Here's a plug for Bay Area broadcaster, Christine Craft, a proven radio talk-show host with a solid background and knowledge of the issues of the day. It's a mystery why even the albatross KGO Radio won't hire her full-time on their weekend schedule. It sure as hell beats this.
Craft, in case you don't know, has been a regular substitute host on KGO for over
Craft is deft and has a very storied body of work. Yes, she's highly opinionated and has a tendency to let you know even if you don't care. She's also, in many broadcast circles, remembered for an historic age discrimination lawsuit, which she won back in the 80's against a Kansas City TV station, ( which a judge subsequently threw out).
When she first started doing the old KGO, I wasn't much of a fan of Craft. Her on-air bits of occasional smarmy 'tude and shortness with intelligent, (and even not so intelligent), callers seemed to border on boorish and smart-alack behavior. Sure, you need to move the show and caller-driven radio isn't my cup of tea, but Craft went overboard. Never mind the fact I always tended to agree with her opinion(s).
Craft has grown on me. She's quite adept at virtually all the topics, although her over-adulation of "critters" tends to wear every now and then. But when it comes to good, solid news-talk, she's clearly one of the best and a damn great interviewer to boot.
It was Craft who happened to be on the mike the night of the tragic shooting massacre, involving Congresswoman, Gabby Giffords. Craft managed to snag a Tuscon-area reporter for a first-rate twenty-minute phone interview which provided much needed information and levity on such a massively horrific day. I can only imagine what it would have been like if one of KGO's current crop of rank amateurs had been broadcasting that evening. God help us.
Craft has a lofty set of credentials--she deserves a decent shot. I'm hoping that the Einsteins over at 900 Front don't perceive her as too old, (something I've heard--what a complete crock if true)--she's interesting to listen to and her law status, (Craft is a Workman's comp attorney), provides her only more ammo needed to get KGO's or someone else's attention.
*Follow me on Twitter
**HELP SUSTAIN 415 MEDIA!: PLEASE DONATE TO KEEP THIS 100% READER-SPONSORED AND INDEPENDENT--CLICK THE PAYPAL ICON. ANY DOLLAR AMOUNT IS APPRECIATED.
*Tips-E-Mail: Rich.Lieberman@Gmail.com
how do you tell how old someone is on radio.. unless they have a feeble voice and antiquated ideas on what is interesting across the board..
ReplyDeletelike the old saying he has a face for radio..
interesting content is just that interesting.. the key is how you play it with what you are ascribing to with a new format...
Beg pardon?
DeleteProbably wouldn't listen. She seems like a hater-- to angry for me.
ReplyDelete"to" angry or not "to" angry...that is the question? too?
DeleteIn any event..thanks for the thoughts, Rich. The picture you used is ten years old. I've sent you another under separate cover. I've been doing fill at KGO for 18 years. My television federal lawsuit was a sex discrimination suit. We won two jury trials in two separate cities. We lost at the 8th circuit and at the U.S. Supreme Court, in response to our writ of certiorari, Justice O'Connor wanted to hear it, but the brethren didn't. I went to law school after that experience and was lucky to work at a law firm that allowed me to take time off to come back to San Francisco and play the KGO wurlitzer.I always consider it frosting on the cake. My experience also includes television stints at KPIX and KQED as well as sports reporting carried by the CBS Television network. And you are right, neither my age, nor my opinions are feeble.....yet.
Christine, I remember you from when you were a news anchor on KEYT channel 3 in Santa Barbara. Then later when I read about your legal travails in Kansas City I was glad you won your initial hearings because I've always hated sexism. Years later I enjoyed listening to your fill-in work at KGO, back when I listened to KGO before the big recent purge. I haven't listened to KGO since, but if I knew that you had a permanent slot there on the weekends I would tune in. Do you still enjoy surfing? Another thing I remember reading in a feature on you from years back. Anyways, best wishes from Ventura County...
DeleteI agree that Christine Craft is a very good broadcaster. I have always enjoyed her shows. The problem is Cumulus. They will never give her a full time gig because of her age. Cumulus wants to bring in newer blood in the hopes of attracting a new audience. It's all a moot point since Cumulus came in and eliminated any reason to listen to KGO, so there you go. Who cares what happens at KGO now? I don't even have a preset for them now.
