August 2015
Website
August 2015 "Off Camera":
Calendar of Events
Silver Circle 2015: Ashley, DuHain, Lee, McConnell, Warren, Zeiden Tapped For October Induction
Gold & Silver Circle 2015: Save the Date for the 2015 Induction Luncheon
KNTV NBC Bay Area Honored With Two National Emmy Nominations
S.F./NorCal Chapter Holds Annual Retreat In Sausalito
KCRA Celebrates 60th Anniversary
Paul Thompson, Former KCRA News Director, Dies At 93
Longevity Lasts At KTXL FOX40
Gold & Silver Circle Profiles
Our People: The Bay Area Press Corps
Raiders Quarterback Carr Joins KFSN As Special NFL Contributor
Former KRON Reporter Palombo Joins KTVU
KXTL Hires New Main Anchor
On The Move
Hawaii Station Offers Different Kind Of News Internship
Browsing Through Old Photographs, Veteran Newsman Swatt Reminisces
Do You Remember?
Write to "Off Camera"
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 OFF CAMERA

    Kevin Wing

    Editor 


the board of governors

 

  officers:

   
   President

 Keith Sanders

 San José State University


   Vice President-
   San Francisco

 Kevin Wing

 ABC-TV Good Morning America

   Vice President-              Sacramento

 Cynthia Zeiden

 Zeiden Media  

Vice President-

Fresno

 Kim Stephens

 KMPH Fox 26 

  Vice President-
  Hawaii

 Pamela Young

 KITV 4

  Vice President-
  Reno
   Terri Russell
   KOLO 8  
  Vice President-
  Smaller Markets
   (Vacant)

  Secretary
    John Odell
   CCSF Emeritus

  Treasurer
   Jim Spalding
   Spalding & Company

  Past President

 Javier Valencia

 Consultant

 

nationaL trustees

Linda Giannecchini

KQED 9

(National Awards Chair)

Alison Gibson

Media Cool

(National 2nd Vice Chairperson)

John Odell

CCSF Emeritus

Steve Shlisky

KTVU Fox 2  

Kevin Wing

ABC-TV Good Morning America

(Alternate)

 

 governors

Kent Beichley

KRON 4

Alyssa Deitsch

KHSL/KNVN

Randy Forsman

KCRA 3

Wayne Freedman

KGO-TV ABC7 

Luis Godinez

KDTV Univision 14

Richard Harmelink

KFSN ABC30  

(Nominating Chair) 

Pablo Icub

KUVS Univision 19

Brian Johnson

KFSN ABC30

Sean Karlin

Beyond Pix Studios

George Lang

The Big Picture

Da Lin

KPIX 5

Terry Lowry

LaCosse Productions  

(Gold & Silver Circle Chair) 

Melissa Mapes

KITV 4

Joyce Mitchell

4 U Productions

David Paredes

KNTV NBC Bay Area

Pat Patton

Consultant

Ross Perich

ProMotion Studios

Manny Ramos

Manny Ramos Communications

Erik Rosales

KMPH FOX 26

Brenda Salgado

KGMB/KHNL Hawaii News Now 

Don Sanchez

KGO-TV ABC7 (Retired) 

Matt Skryja

CSAA 

Stephanie Stone

KFSN ABC30

Karen Sutton

Independent

(Emmy Gala Chair)

Melanie Woodrow

KGO-TV ABC7

 

committee chairs

Activities/Programs

  Cynthia Zeiden

  Zeiden Media 

Archives/Museum

  John Catchings

  Catchings & Associates

  Linda Giannecchini

  KQED 9 

Awards

  Julie Watts

  KPIX 5

Education

  Steve Shlisky

  KTVU Fox 2 

Finance

  Alison Gibson

  Media Cool  

Legal/Bylaws

  Mark Pearson

  ARC Law Group 

Membership

  (Vacant)

Marketing

  Patty Zubov

  Platonic TV

 

execUtive director

Darryl R. Compton

NATAS 

Calendar of Events

August 6
Project Reboot - V arious locations and Beyond Pix @Bayshore Studios, San Francisco

August 22
11th Annual Faith Fancher Breast Cancer Challenge Run/Walk, Lake Merritt, Oakland


For more events and important dates, please visit the Chapter website at emmysf.tv.

GOLD & SILVER CIRCLE 2015
Inductees Chosen 
For  Silver Circle  
Class of 2015 
Ashley, DuHain, Lee, McConnell,
Warren, Zeiden Inducted Oct. 24
At San Francisco Ceremonies 
  OC 2015 Inductees

By Terry Lowry
Gold & Silver Circle Committee Chairperson

      The San Francisco/Northern California Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences recently voted from a slate of 19 worthy nominees and named six regional television broadcasters to the  Silver Circle Class of 2015, a prestigious honor befitting 25 or more years of service, dedication and contributions to the television industry. 
      This year's inductees are:
       Dan Ashley , Anchor, KGO, ABC 7, San Francisco;

       Tom DuHain, former Anchor/Reporter, KCRA 3, Sacramento;

       Sandra Lee, former Executive Producer, Special Projects, KPIX CBS 5, San Francisco;

       Doug McConnell, Host, OpenRoad, KNTV NBC Bay Area, San Jose;

       George Warren, Multimedia Journalist, KXTV News 10, Sacramento; and

       Cynthia Zeiden, President, Zeiden Media, San Francisco/Sacramento.

