we've been harassed by Yelp's aggressive salespeople demanding we pay up to $1,000/mo. The fact is that we don't advertise (anywhere!) because we rely on positive word of mouth. Our business continues to grow because customers are happy. Yet, that is certainly not what our Yelp profile would lead you to believe. Our rating is barely mediocre, which never seemed right given our enthusiastic fans, award/recognition and sales growth. I began to suspect they were erasing favorable reviews, a lot of them. For example, on multiple occasions I had seen glowing commentary, that disappeared without a trace, and yet suspicious reviews that were factually incorrect and likely from either disgruntled ex-employees/competitors would never be removed, even if I flagged them. So yesterday, after reading this NYT article and feeling that my concerns were validated, I sat down and logged every review, the name/date/stars. This afternoon, I then spoke with my Ad Rep, Wendy Hu, based in NYC to ask her about the claims made in the article, was it true if I paid them that I could manipulate reviews, or more significantly would they STOP manipulating them? Of course she denied it, but here's where it gets VERY interesting. After the call, where I basically reaffirmed that I would never advertise with them, our rating plummeted! Literally a half-star decrease (on a five-star scale), less than one hour after I hung up the phone! I am absolutely certain because I had logged all reviews yesterday, and we had 65 when I was checking the site while on the phone with her, and yet when I revisited the site after our phone call (around 2:30 this afternoon), we had been hit hard! So I checked out the inventory of reviews I prepared yesterday, and go figure a FIVE-STAR review from March 1st (from a reviewer who was apparently legit for that past month) suddenly was gone. I called Wendy Hu and she said it must be a coincidence (WOW! That's one HUGE coincidence) and assured me she had no control of reviews. In fairness, I believe she didn't decide to sabotage my business after our call, but I'm pretty certain I just discovered one element of Yelp's mysterious algorithm... Rewarding/Penalizing businesses for whether they pay Yelp. In fact the system is apparently so nuanced, that even expressing displeasure with Yelp, will hit the ratings almost instantaneously. Their CRM system probably logs client calls, and there is some mechanism for feedback. If the Yelp Ad Rep checks the "not interested in purchasing" box, guess what - time to turn up the pressure and get the business in line. The NYT wasn't exaggerating at all when they likened becoming a Yelp advertiser with "buying protection" from the Mafia." Let's get real about Yelp's business model and try to see past Jeremy Stoppelman's BS. Yelp's customers are not the Yelpers that write snarky reviews (they don't pay a dime), Yelp's customers are small business owners like myself, tens of thousands of us who are bullied into writing them a check every month (no wonder a 1/2 billion $ valuation)...So the algorithm is created to maximize value of ad sales (how much can we extort from businesses) not value of reviews (how can we provide readers with accurate information). I think my experience today is concrete proof of it! I'm fed up with the lies and intimidation, and think it's time for Yelp to be exposed for what they are. Their hipster followers may imagine Yelp gives a voice to the little guy, but they have it completely backwards, Yelp is "the Man" and they are socking it mom-and-pop shops who don't have the resources to fight a battle with this giant. I have stood my ground based on principles as it would be unethical to give a dime to this monster, and yet the reputation of a business I've worked years to build is publicly trashed! read more

I think this is the most retarted TV station in the whole world. Here is what is so funny and stupid about them. 1. They keep mentioning the time every 10 seconds. 2. They keep telling you reporting live from somewhere yet when they show you the background of that place, it very well could be their backyard. 3. The weather man is a total idiot. He always wants to tell us like the world will end tomorrow. Of course the idiot is Bill Martin. The other idiot Steve Paulson is so freakin lame. I never get his jokes. He pretends to be funny. I never know what he's doing with his hands, pretending he's golfing, or what? 4. Frank Somerville is a total joke. The guy holds a pen in his hand all the time as if he's going to write something. He holds the paper in his hands like he's reading anything in it. When he's trying to get the point across, he starts counting with his fingers, yet there is only one item, there is no number two or three. What the heck. 5. They keep telling us what's coming up in the news so we keep watching. When the actual report comes up, it is the same exact thing they already told us, so in reality, there is nothing to repot. 6. Since there is nothing to report, they keep wanting us to go for the full report on their website as if we're going to see what's on it. There is just selling more banners on their site and that's it. 7. They keep advertising Gasia Mikaelian as if she is the best thing in the world. What the hell is the big deal with Gasia? She is less exciting than the rest of the boring team they have. So please people tell me, does anyone really care for this mentally ill channel? read more

