I just got off the phone with Len Tillem.
He's been let go at NewsTalk 910, (ClearChannel).
As usual, all these moves were budget-related. ClearChannel is going through a myriad of financial issues. They have no money, in essence.
This is no last hurrah for Tillem; he told me he plans to institute some form of podcast(s) and that might be accelerated by a local station or two. I will get the info out just as soon as I learn the details.
Tillem is going to e-mail me a statement later today and I will post it.
Another black friday
ReplyDeleteTried to tune into Len and I get Gil and Rhoda. If I had a gun I'd blow my head off.
ReplyDeleteI've also given up on A & G. Too much yelling!!!
XM Radio only.
Yes, Anonymous... Gil & Rhoda are just a bit much... it's adios 910 for me.
DeleteJust what we needed, FOUR hours of Gil and Rhoda. Holy God those two are awful!
DeleteHappy to have more Gil ....plus Rhoda is a gas. I had tuned out Len for a yr anyway.
DeleteI wish Len Tillem would go the podcast route... he and his staff do a great job
ReplyDeleteThat's where he's going! Just listened to his first podcast! Tom Leykis blazed the trail, and is KICKING ASS in the LA market. Look for Len to do the same. I recently was driving to Tahoe, and my wife was able to get Len's show through her cell phone!
DeleteLen Tillem is not costing any money to Clear Channel. He is probably a volunteer using the station to promote his Legal business. He is certianly more entertianing, more accurate and more helpful knowledgeable than "Have no Case" Fertility specialist . Bill Handel on the Law also on KKSF910 So Why is Len Tillem, The real Loyah being fired... Is it because of his independent streak? Please explain.. When is he back on the air, stream,or satelite. And what Station or link I can get his show. We'll mis his Entertain expert legal show.
ReplyDeleteGil Gross' program has been expanded to fill the 3-4 slot vacated by Len Tillem at least for now. Can we conclude that if this was done for budgetary reasons, Gross is a cheaper radio talent? Could he be the next to be let go after Tillem, Baxter and Rothmann -- all KGO alums who were abruptly fired by that station? Are Armstrong & Getty in any immediate danger of being let go, too -- or are they net contributors to KKSF's bottom line?
ReplyDeleteYes, A & G has become too right-wing for me. Rush Limbaugh -- NEVER. Len Tillem -- always. Gil -- now? Who knows? Sorry to hear of John and Ed as well. Newstalk 910 blew a great opportunity.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard anything about Ed Baxter and John Rothman, Ed is good, but he is on for such a short time, I rarely have the chance to listen to him, same for John Rothman, although I try to listen around 1 p.m. but am not always able to, I miss John Rothman and Gene Burns everyday, there is some good talent nobody gets to listen to like Stacy Taylor, John Rothman and to some extend Peter B, John is number one, I actually would prefer Stacy or Peter B over Gil, agree with Susan at 4:56 about Gil, also agree Armstrong and Getty are wearing thin. There is NO morning show that is good, entertaining and professional, don't care it it right wing or left or in between. A and G too much shouting, KSFO Sussman, Melanie, even worse with their fake laugther, silly contests, that show is the worst ever, has definitely gone down hill. Glenn Beck too paranoid, I often work nites, so I sleep late, so I wait to 9 am when I can listen to Ronn or even Dave Ramsey, also listen to Bill Press if I can't sleep (3 a.m to 6 a.m.) I have a feeling no one in management is listening to what the listening public want. We are being force fed the worst of the worst, Maureen, Sussman, Glenn Beck, Gil (he is the best of those 3).
DeleteThis is very frustrating. Hope they will put John Rothman on for 2 hours and give Gil 2 hours, but I have my doubts, I most likely would not miss Gil, but he must get rating that justify keeping him on 3 hours 5 days a week for mor than a year.
Keep the KGO alums and get RID of Armstrong & Getty.
ReplyDeleteThat's it! I'm done with Newstalk 910.
ReplyDeleteJust found Len on Spreaker.com. Len will still do a daily podcast without those awful public service spots.Sorry Gil but I am through with 910. They never delivered on ANY of the promises they made.Plus the signal was always SOOOO bad I had to listen by podcast anyway.
ReplyDeleteIf only Gil would use that extra hour to return to the previous format of taking calls. 4 hours of talking to "experts" on every topic under the sun may be too much. Still the most captivating part of his show is when he (infrequently, at best) takes calls. He limits it to only 15-20 minutes, but I always learn a lot from listening to other people's experiences.
