Monday, December 31, 2012

A 2012 Wrap and Ramblings from the Neurotic 415 Jewish Blogger

   

No, I'm not scaling back on radio. In fact, in a few short days, I will make an announcement that might thrill a few of you, perhaps nauseate the rest, nonetheless, I'm happy to say you will be hearing more of me in a better, primetime slot on radio.
Stay tuned.

*As for the blog, 415 Media remains my constant, my go-to, my cyber buddy where I hope to give you news and information the rest of the market ignores or just refuses to cover. I'm not perfect, but the cover charge is minimal and in this day and age, that's a bargain.

*New Years: So much to say, but I'm tired. Literally and figuratively. The Barbieri interview was just fine until the end when the radio gods; having spared me any more neurosis the past few weeks decided to come back at the last minute. Sorry for the bizarro at the end. Probably a Cumulus hit job, (that was a joke but even if it wasn't, it wasn't funny)....Are any of you going out tonight? New Years Eve, even in its heyday, wasn't much of a favorite. Only time I got into it was when I was dating this NY lady back in '95 who ended up leaving me for a podiatrist. Go figure. And here I am paying a 100 bucks for this cheap champagne which gave me headaches anyway. She got the foot doctor--I got headaches. I'll stick with a quiet dinner and Anderson Cooper having to share 90 minutes of that yenta, Kathy Griffin.

2012: Ralph canned. Angela happy. So too the Giants and KNBR--part of the Cumulus manifesto, whatever that is--maybe people in the business of making other people miserable, but that's what corporate radio has evolved into; a series of big, monstrosity companies that have largely taken over the industry that was, at one time, an industry that didn't insult its audience, that didn't downsize its work force, that didn't dumb down the people--all those elements now that have taken a back seat to corporate greed. Heard of that? Radio used to be genuine, sacred, almost a member of the family that you could turn to in crisis, in exhaust, sort of like this blog post. Now, radio is merely a part of the overstock puzzle with millions and millions of tentacles, almost all lost and going nowhere fast.

The broader sense of the local market, the consensus really, is that Cumulus is running things down the drain. Its bread and butter, KNBR, is all well and OK so as long as the Giants are well and OK and on its dial. They are....KGO? What else can one say? They generally are so off the radar who gives a damn anymore. Ronn will, apparently, continue on because Ronn needs his gadgets and even at less than a third of what he was getting up until Tuesday, he wants to talk on the radio and sell mattresses. It still beats working and where else do you get a free parking space in Downtown SF?

*TV: KTVU continues to dominate at night, but early evening struggles has the big boys feeling anxious. Watch out, guys, for meetings and the consultants...KPIX has lots of mangers and little reporters and a few anchors left. Dana King said goodbye to the teleprompter and hello to clay, about a year too early, but god bless her, at least she doesn't have to kowtow to a news director that might be updating the resume. Good job, Dano...the new weather guy from Seattle? Great personality--sort of a beige wallpaper with a tinge of white. He'll fit in nice. And the Roberta move was just brilliant. What's next? Bastida doing daily live shots from the Walnut Creek water fountain...KRON suddenly became relevant. Breaking News. Sure, they still sell furniture and have funny ads and reporter names, but by golly, they decided to get serious about news. Maybe there's hope after all. Do this, guys: Keep Catherine Heenan happy. Throw her an extra bone or two because she's still damn good and at your place, that's important. Ditto Pam Moore. ...KNTV? Still can't decide whether it's SF or Silicon Valley brand. Make up your mind. And just report the news. Quit the over-bearing "Investigative Unit". If they just conduct their job and get to the nitty-gritty, then you don't need to spend the extra $10 million bucks to advertise them. We get it. They're special. And NBC is too. And Comcast makes it even better. In other words, just get down to basics. That's in the handbook too.


*New Years Eve. Hello 2013. Should be just one fine more year.

*Follow me on Twitter


15 comments:

  1. Happy New Year Rich :)

    Pam

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  2. Another year of Pam and Kathy smiling at Radnich teasing..the kind that's always in one direction. Get a backbone ladies. You know his Obama rants should be the time to stand up for once in your lives. Instead, Raddy goes on KNBR and tells people that all you two worry about is "Do I have crow's feet?".

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    1. Watching Catherine Heenan and Gary Radnich miscount the midnight countdown has so far been the highlight of 2013. Go KRON!

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    2. That was classic! Get a better clock KRON and less drunken hosts.

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  3. Surprising there haven't been more comments on the interview with Ralph last night. Maybe some are waiting for the podcast to be posted.

    My impression is that Ralph was so confused and inept he proved that he no longer belongs on the air. His excuses for frequently being late for his own show were ridiculous: he had things to do at his son school, other things to take care of.... He acted like it was an imposition for him to arrive at 2:30 for a 3:00 radio program, seriously out of touch and confused about his own importance. I can't think of any other instance of someone being late for the start of a show on TV or radio, yet Ralph just blew it off repeatedly.

