March 2005 ff amera TheC National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences www.emmysf.tv San Francisco/Northern California Chapter FIVE’S ARE WILD LUNCH WITH THE IN SAN FRANCISCO LaLANNE’S 3/15 By Bob Goldberger Join the “Fitness 5:00pm is becoming even more competitive in the King of America” and San Francisco market, with the addition of weekend 5:00 NATAS Gold Circle newscasts on KGO ABC-7, and KTVU Ch.2 launching a members Jack and brand new 5:00pm newscast Monday-Friday. KTVU Vice Elaine LaLanne at the President and General Manager Tim McVay says they’ll DoubleTree Hotel at the launch their new show sometime in April, but have not Berkeley Marina on yet settled on a specific date. They have settled on the Tuesday, March 15th anchor team, though, announcing to staff Feb. 25th that from 11:30 am to long-time Mornings on 2 anchor Frank Somerville and 2 pm with the Broad- 10pm anchor Leslie Griffith will co-anchor the hour- cast Legends. long show. Mornings on 2 fans need not despair. McVay More information says Somerville will work a split shift, continuing to on page 8. anchor in the morning, then returning each afternoon for the 5:00pm show. McVay says they have not decided yet who will co-anchor the noon news with Tori PEOPLE METERS Campbell. continued on page 2 BIG CHANGE AT KRON RELOADED 3/24 By Bob Goldberger When Stacy Owen left KRON late last year, she had every intention of returning at the end of her maternity leave. After all, her 14th anniversary was coming up in May. Over the years, KRON had become her home, and the staff was like How They Are Faring family. Working her way up from Headline News cut-in The First Six Months producer, to segment producer, By Sharon Navratil to main show producer, to executive producer, to news Mention ‘People Meters’ and you’ll receive all sorts of director, it was hard to imagine working anywhere else. comments. This new technology is probably one of the But in February, Owen stunned her staff by announc- most discussed topics in the news business today. People ing she wasn’t coming back. ”It was a very difficult Meters were introduced in San Francisco last September decision,” Owen told Off Camera, “especially because of 30th. They have caused some in the television business my colleagues and relationships there. That made it to question their accuracy. particularly tough, but it was the right decision at the It was said that local TV stations and cable operators right time.” would have more influence in grabbing the advertising One of the first people she told was her assistant news dollars by having the information of exactly who (gender/ director— now acting news director— Chris Lee. “No we age) was actually watching. There are 800 households in weren’t expecting it, but it’s what she wanted. This was the San Francisco Bay Area that have agreed to partici- Stacy’s decision to be a fulltime mother.” pate in this program. Each member of a household must Minutes after Owen told the KRON newsroom of her “log in” with their personal code every time they enter or decision, the speculating began. Cynical news people leave the room. Nielsen believes that this is a far more always joke about politicians and high-level business accurate way to establish the demographics than the old executives who announce they’re resigning “to spend continued from page 4 diaries. But, is it? continued on page 3 Off Camera, March 2005, page 1 FRESNO ND NEW GOV. 5 PM NEWS SLOT Samuel Belilty, the news director at KFTV in Fresno, is the newest member of NATAS’ North- ern California Board of Governors. The board selected Belilty at its February meeting. He fills the seat continued from page 1 that opened up when Nancy In both cases, the new shows are all about news Osborne, a reporter/anchor at presence and lead-in. “We’re committed to local news KFSN, was promoted to vice coverage and this is a continuation of that committment,” president of the Fresno region. says McVay. For decades, KTVU had the top rated Belilty has been news director morning and late newscasts (10:00pm), but resisted at Univision 21 since February adding evening newscasts, leaving that time period to 2002. Before that, he was creative services director and syndicated and sports programming. But a few years executive producer of KFTV’s morning news. Belilty ago, Ch. 2 added a half-hour 6:00pm newscast, which began his career in 1990 as a reporter for Radio Caracas has undeniably suffered to some degree by a weak Television in Miami. programming lead-in. McVay