Candice Delong apparently quit KGO Radio a few weeks back.
The former FBI profiler and law enforcement veteran was a frequent guest on Ronn Owen's show and soon got her own program on the weekend. And that may have hastened her decision to leave. KGO placed her into the god-awful hours of 12-2 AM Saturday and Sunday morning, radio Siberia, and hardly a decent time to interview guests.
Delong's show wasn't spectacular but her first-hand accounts of high-profile cases and detailed analysis provided for occasional interesting listening even at that ungodly time of the night. Of course, had the geniuses who program KGO's sloppy-seconds content on the weekend put Delong in a more favorable time slot, she may have stayed but cooking shows supersede decent radio.
*Both KRON GM, Brian Greif, and his News Director, Aaron Pero, had a powwow recently over the station's coverage of the Boston Marathon bombings, according to a station source.
The source told me Pero is facing possible discipline including a threatened suspension or termination for being too "aggressive" on the bombing story. Said the source: "The GM wanted everything outside the newscasts to be only on the "stupid" 24/7 Channel, KRON's cable outlet, (Comcast 193) that no one watches."
Attempts to reach Greif and Pero for comment were unsuccessful at posting time.
UPDATE: 6: 40 PM PT --GREIF RESPONDS:
Just got this response from Greif via e-mail:
I cannot comment on issues regarding our staff. I did fully support extended breaking coverage on both KRON 4 and our new 24/7 news channel. You have written articles recently about our response to major breaking stories. My goal is to always provide extended coverage of major breaking news.
*Follow me on Twitter
"Too aggressive" must have meant paying overtime for Justine Waldman to do her city of Boston expertise. Brian Grief?..what a name. No wonder Raddy said the mention of it causes Pam Moore's face to look like "She saw the Devil himself".
ReplyDeleteAnd one for Raddy..he took Krueger to task on KRON, putting down "those" who root for injuries to the Dodger players,as Krueger does openly on 50,000 watts. Raddy does have a soul someplace.
Two more weird commercials: "I shipped my pants",by KMART..and "we do it Effin easy",by Fresh and Easy. ok, When does "your a muther effer" commercials start?
Reminds me of the great "you bet your sweet-Aspercreme" commercials, which later got neutered into something like "you bet if it's Aspercreme"
DeleteI keep waiting for Jack in the Box to come up with an ad campaign that goes something like this: "If you think that you can't find tasty food, get it fast, and have it reasonably priced, then you don't know Jack!"
DeleteI liked listening to Delong even though it wasn't often because of her terrible time slot.
ReplyDeleteIs there some way we can convince Maureen Langan to follow suit? "Hangin' with Langan" is the last place I want to be.
Yes, get her off he air. I don't know what it is about her that grades on my nerves. She chooses decent subjets, and as someone who is more to the left I often agree with her take on things, but I can't listen to her. "Hanging with Langdon" is the most awful catch phrase, who came of with that? We are not high school kids. As for the time slot, yes it was bad, but when John Rothman did overnites for many years on the week-end I always manage to catch part of his show, because he was so damn fascinating he kept me awake. Later when streaming was available I would listen to most of his shows later on the computer. There are very few hosts in this area now that I would go back and listen to later. Pat Thurston at times, some with Ronn and Brian Copeland (especially like when he has fellow comedians on), but it doesen't happen very often, with John and Gene Burns (if I missed his show) it was pretty much something I did every week.
DeleteRich: when will you talk about Alex Jones' nut job-blame-America conspiracy theories surrounding Boston? Is that too touchy for you?
ReplyDeleteIf you listen to my radio show, (which you obviously do not), then you would have known that I lambasted all the crazy Boston bomb conspiracies --including Jones, in answer to a caller.
DeleteIs that too "touchy" for YOU?
I only read the blog. Glad you took it on. Hope to see more of it here, especially since we're learning today that Tamelan was a Jones fan. It's a solid news story.
