The following e-mail is from a reader, (Jamie) who received this response back from the "Just Remnants" and "Burgermeister" company.
Dear Jamie:
RE: KGO
Thank you so much for writing and I guess taking a look at the Gene
Burns/KGO page on our website. We are just as shocked as you and just as
upset. I am the advertising agency for both Just Remnants and Burgermeister.
All advertising on KGO for both clients was suspended at 9:00 am this
morning.
I was one of the first advertisers to recognize the genius of Gene Burns
some 16 years ago.
I am heartbroken after a 37 year relationship with KGO and a 50 + year
relationship with Mickey Luckoff and a 16 year personal relationship with
Gene.
Regards,
Jerry
Jerry Jacob+Companies
Just Remnants --Burgermeister
9 Sierra Circle
San Rafael, California 94901
UPDATE 7: 12 PST: Two more companies: Rector Porshe Audi and Airport Home Appliance have pulled their ads.
This must be a nightmare for Sales. They were already dealing with declining listenership, which probably put pressure on rates. Now this! At least a few advertisers jumping ship, and, needless to say, no rush by prospective advertisers to get on board. What new advertiser wants to sign up with all the negative buzz? Want talk radio demos? Tough. Want all news demos? KCBS. JW
ReplyDeleteI don't think the "Dickies" are all that bright.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I'm been able to gather so far, they inherited a lot of money from their father, and kept it in the family. Pushing conservative causes, they gobble up and destroy media organizations.
This nefarious plot was bound to fail. I figure the Dickies realize the gravity of their error, right about now.
This is really interesting. Generally before stations "tinker" with the format they at least talk to the advertisers. It seems they've been handled like the staff.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. Typically stations treat the advertisers better than the staff.
Phil Brown
@7:19pm, interesting information. So the Dickies are trying their best to become the Koch brothers lite?
ReplyDeleteI have a bottle of Champagne ready to pop when I read that Steve Moskowitz has pulled all his ad $'s away from KGO, KSFO and KNBR. Come on Steve! Step up baby!
ReplyDeleteHey Guys! Something we use to do at a radio station I worked at....we would blow up the other guys phones! Call into the radio station in mass...tell the screamer you want to talk about whatever the actual topic is. When you get on, rand about what Cumulus did, wanting the old KGO back, etc. They only have 21 seconds of, "dump,"...if they dump out of two or 3 of you, the next person will get on air until the "dump" rebuilds...about 5 minutes. We'll get on and be able to rant, or the host won't be able to take calls. CALL IN NOW!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnybody want to inform Ed Schultz(MSNBC) and Keith Oberman (Current TV) about this nefarious action?!
ReplyDeleteJust remember everybody, i hear the buzz from people, that Spencer Hughes, is the Dickies bitch!
I have been reading peoples posts from businesses who advertise on KGO... They didn't share any of this with them.. the bread and butter of the business... "Advertising $dollars". KGO management has stated as their prime motivation for this "putsch" was... Ratings. "Ratings" are a means to ascertain how much they can charge for advertising and to entice new businesses to advertise on the radio station... So, would one assume that the advertisers are very important? Wouldn't it be foolish to anger them? but NOT informing them of such radical changes to the programming and format of a station would be counter intuitive, wouldn't it?...(An Email from Zerorez, A KGO Sponsor... "We learned of the changes at KGO when everyone else did. Shocking how cavalier they have been. No warning to the employees, advertisers etc.") Well, I think it's NOT about the money and ratings and advertising... it is about The Right Wing.. controlling the media, they are worried about the upcoming Presidential Elections. ( because of the upcoming elections KGO would be the one place where ratings would go up? wouldn't it?) We the people of the West Coast of the US are a bastion of progressive thinking.. We had this station KGO which encouraged dialogue on both sides of the political spectrum... And The Agents of the Right have silenced it... Or so they think!!
ReplyDeleteInstead of listening to my favorite John Rothman, here I am listening to Whitley Strieber. In less than 5 days I went from hearing presidential politics to hearing a guy who got fondled by extraterrestrials. Rot in hell Dickey Bros. Your father is turning over in his grave.
ReplyDeleteAdd System Pavers to the list: http://www.facebook.com/systempavers/posts/10150495233266031
ReplyDeleteWhen someone blows a deal, the new saying will be "they pulled a Dickey."
ReplyDeleteNot a conspiracy of politics this is business. Again pool your money and buy the station or a station. Higher your has beens and then find the advertisers to offset all the costs. It will not happen.
ReplyDeleteI do not see anyone here with millions to do this or should I say the connections to pull this together.
Really kids...everyday you wait to rally or whatever the farther this is in the rear view mirror. If you have not learned a thing here we as Americans are quick to forget and move on.
