Musical chairs in L.A.

Nancy Bauer-Gonzales, who is likely going to be the news chief at CBS's Los Angeles KCAL(TV)-KCBS-TV duopoly, must know how Princell Hair feels.

Hair had been the KCBS-TV news director and, by most accounts, was the early choice to oversee both stations. But management changed, and he wasn't the new duopoly general manager's first choice.

Only last fall, Bauer-Gonzales was out at KNBC(TV) Los Angeles after more than a dozen years there and was quickly hired by KCAL GM Don Corsini, who now runs KCBS-TV as well.

Rapid changes are not rare among news directors—or general managers—particularly in Los Angeles. Previous KCBS-TV GM David Woodcock, had left KCOP(TV) when it joined Fox's duopoly with KTTV(TV).

At KCOP, Woodcock had worked with Larry Perrett, then news director at KCBS-TV. Woodcock had earlier hired Corsini at KCAL and was succeeded by him there. Woodcock's predecessor at KCBS-TV, John Severino, had earlier run KABC-TV.

And so on, and so on …

Nothing was official by late last week, but it emerged reliably that Bauer-Gonzales has the job running both stations' newsrooms.

What of Hair, the No. 2 news man—behind mentor Joel Cheatwood—in the CBS station group? Hard to say. Hair could not be reached for comment, and other principals did not return calls. Sources say CBS will try to find a place for the well regarded newsman, possibly in his prior role consulting to various stations in the CBS group. Last year, he was asked to rescue KCBS-TV from its ratings pit. He's not the first executive who couldn't do it.

KCBS-TV news staffers say they respect Bauer-Gonzales's background and appreciate Corsini's candor on the station's direction. But Hair was also respected, and staffers are concerned about KCAL's alleged "T&A"-style news. KCBS staffers say Corsini, asked about that approach, acknowledged that it is over the top but said KCAL does it only to hold onto fans of the Lakers; some of the NBA team's games air on the station.