KTVU DEFRAUD TAX PAYER S AND VIOLATE FIRST AMENDMENT This company does not take responsibility for making inflamatory Statement in a new article published December 13th 2019 by By Greg Liggins and Keith Burbank this was given to them by a third party from the Martinez gazette who was the original reporter who then passed to KTVU and the mayor Rob Stanley Schroeder had then decided to do a interview with the press about this as well and when asked to change the article or at least published the other half of the story the KTVU new refused to investigate like they air Which is false advertising as if this was good enough to post all over the web that Man tries to arrest Martinez mayor, now faces battery charge and doesn't ask what lead up to the attempt citizen arrest that how you know this media company airs false news and when evidence can point to innocence and why not speak to the person who you alleged assaulted the mayor Rob Stanley Schroeder who was placed under citizen cause they knew it was false after receiving numerous email to KTVU who refused to interview me in the Matter it because there business is out of date and have been defraud the tax payers for years and knowing sought to use there stature and power to intimidate me and this is cause there business is a fraudlent running a racketeering scheme it all there on the secretary of state website Articles of December 13th 2019 https://www.ktvu.com/news/man-tries-to-arrest-martinez-mayor-now-faces-battery-charge Video interview from 2019 https://www.ktvu.com/video/635235 read more

The worst part is they mask conservative (republican) favoritism in a mantle of 'impartial' news. Today, their top story is a 'superman' ride in San Jose was stuck at the top of its stroke, as a safety measure, and it took a hour for the riders to be removed. Then, they show a beautifully shot Republican Presidential Candidate Romney in Israel giving a speech, and saying what a great friend he is to Israel. Then, they give 'equal' clock time to a video of a disheveled red-faced former Pres. Clinton saying that he will be presenting the announcement of Obama's intentions (to run again) to the Democratic Party Convention. Meanwhile, MUCH earlier in the same day, in Syria, (you know, -a small country bordering Israel) shirtless rebels with AK's successfully stormed a government compound, and taken command of several tanks, munitions, ground to air missles, and the like. Syria is on it's way from despotism to complete chaos, -similar to Egypt 6 just 4 months ago. But this WAS NOT in Channel 2 news.... anywhere. They are local you say? Global is too much for them? NO; they are owned by a British based company! A pro-israel, anti-democratic-party company. Channel 2 is a 'Fox new' propaganda arm owned and shaped by Rupert Murdoch. Honest media is the lifeblood of a democracy; it there is none, there is NO democracy. What you know of the world is what Murdoch decides what to tell you, and what not to tell you. STAY AWAY from Fox News by any means possible. read more

In my hometown, it's channel 2, and I used to intern here many years ago when I was in college. Yes, good times interning, ripping colored scripts and logging in news time behind the producer desk. Love the people, but some of the anchors were kinda phony. I'm speaking of a lady named Leslie Griffith, yes, she was kinda witchy, a drama queen. But, on the other hand, guys like Dennis RIchmond, Mark Ibanez and Lloyd LaCuesta were totally, totally awesome. Seriously, haven't been watching anything on this station except the 10 o'clock news, which I totally love. They need to bring back cooler shows on this station, like Arrested Development and Cheers re-runs. Really can't stand all the other shows. Can anyone shed some light on me and tell me why that annoying Malou Nubla has her own show? Do you ever see her talk? It's, like, a million words within a nano-second, and the way she treats her guests! Nothing eloquent, no earnest gratitude or heartfelt appreciation, just the snobbiness of "I can't believe the damn producers invited little people like yourself to be on MY show!" Uh, yeah, it's quite an amazing show, for uneducated blue collar workers... It's, like, she's perpetually constipated and trying her best to speedy up the interviews for the sake of dear life... She definitely is a horrendous joke with no talent nor journalistic intelligence, and that no-class cackling of hers! Ugh! She needs to be gone, like, yesterday. All in all, though, I'd never stray from the news at 10. read more

