OK, fire away. No subject is off the table. I want compelling questions and I shall do my best to provide compelling answers because I'm a compelling sort of guy.
No morons, please. (Fat chance).
Detour on the porterhouse steak dinner--instead opted for Chinese. Yung Kee saves the night. Kung Pao chicken for everyone.
GAME ON!
Follow me on Twitter where you can also ask questions too.
*Rich Lieberman and 415 Media are not responsible for comments made by others on this website
Rich I have a question. Are you angry at KGO for any particular reason? I get the feeling that you're mad because Lowenstein did you some wrong turn awhile back. Didn't you used to be a Ronn worshiper, (and I believe you also liked Rad-Man) back in the day? Why did you turn against these two local media icons like a snake as soon as your blog started? Tell me if I'm wrong but I heard it was because both men felt you were kind of doing the 'Rupert Pupkin hero worship' thing, where you were trying to curry favor with them to have them get you on their shows on a regular basis. Is this true? If so, it tells a lot about why you're so mean spirited and petty. Instead of bashing some of the hard working and talented people in broadcasting, why don't you take a good, cold, hard look in the mirror at yourself someday. Perhaps you'll see a bitter, petty little weasel who has to spend so much time spewing out vitriol to innocent and decent folks like Raddy, Owens, Mel Baker and 'Copie.' At least they have careers. What have you got? This pathetic little blog where you deal is misinformation, rumor, and innuendo. You're a real sleaze my friend!
ReplyDeleteWell, aside from your interesting and provocative post, let me answer your question...
DeleteI have never "worshipped" any of the individuals you mentioned. I worship people like my family, my mother, both my sisters and aunts and uncles. Family.
I don't jock sniff or celebrity sniff --national nor local. I have my favorites and non-favorites and I both rip them when they're off and will praise them when they're good. I think I'm fairly consistent.
I hope I have answered your questions and I appreciate your loyal readership to this "pathetic little blog." Have a splendid day and some after-dinner mints on me.
Thanks.
Hey 8:22 you are kidding us about Mel Baker, right? This guy was a part timer in the newsroom who decided to take it upon himself to "defend" KGO during the protest after they got rid of the hosts. The only reason he did this is because the real management was fired and most of the then current management was already working at the 55 Hawthorne building. He would have never been allowed to say anything under normal circumstances and was ridiculed by everyone in the building after his outburst. His on air stints came because he was one of the only openly gay people in the building and Karel put him on air as he sees him as an ally in the building. He's a joke and another example of how people are pretending they are KGO when they never worked there in the relevant days. No different then working in a market like Chico now. What a joke. Check out Baker's Facebook page. You'd think he was Marconi.
DeleteApparently 11:34 doesn't know my history. I worked at KGO as a talk producer back in the 90s and I worked in network radio before moving to the Bay Area. I've been on-air since 1982. I do The Most with Karel, because Kim McCallister no longer does that shift and other reporter/anchors do the Most when I'm away. My sexual orientation has nothing to do with that short little half hour stint. I'm a producer/show editor who does a limited amount of reporting and anchor work. I certainly don't think I'm Marconi, but I do have strong opinions about journalism and hardly think that's something to be ashamed of. If you want to argue, then come out and fight with your own name, instead of hiding behind anonymous. That at least is something I agree with Rich on. When I've attacked him I've always done so with my name.
DeleteMel Baker ()
I love how these guys that come in here hurling shit at Rich who politely dances around the shit, like Astaire, then leaves 'em a parting gift; " Have a splendid day and some after-dinner mints on me." Bwahahahahahah!!
DeleteWith the advent of social media, internet,deregulation, what do you think local television is going to look like in, say, 10 years? I don't think television knows what to do with social media at this time. NBC Brian Williams already has the last 8 or so minutes of his network newscast dedicated to social media.
ReplyDeleteWell, for starters, I think everything will conform to the Internet, in fact, I think the days of the traditional network newscast are over because of how pervasive the net has become, for better or worse.
DeleteFurthermore, as technology and digital becomes even more ingrained in our lives; quicker and quicker and quicker, we will change with it.
8:22. Rich "can" and "has" been spot on lots of times, and a bit lacking at others. However, you're on the wrong team, too. You should substitute Karel for being the effeminent bore liar that he is, as has been pointed out for, say Copie who plays the part only of the "token black" on KGO, first. Both are truly bad with no reason or business to be "talking to you" as disingenuous as they are.
