| Subject: Coscia's sudden exit from KDKA |
Author:
Rob Owen
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Date Posted: 23:29:07 02/28/06 Tue
Tuned In: Few answers in Coscia's sudden exit from KDKA
Thursday, March 29, 2001
By Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV Editor
The Pittsburgh television community continues to chatter about the short-lived tenure and dark-of-night departure of KDKA news director Joe Coscia, who packed up his office and left the station late last Wednesday.
Only three months into the year and already two news directors have been forced out of Pittsburgh TV stations. First Tom Burke at WPGH and now Coscia. Both were talented men who deserved better.
Before Coscia's arrival at KDKA, staff members privately attested to low morale. But with a can-do attitude that accentuated the positive, Coscia had begun to improve newsroom spirit. He'd just started to make changes noticeable to viewers, particularly an improved morning show, the only one in town to include interview segments.
KDKA suffered ratings setbacks in February, but no one in his right mind could blame Coscia: He wasn't there long enough to warrant much credit or blame. KDKA general manager Gary Cozen did not return a call seeking comment on the latest newsroom shuffle.
On the heels of Coscia's exit, news production coordinator Steve Joyce, a 15-year veteran of the station, gave his notice Monday.
CBS vice president of communications Dana McClintock said Coscia's departure was due to conflict between Coscia and Cozen.
"The news director and general manager have parted ways and cited creative differences as the reason," McClintock said.
What those differences were, no one will say. But it's clear Coscia and Cozen had contrasting philosophies.
In this space in December, Coscia didn't make a huge fuss about the contests other stations run during sweeps, preferring instead to work toward making KDKA's newscasts contest-proof. He also expressed a hope that future hires would have the "Hometown Advantage," but said he was more interested in finding the best person for the job.
Those are sensible stands to take, but they conflicted with Cozen's anti-contest crusade and preference for hiring locals.
Joel Cheatwood, executive vice president of news for the CBS station division, said he was disappointed Coscia didn't work out.
"Joe is a very bright guy and certainly has a history of doing very well where he's been," Cheatwood said in a phone interview yesterday. "It's not uncommon when you have an important position like news director that it's often times a crapshoot -- will the person mesh and will the GM be able to work with the news director? You never know until you do it, and this is one of those occasions where it didn't quite work."
Cheatwood, who said he would not be opposed to hiring Coscia at another station in the company, had conversations with both Cozen and Coscia and tried to help them find common ground.
"They were both saying exactly the same thing," Cheatwood said. "It was a philosophical difference they couldn't get beyond. I offered suggestions and solutions to things that appeared to be solvable, but in the end it was pretty obvious there was a philosophical disconnect."
Though Cheatwood had positive things to say about both men, ultimately Cozen remains and Coscia is gone.
"We're really committed to local control of our stations," Cheatwood said. "Gary is the general manager, and he is held accountable for the station's performance. It's his call as to the troops that work underneath him. We really believe that's the way our stations need to be run. If a general manager has a problem with a department head, it's his prerogative to deal with it as he sees fit."
Coscia's departure has rankled some in the newsroom who, off the record, said they found his approach to be a refreshing change of pace. Cheatwood said he understands their feelings.
"As important as that is, if you have a philosophical problem between news director and general manager and if it's not resolved, it could basically tear apart the core strength a station has," he said. "In the best case you have longevity and consistency. Unfortunately, a lot of stations have to choose the long-term benefit of the station over the short-term morale and feelings of the folks that work there.
"At KDKA they've established a pattern of consistency, and regardless of who the news director ends up being, folks in the newsroom need to take heart in that," Cheatwood said. "It's a strong station ... and they will regain the top spot in the market news-wise. I don't think fixing KDKA is a difficult task at all. It's all there."
That's almost exactly what Coscia said in December.
Stuff
That Bugs Me
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What bugs me about
Halloween: 16 year olds trick or treating and homeowners who give out
crummy candy or no candy at all. What's the deal with lollipops and
pennies?
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People who walk by
smokers on the street waving their hand in front of their face just feet
away from an exhaust belching diesel bus.
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Rudy Giuliani
should run for President in 08'. How about a Kerry/Hillary Clinton
Democratic ticket to go against him?
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What killed John
Kerry in the 04' election: The image of a bitchy, wealthy wife on a team
that looks out for the little people, making a big deal about his
service in Vietnam, siding with those who support gay marriages and
using brainless celebrities like Eminem, Springsteen and Barbara
Streisand to get his message out.
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My friend has a
gadget that blocks all incoming and outgoing cell phone calls within a
20-foot radius of his device. The $160.00 device is illegal in the U.S.
He bought it on the Internet from the UK. It looks like a cell phone and
he often uses it in restaurants and movie theaters to keep the room
quiet. The only downside: when people lose their calls, they loudly
shout, "can you hear me, hello, hello, are you there."
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From a listener:
Things that bug me.....
Katie Couric
interviewing anyone....it's like, "so when you saw your friend
being disembowled didn't you feel their HORRIFIC pain......."well,
you know I wasn't really looking.....""BUT you must have felt,
BLAH BLAH BLAH........."OK Katie yeah......thanks for telling me
how I felt.
