Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Owens responds to My Story, (Via Talkers) and I Respond

Ronn Owens, (as I speculated) dissed my post via Talkers, "denying my, (his) demise." Who said he was in demise? I didn't. I said he "was set to retire" and that's what he told a close friend. A few others too.

Read this lovely quote from Owens:  Owens tells TALKERS there is no truth to the report that his contract will be bought out before it ends on December 31 and the station will replace him with a newsy program.  Owens also tells TALKERS he has no knowledge of Cumulus Media’s plans beyond his contract but says, “Cumulus has been totally nice to me. (Stop the laughing.)

Another lovely Owens quote: "San Francisco is the crown jewel of places to live and whatever happens after December 31 happens.” OK. Fine.


Later in the article, a  personal attack or two, (which I expected). He never directly denies the gist of my initial report. Again, I expected that.

He resorts to the retirement post with this :  "Lieberman’s blog story is 'totally made up.” No Ronn, it isn't. It's from sources and a friend you talked about the subject to yourself.

He didn't say a word about the retirement assertion. Here's the link. He never directly responds. (Humn).

And here's mine:

I said Owens, via sources and friends close to him, was set to retire from KGO when his contract is up. Perhaps earlier, maybe December.

I stand by the story.

As for Owens changing agents, (his original deal was negotiated by Don Buchwald), I'll take the hit for him having a new agent. That, I'll concede.

The story is clear.

Let's indeed wait and see.

33 comments:

  1. My update of the Radnich Show: Nothing. And its been a few days now where nothing controversial has been said. It's not right,unnatural.
    Kathy Lee and Hoda's ratings might see a local bump at this rate.

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  2. Ronnie boy is a liar liar. He's been had! Yes that EGO is mighty BIG...

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  3. I read the Talkers story. It was their headline, not Ronn, who used the word "demise."

    Not that Ronn's salary is any of my business, but I found it interesting that he made a point of saying he does not make "seven figures."

    Ronn is just about the last shred of reason I have for listening to KGO. I've never bought into the criticism of the way Ronn reacted after the layoffs.

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  4. I don't know if Ron can afford to retire. He likes to bet the ponies..

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    1. LOL...He must be on the losing bet.

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    2. Actually, he *used* to be a regular at Golden Gate Fields, but gave up the wagering several years ago.
      Good for him for kicking the gambling habit.

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    3. He mentions frequently about being a former gambler--in fact, it came up just yesterday during the discussion of the replacement refs in the NFL.

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    4. Ronn gambles. Don't believe a word you here on KGO.
      Once a gambler, always a gambler.

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  5. I always figured the only reason he wasnt canned with everyone else was he had an iron clad contract and one it expired he would have his ass in the wind just like everyone else...at least the radio community knows hes a sellout

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  6. Rich. When the gue is gue. I come toooo you for my 415 Media Update

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  7. This whole thing is so absurd.

    Rich is claiming sources close to Ronn intimate he's retiring. Ronn is saying after Dec. 31st, whatever happens happens.

    Ronn doesn't have another job, and it is unlikely he's going to move to another city at this point of his life. What for? 1 or 2 years of radio? That's absurd.

    Therefore, the only jobs he can get are basically in the Bay Area or on Satellite. Satellite is not going to pay him much at all because outside of the Bay Area, where his audience is in decline, he has no cache. The other talk stations can't really afford to pay him what he makes, so unless he decides to do it because he loves it, he has no place to go.

    Rich is predicting what? What we all already know?

    This is the biggest radio non-story in the Bay Area.

    We've learned nothing except Rich's need to be self-important probably in the hopes of increasing his profile for his radio blog-thing, whatever that is.

    I don't have a horse in this race, nor do I care that much because KGO is already dead, but everything that has been reported in the last 48 hours isn't at all newsworthy.

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    1. Ronn has been a Bay Area icon since forever. His era appears to be coming to an end (or not). Tales concerning Ronn's departure are newsworthy, or at least I find them interesting.

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    2. I personally will miss Ronn as I have listened to him for years. I expect he will be leaving KGO and that we will hear from him in some format along the way. I agree with Rich that he did not handle the coup at KGO very well, but no one is perfect and he has more than been a decent guy for years. I'm sure Ronn dislikes Rich due to the extreme venom that Rich has poured out for months. I guess Ronn's handling of that situation pushed a button big time for Rich, but really let's weigh the pros and cons over years. I will miss Ronn when he moves on. I do hate Cumulus, let add.