DeleteAs for Mel Baker, he has no career greatness or highlights. He's a newspaper writer and a hack at that, sounds like crap on the air and out of touch, and the "newsroom suck up" just to keep a gig. He thnks he's father confessor but you'd be surprised what comes up about that tool in bathroom stalls and hallways.
Ronn needs to pack up and go home. His Social Security awaits and he's put a boatload of money away. He's cashing rich man bucks on champagne money and he admts he can't work on $350,000 a year.
Parkinson's? I feel bad for him. However, he's setting the table for a major lawsuit for show if/when Cumulus says his time is up in the net five months (before his holiday vacation.) He needs to go home and live it out like a man, not like the crook he's thinking of being to "save my job" from the mean and creepy Cumulus.
The changes coming reflect what Cumulus Atlanta wants, not what the Bay Area wants and needs. Talk radio the way these people do it is toast. You might as well throw Kevin Metheny and Rene Bakos on the barbee as well. They are just the corporate in-house shills ready to take the fall for the failure coming next.
I think that the only reason Jennifer Jones-Lee is still there is strictly contractual, so, you could add her to the list, as well. The changes coming will not be shocking. They will make headlines and how better to get publicity than making controversy? The extreme right is done, and the lefties have ruined political talk just as badly. Older audences don't make money and the ratings are historically low on both KGO and KSFO.
Give Rich a break on this one. It's a three year old topic and getting worse. Yes, there have been burned bridges, but Rich didn't start it. Cumulus didn't really, either -- they just take credit. Citadel put this boulder in motion and KGO / KSFO is paying the price. Just wait till Metheny gets going to do what he'll do when told from Atlanta. He'll be gone as the sacrificial lamb that Ron E. was before him, just like Jared Hart before him and the Paul Hosely's, etc. A new news network untried, ever, weak air talent, a union that is of no help and toothless, a boring remote control news and traffic department from Dallas and no ratings or big revenues. A bad recipe.
It's a disaster over there on Hawthorne. Soon, watch what happens to Savage, along wth a few others. Cumulus has killed the talk radio golden goose before Clear Channel. That's what's amazing here, not who Rich has turned on. Let's be honest. Rich didn't do it. Cumulus is stuck up to the door handles with what' it has done to San Francisco and Bay Area radio. CNN non-branded news to replace ABC. How the mighty have fallen -- to save $12-mllion a year across the country. Great move, Cumulus. Time waits for no man. It's time to move on. What does Rich think will happen? I'd like to know. What would you think will happen as early as next Tuesday? We'd like to know.
You're full of shit. Mainstream conservative talk radio and culture is doing just fine in Dallas, the same city that's gobbling up jobs and population from California as fast as it can. I travel for a living and heard some of the most hard core in the weeds right wing conservative radio in Detroit that I have ever heard and I've been around. Kevin McCullough makes Sussman look like he needs hormone shots and decorating classes.
DeleteWe do not live in the United States of San Francisco. Period.
> Dallas, the same city that's gobbling up jobs and population from
Delete> California as fast as it can.
I wish it would hurry up. Housing prices here are still insane and rising at the fastest pace in the country. Prices in Dallas are moderate by comparison. And jobs? Please! California's job scene has never been better, especially in Northern CA, where all those awful liberals live (and coincidentally make most of the jobs).
Now go back to mooching stop signs off the blue states...
Um, Rootvg, stick it in yer ear, a-hole. Talk is DEAD in Dallas, Houston, Tyler-Longview, San Angelo and Abilene oh, and on Cumulus now dog WPAP in Ft. Worth in historic propertions as "conservative talk." I'll bet you $1000 right now, you uniformed moron.
DeleteAny questions you elitist ass hat.
