Television: Those Old Familiar Faces

How can a newscast boost its ratings? Television stations in the West think they have found the answer: hire a high-profile, retired politician.

The trend started last month when sister stations KGO-TV in San Francisco and KABC-TV in Los Angeles hired former California Chief Justice Rose Bird to do twice-weekly commentaries for their evening newscasts. Bird, who was voted off the bench in 1986, made a shaky debut when she delivered a commentary in rhyme on the World War II internment of Japanese Americans. KGO then added former San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein, out of office just two months, as an occasional analyst. Her first topic: the Bay City’s budget deficit, and why it is not her fault.

In Denver, former Colorado Governor Richard Lamm made his debut on KMGH-TV. Once known as “Governor Gloom” for his apocalyptic views, Lamm offers twice- weekly, three-minute commentaries. Says he: “I love a platform. It’s not a lot of money, but it is a lot of fun.”