Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Cumulus puts Cameras inside KNBR Conference Room

Late last year I told you that Cumulus had installed cameras inside its sales offices at 55 Hawthorne; maybe that's why the board ops are miserable and 11-dollar-an-hour producers have to baby-sit petulant egos like the insufferable geezer and his betting fool from 9-Noon.

Cumulus hasn't stopped there.

They're now informing their gullible KNBR guppies that they're being spied on in the lunch  conference room. Here's what the sign reads:

Please be advised that the 10th floor conference room is equipped with a camera that can be accessed remotely from Cumulus’ corporate office in Atlanta, GA at any time...Accordingly, please be aware that the conference room is subject to visual and audio monitoring at all times, with or without prior notice to room occupants.”


Uh, maybe someone can call a loyah?

I believe that the operative word is "privacy." Can the local guppies put up with such blatant and demeaning acts like this boorish crap from Cumulus? Apparently so. I mean, for gods sake, they have to eat. So to hell with little things like cameras and invasion of my life issues.

--By the way, did you know that Giants opening day is a mere
16 days and counting?

--Garry and Larry not only thanked Warriors boss, Joe Lacob, on the air, but privately expressed multiple handshakes and "a debt of gratitude" for "having the guts" to come here under "such extraordinary circumstances."


--Reportedly, Raddy and Krueger were so proud of their efforts, they made it a point of telling in-house publicists to get the word out on the Lacob kissfest on Tuesday.

--KNBR and the Warriors are clients. The Warriors broadcast on Knibber and W's PBP man, Tim Roye, (who never mentioned the boofest on the air after the game) is a paid employee of the Warriors.

--Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, also a client of the Warriors, was late to the game on Boogate. Outside of a Ray Ratto shortie on its website, the Comcast minions paid little attention to the boo festival at Oracle Monday night.

--This all should be a warning to you educated fans that they care more about their CLIENTS. As they should. Until news actually happens, even unsavory news that makes the national mast and then they have to bury their relationship and actually have to report real news that won't necessarily make the clients happy.

But, well, crap happens.

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Gary Radnich and Larry Krueger



*Cumulus
*KNBR
*Atlanta
*San Francisco
*Golden State Warriors
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**Tips/Inter-office E-mails: Rich.Lieberman@Gmail.com




24 comments:

  1. It doesnt take long to hear Krueger say stupid things. On Sean Paytons suspension? Krueger "I cant beleive you can do that!..where's the proof? where's the stats?"..I guess Larry didn't hear that Payton confessed? The Saints admitted to the bountys?

    btw-Kruger just read some stats on how the Saints led the NFL in flagrant fouls,etc. NO,Larry didnt say he was wrong...

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  2. Lew Dickey denied that spy cameras are installed for corporate managers to monitor sales floors and break rooms. But this was flat out lie, as you report. They installed web cams in the market I worked in previously so they could make sure everyone was on task from Atlanta.

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  3. Dear Cumulus, please explain how this is good for morale and productivity.

    If I worked for Cumulus, I wouldn't eat in the office.

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    1. Dear Anonymous - 11:11

      We frankly don't care wbout good for morale and productivity. We care only about: The Red Eye All Night Truckers Funfest Show, Geraldo, Huckabee and a way to do pre-recorded play-by-play like ESPN Classic so we can vest ourselves of these bozos we have to pay at KNBR. Truthfully - tough shit. Stay out of our 10th Floor Conference Room. It's for CONFERENCES you twit, not for eating (go to a fast food place) or for screwing in. And starting Monday, the floors will only be vacuumed 2 times a week with a robot vac. We fired the janitorial service today. That'll teach you morons to drop in the ratings! Now, back to your slovenly hopeless low paying job or you'll be pulling oars to keep the power running on KGO next! We've got our eye's and ears on you. "You lookin' at me?" And no covering up the thing where the camera is, or unhooking the mike. We will kick your ass. We are ... Cumulus Media.

      Delete
  4. Aside from D. Bruce, KNBR's opinions are wholesale bought and paid for. And what is up with the over-sensitive Warriors/Giants brass? They can't handle the truth and throw money around to have the fans accept mediocrity. the Giants throw out the one guy that is looking to spend $ to get some bats and the W's continue to drag along in the muck. Then they get the mouthpieces to preach the company line like it's ok. I got news for the bandwagon Giants fans, your window is only open for a short while...think you'll be fine without Prince Fielder? Think again!!!