Station Format Owner/LMA May14 Jun14 Jul14 Cume
KHKS CHR Clear Channel Media & Entertainment 6.6 6.3 6.2 1,853,100
KPLX Country Cumulus Media, Inc. 6.6 6.1 5.6 1,256,400
KLUV Classic Hits CBS Radio, Inc. 4.4 4.1 4.3 1,054,200
KSCS Country Cumulus Media, Inc. 3.9 3.9 4.3 921,200
KZPS Classic Rock Clear Channel Media & Entertainment 4.2 3.9 3.9 944,400
KRNB Urban AC Service Broadcasting Corp. 3.2 3.4 3.9 650,300
KDMX Hot AC Clear Channel Media & Entertainment 3.3 3.3 3.7 1,489,600
KKDA-F Urban Contemporary Service Broadcasting Corp. 3.3 3.6 3.6 1,059,100
KLTY Contemporary Christian Salem Communications Corp. 4.2 4.1 3.5 740,600
KBFB Rhythmic-CHR Radio One 3.3 3.3 3.4 911,900
KDGE Rock Clear Channel Media & Entertainment 3.4 3.2 3.2 1,078,600
KEGL Rock Clear Channel Media & Entertainment 3.5 3.2 3.1 800,400
KLNO Regional Mexican Univision Radio 3.0 2.9 3.0 647,600
KMVK Regional Mexican CBS Radio, Inc. 2.7 2.5 3.0 645,700
KVIL Hot AC CBS Radio, Inc. 3.1 3.2 2.9 1,256,900
KJKK Adult Hits CBS Radio, Inc. 2.6 2.9 2.7 956,700
KRLD News/Talk CBS Radio, Inc. 2.4 2.3 2.3 405,700
KTCK Sports Cumulus Media, Inc. 2.3 2.1 2.2 338,500
KSOC Urban AC Radio One 2.2 2.4 2.0 474,800
KERA News/Talk North Texas Public Broadcasting, Inc. 1.5 1.7 2.0 318,600
WBAP News/Talk Cumulus Media, Inc. 2.2 2.1 1.9 327,400
KLIF-F CHR Cumulus Media, Inc. 1.9 1.7 1.9 759,900
KESN Sports Cumulus Media, Inc. 2.2 2.1 1.7 443,900
KCBI Contemporary Christian First Dallas Media, Inc. 1.6 1.4 1.6 342,100
KDXX/KESS Spanish Hits Univision Radio 1.3 1.4 1.3 377,200
KRLD-F Sports CBS Radio, Inc. 1.8 1.6 1.2 308,900
KFZO Regional Mexican Univision Radio 1.0 1.4 1.1 384,600
KKXT Adult Alternative North Texas Public Broadcasting, Inc. 1.0 1.1 0.9 310,700
KSKY Talk Salem Communications Corp. 0.4 0.4 0.5 137,600
KLIF News/Talk Cumulus Media, Inc. 0.3 0.3 0.4 100,400
Thank you for putting rootv in his place. Now if he would just get the hell out of here. Lots of complaining about the Bay Area but he stays here. I lived in the Monterey area for three years. Couldn't stand the military types nor the old conservative fuddy dudies. So I moved! Tip on Monterey as the young locals like to say: "Visit it. Don't live it".
DeleteGlad you showed some restraint when dealing with the first comment from 8:22am. The guy sounded like a LIeberman 'hater.' I get the feeling you've got a few of those nut-cases out there Rich. Keep fightin' for us those though!
ReplyDeleteOh, really I thought he/she was kind of funny actually, but thanks.
DeleteWill Greg Jarrett come back to San Francisco and work for Kevin?
ReplyDeleteGreg was thrown under the bus at WGN and Metheny was forced into making a move that may not have been his personal choice. Bygones are bygones and Metheny could surprise on this. Odds: 60 / 40 Jarrett. It depends on much KGO wants J. Jones-Lee to hit the traffic desk or go home. Jarrett is in Seattle and doing things outside of radio. Considering how Cumulus doesn't like spending money -- it depends, but the opportunity is there, hopefully. Though to some - Jarrett was an acquired taste, bu then, he has experience working for Metheny.
DeleteWhat ate you talking about 10:53? Greg Jarrett is not in Seattle. He is on air at Bloomberg Radio in NYC. Know what you are talking about before you comment.
DeleteWell, I'm just reporting now that indeed, Greg Jarrett is coming back, in six weeks, for Bloomberg Radio.
DeleteJarrett now is based in Portland, Oregon, where he runs a voice-over and news crisis management firm. He did "The Best of Bloomberg" podcast late night. He's been off the air since Aug. 21.