ReplyDeleteRich,
DeleteI'm confused. Are you on in Modesto or what? KMPH is hispanic from what it says on Al Gore's internet.
The station in Modesto is not on board. Spanish. We move on.
DeleteHere's a deep dish of Red Meat for today; There WILL be a movie, or series of movies about the Boston Bomber, trust me, there WILL be movies. The only questions are how soon, and these particulars' A. Who will write the script/ Who will produce it? B. Who will play the brothers? The Chechnyn parents, the P/O'd Uncle, who gets it, and is not ashamed to love America, Who will play the Angry Aunt who thinks the U.S.A. and Russia are rejoicing over Tam's 'arranged' death? C, Who will play the police commissioners sharply and publicly correcting the media's wild and kalidescopic opinions thinly disquised as news reports. D. Who will play the Boston Citizens suffering cabin fever and on lock down. E. The boat owner who discovers something sitting in his boat, the way Papa Bear discovered Goldilocks after her vandalism and property damages.
ReplyDeleteWhen I watched the curbside news conference by "the angry uncle," I kept thinking Adam Arkin.
DeleteI think the younger brother should be played by Tom Cruise. He "kinda" looks like him.
Deleteand we've got to get Kevein Bacon in a police role somethere in there. To counter balance his frustrating role on "the following. :)
The younger brother is 19. Tom Cruise is 50.
DeleteI hope the uncle is played by John Stamos.
DeleteThe dad Steve Busciemi
When MZ decides to be on your show, he monopolzes it and doesn't sound very happy about what you say. You may make it worse by by being so convulated in your points and questions. He dumped you twice to get to calls that were mostly meaningless.
DeleteYes, a landline is important to keep during an earthquake. If a cell tower goes down or the electricity goes off, the only thing still working, until there is a central switching overload is a landline with an old "POTS" telephone (Plain Old Telephone Service.) Cell phones can be shut off instantaneously to avoid traffic overloads. Happens frequently. In Boston, cell sites were shutdown to avoid remote control of further bomb ignitions.
Thank you for listening...Everyone has a different style. Most importantly, you, the listener have means to listen to an INDEPENDANT radio station(s)that benefits the community and beyond.
DeleteThe brothers have already been cast. Dan Aykroyd and Steve Martin.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of weekend hosts--where has Brian Copeland been? He has not been on air on his Sunday show for what--3 or 4 weeks, now.
ReplyDeleteKnbr changed from crappy ESPN to crappy CBS Radio, both are crappy East Coast sports networks. rich anyway to get a crappy West Coast Sports Network?
ReplyDeleteI actually like John Feinstein in the morning...I know I may be in the minority there. Beats listening to the schlemiels on KNBR from 5-9 AM
ReplyDeleteWow, Rich,
DeleteSeems like some homework needs to be done. I wouldn't argue with the owner when he hi-jacks your show. He caused panic with the phone bit and you chiming in, even in making good points, didn't help.
"Panic?" Uh, I think you over-reacted. C'mon now.
Delete1:33 PM, thank you for asking about Brian Copeland. I came here to ask the same thing. I think that Sunday, 4/21, was the fourth week that he hadn't been on ... without any mention, or explanation.
ReplyDeleteIt hasn't been the same for me since he left the 8 AM - to (finally) 11 AM slot. Brian Copeland, the Sunday crosswords, a large coffee/favorite pastry from the deli -- those were great Sundays.
Rich, if you have any info, please???
I'll ask around but seriously, I think the world will go on...
DeleteCopeland is scheduled to be back this weekend. We can sleep now.
DeleteThe sarcasm is duly noted, Rich. But, I do thank you for checking it out.
DeleteCopeland is a talent vacuum.
ReplyDelete> "The GM wanted everything outside the newscasts to be only
ReplyDelete> on the "stupid" 24/7 Channel, KRON's cable outlet,
> (Comcast 193) that no one watches."
Meanwhile KRON's infomercials regularly beat out American Idol and The Big Bang Theory in the ratings...