        The Silver Circle Class of 2015 will be celebrated at the annual NATAS Gold & Silver Circle Induction Luncheon Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Parc 55 Hotel, 55 Cyril Magnin St., at Market and Fifth streets, San Francisco.

       No host reception begins at 11 a.m., followed by a noon luncheon. The induction ceremonies begin at 1 p.m. 

       NATAS 2015 Collegiate Scholarship recipients will also be recognized at the luncheon.

       Proceeds from the event will benefit the chapter's TV Academy Scholarship Fund.

       More information about the Inductees and the Luncheon will be released soon at 

http://emmysf.tv/gold-silver-circle-tickets-sponsorship/

 

        DAN ASHLEY - Anchor, KGO, ABC 7, San Francisco

        Dan Ashley joined KGO ABC7 News in 1995, where he co-anchored the 5 p.m. newscast and was a reporter for the 11 p.m. news. A year later he moved into his current job co-anchoring ABC7 News weekdays. A graduate of the University of North Carolina, Ashley began his career at WTVD in Durham, NC, in 1985, followed by WCBD in Charleston, SC. Ashley's work has been recognized by the Associated Press, SPJ, RTNDA and NATAS. During his news tenure in Charleston, Ashley received the prestigious DuPont Columbia and the Edward R. Murrow Awards. His reports have included visiting Auschwitz with Bay Area holocaust survivors, Pope John Paul II's visit to Mexico, Columbine shootings in Colorado and live reports from New Hampshire and South Carolina state primaries. Ashley is very involved in the Bay Area community. Every year, he works through the "Dan Ashley Friends of Camp Concord Golf Tournament" to raise money to send underprivileged youngsters to summer camp at Lake Tahoe. He is involved with the Bay Area Red Cross, The Commonwealth Club of California, RTNDA, Bay Area Black Journalists Association, California Symphony, Contra Costa County Crisis Center, and Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). Ashley has been seen at various festivals and events in the Bay Area singing  classic and original rock-n-roll with his band PUSH.

     TOM DUHAIN - Former Anchor/Reporter, KCRA 3, Sacramento

     Tom DuHain is a journalistic force in the Sacramento market, having recently retired from NBC affiliate KCRA 3 after 46 years reporting and anchoring for the station. He joined KCRA in 1968, appearing as a regular member of the 11pm news. As a weather forecaster in the 1970s, he presented the first pollen and air pollution reports in the Sacramento market. DuHain moved to news anchoring and reporting in 1979, covering the Rancho Seco Nuclear Power plant. By 1984, he had received the "Gold Medallion" from the National Council for Christians and Jews; and the Adenauer Fellowship for foreign reporting in Germany, which resulted in his 10-part series on divided Germany. In 1989 until his retirement in 2015, he became a field reporter, specializing in the coverage of utilities, weather impacts, railroads, earthquakes and California history and religion. In 2015, he was honored for his distinguished career by the California Legislature. DuHain served two terms as trustee for the Los Rios Community College, the youngest elected college-board member in state history. In 1986, he was ordained deacon with the Chaldean Catholic Church. He is a Communications/Media Advisor with the Solar Cookers International and involved with Big Brother/Big Sisters, Easter Seals Telethon and the U.C. Davis Cancer Center.

        SANDRA LEE - Former Executive Producer, Special Projects, KPIX CBS 5, San Francisco

        Sandra Lee began her television career in KGO 7's promotions department in the late '70s. Within several years, she moved into news as a writer/show producer.  She eventually became executive producer of KGO's consumer unit, setting up phone hot lines and helping viewers with consumer problems.  One of the reporters she mentored was Michael Finney. In the late '90s, Lee joined KRON to strengthen their consumer unit, which went on to receive numerous recognitions; including, Emmy® awards for investigative and consumer help stories. KPIX hired Lee in 2005, as Managing Editor for news. She has since moved on to Executive Producer for Special Projects, responsible for the consumer, investigative, and medical units as well as other special news stories. Lee is known as a hardworking journalist, who allows her staff to receive the accolades she deserves.

       DOUG McCONNELL - Host, OpenRoad, KNTV, NBC Bay Area, San Jose

       Doug McConnell, television journalist, has focused on environmental issues, with programs on the air since 1983. He has created, produced and hosted many series, special programs and news projects for local, national and international distribution. His broadcast awards have included multiple Emmy ® awards, an Iris and a Gabriel. McConnell is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of ConvergenceMedia Productions in Sausalito. One of the company's principal products is OpenRoad with Doug McConnell, Exploring the West, created for PBS, currently airing on NBC Bay Area, with an online travel component. From 1993-2009, McConnell was the Host and Senior Editor of the Bay Area Backroads series on KRON. His other series included: Mac and Mutley (KPIX and Discovery Channel), Pacific Currents (KPIX) and Secrets of the Gold Rush (PBS). During his Backroads  days, McConnell co-authored two best-selling travel publications for Chronicle Books. He received a M.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University in 1968 and a B.A. in Government from Pomona College. Beyond his television work, he has managed programs for the President's Commission on Coal, the Governor of Alaska, the University of Alaska, The Institute of Ecology and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. McConnell was recently honored by the National Park Service as "Honorary National Park Ranger of the Year."