ReplyDeleteI think Gil is a frustrated teacher so he's turned his show into an educational format by talking to "experts" from all over the country on the topics he chooses to discuss. Why not 2 hours of that and then 2 hours of talk (which is what he had at KGO)?
Will miss Len. I also don't believe it's really money related. These mega-corporations have all the money, but maybe they prefer to keep it for themselves rather than pay employees. Sad to lose another local. Why not drop Rhoda (do they pay her or do we get her free) and pay some real talent. Wonder how no Len will affect the ratings.
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ReplyDeleteI'm just in shock. Everyone is leaving, getting canned, etc. The radio world as I've known it is no longer my home. Sad sad sad!!!!
ReplyDeleteGil is a great guy but so boring to go on and on with experts; like the callers. Len Tillem, John Rothmann; brilliant, smart, funny; such a shame. Like a poster above asked, is Gil cheaper? Give me a break. A&G are R wing and scream too much. So done with 910.
ReplyDeleteThe "talk" in talk radio has become being talked AT, not with. There is an art to taking calls, engaging the caller, and making it interesting for the listeners. Most people who listen do not call in, so those who do represent us, even when they hold extreme views or are a little flaky. I remember one night Gene Burns spent 45 minutes with a difficult caller, going back and forth and stepping into the news break.
DeleteIt was dramatic. It was good radio.
I suppose it's too late to beg Mickey Luckoff and Jim Gabbert to create a new talk radio station.
I'll disagree. I have no interest whatsoever in listening to the questions of >90% of callers. Sure, there are 10% (maybe) who have an interesting/intelligent perspective, but the rest make me turn the channel.
DeleteGive me somebody like Tim Farley on SiriusXM POTUS, who runs a tight, interesting series of interviews with newsmakers for 3 hours every day. Not a single caller.
More smart people, fewer dumb callers.
they should let Gill go, he is so annoying with his stupid laughs (that's right...! his laughs always caused me turn off the radio). Now his wife...Ugh...i will never listen to that radio station ever again.
ReplyDeleteThe radio station made a huge mistake. i LOOK FORWARD for 3:00pm everyday, so i can listen to his program. Now...this! The second worst Friday EVER.
the first one was when i found out he was let go from KGO.
Why don't these radio stations have more relationship shows, similiar to Dr. Laura or Dr. Joy Browne? A lot of people, especially women 25-54, love listening to those programs, so why not do it and make some money?
ReplyDeletePlease we don't need anymore stupid relationship show, I use to listen to both Dr. Laura and Dr. Brown at times, both had good advise, always agreed with Dr. Brown more than Dr. Laura, but these shows gets boring real fast. We need more INTELLIGENT shows about all kinds of issues, (Gene, John Rothman etc)I doubt the modern women would listen to a so called relationship show, not if she has any brains. I'm a woman in my sixties, and my daughter is in her early thirties, I know very few women my age, or my daugthers age who would listen to that kind of mindless talk. Please give women a little more credit.
DeleteMaybe you and your friends and your daughter and her friends don't like listening to these types of shows, but relationship shows are known to generate huge ratings for radio stations that carry them. I think it would be interesting to have a relationship advice show that with a live and local host. Lord knows there are plenty of therapists in the Bay Area.
DeleteIt depends how mindless the audience is, I don't mind them every now and then, but not as a steady diet, granted, young people in their (not only women) twenties, who is dating, and divorced people at whatever age, could benefit from some sound advice, but the advice Dr. Laura gave was often ridicules, totally unrealistic for certain people, and she was NEVER objective, it was always her agenda, many years ago, Dr. Tara Fields was on here in the Bay Area (she is on Ronn's show as a guest once in awhile)I enjoyed her, and often liked her advice, but I can't see more than 1 hour a day, of this time of show. I just think most listeners in the Bay Area are to sophisticated to listen to several hours a day of "relationship" advice
DeleteAt least a "relationship" type of show would be something different, as Len's show was. An hour or two a day would be good. Dr. Joy Brown is on KSRO.
DeleteRight now, most of the "talk" shows are sounding very much the same. Cover the same topics all day long. Discussing the issues in the news is OK, but all the talk shows pick the same issues so you hear about these things all day long -- A&G, then on NPR, then on Tom Sullivan, then on Gil's show, then Alan Colmes. The pope a couple weeks ago, gay marriage all this week, the sequestration a month ago, gun control ad infinitem. All day, every day, usually politics or the economy. Those are the only programs I listen to but I imagine it's about the same on other stations.
