KQED profiles Alex Cherian, a Bay Area television archivist who recovers historical news footage in San Francisco. Cherian operates out of the San Francisco State library and is currently working on finding the last interview Robert Kennedy gave before he was assassinated. Cherian offers details of his operation:

Cherian says most of the local programming in the Bay Area from the 1950s is gone, along with about 40 percent from the ‘60s and ‘70s. The ‘80s are even worse — a black hole, he says. That’s when stations used a type of tape that degrades quickly. But even today, long after stations started preserving their material, many lack easily searchable databases or digital backups.

The Bay Area TV Archive is mostly a one-person operation, and Cherian says without a staff, he just doesn’t have the ability to go through it all, about 4,000 hours from local stations KTVU, KPIX, KRON-4, and KQED, among other sources. Even though he’s been at it for three years, Cherian has only been able to put about 4 percent of it online. He says “some of the film will be in the wrong can, some will be unlabeled, who knows what we have.”

Don Sanchez, veteran anchor and reporter for KGO, the San Francisco ABC owned station, is calling it quits after 49 years in television.

“It has been quite a ride,” Sanchez told Bay Area media blogger Rich Lieberman.  “I have several things I want to do, but nothing concrete yet. Just a little ‘r and r’ to start.

Sanchez joined KGO in 1972 as a general assignment reporter.  His tenure includes covering the Patty Hearst kidnapping and subsequent trial and being part of the station’s heyday during the 1970s and 80s.  Recently, Sanchez had been working as KGO’s Arts and Entertainment reporter.

Known for his eternally youthful look, Sanchez began his television career at KSBY the San Luis Obispo NBC affiliate.

For those in the San Francisco Bay Area market, the station will air a tribute to Don in tonight’s 6 p.m. show.

Ben Williams, retired reporter for the San Francisco CBS owned station KPIX, has died.

Williams was one of the first African-American reporters and spent his entire on-air career at KPIX before retiring in the 1980s.  He got his start in print, writing for the San Francisco Examiner, before moving to television.

Williams’ daughter-in-law told KPIX he died Monday.  He was 85.

Dana King, anchor for San Francisco CBS O&O KPIX, has announced she will be stepping down from the anchor desk.

“I am leaving the business to build my next life as an artist,” said King. “In order to do it right, I am making a commitment that requires a choice between continuing an already amazing career and starting a brand new one. KPIX has been my second home.  I will miss it all more than you know.”

King, who has worked at KPIX for the last 15 years, began working towards a a Master’s Degree in classical sculpture from San Francisco’s Academy of Art University a few years ago.

She was known for boldly allowing her hair to go gray, something not seen among anchors. At the time, King said, “For me, it was a decision about matching my looks with my experience”  You can watch a story she did about the subject after the jump. Read more

Last week, a KPIX photographer was beaten and robbed of his camera while reporting from Oakland, the eighth violent incident involving a member of the media since April. The San Francisco Chronicle reports some stations are now taking precautions to protect crews in the field:

Several stations used private security after being harassed and attacked during Occupy demonstrations late last year in downtown Oakland. Ed Chapuis, news director at KTVU, said guards are now hired on a case-by-case basis, depending on the situation and whether a crew requests one.

Tracey Watkowski, vice president of news for KGO-TV, said her station is looking at private security and “evaluating it as an option.”

One reporter at a Bay Area television station, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said some videographers are refusing to do stories in Oakland. “It’s scary, there’s no doubt about it,” she said. “But we’re not going to stop covering news in Oakland.” Read more

Greg Welk, a news photographer for the San Francisco CBS O&O KPIX was beaten and had his camera stolen by a group of young men Wednesday.

In the video above, you can see reporter Anne Makovec wrapping up a noon live shot on the passage of California’s Proposition 30 at Oakland Technical High School when Welk’s camera abruptly tilts down showing the ground.  According to the station, right at that moment, “an unknown number of men rushed up, punched Welk and grabbed his camera.”

Welk suffered minor injuries while Makovec was unhurt.

Oakland has not been kind to the media lately.  According to the Contra Costa Times, this is the eighth such incident since April.  Journalists from the Oakland Tribune, FOX affiliate KTVU and NBC owned station KNTV have had laptops, cameras and tripods stolen, sometimes at gunpoint.

[Contra Costa Times]

Sara Bueno has been named Director of Integrated Media for KNTV, the San Francisco NBC owned station.

“Sara joins our digital team with a wealth of experience having worked in this market for more than 12 years,” Jonathan Mitchell, vice president of news said in a statement. “I am confident that she will continue our commitment of providing the Bay Area with the go-to source for continuous, in-depth coverage of local news.”

Bueno comes to KNTV from KGO where she led the editorial direction of the San Francisco ABC O&O’s website and digital platforms.

KGO has signed on to air internet celebrity Shira Lazar’s “What’s Trending” segments during its 4 p.m. newscast.  Lazar is host and executive producer of the “WhatsTrending” blog and live interactive news talk show.

“What’s Trending” is a great way for our ABC7 News viewers to sample some of the most viral news and videos of the day, said the San Francisco ABC O&O’s president and general manager William Burton.  “KGO-TV is glad to bring this interesting new segment to our 4pm news viewers.

“KGO-TV consistently embodies the innovative spirit of the Bay Area in their approach to programming and leadership in news,” said Lazar.  “We are excited to take a step in bringing What’s Trending to a new level in multi-platform entertainment. KGO-TV is a great partner in that evolution.”

The first episode (watch the video after the jump) featured flying kittens dressed in capes.

Read more

KPIX didn’t have too far to travel to find the aftermath of a high speed police chase through the streets of San Francisco when one of its news vans was sideswiped by the SUV the alleged thieves were driving.

The CBS O&O’s 6 p.m. anchors Allen Martin and Dana King tossed to reporter Joe Vazquez who was live on the scene minutes after the pursuit’s dramatic ending.  You can watch the video of the report after the jump.

The scene unfolded when a man stole a woman’s backpack containing an iPad around 5 p.m.  The suspect jumped into a silver Mercedes SUV but not before drawing the attention of dozens of witnesses who called police according to the San Francisco Chronicle who said,

The robbers didn’t help their cause by sideswiping a KPIX van as they tried to get away. The TV crew notified their assignment desk, and colleagues were quickly on the way, a CBS staffer said. The news crew had been preparing to cover a community safety meeting with police officials and city supervisors at the Bean There cafe on Steiner Street that, as the invitation indicated, was convened “in light of a recent string of cell-phone muggings and criminal activity.”

Read more

KGO arts and entertainment reporter Don Sanchez is celebrating his 40th anniversary at the San Francisco ABC O&O.

KGO’s Cheryl Jennings looked back at Sanchez’s career in a tribute that aired during Tuesday’s newscasts (video above).