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A media critique... and then some! 6/01/04 -Tuesday  Kazarian Memorial Day Column is up Inside LA TV  - KCBS not going soft in am, and a a KCAL/KCBS reporter goes to Denver. Check out Recent Issues 5-24-04 Monday's OTR 5-28-04 Friday's OTR              Send your opinions to BRUIN74@aol.com.

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KCBS WORSE WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER CBSers

When I gave you the 11pm ratings for May last week, I took note how KCBS was still losing a large chunk of its lead-in (more than half). It's a problem mentioned here in the past.  But since their ratings were up, however marginally from a year ago, I figured that was enough to satisfy the CBS brass for now. However, through the grapevine, I hear they are not at all satisfied.

One reason they're not pleased is how KCBS's late news performance compares with other CBS stations, like WCBS in New York,  WBBM in Chicago, and KPIX in San Francisco. 

Consider this:  KCBS finished a distant third, having gained four percent from a year earlier. In New York, WCBS  was up 24 percent from last year, and tied for second place at 11pm.  In Chicago, WBBM, while still in third, gained 40 percent from a year ago!   In San Francisco, KPIX finished in first at 11pm in May for the first time in 14 years.  However, they also came in first last February and November.

But let's talk about keeping your lead-in.  KPIX had a lead-in of 8.8 and kept a 6.4 from 11pm to 11:15pm.  Compare that to KCBS, which had a lead-in of 7.46 and a rating of 4.26 during their first quarter-hour.   Or, if you'd like to compare entire newscasts....KPIX had a 5.5, while KCBS had a 3.7 (3.66).

So we can simplify it like this:

May 04 compared to May 03 for late night news:

WBBM  +40%

WCBS   +24%

KPIX    +14%

KCBS    +4%

For whatever reason, a lot of people who are watching KCBS from 10-11pm decide to change the channel, rather than stay to watch the news.  It's true that KCBS has been hurting for years and years. People are conditioned not to watch channel 2 for news.  As I've suggested before, I think they made a big mistake by bringing in Laura Diaz, falsely thinking that she's some sort of big draw.  And too many times, I see Lisa Sigell as a first segment reporter at 11pm.  If you want to win over new viewers, you better be stronger in the field than that.  If it were up to me, I'd want Marc Coogan there as the first reporter whenever possible.  KCBS/KCAL does have some strong veteran reporters, but I don't they're using them as wisely as they could.

No one is going wild over Paul Magers, but he's still new, and I think he'll wear well. And while I will sound like a broken record here, they should have Gretchen Carr in there (who is still under contract) to anchor with him.  The replacing of Carr with Diaz will go down as maybe Don Corsini's biggest mistake.

And if they want to win, Byron Miranda has to change. In my layman's opinion, he is a strong meteorologist with a strong personality. But sometimes, it's too strong.  For example, he tends to make a big deal when there is a fill-in female anchor. Yesterday, he referred to Linda Alvarez as Queen Linda, and joked that she walks around the newsroom with a crown.  He comes off as a guy who is trying way too hard, and I question how comfortable the anchors must be with this, not to mention the viewers.  You've heard that cliche about less being more...well this is it.

I would also suggest that KCBS could do better than Jim Hill with sports.  True, your sports guy will not make or break you. And I'm sure he has some longtime loyal fans. But there are better sports anchors out there, including the guy they let go, Bret Lewis.

One mistake that KCBS has certainly made in the past is not sticking a long time with a particular anchor team. If they've decided this is the one to stick with, I'd say they should consider spinning that wheel one more time.

FRIDAY IS BARBERIE'S LAST DAY

You may've read in our last issue that Jillian Barberie is out at Good Day Live. Turns out her last day will be this Friday.  And some speculate that Terri Seymour (Simon Cowell's girlfriend) will replace her. However my best information is that she is not being seriously considered at this time.  In fact it appears no one is close to getting the gig at this point.  Barberie will continue on Good Day LA.

COULD WE WAIT FOR MORE FACTS?

For this bit of 'breaking news,' KTLA chopper reporter Bill Thomas that "details leading up to that shooting are unclear right now, however one suspect was seriously injured."  Nothing like those unclear details to get in the way of a good story, huh?  Thomas reported that it "may've been" a car to car shooting. Which I assume means, maybe not.  So why not get the facts confirmed, and then report it?  Pretty radical idea, isn't it?