       GEORGE WARREN - Multimedia Journalist, KXTV News 10, Sacramento

       Multiple Emmy ® a ward-winning reporter and multi-media journalist, George Warren joined News10 in Sacramento in 1981. His work for News10 has taken him around the world, from New Zealand to Eastern Europe. Among other events, Warren covered the U.S. invasion of Panama and the destruction of the Berlin Wall. He was the first California journalist in Montana following the arrest of Unabomber Ted Kaczynski. However, Warren's most memorable assignments were closer to home. He won an Associated Press award for his live coverage of a deadly hostage crisis at "The Good Guys" store in Sacramento, and an Emmy ®  award for a feature series on the future of consumer electronics. Warren came to News 10 from KTVL in Medford, Oregon, where he was the evening anchor. His broadcasting career began while he was still in college, working as a vacation relief reporter at KHSL-TV in Chico, California. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcasting from California State University, Chico and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. A licensed pilot, Warren was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, but prefers the foggy winters and hot summers of the Central Valley, especially boating on the Sacramento Delta.
       CYNTHIA ZEIDEN - President, Zeiden Media, San Francisco/Sacramento
       Born and raised in Chicago, Cynthia Zeiden's entire career has focused on non-commercial and educational media through her work in public television. After graduating with a Master's degree in Broadcast Management from the University of Tennessee, Zeiden worked in Knoxville before moving back to Chicago in 1992 to become Director of Broadcast Operations at WYCC. While at the station, she received multiple Emmy ®  nominations and taught a film class through the Center for Open Learning at Harold Washington College. In 1995, Zeiden moved to San Francisco to assume the role of Program Manager at KCSM where she introduced their first live pledge drives and produced national PBS programs before leaving the station in 1999 to form Zeiden Media, her public television distribution company. During this time, Zeiden joined NATAS, first as a Governor; then Chapter President, Activities/Programs Chair, and National Trustee. In 2011, she was appointed National Program Committee Chair, focusing on programs about social media and new technologies via live events and webcasts to other NATAS Chapters. For her many contributions to NATAS, she has received the Chapter's Service Medallion and the Board of Governors' Citation in 2014. Currently Zeiden is a lecturer at California State University, Sacramento and continues her non-profit work on the boards of The Sino-Judaic Institute and The Eviction Defense Collaborative.

 



Silver Circle 2013

Save The Date! 

 Gold & Silver Circle 
Annual Induction Luncheon will be held on
  Saturday, October 24, 2015
Parc 55 San Francisco, a Hilton Hotel, 55 Cyril Magnin St, San Francisco

National Emmy Nominations for  KNTV 
Bay Area NBC O&O Is Only Station In Country
To Be Nominated for Investigative, Spot News
  
By David Paredes
Chapter Governor, San Francisco

       KNTV NBC Bay Area received two nominations this month for the 36th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards. 
      NBC Bay Area is the only station in the country to be nominated in both the Investigative and Spot News Regional categories.

      The station's Investigative Unit earned a nomination for its in-depth report on Sysco Food's off-the-grid network of storing perishable food in warm, non-climate controlled storage sheds across the U.S. and Canada. The report led to one of the largest consumer settlements in California history.

      Investigative Reporter Vicky Nguyen is the face of the exposé that led to Sysco's costly practice of distributing food. "It's not often you can say 'the system worked,'" Nguyen says. "But in this case, from the whistleblowers to the media to the district attorneys who pursued the case, the result was meaningful for the millions of people who eat food provided by Sysco. Being recognized by the Emmy judges is an incredible honor."

      Sysco's settlement with the state of California cost the company $19.4 million. That included more than $4 million in restitution, a $1 million food contribution to food banks throughout California and $3.3 million to fund a five-year statewide program, intended to help health inspectors enforce food transportation laws.

      Nguyen is quick to recognize the viewers who initially contacted NBC Bay Area. "We're grateful to the people who spoke up and trusted us to tell this story," she says. The investigative reporter also noted that it took a village. "It was a team collaboration and that's what makes this nomination even more meaningful. I'm really proud of my friends and colleagues at NBC Bay Area."

     Jeremy Carroll, Felipe Escamilla, Matt Goldberg, Vicky Nguyen, Kevin Nious, David Paredes and Mark Villarreal are all potential recipients for this nomination.

     KNTV's spot news coverage of the Asiana Airlines crash on July 6, 2013, at San Francisco International Airport, earned the second nomination for the station. 

     Joe Inderhees was the executive producer in the NBC Bay Area newsroom when Flight 214 collided with the seawall at SFO. 

     "When smoke is seen rising from the airport, the range of possibilities runs from an act of war to a tragic accident," Inderhees says. 

     "The coverage of the Asiana crash demonstrated why a local news station is vital to its community," he adds. "We were able to quickly bring forward the facts, which helped calm the worst fears."

     In the ensuing hours of the crash, NBC Bay Area's news room and investigative team shared contacts, material and information. Together, the reporting that followed provided perspective and eventually brought to light serious issues with automated piloting of commercial aircraft.

     KNTV News Director Jonathan Mitchell says it was all hands on deck. 

     "Not only did the entire newsroom come together on this story, but people from other departments throughout the television station came to help."

     But, according to Mitchell and Inderhees, there still remains a picture, much bigger and more important than any frame of video broadcast that day. 

