The KNBR Conundrum: How the "Sports Leader" Could Get Better

WEDNESDAY 1-14-'09

"KNBR 680, SAN FRANCISCO"...That distinct promo used to have significant local and national gravitas in and out of the broadcasting business, but these days, is nothing more than an innocuous station i.d., simply an audio note to listeners that the radio outlet you're hearing is 680, the "Sports Leader", and "America's #1 Sports station". KNBR doesn't say who attributed it's distinction as being #1; but why let facts get in the way of a good story.

Once upon a time ago, KNBR, which broadcasts SF Giants, SF 49ers, and Golden State Warriors games, used to be a force to reckon with; the list of station personnel that once worked there is a virtual "who's who" of broadcasting figures, such as Carter B. Smith, Frank Dill, Mike Cleary, Pete Franklin, and John Madden. Those were the days. No more.

Like most stations in the industry, KNBR has suffered from a general malaisse, some of it, non-controllable, involving on-air talent, some of it emanating from the higher-ups, both at the station, and directly from it's cost-cutting corporate owner, Atlanta's Cumulus Broadcasting.

A disclaimer: As both a guest and "listener", I have been on the air at KNBR in the past, but since I am now both an on-line critic and sports reporter at another station, it needs to be stated that I feel I'm objective enough to offer this article about the station)

KNBR was strong in the mid to late 90's when it employed the late, great legendary talk-host Pete Franklin, whose wise-act antics and intentional 'grumpiness at callers was interesting radio, compelling and most entertaining.

Preceeding Franklin, the station hired popular San Francisco TV Sports Anchor, Gary Radnich, who was an instant hit, and still is today, combining folksy and industry stories with listeners, and flailing away at those who take the busines of "sports-talk radio" so seriously. Radnich has been at KNBR since 1992 and just celebrated his 16th anniversary. He's the undisputed king of Bay Area media, although his TV station, KRON, is in financial dire straits and Radnich openly make jokes on-air about it's diminishing viability.

Radnich is still funny, still commands decent ratings during his time slot, and in fact, is simulcast on Comcast cable TV, but lately his show has become stale and fairly predictable. To counter that industry buzz locally, his show has begun to involve high-profile interviews at various parts of the program; some have been insightful, (his 20 minutes with SF Giants pitcher, Barry Zito, among them) but many others have been relative swings and misses, (a rather mundane, uninspiring session with Golden State Warriors Pres. Robert Rowell)

Radnich owes a large part of his radio popularity to Tony Bruno, an ESPN, Sporting News, Fox and, now, a syndicated host of sports radio's "Into the Night", based in Los Angeles. Bruno does a daily 30-minute bit with Radnich that borders on everything from sports to the "best Jewish deli's in LA", rarely, if ever, does the segment center on sports, but is nevertheless very funny for the most part and the jewel of Radnich's portfolio.

KNBR's morning show has been met with relative disdain from critics and listeners alike; including me, with it's abundant reliance on countless sound bites, or "drops", as they are refered to in the business, but writer-turned radio performer Brian Murphy and partner Paulie "Mac" have solidified their postion, worked out the kinks and put on a fairly respectable, if not spectacular, early morning summation of the days events.

KNBR loses it grip at mid-day with "Fitz and Brooks", hosted by Warriors broadcaster Bob Fitzgerald and Rod Brooks, who is the sideline reporter for the SF 49ers. Both go heavy on their own opinions, which is okay and laudable, but overbearing "jokes" and incessant laughter from their own verbal jousting are at times, unlistenable and the ratings prove it.

KNBR's strongest position in the market is the late afternoon duo of "The Razor and 'Mr. T", with Ralph Barbieri and ex-NBA player Tom Tolbert. Both are solid, if a bit overly "non-sports" in thier act, relying heavily on sophomoric, tabloid mishmash from the internet. Barbieri's strongest point is interviewing sports figures; at times his "in-your-face", nonstop grating over the interviewee can be the audio equivilent of scratching a chalkboard, but overall, Barbieri is entertaining and partner Tom Tolbert's effusive "Ed McMahon" to Barbieri is "good radio".

KNBR's problems are more internal than external. The station has the very best and most desirable position on the dial, and at 50,000 watts, at night, and in the early morning can be heard all the way from Alaska down to Mexico.

The station needs to broaden it's agenda. It claims to be the "Sports Leader", but does not have one reporter covering the Oakland A's and the Oakland Raiders. To be fair, KNBR is not alone in that department, given the state of the economy, but when you tell your listeners that they should tune in when sports happen, you should at least employ an individual that would report on other teams in the market that aren't a part of your network. Just ask WFAN in NY, which does not broadcast the Yankees, but still gives ample air time to the region's #1 sports entity.


KNBR's best and most entertaining talent is at night, Damon Bruce, who came to KNBR in October 2005. Bruce is funny, hysterical at times, knows his sports very well, and often peppers his audience with clever, insightful, and humorous bits delving into SF's various sporting temas with an often hilarious take, and without the aid of overused, annoying sound drops that are prevelant on the station. Bruce's amalgam of the few drops he uses, like an older woman barking, "pound it, pound it, pound it" and his signiture "Oh-Yoy-Yoy" are some of the most entertaining and belly-laughing moments in Bay Area radio. It is widely rumored and known in Bay Area sports posting internet forums that Bruce is the eventual heir to Radnich's 9-Noon time-slot.

One can only hope that development is not far off the radio radar.

KNBR's overall product is pretty good, but it needs to enact a little housecleaning before long, because, as one of it's hosts likes to say ad infinitum: "You gotta read the room". Indeed you do.