I won't miss Delong's show. It did more harm than good. It encouraged women to be paranoid and to treat everyone as a criminal. That's exactly the opposite of what this society needs - more cynicism and constant suspicion towards others. In order for any society to work properly, there has to be a certain level of friendliness, flexibility, and trust -- and as we become more isolated in our own little bubbles, you start seeing more of the indifference (like the NY City subway passengers who allow people to get run over by trains) and distrust that erodes the sense of community and of society and of doing things for the greater good.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that John Rothmann is swimming in money, and really doesn't need to make any. Why doesn't he just take an on-air spot with KGO to replace Delong on the weekends, with nominal pay? It would give him access to 50,000-watts to disseminate his views to more people than he could ever otherwise possibly reach. At his level of wealth, I would think his motivations would move from money to grander goals, such as shaping public discourse, alerting people to important issues, sharing his thoughts and analyses, etc. KGO would certainly take him back if he offered to work gratis or for minimum wage or for a percentage of the advertising he brings in or some other such deal. And it would help KGO repair relations with its longtime listeners to take back one of its beloved hosts.
Really, I'd like to see Marty Nemko come back to the station, too. He was always underrated and sharper than people acknowledged.
Contrary to what you might think about KGO/Cumulus, I don't think they're going to start selling off programming. All of the weekend hosts make about the same hourly pay so it's not as if Candice was making more money than the others or that she was unaffordable. They would still have to pay Rothman his hourly unless he was brokering. If he's brokering than it just proves that he's not all that worthy in the first place. Do you know how lame that sounds that KGO should want to put on people who will work for free? If this is the case with Rothmann why doesn't he work at KKSF or a number of other stations? Illogical at its core. To get down to the nitty gritty of it all Rothmann is an intelligent guy but a marginal radio talent and entertainer. As far as KGO getting its longtime listeners back I would think the station wants to find new listeners as well, modernize, and move toward the future.
DeleteKGO won't find ”new” or ”younger” listeners by putting on amateurs like Mo.Landgston, chef Scott or The Dude Weintraub. The younger generation its not interested in hearing that garbage. The bay area has a lot of educated folks, there is a market for guys like Rothman, the problem is the bean counters running the stations and their dim wit underlings like 945am who regurgitate what their bosses tell them.
DeleteDitto@10:23, I am now listening to Forum and the topic was ballet and they received tons of excited callers. There is a market for intelligent radio like Rothman, however looking to Cumulus to change it is not feasible. Those idiots think cooking on the radio is the next big thing...
DeleteAt 9:45: Rothmann is a professor. The opportunity to engage in discourse, to spark dialog, to share information, and to make people more informed and responsible participants in their democracy -- and to be able to ignite that conversation across more people and throughout a broader area than would otherwise be humanly possible -- makes the opportunity to sit at the microphone of a 50,000 watt clear channel radio station worth more than any amount of salary. Do you realize how lame it sounds that you think the quality or thoughtfulness of a broadcast is measured by how much the speaker is being paid? By that measure, I suppose Rush Limbaugh has the most valid message on the planet. (As stupid as you sound, I actually think you might believe that.)
DeleteAs far as KGO attracting "new" listeners by turning its back on a long established base -- a base that made the station number one and the envy of the country for decades: How well has that worked for them? Young people are looking for fun and entertainment; to listen to music that's popular among their peers; and there are plenty of FM stations that fill that niche.
KGO didn't make its format change to attract new listeners; it made the format change because it needed to conserve money. If it can save money while at the same time bringing back a popular former host who would bring back a lot of listeners with him, KGO's now pathetic ratings and ad sales would go up. And Rothmann will have his voice back.
The only KGO shows that didn't bore me senseless were Delong and Karel. Now Delong is gone. I certainly don't agree with all of Karel's rants, but he's entertaining. Can't stand Pat Thurston's moldy 1970's feminism and Christine Kraft is just plain nuts. Maureen Langan should be shipped back to the low rent NYC night clubs that spawned her.
ReplyDelete