BIG $$ Salaries for Local TV/Radio Elite Is Over; "A Different Era"

There used to be a time when almost every anchor in SF had a high, six-figure contract and, in some cases, the "star" talent could command "seven-figure-income" as the stars aligned; a good economy, significant advertising revenue, and less competition from increasingly aggresive outside, alternative media existed, like the internet.

Remember Van Amburg? In the late 80's and early nineties, he ruled SF television at KGO, (now ABC7) and at one point earned a reported $850,000 salary--one of the highest in local news. It was Amburg's "Channel 7 'Newscene" that was the origin of "Happytalk" and "If it bleeds, it leads", buzz words in an industry that at the time, seemed recession-proof.

No more.

Dennis Richmond, longtime anchorman from KTVU-FOX2, retired last year and was the highest-paid talking head, at a reported $900,000. Ronn Owens is the "King" of local radio at Citadel-owned KGO Radio and makes a shade over a million dollars. Owens is signed through 2012. Gary Radnich, a fixture in the sports media in the Bay Area is a combined anchor and talk-host at both KRON-TV and KNBR Radio and like Owens, has a seven-figure salary.

They are the lucky ones, for the days of elite compensation for the upper tier of the country's biggest markets has reached it's peak. Local TV news, which is the biggest source of revenue for each station, is lagging. Ad revenue continues to fall, as do ratings, viewership has declined, and more people, specifically, younger consumers, are getting their news from the internet.

More and more anchors are either biting the bullet and working for far less money than they used to make, and in many cases, as the economy tanks, are being replaced by far cheaper talent from smaller markets that are willing to work for "bean-counter money", as one local newsman put it.

It's not unique just here in San Francisco. It's happeneing in Denver, LA, Chicago, and NY too, although the NY anchors at the network affiliates and O and O's are still getting prime coin. But NY is the exception.

It's a "different era", says a local media analyst Vinny Corer. "Times change---the big-time dough is gone as the 'Clear Channels' of the world take over--it's a new world we live in. I heard in LA, a station had a reporter opening at a local indie TV outlet and starting pay was $40,000!".

Pass the triscuts and cheese.