Kathleen Bade: another one bites the dust...

Click here for our EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with Kathleen Bade (added July 15, 2008)!

In what was most certainly the busiest week in San Diego news history, one anchor/reporter was missing in action: KFMB's Kathleen Bade. I had heard a rumor that her contract was up this fall, but didn't see anything formal released as to her leaving the station, nor did I see the typical "good-bye, this is the end for me" broadcast.

Bade was one of my favorite anchors in San Diego. She always seemed relaxed and at home on the air and had a great and easily accessible sense of humor. Beyond that, she wasn't bad to look at, either. I'm very sorry to see her go, if she is, in fact, gone. But the fact that she has been pretty much deleted from the KFMB website's anchor/reporter section isn't very reassuring.

I still think, though, that this bodes well for us Susan Lennon fans. I'm thinking Lennon will return to the San Diego TV airwaves sometime after the first of the year, if not sooner, and the natural place would be with her old KUSI morning show teammate, Stan Miller, on KMFB.

Updated (later that same morning):
As confirmed here, Kathleen is indeed gone. I hope we see her on the air again, but not on KUSI. That's a fate worse than death. I'll also miss Jaymee Sire, who this post also confirms will soon be gone from KFMB.

Comments

[Kyle Rogue]

The News business in San Diego is tough. At least you don't work at KUSI. There is a monster there who befriended the HR deparment so she could save her butt from all the turn-overs and producers she has forced into exile. In two years, there have been over 16 producers who have left, some even in tears. I understand that HR has been duped into keeping her on; but for several months KUSI was a self-sufficient, news producing entity without her -- from a business perspective, wouldn't the McKinnons consider returning to the good old days, when you didn't have to pay someone who consistently ruined the broadcast with all her plotting? I mean everyone knows this person is no good, but only the owners and HR seem out of touch with reality. Oh well.

[Robert Dominguez]

Kathleen Bade is classy,attractive, has a great sense of humor and a beautiful smile. She also dresses well. Kathleen; please don't ever wear pantsuits. They are for Hillary Clinton and all women over the age of 60. The best 2u and yours.

[Tom]

FINALLY! We get to see The Bade on the air once more; can't wait 'til Friday. Ta-ta, KFMB; you really douched your way off my screen with that move. Hello, Fox-5; welcome back, Kathleen. I guess we all knew you'd hit the ground running.

[Babs]

I love Stan Miller and Barbara Lee Edwards we crack up at their banter. However, we do miss Kathleen Bade. She was intelligent, beautiful and personable. Maybe it was Ms. Bade's decision to not have a 'goodbye' but, KFMB if you ever listen, your audience gets to know these people and it is an insult to us to not keep us informed.

This is nothing new, people disappear with no explaination all the time and then you see a face that is not only new but it is soooo obvious that they have no experience. Oh well, they were probably purchased on sale at drastically reduced prices.

[DMcD]

Smart , well-spoken and gourgeous with a personality too match --- the hicks running KFMB wouldn't know a winner if it came up and slapped them in the face ---- how incredibly DUMB !! They must be in-between Prozacs because they forgot to dump their "last" ace , Barbara Lee as well.

These nerds probably think Stan Miller is all they need --- the same Stan Miller that once said; "San Diego has been chosen to host the Republican Convention , that PROVES San Diego is America's Finest City".
[ Co-incidentally (?) , San Diego has become the seat of corruption in California ever since ]

[KBadefan]

I miss seeing Kathleen Bade on News8.

The news is NOT ths samw w/o her.

I also am disappointed that Heather Myers jumped to "fox news". I wish she'd have been promoted to news anchor on News 8..

Whatever happen to Susan Lennon of KUSI news?

How about Michael Tuck?

[KFMB]

Will you all just calm down about Kathleen Bade. She is better off wherever she is and SD viewers are better off without her. Yes she had her pretty little face gracing the news station, but she was annoying as hell. I wasn't too keen on all her little comments after each and every segment...I mean really, is it really necessary? Another really annoying person on KFMB is Dan Cohen. He should just go away altogether! He can stick it with his "Happy Friday" greeting every ten minutes. Okay already!

[Marie]

I miss Kathleen.. She and Barbara Lee had it all so why is she gone. But then when has a TV station ever asked for our opinion. Also what ever happened to Tuck on KUSI. All these surrounding mysteries.

[Nick]

We miss you, news is not the same. Please come back or tell us where you will/are working.

