Why do I rail? Because no one else does.
They can continue to destroy radio in this market. They'll be called out.
They can have guinea pigs and robots act as air talent and de-humanize sales departments. Eventually, karma will set in. It always does.
They can marginalize the biz with their total disdain for basic human decency. They can continue to behave like bullies and vaporize community assets with defacto human crushers who act without the slightest bit of tolerance. They'll be called out.
They can reward their little people by passing out SweetJack coupons, but they'll be called out. Even their top dogs whose contracts they, contractually, must honor, will be held to account to look like the spineless souls they are and have always been. And they too will be forever remembered and called out.
I'm not the male Evita and playing Mother Theresa here. I don't need nor ask for any acknowledgement. Haven't you seen how they treat people? Can you not imagine the cameras beaming down on you? Have you not any feeling of disgust as they trample the heart out of a city's once-vibrant radio broadcast scene with all the sensitivity of a wrecking ball? Eventually, someone, something bigger than all of us and someone who's had enough and won't take it anymore will take it personally and then things might get interesting.
They're the cloud people. What a perfect metaphor. Clouds have no heart or soul. They're emotion-free and zombie-like. As I said, how apropos.
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Rich, as much as I'm not a Barbieri fan, I believe the Razor and Angela Alioto may use this thinking that you shared as a basis for their lawsuit against this heartless conglomorate. I absolutely hope for another Alioto win (like the late Joe had against the NFL for the Raiders, regardless of my disdain for the LA-moving result), so that Cumulus gets that karma they deserve. Those other famous faces working as partners with Cumulus - like even the Giants - don't know what they're getting into. Root hard for Ralph v Cumulus, no matter what you think of Barbieri, because this media world needs it and needs it bad!
ReplyDeleteThey ruined KGO in SF and KLOS in L.A.. They have zero long term vision and their stations sound like any generic station anywhere. It's sad that years of culture have been lost/destroyed by these suits.
ReplyDeleteA man with heart who uses his head. Very good. Very true. Greed causes overwhelming stupidity. Simply interview a few white collar skels in federal and state pene.
ReplyDeleteRich,
ReplyDeleteYou can only beat a dead horse so much. You have made your point over and over and the majority of us agree with you but enough is enough. Move on to something else.
Make that over and over and over and over...
DeleteI share your disgust with Cumuless, too, Rich, but I've moved on. I have other things more important to be concerned about than the destruction of KGO. So, it's KQED for me in the mornings and 910 and 960 in the afternoon/evenings.
DeleteRich, thanks for getting the fire going in my belly. It's really ticking me off what is happening to radio in our area. I can barely listen these days. So I guess the question is:
ReplyDeleteCan we get the Telecommunications Act of 1996 amended or repealed?
This legislation was what started the wheel turning wasn't it? I say we start a grassroots effort to get Congress to put limits on how many stations a company may own in a certain area. The act was put forth to increase competition and yet as we watch, our stations are being taken under the restricting wings of only a few giant companies. Is this something that has legs or will Congress never have it?
The Whole World is Watching????
ReplyDeleteSure, the whole world is following Rich Leiberman's blog!!!
It actually hasn't been all that long since the destruction of KGO and the continuous b.s. by Cumulus. For those who think, that enough is enough, imagine if the industry affected was one that you were involved with for years and felt deeply about...imagine that only six months ago that it became clear that the power had shifted to those who don't care about the quality of the industry and the people involved...only the bottom line. We all work for money, but it doesn't mean that some of us don't love our careers. I like talk radio the way it was, but if it was my personal career industry that was getting flushed down the toilet, I'd still be upset 6 months later.
ReplyDeleteAnd there are still new people discovering this blog that might not be aware of what's been happening during the past 6 months. Doesn't hurt to update it and continue to express the outrage. Unless it is kept alive, there is absolutely NO chance that anything will ever change. Silence could just mean a shrug of the shoulders, like "Oh well, that's just business". Most of us continue to be upset and I, personally, am glad that Rich keeps expressing it and lets us know how these changes are affecting the people who still work at the Cumulus stations.
DeleteI agree, lets keep on writing and complaining, 910 am has felt some of the void, but now that Gil Gross is on 5 days a week, I miss John Rothman. Montemayor is not in class with the hosts we use to listen to, nor is that comedian, whatever her name, who is on Sunday night, it is not the subjects the choose, but the way the way they present it.
DeleteGene Burns and John Rothman could make almost any subject interesting. I keep writing KGO and telling them how inferior these hosts are. I don't know if they care, but I can't imagine they enjoy being number 14 or 16 whatever they are now. I think the underestimated the Bay Area audience.