    Even though every one here hates Cumulus, KNBR management, etc., Ralph really deserved to be fired simply based on what a lousy job he was doing.

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  4. i heard the first hour of your interview with Barbieri, but couldn't stick around for the second half... couldn't stomach it. Rich, your blog is fun but you suck rocks at interviewing, my man. i mean horrible. i had a feeling it'd be awkward because Ralph can't be the easiest guy to interview -- goes off on tangents, talks in circles, etc.

    i liked Ralph on KNBR, but my one complaint was that his interviews got annoying when he'd ask 90-second-plus questions and then interrupt the answers. hearing YOU interview HIM made me appreciate him more though.

    happy new year.

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  5. Ralph no longer deserved the job, or the pay. Problem is, they haven't found anyone to replace him. They don't need a sports guy, necessarily, and by that I mean some super-fan one-time athlete like a Tierney. They need someone who has a personality people love and hate beyond sports. Like Ralph, you either love or hate his shtick, but that's what it is. Shtick!

    Problem with sports radio these days is you have all these young guys who ONLY KNOW ABOUT SPORTS. At least Ratto cut his teeth writing (and on trying to eat display fruit...wait, that guy doesn't eat anything which grows on trees...), so he knows what news is. What the world is. These young guns who are into sports, they're all super fans. Damon Bruce TRIED to do a show not about sports, but he couldn't hack it because he doesn't care about anything other than sports. Maybe he does for 5 seconds at dinner, that he'll have an opinion on some random topic, but beyond that it's only sports for these guys. KNBR needs to find a WELL ROUNDED person. Ever notice how Tom is always dropping quotes from Caddy Shack, Fletch, and other pop culture references? They need someone who can jive with him on that level in addition to just sports because after all, this is ENTERTAINMENT.

    ANYONE JACKASS CAN TALK ABOUT SPORTS.

    Back to Ratto. Guy is decent at best, but he takes himself and sports waaaay too seriously. Imagine a guy like Bill Simmons doing radio with Tom? That's what's needed to fix that show. Not just a sports guy like Byrnes, who I predicted from day one would be a flop, and even sent Lee Hammer a letter telling him so.

    Hammer's response, "give it time...get back to me in a few months..."

    Well, what are you thinking now Mr. Hammer?

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  6. Hillary Clinton is still lying. What this democract do to escape testifying before congress.
    Runs in the family.


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    1. I hope you're kidding. If you think Clinton's doctors are lying about the blood blot clot on her brain you've lost touch with reality.

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    2. 9:36....of course 7:00 is out of touch with reality, but why is a surprise? There has been a large right wing nut segment that seem to be in an alternative reality. Remember recently prior to the election how they thought the polls were lying when they were positive for Obama?
      I sure hope that Hillary gets well soon and that we improve our protection of ambassadors and those representing in other countries.

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    3. She did pick a good time to go wine tasting in Australia.

      I don't think it is a cover up, per se, just her making sure she hears as much of the story as possible, so she can craft PC answers and excuses for not doing her job.

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  7. My favorite part of the interview was after 100 minutes of grilling by Rich over Ralphs's firing Rich asks "Are you still bitter?" And Ralph says "bitter about what?" Lol

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  8. Just tuned in the KRON New Year party for a short while. All I have to say is that it was HORRIBLE except for the fire works. What a boring and disorganized mass. Heenan sounded exhausted, old and sleepy. Raddy's family portrait failed to make it more watchable. Why bother, KRON?

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    1. The best new year celebration was two years ago when the lovely and luscious Vickie Liviakis was at a New Year's celebration visibly inebriated and Heenan was in studio without Raddy. And who can forget the classic new year celebration when a shirtless Henry Tenenbaum was burning up the dance floor a few years ago?

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  9. Just a few minutes ago on Monday 7th (9:28-9:29 AM), Ronn Owens was talking about how Barack Obama has chosen a divisive candidate (Chuck Hagle) for a vacant position, and how this was going to cause a huge fight. He said that Obama wanted the confrontation, and Owens didn't seem to be happy with this choice.

    So as part of this analysis, which seemed to be conciliatory towards the GOP, Owens said "... if Obama had done such and so 'would have allowed the Republicans to take off the sheets."

    sheets = KKK

    And a week or so back, Owens compared the Tea Party to the Taliban. (Ironically, it is the unions who fight, turn over tents, and commit battery. The Tea Party has been pretty tame.)

    So, question:

    Is Owens showing his true colors? Or is he playing to the Far Left, in order to cement a new contract?

    I thought Owens tried to be a "voice of reason". These comments don't comport.

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