Frank was definitely impaired last night. That would be a dynamite idea and count me in as a interested observer. I'm the cameraman that worked with George. This S.F. On July 1, the San Leandro Times came out, with the usual uncredited grunt work that Zehnder always contributed. at KTVU (Mann was one of the station's first hires), O'Brien and Zehnder brought in newcomer Leslie Griffith to join veteran KTVU reporter George Watson on the weekend anchor desk. He sold subscriptions and took in news items dead cows and broken-down milk trucks on the family phone line. Indeed, Watson had a serious back issue; had to have surgery (he's now ok) but working would cause a great deal of hardship. Posted to Fort Bliss, Texas, he worked at an Army public information office run by Sam Donaldson, later a famously brusque TV news reporter. Did he use a different name on air? I am a computer illiterate. Barbaa Rogers cried on the air announcing it, As a recovering Alcoholic (30 years sober) I know how difficult it is to reach sobriety. But I ended up being one of the lucky ones. He knows what his vulnerabilites are, and attempts to deal with this truth. Finlayson is one of those remarkable people who always falls up. "It was not a call for help; I made the phone call initially to ask for money," he says. But the Berkeley native, USC alum and lifelong Warriors fan will likely see a lot more camera time at the desk in the coming days and weeks. I've noticed that KTVU, which has a (bad) habit of repeating stories over and over to fill time and hide the fact that they have about half the staff they did ten years ago, did very little repeat playing of the Fred Zehnder sendoff. Chuck Barney is the TV critic and columnist for the Bay Area News Group. by | Jun 10, 2022 | 1050 main street paterson, nj | 159th aviation regiment patch | Jun 10, 2022 | 1050 main street paterson, nj | 159th aviation regiment patch Don. Don't know what her latest role is now. I'm just glad at the end of the day there is no smoke over the cubicle and I haven't shut down the station. I have had severe depression a few of times in my life. Viewers news may remember her as she spent more than two decades anchoring the 10 p.m. news alongside veteran anchor Dennis Richmond. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Heres a quick look at some of the people we can expect to see more of in the coming days and weeks: Julie Haener, a Danville resident, goes way back with KTVU viewers. The Bay Area knows the story. Watson will write and report five- minute Sunday-night feature segments on "The 10 O'Clock News" as part of the station's "My Twentieth Century" retrospective series. In the two-plus months since, Somerville has not publicly addressed the situation and KTVU management has barely acknowledged it. He was a calming and a guiding influence. Significant piece of retro San Francisco bay area broadcasting history. Aug. 11, 2022 Updated: Aug. 11, 2022 10:49 p.m. Emmy Award-winning TV journalist Leslie Griffith joined KTVU in 1986. A segment that continues to be one of Dateline's most-watched programs--the segment aired in 1996, right when Watson left KTVU. The discipline by the chief and the civilian board would be the same and run concurrently if both parties agree. I used to watch him on KTVU (when it had a great news department)and really appreciated his special features reports. TV Streaming | Fred would not have wanted that.. Always liked George Watson, hope he's doing well Wow, Suzanne Saunders Shaw was his girlfriend! Real No-BS professionals. He started at KTVU as a reporter in 2011 and shifted to anchoring in 2018. Produced by Mooj Zadie , Luke Vander Ploeg and Clare Toeniskoetter. If you see this, thank you George. I had to move in with a friend and get a retail job that paid minimal, however, getting out and working and helping people was the cure. She stood up for good reporting on so many occasions. He and Leslie Griffith worked well together, and it is great to see her lovely self in those pictures. Glad your health is ok and whatever you were going through., Another chimed in with, WAS SO HAPPY to see you back on the news tonight. His story on the Pan Am Clippers, planes that flew from San Francisco to China from 1935 to 1946, airs this Sunday. They were big shoes to fill! I get the impression that Les has remained supportive, through thick and thin, and (if true) that would be quite a reflection of her character. "When I first watched it, I had no idea it would be as impactful as it was. TV Streaming | Long investigative pieces that only air occasionally? Was at KNTV last I remember. "I feel good, awesome actually. Fred still had his great laugh and was as engaged as ever in journalism and in life, said Sandobil, now a communications consultant in Alameda. Was a regular KTVU News viewer back in the days when George worked at the station, and I always really liked his work. When Zehnder wasnt working he was walking, and it was while out making his nightly round of his central Alameda neighborhood on the night of June 27 that Zehnder was hit by a raised pickup truck in an intersection. After the series of reports aired, in 1987, Watson got a simple note from Zehnder ending with, Were lucky to have you. Watson put it on his fridge, and it was still there 30 years later. The ones that put me to sleep." I asked Watson if he has any interest in getting back into the biz, even on a limited basis doing special projects, a few bits here and there. I don't know if that's true or just folklore.I wish the best for this man. There was also a front-page news item about his death. You know the story. Get well soon, Frank. I can't remember the last time I saw her on air. It's nice here in Arizona even when it gets baked," Watson tells me. George Watson does not know this. At the start of the 11 PM news, Julie Haener said "Frank is off tonight". Viewers news may remember her as she spent more than two decades anchoring the 10 p.m. news alongside veteran anchor Dennis Richmond. George Watson is safe and sane. He is 17 years removed from working as a reporter/anchor at the CBS affiliate in Phoenix. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Just KTVU Channel 2. All the best, George! 2023 FOX Television Stations, High Stakes: Sports Betting in California. One of the biggest stories he ever worked was the trial of George Zimmerman, the man who shot and killed Trayvon Martin. This photo is from 1990, early in Leslie Griffith's KTVU tenure, when she was a weekend anchor. Dozens of protesters have alleged in at least two federal lawsuits that they suffered bruising and even temporary blindness as a result of getting hit with toxic chemical agents and the equivalent of rubber bullets during at least two protests last summer, on May 29 and June 1, 2020. "Boring is good," chuckled Watson, 75 and mellow over a wide-ranging telephone conversation with me and talking about the biz and his retired life away from the camera and teleprompter. Sadly, it looked like he was drunk. The 10 o'clock News would soon become the No. I thought I was going to get fired when I had him back to do My 20th Century at KTVU. I'm sure that was a subtle F.U. "I would quit drinking only in order to keep my job, but I always started again because that was never the right reason to quit," Watson says. Hope he can get some help . UPDATE, 8: 31 AM PT: A source tells me Somerville was asked to leave after the first segment. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. I told my wife I bet KTVU pulls him off the air at the commercial break, which they did. Griffith, probably not. And I wouldn't rule out Ms. Corral attending, either. But he had a profound impact on me as a child. Unfortunately her subsequent marriage to ski racer Bill Shaw ended in divorce. Though station management has said it will welcome Somervilles return when he is ready, in the interim KTVU must scramble to fill the void left by one of the Bay Areas most visible journalists a man who co-anchored the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts. She has been at the station since 1997 and was on the desk the night Bay Area news icon (and Somervilles predecessor) Dennis Richmond tearfully signed off in 2008. In 2008, he received a highly publicized promotion when he was named the co-anchor of the stations 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts, replacing Bay Area icon Dennis Richmond. Related Articles ;-). But the call led to a job offer as a maintenance man at the center, which led to his sobriety. Heather Holmes, a Texas native, has been at KTVU since 2006, when she started as a weekend anchor. Updated by the minute, our Dallas Cowboys NFL Tracker: News and views and moves inside The Star and around the league . Watson has politely turned down several nedia interview requests. For eight years, he held two full-time jobs, one in TV and one in print. "But more like feeling for the first time that I really could make it. I really appreciated and enjoyed George's on-air work and presence. Everybody could depend on him.. 0. Aug 2001 - Mar 20042 years 8 months. The plan was set, and just as O'Brien expected, KTVU became even more phenomenally successful. I miss a lot of these past greats. Fred was one of the few people in broadcasting who had the courage to hire the cosmetically challenged, including me, said Randy Shandobil, another Zehnder hire and longtime political editor, who retired 10 years ago. Amen, Rich. Since then, he has helped launch the weekend editions of Mornings on 2, co-anchoring with Claudine Wong. I saw it. Theyd been planning a reunion for July 9 in Sacramento. Once promoted, he showed a brilliance not only in personnel decisions but also in conceiving and launching the popular standing features Segment Two and My 20th Century.. Suzanne was George's wife. Somerville, one of the Bay Areas highest-paid and most visible TV journalists, has been at KTVU since 1991. She was born and raised in the Bay Area and got her start in news at the Daily Californian newspaper at UC Berkeley where she majored in English literature. Haener seems like a landing strip kinda girl. This began a string of jobs in TV broadcasting as a news director in Eureka, a cameraman at KPIX, and an assistant director on Van Amburgs news show on KGO-TV. At that time I thought professional help and it did help. She later took over the 10 p.m. news spot co-anchoring with Dennis Richmond. A consummate pro, she long has co-anchored KTVUs 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts with Somerville and figures to do a lot of the heavy lifting in the coming days. I've often heard than most American Indians have a very low tolerance for it. Loved watching when KTVU news still held the bar that other stations tried to match. Andre Senior is a relative newcomer to KTVU, having arrived in 2018 after anchoring and reporting