*Ray Ratto's sports commentaries appeared on the "new 810"--KGO is now sharing content from KNBR, another Cumulus property. Ratto's reports? That'll move the needle.
*I'm sorry, but Peter Finch, KFOG? Who the hell made that call? While your at it, Hosely, maybe you should make a call to Terry McGovern too.
*I
*It's official: AN "OCCUPY KGO" Rally is scheduled for Dec. 15, (Thursday) at 11: 30 AM outside the KGO studios at 900 Front Street.
*Spencer Hughes? Must have pictures.
*KCBS is running new promos touting its 24/7 news brand. Memo to 740 AM: Save your money. Seriously, anyone with a quarter brain will not vanish from 740 to 810.
*Peter Finch? Are you serious? (Yes, they are).
*No, I have not abandoned other news items in the 415. Keep it here for the latest.
*Follow me on Twitter
I noticed the spots on Channel 5 and thought either I am sensitive to the word "All News" or KCBS has really been advertising heavily. Thanks for the clarification! And yes, they are wasting their money. It would be nice to be able to go somewhere on the radio dial to hear someone other than right-wingers talk about the news, both locally and nationally. I'm really missing the conversations.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing: the "new" KGO website is pathetic! Nothing eye-catching, looks like it was put together by a three-year-old. Very sad and a complete turn-off. And what's with the continuous "news" loop? I mistakenly didn't change the station in my car and heard the same stuff from the day before, all in two minutes. What the -- ??? How can Cumulus expect ANYONE to turn into the "new" KGO when there is no there there.
ReplyDeleteThe demise of KGO means Amy Goodman and Democracy Now! for me. Dr. Bill will be on KSCO today. I am no fan of the good doctor due to how he treated callers on KGO, however on KSCO on Tuesday he sounded like the Bill of the pre-9/11 days. Rich, I hope you post a lot over the weekend. Cheers
ReplyDeleteCBS is not wasting their money fortifying their brand with the wider news audience.
ReplyDeleteIts smart. It's a war now. It does not matter objectively what station is better.
KGO kicked up a lot of dust, a lot of people are sampling to hear whats going on at 810. Don't be surprise if their ratings jump this month.
Each side has to bring every resource they have to the fight.
Cumulus is bringing Peter Finch, Andy Rooney er...Ratto, and cheap syndicated news stuff.
At least CBS can actually promote a NEWS product. What would a KGO TV sport say right now?
exactly. CBS should spend even MORE on promotion. Now is not the time to start counting pennies. That's what Cumulus does.
there's another article..Jweekly....about John Rothmann.
ReplyDeleteIf a station who once had strong ratings and now they have suffered, I have no problem in letting go of the underperformers. Its life, I am a sales rep who has been with my company for 12 years, if my numbers go down the tube, it's my employer's right to can me. What makes it so wrong that these ego maniac blowholes get canned too. Maybe the owner is a creep but that is Corp Americia for you.
ReplyDeleteAll the citizens suggesting that KCBS not promote their brand are well meaning, but mistaken. It's called protecting your core assets, and reinforcing the brand. CBS is just being aggressive with their foot on the gas, as KGO is already running TV spots touting their "News & Information" image. Cumulus believes that they can harvest listeners CBS, (especially 25-54) to bring their ranker up & ultimately improve revenue. So far, their staff doesn't seem to be up to the task. Piss poor production values, imaging,anchors out of their element, and the constant giggling of the morning gal are not good signs for success. Believe me, nobody in the radio business likes or even respects the Dickeys. Google the sheer number of lawsuits they have been involved in, as they mistreat their employees,& run down radio properties from coast to coast.
ReplyDeleteRich, you said you hadn't read Ronn's facebook comment. It's been reposted on your site either by the "man"? himself...or one of his loyal followers. Possibly "Radar"...since his comment to it was, "Couldn't have said it better myself". Typical Ronn... hardly any sincerity...more of the whine that we have become so accustomed to in the last 5 years or so. Complaints about "cyber bullying" on his site and other sites. Wonder if Sleep Train has threatened to take away his free mattresses?
ReplyDeleteI hope when he returns that the meat truck is cross ways in the Broadway tunnel!
Somewhere read that Mark Silverman had interviewed several people on his show, including Gavin Newsome.He asked each person about their reaction to the KGO travesty. I wonder what Gavin's response was.
I have a feeling that Jared and all the "powers that be" are scrambling like crazy to get a line up of top drawing guests slated for Ronn's return. It would be nice if some of the "biggies" that 'draw" like Diane, Nancy, Willie could be convinced to delay any guest appearances for a while. Make it hard for him and KGO to do business as usual.
Off topic, but something I have been wondering about. One of Ronn's big things was his Washington DC trip (bet that won't happen again) and how he prided himself on his guests, etc. A few years ago, when Gil's son, Spencer, went to college in Washington, Gil did a few shows from Washington while visiting his son. His shows were far superior to Ronn's...guests and questions asked and interaction. That only happened a few times, and then, even though Gil was going back and fort to DC, no show. I have a feeling that Ronn put pressure on the station not to let Gil do the shows....crimping Ronn's style. I don't think that the cost to the station would have been high to have Gil do the show from there, and he really had more contacts, being in news for so long, than Ronn does, so I don't think getting guests would have been a problem. Ronn's last DC trip was really the pits. Just a thought.
