It just makes me sick, Dan. I'm a longtime viewer of KTLA and I just can't watch it anymore. They really need to clean up the Morning show, starting with keeping Frank, Eric, and Gayle and dumping everyone else. For the life of me, I don't know why they got rid of the newspeople they did. It just makes me ill. Thank god Carlos got out when he did - he was a smart one to move on.

Who in the hell is runny KTLA now? A chimp? They get rid of Bill Smith and Willa Sandmeyer and keep Michaela, Jessica and Elizabeth? That is just stupid. Just shows you where KTLA is headed to the tabloid toilet. They don't care about credibility that's for sure. I have to wonder if this is just the first round. Watch your backs Frank, Eric and Mark.

Donna, I couldn't agree with you more! Frank, Eric and Gayle are the only 3 left of value there now.

I see they've added the 'NEW' guy Marco on the blogs. Boy, I'd hate to be him and be the one to come in as they fired the true "News" anchors! That's already a strike against him.

I won't even watch PRIME news now that Willa is gone. She was wonderful.

Boy, if Hal wasn't rolling in his grave before - he is now!

Not only did they get rid of real quality people. They keep crude, immoral people like Sam Rubin, who links his blog through "The Drudge Report" so it boosts his freakin' ego - and a good number of those posts linked through "Drudge" have vile, vulgar language, that Sam could have gone through and pulled out, but chose NOT TO. I say we go to this new guys blog, this Marco person, and start a petition protesting the cuts they've made at KTLA!

Jason, my personal opinion is we just ignore him. He's just another enigma that now works at KTLA. I say we don't give his blog any attention and let TPTB realize what a STUPID move they've once again made!

Jason, I was surprised they didn't lock down the comment section with all those people coming over from Drudge. It got filthy pretty quickly.

Dan, I don't believe that TPTB care what we think. Sad, isn't it?

Dan,

That's a very good idea. I'm with you.

OMG! On GDLA just now. Bob DeCastro is on the USS Gary and he was aiming one of the guns on the deck at a News van - guess what van people! KTLA's!
Jillian said; "Oh it's the ENEMY!"
I tell you, it's real easy switching to GDLA now that KTLA has gone all the way down the drain!

I saw that too Sean. I almost fell out of my chair laughing so hard at it.
Now to show you the difference in GDLA and the Morning News at KTLA. GDLA sends a former Lieutenant in the Navy, Bob DeCastro and who did KTLA send?
What a shame that KTLA has literally "Jumped the Shark" as of March 17th.

Happy 4th of July, Frank. And Happy 4th of July to my fellow bloggers. What a great country where we can all freely post our comments. God Bless America!

I think it's somewhat hypocritical that a post was made on this very site a few months ago about "the massacre at KCBS AND KCAL" yet nothing is being said about the very same thing at KTLA and no answers to questions regarding such "massacre". How hypocritical indeed!

The new anchor, Marco Gonzalez, replacing Bill and/or Willa writes in his blog referring to people shooting loaded weapons (GUNS) into the air the following;

Marco says, and I quote; "If you know of someone who does this, remind them of the California State Law: Discharge of a Firearm in a Grossly Negligent Manner. It is illegal for any person to willfully discharge a firearm in a grossly negligent
manner which could result in injury or death to a person (PC section 246.3). If the action results in injury or death to a person, the shooter could face felony charges."
_____________________________________

OMG! They got rid of Willa Sandmeyer and Bill Smith and brought you in who tells people to remind someone shooting a gun that it's illegal! OMFG! I don't believe you wrote that! I tell you what Marco, how about you walk up to someone with a loaded weapon, shooting illegally into the air, and let me film you telling them it's illegal! Let me make sure I have protective armor on and I'm behind protection! LMFAO! Boy Sam Zell really saved big bucks with firing the real anchor talent and putting you on air.

As Phylicia Rahad as Clair Huxtable used to say; "LET THE RECORD SHOW!"

I just can't believe it took less than 24 hours to prove me right!

I guess KABC and KTTV are the only news stations i'll watch. I wonder if Sam Zell got his ideas to axe real talent from the honchos at CBS. I'm still p.o.'d at KCBS for who they let go.

But after reading about Sam Zell's reputation for making the almighty dollar (probably an idol to Tom Leykis), it's not really that shocking. I mean he's the one that helped gave Macy's (though they owned Bullock's) a foothold in southern california when Zell sold to Macy's "The Broadway" department store chain.

In my closing of this blog entry KCBS/KCAL and KTLA there's a reason why KABC and KTTV claim to be #1 (I don't watch KNBC), because they know not to screw up a good thing and I hope they hire the people you guys kicked to the curb because even in this age of internet they'll wipe the floor with you guys for years to come. And if they do get any of them they'll be even better.

I see Marco pulled the only 2 comments on his blog about shooting guns that were left by Jason and Dan. I guess he couldn't take the criticism from just 2 comments. Boy, he's going to last long at KTLA. LOL. Unbelievable!