     "We must remember that while we were covering this story, lives were lost," said Inderhees. "We hold the victims of the crash and their loved ones in our hearts and minds. "

     Lauren Brennan, Samuel Brock, Marianne Favro, Monte Francis, Adrian Holeyman, Cheryl Hurd, Joe Inderhees, Joshua Keppel, Raj Mathai, Eva Sandoval, Stephen Stock and Jenna Susko are nominated in this category.


 

NATAS' S.F./NorCal Chapter Holds Annual Retreat -- On A Yacht In San Francisco Bay

summer retreat montage rev_0815

 

By Keith Sanders

Chapter President

  

      The Board of Governors of the San Francisco/Northern California Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences left dry land last month for an annual summer retreat. 

      It was Saturday, July 18. The place: a 75-foot cabin cruiser named Five Stars, docked at Schoonmaker Point Marina in Sausalito. Governor George Lang arranged for the retreat location. Later in the day, he took board members on a cruise under the Golden Gate Bridge on his 43-foot yacht, Grace Note.

      The setting for this Sausalito summit was surreal. Locals practiced yoga on paddleboards as we navigated a stairway to board the ship. Fresno Vice-President Kim Stephens took notes as the meeting began with National Trustee Linda Giannecchini and Executive Director Darryl Compton giving an orientation for new and incoming governors: Alyssa DeitschRandy Forsman, Manny Ramos and Don Sanchez. Brief introductions followed a continental breakfast.

      Compton then spoke of the Chapter's major accomplishments over the last year: the completion of a four-part online Masters Class Series, the unveiling of a new WordPress website, the production of successful Emmy® Awards and Gold & Silver Circle Induction shows, and the addition of a fourth National Trustee to our board. The Chapter is now one of the largest in the nation.

     The retreat featured several vigorous brainstorming sessions. Governor Da Lin wrote down each idea on an easel for safekeeping. Compton asked for suggestions on how to raise money for the TV Academy Fund and for the Media Museum of Northern California. He also touched on the necessity to begin digitizing hours of donated film and video from local broadcast stations. I asked the board to name every possible Emmy® sponsor they could imagine, and also for thoughts on how to form long-term relationships with each one. Marketing Chairperson Patty Zubov solicited ideas about improving our new WordPress website after demonstrating all of its new features.

     After lunch, Program & Events Chairperson Cynthia Zeiden analyzed the results of a National Program Survey. She followed with a discussion about the importance of strategic partners. This led into a dialogue about recruiting new members at events. Everyone had a chance to suggest possible future event topics.

     Once an abbreviated afternoon board meeting was adjourned, it was time to cruise under the Golden Gate Bridge on Lang's yacht. He took everyone past Angel Island on the way to our destination. Once the bridge was in site, the water became choppy. But, that didn't stop the majestic vessel as Lang powered the yacht through the water at over 30 knots. Once under the bridge and in the Pacific Ocean, smartphones suddenly came out of pockets and purses as everyone recorded the culmination of their daylong maritime meeting with photographs.

  










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KCRA Celebrates Six Decades On Air
Sacramento's NBC Station Debuted In September 1955
  

 

By Joyce Mitchell

Chapter Governor, Sacramento

 

      Rewind. Then fast forward! At approximately 9 a.m. on Sept. 3, 1955, KCRA went on the air as Sacramento's NBC affiliate, broadcasting downtown from a remodeled dairy truck barn at the same location where the station is located today.

      At 2 p.m. that same day, KCRA went live from the California State Fair. Governor Goodwin Knight was among the many people visiting the KCRA State Fair set. 

      "I was really struck by how far technology has come," says KCRA Anchor Edie Lambert. "Back in 1955, they used every possible resource to broadcast live from the State Fair."

      During the early years, the station followed the network's 15-minute evening news program, The Camel News Caravan, featuring John Cameron Swayze, with five-minutes of local news. That local newscast was anchored by a then-22-year-old Stan Atkinson.

      Atkinson left KCRA in 1963, making detours at other stations, including KFTY in Santa Rosa and KTVU in Oakland, before returning to the KCRA anchor desk in 1976, where he remained until 1994. 

      "My memories are greatly enriched by foreign assignments," Atkinson says. "In fact, those were the most rewarding experiences of my career, and helped me grow as a person, immensely. There were so many good times, with so many good people and good professionals, and work we could all be truly proud of. That, for me, has formed a 'bond' which will last a lifetime."

      The history of KCRA is rich. From aggressive election coverage to international reporting, the past has helped to shape the KCRA seen by viewers today. From a five-minute local newscast, the station is now saturated with hours of daily live broadcasts seven days a week.

      Remembering that 2 p.m. broadcast in 1955, KCRA returned to the California State Fair on July 17, broadcasting live from an anchor desk with its news team to kick off the 60th anniversary celebration of the station. 

      "In these newscasts, we repeatedly went to Livecopter 3 for aerial views of a breaking news story affecting traffic in Elk Grove, and we had a live feed from another news helicopter that was over a fire that torched 20 cars and five homes on the Cajon Pass," Lambert says. "The commitment to good journalism hasn't changed, but we continue to find new ways to bring our viewers important news in real time."

      Lambert, along with anchor Gulstan Dart, Chief Meteorologist Mark Finan and Sports Director Del Rodgers, delivered the news, sports, and weather during a particularly warm summer evening. While California Gov. Jerry Brown didn't visit the set, like Knight, his predecessor of 60 years ago, people flocked to catch a glimpse of KCRA's news personalities and get a flavor of TV. 