DeleteDid Bloomberg from Sept. 2013 to Aug. 21.
New anchor/host
Bloomberg LP
Privately Held; 10,001+ employees; Financial Services industry
September 2013 – Present (1 year) Greater New York City Area
All duties with regard to preparing, editing, and delivering information via Bloomberg Radio. Co-host "Bloomberg Best"
Founder
Jarrett Voice Services
January 2009 – Present (5 years 8 months)
Teaching and advising government agencies, corporations and individuals crisis management from a public information perspective.
Morning Host
WGN Radio
Public Company; 51-200 employees; Broadcast Media industry
June 2009 – December 2011 (2 years 7 months) Chicago, Il
Develop and present information that is current and useful to the greater Chicago audience.
Interviews with newsmakers and people of interest.
Afternoon News Anchor/Host
KGO radio
June 2000 – January 2009 (8 years 8 months)
Correspondent
ABC News
Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; DIS; Broadcast Media industry
1994 – 1998 (4 years)
New anchor/host
Bloomberg LP
Privately Held; 10,001+ employees; Financial Services industry
September 2013 – Present (1 year) Greater New York City Area
All duties with regard to preparing, editing, and delivering information via Bloomberg Radio. Co-host "Bloomberg Best"
Founder
Jarrett Voice Services
January 2009 – Present (5 years 8 months)
Teaching and advising government agencies, corporations and individuals crisis management from a public information perspective.
Morning Host
WGN Radio
Public Company; 51-200 employees; Broadcast Media industry
June 2009 – December 2011 (2 years 7 months) Chicago, Il
Develop and present information that is current and useful to the greater Chicago audience.
Interviews with newsmakers and people of interest.
Afternoon News Anchor/Host
KGO radio
June 2000 – January 2009 (8 years 8 months)
Correspondent
ABC News
Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; DIS; Broadcast Media industry
1994 – 1998 (4 years)
Do you think 15 year old and Atherton native CiCi Bellis will win her second round match today at the US Open? She's been the story of the tournament thus far after defeating world number 12 Dominika Cibulkova in the first round.
ReplyDeleteUh, I have very little women's tennis knowledge but I'll ask Ted Robinson and get back to you.
DeleteShe probably won't advance further but women athletes continue to be stronger and faster so anything is possible.
DeleteWhat's the guys name on KNBR, Greg Ratto? Not that it matters but they've lost me as a KNBR listener. Even the "Razor" wasn't near as annoying as this guy. Tom's sophomoric humor has always had an endearing quality, but this guys smart alecky delivery is obnoxious and comes off as a know-it-all. JMO
ReplyDeleteIt's Ray Ratto...and like everyone else mostly, he has good days and bad days.
DeleteThe curly curmudgeon bit is a little hard to take...
As for Tolbert, I generally like to listen to him but he needs to cut the Arizona alum references --too much.
Ray Ratto is five of the most insecure people you'd ever meet. He looks like Jabba the Hutt and is about as surly as the overweight security guard who gets paid minimum wage and thinks he's a superstar because he wears a dime store badge and has a uniform. He's smart and wants everyone to know that he has some gray matter between his ears.
DeleteHi Rich, and everyone. Can someone offer a learned opinion as to why CNN has leaped onto the "single story" format? e.g.; "The Missing Malaysian Airliner" and this week "The Audio Tape" (which may or may not be real). The anchors look uncomfortable. The prolonged q and a with various experts is pointless and occasionally bizarre. There is virtually no news value, and a very high annoyance factor.
ReplyDeleteWas wondering that as well. The Foxification of CNN?
DeleteThis is Jeff Zucker's doing. Focus on one topic no matter how miserable, and the audience will "find it's way." This is an experiment that started on HLN, with the daily court "shows" featuring Casey, Zimmerman, Malaysian Airlines and now, riots in Ferguson, MO. In the name of serious staff cutbacks as of yesterday and a mandate to shave expenses, this is a way for CNN to "stay in the race." It is, of course, not working. Malaysian Airlines was at least interested, but horribly a burned beyond its time into nothinness. The "experts" turned ineffective, Richard Quest a boob, Don Lemon an idiot and Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper - abysmal fools for hyping a story still incomplete.
DeleteSo, Zucker moves on to the next story.