in Hampton, Virginia and Tampa Bay, Florida. He was an excellent writer and speaker. A news anchor was visibly intoxicated on the air. Toshua Sears was injured after getting tear gassed at an Oakland youth rally in honor of George Floyd on June 1, 2020. He also picked up items by listening in on the 18 neighbors who shared a party line. TV Streaming | "You have to quit because if you don't, it will kill you. I have thought about you often and held positive thoughts for you. The Press-Enterprise. Calls to Somerville and Fox spokesperson Victoria Gurrieri Thursday morning were not returned. During the Loma Prieta earthquake, we had no power and had to do our newscast in the parking lot. Somerville, 63, has been at KTVU since 1991. She was a force of nature.". "As a reporter, she led with passion for the craft, for getting the story, for pursuing what is right," Sasaki, who is now the public information officer for the Oakland Unified School District, wrote in an email to SFGATE. Watson's first report, on the Marin shipyards, aired on Sunday. I remember when Doug passed away. No RL, he's a GREAT GUY, and one I admired all my years in Bay Area media. ", Liggins added: "She was professional, engaging, and adored by her audience. Watson's email on Monday came an hour after KTVU published a story online saying that it's been a year since the June 1, 2020, George Floyd protests outside Oakland Technical High School, which was organized by teens. He lives in San Francisco and walks three miles a day on the steep city streets. ", Watson's re-entry into the workplace was easier than he had expected, he says. He was still drinking then and wanted to get sober. Police, by law and court order, must use de-escalation techniques first, before deploying such harmful, although less-lethal, agents and tools. I am hoping he stays sober and maybe if a local news station takes a chance on him they can use his considerable talents. Dear Abby: I have a great life, so why have I fallen into this shameful behavior? I hear George is doing fine --as best that can be expected --but the former Bay Area/KTVU anchor/reporter has a long road to hoe. More feared than adulated, though I always liked him and looked forward to his newsroom chats. Former Jackass star Bam Margera turns himself in; denies assaulting younger brother That liquid person can cause permanent damage to the brain; hence the addiction is harder than ever to overcome, though we do read about successes.Saunders-Shaw ended up being a pretty good news executive. KTVU, virtual channel 2 (digital channel 44), is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the San Francisco Bay Area. George Watson was "Excellence Personified" during his tenure at KTVU. He arrived at KTVU in 2005 as a general assignment reporter. He looked awful and sounded worse. Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). He arrived at KTVU in 2005 as a general assignment reporter. Then, he disappeared. They're not like another Bay Area station, that has a mediocrity [*cough-cough* Ken Bastida! One month ago, Sandobil took Zehnder out to lunch just to thank him for hiring him and bringing him along, 40 years later. Watson and his wife plan to attend the memorial service for Zehnder when it takes place. Here are their demands, Downtown S.F. In 2008, he received a highly publicized promotion when he was named the co-anchor of the station's 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts, replacing Bay Area icon Dennis Richmond. They've let better people go. The Cliff House was once a colossal Victorian mansion that met a Californias historic snowpack remains massive. "She had such a wild & wonderful personality. Oh, well. From there he was hired at KTVU, which at that time was an underdog independent station in Oakland, going up against the bigger stations in San Francisco KPIX, KRON and KGO. He looked off last night. It shows a sympathetic person, Watson, in his most darkest days. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), H-1B: Feds want criminal charges over application fraud for Silicon Valleys favorite visa, KTVUs Frank Somerville to take a break after bizarre newscast behavior. He was known 'bout town drunk in public. You look and sound great, it seems like taking the time off was beneficial to you., One person even wrote that Somervilles absence led to a temporary alteration of viewing habits: I changed news channels when he left. I don't think anyone knows where those two are these days. Watson also didn't realize how much the segment would have on his life later, even the more than twenty years later. Hopefully Mr. Watson is doing well. I thought it was a big deal when I started working with her and Dennis. He knows it still has an impact. For decades he lived in an in-law unit behind the home of close friends Howard and Claudette Morrison, who ended up working with him at his papers. He took the wrong medicationThe vodka instead of the Scotch. A possible reunion of old KTVU on-air people, like Watson, Dennis Richmond, Rita Williams, Lloyd Lacuesta and others might be in the works too. > It's time KTVU makes a permanent change on> their main anchor desk.They don't have much male talent they could bring in. At that time I did not seek professional help due to finances. I watched the show, he was having a hard time delivering the words, slurring a few words. Can I say that I was just absolutely shocked by that