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  8. I stopped listening to him, after three decades, when he came out in support of Scott Walker's tyrannical attack on Wisconson Public workers and their right to free assembly (into unions). I was sorry to see Dean Edell pressured out, and sorry to see KGO's ultimate collapse from grace, but I have tired of this self described egotist. It may be time for this pony to be put to pasture.

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  9. How's Gene Burns doing these days???

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    1. Pat Thurston is in for Ronn this a.m. (Sept 26) she started her program by giving an up-date on Gene. She saw him awhile back (perhaps a month or so) she said he is improving, is so much better, his speech is better, although not perfect, his mind sharp as ever. She had also spoken to him on the phone just days ago, said his speech is much better on the phone than in person (sounds like at times he has trouble finding the right words). However, she did not say he plans or is ready to return to work soon. Could be because he is on another station, could be he is not, or she just doesen't know.

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  10. Can someone explain to me why a local talk show host/newsreader/sportscaster needs an agent to negotiate their contracts? Info on comparable salaries is available. Be a man, sit across the desk and state your own case.

    Are the egos so grand that they find this process beneath them?

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    1. Ronn will not sit across the table from anyone.
      Ronn has control in the radio booth and nowhere else. Too weak.

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    2. If you are an expert in one area of life, like a talk show host, it makes sense to hire another expect to do what they do best, many professionals do this. When negotiating someone who is not emotionally involved can usually keep a cooler head and accomplish more. Also many successful people have to be careful how the use their time. I'm not always a fan of Ronn's though I often like his show, but I don't fault him for having an agent, it is standard practice in the field

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    3. Ronn: I think I'm worth a million dollars, and that's what I want.

      Boss: We think you're worth half that.

      Ronn: Well, I can see both sides of it. One the one hand...

      Ronn needs an agent.

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  11. Matress Man's interview is hilarious. He is taking a page from politicians by answering/replying to something that was never said. Rich never wrote that Mattress Man would be bought out, he said he would RETIRE after 12/12. Matress Man misrepresents Rich's column and then says Rich is wrong! Take your deflated ego and disappear baby.

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  12. Why does Ron Owens hate you Rich? I don't get it anymore....

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  13. Rich, don't beat yourself up on the Don Buchwald item. Granted David Katz is in fact Owens agent, however the last I knew Katz actually worked for Buchwald.

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  14. The most important item to come out of this story is that Ronn Owens (a guy who pulls an air shift and talks to callers) is making over a MILLION dollars a year and the ratings stink! LEW and JOHN have to shell out that kind of money and not see an ROI? That's f*ckin hilarious!
    Lew Senior must be very proud.
    $1 MILLION DOLLARS a year!

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  15. Cumulus got played? Cumulus played themselves. Operating a station with 4-5 full time on air talents is a lot cheaper than doing news, even if Ronn is making close to a million a year. That's a drop in the bucket to a company like Cumulus, which has been backed my massive private equity.

    Let me break this down for you people who probably miss on some larger picture stuff. I have a friend in the building, and I've worked on the finance side of similar situations.

    Cumulus has decided that News and Sports will pay the bills. Envision they own auto repair shops nationwide. Rather than own shops that repair Hondas, Toyotas, Buicks, Fords, Saabs, BMWs, Mercedes, etc, they've decided they want to fix two types of cars: KIAs and Volvos. They don't want to mess with any other cars. They want to fix two types, and they want to expand their brand across the country fixing those two types.

    When a problem arises at their Volvo location in Houston, back in Atlanta, they know how to fix it. When it happens in San Fran, they know how to fix it. Happens in St. Louis, they know how to fix it. Consistency.

    Even though they can make more fixing other cars, like BMW and Mercedes, they are focusing on two cars because they can measure the consistency of their products, they know their costs/expenses, their problems, etc.

    Yes, they can earn more doing other things, but that will hurt their consistency in paying back their loans, and it will add problems they don't want to deal with, in this case, fluctuating salaries, personality issues, etc Those things are not predictable, and corporate hates unpredictable situations. Even if it is profitable to run one BMW shop in any area where there are many owners, it's not worth it for them to try. They'd rather just get the KIA and Volvo owners to come in. All they want is a piece of the pie, measured out by analysts to perfection. Nothing more, and nothing less.

