The Family Business

See the smokin' blonde on the far left? That's mine.

Because this blog is posted on kptv.com, there are certain ground rules I must follow. Obviously, I would never use this forum to praise shows on other TV stations– my bosses probably wouldn’t like that. However, I see nothing wrong with praising shows that used to be on other TV stations. Especially when said programming features the most talented (and hottest) woman I have ever worked with. It doesn’t hurt that she’s also my wife.

As some of you may know, I am married to Jenny Hansson (her married name is actually Jenny Vithayathil, but we both agree one Vithayathil is enough for any TV market). For almost two years, she has hosted Studio 6 (formerly Keep it Local) on KOIN. Prior to that, she spent three years as the station’s morning anchor. Getting to work in Portland was a dream come true for Jenny, and the culmination of more than a decade of hard work.

Back in 1997 she started her TV career as a rookie “one-man-band” reporter in Yakima, WA. She would later hold similar jobs in Thomasville, GA and Austin, TX. You know those movies where the young go-getter starts her TV career in Miami or Seattle, then has a camera man, audio guy and producer with her on live remotes? That’s not reality. Jenny was a photographer, editor and reporter all rolled into one- often having to lug a thirty pound camera through 100 degree heat. In short, she worked for peanuts, learned the news biz and paid her dues big time.

We met in 2002 when I got a job at KABB, the Fox affiliate in San Antonio (I’ll spare you the details of our courtship- we fell in love, got married, and lived happily ever after). Even before we dated, I was impressed by Jenny’s smarts and work ethic. She was now in a bigger TV market, which meant she no longer had to shoot her own video. But, whenever the newsroom was shorthanded (which was just about every night), you would find Jenny editing her own package (pre-recorded news story). This is not something other reporters did- most would laugh in your face if you even suggested such an idea. But Jenny did it almost every night, because it meant our newsroom could dedicate resources elsewhere. She was a team player to the bone, which is one reason why she was eventually promoted to weekend anchor. Jenny’s bosses always seemed to like her, I suspect because she worked her rear-end off and was always trying to improve her skills as an anchor and reporter.

Our collective dream was always to return to the Northwest, and we got that chance when Jenny was hired as KOIN’s morning anchor in 2006. Jenny anchored the show for over three years and was awarded a new contract in 2009. Later that year (right after the birth of our second daughter), Jenny was told that she would be leaving the morning show to co-host KOIN’s new show Keep it Local. We knew this was simultaneously a great opportunity and a great risk.

Keep it Local was initially conceived as a live, on-the-scene neighborhood news show. KOIN sank a lot of coin (pun intended) into creating and promoting the show. But by the time Jenny was brought in (about four months after the show’s launch), the ratings were poor and station management decided to give the show a complete overhaul. It became Studio 6- an in-studio lifestyle show primarily aimed at women.

Jenny and I on our honeymoon.

This was a great showcase for Jenny’s talents. She was able to share her sense of humor and experiences as a working mom. The show had great producers (George and Julie) and on-camera talent (Anne, Hayley and Jake). There was cooking, music and interesting guests. As a husband, it was so gratifying to see Jenny have an outlet for her true personality- she is a smart, sweet and funny woman, and Portland got to see that every day. Yes, I am biased- but it was a fun show.

Unfortunately, all that fun didn’t improve the ratings. KOIN cancelled Studio 6 this week, with their final show airing today. There could be a million reasons why the show’s ratings didn’t improve. I do know it was not from a lack of effort: Jenny poured her soul into Studio 6- constantly brainstorming ideas and making public appearances (on her days off) to promote the show. The same can be said for her co-workers. They worked non-stop to produce a program that was (again, biased) quite fun and engaging. Which brings me to the sad and scary truth for those of us who work in TV: sometimes hard work doesn’t pay off. You can put out a great product, but if Nielsen families aren’t tuning in, you’re toast (example: Joss Whedon’s acclaimed Firefly lasted fourteen episodes while Steve Urkel’s Family Matters lasted ten years).

Ultimately, the TV business is just that- a business. It is driven by money. If your show doesn’t pull in enough ratings- look out. If your station is purchased by a new company- look out. If you’re “making too much money”- look out. I’m reminded of a long-time Portland TV personality who had spent decades at one station. One day, his bosses told him out-of-the-blue: “We’re letting you go. Today’s your last day- you can either do the 11 pm show or go home now”. There was no gold watch or even a goodbye cake- just a “thanks for the memories” and “hasta la vista”. Bare in mind, this guy hadn’t done anything wrong- it was all a fiscal consideration, where they would bring in someone younger with a smaller paycheck. I know plenty of other people, working behind the camera and in front of it, who have suffered similar fates. These weren’t Ron Burgundy types pulling down seven figures- they were regular people with kids and mortgages and bills. They were sent packing because of financial decisions made by their employers. Which reminds me of a famous quote from Hunter S. Thompson:

“The TV business is uglier than most things. It is normally perceived as some kind of cruel and shallow money trench through the heart of the journalism industry, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs, for no good reason.”

Now, I do think that Mr. Thompson may have been engaging in a bit of hyperbole. I’ve worked in TV news for over twelve years, and have never met a thief or a pimp. I’ve known a whole lot of good people. It just so happens that some of those good people are bosses. And those bosses have bosses. And those bosses have bosses. And those bosses answer to shareholders. Which is why, although we would like to believe otherwise, TV is a cruel and shallow business like any other cruel and shallow business.

Except when it’s not.

You see, the TV business is also a place where talented people are given the opportunity to share their unique gifts with the world. That’s what Jenny and her friends got to do on Studio 6. Every day, they made complete strangers laugh and think and care. That’s a pretty cool feeling, and why people pursue careers in this crazy business. Is it a glamorous life like you see in the movies? No. But it can still be immensely rewarding- regardless of whether the curtain drops tomorrow or twenty years from now.

I realize that this has become some kind of a Kaczynski-esque, anti-establishment rant. I must point out that KOIN’s management has been considerate throughout this process and is trying to find a solution that works for our family. Unlike the people I referenced earlier, Jenny has not been treated in a callous manner. I wrote this blog not to say “woe is me”, but to tell the world that I am so proud of my wife and all that she has accomplished. A fella can get a little sidetracked when writing about the love of his life.

Here’s the good news: Jenny Hansson is far too talented to be kept on the sidelines. She will be back- once again making complete strangers laugh and think and care. And I’ll be the lucky guy who gets to call her my wife.

The Studio 6 family

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