ReplyDeleteLet's be honest, the previous KGO management wouldn't give her a full-time show either. They gave Pat Thurston a slot that should have gone to Ms Craft. I'd really like to see her get a job at a station that treats their staff with respect and allows hosts to speak their minds. KGO ain't that place.
DeleteI spent part of my Sunday in the kitchen, making pea soup for the upcoming storm days, the room alive with the sound of Pat as she discussed lots of important stuff!
DeleteCouldn't agree more! Christine Craft is the only thing of value left at KGO. Problem is, the idiots in the "Front" office don't know value when it hits them in the face.
ReplyDeleteI am a Christine Craft fan, except when she goes overboard defending dogs that have killed people (two San Francisco cases come to mind.) However she is an excellent talk show host. She has reams of information that other people seem to have missed. Most recently I heard information concerning the S.F. sheriff's case that I didn't hear anywhere else. Last Saturday night was excellent.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I appreciated the former management of KGO, I always felt they had a bias against her (too "uppity"? not deferential enough to men?) and wouldn't hire her. She should have been hired long ago,
You are so right! I cringe when she does her "I love pit bull" stuff, but, hey, that's what good radio hosts do from time to time: provoke the hell out of you! I'll say this, I will stay clear of her front yard! LOL!
DeleteSeriously, Christine Craft can discuss almost any topic with creativity and energy and I'd listen to her over any of the other past and present KGO hosts.
Christine is one of 2 or 3 hosts in the country, besides myself of course, that I would listen to, with any kind of interest. Not as a freak show, or what kind of disingenuous bullshit is gonna come out of her mouth next, or as an annoyance,or as background noise, like most other hosts. But just to see what she has to say.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed listening to Christine Craft for the entirety of her 18 years of fill in work on KGO. I was always impressed by the fact that she would fill in on almost no notice no matter the shift! Plus she was driving in from Sacramento each time. I always thought she should have her own permanent show. She can talk about any issue...political, personal, sociological, and she stays feisty. Consider this: she has energy in her voice. In fact, she has a great radio voice. If I were a guy, I would call it a sexy voice.
ReplyDeleteI wish 910 had a slot for her. KGO seems seriously dead.
Good photograph, but that will not be enough.
ReplyDeleteComes across over the air as too angry and bitter.
Well said. Right on point
DeleteYes indeed Rich, "grown on you", I think she has grown into the job as well. She's the one host they can bring up to full speed without losing face over very poor management decisions - that is if they care. Rebuilding with Christine would be a good start.
ReplyDeleteI listened to Ronn Owens Lite ™ this morning. There is a comfort level listening to benign, innocuous, banter at times. He's got it down. I'm tired of wondering who is on where on what station what time and straining to hear weak signals in the car. No teeth gnashing today about gasoline prices or the mideast. The one constant on the dial, that counts for something.
I agree with much of your opinion on Craft. I too dont like some of her sometimes arogant condisending attitude. I dont share all of her opininis, but she is very intelligent, a good news person, and always has her FACTS in order. She deserves to be a regular host someplace good. She is a quality professional host, Ill listen for sure.
ReplyDeleteLove listening to Christine Craft! We'd give her book to gals whom were coming of age back in the day. Worthwhile reading!
ReplyDeleteNow the nice Christine making pea soup on a Sunday afternoon I would listen to but she seems to take on an angry attitude once she gets in front of the mic. I generally like female talk show hosts, but they have to talk to the everyday woman like me, not just the feminist. She is clearly an intelligent woman. I just wish she wasn't so crusty.
ReplyDeleteWhy on earth would you as an"everday" woman assume that making pea soup confers "niceness" on anyone? What exactly is an "everyday" woman, anyway? Is that a compliment or a diss? Do you mean "everyday" in that she sleeps, eats, brushes her teeth, bathes etc.? Or do you mean "everday" in the definitional sense of ordinary,banal,mundane, conventional and common, to name a few?