      KCRA was launched by Ewing "Gene" Kelly and the Hansen family, who owned Crystal Cream and Butter Company across the street from the station. 

      After Ewing Kelly's death, sons Robert (Bob) and Jon Kelly reorganized KCRA in 1962 into Kelly Broadcasting Company. 

      "I salute the KCRA people who have contributed to making a reality of the phrase 'Where The News Comes First'," says Bob Kelly. 

      Kelly Broadcasting was sold to Hearst Corporation in 1999. 

      KCRA has been an NBC affiliate since its inception.


 

Paul Thompson, 93
Former KCRA News Director Helped To Shape Station's Vision

 

By Joyce Mitchell

Chapter Governor, Sacramento

 

     Sacramento news veteran Paul Thompson, who at one time was news director of KCRA, died peacefully at his home July 13 surrounded by his loving family. 

     Thompson was 93 years old.

     Thompson is described as a true giant of the television news business by retired Sacramento KCRA and KOVR Anchor Stan Atkinson

     "Paul was a dear, dear friend," Atkinson says. Atkinson and former KCRA reporter/producer Steve LaRosa spent quality time with Thompson last year at his Sacramento-area home. "His memory was fully engaged," says Atkinson. "Other than a heart condition, he seemed just fine displaying the typical Paul Thompson humor."

     Though he possessed a quick wit and dry sense of humor, Thompson was a serious newsman. Having started at KCRA in 1957, Atkinson met and got to know Thompson over late night libations at the then-popular watering hole, The Elbow Room. Thompson was city editor at the old Sacramento Union newspaper. He had been a print journalist since 1948. 

Former KCRA News Chief Paul Thompson Dies
Thompson (center), last year with Steve LaRosa and Stan Atkinson

     "I harangued him to come over and talk to Bob Kelly about a job in TV," said Atkinson. "He finally did and later talked about how horrified he first was over the lack of discipline in a TV newsroom, pushing deadlines and every show being cross-promoted."

     Eventually, the TV bug got him and Thompson signed on as KCRA news director in 1961. He ran the news department until 1976, giving numerous people their start in the industry. 

    "Imagine the quintessential news director," LaRosa says. "That was Paul. Central Casting couldn't beat him. He lived and breathed the news. He was a commanding presence in the KCRA newsroom, but if you worked hard and dug past that imposing thin veneer, you discovered a great sense of humor and a heart of gold. I loved the man."

     LaRosa was one of dozens of people Thompson introduced to the business. In 1972, LaRosa was driving a delivery truck and working the switchboard. Thompson spotted talent. "He hired me in the mid 1970s, paying me $25 dollars per story," says LaRosa. "When I first started in the newsroom, it was akin to being a batboy for the Yankees. The staff was filled with larger than life figures that I still look up to." 

     LaRosa worked at KCRA until 1987 as a producer and feature reporter. Today, he runs Steve LaRosa Productions.

     Atkinson left KCRA during Thompson's reign as news director, heading to Los Angeles and the Bay Area. He, ironically, returned to the station in 1976, the same year Thompson was replaced as news director. From Sacramento, Thompson took a job as news director at KMGH in Denver, worked a stint as news director at Sacramento's KOVR and KCPM in Chico. He returned to KCRA in 1982 as executive producer of the news magazine programs, Weeknight and Look Who's Talking. Thompson retired in 1987.

     At one point, Thompson said that working at KCRA meant getting gray hair, hard labor, sleepless nights, anchor "ego-itis", severe depression, extreme happiness, lifelong contempt for news consultants, great joy in talent development, and terrific lunches. "Plus, I wouldn't trade my tenure at KCRA for anything," Thompson wrote in a KCRA 1999 yearbook. "I cherish the friendships with some great people."

     Joan Lunden, who co-hosted ABC's Good Morning America from 1980 to 1998, was a Thompson hire. He said that she didn't have any experience and was attractive but it was her determination to break into the TV business that got his attention. That was in the early 1970s. She worked as a reporter, anchor, and producer, covering hard news including fires and crime.

     Thompson always maintained that Lunden was resourceful so he created an innovative, new beat for her, a consumer beat. He said that Lunden attacked it, enrolled in consumer classes at a local college and amassed two filing cabinets with information. In 1975, Lunden went to New York City, joining WABC before moving over to Good Morning America

     In the words of Atkinson, a member of this Chapter's Silver Circle with 45 years' experience working in the television industry, he says, "rock on...ole' pal! And a toast to you for the pot you stirred that so helped create today's KCRA 3!."

    Thompson was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Dorothy, and is survived by his three daughters, Linda, Nancy, and Sandra.


 

What's FOX 40's Secret For Longevity?
Wong, Crandell Make News At KTXL Since 1980s
  

By Joyce Mitchell

Chapter Governor, Sacramento

 

       Household names, Sacramento's FOX40 daily rolls out onto the streets longtime news and sports veterans Jim Crandell and Lonnie Wong. It's been 35-years of reporting breaking news and feature stories for Wong. As for Crandell, he started at the now Tribune-owned station in 1984. Both were there when in 1986 KTXL became a FOX affiliate.

      Early on when KTXL was a UHF channel, local news was a priority. In 1974, the station became the first in the market to carry a primetime newscast called The Ten O'Clock News, airing five days a week."Having been at a station that really just started news, there were all kinds of issues," said Wong. "I've been able to not let it get to me. You have to have a good attitude."