Great, great, great job, Rich!
I miss Owen Spann and Jim Eason. I also miss Dave McElhatton and the show he did on KGO with his wife. What ever happened to Leo Chalino? How about jail boy Bernie Ward? Can't we just go back in time to when KGO's ratings were based on Arbitron diaries? Gosh, I miss travel by train and the telegraph too. Get over it, losers.
ReplyDeleteThink Tricky Dickey or Bill B show up at the KGO holiday party? Eggnog for everyone!
ReplyDeleteSeveral advertisers have withdrawn their ads from KGO. I wrote an email to Sleep Train suggesting that they do the same. Here's their response:
ReplyDelete"Thank you for your comments regarding KGO-AM changing format. We recognize that this change has affected many listeners like you. KGO’s senior management has assured us that they are committed to making the station better. While we do not have control over KGO’s decision, we still support Ronn Owens, Jon Bristo and Jennifer Jones Lee and want them to succeed under the new format. We are forwarding your feedback to KGO’s senior management in the hope that it’s incorporated into their programming decisions. We appreciate your support and wish you the best this Holiday season."
Sleep Train folks: Did you hear KGO management correctly? Did they say "better" or "cheaper"?
They are also running ads done by John Rothmann and Gene Burns. I heard the John Rothmann ad just 5 minutes ago.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't Cumulus just merge KNBR, KGO and KCTC and KFOG. Might as well be more variety - music for 8 hours, then sports for another 8, then news for the last 8. At least it won't sound so dull and monotonous.
ReplyDeleteThe big switch might also be kind to one other former KSRO personality. Word is that Spencer Hughes, who tended often toward nasty on KSRO and loved to diss “liberal bed-wetters,” may be among the syndicated voices the new KGO brings on at night.
ReplyDeleteFrom the Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Dr. Dean Edell all over the NEW kgo
ReplyDeletePaul Hosley better keep resume up to date. Cumulus is advertising for a PD for KGO and KSFO. Was he just brought in to be the hatchet man
ReplyDelete"We appreciate your support and wish you the best this Holiday season."
ReplyDeleteYou're not getting it Trent, I don't support you and won't be buying any mattresses from you.
This idea that KGO is attempting to cultivate a younger audience is plain silliness. What hope does an AM station have of doing that? People under 40 barely know there is an AM dial. Without an FM stick, KGO won't suddenly trend younger, period. Do you think the age of a host, or his content/entertainment value is what matters? Len Tillem is no spring chicken yet his program was #1 and prob. attracted the most diverse age group. We all should realize by now this news format is a stop gap before uber-cheap syndication comes in. To quote Mickey Luckoff (though it was in reference to Citadel) "these are not good people". You can argue till the cows come home about "it's just business" but this is NOT an ethical way to run a business. It is possible to be profitable and have a little integrity. Cumulus opts out of that idea. Our loss.
ReplyDeleteIn 2009, I worked for Cumulus in a different market. They saved themselves from bankruptcy by restructuring their sales commissions. They took away all ad agency accounts from the reps and gave them to one rep, but at a very low commission percentage.
ReplyDeleteThis effectively took thousands of dollars per month away from reps who had, in some cases, spent years cultivating those agency contacts. The company saw agency accounts as "easy money" for the rep and wanted them to hit the streets for local accounts. Nice theory, except with the economy slowing, it was increasing difficult to generate new business. The agency accounts offered a stable amount each month so they could focus on new business.
All of the reps who'd worked at the station for longer than 2-3 years quit because they went from a healthy salary to making less than $30k/yr. It made the company millions, even though they had to spend a bit training new reps who were sucker enough to accept their compensation package. Good for the company, but horrible for the employees.
Then two years later, they spend $2-billion to buy Citadel (and KGO).
Corporate also accused the reps of being slackers after the restructuring, so they installed a web camera that the VP in Atlanta could use to monitor the sales floor. Lew Dickey was questioned about this in a trade magazine, but did not tell the truth.
"All I am saying
ReplyDeleteis give Finch a chance..."
Okay, we get it, he's going to be your "target"...he is somehow the living embodiment of all things wrong with the new KGO, etc., and you'll keep tossing his name out like shorthand for all things wrong with the station.
I ask you to consider he is a seasoned pro who will find his footing and style for the station, and just give him a chance...unless you are just unable to not use needlessly snarky with regard to the guy, which seems to be the case so far...
Is that you again, Lew?? If so, Finch is a hire gone wrong.
ReplyDeleteI do not like the new KGO. I miss Len Tillem very much. As do many of my friends. He is not only informative but also funny. A bit of laughter is always good in a world full of news! I miss Gil and Gene. I still like Ron Owens. I used to listen to KGO during the day. After 12:00 I no longer listen to KGO!
ReplyDelete