bob Wilkins - the very droll deadpan host of KTVU's Saturday night Creature Features movie - who smoked a huge cigar while on air.

http://www.ktvu.com/station/1854218/detail.html

 

[gibby88]

I didn't move to the Bay Area until 1973, but I'm wondering if "Mr. Bob" was Bob Wilkins - the very droll deadpan host of KTVU's Saturday night Creature Features movie - who smoked a huge cigar while on air.

http://www.ktvu.com/station/1854218/detail.html

Bob Wilkins didn't come to the Bay Area until 1971- he was solely in Sacramento in the 60s. "Mr. Bob" was probably Bob March- aka Captain Satellite.