video? All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! He wasn't missed. Over the years, Savidge has contributed to KTVUs coverage of several major stories, including the Napa earthquake and the Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa area. TV Streaming | Watson said Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong will hold a news conference this week to explain more. (That role was reserved for Andrew Finlayson, who was Zehnder's successor. No I was not deliriously happy, but I was not depressed. As editor and publisher of both the San Leandro Times and the Castro Valley Forum, Fred Zehnder had an outsize role in putting out weekly print editions of the East Bay papers. Original music by Dan Powell and Marion Lozano . G Watson was that hard-working and effective at KTVU. Jerry Springer, former Cincinnati mayor and talk show host, dead at 79, A drug company abandoned a treatment for bubble boy disease. After a 5-year fight, this little California girl is about to get it, Former Jackass star Bam Margera turns himself in; denies assaulting younger brother, Henry Winkler advises find a passion and stick with it, no matter the stage of life, Review: Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love is an old-school special for an old-school talent. He refused to let it end in Game 7, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Dear Abby: Am I overreacting to my European daughter-in-law's behavior? Nice entry, Rich. Part-time? By the time he hit Clearlake Union High School, he was working as a copy boy for the Lake County Bee. 1 "A terrible loss, what a man." I wish him all the best, in his efforts to overcome Drinking. The years rolled on and the alcohol continued to flow. She stood up for me on occasion too. Produced in-depth "think pieces" from throughout San Bernardino County. In 2008, he received a highly publicized promotion when he was named the co-anchor of the station's 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts, replacing Bay Area . He is getting old and maybe time for early retirement. "The hardest thing to deal with -- this is going to sound silly -- the computer system is the most difficult thing I'm dealing with right now. Thanks for the update, Rich. One day at a time. It was created in 1984 by KTVU reporter George Watson, and produced by Don McCuaig. A drug company abandoned a treatment for bubble boy disease. After a 5-year fight, this little California girl is about to get it Maybe she's oldsteam? I look at my success as being nurtured and guided by Fred Zehnder, said Richmond, who cried when he got the news of Zehnders death at his home in Grass Valley. After 15 minutes on the 10 PM News last (Sunday) night, Frank Somerville abruptly LEFT the news desk and didn't re-appear. Can't help but notice that the name 'Elaine' didn't appear in the list of reunion participants. Don, to take its toll at the news studio at Jack London Square. It was O'Brien that was the same boss that had to let Watson go after repeated bouts with alcohol abuse. > Also, how come KGO-TV Channel 7 doesn't have > Melanie Woodrow on their website under> Newsteam? Henry Winkler advises find a passion and stick with it, no matter the stage of life GEORGE WATSON OBITUARY. Zehnder also helped mold the on-air persona of popular feature reporters Bob MacKenzie and George Watson. How could it be an element? He returned to KTVU News a short time after. Police were on edge that night, because a few days earlier, during a May 29, 2020, protest, protesters set fires, threw Molotov cocktails and separately, a federal agent was killed by a member of the Boogaloo movement in an undisputably chaotic night. KTVU 10 p.m. news anchors from left: Bill Martin, Dennis Richmond (seated), Mark Ibanez, Leslie Griffith (seated). I think she did well for herself afterwards though. Would be great to see some of his more recent reporting. https://plaing.smugmug.com/Friends/KTVUs-George-Watsons-60th/i-PVT68BG. Hope all is well, George. KTVU began taking on water under his reign and frankly it's amazing it's still [barely] afloat. I was tempted to make a George Watson joke, but(Jessica Savitch too). We all need help at some point.I personally am too embarrassed to ask for help currently.Severe depression going on 4 years now. Zehnder also hired or nurtured weather reporter Bill Martin and sports anchor Mark Ibanez, whom hed seen on TV while on vacation in Tahoe. When Somerville posted to his Facebook page on Wednesday, he drew responses from a multitude of well-wishers. He was pronounced dead by medics at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Walnut Street. Hope he can get some help. Watched the KTVU newscasts when George worked there, and I miss his work and on-air presence. HmmmmmFrank SomervillePam MooreVeronica De La CruzThis crap is spreading like a wild fire!!! Some people are more sensitive to the effects of alcohol than others. He's The Peter Principle in action. Everyday I couldn't wait to see him on the news. KTVU reporter Watson spent two weeks on the South Pacific island of Guadalcanal to film a comprehensive 45th anniversary report on the storied landing by U.S. Marines in World War II. It's heartening to hear that he is well and sober. She was a real psycho-lady. Published by at 07/06/2022. Bay Area Transit (1984) is a locally-made documentary about the history of transit in Oakland and the Bay Area. OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland