Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Damon Bruce on KNBR; KRON profitable in 2010?; the Wednesday AM media pulse



In little over an hour, Damon Bruce provided ample reason why he's the best tonsil on KNBR. Its a shame a few others couldn't apply from Bruce' unique and thorough content.

Following the Warriors-Lakers game on Tuesday night, Bruce candidly wondered aloud if he'd get any callers. "This is 'dead-end lately'", volunteered Bruce. It was, yes, again, refreshingly and honest. But the best was yet to come.

He then laid into W's GM Larry Riley, ("I wouldn't trust him picking cantaloupes in the produce section"); made fun of the infamous Daytona 500 hour-plus pothole delay doing a massively hysterical mimic of southern-tongued NASCAR drivers; and rounded out the night with his signature "Tuesday trifecta"; a free-wheeling satire on the Olympics "coolness"--in the background: Vanilla Ice' "Ice, ice baby." Hysterical. I hope this made the podcast.

Bruce can be a royal pain in the tuchas. He often gives the impression that he knows more about everything and everyone in the world. He's also, as I've said on numerous occasions, one of the most creative artists in the biz. And no, he didn't pay me to say that. (I wish) As a matter of fact, we've had run-ins. But that's another matter not worth our time.

That candidness probably cost him doing post-game home games for the Giants, (their loss and ours.) It's one thing to rip, rip, rip...its another to be right and entertaining and matter-of-fact. Bruce gives honest takes. His post-mortems on Don Nelson are jarring, but, given the shill factor at KNBR, (think noon-3 PM,) a literal breath of fresh air.

A little over a year ago, I got a tip that KNBR was "grooming" Bruce for a mid-day gig. I was half-wrong. Turns out the other guy was re-signed, (at a significant paycut,) but look for Bruce to eventually land a more higher-profile time spot.

At least he gives you honest, UNPREDICTABLE and entertaining radio. All without the help of an arrogant, giggling, sidekick; all without self-serving spiels about "taking care of 'your kids and 'your family; and most importantly, without a stable of sycophantic enablers telling you, "you're great!.'"

'Nuff said.

**KRON NEWS:from a court brief: "Young now anticipates that KRON will make a profit of approximately $2 million in 2010," it reads, "a projection that is based upon expenses that are already ‘a known number' from the restructuring process and projected revenues that are ‘rather conservative.'"

Uh, I'll believe it when I see it. Although with all the staff cutbacks, 2998 infomercials, and using interns as weatherpeople, anything's possible.

Most jarring statistic: Young Broadcasting paid $823 million for KRON in 2000. In the BK court document, the station is now worth between $25 and $50 million. Sounds kind of high to me. Probably a good time for more lawn furniture sales from Tennanbaum.

And about due for a few more blond weather chicks. Assuming, of course, the interns haven't cut it.

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