I'm often asked what is the "Cumulus game plan here in town with all the firings?" A. I don't think they know, or care for that matter. Philosophical thought and business model doesn't seem to enter their skull socket.
They have battered down the product. They destroyed KGO and buried it into the ground. They're so desperate, they're running ads on Craigslist looking for part-time reporters. Translation: work cheap, be subject to supreme humiliation and get to be on the air! Bring a box lunch too.
The worst thing is that it hasn't reached the bottom. The vets who are just hanging on have resumes floated throughout the city. Only there's limited openings and KCBS and KQED are not hiring.
What you have then is a group of mostly newbies from small markets who sound like shit and are treated as such. With dimwit "managers" who have no broadcast credo, no juice and a crapload of arrogance--why? I mean, dang, you're #16, you're barely hanging on, you have a cume of 409,000 and your accounts are dropping like flies.
Meanwhile, your news dept. morale is in the shitter. Your sales staff, (what's left of it), is busy trying to catch on elsewhere. You've cannibalized KNBR. And KNBR is merely going all-Giants, this-Giants, until a new assist. PD is groomed to take over the bogus dept. A Morning Show that sounds like shit. A Morning News that sounds like shit. Reporters desolate. Potential union issues. Canned the last AM show on KFOG and got a whupping from a respected radio guy, (Morey), and oh, impending litigation from a 66 year-old guy with Parkinson's disease, (Barbieri). What a happy time at 55 Hawthorne.
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"Impending lititgation from a 66 year-old guy with Parkinson's disease, (Barbieri) ..."
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm sure they are losing sleep over Ralph's big lawsuit!
So far it only exists in press releases.
Anyone involved in these things knows if you have a good case, you go ahead and file, you don't waste time with empty threats.
They do have a plan..to ruin the media,to dumb it down so that the wealthy can loot and not be reported. And why Dickey has employed shills who shake in their boots at the idea of being fired everyday.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Dickey knows the quality has sank..but he's cashing in his chips soon anyways. When he retires on the bonuses he gives himself..he's leaving a shell of a corporation.
Let's remind everyone that the Dickies are not self-made men. They inherited their father's empire which they are quickly melting down for their own, evil, personal gain.
Deletepoor nonny.. nonny and law be strangers....a plaintiff in such a case first files a complaint with the EEOC ...and has to wait 180 days for a so-called "right to sue " letter...check it out..YOu can't file a case without that procedural step.
ReplyDeleteNo I'm quite familiar with the law.
DeleteIt is not clear from Ralph and his lawyer what type of legal action they are threatening to take but only state vaguely that "The termination is nothing less than Age Discrimination, Disability Discrimination, Breach of Good Faith And Fair Dealing, and Breach of Contract"
If Ralph in fact is in the type of employment relationship covered by FEHA, Title VII, and the ADEA and they are merely intending to file a discrimination claim (ONE THAT HE IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY TO WIN), then he would have to make an initial filing with either EEOC or DFEH. Otherwise he could file a suit on whatever other basis he and his lawyer chose to come up with today.
Are you suggesting that he's already filed a claim with EEOC and the reason he hasn't filed a lawsuit yet is because he's waiting the 180 days for his right to sue letter?
Ridiculous, if he filed a claim with the EEOC or DFEH, he and his mouthpiece would be holding press conferences to announce the big news.
Ralph has no case. He was fired for cause because he was no longer performing his job. The fact that he is old and sick are merely incidental.
A radio station has no obligation to keep sick old men on the air when they can longer do the work they were hired to do. Otherwise radio and TV would be full of codgering old men and woman who can no longer perform.
Are you suggesting that he ha
Know this sounds far fetched, but, KGO after Owens contract expires goes back to news talk, saying that they are listening to their fans. They then pipe in every B-List syndicated talk show that's available complete with market updates on hog prices. Live, syndicated and if we get around to it, late breaking.
ReplyDeleteWell,it doesn't matter because Ralph and Angelica are trying to force a settlement more then a jury trial. The threat of having KNBR's dirty laundry and how they do business revealed is a powerful weapon. Not to mention a trial would allow Angelica to grill the greedmeister Dickeys,Bunghole the Patton gone wrong of radio, and the nazi weasel Lee Hammer.
ReplyDeleteStan,
DeleteYeah right, Lee Hammer is a nazi weasel. Your fantasies about revealing KNBR's dirty laundry is a figment of your childish imagination. Ralph is dickering about a couple of months salary and nothing more.
ANON810-How funny. In your mind they are going to play patty cakes in court? But then again you think Lee Hammer and Uncle Gary are friends to defend!
DeleteSeeya at the BASG blog...
oH YEAH-Where is all that proof you said that I was wrong? About anything?..lol.
My search for "local" radio landed me at AM 580 KMJ in Fresno. Beside the price of hogs and soy bean futures I get to learn about other issues that affect all California that no SF station ever touches: High Speed Rail and Water.
ReplyDeleteCompared to what has happened in the Bay area, KMJ is about as "local" as it gets with 7 hours M-F of real "local" in AM and PM drive and early evening. If you're nostalgic for real talk radio, try KMJ, it grows on you.
Get ready for more firings, more contracted and syndicated programming, and even less quality than before. It kind of reminds me of what happened to the 49ers after Eddie D and Bill Walsh left the building. Clueless John York and his wife (who could care less about football) m practially ruined the 49ers, and the only reason they're out of the shitter today is because Jed was smart enough to grab Jim Harbaugh when he was available, and promote Trent Baalke,
ReplyDeletewho has quietly turned out to be a real gem, in the front office.
Don't expect any similar resurgence at either one of our once
proud radio stations anytime soon. Now I know why so many people listen to their i-pods instead of the radio.
What happened to Karel?
ReplyDeleteRalph Barbieri has no case in his phony lawsuit. Zero Zip Nada.
ReplyDeleteBarbieri's lawsuit has a snow-ball's chance in hell of succeding.
Ralph how's that gig of yours in Europe coming along?