[J. P. Felix]

Happy Birthday Kathleen... wherever you are. We miss you.

[refused]

I very much enjoyed Kathleen Bade on your newcast. I did not want to see her leave. You should bring her back if you want to keep audience appeal...

[Red Blanchard]

Well after all these comments, I have to say a common thread is that KFMB never responds in any way to their Emails. I did complain about Escondido being left off their weather graphocs, and lo and behold, they left it off MORE! Maybe that's a response.

[j.k. blakley]

Kathleen Bade was enjoyable with Barbara Lee and I will miss them. Larry Himels humor on spoerts would be much better than Kyle. Channel 10 will always be solid with Carol LeBeau

[MR. LaBala]

I knew I was not the only one feeling this way about Kathleen Bade's departure from KFMB. So as many as you I felt Kathleen and Barbara Lee made a great team, they were both gorgeous and at least on TV they seemed to be pretty smart and approachable. Now we are stuck with Stan "I think I'm funny" Miller. It was bad enough to hear Steve Price whenever he shows up and what to say about Nichelle and Dan Cohen, I can not stand either one.
I emailed the station and no answer, as someone else said...NO CLASS!!!
So were are left with what??? KUSI??? FOX??? come one, be serious.

[Linda]

I do not think Bridget Naso is anchor material. I think only she has a high opinion of herself, but i guess that is what she gets for thinking!

[ricky]

ever since kathleen left kfmb, i haven't watched their news at all...i've tuned into fox at 10pm and am ecstatic that heather is now over there too!!!

im interested in seeing what the ratings are for local news now with all the movement lately...IMO kfmb just made fox6 stronger at 10pm...first kathleen and now heather? are they nuts over there???

i MISS kathleen...where are you girl?????

[AL LUETGENS]

What a big mistake getting rid of Kathleen,Cannel 8 you've lost one senior citizen viewer.Not only intellent,but beautiful as well. Hope to see her soon.

[Doug]

Channel 8 has officially ''Jumped the shark'' Kathleen was awsome and to add insult to injury they let the hottest news reporter (Heather Meyers) go also...Shame, Shame!!

[Pat Maher]

Wow! What's with KFMB...have great anchors & let them go! Let's hope Barbare Lee is not next! They were a great team. I also sent an email to the station...NO RESPONSE! NO CLASS!!! Good Luck Katkleen, whereever you are.. you are missed!!!!

[The Don]

KFMB always had a problem keeping good people. They keep trying to out due other station in town but they are failing miserably. Kyle Kraska has to be the worst sports anchor in town (he is the brunt of every joke on radio). We went form Ted Litner and Hank Bauer Kyle Kraska and John Howard ?? . Stan Miller the hypocrite left KUSI and said he will never be back into television,but clearly he could not keep his face away form it. His ego was getting deflated.

[ms. Eileen]

What a bad mistake you guys made. I will no longer be watching this news channel! Barbara Lee and Kathleen were a great team---the best. Very sad--a real loss. Again, VERY bad move. Good luck Kathleen, wherever you are!

[linda flad]

Why does channel 8 consistantly manage to
loose the best, and keep the worst?
That squeaky voiced lady who seems to
have replaced Kathleen, drives me nuts! I
have never liked Barbara Lee and Stan together either. I notice Heather Graham has
moved to Fox, and continue hoping to see
Kathleen on another local station but she probably won't. Sad.

Kathlene was not only HOT, she was very professional, had quick humor and was very charming. Channel 8 made a HUGE mistake not renewing her contact. I would stick my neck out and say Kathlene could single handedly raise the ratings of any local news station. She fit the SD news market like a glove. Channel 8 is betting on their HD cameras way too much. Kathlene's gorgeous face made the 8HD channel, now it's about as exciting as watching black and white.

[Red Blanchard]

Katheen Bade's departure does not surprise me, after watching Channel 8's news for these past many years. The station's attitude has always seemed cold and distant from the top management's point of view.
They invite Emails from the viewers, but never answer them; in fact probably don't even read them. They seem to feel the way to go is put on whiny-voiced 'pretty boys,' or wise-guys like Stan Miller.
Even their weather maps ignore Escondido and plug Julian every day, for God's sake!!
Lately I have discovered that 39 or 10 are watchable without throwing up, so that's where my family will be found from now on.
(Sorry I forgot to put my name on the first time. Won't happen again)

[g' jerry starnes]

kathleen bade was the best thing that ever happend to kfmb ;hope she stays in san diego.