Let me confront the people who accuse me of my "obsession" of KGO and KNBR. They ask me what's going on? I frequently read their wrath of "how dare I concentrate so much on these stations".
I remember the day when KGO was one of the finest radio stations in the country. A true, independent, news-talk giant that has become a half-shell of its former self. Part of that current state can be attributed to the corporate assholes who have taken control of the station, but KGO's free fall began way before the mutants of Cumulus and Citadel reduced them to terrestrial audio nothings bereft of any real ingenuity and only reinforcing the squalid state of commercial radio at its absolute worst.
Let's, for the moment, concentrate on KNBR. This is one of the worst major-market stations in the nation. Another once-great powerhouse with an envious dial position that is both run by powerless, talentless bean counters devoid of any knack for the future and only saved by its steady sports clients like the 49ers, Giants, and to a lesser degree, the Warriors.
The amen corner of 55 Hawthorne and its inside and outside sycophants will point to the business model that's affected the entire state of broadcasting. Bullshit. Have you ever listened to WFAN in NY? KMOX in St. Louis? WGN in Chicago? These are all great all-sports outlets that find a way to keep good content and entertain the masses. They haven't dumbed down the audience. They aren't tied down and 100% beholden to advertisers and their sports clients. Most importantly, they are intensely INDEPENDENT and have been generally successful for years, all the while adapting to present-day realities of the current business state.
In other words, they are so NOT KNBR.
They are not a KNBR which routinely provides almost daily schlock counters on constant whims. A station that uses interns to provide sports updates. A station so corrupt and program-impaired that it uses tout-sheet guys on ITS AIR, (without using a disclaimer to its listeners that the shills bought the time and are advertising).
They do not sign morning bufoons to multi-year deals. They do not hire shills like Bob Shitsgerald, who spouts shamelessly for the team that pays him to shill. They do not allow overly-caffineated morons like Eric Byrnes to scream and yell, but "Byrnesie" was a jock, so maybe he has cred. They do not kowtow to has-beens like Gary Radnich, who long ago lost his lustre and is now kissing the ass of a 40-something, Raiders-hating Sunset dickhead like Larry Krueger, the mother of all retreads.
And then we have KGO, again, now a part of the Cumulus family that has systematically destroyed the foundation of one of the greatest radio stations in the country.
KGO Radio, (and many of its talk-show hosts), used to boast how "great, how independent" a station like KGO was/is. And I agree. Take a listen to most big-market stations these days and you'll get a lot of right-wing radio, a la Limbaugh/Beck/Hannity/Levin. (Wait, I think that line-up already exists on KSFO here in town).
KGO used to carry the cachet of independent voices with a mixed bag of politics, right, left, middle-of-the-road, libertarian, and so on. They didn't have to go schock, utilize a bunch of pointless tips to the new "social media" and try to kowtow to an audience that simply wasn't theirs.
They were successful because they possessed invigorating shows; right, left, center. They had interesting air-talents who didn't talk down to the audience, didn't insult and behave like petulant children. Sure, Jim Eason was a pain in the ass, but he was worth LISTENING to. Ditto Spann, Owens, and yes, even wise-ass Wattenburg, every now and then.
In addition, the news, both the morning and afternoon, was an entertaining potpourri of well-delivered content and actuality mixed with great sports and weather updates. Give me a four-minute, well-written sports update with Joe Starkey any day of the week.
It was, dare I say, INTELLIGENT radio, not a cesspool of garbage punctuated with a shitload of Facebook/Twitter minutiae. I'm not aghast at the onslaught of social media. I've succumbed to it myself because its part of the daily drive, I get it.
But I also get the fact that when its the only facet of your operation, you have problems. Issues too and you can't blame that on corporate fucks like Cumulus. Cumulus doesn't require you hire inane morning women gigglers that scream out, "It's Friday!" and act like utter fools. Corporations don't hire fucking hacks like Karel to try to attract a younger audience. That type of shit reeks of desperation. And KGO now is desperate.
As is KNBR. KSFO too.
I wonder why. Wait, I think I know. You do too, don't you.
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The world is changing. Boo Hoo!
ReplyDeleteA hundred radio stations and just one is conservative. Gimme a break, Richard.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever listened to WFAN in NY? KMOX in St. Louis? WGN in Chicago?.... yes I have - great radio stations??? YOU have got to be kidding....
ReplyDeletenice try Richie boy
Based on your reasoning you should also be "obsessed" with KFRC,KDIA,KYA,(like you say)KSFO,KSAN AND K101.
