Friday, January 11, 2013

About "Oh, Master" plus Thank God it's Friday

It seems a lot of folks are interested in my business affairs; how I'm getting compensated for the radio show, how I should structure the blog, who and what I should write about and so on and so on.

This is a media blog. I do a media-related radio show blended with newstalk. I'm trying to make it an interesting show with interesting guests and provocative conversation and interviews. I've done four shows. It's a small station but if you have a computer, you can listen to the show live anywhere and even if you can't listen live, we have podcasts available on demand. It's free too.

I don't mind criticism, I encourage it. On the blog, I criticize quite a bit. Most of you agree with me and some of you don't. That's fine--that's why I'm here. Bring it on. But bring it ON with topics relevant to the business and don't worry about my compensation arrangements. They do not influence my opinion. And I make it clear to advertisers that I will say what I want to say within the boundaries of being fair. On all subject matters.

I wrote the "Oh, Master" post with a tinge of sarcasm, yes, because it annoyed me that a few folks started lecturing me about my business. Yes, my business. None of yours. Seems everybody is an expert telling me how to run my affairs. Please. Again, as I have said ad nauseum; I love a good debate and am passionate about news related to media, pop culture, politics, sports, the works, and when I give my opinion, be it here or on the radio, if you disagree, then feel free to express yourself. That's the M.O here and nothing else.

As for those of you experts interested in my financial arrangements, my "deals", my commercial arrangements with Alex Jones, the owner of the radio station, I appreciate all the advice, the lectures, etc--I didn't realize how important it was for you to get the inner details, but I will tell you that in order to make a buck, yes, hit me, I need advertisers, especially on radio, and yes, with limited reader donations, on the blog too. Shocking, ain't it? Alex Jones doesn't tell me what to say and if he does, I'm gone. Pretty simple. And yes, I'd love to interview him and hopefully will, one day soon, on radio. That's about it.

Without advertising, without reader support, this is kaput. Some of you who come here regularly, even the harshest critics, seem to enjoy reading about media. Just like me. Sometimes, like all of us, I have a bad day. If I offended any of you with "Oh, Master", my bad and I'm sorry. And hopefully we can all move on and enjoy the blog and radio show.

Happy Friday.

Follow me on Twitter and listen to me Monday-Friday from 1-4 PM PT Live by clicking here

24 comments:

  1. Great post, Rich. Keep up the good work !

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  2. Since you welcome criticism, get out the welcome mat:
    This used to be a pretty good media blog, focused largely on Bay Area major media. But lately this blog is mostly self-promotion for a program on a station in Watsonville (Watsonville?)
    Regarding your financial arrangements with the station: You might end the questions by answering the main one: Is the station paying you for your work with dollars the station gets from advertisers based on your ratings, as is commonly done with radio talent? Or, as many of us seem to suspect, are you paying the station to air your program, and trying to recoup those dollars by selling spots yourself as opposed to the station getting behind your show and having it's sales team get those ads?
    Why is this important? The first option is real radio here the talent has to deliver audience, and not just write a check. Then again, the small market pay-to-play option is nothing more than vanity radio that lets anyone with a few dollars get on the air.
    So which is it? Oops, you're not saying. Hmmm...kind of an odd stance for a media critic who routinely questions the competence of real broadcasters.

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    1. The show is mine and I don't "pay" to perform. I rely on advertisers. Have you listened to some of the guests? I'm about done with this now but again, thanks ever so much for your concern with my financial needs. Sincerely, a media critic who routinely questions the competance of real broadcasters.

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    2. The stupidity of the haters..amazing. What difference does it make if he buys time for profit or the station pays him? IF he did pay,that DOESN'T make him a vanity host. Just like ANYBODY could put up a free blogspot. Do you read the other 10,000 blogspots everyday? No,you come here because its NOT a run of the mill hobby blog.
      And you could ask the owners if they wanted Rich M-F because it makes them happy..or because they saw the spike in ratings. Those Republican Zellwigs arent doing Rich a favor of charity.
      I hate to argue with you dopes. You thought Mitt and Clint were going to be leading America.

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  3. I hope the apology was made to pacify the sponsors...not the weenies on the blog.

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  4. Rich- A world of caution; don't start taking yourself too seriously, just because you're doing this radio show. Remember, you're still the same guy doing the blog so continue to act like it.
    I look forward to hearing incisive, thoughtful, intelligent Rich, not prima-donna, paranoid, crazy Rich! You're much more credible to everyone when you calm done, and most of the time your are calm and measured. Keep up the good work!

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    1. angels fly because they take themselves lightly

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    2. and like that....he's gone!

      (your Ralph quote had me laughing so I figured I'd add some Damon Bruce)

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  5. "Sincerely, a media critic who routinely questions the competance (sic) of the real broadcasters"
    Rich, just curious, what make you more qualified than most who read this blog? And what is a "real" broadcaster, are you one now?

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  6. Alex Jones, the gun nut?

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  7. Stop being disingenuous! People are questioning your financial arrangement because of your stance on the Jones vs Morgan issue. Otherwise nobody would give a damn.

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  8. Hi Rich, I really enjoyed your shows this week. Yes, I stream them from another part of country because I left the Bay area. But I still have my Bay area business. And it is MY business. We offer low cost in home care and end of life care. If people don't like the way I do business, then I don't need them as a client. I have enough already. Let them go and pay double the price. I know they will come back to me. It is none of anyone's business how I make my money, not my employees nor my clients. My fees are my fees. I certainly do not ask my clients how much money they have. So stick to your "guns" and keep doing a good job. And just maybe I will make another donation in the very near future.