Lonnie Wong
Joined KTXL in 1980

      Along with a good attitude, Wong's longevity is attributed to his passion for news. "I earned a degree in English at UC Davis but while in college couldn't stay away from the student-run radio station KDVS," said Wong. "I'm still doing what I was drawn to then. If there was a protest on campus, I was there recording and reporting it. I love what I do."

     FOX40 has had a long connection with sports that continues to this day. Channel 40 first signed on in 1953 as KCCC-TV. Re-living history, it's first broadcast was the 1953 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers. Fast forward, FOX continues to be a leader in sports broadcasting.

     "Since we started as a FOX affiliate, we have almost everything going on," said Crandell. The NFL is the big dog, Major League Baseball (MLB), NASCAR, soccer - Women's World Cup - and golf. All televised by FOX."

     This past October, ratings and fans exploded when FOX carried the World Series and the San Francisco Giants hit the ball out of the park, winning the World Series. The Giants are entering MLB as reigning champions, making it an exciting time in Northern California sports. "FOX sports production is quite spectacular," said Crandell. "Without question, to have all those events on our air and with the Giants, we had all those games right here on our station. We would do post game shows that would follow programming. Oh yeah, it's been great for us."

  
Jim Crandell
Joined KTXL in 1984
   
Like Wong, Crandell is passion-driven. "It is very exciting," said Crandell. "I know fans and viewers want to see more and it's been great to give them something I know they'll enjoy in the post game broadcasts. Some of the sports fans are fanatical about their teams and the more information, the better. It's been great to be able to provide it."

     Crandell also loves what he does for a living. "Production of the sportscast is work but when camera and lights go on, that's five minutes of fun right there," said Crandell. "Lonnie was here when I came to the station and he was one of the first people in the newsroom to introduce himself and offer to show me around. Lonnie has been awesome and he is genuinely a good guy. He's a pro as a reporter."

     "FOX40 appreciates Lonnie and Jim for their tremendous work ethic and drive," said FOX40 Vice President and News Director Ed Chapuis. "It really sets the tone for everyone here. They bring a unique perspective and understanding of what's important to viewers in Northern California. They play such a key role in mentoring other journalists in the FOX40 newsroom."

     If a new hire in the newsroom needs guidance, Wong is there. "I'm busy but will bend over backwards to help someone who asks," said Wong. "The best part of my job is meeting new people in the newsroom and out in the field."

     Wong believes viewers have come to depend on him for delivering information. "You have to know what's happening in the community to do that," said Wong. "It's a responsibility to be the disseminator of information. Much like a teacher who delivers information to students."

     Unique. People are truly unique and 35 years at FOX 40, Wong knows that firsthand. "You think you've covered all the big stories out there," said Wong. "The stories may be similar but the people are all different. It's hard to find a fascinating person that's similar to another fascinating person."

    No plans for retirement coming from either Wong or Crandell. They both say their jobs, even though they involve a lot of work, are too good to give up.


 

Gold & Silver Circle Profiles
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Off Camera Editor Kevin Wing's Gold & Silver Circle Profiles returns in September with a profile on Dick Robertson. And, looking ahead, Lee Mendelson will be profiled in October. 

Our People
 



PHOTOGRAPHY: WAYNE FREEDMAN/NATAS
The Bay Area Press Corps
Reporters and photographers watch as President Obama, aboard Air Force One, departs from San Francisco International Airport following a visit to the Bay Area. 

Raiders Quarterback Carr Joins Fresno ABC O&O
As Special Contributor For 2015-16 NFL Season
  

By Richard Harmelink

Chapter Governor, Fresno

 

          KFSN  ABC30 in Fresno has recruited Oakland Raiders quarterback and former
Raiders QB Joins KFSN ABC30
Derek Carr to special contributor at Fresno station
Fresno State football star Derek Carr as a special contributor for the upcoming NFL season. 
         Carr will record a weekly report with ABC30 sports director Tommy Tran, covering everything from Carr's second professional season, other National Football League news and his thoughts on the Fresno State Bulldogs.

         "I'm excited to recap the game we just played and give a little preview of what's to come," Carr says. "I'm sure that we'll have fun with it," 

         ABC30 President and General Manager Dan Adams is excited as well.  

         "We couldn't be happier to partner with Derek Carr for the upcoming season," Adams says. "He truly is an outstanding person and a tremendous football player. Derek really cares about the Central Valley, and we look forward to connecting him with his loyal fans every week.

Former KRON Reporter Joins  KTVU 
As Weekend Morning Co-Anchor
"Mornings On 2" Pairs Claudine Wong With Ross Palombo

      Ross Palombo is returning to the Bay Area.

      The former KRON 4 reporter has been hired by KTVU FOX 2 to serve as a weekend co-anchor for Mornings On 2, joining Claudine Wong.

      Palombo's first day is Aug. 5.

 

Ross Palombo
Joins KTVU as weekend morning anchor

    Dana Hahn, KTVU's vice president and news director, says Palombo will also serve as a political and investigative reporter for other station newscasts.

      "We are excited to bring Ross back to the Bay Area," Hahn says. "He has a passion for breaking news and for storytelling and we are looking forward to him joining the KTVU team."