I agree with Rich 1000%, but where were you guys when Clear Channel was doing the same thing to KNEW/KSAN and KABL A/F? The telecommunications act of 1996 is one place to start.. Sue Wilson of the Media Action Center (facebook.com/MediaActionCenter) is taking a tactic that has been gettingv results--challenging the station's licenses via their (not-so) Public Records. I support their actions too.
ReplyDeleteMy little protest: Once an avid listener to KGO, I haven't tuned the station in since the Thursday Night Massacre.
ReplyDeleteKGO is no longer a real radio station; it's a commercial. For The Giants, for iPhone apps, for fake restaurant reviews, etc.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to mention all the Sweet Jack spots that are as commonly found on Cumulus media outlets as shiny green flies are found around piles of fresh horse manure!
DeleteKGO, formerly the best talk franchise in the US, will crumble when Ronnnnnn's (an old affectation) contract is not renewed. Mickey's departure spray-painted the message on all the Front St. walls. When comparing today's product to that of December 2011, one sees that there is not a there there!
ReplyDelete--Bill Bee
Rich - Keep making your point and I find myself believing that terrestrial, local radio is dead. Murdered by the likes of Clear Channel and Cumulus. Repeal the Telecom Act of 96 or bring back ownership restrictions - I'm willing to fight for that and I just fear that the care-less corporate types have attained critical mass: The point where the entities are so powerful that politicians and political beings dare not challenge them.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree with the people who think Rich should move on. I listened to KGO for forty years. Sometimes I agreed, sometimes disagreed, but they were like family. I still miss them very much. I have been mourning the death of newspapers, but at least that came about because of technological advances. KGO and radio were killed by mean men who wanted to do something (make more money, I guess) and there has been very little about it in the media. I am hoping for a long investigative reporting piece, or an expose type book.
ReplyDeleteThe main street media never wanted to touch this topic as it was like "crapping in their own nest!" As for the people that mourn the loss of KGO and I include myself in that category. The Storm Cloud Company could give a red rat's ass if any of us listen anyway as we are outside their target demo.I have no idea how they are going to attract the young demo with the horrible crap they are trying to sell now but as they say "You go girl!"
DeleteThe thing about Cumulus is that they've been in existence for at least 15 years. From the beginning, their business model was to acquire successful radio properties, slash their budgets, and run them lean-and-mean for maximum profit, the listener and product bedamned.
ReplyDeleteSan Francisco was one of the last strongholds of quality radio stations, but Cumulus has been trashing radio markets around the country for a long time. Sadly, Cumulus got their mitts on some of the best properties in the Bay Area through some smart acquisitions (ie, Citadel's complete inability to run a company). Now, they're bringing these stations into line with the rest of their company. Not surprising, but truly sad.
Cumulus may be a complete disgrace when it comes to taking care of their employees (someone will always do it cheaper), treating their listeners with respect (dopes will always listen, especially if we're the only choice), or investing in a quality product (listeners are stupid and will take what they're given), but Cumulus is here to stay. All we can really do is choose to listen to them, and whether to do business with their advertisers.
Lots of analysis and thoughts from listeners. I don't really know much about the radio business, all I know is, that for the 14-16 years I listened to KGO, they were number 1 for most of those years, and it showed. They were connected to the community and thus were able to raise money for different chartities and raised a lot of goodwill in the community. I thought when it came to the radio business ratings determined success. I guess I'm trying to find out if they can make the same or more money by having their ratings drop. I listen when they have a host on I like, Stacy Taylor, Peter B, Pat and Christine depending on subject. I still think that the Bay Area has a lot of intelligent radio fans, that will listen to good radio. It is frustrating to be a consumer that has gotten use to a certain quality product and now the product is gone, and the consumer is helpless, that is what infuriates me, and although I write and complain to KGO no one ever reply's. I just hope I annoy the hell out of them. For all I know they might not even read the negative emails. I imagine that they mostly get negative comments. I suspect that I have a lot of company in being a frustrated listeners. Too bad. I enjoy Gil on 910, Alan Colmes is good, but he get a lot of weird (but not interesting) callers.
ReplyDeleteI miss John Rothman, hopefully 910 will evolve and hire more local host.
They seem to not know what to do with 10 pm to 1 am slot, seems like they are always changing.
i would love to hear rothmann in that 10 to 1 slot. we need him on the air, esp with it being an election year!
ReplyDeleteNow they canned Coast to Coast AM on KSFO, which I've been listening to since the mid 90's. Bummer:(
ReplyDeleteMaybe someone will figure out a way to bring back Coast 2 Coast but filter out George Noory, who could is the worst interviewer, ever. With guests like "Traitor-Man" Jerry Corsi and an assortment of religious fruitcakes, that show has been going down hard since Art Bell left.
Delete