P.S. Can someone explain why the numbers in the "prove you're not a robot" section are always either tiny, grayed out or otherwise almost unreadable? I don't get why they can't just put regular numbers.
I guess it depends where you interest lie. I never got tired of hearing Gene or John Rothman talking about the same subject, it was always interesting for me to hear different views on one subject, or about one person (i.e. the president, another political figure etc.)but for that to work, you have to have something that is sorely missing in todays radio world, superior talent. Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh and I guess Michael Savage have the highest rated shows, but I find them boring, well not Savage so much, but I can't stand his rants and hate speech.
DeleteIn my opinion a good host, makes you think, makes you wonder if your stand on that particular subject is actually correct. Rush calls his fans ditto head, that says it all, he just want people that agrees with him, Sean says he likes a diversity of opinions, but when he gets it, he talks over them, shouts them down or hang up on them. I don't agree with Tom Sullivan on many issues, but I can listen to him, he is thoughtful, almost always respectful of his callers, and does let callers who disagree with him, have their say. The reality is that talk radio is going down hill, it is about syndication, hosts that appeal to the most common denominator. As I have mentioned before there is talent out there such as: Stacy Taylor, John Rothman, Peter B, I'm sure there are others. I like Bill Press, Thom Hartman, but they are on late at nite or in the middle of the nite.
Still think Ronn is very good when he has an intersting guests, or choose a subject I care about.
P.S. I have the same problem with the numbers as you, and sometime with the letters also, they way the run together. Note to Rich, not all that reads and response to this blog is young or middle age, some are in their sixties, and their eyesight is not what is use to be, even with the use of glasses.
What is it with these heartless morons in corporate america? They have a strange fixation on firing people on or near major holidays. As if losing your job wasn't bad enough!?
ReplyDeleteOh nooooooooes! I just love Len. His advise was very useful and entertaining. I made a point to listen to him on 910 but 3-4 pm is a difficult time of day to be by the radio.
ReplyDeleteI don't dislike Gil but he seems needy ... talking over his guests so they are a backdrop to his views & humor. I prefer to hear what the guest brings to the show. Gil and Rhoda sound like decent people.
I can't believe KKSF let Len go. Fire the stupid Execs, not Len. He (was) one of their few assets.
ReplyDeleteOnce you've heard the endless advice from a lawyer who made other lawyers wince about how to get out of dui trouble, you've heard enough. Mr. Tillem, a notorious germphobe,took great joy in telling people to poison dogs. Good riddance.
ReplyDeleteAs usual Christine's myopic views of the world are shaped by her unbalanced love of dogs. To you I say good riddance honey. You've been reduced to filling in for the red carpet bagging queen, exactly where you belong.
DeleteThere is no need to attack Christine, although I don't think her view of Len is correct, she seems to not like that many people in the radio business, she has always had a problem with people who disagree with her, these days she stand up for Montemayor and Maureen, perhaps that is required to keep the job at KGO, but I can't believe that she actually think those 2 are on par with Gene, Bernie and Ronn (not to mention John Rothman, however I have heard Christine's view of the Palastian situation so I doubt she has any love for John Rothman, despite his superior intellect and knowledge.
DeleteJohn Rothmann and I are good friends. Neither of us has an opinion on the antics in your mythical kingdom of "Palastia".
DeleteI've never met Maureen. I've met
Tim. Neither requires me to "stand up for them".
Gene Burns is beyond compare.
and for 9:04, your use of the word "honey" speaks to your own misogyny. Do you get aroused when you demean women? Poisoning dogs is a criminal offense. As for "free" legal advice, you get what you pay for. I'm always delighted to fill in on KGO or for Karel. It is always good to have another profession, as well. And no, I don't give "free legal advice".
Au contraire, there is every reason to attack Christine in response to her attack on Tillem. The woman is a vile attack dog. Although, given her love of vile attack dogs, she might consider that a compliment.
DeleteI have never known "a vile attack dog".
DeleteLook in the mirror.
DeleteA touch down and the two point conversion for the post at 1:02pm.
DeleteCould not have said it better.
I'm sad by the firing of The Loyah, however let's be honest, he took so many days off! I tuned him out a few months back when every other show was a ”best of”. Either the guy has a serious medical issue or he has major brass balls. After being fired from KGO I thought he could go at least a few months without extended days off!!!
