Friday, June 14, 2013

A Morning Ritual: The NY Times, KCBS, Coffee and Some Scrambled Eggs; Friday Opener


Wake up about 6, pick up the print edition of the NY Times. I like the feeling of an actual newspaper in my hands. There's nothing like breakfast, coffee, and the Times. Eternal tranquility.

Glance at the Chronicle. Go on-line. Scan SFGate and the Merc. Go to Lowell Cohn and the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. Cohn blogs, easily the best read in the Bay Area if you enjoy sports. I like Scott Ostler too but Lowell is numero uno.

Turn on the radio at home. Check in on KCBS and try to catch Mark Sandalow and his Washington rap with Stan Bunger and Susan Leigh Taylor. Sandalow is good because he sounds genuine and knows a lot of information concerning politics. It's not animated and contrived. It's resolute, firm, and a damn good 3-4 minutes, (frankly, I wish it could stretch to 5, but traffic and weather rules). Then it's Bitker's updates at :15 and :45 after the hour. I needle Steve every now and then but he's easily the best sports radio anchor in the market. There's no argument there. Rich Walcoff is good too; about the only reason to listen to KGO and turn the dial when the gigglers start barking.

9 AM--

I'll just switch, briefly, to Ronn, and if there's a pulse, I might stay for awhile. If there's a political guest on the phone, I'll hang for the quick phono--after that, I'm gone.

In the car, it's over to KCSM, the jazz and big band music give me nirvana.

**Hey KNBR producer: you may think it's funny and clever to play the traffic sounder over and over while the 9-Noon schmucks and yenta talk but it sounds like shit, even by Knibber standards. Maybe if you were in Clovis, it could be funny, but this is SF, a city that once used to have great radio. Your on-air production virtues are about as sanguine as Radu's armpits.


16 comments:

  1. You are right on about the traffic sounder. The hosts can be right in the middle of a good point and here comes the traffic sounder. Over and over and over. Basically the producer is saying 'nobody listens for the content'. This is another reason I have been spending less time on KNBR. So unprofessional.

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  2. Cohen couldn't carry Scott Ostler's typewriter ribbon, even on his best day.

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  3. > Wake up about 6, pick up the print edition of the NY Times.
    > I like the feeling of an actual newspaper in my hands.

    Then why are you reading the NY Times. Hasn't had anything worthwhile aside from Krugman for the last five years. I can read wire stories anywhere.

    Talk about media that's fallen, that's the prime example. At least European newspapers are still decent.

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  4. Do you listen to "Good Morning Monterey Bay" on KSCO 1080 in the mornings? If not, give it a try!

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  5. What's on riveting talk radio this afternoon from 1-4?

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  6. Yes, I have. Bunch of typical small town hacks on 10,000 watts.

    Typical MZ style radio. Chalmers she'd retire ... accent and all.

    She sounds way too old to be doing this and has a smoker's hacking laugh. Actually, she sounds ill.

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  7. I've never read the New York Slimes myself.

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    Replies
    1. Quoting Michael Savage, so outdated, so lame. Come up with something original, so even if you are an ultra conservative, at least we can assume you actually have a brain.

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  8. Ah, the New York Times. Good call. Beats reading the dreck in the Comical. KCBS is a good call for radio news. No comment on KGO and the Mattress Putz. Glad to see KNBR isn't part of your day. The only reason why it's part of anyone's day is for the Giants or the 49ers. Sorry Warriors, you get a blip once in awhile on their radar. Which is more than what I can say about the Sharks.

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  9. What kind indiscreet pictures of you does Lowell Cone have? That Dingleberry pens the most absurd articles. And I don't mean absurd as in thought provoking or controversial but absurd as in "I can't believe this is written by someone who calls himself a writer or journalist". His sports acumen (and opinion) is just a hair better than Ralph Barbiery's. But hey, one mans garbage...right?

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  10. I agree Beats reading the dreck in the Comical. KCBS is a good call for wireless report. No comment on KGO and the Mattress Putz. Glad to glimpse KNBR isn't part of your day.


    Regards,
    Kopi Luwak

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  11. Daniel Brown, big advice: learn how to spell. What did Lowell Cohn do to you, request that you be held back a year in school. Also, learn how to spell Ralph's last name. Are you retarded?

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    1. lol

      Not only is "Anonymous" a coward, but he/she is also a bit dense. I purposely (and will continue to) misspell the names of "Lowell Cone" and "Rat Barbiery" because I don't respect them as professionals. They really are just two guys who managed to stick around. They're not talented and their opinions are consistently ill informed.

      No I'm not retarded but I do have an autistic relative that I'd be willing to put up against you and bet money on in an IQ test lol.

      "Anonymous 6:32", you really are the "cream" in the cream of the crop that is the followers of this blog lol.

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  12. I do produce a radio show in Fresno/Clovis. Please don't insult me!

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  13. KNBR has been a joke ever since Cumulus took over. They put a dunderhead in charge (Lee Hammer), put a mediocre DJ on the morning show who knows nothing about sports, (Paulie Mac), and they're making Ray Woodson read traffic reports, even though he supposed to be the night time talk show hosts. They have a dysfunctional idiot who produces one of the shows, and they still have a 'brown-noser,' who will suck up to anyone he has to to get ahead co-hosting at mid day. What a lame excuse for a radio station!

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