"Yeah, what would I do? I love my job." Owens is signed through 2013 at KGO and there's no reason to suspect anything otherwise, but...
**Several radio people tell me that Owens is all but out the door, given the fact that his longtime friend, Mickey Luckoff, is no loneger at KGO. Sure, Owens and Luckoff clashed, but it was Luckoff who hired Owens from Atlanta thirty-five years ago, (Owens began his KGO tenure in November, 1975) and both were considered KGO stalwarts.
**After thirty-five years and nearing his mid 60's, armed with numerous radio awards, (including the prestigious Marconi), Owens would retire. Sounds fairly reasonable, but he's still at the top of his game, maintains top five ratings, and still makes a ton of money for KGO.
**Citadel could offer him a buyout and move forward, right? There are those who insist Owens wants to pack it in and might be receptive to taking an offer from Farid and company. (He makes a shade over a million) I can't see Citadel going here, but I wouldn't be shocked.
**Another person familiar with the goings-on at KGO says now that Luckoff is gone, and others surely soon to follow, Owens staying there another three years is "extremely unlikely." There's other issues too, some a little personal, but for now, let's take him for his word.
I can't see this egomaniac just dropping out and retiring. He admits he has a huge ego, what would he do without a show and an audience? I do agree, it is very unlikely he will stay 3 years after what has transpired recently. KGO must be a tough place to go to work on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteShooting from the hip here, but am guessing that Ronn accounts for a third of the station's revenue and an even greater share of cash flow. I'll bet Ronn knows the actual metrics. Citadel may wince at Ronn's high-end contract and ego, but buying him out would seem like a self-inflicted wound.
ReplyDeleteWithout Ronn in the AM - what voice of reason am I going to listen to? The guy is just about the most fair person on the radio today - a bit left of center but a definite welcome in the face of the far left and far right.
ReplyDeleteHey - does anyone actually like the know-it-all Dr. Bill Watenberg? I guess because he has a PhD, he thinks he knows it all and everyone else is stupid. Well Dr. Bill - I listen KGO nearly every evening but make it a point to listen to something else (passing gas would be more enlightening to listening to you).
> KGO must be a tough place to go to work on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen evidence of this? I've been through 900 Front Street, and there is as much (if not more) camaraderie there as I've at any radio station. Even with cuts, there's a big, talented and spirited staff working there.
The station keeps getting bashed, and it's still world-class. There are DOZENS of stations in the Bay Area that would love to have KGO's "problems."
Owens "top of his game"? Sorry, he was very good at one time but then thought he could go national, his shows sucked, stuck to to this market exclusively but the damage was done. His show has been getting worse since. At 9:00 the Bay Area has two guys who mail it in, Owens and Radnich.
ReplyDelete"Hey - does anyone actually like the know-it-all Dr. Bill Watenberg?"
ReplyDeleteDid it ever occur to you that most of Dr Bill's listening audience doesn't think the world begins and ends in the Castro District? The KGO signal does have a broader night time range than Owens does in the morning you know?
And some of us are more interested in how to change the injectors on a Cat D9L C18 ACERT than how to pack a good bong. People in Sand Point, Idaho are interested in different stuff.
His name is spelled Wattenburg, the two Dr's Bill and Savage are about the only thing worth listening to these days.
Dr Bill is a cheerleader for Dianne Feinstein and Harry Reid. And stays silent as Obama has made the economy worse.
ReplyDelete