So, Mychael Urban is gone from KNBR weekends. Not that all surprising given the economic state of the biz.
KNBR has been making money with the Giants success, but the bottom line remains the "bottom line" when your corporate parent, Cumulus, is run by a bean counter like Lew Dickey.
I doubt Urban will be the last to leave 55 Hawthorne. Urban was not making the kind of coin that alerts corporate to do a bit of financial cleansing, but just enough to cut because discretionary spending is highly scoped at the Dickey empire.
I was asked by an industry guy "who's next?" Don't know, but don't be surprised if another "prominent" air talent gets the heave-ho. A news guy substituting for a guy who left sounded a bit cranky last night and joked, "maybe I just worked my last show at KNBR." (Be careful what you wish for)
My immediate guess is that Marty Lurie would replace Urban, but I don't know if the modest Lurie can hunker down for extended weekends. There's other names being floated.
Stay tuned.
I would beleive Urban if he tweeted that Lee "Dick Cheney" Hammer told him that he didn't like Urbans show. I would have no idea how Hammer can tell any difference in quality between shows or hosts, as his only real criteria as we all know is too chant the home team,KNBR and always say you love the GM. Sports? and know something about sports is last.
ReplyDeleteI think what we can count on is the biggest sycophants will last longest.
Please, Please, Please let it be Barbierri!
ReplyDeleteWould love to see KNBR boot Bob Fitzgerald, for the second time...know-it-all drives me crazy and gets in the way of Brooks, who is the real deal.
ReplyDeleteBTW, Fish, they will not get rid of Ralph as his numbers drive that station.
BTW, Fish, they will not get rid of Ralph as his numbers drive that station.
ReplyDeletePlease! Had it not been for Tolbert that little no talent poseur would have been canned years ago!
Why do they hang on to Barbieri and Radnich? Those guys are way past their sell-by date. Even me with my stage fright could pump out more energy than Barbieri
ReplyDeleteJust don't let pcon and his evil twin on air.
Ralph has the (or must have) proverbial naked photos of Icons past...Salvatore/Agnew/Krueger. The real pro then was Isabelle Lemon. She was a fabulous fabulous professional but from LH's wrong demographic.
ReplyDeleteBarbieri...3 DUI's while driving his girlie Miata. No women would date him thus test tube Tate was born; Biggest sociopath on the air; thinks he was/is biggest/only 49er/Giant fan;Embarrassed himself with on the air arguement with Rick Barry;Embarrassing pre WS years arguing with Colletti and Sabean; Lately when Tom leaves early and Ralph has 30-45 minutes to fill = he can't get it done...trys to talk for the entire time while running all his sentences together. Embarrassing that he was let in the post game question area of the Post Season; His questions were answered with mock disdain by the ballplayer/manager answering the questions. He once tried to ask two questions during the same post game (Atlanta/Phills/Rangers)
Maybe Rod Brooks how he is on the air is beyond me. He is awfull and maybe because he is the only black minority he remains on the air?
ReplyDeleteTed Robison would be the perfect host as he had done in the past. But proably too busy with all the sports he does. Treats the callers with respect and adds interesting commentary to the subject.
ReplyDeleteSomething the hosts of KNBR lack and does not cheapen the show with sound effects etc too good for knbr show.