      Most recently, Palombo was an investigative reporter at WPLG in Miami. Prior to that, he worked with CBS News as anchor and correspondent for 365. Previously, Palombo was an anchor and reporter in San Antonio. 

      Before that, Palombo spent five years as a reporter at KRON.

      Previously in his career, Palombo was a reporter for KNXV in Phoenix, WHBQ in Memphis, and WKLG Fort Wayne, Indiana.

      A graduate of the University of Missouri, Palombo holds a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism.

      "I'm honored and thrilled to be permanently coming back to San Francisco as a part of the Bay Area's most experienced news team," Palombo says. "For more than 15-years, I've either lived in the city full-time, part-time, or spent most of my free time back-and-forth from assignments there. This is truly a homecoming."

      Palombo replaces Mike Mibach, who now anchors KTVU's new 4 p.m. newscast.

 

KTXL Hires Ty Steele As New Main Anchor

 

By Joyce Mitchell

Chapter Governor, San Francisco

 

     With a smile and commanding demeanor, Ty Steele hit the Sacramento airwaves, debuting as FOX40's weekday evening news anchor alongside longtime Anchor Stefanie Cruz, Sports Director Jim Crandell and Chief Meterologist Kristina Werner

Ty Steele
Joins KTXL as evening anchor

     Along with anchoring, Steele will also enterprise investigative special reports.

     Steele made his debut following the 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star game July 14. He co-anchors FOX40's 5 and 10 PM newscasts. 

     "Northern California is such a terrific news market and I like the way FOX40 really lives up to the 'News That Matters' brand, covering hard-hitting stories, getting out there in the community and talking to real people," Steele said.

     Prior to KTXL, Steele worked as the lead evening news anchor for four years at NBC affiliate KMTR-TV in Eugene, Oregon. 

     Steele, a committed broadcast journalist, is excited to get his feet wet and hit the streets in search of good stories to cover. 

     "To me, being a journalist is about living with integrity, seeking truth and telling the stories that really matter to my community," he says. "I feel blessed to be able to do what I love for a living in northern California."

  
On the Move

      Melanie Woodrow, investigative reporter at KTVU in Oakland, joins KGO-TV in San Francisco as a freelance reporter. Woodrow is also a Governor on the Board of Governors of the San Francisco/Northern California Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and writes a monthly column, The Yoga Corner, for the Chapter's newsletter,  Off Camera

      Natasha Zouves, anchor and reporter at KGTV in San Diego, joins KGO-TV in San Francisco as weekend anchor. She begins in early September.

      Brandon Carleton, assistant director of engineering at KABC-TV in Los Angeles, joins KGO-TV in San Francisco as vice president of broadcast and digital technology. Carleton had two stints at KABC-TV, serving as its manager of studio engineering and operations from 1998-2003, then rejoining in 2004 as engineering project manager, which led to his current position. Between his two KABC-TV tenures, he was director of engineering and operations at the NFL Network. 

      Warren Cereghino, former news director at KTVU in Oakland in the 1970s and a former producer at KOVR in Sacramento, has retired after 55 years in television news. His last day at KTTV in Los Angeles, where he had been serving as an assignment editor, was June 30. In addition to being news director at KTVU, Cereghino held the same role at KTLA in Los Angeles in the 1990s. During his long career, Cereghino, 78, also worked at KPHO in Phoenix, CNN and NBC News. 

      Have a new job? Got a promotion? Retiring? We'd like to know about it. Please let On the Move know by writing to Off Camera Editor Kevin Wing at kevin@emmysf.com.

A Different Kind Of News Internship --
Intern Shares Experience With Homeless
  

 

 

Story and Photographs 

By Jamie Lee

News Intern, Hawaii News Now

Student, University of Hawaii
 

        Thousands of visitors are drawn to Hawaii each year. They fantasize about floating in the crystal water, soaking in the warm sun, and embracing the serenity of the islands. However, what most people don't realize is that their idea of Hawaii as a vacation spot is fabricated from a drugstore postcard. 

        This summer, I had a chance to intern with Hawaii's leading television news station, Hawaii News Now. My time with the station was spent exploring one of the state's top issues, homelessness. Hawaii is beautiful, but is currently masked by tents and cardboard homes, which blanket the streets, and intimidate tourists, locals, and businesses alike.

Kakaako Waterfront Park, on Hawaii's island of Oahu, was once a tranquil family-picnic area along the ocean. Now it is home to a growing homeless encampment of nearly 200 tents. After attending a Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA) meeting, the state entity that oversees the area, and speaking with people who are feeling the impact of the homelessness issue, I can see why public health and safety issues are being raised.

       At the Children's Discovery Center, a children's museum and learning center in Kakaako, a homeless-man was caught on surveillance video defecating and urinating on the property.

       "The health and sanitation conditions for those in the encampments, as well as for the families who come to visit the Center, are of great concern to us.  Conditions have intensified as the encampments have grown," said Loretta Yajima, president of the Children's Discovery Center. "Trash is scattered everywhere on our property and the daily clean-up of human excrement takes up a huge amount of our time and energy, not to mention the growing financial cost to the center as a result of this situation," she continued.

      The general manager of Restaurant 53 By The Sea described how having a homeless camp near his business puts the safety of his guests and employees at risk. Tony Castillo said members of the homeless community trespass onto the property, disrupting dinners and harassing employees to the point where they feel unsafe going to and from work. Twenty-five couples called-off their wedding reservations in the first 6 months of the year after seeing the homeless encampment. The cancellations amount to a loss of $125,000 in revenue for the restaurant.