This won't stand the test of time. CNN has now a new idea -- it's own "doc block" starting in the next week - just like on MSNBC. We'll see SF's Mike Rowe on Wednesday, Anthony Bordain on Mondays or somewhere, a two hour "CNN Tonight", a new "series" on Thursday nights like "Chicago" or "The Sixties" (which was great -- Chicago, not so much.) Plus, an expanded role at night for CNN International. It saves money and lots of it that way. CNN International has one good thing going for it - Rosemary Church. "New Day" is a ratings bust and the show before it is abysmal like much or most of the CNN scheule.
The only positive - is that the CNN brand is still the most watched for national or international "Breaking News" -- then, it's over, until Zucker tells Don Lemon to sit in for four hours and Cooper for four and Erin Burnett for one. Burnett was alleged to have been asked to fill in for Kate Baldwin and she turned the gig down and threatened suit if she was moved and not paid millions more to move to mornings. At this point, a glowing fireplace from 7 pm to 6 am would fit CNN just fine..
I really appreciate your insight @12:37. Obviously, it's a lot of "...characters in search of a clue".. to borrow a theatrical reference. But- rumor has it the HLN model is spiraling as well. CNN decides to go that route now? How much more profitable can it be in the short run? The anchors truly appear shell-shocked at various moments.( Perhaps having a moment of realization of what they've just said?) Agree with you regarding breaking news draw of the audience. But- if they keep discrediting themselves during the other hours..stands to reason that will evaporate as well.
DeleteGREAT Hour on Ronn today and its going to continue into the 11 o'clock hour. Take those liberal pukes down brother !
ReplyDeleteAgree - one of Ronn's most entertaining segments. He really does do well with good guests - regardless of political persuasion.
DeleteRay hasn't been on air that long, but in that time he has been able to develop the phoniest belly-laugh in radio.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it seems forced. Krueger will do the same thing with Radnich. I think it's something co-hosts do to break tension and lighten the mood. Sort of like the effect of a laugh track for situational comedies.
DeleteRatto will go on CSN frequently, but he hardly ever laughs. He does do his usual shtick, where he's pessimistic, cynical and surly. It can be amusing in small doses.
Why does KRON persist in showing any and everything but Jackie Sissel?
ReplyDeleteI can't really address that question but I'm sure Kronvicts have the answer.
DeleteYou just know Ray Ratto was the kid every other kid picked on in school.
ReplyDeleteYou just also know he was last to be picked in every game.
Ratto might not be a good fit for radio, but social media and radio is where most sportswriters are having to go these days.
DeleteI think if any of us go back to any of Ratto's sports columns, I think you'd find that he's one of the best columnists the Bay Area has ever had. And they've had some good ones. I put Ratto a notch below Bruce Jenkins and that's saying something.
Rich, how is the new guy going to fit in at 95.7 next week? Is he any good, I've read some good things about his time in Portland. It seems Bucher's last day is tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI'm not trying to be hotey-totey but I can't listen to that station --Damon Bruce is the only guy I pay scant attention to and occasionally Papa...the new guy, I've never heard of him which is probably why he's headed to the Game.
DeleteI remember the new guy having what I assume to be a contrived pissing contest with another guy on the Jim Rome show about 5 years ago. This went on for months to the point it was unbearable. I think the new guy even guest hosted for Rome one time.
DeleteThuy Vu....was she forced to take lower level roles or did she chose to do that on her own. Seemed like she had a lot of things going well....and then kind of vanished.
ReplyDeleteNo, really, she went over to KQED, last I heard. Maybe she was too good for commercial TV.
DeleteI've worked with her. She's very good and very smart, so there's no place for her on the commercial dial.
DeleteRich are you and Bucher buddies?
ReplyDeleteUh, no.
DeleteReason why I asked, he always used to beg people to listen to his show a couple times during Warrior games. That sort of desparation normally gets you called on this blog.
DeleteRich, gotta ask this question every three months or so to see if the status is changed: Anything new with Len Tillem? Will someone get this guy back on the air, please?
ReplyDeleteI spoke to Len recently and he's at peace practicing law and not interested in radio. I too would love to have him back on the air but as of now it's not in the offing.
DeleteDoes Tv use a "7 second or more delay to prevent things like that fake caller on CNN. Radio call in shows have it but not tv?
ReplyDelete