DeleteI've never targeted my talk shows towards women and I have no intention of ever doing so. Does your "everyday" woman work?have a profession? want better things for her daughters? go to college or other higher education? listen to talk radio? Who do you think the "everyday" American woman will vote for in 2012, that is if she votes,being so everyday and all. I did love the Sly and the family stone song about "Everyday" people...oh yeah.
Christine Craft is not talented enough for a regular gig. Simple as that.
ReplyDeleteLove her!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy her periodically, but not on a regular basis--too angry (and that has nothing to do with her being a female since I know I'll get that--I am a female), too hostile.
ReplyDeleteI will tell you how she grew on me. During the Kgone Millie I emailed everyone still on the roster and some not Like some of the ya hoos still there. Christine was the only one who responded.. at a time when I am sure responding could mean the worst thing from the 20 to 30 something's there, or so it seemed.
ReplyDeleteWhether or not I agree with her I will always support her and wish her well after that for sure.. I know you pros are cringing at my grammar and English shills.. Sorry just had to post. good luck to her.
PS. have had KGO as a friend from about 1958-59 on... I though in my older years with my new for Xmas CC radio with big warm sound like old tube amp would be there for me and all the others... I feel like a radio zambie... Lost in the dark.... Thanks Rich for all you do too!
My family stopped listening to KGO when they took Stacy off. If Cumulus gave him, Peter B. Collins and Christine regular shifts, we would resume listening, but for now it's KGOne for us, and on to Pacifica radio.
ReplyDeleteNot interested. Obviously, KGO had 18+ years to offer her any number of full time gigs, and they didn't.
ReplyDeleteDo you folks recall when that 6-year-old girl was piloting a super long solo private plane flight, in hopes of breaking some stupid flying record? It was 10 years or so years ago, and the little girl perished. (Died.) It was very tragic, and was the talk of the day.
So here was the Christine Craft take... more or less ... 'she was a strong little girl, a smart little girl, little girls can do as much as little boys, she was going after her passion, her dream, she gauged the risk (with her Dad), so why not?'
So I called her up, and asked her about the age of consent for such dangerous, frivilous acts, how she didn't have the knowledge or maturity to make such a life changing decision, and something which could (and did) cause a loss of life. She defended the girl's and father's decision... until I mentioned that the 6-year old I knew thought he didn't believe in Santa, until I gave him a good argument... so if you're at an age when you still can't ascertain whether Santa exists or not, you shouldn't be undertaking a life-threatening record chase.
My analogy did stop Ms. Craft's illogical stance.
Yes, she does seem negative and shrill, incapable of an even-handed discussion like the beloved Mr. Burns, or even Mr. Mattress Man, or Gil Gross. She is high on the liberal soap box, just like Bernie Ward or Ray T. Not much depth - except for maybe her (liberal) knowledge of the law.
Eighteen years and no regular job at KGO..fortunately I was working either taking care of a dying parent here at home(for 14 of those years) or working full time as a lawyer in a firm in a different city,not moping around waiting for KGO to offer me something I hadn't asked for. It's always been frosting on the rest of the cake o'life. As for the marvelous young pilot who died doing something extraordinary...Bravo.
DeleteTired, ultra-leftist/feminist ideology spewed from a bitter old talk show host. No thank you. We had enough of that garbage from racist Ray-T and that sick pervert Bernie Ward. Good riddance.
ReplyDeleteI loved listening to Christine when she was in Sacramento and was sad when she left. I think that any station not offering her a full time gig is nuts and narrow minded. And if you think she is too old, then what is NBC doing with Andrea Mitchell? I think some of your listeners just do not want to hear the truth and should tune into Fox news instead.
ReplyDeleteJust speaking from Eureka,CA
Sometimes I agree with her and sometimes not, but I had to cringe listening to her recent conclusions from the tragic Connecticut school massacre. Maximum "self defense". No discussion about the gun culture that almost all of these shooters come from. Per Christine, no home should be without a weapon capable of squeezing off many dozens of rounds without needing to reload. More weapons and better weapons for everyone, that's her answer.
ReplyDeleteThe worst thing about Craft as a talk show host is not her oft off-the-wall defenses of the indefensible, e.g., NRA killers, the drone program, and the Bradley Manning prosecution, but her inability to treat respectfully anybody with whom she disagrees.
ReplyDelete