Male talent seems to bog that station. Jasmine Gaffett suffered these bruises at a May 29, 2020 George Floyd protest in Oakland. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The years rolled on and the alcohol continued to flow. I remember watching him in the 90s on KTVU, the years with Elaine Coral and Leslie Griffith when they still work for KTVU. 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. Don, to take its toll at the news studio at Jack London Square. He is getting old and maybe time for early retirement. When there's a bit of hope, all of a sudden, darkness emerges. He started the Scotts Valley News at the kitchen table and ran off 50 copies of his one-page weekly, which he reported, wrote, edited, printed and delivered on his bike, an 8-mile round trip. Sad. It was O'Brien that was the same boss that had to let Watson go after repeated bouts with alcohol abuse. KTVU (FOX) : TV NEWS : Search Captions. Borrow Broadcasts : TV Archive No RL, he's a GREAT GUY, and one I admired all my years in Bay Area media. Everybody could depend on him.. Why is Rich Lieberman so absolutely giddy when other people face personal problems? But behind the scenes, negotiations were under way on a departure settlement. Lisa Fernandez is a reporter forKTVU. He is a general assignment reporter with a focus on writing feature-length obituaries. I'm sure current management heard that as a slap in the face. "He (Somerville) looked drunk. (That role was reserved for Andrew Finlayson, who was Zehnder's successor. Sadly, it looked like he was drunk. Zehnder was 87 and second youngest of four brothers, all still alive. Original music by Dan Powell and Marion Lozano . Were it not for alcoholism, George Watson might have ended up with a Hall-of-Fame broadcasting career. Real No-BS professionals. She was a force of nature.". I told my wife I bet KTVU pulls him off the air at the commercial break, which they did. I am hoping he stays sober and maybe if a local news station takes a chance on him they can use his considerable talents. George Watson was "Excellence Personified" during his tenure at KTVU. Toshua Sears was injured after getting tear gassed at an Oakland youth rally in honor of George Floyd on June 1, 2020. While there, he was introduced to broadcasting through a part-time job at a Eureka radio station. Here are their demands, Downtown S.F. They're not like another Bay Area station, that has a mediocrity [*cough-cough* Ken Bastida! KTVU's George Watson's 60th Read More. 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 wish him all the best, in his efforts to overcome Drinking. Also, during the Zehnder tribute there was NO Fox2 branding. One month ago, Sandobil took Zehnder out to lunch just to thank him for hiring him and bringing him along, 40 years later. Did he use a different name on air? He was a man of the printed word and resisted all indications that he should go fully digital. Maybe she's oldsteam? How Two Generals Led Sudan to the Brink of Civil War In a now famous NBC "Dateline" story, Watson talks about his bout with the bottle. Frank was definitely impaired last night. Thanks Rich for running this again. Great to report he's living in Scottsdale and enjoying retired life, sober and tranquil many years and sounding very much the same as he did when he was an anchor at KTVU. 415 Media Exclusive: A Conversation with George Watson; Former KTVU Is she still working there? RIP, Leslie.". He sold subscriptions and took in news items dead cows and broken-down milk trucks on the family phone line. The film blends the status of the (then) current-day BART system with looks at the amazing transit systems that existed . ", Liggins added: "She was professional, engaging, and adored by her audience. while a far more talented anchor toils away in the background {*cough-cough* Brian Hackney! Now I can watch again. Unfortunately, he let booze control his life and he lost everything ! KTVU anchor Frank Somerville remains off air after Sunday exit Nor Leslie. 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. Dear Abby: Am I overreacting to my European daughter-in-law's behavior? I'm shaken. Miss him on the air. Oh stop!He was drunk.Stop enabling him and make him get help. Armstrong, who was deputy chief at the time, also said that the June 1, 2020, protest got out of hand. And I wouldn't rule out Ms. Corral attending, either. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Sadly, it looked like he was drunk. Well, have to say I never heard of Zehnder till now. One year after Oakland police used tear gas to break up a large crowd ahead of a citywide curfew, the top brass remained mum on why the department resorted to that level of force. 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. Theyd been planning a reunion for July 9 in Sacramento. Updated by the minute, our Dallas Cowboys NFL Tracker: News and views and moves inside The Star and around the league . Loved watching when KTVU news still held the bar that other stations tried to match. In the two-plus months since, Somerville has not publicly addressed the situation and KTVU management has barely acknowledged it. 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. Click this link to see pics of George on his 60th birthday. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Was a regular KTVU News viewer back in the days when George worked at the station, and I always really liked his work. RICH LIEBERMAN 415 MEDIA: George Watson --a KTVU News Anchor - Blogger 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. Zehnder lived alone in Alameda. 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. Watson and his wife, Diane, whom he met randomly at a Bay Area restaurant are avid followers, still, of the business. 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. Chuck Barney is the TV critic and columnist for the Bay Area News Group. Co-anchor Julie Haener broadcast the rest of the newscast solo and didn't explain Somerville's absence nor even acknowledge it. And that's fine with him now. He looked awful and sounded worse. They've let better people go. Thanks for the update, Rich. clinical psychologist jobs ireland; Tags . Thanks for linking that gallery! TV Streaming | TO THIS DAY, I STILL GET ASKED, "how's George Watson doing?"No news is good news. I miss seeing that good-looking gentleman with the wonderfully pleasant presence and noteworthy qualifications, and I will pray that he continues to address each day in wellness and with fortitude. Have you never heard of diarrhea? Zehnder also hired or nurtured weather reporter Bill Martin and sports anchor Mark Ibanez, whom hed seen on TV while on vacation in Tahoe. 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. In addition, the use of force reports into what occurred one year ago have also been completed and "discipline has been administered," according to police spokeswoman Johnna Watson, who sent KTVU an email on Monday. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @samwhitingsf. Big shift in weather is headed to California. He arrived at KTVU in 2005 as a general assignment reporter. Somervile did not appearr on the 6 PM newscast. If you see this, thank you George. But that's . There was also a front-page news item about his death. A news anchor was visibly intoxicated on the air. Aug 2001 - Mar 20042 years 8 months. Even for those wit sky high alcohol tolerance, it can ruin your innards over time, irreversibly in many cases. The plan was set, and just as O'Brien expected, KTVU became even more phenomenally successful. A native of Jamaica, he grew up in Miami. He started as a feature writer in the People section, which was anchored by Herb Caen's column, and has written about people ever since. A segment that continues to be one of Dateline's most-watched programs--the segment aired in 1996, right when Watson left KTVU. Somerville, one of the Bay Areas highest-paid and most visible TV journalists, has been at KTVU since 1991. Fred Zehnder, the news director at KTVU for decades, died after being hit by a truck while walking in Alameda. From April '93 former anchor and reporter tells viewers he had been in treatment for . "You have to quit because if you don't, it will kill you. "During my first stint at @KTVU in the 90s, my first chance to sit on the anchor desk was to fill-in for Leslie, who then solo-anchored weekends. Fred Zehnder, longtime KTVU news director, dies at 87 after being hit 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 seems apparent that, even at a time when athletes and celebrities are connecting with the public by opening up about their personal struggles, both Somerville and KTVU have chosen at least so far to ignore the incident, move on and take a business-as-usual approach. 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.