Floral Magic seemed like an appropriate fractal for a post comment on KTLA’s coverage of the latest Tournament Of Roses Parade. So--on with today’s rant!
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As I grow older I find that maintaining traditions become more important to me with each passing year. Maybe it’s a way of holding on to my lost youth or maybe it’s a way of maintaining some sense of control over a world that seems to get crazier with each passing day. (Robyn and I have even started creating new traditions of our own--but that‘s a post for another time.) One of our longest-standing holiday traditions is that we always watch the Rose Parade on KTLA from start-to-finish Nothing happens on New Year's Day until after the last float, marching band and equestrienne unit has passed the reviewing stand.
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That tradition almost came to an end three years ago when station bigwigs decided to boot long-time Anchor Stephanie Edwards and replace her with younger, more ethnic KTLA Morning News Host Micaela Pererra. This was a class example of television “Ageism“ in action: Stephanie got the boot while Co-Anchor (even older than his female companion) Bob Eubanks got to keep his job. Mind you--I really like Pererra--on the Morning News where she belongs. Still, she was a disaster during the parade coverage. There was no “chemistry” between her and Eubanks: their banner was always forced. Pererra had an amazing case of “fumble mouth“ that, by all rights, should have had her hanging her head in shame. Worse yet, she never got better as the years went by. It didn’t help that the year she joined the coverage it was pouring down rain and the same executive who decided to hire Pererra decided to exile long-time favorite Edwards to the stands. It wasn’t a pretty sight. The next year she was gone entirely without even being allowed to tell her fans goodbye. It took two years for KTLA management to wise up realize what a bonehead move they made and bring Stephanie back to the booth with Bob.
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We endured (there is just no better word for it) the hopeless mess that was the Rose Parade coverage under Bob Eubanks and Micaela Pererra for two years until Management over at KTLA got over their case of Improctocephaly (head up their a##, in case you can’t figure it out) and brought Stephanie Edwards back. I was pleased to see her back in the booth where she belongs and Pererra exiled to the Grandstands (although I have to admit there would have been a certain poetic justice if it had been pouring down rain). Stephanie Edwards really is an old pro (emphasis on the “pro” here) and she has an easy, comfortable way about her that her younger competitor lacked.) So, hats of to KTLA for FINALLY doing the right (not to mention SMART) thing!
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Now a brief personal note to KTLA Management: guys--there’s real merit to the phrase “if it ain’t broke--don’t fix it!” Change, for its own sake is rarely a good idea. You alienated a lot of fans by dumping Stephanie Edwards (and we weren‘t impressed by your none-too-subtle promo campaign suggesting that her absence was somehow HER idea! Not cool guys!) I know you have to justify the ridiculous salaries Tribune pays you but you also need to think about the people the view your product. We like consistency and we get annoyed when you make dumb changes. Thanks for seeing the light but DON’T do something dumb like this again.
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As I grow older I find that maintaining traditions become more important to me with each passing year. Maybe it’s a way of holding on to my lost youth or maybe it’s a way of maintaining some sense of control over a world that seems to get crazier with each passing day. (Robyn and I have even started creating new traditions of our own--but that‘s a post for another time.) One of our longest-standing holiday traditions is that we always watch the Rose Parade on KTLA from start-to-finish Nothing happens on New Year's Day until after the last float, marching band and equestrienne unit has passed the reviewing stand.
-
That tradition almost came to an end three years ago when station bigwigs decided to boot long-time Anchor Stephanie Edwards and replace her with younger, more ethnic KTLA Morning News Host Micaela Pererra. This was a class example of television “Ageism“ in action: Stephanie got the boot while Co-Anchor (even older than his female companion) Bob Eubanks got to keep his job. Mind you--I really like Pererra--on the Morning News where she belongs. Still, she was a disaster during the parade coverage. There was no “chemistry” between her and Eubanks: their banner was always forced. Pererra had an amazing case of “fumble mouth“ that, by all rights, should have had her hanging her head in shame. Worse yet, she never got better as the years went by. It didn’t help that the year she joined the coverage it was pouring down rain and the same executive who decided to hire Pererra decided to exile long-time favorite Edwards to the stands. It wasn’t a pretty sight. The next year she was gone entirely without even being allowed to tell her fans goodbye. It took two years for KTLA management to wise up realize what a bonehead move they made and bring Stephanie back to the booth with Bob.
-
We endured (there is just no better word for it) the hopeless mess that was the Rose Parade coverage under Bob Eubanks and Micaela Pererra for two years until Management over at KTLA got over their case of Improctocephaly (head up their a##, in case you can’t figure it out) and brought Stephanie Edwards back. I was pleased to see her back in the booth where she belongs and Pererra exiled to the Grandstands (although I have to admit there would have been a certain poetic justice if it had been pouring down rain). Stephanie Edwards really is an old pro (emphasis on the “pro” here) and she has an easy, comfortable way about her that her younger competitor lacked.) So, hats of to KTLA for FINALLY doing the right (not to mention SMART) thing!
-
Now a brief personal note to KTLA Management: guys--there’s real merit to the phrase “if it ain’t broke--don’t fix it!” Change, for its own sake is rarely a good idea. You alienated a lot of fans by dumping Stephanie Edwards (and we weren‘t impressed by your none-too-subtle promo campaign suggesting that her absence was somehow HER idea! Not cool guys!) I know you have to justify the ridiculous salaries Tribune pays you but you also need to think about the people the view your product. We like consistency and we get annoyed when you make dumb changes. Thanks for seeing the light but DON’T do something dumb like this again.
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