    This is why KGO does not care about the listener, or the product. Because it's not KGO. It's Cumulus. And it's not San Francisco Cumulus, it's corporate in Atlanta. And it's not Corporate in Atlanta, but private equity, who already crunched the numbers on a business plan the Dickeys provided them. A business plan that had to show consistency, profit margins, and simplicity.

    "You should invest in us because of a, b, and c..." Laid out, with an easy argument.

    Here's your new KGO.

    I don't know much about the ins and out of radio, but I know this: Ronn Owens will not be replaced. The station will be news all the time. They have decided to not have talk programming, so no need to add one now. They will claim that Ronn is the reason the News isn't doing better because he interrupts their product, even if ratings say otherwise (I don't know if they do). That will last until it fails. Probably 2-3 years. People will be fired before then, and new people will come in, modestly raising expenses for the company. Eventually, they will either sell the product, flip it back, or try something new altogether that some outside person/consultant/firm suggests.

    KGO is an average weekly news station with lackluster weekend programming. This is obvious. I've paid attention the last couple of months out of curiosity since I have a friend in the building. No one over there making decisions cares. It's full steam ahead, do your own job until you find a better one. Most of the other employees there are as aware as you the listener, except maybe one or two people. They have no power to do anything.

    Have a great day!

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  16. Great insight. I was wondering if the dollars Cumulus saved in firing or not renewing talk show hosts compensates for lower ratings, lower ad rates and actual advertisers lost. Reading the above, I guess that wouldn't matter.

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    1. I really can't comment on whether or not it does compensate, but my reading of the situation would tell me this:

      Cumulus SF decides there is a finite number of ad dollars in the market for radio. While radio is grabbing a smaller number of listeners, the ad dollars are flowing elsewhere. They have probably assessed what they can live with, and feel that over time, if they can establish themselves, they can grab a certain % of available dollars.

      Right now one has to figure that KNBR and maybe KFOG are supporting the other stations (how many are there?), but that eventually KGO can put a dent in KCBS, and hold their own, to some degree.

      This process would certainly not be judged over a year's time, but more like 2.5-3 years, especially in a down economy. I'm sure people in programming are blaming the economy for lack of ad-dollars, but that's a stretch.

      I am guessing they will ride this for a longer period of time. As for the weekend programming, why it's different from the weekday programming is beyond me. There's a great likelihood the station would double down and turn the weekend talk programming into straight news than the other way around. I believe this because they've already agreed to a format shift, so getting them to take it one step further, and stretching the employees they have to fill the weekends, wouldn't be a hard sell to higher ups.

      I have to imagine the only reason they keep weekend talk in the first place is because they didn't want to alienate EVERYONE with one fell swoop. They did it slowly, hence part of the reason Ronn Owens is still there. I'll reiterate that I don't know a lot about radio programming, but in talking with my friend, I really don't have to. This is just business.

      My final assumption is this:

      If the station manages to compete in San Francisco as a News station, and can bring in revenues, regardless of low they are relative to the old days, they won't care. Profit is profit. Even breaking even might be deemed profit, as long as it fits in with the greater overall plan nationwide. As long as they're not losing money.

      With that said, I don't think they will survive as a News Station because "News" is the one thing most people can now get on their own. People are very partisan these days, and usually funnel their own news the way they want it, via websites/blogs/podcasts, etc. The ONE thing KGO had going for it was personalities discussing issues, often local issues.

      Three News stations in the most digitally wired/connected city in America? Someone is not going to make it here, and I have my doubts that it will be KCBS, since they are already proven News professionals, nationwide.

      My money says KGO is bought/sold or flipped within 4 years.

      Have a great day!

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  17. https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!topic/ba.broadcast/CIb6rGVhI14

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  18. Ronn there is only one option for you, retire.
    Follow the lead of Van Amburg and retire with grace.

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    1. Ronn you have had a great career and you don't need any of our opinions about how you should proceed if you need to make a change. There are plenty of us who enjoy your show and appreciate all the years that you helped enrich our morning routine. You are smart and successful and you will do what makes sense when you have to make a decision about your career.

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  19. "Ronn...you are smart...and you will do what makes sense..."


    If he supported Scott Walker and the Iraq War, that's neither smart nor sensible.

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  20. Hey Rich,

    Did you try to contact Owens for a confirmation of the things you learned? He might not have responded, but it would have given you a bigger advantage when he denied what you reported. You could have said in addition to believing your sources, you gave him a chance to respond and took his silence as confirmation.

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