Oregon Media Insiders

We had an internal e-mail from the news director saying she no longer works here. The rumors are that he wanted someone who would go in the same direction as him. Apparently, she didn't agree with some of his decisions.

The fears in the newsroom are that the new agenda is crime all the time. Now that's an intelligent approach. Another KPTV, that's just what the market needs.

...but crime is the easiest thing to cover if you are new to town.
For that matter - it's just plain easy to cover.
Simple plot lines, white hats/black hats, etc.
Digging in to other topics requires a little institutional knowledge.
Not much of that left in TV these days.

One of the reporters there told me that they had a meeting discussing focusing on more investigative pieces, not crime.

if he has been hired to bring up ratings, then why condemn him for making changes?

If you've been watching KATU recently it's obvious the new guy is turning The Spirit of the Northwest into the Spirit of Murder and Mayhem. As the previous poster mentioned, this is really easy to do. Just wait for the e-mails from the local cop shops. It will appeal only to the lowest common demoninator. KATU was the last station to make an effort to cover important issues. That's apparently gone. This appears to be a good opportunity for KGW.

Leave the guy alone. So far - he's great! We're actually doing some interesting stories and cleaning house! And no - it's not going more investigative. Good journalism. Let that be KATU's new motto.

A good opportunity for KGW? Why? They're not taking the high road.
KGW's newscasts drip in blood. 8 covers as much crime as KPTV.

It was not this way 5 years ago. Consultants sold managers that
viewers want MORE crime. They're desperate and bought it.

Can someone who still works there please tell us the real reason she was let go.. I still cannot figure out how someone incapable of producing the 11pm newscast became an executive producer...

That just happens to be the big stories these days. Hello!!!! Someone is chopped up and tossed in the river, police kill a man, and a Beaverton guy shoots up his neighbor's house and sets his on fire. Should we ignore all of that? Is that not NEWS anymore? What would you prefer we cover? KATU hasn't dipped to the level of everyone else, covering every little sex offender. We're just covering the big stories and they happen to be crime related right now, not to mention slightly interesting.

As I see it... Roberta came to KATU as a Producer. She arrived at a time of transition for KATU a few years back. An opportunity presented itself for her, she painted the right picture for the new boss to see and was promoted to EP. When she was a producer, she was average. When she was EP her performance was below average. While Interim ND, her performance was again below average. I will say this, she works hard and is very dedicated. Problem was, dedication can't replace solid news judgement and more importantly she lacks the ability to do what an EP should be doing... working with the Producers, Reporters, and Writers at crafting the best possible presentation of our news coverage. Instead she was fixated on who is 5 min. late for work, or freaking out over how long it takes the helicopter to fly from Gresham to Beaverton. I wish her luck.

I do not work at KATU. I have never wanted to work at KATU, but I have to say I've noticed a big change for the better since the new boss has come on board. They are aggressively going after stories, and getting interviews no one else has. They have some excellent reporters who are great story tellers. I am impressed. They're stepping up the competition, and that's a good thing. I'm tired of all the whiners on this board, angry people who can't give anyone credit for trying new things. As a viewer, and a competitor, I think KATU is on the right track.

Roberta did an excellent job and worked harder than most anyone else in the newsroom. She has many fans and supporters. I wouldn't be listening to any comments to the contrary. Every news department (or organization) is made up of those who 'get it' and those who don't. Roberta got it and we should all wish her the very best!

You should have seen the smiles on everyone's faces and the pure joy around the newsroom the last few days, now that's she's gone. She may have worked hard, but she did not know what she was doing. She had no people skills, no management skills, no news skills, and frankly, she wasn't a very nice person most of the days. Roberta DEFINATELY DID NOT GET IT. Obviously, that previous post is from one of her producers now fearing they're the next one to be cut. Trust me, that is not the opinion of the newsroom.

I agree with the previous poster. Most of the newsroom (with the exception of a couple of suck up producers) were very relieved when she was fired. To a lot of people, she could be a bully.

Hey, you may not have liked Roberta as a person. You may not have respected her news judgment or her writing skills. Essentially, she was a hard worker. And she did her best. This firing gives her time to focus on her family, which really does need her attention right now. So, I wish her the best. KATU may find itself in a better place with a new 2nd in command.

And let's all remember fondly the lore of how she got pissed once at KPTV and pulled a coke machine down. All 5'5" of her. She could be a toughy.

Pratt should bring in some new blood, new energy.

I started out with Roberta as an intern. True she can be gruff and difficult. But I found if you were honest with her and strong in presentation, she respected that. She does have a good heart, and I even tried to tell her at times to cooperate better in communication. But she was "true" in her word when I knew her, and in this business it's very rare to find people true to their word. That's why I finally got out, no one was true to their word. I'll take gruff if I know someone is being honest deep down anyday, not two face like TV newsrooms so often are.

There were several people that she hired for an overnight shift by telling them they would be promoted to days within a couple of months. Most of those people were still doing those shifts a year later. She just told them what they wanted to hear to fill a position most people wouldn't want. That was just one example of other ways she was not a completely honest with her employees.

Lynn,

Why are you allowing these potentially libelous posts against Roberta? I thought you were taking a higher road with this site? This is shameful. How would you feel if such comments were being made about you?

For starters... any intern that gets hired for any shift in market (what is it now 23) should count their blessings.
Who in the hell do they think they are anyway! Maybe these cry babies should go start working in market 150 and then work their way up. Geez!

Not all of us are interns, don't make that assumption. Some of us had years of experience in other markets before coming here.

it is alarming to me that someone seemingly in the business would be so quick to use the "l" word. You are weak-minded and I hope you are not a media attorney, or in any position to make editorial decisions (please don't sue me!!) Here's a reference for you to get up to speed. http://medialibel.org/libel/

This is just plain fascinating.

thats all i got to say about that.

Wish my aim was better.

(Old jokes like this killed vaudeville.)
(Vaudeville was...oh, never mind.)

Call me old fashion and sexist... but I have never met a woman executive producer I liked.

It takes "Nerd Level" dedication to be good at it.

"Nerd Level" dedication = Hopelessly absent personal life.

Women, generally, have some level of personal life... Meanwhile, there's a rapidly growing population of males who do not.

Yes, the 40-year-old virgin would make a righteous ep... ;-)

The current EP at KGW is not universally liked. She's a favorite of the corner pocket, that's true, but a lot of people know her as a newsroom gossip who isn't afraid to stab people in the back.