KGTV Seems to Push Clark as Front Man of News Team

In many ways, KGTV (Channel 10) anchorman Stephen Clark comes across like the personification of the William Hurt character in “Broadcast News.” That may sound harsh, but it isn’t meant to be.

Despite some off-air personality quirks, the Hurt character was a basically likeable guy who was very good at being an anchorman. Good looking and unflappable on-camera, he was the ultimate talking head who only got in trouble when he was pushed to do things he wasn’t ready to do, like ad lib or act like a reporter.

Clark is far more glib than the fictional character, and he has a more extensive reporting background. Yet, he has the same amiable knack for anchoring, a clear and definitive ability to stay calm and communicate information from the anchoring chair.

On the other hand, Clark hasn’t shown himself to be the second coming of Edward R. Murrow, which is why it seems strange that he jumped from weekend anchor into such a prominent role with the station.

Since taking over for Michael Tuck last September, Clark has become the focus for much of the news product. The station’s main promotional photo displays Clark upfront and center, flanked by his stern news maidens, fellow anchors Carol LeBeau and Kimberly Hunt.

The station has spent years promoting LeBeau and Hunt as Professional Television Journalists. Yet, Clark moved right into Tuck’s anchor role. Although the assignments are generally spread out among the anchors, Clark has been the one featured in the “Ask the Media” specials and he often comes across as the lead anchor.

Clark is, after all, the man of the news team. And, although it is denied and downplayed by everyone involved, either consciously or subconsciously, the Neanderthals that run television news--i.e. the consultants--still believe a news operation needs a strong male focus. The theory is audiences trust men and feel more secure turning to a man for their news. It’s tradition.

KNSD-TV (Channel 39) recently hired Tom Lawrence as a fill-in, among other reasons, so he could be used in male-female anchor combinations. Monica Gayle may be a hot anchor and a capable fill-in, but the reasoning is clearly that it wouldn’t work to team another woman with anchorwoman Denise Yamada. Gayle will usually fill-in for Yamada; Lawrence for Marty Levin, with rare exceptions.

Of course, Channel 10 has been a leader in using women in key roles. It is one of the only stations in the country with two women anchoring a nightly newscast--LeBeau and Hunt at 11 p.m., which is still a radical concept within the industry--and a woman commentator, Marti Emerald. And Channel 10 News Director Paul Sands vehemently disagreed with any perception that Clark is the lead anchor or anything more than a member of the happy, extremely well-dressed Channel 10 team.

“The fact is he (Clark) is less dominant than Tuck, because Tuck had a deal that he always did the lead story,” Sands said.

The emphasis on Clark may have been dictated by nothing more than a desire to promote the new guy. That was “99.8% of it,” says Sands. But compare the hype surrounding Clark’s arrival to Hunt’s hiring four years ago. She joined two established anchors and was allowed to gradually assume the role of the blonde-bombshell anchorwoman. Clark joined two established anchors and immediately became the front man.

Perhaps it is nothing more than a perception. However, since Clark hasn’t established himself as an icon of hard news, either the station’s rhetoric about Hunt and LeBeau’s news abilities is nothing more than promotional fodder, or the station is partaking in the cliche male role playing that permeates television news.

KGTV (Channel 10) again won most of the prime news time periods, with KFMB-TV (Channel 8) in second place, although KNSD-TV (Channel 39) was again neck and neck with Channel 8 at 11 p.m, according to the Arbitron ratings for the February period released last week. Channel 39 also scored a victory at 11 p.m. Saturday nights, beating both Channels 8 and 10.

The KUSI-TV (Channel 51) 10 p.m. weekday newscast, in its first real ratings period as an established entity since debuting last fall, posted a reasonable but unspectacular 2 rating and 10 share (in comparison, the 11 p.m. Channel 10 news earned an 8 rating and 28 share).

The Nielsen ratings, which often tell a slightly different story, are due this week.

Channel 39 will stop at nothing in its search for scintillating video. It reached new heights by illustrating stories on accused serial killer Cleophus Prince Jr. with a Polaroid mug shot of Prince. Of course, Prince’s face was blacked out for legal reasons. The result was video of a gray blur. But Channel 39 assures us that it was a Polaroid of Prince. . . .

Channel 39’s coverage of the tragic death of an elephant trainer at the Wild Animal Park Thursday was a step above the competition’s. Channel 39 was able to find amateur video of the scene before and after the accident, and had interviews with two eyewitnesses. . . .

Channel 10 anchorwoman Carol LeBeau called former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher the “Iron Maiden” last week. That should have been the “Iron Lady,” she noted later. . . .

Multi Media Productions, producer of “Sally Jessy Raphael,” are aiming for a fall debut for a similar syndicated chat fest featuring Channel 39 reporter Paul Bloom. They are still looking for a city from which to originate the show, according to executive producer Burt DuBrow. . . .

Channel 51 chief photographer Daniel Diaz, a veteran of the local scene, is reportedly home after 10 days in the hospital. Diaz believed he had hurt a few ribs when he fell off a horse, but he eventually needed emergency surgery for a bleeding spleen. . . .

Without fanfare or any tearful on air farewells, the Susan Rosgen era at Channel 8 came to an end last Friday night . . . .

Former Channel 51 anchorman Roger Grimsby headed back to New York on Friday. His parting words to San Diego: “Do not rest, I may be back.” . . .

Local radio industry types continue to speculate about the future of former KCBQ owner and KQLZ (Pirate Radio) General Manager Simon T. Last Thursday, before leaving on a three-month trip in his motor home, Simon said he is “officially retired.” But he did acknowledge that he had been approached about buying a San Diego radio station, and that he hopes to return to San Diego when his vacation is over. . . .

Next Monday, Channel 10 offers up its annual post-Academy Award “Signature Series” special. This year, though, the Barbara Walters interview-style show has been dropped. After two years of interviewing such luminaries as Allison Ross and Steve Kelley, they must have run out of celebs. Instead, the special will be devoted to Marti Emerald’s “Troubleshooter” consumer segments.