I've talked to both Monte Poole and Mark Purdy about their policy of not doing any local radio sports, (they do national shows and Comcast).
They're not enacting this stance purely on money. In fact, all of them are doing OK and not starving. They just want fairness. While some, ("Insiders") writers get a small stipend and others do not, all the guys just want equality. That's the issue here.
Purdy, in fact, has known Radnich for many years and still will do a phono with him on radio. Greg Kihn too. He's just not doing the FM station and other KNBR shows. Ditto Poole, who's only doing Radnich, (KRON only) and no KNBR shows. Both Poole and Purdy do Comcast which pays its guests.
The fact that Cumulus and Entercom, (which owns KNBR and 95.7) don't pay writers should speak volumes. I like the writer's stance and hope someone gets a clue but I won't hold my breath.
As Gene Burns says in one of his many commercials "Do you work for free, I don't work for free?" Monte and Mark, miss the talent but don't cave.
ReplyDeleteI don't why Purdy makes an exception. Either you are or aren't in solidarity.
ReplyDeleteBesides,I always took being an insider as admitting your a company stooge. They never once ever broke a story. It must not be money,but at the same time it's not exactly an honorary title. It's a joke title by now.
It's all KNBR fault-when 95.7 took off it was KNBR that started the threats to writers...and when the writers said they could stop doing 95.7 .. if paid to do so..KNBR gave them an idea of their worth.
When it comes to sports broadcasting and dirty standards its always KNBR as the leader of that.
Bill Bunghole and Lee Hammer -what do you expect?
If it's a repeat guest, like a steady slot, generally there is a small stipend. However, if you're just called upon to give your opinion about a big story, you don't get paid. It's cross publicity for you (the writer) and your paper. Most "guests" on radio don't get paid...it's a way for them to push their column etc and raise their profile. There's nothing new here.
ReplyDeleteThey should all boycott because interiews with writers are fucking boring. Its gotten to the point to where the 'writer' of the story gets more attention than the acutal story. Nobody wants to hear from short,fat, self riteous losers
ReplyDeleteIs Damon Bruce still doing KGO? He didn't mention it today and he's not on their website. Or is off for the holiday weekend?
ReplyDelete"occupy" writers - fight for the 99%
ReplyDeleteAlso as Purdy breaks rank...doesn't he feel like HE would be getting the Larry Krueger reems Lowell Cohn attack if he didnt do the Radnich show for free? No doubt at all Radnich doesnt let Krueger mock and belittle Cohn for that long length of time if Lowell Cohn was going to be a guest on Friday. And Radnich just grinned and smiled and enjoyed Kruegers rip.
ReplyDeleteSeems like Radnich showed his true colors.
WAIT !! "Journalists" interviewing other "journalists". Is this supposed to be something special? Not to me or most of those I have discussed this subject.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, Bay Area radio & TV "journalists" constantly have on their programs other "journalsts". The listeners want to hear interviews with coaches, players, team GMs, Presidents, Owners, etc.
Who cares about one journalist's opinion versus another's?
It's not like we don't lack sports teams (Pro's, colleges and high schools).
And then these other "journalists" expect to be PAID for this special interview and now there is a debate of this issue is totally absurd!!
I agree w/ Nov 23, 2:49PM ... "Nobody wants to hear from short,fat, self riteous losers..."
That says it all!
The reason journalists are interviewed, many players are dumber than door nails and often say NOTHING. Their sound bites are best for sportscasts and post-game shows, nothing more. Yeah while it sounds lazy, it's actually better insight to hear from certain, but not all media members
ReplyDeleteSo many writers are doing radio and TV these days because their own papers are cutting back and firing people left and right Look at what Dean Singleton has done to the Bay Area newsgroup (I.E. the CC Times, SJ Merc, Marin IJ and Oakland Trib) He's basically emasculated four once outstanding newspapers because he claims readership is down, money isn't there, and people don't read anymore. The real truth is that he's worried about his investments because the shareholders are getting more and more restless.
ReplyDeleteBut that's only partially true. Newspapers have gone from respectable to
thin and weak because they'e consolidated (much like radio) and are not making the huge scads of money they did as recently as the 1990s.
Shareholders are not happy when their investment is bringing in only 5 percent instead of the 20 percent it was once bringing in. But in today's business world, a 5 percent profit is still pretty darn good .
The attitude of these modern day robber barons however is:
'Who cares about the public, who cares about the staff, the writers, the only thing that
matters is the bottom line.' It all reminds me of something that infamous robber-=baron Cornelius Vanderbilt said back in the 1880s when he was asked why his railroads weren't serving the public adequately enough: "The public be damned!"
Writers are merely trying to hang on to any kind of a job. Look at Comcast Sportsnet with Matt Maiocca (who does a very good job)
Paul Gutierrez (who is so-so but has a nice camera prescense like his wife Amy G.) and Matt Steinmetz (who wisely left the CC Times when he read the handwriting on the wall). Mychal Urban has also tried the electronic media, and I don't think he does a half bad job, but he obviously pisses off people, otherwise why would he be fired by both
KNBR and then later Comcast?
To all of these folks I say: "Good luck" because like almost anyone who works in the 'traditional' media these days, the opportunities are fewer in number and the pay is certainly much more modest than before.