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  9. Sir - the problem you overlook is that Rich does this to others all the time! Need names? Ronn Owens, Ralph Barbieri, John Rothman, Gene Burns, Karel, Jared Hart, Paul Hosely, Brian Sussman, Melanie Morgan, most of the KTVU anchor team, the KRON anchor team, the KPIX newsroom, meteroologists and need I say more? Nice try, no cigar. Best to you and your business.

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  10. I'm not a master and have enjoyed the content on this blog until the expansion of your radio show to five days a week. I understand that your business comes first but here it has been more who your upcoming radio guests will be and less Bay Area media info. There is a limit of engaging personalities to interview on air, then what? Open discussion like countless other hosts?

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  11. Rich says he became annoyed "that a few folks started lecturing me about my business."

    Isn't that what this blog is all about, Rich lecturing everyone else about their business?

    Rich tells Cumulus how to run their business, he tells KNBR how to run their programming, he tells local news organizations about the stories they should run. Rich lectures everyone else about how they should do things. And yet when commenters here do the same thing Rich does, he's deeply offended.

    I do have a couple of observations:
    1) Rich is constantly proclaims that he welcomes criticism and says "bring it on." But that's just not the case. It's like when Ralph Barbieri claims that he's thick-skinned or an athlete claims "it's not about the money." It's just not true.

    2) In terms of alleging conflicts of interest, Rich loves to attack the entangled interests of the Giants, KNBR, Comcast Sports and suggest the existence of all kinds of conspiracies. Think about his allegations about the "Melkmen" and Comcast Sports, and Larry Baer. But now when comments about Rich's entanglements with Alex Jones and the possibility of influencing blog content arise, Rich becomes angry and churlish.

    Rich, what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. You can't be a hypocrite or go around attacking others for doing exactly what you yourself are doing.

    I appreciate you open-mindedness in publishing this comment.

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    1. I meant "business" in terms of my financial arrangements, not business as in on-air content and such. There's a BIG difference.

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  12. New to the Bay Area, I've read Rich's blog for several years and believe he is a straight-shooter.

    You may agree or disagree with him, but you know where he stands.

    He puts his name by his commentary, unlike the majority of people who leave comments on one of the most-popular Bay Area blogs.

    Rich provides a lot of local media-related news that is not reported elsewhere.

    He also has had a fair number of scoops and exclusives.

    Not bad for a one-man blog.

    Is he perfect? No.

    Does he sometimes let things get to him? Yeah.

    Is his commentary a bit raw at times? Yes.

    Does he make typos? Yeah, but have you read The Merc, Chron, etc.? Even the vaunted New York Times and Wall Street Journal have typos.

    Has he made factual errors on occasion? Of course. Has he corrected his mistakes? Yes.

    As a former weekly and daily newspaper editor who wrote columns and editorials for many years, I can empathize with Rich's reactions to the criticism unleashed on him.

    Furthermore, I admire his ability to expand his media blog into a radio show.

    Sure, he's had a few bumps as it gets under way. In contrast, have you heard the train wreck of other new shows on other local stations?

    In the brief time he's been on the air on the Santa Cruz-based station, Rich has already brought us compelling radio that has featured a number of local media personalities.

    Although far from perfect, Rich's show is a welcome contrast with another local station that features shock jocks complete with infantile sound effects underscored by a virulent puerility whose sole objective is to build the holy grail of market share while sacrificing ethics, decency and religious values the shock jocks falsely proclaim to uphold.

    Which brings me to a request, Rich. How about a show on media ethics and one on market share?

    Media ethics could explore the ethics of talking heads, for example, whose sole job is to offer commentary, who then present newscasts at newsbreaks.

    When such news is interrupted by personal commentary in the form of words and/or sound inflections, is such a presentation ethical?

    Bring in local media ethics professors, local media ethics experts and local journalists. It would make for two great shows, or more.

    Congrats on your new show, Rich, and I hope you have continued success.

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  13. Caught the Ken Korach segment today. Ken is great and I enjoyed your interview.

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  14. True Story: The 'Melk-men' and 'Melk-maids' were a marketing idea put together by Larry Baer and Ted Griggs to promote Comcast Sportsnet and get the Giants more publicity. You have to give them credit because it worked for awhile.

    The young guys and gals who were wearing those melk-men and melt-maid outfits were actually interns who worked with the Giants and Comcast and were given a block of tickets to show up and make noise. No surprise that we didn't see any of them after Melky Cabrera got suspended for steroid use!

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    1. This "true story" may or may not be true, wouldn't be surprising either way. But when a totally unidentified person, "Anonymous", makes some claim, dresses it up with a couple of details, and then prefaces it with "True Story:", it's not particularly credible.

      True Story: The moon is made of cheese. It's mostly cheddar, but also some Swiss and Gruyere.

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    2. A few months ago, the Mercury News (I think) ran an article on the Melk Men and Melk Maids.

      The way I remember it - the Melk Men were not created by CSN, nor were they interns. They were San Jose State students who came up with the idea of attending games dressed up as milkmen. After a few games, CSN noticed them and did some kind of deal to have them do promotions and show up at games.

      The Melk Maids showed up later. The guy who ran the Melk Men said he originally wanted the women to dress up as cows, but they refused.

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  15. Everyone has to earn a living and a pox on those PC hypocrites who judge you for doing so. Even the sainted "public" broadcasters run ads.

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  16. Rich is so out of touch with the Alex Jones debacle that even his boss, the old hag Kay Zwerling strongly condemned Jones today on the Saturday Special show. You are so gutless you'll censor this comment. Who'd have thought Rich is to the right of the Zwerlings!!!???

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