KGO should hire Barbieri

KGO Radio, fighting for any relevance and trying to reinvigorate itself with new ideas and programming, can make a splash, and they don't even have to pay me for the idea.

They should hire Ralph Barbieri.

Before you fall off the chair and have a forklempta, consider this: hiring "The Razor" makes sense on a lot of fronts. For one, Barbieri's employer, Cumulus, now owns KGO, so he'd be working for the same company. No issues there, (and soon, in the same building too).

Tom Tolbert, who co-hosts with Barbieri on KNBR, (3-7 PM weekdays), can more than handle solo duties. Matter of fact, Tolbert is better alone doing the show, as is Barbieri, who in spite of his own idiosyncrasies, can still pull off the occasional good interview and is more adept at the monologue.

Don't forget, Barbieri once worked at KGO on the weekend doing an overnight news-talk show. While I know he loves sports, I also know he still has a deep passion for politics and pop culture too. That element would suit him more at KGO than at KNBR for obvious reasons.

Some potential obstacles: Barbieri, who recently went public with news that he's battling the early stages of Parkinson's disease, is now negotiating, (through his agent), a contract renewal that is up at the end of the year, (at somewhere near the $250K range, give or take a few thousands).

Most industry people in town expect him to be back, but at a reduced number. Cumulus, (and the real power broker, SF market manager, Bill Bungeroth), may be more flexible and accommodating to Barbieri's future if he were to go over to KGO, which as stated earlier, badly needs a spark. Something. Barbieri isn't Dan Patrick, but he's still a big enough name, locally, that a gig at KGO would help out both parties.

There are a multitude of roadblocks that would make this potential move moot, but given the current state of terrestrial radio, not enough to thwart it either. I asked a prominent local media guy what he thought about this idea: He thought I was nuts, but he also said nothing would surprise him anymore.

KGO is in dire straits. Most of its workers have flooded the market with resumes. They're have already been massive cutbacks, (thanks to Cumulus), and the same foul mood is rife at KNBR too, with rumors of another round of layoffs coming soon.

Barbieri and Tolbert's ratings continue to lead the pack in the afternoon, but have seen recent numbers decline. Not spectacularly, but a mild drop off, yes.

Where would Barbieri be placed? He could follow Ronn Owens and go mid-morning, or better yet, go 2-5 PM and jettison Gil Gross to another slot, (perhaps 7-10 when Gene Burns retires?)

Stay tuned.

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