If you really want this to be changed then get your fat lazy butts out in front of KGO tomorrow. Not a week from now or two weeks or even two days...but do it tomorrow.
I have seen so much whining here I am just amazed. For supposed intelligent people you sit here and whine and bitch and moan and do nothing and I mean absolutely nothing to affect change. You have not bought from advertisers, you have not boycotted those that are here enough to get them to pull the plug on ads.
So do it get out there and occupy KGO or shut up!
It's a radio station.
ReplyDeleteThis is bullshit. They're just repeating the same produced news story every two hours.
ReplyDeleteDamn you KGO!!!
Burgermeister? I thought that beer went out of business years ago along with Falstaff and Lucky Lager.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why you folks think there are political overtones to what Cumulus did. They kept Stacy Taylor, Path Thurston, and Karel, and fired Wattenburg. These are not the actions of someone trying to silence liberal voices and replace them with conservative ones. The political conspiracy theory sounds nice but just isn't supported by the evidence.
ReplyDeletei posited an absurd conspiracy theory...but to think cumulus had marching orders to destroy kgo before the election is truly absurd....no matter what, a republican will never win in cali...and not northern cali
ReplyDeleteno...it may just be that cumulus is the most incompetent corporation on god's green earth
Agents of the right? LOL
ReplyDeleteNo sense there. Dr. Bill was kicked too. What does that tell ya?
I hear LUCKY LAGER AND REGAL SELECT are NEXT
ReplyDeleteThey replaced Dr.Bill with right-winger Spencer Hughes, who's show is just gawd awful.
ReplyDeleteI didn't like how Dr.Bill treats some of his caller but his show was somewhat interesting if he just stuck to the science stuff and kept politics out of it.
Burger Meister is a gourmet hamburger restaurant you dolts.
ReplyDeleteJust Remnants bailed? Fools.
ReplyDeleteThey're missing out on terrific "Synergy" with the New KGO by becoming their new slogan: KGO 810 - Just Remnants
My feeling is that this is a temporary cost-cutting move to avoid having to renegotiate contracts, fire some aging talent while keeping other aging talent, etc. One clean swoop. Done.
ReplyDeleteIt may also signal the transition to the strange world of Red Eye Radio talking about a porn star in a Home Depot attracting all kinds of attention. Yeah! That's a KGO News headline grabber.
Or, get this, let's talk about paranormal. What, is Alex Jones next? Are we gonna get special reports from Area 51? And is the Denver International Airport really a secret hiding place for the conspiracy nut-theorists' New World Order?
Do you think listeners care about a pompous so-called conservative with six children who puts walnuts on a salad and it fills him up, so fat, poor kids should do the same, without mentioning that in many poor areas, people don't have access to the same Marin County supermarkets every mile or two in urbanized areas.
Are you kidding me, KGO?
As for you Karel and Coleman, I've lost all respect for you, and Thurston isn't far behind.
As for the news, you've got to be kidding. The "newscasters" so often mix their opinions in with news as to make it a semi-talk show.
Add to that the right-wing propagandist report otherwise known as The Wall Street Journal, and there you have the transition.
I can't believe that more of you didn't see this coming. With the emphasis on news, the constant break-in "for news" during the talk segments, and the combo of "news" and commercials sometimes totaling up to nine minutes of air time during talk shows, and you are all surprised? Really?
As a media professional, I told my wife that when they increased the news, they were up to something. It was obvious for those who have seen how these things transpire.
When you read the SEC filing on Cumulus (which I see Rich followed up on, thank you), you'll see the more cost-cutting, the fatter the Dickies' paycheck.
Given this has happened at Cumulus stations all across the nation, you are surprised? Radio people are surprised? Really? You didn't see this coming when Cumulus was axing longtime talent at so many other stations, even though they were somewhat different formats? Google "Cumulus" "Cumulus cuts" or some derivative of those.
The only question is this: Will they bring the Islamophobe Brian Sussman to KGO and add a blend of (nutty) conservative and "liberal" talk shows as a hybrid after they give it enough time so they aren't sued for unfair labor practices and other misdeeds?
KSFO would love to have KGO's reach. Just in time for the elections, too. Six months is an eternity in the radio business. "Oh, sorry, we made a mistake. We're going back to talk _ partly because our advertisers, except for banks and other rip-off artists, have left us; however, we've decided to bring in new (MUCH less expensive talent) who will focus less on the banking interests that have financed our (Cumulus') rise to power and destruction. We want more bank-friendly hosts, like Ronn Owens, until the son-of-a-gun's contract expires, and then the schmuck can sun himself the beaches surrounding Sea Cliff."