says adding a 5:00pm Belilty has been nominated for three Emmys since newscast is a logical progression. “We’re very pleased coming to California. KFTV submitted the most Emmy that our 6:00 news continues to grow, and this is a entries (33) this year of any station in the Fresno mar- chance to go from strength into strength with news and ket. have a bigger early evening presence.” Belilty lives in Fresno with his wife and two children. KGO news director Kevin Keeshan gives a similar reason for adding 5:00pm shows on Saturday and Sunday. “We want our viewers to know ABC-7 news is KTLN NAMED there for them at five p.m. seven days a week,” says Keeshan. “People in the bay area are just as busy on STATION weekends as they are during the week. With our 5:00pm news leading into ABC World News Tonight at 5:30, leading into our 6pm news, we’re providing viewers with OF THE a solid and consistent block of local, national and world news at the same time every night.” With early evening television viewing on weekends YEAR so low, KGO was able to pull in competitive ratings for its Total Living Network’s vice president of special new show from the start. But weeknights can be a services Dave Scott, KTLN tougher nut to crack, since viewers tend to show more general manager Debbie “loyalty” to a station, or at least display stronger viewing Fraser, and KTLN station habits than on weekends. The big question facing Ch. 2 manager Brian Avery is, can they attract a large group of viewers right off the receive award. bat, since they’re coming to this party so late? Four KTLN, the only San Francisco Bay area television other English-speaking stations have been producing station dedicated to Christian family programming, has 5pm newscasts in the San Francisco market for years. been named Full Power Television Station of the Year by McVay knows it won’t be easy. “No question, the National Religious Broadcasters. competition’s tough, but we’re ready to get in there and To win the award, KTLN had to display innovative compete during this time period. We’re excited about and creative programming through its daily schedule as it.” McVay says having anchors from the #1 morning well as “be a force for the Gospel in its coverage of local show (Somerville) and #1 prime time newscast religious events, issues and stories,” said Gina (Griffith) teaming up will give Ch. 2’s 5:00pm newscast a Ebhardt, NRB membership director. distinct advantage over other stations that have KTLN General Manager Debbie Fraser is proud of launched new shows. the fact that the station, which has fewer than 15 Employees within Ch. 2’s newsroom (who did not employees, took an active part in a large number of want their names used) are understandably concerned community events in 2004. about producing another full hour of news without any Jerry K. Rose, president and CEO of Christian signs of a comparable increase in staffing. But McVay Communications and founder of the Total Living Net- says they don’t need to worry. “We’re adding extra work, said KTLN “is a David in a Goliath market. “We staff,” he says. “This does allow us to bring in some are a specialty broadcaster filling a spiritual niche in the additional staff, which will help our product in all time marketplace,” Rose added. “In a top 10 television periods. But when you add a newscast, it also gives you market like San Francisco, it takes a lot of hard work a chance to utilize people you already have in place to and creative energy to get people to the set on a their fullest.” regular basis. We have both. The TLN/KTLN producing One things for sure, sometime in April, whichever team and the dedicated, community minded team at day it turns out to be, everybody in the TV news busi- KTLN gives us a distinct advantage.” ness in the bay area will flip over to Ch. 2 at 5:00pm to KTLN received a Northern California Area Emmy see their new competitor, and the following morning, award last year for their children and youth program they’ll all scour the Nielsen overnights to see how much “Every 15 minutes.” of a splash it made with viewers. Off Camera, March 2005, page 2 YEE-HAW! EMMY SHOW PEOPLE METERS READY FOR ROUND-UP Pat Patton Andy Smith Pat Macholl continued from page 1 And what about sweeps? Will they ever go away? The Networks still mostly debut their new programming in the months of February, May, November. Will the local sta- tions respond by doing special reports or drop them? If you missed our otherABC two people meter forums you 1 just might want to catch this one.