The "Press Box", an hour-long sports-radio media program on KTRB, (hosted by Ken Dito,) is no more. The receiver that owns the station, (Comerica) pulled the plug and the last show is April 15.
The show, which consisted largely of sports writers, broadcasters, and the like, began last July.
Last week, KTRB lost radio rights to the Oakland A's to Entercom's 95.7 country station, "The Wolf."
This was a show I looked forward to and hosted by a guy who is in the same class as Bruce McGowan and Hank Greenwall. Ken Dito has the savvy and resume to actually speak in complete sentences and let his callers speak unlike KNBR's plethora of Ralph Barbieri and more recently their mistake in hiring Eric Byrnes. The more I try to listen to Byrnes the more I realize Lee Hammer made a reprensible decision especially when he had Damon Bruce available or even a former KNBR employee - Chris Townsend.
ReplyDeleteSay what you want about FP Santangelo. He spoke in complete sentences and screwed off about 10% compared to Byrnes telling us he went on a 7 mile run near the Embarcadero etc. Byrnes was a decent part time fil in or guest on a two person show but he is BAD. Barbieri has already welcomed Byrnsie by fawning over him and kissing his Coastside behind.
Ken Dito made Extra Sports 860 what is was and I will miss his regulars on the show: Shooty - Bip - Dan Bellomini - Joe Castellanos - Art Spander - Barry Tompkins. His producer "Buster" was also a great guy.
KTRB should be ashamed of themselves.
Now that the receiver has blown the deal with the A's...and...no doubt is not continuing with Stanford...the only thing left to do is flip the switch!
ReplyDeleteToo bad; I enjoyed the show. It was a welcome change from the drivel on KNBR.
ReplyDeleteHow bout Dito & Didley, Ken Dito & Dan Didley. The sound of those two voices could interfere with automatic garage door openers & mobile communication. Didley sounds like a eunuch, Dito like a guy with a mouthful of meatballs stuffed in his kisser. Together they would still outshine those two twits on KNBR in the morning. Monty Stickles would have thrown those two marys right out of 4th floor window in the day.
ReplyDeleteThat's too bad. It was a decent show on a poorly operated station. Dito and Butzner made lemonade out of a pile of lemons
ReplyDeleteIt was a good show. Ken Dito is a class act and a great host. I hope it catches on somewhere else on the dial.
ReplyDeleteI will wait to see if Ken Dito gets another bay area gig. I hope this happens. It is a sad state of sports broadcasting when Radnich is the primary choice. He barely talks sports.
ReplyDeleteWith the new sports format on 95.7, I hope that Ken Dito's Press Box gets picked up or is resurrected to some extent. I enjoyed the show quite a bit, and it was definitely better than what KNBR has to offer in the morning. It's about time that the A's and Sharks have their own home, and not playing second fiddle to the self proclaimed "sports leader".
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