police officers have been disciplined following the deployment of tear gas and other less-than-lethal projectiles at last summer's George Floyd protests, KTVU has learned. Watson's email on Monday came an hour after KTVU published a story online saying that it's been a year since the June 1, 2020, George Floyd protests outside Oakland Technical High School, which . Male talent seems to bog that station. Asked if Somerville was sick, Haener replied: No hes doing well taking a little time for himself and should be back soon!. "Long-time KTVU anchor Leslie Griffith has died. I've reached out to Somerville. It's time KTVU makes a permanent change on their main anchor desk. He was great. A slightly more up to date update on George. KTVUs Frank Somerville to take a break after bizarre newscast behavior I remember watching him in the 90s on KTVU, the years with Elaine Coral and Leslie Griffith when they still work for KTVU. Alex Savidge normally anchors the 4 p.m. newscast on KTVU and the 7 p.m. news on KTVU Plus. He didnt care how people looked, he cared what they brought to journalism. In a now famous NBC "Dateline" story, Watson talks about his bout with the bottle. At the start of the 11 PM news, Julie Haener said "Frank is off tonight". Some never do admit they need help. Kevin O'Brien was the station manager, Zehnder's boss. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! George Watson, former KTVU (Channel 2) weekend news anchor whose struggle with alcoholism cost him his job six years ago, was rehired as a reporter and writer last month.. Watson will write and . I totally had a crush on her. They went to Trabocco in an Alameda shopping center. Frederick Eugene Zehnder was born March 5, 1934, in Lakeport, where he grew up on a dairy farm run by his father, Joe Zehnder, and where the milking was done by Fred and his three brothers. Producing that show was a dream job. Emmy Award-winning TV journalist Leslie Griffith joined KTVU in 1986. For the last year, Armstrong has promised transparency and has told the community on several occasions that if the police made mistakes, he would let the public know. He was speaking more slowly than normal, and he was mispronouncing and slurring some words. Betty and family Margaret are sorry for your lost.but remember he is in a better place god is holding him now ,our prayers are whith you all. God Bless You and George for all that you do. George Watson is safe and sane. Unfortunately, he is not the only Bay Area news anchor with a substance abuse/alcohol problem Doug Murphy, KPIX 5 died in a house fire at his home in Lafayette in 2005, Dec. 4th. Fred pulled us aside and said, Everyone is on edge. Co-anchor Julie Haener broadcast the rest of the newscast solo and didn't explain Somerville's absence nor even acknowledge it. Frank's on-air situation on 5/30, and his "explanation," was Savitch-esque and very sad. He has filled in this week alongside Holmes. It was about his brothers John, 93, of Modesto; Bob, 91, of Sacramento; and Dave, 72, of Kelso, Wash. All three survive him, along with sister-in-law Isabelle Zehnder, seven nephews and one niece. I am going to honor him when I share my story. To me, at that stage in my life, it was kind of a blur." "Leslie Griffith was a consummate professional," wrote KTVU reporter Greg Liggins. I am hoping he stays sober and maybe if a local news station takes a chance on him they can use his considerable talents. I survived unspeakable abuse from my parents. He also did not want a memorial service. "Her focus on animal welfare is the most prominent example, as she worked for years to highlight the mistreatment of elephants in circuses and elsewhere.". George looks great, and he seems to be in good spirits. I watched the first 10 minutes of the 10 PM news and Somerville seemed pretty impaired. Unfortunately, he let booze control his life and he lost everything ! After graduating in 1952, he attended Humboldt State College, where he majored in journalism. I was at their wedding and his other ones. Dear Abby: I have a great life, so why have I fallen into this shameful behavior? While there, he was introduced to broadcasting through a part-time job at a Eureka radio station. John Sasaki worked with Griffith for 10 years, starting in 1986, when she was the weekend anchor he was the weekend nightside reporter. He's still in mourning over the cancellation of "Freaks and Geeks. He's still in mourning over the cancellation of "Freaks and Geeks.". He just worked.. However, I urge anyone who is depressed to get some help, life will get better. KTVU announced this week that anchor Frank Somerville will take an indefinite leave of absence to focus on his health after the veteran newsman was seen slurring and stumbling over his words during a May 30 newscast on Channel 2. She has been with SFGATE for more than 10 years. We were normal-looking people who you wouldnt expect to see on TV news., Starting as an assignment editor, Zehnder was promoted to news director because of his news judgment and popularity with the staff. He looked off last night. He hired Randy Shilts as a reporter covering gay issues before Shilts went to The Chronicle. I watched Sommerville on Sunday's 10 p.m. newscast and noticed right away that he was having difficulty reading the teleprompter and speaking clearly. Armstrong, who was deputy chief at the time, also said that the June 1, 2020, protest got out of hand.