Went to morning news with KRON after years watching Mornings on 2, Fox morning news. The all time, most boring, non-professional, bobble head in the industry is Sal Castaneda. Sal uses the word "UH" more than any human being alive. In fact, UH is worth 5 points in the board game, Scrabble. That means the on air, food grubbing Sal, would score a thousand points in one on air traffic report. I love it when both cheeks are loaded with nuts when he is suppose to give us, as viewers, traffic updates. Half the time this clown is unplugged when the camera moves in for his report, the other half of the time, his head is bobbing an weaving to the music blasting from his headphones. Now i see Sal is part of the 9:00 am news/talk show. Are the producers smoking Medical???? Then you have Steve Paulson, Cackle, cackle, cackle, cackle and cackle, cackle,cackle. Steve also has an answer for any question, on any subject anyone asks, does not matter if the question was directed at Steve or the man in the moon. Right or wrong Steve will give you an answer. Take his laptop away, please. You are losing virwers read more

This is my first yelp review! Sal Castenada... there are very few people that bug me as much. How long has this guy been doing the traffic reports? I mean, he can only muster a few words describing traffic situations, saying stuff like "the traffic looks okay".... REALLY?!?! That's the vocabulary of a college educated person?!?! I don't know why he has lasted this long. If it was anyone else, they would have been fired by now. He doesn't bring anything to the table. He doesn't have any personal appeal, he always looks awkward, and his vocabulary is so weak, even after all these years!!! ... and he's no eye candy, I know "mean", but true! I think what it is ... I expect more out of him. He should be a role model for the Latino youth, but to me instead he's an embarrassment. When I hear him, I just want to change the channel! I can't be the only one that feels this way... curious? read more

KTVU is one of the worst and most unprofessional news stations out there. How hard is it to listen to a police scanner and then bash and second guess everything the police did that day? Every broadcast is the same...here is what east bay police did...here is what San Jose police did...here is another police story...your not going to believe what this police dept did...blah blah blah. Some producer there must have gotten a ticket, because KTVU loves piling-on and loves police bashing! They even posted a downloadable PDF document on their KTU.com website that included a CHP Officer's full social security number, date of birth, home address, and personal cell number. Shame on KTVU. As proven by their Asiana Airlines SNAFU, they will do anything to be unprofessional and an embarrassment to themselves. I hope that the CHP Officer involved sues KTVU for everything they got. read more

I love KTVU! EXCEPT ONE person, Alyana Gomez! Why? My kids don't want to watch KTVU anymore until RECENTLY since she is not there for a while anymore. She seems like a good person, and it really bugs me because they don't watch KTVU because she "does not smile" I always hear from kids. Old senior people tell me that too. The other ladies ALWAYS smile. Gasia, Rosemary, Heather, Julie, and the rest of the cast ALL the other people smile! Why not her? Please let me know so I can start watching KTVU again with the kids! I would like to go back to KTVU =) (Now we are watching ABC channel 7 news.) Please make Alyana Gomez SMILE so I can watch news with the kids! (I am also writing this for other people since they don't have a yelp account and I do) read more

Like most Bay Area TV stations, KTVU has gone so downhill. The people anchoring and doing weather constantly change and nobody is super great at it. The weather department is anemic ever since Bill Martin left. You'd think Roberta Gonzalez is the chief weather person now because she seems to work the most.But it's actually Mark Tamayo who seems to only come in a few nights a week, and he is so unmemorable and boring, he does not fill the shoes of a chief TV meteorologist. Honestly they could have a generative AI person do it. They've switched to showing maps that seem to center on Santa Cruz rather than San Francisco, so they block all the northern cities standing in front of them. All the good ones are gone. Oh well. read more