ReplyDeleteSo, just trying to summarize the above.... "Waah waah waah."
ReplyDeleteI believe we've heard this before.
Gee I remember the 5 cent candy bar. Maybe if I bitch enough they'll bring back the nickel Hershey bar.
ReplyDeleteohhhh...society is changing and I can't handle it. What? you want to go back to before the advent of the Internet when everything was simpler? Rather than faulting KGO for embracing social media, you ought to attack them for having a uniform, dull, host line-up....both of you are tiresome. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
ReplyDeleteAnd why is there so much of Ann Killion on KNBR AND Comcast??? Reading her is fine, listening and watching her is F-ING ANNOYING!!!!
ReplyDeleteWAAAAA! I can't stand Rich complaining about KNBR-WAAAA!,I cant point out he's wrong,so I will post the same insults month after month-Waaaa!Waaa!,Waaa!,
ReplyDeleteSigned,
Bill and Lee and Lew...Waaa!
I haven't listened to KGO in years, and without fail whenever I turn over to 680, they're in a commercial break.
ReplyDeleteCan't say I disagree too much with you Rich. I have even stronger feelings about both places, as many people I've known have worked at both stations, and I've always respected both operations until recent years. And it is a shame what Cumulus these other bloodless, souless companies have done to these once proud stations.
ReplyDeleteBut the majority of people today are so distracted, annoyed, and unable to even sit still and actually listen to five minutes of a radio station because they've been attention-deficeit conditioned, that they wouldn't know the difference between what these stations used to be, and what they are today.
And I hate to bring this up but we only have ourselves to blame for spending so much time embracing nonsensical 'news' and 'trash news' and gossip. Because we have allowed these cretins to trash our media and destroy most credible journalism in this country, we've
created a new generation of lazy, uninterested, and immature fools. America has lost much of its luster in recent years, and much of it is due to allowing private business to bring back what many have called: "the Gilded Age."
We seem to have forgotten that the airwaves
belong to the people, the government, not some private individuals who use them for their own selfish needs.
If anyone thinks that podcasts, the internet, or the social media will ever replace the credibility and spontaneity of radio, they are dreaming. The world is not a better place because of these changes, and most young people today don't listen to the radio anymore. They would rather blot out the world by putting in their ear buds and listening to their i-pods, or spend time staring at tiny screens while they send short, mispelled messages to their friends through texting and tweeting.
KNBR and KGO have unfortunately been taken over by companies that have not had the best interests of radio at heart; these companies look at radio as ATMs, and are not interested one whit in providing public service or credible news to the community.
And as this has been happening, we shouldn't be surprised that the intellectual state of the
public has dropped more than a few points in recent years. It's a sad state of affairs, but there it is!
3:02, well said. Thank you for that.
ReplyDeleteThe younger generation are all too happy to become coppertops for their "mobile devices".
KNBR is a hollow, corrupt SF Giants mouthpiece. Their act is apparent to all but the brainwashed.
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I moved to NorCal four years ago this coming Spring and I thought KGO was worth listening to at that time. I no longer feel that way.
ReplyDeleteYou point about KGO embracing an audience that isn't theirs is spot on. Deidra laid an egg and now it's up to Tricky Dickey to replace her. One would hope he doesn't waste any time.
Taliaferro is finished. There's no room for him in the new organization. I'm wondering if they'll give him a civil send off or just draw the weapon, point and fire. Replace him with Doug Mcintyre, who's a first rate talk host...yes, he's better than Ronn. Way better, I think.
If Brian Sussman isn't looking for a job, he's nuts. Whatever they're paying him, it's too much.
I've also noticed something else. Ronn is starting to move the tiller ideologically and I'm wondering if there isn't pressure coming from corporate in Atlanta. He had Fred Barnes on and then Sam Donaldson, who is a lib but is basically telling laborers we owe money to China and we compete with China so take your nineteen dollars a hour and shut up? Wow! That's pretty heavy for a SF audience.
And if all THAT weren't enough, both political parties appear to be on board for sunsetting of the Federal mortgage interest deduction. There will be thousands of people in the Bay Area who will no longer be able to afford to live here when that goes away...and it's gonna happen. The realtor lobby knows about it and isn't talking. They're scared because it'll change the whole experience of living here. It'll change northern California forever.