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  5. Reminds me of the management style at KRON. When Young Broadcasting took over, they took ALL of the plants out of the building. I guess it's common bad management style to suck out the air before they suck out employee souls.

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  6. Does anyone else think that the Razor has lost it? I never have liked the guy, but over the past few months it does not seem like he can follow the callers or guests. Tom is running the interviews. Ralph seems to just butt in with an off topic comment. No more long rambling questions. I am actually starting to feel bad for him.

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    Replies
    1. Agree entirely. He seems really out of it. Barely following what's going on but occasionally interrupts just to try to be part of the conversation and says something unnecessary to try to show he knows something vaguely related to the topic.
      He's never had anything interesting to say and now it's worse and his voice is becoming kind of pathetic.

      Like with your aging parents, it's time to take away the keys!

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  7. Coming soon: Cumulus drones to follow the employees 24/7.

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  8. On the plus side, with those pesky break room cameras, they'll finally know who's been leaving the dirty coffee mugs in the sink and dirtying up the microwave. Small price to pay for Freedom and Privacy!! :) (no. not really)

    What's up with that graphic of Radnich and Krueger? Are they both storing nuts in their cheeks for the winter?

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  9. KGO TV,Doing the news while the fire alarm rages for the first five minutes of the 5pm news.
    How dare public safety interfere with Larry Beil?

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  10. It's my understanding that however creepy it is, cameras are allowed anyplace where there is no expectation of privacy. A lunch room is such a place. And, they also told everyone about it, so nobody is surprised, just demoralized.

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  11. @ 4:12 In California, cameras are permitted but audio interception / survellance is NOT. It may be OK in Georgia, and they may not know that about California. They could get into some BIG TROUBLE if they use audio for ANY reason.

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  12. Cameras in the break room?? Ah, hell. Nothing that a stocking mask and a can of spray paint can't fix.



    As the song says, "Give 'em something to talk about." (in Atlanta)

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  13. That camera in the conf. room has been there for at least 2 or 3 years. It's horrible for morale of course, but it's nothing "new"

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  14. Before posting pictures of Ratsnitch and KKKruger you should warns us. I almost threw up my chicken shwarma. Talk about faces made for radio.

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  15. I once worked at a place w/surveillance cameras in the break room. We used to stop in front of the camera...and scratch our faces with our middle finger (which was formed in the EFF-YOU formation). We were warned by one of the sales lackeys that we could get in trouble. But we didn't care.

    Nobody ever got into trouble. THe camera were unceremoniously shut down by the end of the year...as part of a cost-cutting measure.

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  16. 1) there is No expectation of privacy in the workplace.
    2). Ralph has Parkinson's, you're likely seeing side effects of the disease or the meds he takes to control it.

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  17. I love the pompous, witless post "There is no expectation of privacy in the workplace..."

    What kind of an ASS really believes that cameras contribute to motivation, productivity, loyalty and the bottom line?" What kind of an ASS would make any attempt to justify such flatly juvenile, myopic and purely ego-driven behavior?

    Oh yeah. All the best companies in the world have cameras in break rooms. Well established best practice. Studied at Haas Business School myself...

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  18. Big Corporate is watching YOU. Now shut up and get back to work!

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  19. Yeah, and quit complaining about your lousy pay, long hours, and crummy benefits (if any!) YOU'RE LUCKY TO HAVE A JOB!

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  20. Corporate Amerika is finally catching up with broadcasting. We went through this golf course years ago out there in Industrial America. Wait until the camera's show up in the restrooms, the dope sniffing dogs zero in on your lockers, the random random drug & alcohol testing goons confront you when you walk in the door. Ya'll be good boys and girls now.

    Yes, 7:36, they had better tow the line!!

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  21. They can record audio legally because they have posted a notice that activity will be recorded. If you don't want to be recorded, then don't go in there and do/say anything but employees have been put on notice.

    But any company that has to do this is a sinking ship. What a pathetic corporate practice.

    By the way, I have no ax to grind in any of this because I don't give a damn about KGO radio, before or after the big changes.

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  22. Also, I'd like to know if the most profitable companies in the US conduct this type of surveillance. What a bunch of backwoods hillbillies.

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