     The concerns don't only pertain to visitors and workers at the park, but also to the homeless children who live there. According to Virginia Henshaw, the Chancellor Emeritus of the University of Hawaii and professor at the John A. Burns School of Medicine, unsupervised homeless children play in the parking lot and on top of electrical boxes.

      "I myself nearly ran over an unsupervised homeless child while backing out of a parking space. The child was too small to be seen over the back of my car, yet was there alone running back-and-forth behind the cars in the lot," said Henshaw.

      Although the problem is harshly impacting the community, the homeless feel that Kakaako is one of the few places they feel safe and have opportunities. Tabitha Martin has been homeless for two years after medical bills piled up from her husband's heart attack. The couple now lives behind the Children's Discovery Center with their 3-year old daughter.

      "Fortunately, Kakaako was the only place we found that very rarely would they bother us, except when they swept. But not because of the stopping of sweeps in that area, but a lot more people got jobs, and a lot more people are working, and a lot more people are living normal lives" said Martin.

Jamie Lee
Hawaii News Now intern, learns about Hawaii's homeless issues through internship assignment.

      After years of complaints, the city and state recently reached an agreement to shut down the Kakaako homeless camp and move people like Martin to managed 'safe zones'. The residents of the camp will be given a notice to move out in advance, and the opportunity to meet with social services and housing facilities. Any leftover tents or makeshift homes will be torn down by officials. Kakaako will become a 'no trespass' area patrolled by city police to prevent the establishment of another camp.

Despite recent negotiations, members of the community have doubts plans to move the homeless will work.

      "What's gonna happen to them? Because not everybody's going to want to go anywhere," said Bob Lyon, a regular park goer.

      It is too early to tell whether or not the efforts of the city and state will be a success. As an intern who has followed this story intently, I know the homeless problem in Kakaako will not be resolved overnight. Effective communication between government entities is vital in solving this complicated issue permanently. My hope is to once again see Kakaako as a sought-out destination where locals and tourists feel safe to visit.

 

State Capitol Flashback: Longtime Newsman Steve Swatt Recalls Sacramento Politics

 

By Joyce Mitchell

Chapter Governor, Sacramento

 

      Browsing through old photographs, long-time Sacramento Political Correspondent and Consultant Steve Swatt strikes gold under the Capitol Dome. In 1982, Swatt who worked at NBC Affiliate KCRA for 22 years reporting the news and politics, was given rare access to Governor Jerry Brown's understated apartment. As 34th Governor of California (1975-1983), Governor Brown lived a simple personal life, refusing to move

Steve Swatt with Gov. Jerry Brown, mid-1970s

into the newly constructed governor's mansion. Instead, he rented a modest apartment at the corner of 14th and N Streets across the street from Capitol Park in downtown Sacramento. "This photograph was taken inside of Governor Brown's Sacramento apartment," Swatt says. "We were the only TV station given access to his apartment. His bed was on the floor and there were books everywhere. There were only two photos in the entire apartment. One was taken with his father and another was a governor's staff photo. In this picture, we are discussing some of the books on his bookshelf."

      Governors to presidents, Sacramento Political Correspondent and Consultant Steve Swatt conducted hundreds of interviews with politicians. Here he is photographed with Ronald Reagan during an interview for NBC Affiliate KCRA's Noon newscast in

On the campaign trail with Ronald Reagan, 1976

Sacramento. The 1976 photograph was taken as Swatt talked with Reagan about his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination. Originally an actor, Reagan served as the 33rd Governor of California from 1967 to1975. After an initial unsuccessful run for the White House, Reagan was elected President of the United States in 1980, serving two terms.

      In 1984, Swatt is photographed here with KCRA Photographer Ed Ray at the 1984 Republican Convention in Dallas, Texas. It was at that convention that Reagan was re-nominated for president.   These photographs capture a flavor of Sacramento television history. They are golden moments from under Sacramento's golden Capitol Dome.

 

Do You Remember?

Breaking News: What's the story? Who is the Reporter?  
What year was it and which station is she reporting for?
Hint: She is a member of the Silver Circle 
and the number on the mic flag should help. 

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Last month, we asked you about these two...
You are correct, it's  Wayne Freedman  (Silver Circle '2002) , holding two of his ultimate 51 Emmy® awards. Freedman is standing with KRON 4 anchor  Bob Jimenez.   In 1991, Jimenez moved to KCBS in Los Angeles and Freedman to KGO-TV ABC 7 (Freedman departed KRON in 1989 to work for CBS News before returning to the Bay Area).

Write Us! Off Camera Wants to Hear From You!

        Off Camera always wants to hear from you. Have a great story idea? Interested in writing a story for us? Want to tell us how we're doing? Whatever it may be, please feel free to drop us a line. 
        Write to Off Camera Editor Kevin Wing at kevin@emmysf.com
        Thank you!

Contact Information:

National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
San Francisco/Northern California Chapter
Darryl Compton,
Executive Director
4317 Camden Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94403-5007
Phone: 650 341-7786 or 415 777-0212
Fax: 650 372-0279
darryl@emmysf.tv

 

The name "Emmy®" and the graphic image of the statuette, are registered trademarks of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.