THAT'S CLEVER

Here's a case where Byron Miranda came up with a good line.  A chase had just ended, and as a transition to weather, David Jackson said those arrested would have a comfortable evening the rest of the night, weather-wise.  Miranda, a former cop, responded "They're going to controlled weather where they're going. Probably be 68 degrees where they'll be for the next couple of days."

Now that is the Miranda that KCBS/KCAL need.

RIGHT NOW, OTR READERS SAY IT IS KERRY

GIVE US A LITTLE TIME

On KTLA, Renee Sams was doing a story about traffic congestion. She said there are six container terminals at the Port of Los Angeles which control their own hours.  If they would open before eight am, that could help with the morning traffic mess.  If you want to help, she said you could call them.  But she listed them one at a time, about one second apart, and then...POOF, they were off the screen.  Most people just don't tape the news like I do. It would've been nice if they could've left them on the screen longer so that viewers might have a chance to write them down. So, consider the above still as a public service.  You're welcome Renee.

GLAD SHE POINTED IT OUT

If there is any newscast that seems to bow down for celebrities, it is KCOP's.  They'll do live shots at events that other stations would ignore, or would spend less time and energy on.  And maybe it was their love for celebs and the resulting disappointment which prompted this.  Maria Quiban showed video of a party put on by Von Dutch in which celebrities were promised but not delivered, at least while their camera was there.  Maybe it's just a little too easy for some organizations to tempt reporters and photographers with the names of stars who may not really show. Good for KCOP and Quiban for pointing it out.

GOOD STORY BY ALVAREZ

This was one of those stories that I can think could be quite useful for viewers.  KCBS reporter Linda Alvarez exposed the practice of gyms offering different prices to different people.  Traditionally when we see stories like this, it seems that race is involved...for example an apartment rental price that would be higher for a black tenant.  But this was different.   Having sent different people to the same gyms, it was determined that higher priced deals would be offered when the sales person believed they could get more money.  So if you looked well-to-do, chances are you're going to get a higher price quote. Which tells me, I could probably be paying a lot more for my gym membership.

SOME CHOICE

I was on a web site which provides names of doctors.  A site which it turns out charges you for names of doctors.  Here is the first question they ask:

Guess they forgot the third choice of "Absolutely Not."

ETHNICITY WHERE IT DOESN'T BELONG

A body had been found in Newhall Creek, and it appeared that authorities knew who it was.  Whether they did or they didn't, why was it necessary for KABC chopper reporter to tell us that it was a "Male Hispanic?"  Just how was that relevant to the story? Was that so all non-Hispanic families could relax, knowing it couldn't be their missing relative?

Once again, I think it's a case of someone who thinks he has to parrot what authorities say, without determining whether it is a relevant part of the story.

COSBY - HE COULD SAY IT

You have to give a lot of credit to Bill Cosby for speaking publicly about problems in some areas of the black community.  You can imagine what would be said about a white person who suggested that families would be better off spending 200 dollars on "Hooked On Phonics" instead of 500 dollars on a pair of tennis shoes.   But the reality is, even some black people would've raised more eyebrows than Cosby did, if they happened to be of the wrong political persuasion.

While speaking to Tavis Smiley, Professor Cornel West said that Cosby made his comments out of love, unlike if those comments had come from Clarence Thomas or Ward Connerly.  What an ignorant statement to make!  Because West doesn't like the conservative politics of Thomas or Connerly, they could say the same thing as Cosby but their motives would be suspect?  In particular, I imagine the biggest sins of those two would be expecting minorities to succeed without racial preferences.  Isn't that terrible!  Suggesting blacks should prosper through hard work and be judged by the same standards as everyone else.

Donna Brazille, Al Gore's former campaign manager, today praised Cosby and said this was the kind of discussion that already goes on in black beauty shops and barber shops.  The message of personal responsibility and looking inward that Cosby brings is an important one.  And when black citizens band together to march against gang violence that is at least an attempt to get their house in order.  Things may indeed be changing. I remember when I interviewed Leo Terrell in OTR a couple of years ago, and he told me that he believed that racism is no longer the biggest obstacle facing black Americans.  Terrell is no right-winger.  And of course it is the kind of message that Larry Elder has been bringing to listeners for years.

I'd like to see some serious public discussion about the high rate of black babies being born out of wedlock ( about 70%). I'd like to see some serious public discussion about the 50 % high school drop out rate that Cosby spoke of.  

Problems that take years to build won't be eliminated overnight.  And maybe it took a man of Cosby's stature to prompt some serious self-examination.  But now, I believe black local leaders need to step forward and pick up where Cosby left off.  But they can only do that if they believe Cosby is right. Let's see if they do.