WGN is not an all sports outlet. They have the Cubs, Blackhawks, and Northwestern Wildcats, but no sports talk shows. That belongs to WSCR
ReplyDeleteTHE DICKHEAD BROTHERS ARE SATAN INCARNATE! GREEDY,
ReplyDeleteSPINELESS, SHALLOW APOLOGISTS FOR THE REPUBLICANS AND OTHER BIG BUSINESS INTERESTS WHO ARE RUINING A ONCE GREAT COUNTRY. THEY OFF SHORE JOBS, DOWNSIZE THEIR WORK FORCE, AND LOWER THE QUALITY OF SERVICE TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC. HOW MANY BUSINESSES CAN YOU CALL ON THE PHONE AND NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH A LONG ROTATION OF OPTIONS BEFORE YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY TALK TO A HUMAN BEING? 9WHO IS MOST LIKELY IN INDIA!) UNTIL WE STAND UP AND MAKE THESE WHORING CRETINS ACCOUNTABLE, TAX THEIR SORRY HIDES, AND MAKE THEM PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE, WE CAN CONTINUE TO WALLOW IN A DOWNWARD SPIRAL OF MISERY! IT'S UP TO YOU AMERICA!
4:28 - Too bad Ronn doesn't ask Joe Simitian how many of his Palo Alto childhood buddies moved into their parents now million dollar plus homes of 50 years and kept mommy and daddy's pre Prop 13 tax rate. They pay a few hundred bucks a year vs. the neighbors few hundred bucks a month. Too bad Simitian doesn't address the extreme unfairness of that issue as opposed to his continual attempts to extract more money from his pet cell phone law. The hell with the mortgage interest deduction.
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ReplyDeleteDUH! They are the Giants flagship station. That's what flagship stations do. That doesn't make them corrupt - that makes them a business.
I grew up in the Bay Area and went to college in Philly. I promise you AM 610 the WIP is at least as stoney as all of those other east coast and midwest stations you rave about but, guess what, I like KNBR more for a lot of reasons. Don't get your vendetta. Glad I'm back on the west coast.
ReplyDeleteI'm relatively new here and I'm stunned at how bad 680 is. Tom Tolbert is the only interesting host. I never appreciated how intelligent and insightful LA's Petros and Money were until I tried to listen to Radnich. For such an intelligent and nonconformist audience why is 680 so dumb and boring? Cowherd is insightful. Dan Patrick is smart. PTI is funny and smart...I just download podcasts now of my favorite sports programs. too bad
ReplyDeleteJim Dunbar was primarily responsible for bringing the talk radio format to KGO. It was a professional team with actual broadcasters. What a novelty ... not screamers but real broadcasters,
ReplyDeletewith such greats as Owen Spann, Jim Eason, Art Finley, Russ Coughlan, Jazzbeau Collins, Bob Trebor, Jay Snyder, Larry Doyle. The news team was equally stellar: Dunbar and Wygant, Carl Haeberle, Dick Leonard, Lee Schell, Jan Black, Greg Edmonds.
When Dunbar retired, the station began its nosedive. After Wygant departed, the station was a shell of its former greatness. And when Luckoff threw in the towel, the collapse was complete. A real shame.
Totally disagree with you about Larry Krueger.
ReplyDeleteHe knows his stuff and deserves his own show. He got hosed by the terrible manager Felipe Alou and I am glad he is now back on the air. He is way better than Fitz, Radnich, or Byrnes.
I like the part about desperation...that explains KNBR keeping Ralph and Raddy,for keeping Fitz-the Warriors pay his salary on cheapskate Cumulus radio....Murph and Mutley got six year deals..KNBR has to keep its old broken down car/hosts since they cant afford anything good.
ReplyDeleteTHE GAME might be in that same boat with Teirney who's hard accent is grating on the ears..and Dibly might be a coup..but its obvious that Wighty and Kreidler aren't bonding with Dibs youthful sense of humor...But Dibs was the domino that started KNBR' fall..THEGAME knows he has to stay. Their desperate too.
As to KGO. The media environment is changing and no one has figured out where we have to go to keep and hold an audience. These are tough times with fewer staff and more of us doing more. We can clearly see people are spending more time online and away from their radios. What to do? Do we just ignore the new reality or try to figure out where it's taking us? No one has a blueprint of plan, but the only way we'll hit on the new combination is by experimenting. Who will be the next great air talents? You can't know until we try them out. How do we take the best of our news sense and fit it into the new world? We don't know, we won't until we try. Being a critic is helpful. It can say "oh God they really did that!" However, we can't sit still. This is a scary ass time to be a journalist. Most of us thought we'd have the new media world figured out by now and could just focus on the reporting. Unfortunately, no such luck. We'll keep on trying, you keep us honest and somewhere down the road, we'll work it out.
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