ReplyDeleteI a beginning to think that he didn't take the days off as much as KKSF wanted to run "best of" shows to save a few bucks.
DeleteRemember when KKSF preempted Len to have Gil on for an extra hour to talk about the pope?
He probably needs to have a lawyer look at his statement before he releases it...oh, wait..
ReplyDeleteMy mother lived in Sonoma and I encouraged her to call Len Tillem's office to establish a trust for her estate. She got along just fine on the phone for the first few minutes with Len's admin assistant while being asked a bunch of questions. Then the lady asked my mother what the size of her estate was. When my mother told her, she completely lost interest in my mom and referred her out to another agency. Besides having only a modest home in Sonoma, all my mom had was a little less than 100 grand in the bank, so that's too small for Len. My mom was embarrassed over her treatment. And I never listened to Len with the same attitude again. Mom just passed away in January, but the agency who handled her estate was very kind to her. Thanks, Len, I won't forget you.....
ReplyDelete(Wendy)
He's a lawyer, not a priest. Makes no claims to the contrary.
DeleteSo Ed Baxter and John Rothmann were NOT let go after all?
ReplyDeleteIt's just that simple, 810 and 910 are both off my radio go to buttons. Now I guess I will have to go to mindless sports talk while I'm driving home now.
ReplyDeleteReally? Ever punch in 88.5 on your radio dial? Try it, you might like it!
Delete88.5 is very good ... I agree with jim
ReplyDeleteI will certainly miss Len. He was very entertaining and I loved the callers' "stories". Gil by himself is OK at best and he has this gravely voice that's annoying. On Friday's when he has Rhoda on, I switch to Marc Levin. Bring back John Rothman. I prefer him over Gil. Jim Gabbert would great but I'm sure he's not interested in hosting a regular gig. My favorite talk show host is John Sullivan. He's thoughful and features interesting topics that the other talk show hosts don't or won't talk about. If KKSF cuts him out,I'm totally bailing out!!!
ReplyDeleteGill Gross and his wife Rodha live up to their name. They are gross!
ReplyDeleteLen Tillum on the other hand is a national treasure, even though he is only on in the bay area.
I love Len's show, and Gil. Not crazy about the combo team of Gil and Rhoda on Fridays. I stumbled upon 910 when 810 went to all news, and was very happy to have some of the hosts back. Weird they have to share the station with Rush. Uhg!!
ReplyDeleteI can't take Gross. The endless droning ummms and ahhhs while he tries to fill his sentences. Every show an ode to political correctness.
ReplyDeleteLen was the best. Rothman is top notch, and you will always learn something from both of those guys.
I am so sad the best presenter Len has been fired from 910. I left 810 because many of my favorites were fired. I was thrilled when I heard Len had joined 910.He is always so funny, and let's face it, with all that is happening in this world today, we need all the fun and laughter we can get. Now I must look for another station. Big mistake 910;not to mention the fact that Len plugged your station every day. Last thing, why is boring Rhoda on radio with her equally stuttering and always lost for words husband?
ReplyDeleteNot again...first KGO and now 910 lets the BEST guy go. Len's info is super and such a huge help, and on top of that, he is funny! I like Tom Sullivan, but that is it. I used to like Gil, but he (like Ed Baxtor) complains about anything but hot sunny weather..even when we need rain. We'll miss you Len! Bummed
ReplyDeleteLen can be heard daily on his podcast. You can get the podcast by subscribing to it on iTunes or from his website www.lentillem.com. Right now he is doing best-of calls until he gets phone lines installed. Podcasts are getting to be a much better media than AM or FM, not so many commercials and better talent. You can play them when you want and stream them on your smart phone. I love Leo Laporte's TWIT.TV podcast network.
ReplyDeleteGood riddance to Tillem!!! His advice was generally incorrect. Not only that, it probably discouraged many people who had legitimate claims. He wasn't just happy to make alot of money, he had to discourage the use of other attorneys with petty, incorrect and inappropriate comments. I have been to court many times, sometimes with counsel and often solo. His advice was a public disservice, in my opinion, because he was wrong at least 90% of the time in my experiences with attorneys, judges and courts. I hope he enjoys grilling, cuz if there's any real justice, Satan will keep the briquettes nice n toasty...
ReplyDeleteI can not believe this! If you don't like Len, change the channel. He provided a great show; valuable information with a sense of humor and he helped people. What do you people want?? Always about the might dollar... not about the people.
ReplyDelete