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Macho guys, like my
friend Curtis Sliwa, who’s convinced SARS is just another passing flu
that will go away with a few aspirin and a cold pack. |
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Anti-war
protesters----who aren’t just against the war, but against America. |
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Hillary Clinton and
her shrill voice when she yells. |
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Senator Chuck
Schumer’s silly Sunday news conferences. |
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People who bum
cigarettes every day. A few years ago it didn’t matter, but those
packs now cost nearly eight bucks. |
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Mayor Bloomberg’s
smoking ban. |
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Guests at my home
who refuse tap water. “Got any bottled water,” they ask. By the way,
did you know New York City water has been rated among the best in the
country? |
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People---mainly
yuppie types---who walk around talking on those hands free cell phone
contraptions. They look like dorks. |
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People who crank up
their stereo headphones to the point that we all have to listen to their
“private” music. |
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Those neighbors of
mine who let their dogs take a dump on the sidewalk and don’t clean it
up. I have a little dog. They have giant dogs. Think size! |
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It’s 2003.
Can’t the weather forecasters get it right? |
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Please, no more
rain or snow. |
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People who stand in
front of subway and elevator doors, as you’re trying to get out. |
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Jerry Springer, Dr.
Phil, Divorce Court and most reality T.V. shows. |
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Mother’s day,
Father’s day and Valentine’s Day. I love my mom, I love my dad and
if I had girlfriend, I’d love her, too. But, these are unnatural
holidays created by greeting card companies to make us all feel guilty.
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New York city
street vendors:
Okay, they sell
everything under the sun from their sidewalk perches…but based on
trial and error here's what I recommend you buy and not buy from the
vendors.
Don't buy:
- Bed sheets at
street fairs: They're cheap and fall apart.
- New release
videos: They use a camcorder to record them off the screen in movie
theaters.
- Watches and
wallets: They fall apart.
- Batteries on
the subway: They yell Duracell, but a closer examination will find
the name Duocell with the same familiar black and gold coloring.
- "Street
News": That's the newspaper homeless people sell. I think
they've been circulating the same one for five years now. Sure, the
money goes directly to the seller, but put a sandwich in their hand.
Chances are
they'll drink away their cash. If that doesn't bother you, buy one.
- Umbrellas: buy
one if it's not windy. Otherwise invest $15 in a good one.
Go ahead and buy:
- T-shirts: Not
bad and cheap, too.
- Socks: same as
above
- CD's: The
technology now allows even bad "dubs" to sound half
decent.
- Hot dogs: Okay
the water looks a little murky, but it's still one of the best
bargains in Gotham.
- Street art:
This is a great way to support local artists and put something nice
on your wall for a fair price. You'll find them all over SOHO and
the Village.
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People who accuse
the entire news media of being "liberal." Take for instance
WABC listener Alan Sage's email to my website: "George you
absolutely, 100%, definitely have liberal views. Nothing wrong with
that, but just admit it! Most liberal won't! Again, it's OK! " He
never cited an example...even after asking him three times. |
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$3.00 umbrellas
from street vendors. Why do we keep buying them? |
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People who rush
into elevators before the others get out. |
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Pickles with my
lunch. |
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Pop up windows. |
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I think the phrase
"you know what I'm saying" should be removed from everyone's
vocabulary. |
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From WABC listener
Maryanne: News people who sound HAPPY reading "news just in." |
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I'd like to
encourage my WABC listeners to please, do not bath in perfume or
cologne. I suspect women are guiltier of this, but plenty of men douse
themselves with their favorite fragrance. A dab will do, since; perfumes
were designed to be detected only by your lover, not as an air freshener
for dozens of innocent passersby. How many times have you walked into an
empty elevator and Pierre Cardin smacks you in the face like a brick. |
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Now, some
journalistic phrases that have no place in print. " Daring daylight
robbery." (Corny) "The brutal murder." (Aren't they all)?
"An education summit or a crime summit." (There was a time
when summits were reserved exclusively for world leaders to discuss
world issues.) "The investigation continues." (Of course it
does. Tell me something new) " Fatally injured." (What are
you? A doctor trying to be nice. How about killed.) |
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The other day I'm
in a diner and this really fat lady orders a double-cheeseburger, large
fries, a hot apple pie and a cup of coffee with SWEET AND LO. I asked a
friend about this and she told me some people think it TASTES BETTER.
Yeah, and margarine tastes better than butter and tofu tastes better
than beef. |
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Taxi drivers who
don't know how to time traffic lights and rush up to them----before they
change. |
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People who use
those personal listening devices called headphones and share their music
with everyone around them. |
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When the talk show
host introduces a caller by their name and town and the caller responds:
"Hi, this is Jackie from Long Island." |
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Traffic circles.
Brilliant once. Stupid now. |
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Please remove
"you know what I mean" from your vocabulary. |
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Has anyone else
gotten tired of reality t.v. shows? |
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For a while there
I kept hearing that creepy voice from the movie "Dont say a
word" in my dreams at night. "I'll never tellllllll"
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