If all the "talents" at KNBR were let go,it wouldnt cause a ripple. Makes my point that the NEO NAZI sports station is Lew's toy.
ReplyDeleteIgnorant move. An agency should not place a buy based on emotions but rather price and payoff. If you like something and the nobody is getting or acting on the message that is a waste of money.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a Santa Cruz station is willing to pick up some KGO hosts. We'll see.
ReplyDeletehttp://scottsvalley.patch.com/articles/with-kgo-am-talk-format-gone-santa-cruz-ksco-am-hopes-to-pick-up-the-pieces-719382cc
"You have not bought from advertisers...."
ReplyDeleteLike hell I haven't. I've done quite a bit of business with the likes of C Crane, Absolutely Fresh Flowers, Just Remnants, New Pane, Science News etc and I make damn sure I tell them I'm buying because I heard about them on Dr Bill's Open Line. And I'm not boycotting small business people trying to make a living. I'll take the high road. I buy from the advertisers that support the programs I like. Hence I smile at the Sleep Train store on my way to Mancini's.
I've also put in my two cents on the many worthy causes Bill has presented to us over the years. You didn't hear anyone else fighting for the Tongas Nat'l Forest or to get rid of the MBTE, and we are still stuck with the CARB clowns that screwed us over umpteen times. Talk radio abounds with posers with opinions about science based matters but without the credibility or facts to back those opinions up. Karel is one of the worst.
Ronn has to do the right thing when he returns and resign at this point. Save face Ronn.
ReplyDelete8:24 AM. If you're a media professional, it's got to be for a "media" like comic books or hand bills. You ooze conspiracy, right wingers & secret agendas. This isn't about politics it's all about business; Cumulus is a cheap, bottom feeding company. If they wanted a conservative agenda why not just put Rush on the 50K blow torch right now? Why keep Copeland & Karel yet fire Dr Bill? Isn't this that time of the week for you to jump on your bicycle & head off for some medical marijuana anyway?
ReplyDeleteRon isn't going to quit, he makes too much money and admitted it on his Friday show. Oh yeah and he caught himself and threw in that he loved his listeners. What a guy. Mattress Boy.
ReplyDeleteJust heard Amici's Pizza won't renew their ad contract...
ReplyDeleteWhy all of the yelling about conservative this and liberal that? The 'bottom line' here is simply that...the BOTTOM LINE.
ReplyDeleteThat's all Cumulus cares about. Serving the public? FORGET ABOUT IT!
If Cumulus stations could get ratings out of some show such as the 'Mao Ze Tung' hour (remember Paddy Cheyefsky's 'Network'?) you don't think they'd consider it?
Lew Dickey is a symptom of all that has gone wrong in our US media.
The 'Dickhead' is a venal, egotistical, short-sided, ignorant ugly American who gives this country and corporate America a bad name!
And if you haven't figured that Dickey and Cumulitis will continue to ravage our radio waves, (he and his minions downsized KNBR five years ago). then you're not paying much attention my friends!
I know that Business Wire, NBC Bay Area, and bizjournal.com all covered the Amicis-Pizza-Opening-Store-in-Shanghai-China story on Tuesday...
ReplyDeleteBut it was just a LITTLE unnerving (and unjournalistic) to hear a LENGTHY live interview on KGO "news" today, given Amicis' status as a long-time sponsor at KGO and sister Cumulus station KNBR.
http://kgoradio.com/Article.asp?id=1217709&spid=3208
This makes things even more challenging with the "new" KGO:
- "Is it NEWS?"
- "Is it ENTERTAINMENT?"
- "Is it a commercial DISGUISED as news!?!?!"
/s/ P.O.'ed in Walnut Creek
12:39 AM. Good point,no way was it news. Rather something that likely came down from sales, hey
ReplyDeleteplug these guys, they are spending xxx dollars this month on our stations.
What we really need to do is go after all the sponsers that are left and remind them they havnt an audience. Once they are gone, they will realize the criminal act. Oh how I wish Disney did not let go of ABC radio...
ReplyDeleteBad move but they don't care. After 25 years my wife and I will not listen at all anymore.
ReplyDeleteHUGE MISTAKE there KGO. I will no longer listen to your station. Period. End of story. I have listened to your station almost 24/7 for 12 years. My favorite is Gene Burns. I also listened to Ronn, Len, Gil, Bill and hell, even Karel on weekends. You have completely destroyed the soul of KGO. There's no reason to even turn you on... if I want non-stop news, there's plenty of BETTER places to go... but when it come's to intelligent conversation you were a standout. Sadly, no more. I'm sorry Cumulus took you over and gutted what was once a proud station. Perhaps you needed a tweak or two, but to gut the station, very bad move on your part. So long, KGO. There's no reason to listen.
ReplyDelete