If I could give a lower rating I would. They station no longer correct themselves when they make a mistake. This morning Dave Clark referred to a story about k-9's for a police agency as k through 9. As much as I loved Pam over the years she is spreading misinformation. It has already been proven in court that he did not carry a gun across stat lines yet she continues to state that he did. I would also like to occasionally see news about what is happening in San Francisco but I have to go to the national news to get that because KTVU doesn't report on much in San Francisco. I have been a life long viewer of KTVU but I am done now. I will have to find a new news channel. read more

Seems like KTVU only shows news, stupid court shows and Big Bang Theory. The constant news anchor introductions in the morning also drive me nuts. I'm sure i can remember your name from the last 50 times you introduced yourself in the same morning. And what do i care if Frank Sommerville is off today and someone else is filling in? Gasia M and Heather Holmes are fine! Dave Clark looks like he is mad when reading the teleprompter and dont get me started on his mustache. Steve Paulson looks like he belongs in the 1950's. It's definitely not the same station i grew up watching. Long live Dennis Richmond and Elaine Corral! read more

UPDATE 8/21 Recent run in with Sal-ster. Still ____ but not as bad :) giving a star back. ***** UPDATE 8/7 I am getting lots of hate emails from people with no friends and less than 2 reviews (meaning NEW users)... I find this very strange and ask that people take Yelp for what it is. AND RELAX ****** UPDATE: 8/5 I've been told this review is slander. So I have blanked out the word in question. Just know he is a creepy _____ who hits on everything ____. ***** Sal Castaneda is a ____. Believe me. I know this for a fact. Also, I hate how they all bicker at each other on the morning news - it is awful!!! read more

Don't do the bidding of churches or religious organizations, it makes you look weak and unable to to make intelligent decisions. The church as we know it does not pay taxes and therefore must keep their hipocritic noses out of government. You dorks over their at KTVU need to keep in mind thatyou are supposed to be neutral in reporting...BOTH SIDES OF AN ISSUE! Now you get your ass' back to work and remember what I said. Start asking people if they think the church should start paying taxes. Before you act like some sort of religious ass kisser! read more

Ho-Li Fuk, Tori needs to go, the woman butchers stories. Every time she has a story that has anything to do with firearms or Second Amendment issues, she has to throw a snide comment in just in case we did not remember that she is anti gun. On 12-29 at the end of a story about a gun shops billboard in Chico, she said "AR stands for assault rifle". AR is the acronym for Armalite Rifle, the first Civilian model of the Stoner rifle design. Too much editorial content in her reports, buthchering facts or just plain slanting them. Som Ting Wong read more

June is Poop Packer Pride Month at WOKE channel 2 news. This country is going to hell and all they can talk about is the poor black criminal,How terrible white people treat people of color.What a terrible person Donald Trump is. Look at all the cute Drag Queens. I still like to catch the local news once in awhile because I was born in Oakland,and lived in the bay area all my life. Joe Biden is dragging this country to Hell and all this phoney news channel can talk about is how Tooty Fruity everything is because it's gay pride month. read more

KTVU, PLEASE GET RID OF DAVE CLARK! He's by FAR the worst newsman I've ever seen. His attempts to hand-off to Sal or Pam are HIDEOUS, and every story he reports on is overly dramatized as if he's reading a story to children. Is it ME or is he ALWAYS the one to report on gay stories? Hmmm. This channel used to be very good, even well respected. Now, I feel sorry for Pam, it looks like she's just going along with the program and doesn't want to make waves lest she end up like Kraig Debro This station is an embarrassment! read more

Am this morning the station review the imagination population in our country.. GET CURRENT!! more interested in California.. shame on FOX2, they choose to state the country instead California, and the intense "UNDOCUMENTED" rise.. how can they even state numbers when there is so much corruption in California on this matter.. look at the voting in most all of California, how can there be more voters than registered!! We can't feed the world if we can't feed our own!! read more

Wont be watching this station any longer.. very insensitive news reporting. Abuse to animals being reported live for all viewers with no filter to testing vaccines on domesticated animals. There are FAMILIES watching!! Beloved pets in which people own whom you mentioned carelessly and upset our children. Be sensitive with your news reporting. Be caring and compassionate to viewers. To bad this station was a staple, however we have turned it off and watch nbc. read more