Even Michaela and Sam as Narcissistic and Self Absorbed as they are never pulled comments from their blogs where the people pointed out their mistakes, short comings or down right stupid and dangerous statements. To suggest to go up to someone who is shooting a gun illegally into the air and tell them it's against PC section 246.3 - I'm speechless, literally speechless. If I didn't know better I'd say this was a Weekend Update skit from SNL.

From Sean:

I see Marco pulled the only 2 comments on his blog about shooting guns that were left by Jason and Dan. I guess he couldn't take the criticism from just 2 comments. Boy, he's going to last long at KTLA. LOL. Unbelievable!

I thing you are correct Sean. Looks like "Pretty Boy" Club reporter Marco doesn't have the stones for criticism that one gets in the big leagues. LOL. Maybe the rookie needs to spend some more time in the minors. Because criticism comes hard and fast in a major market like Los Angeles.

Hi Frank - hope that you and yours had a great 4th!! From earlier blogs I am guessing that it wasn't a happy holiday for four others. Frank, you are great but what in the heck is management thinking? Evidently NOT at all! I do NOT watch KTLA on a daily basis as I USE to. I had the unfortunate timing to be watching when the so called professionals had that idiotic water fight. How can KTLA 'let go' of 4 capable and professional newspeople and leave both Jessica and Elizabeth? They are 2 of THE WORSE, in my opinion and evidently many others. I appreciate YOUR professionalsim even when the program is at a 'lighter' level. It's fine to have some fun and show some stuff of less serious nature. Like the one tank episodes Bill did. But, the last hour in the past several months has dropped to an even lower, immature and unprofessional level. Thanks in part to Jessica and Elizabeth. Jessica is too immature and Elizabeth is acting like a tabloid reporter. How insensitive to ask a business owner how she feels as she is watching her business burn. And that "hon" crap HAS to go, even she doesn't. As for Michaela, I don't know any more. She seems to of picked up Jessica's immaturity. Frank, I applude you for being able to keep journalism professional as well as being caring. It's too bad that all of your hard work,and Gene and Hal's to give KTLA a worthy professional news programming seems to be all for naught.

OMG! Another BLONDE BIMBO on the KTLA Morning Show? I won't even refer to it as NEWS anymore. You people are pathetic. Well there is no local channel to watch for 7 - 9 AM anymore. I can't believe you people got rid of Bill and Willa to bring in the two you did. Obviously it was definitely a pay cut. Remember; YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR! You have definitely scraped the bottom of the barrel. Again, I have to say YOU KTLA ARE PATHETIC!

I just switched back to GMA - couldn't take any more of Sam and his cohorts with the fat man and his skitches. It seems that since we all blogged about the stupid skitches Sam loves, he is forcing more and more of them down our throats. Not any more. Sorry KTLA, I've had it. I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt. You really screwed up this time getting rid of Bill, Willa and the rest and keep those jokes Jessica and Elizabeth. I really love Frank and Mark, but . . . goodbye!

A former KTLA fan

Betty, I couldn't agree more. After 1 minute of that new blond female anchor, I guess who has replaced Bill Smith, no more for me. The only thing keeping me to KTLA was Frank Buckley and Eric Spillman, but, I'm sorry I'm with the rest of the group good bye KTLA, you've lost me from 7 - 9 AM now. My tv dial simply skips past channel 5 now, there's no longer a reason to stop on 5 - it's been deleted from my television's memory!

Jason, I forgot to say in my comment that I have been a KTLA watcher for many many years. I remember one of the first big episodes was Stan Chambers reporting on the Kathy Fiscus tragedy. I am 72 years old now, so I feel betrayed by KTLA. Just had to say this.

Getting rid of Bill, Willa and a few other quality journalists was just the latest of truly bad decisions made by management. Keeping Elizabeth (calling fire victims 'sweetie' and 'hon'???) is WRONG, let alone allowing Jessica to babble and cackle endlessly on air.
GOODBYE and good luck.

p.s. I will sincerely miss Frank and Eric.

And BTW Mark, I hope you aren't really vacationing but actually interviewing at other stations. I'll check Variety to find out where you are next.

I too have had to turn off KTLA all together. The replacements for Bill and Willa - I'm sorry, just don't deserve my valuable time to watch even 30 seconds of.

Betty, my mother is 74 and she has totally turned off KTLA too, Willa was her all time favorite. She was someone my mother felt she could trust.

How sad that the new management has turned out to be worst than the people who made the changes on March 17th. You know when the first sign of the fall of the Morning News happened was when you got rid of Neil Levine on the Morning News. Now it's just another tabloid dreck type show as bad as TMZ.

What a shame in deed.

Frank

This being your blog entry I was harsh in my last response. I wanna apologize because the things I said I did not direct them at you, just at your employers. I think you're the best along with Mark, Gayle, Eric and even Sam with his sometimes lame-o skits. But honestly i've been switching my time with channel 7 morning news and KDOC TV Daybreak OC.

But I can also say that KTLA isn't so bad compared to the Today Show on NBC (I do not like it). I got stuck watching that because I drove a relative to a early medical appt., it was the only thing that was on, and I didn't care for it. Today's fourth hour with Kathie Lee makes the KTLA 9am hour more entertaining (couldn't believe i'm saying it). NBC needs to dump the 4th hour.