Early Leader to take over for Kevin Metheny: Randall Bloomquist and that doesn't sit well for a longtime SF player, like others, none-to-thrilled about the Cumulus exec.
That's the fear at least.
"I'm sure Cumulus is aware at this point that the guy, (Bloomquist), is an empty suit and I'm sure they'd love to 'pawn him off on SF, and get him out of Atlanta.' He has a contract as well so it would be great for them to foist him up on the Bay Area.'"
NOTES:
All Cumulus staff at the SF Cluster were told late Friday not to talk on-air about the Metheny death.
That didn't stop the chit-chat later on.
Already there is grumbling from some people about how many who hated him, (Metheny), who came out of nowhere to begin praising him on-line and calling him a genius.
*One noted producer at KGO who despised him was crying.
*A KNBR noted air-personality: "I just talked to him that, (Friday), morning--I mentioned to him that he had a limp going and he said he had a bad ankle."
*A staff-wide meeting is planned for Monday. Presumably KGO and KSFO people will say something publically. Some of it will be meaningful and some of it will be disingenuous. That's the normal procedure.
Chicago reaction
Chicago reaction
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Lieberman still hasn't explained why he chose to publish news of Metheny's death at a time news outlets were withholding the story because the family hadn't yet been notified.
ReplyDeleteHis family was already notified hours before my reporting. I actually knew the news much earlier in the day but held back so I could get at least 4-5 sources to confirm it --obviously you did not read my updates on the first story and frankly right now, I'm only addressing it because of its seriousness and not your fake indignation, Mr. Anonymous.
Delete"OUTRAGE! OUTRAGE, I SAY!" 11:09, shut up. Tiresome.
DeleteAny indication yet about what direction Metheny's successor may take? Will he continue haphazard staff change experiments or should we expect almost nothing of significance to change until next spring, closer to the end of the fiscal year?
ReplyDeleteThere is a modified talk format that should be implemented any day now but because of Mr. Metheny's passing, I'd expect a delay. Probably now after the first of the year.
DeleteIt is very unfortunate this Kevin Metheny guy died, but if there is any good news out of any of this, maybe it means Barbara Simpson will get her show back on the air.
ReplyDelete2.30 PM, Let it be said, that I loved the Barbara Simpson radio show while it was on, and that she is one of the very few radio people I'd like to share a seat section with on a long flight. But I fail to see any relation whatsoever of Lady Simpson and Kevin Metheny's individual fates. Barbara's career was on shaky ground already because among other things did not embrace the new media i.e. facebook, twitter, instagram et al, on top of host her program. Plus she liked to openly talk about politically controversial topics, like what Good and Evil really mean. Plus, Lady SImpson alas, was no longer an ingenue. Not that I cared, but, for some executives, that is an unpardonable sin....Who really knows, I can only hope that you know something most of us don't know, and this comes to pass.
ReplyDeleteMy only point was that since Kevin Metheny was a big player in Barbara Simpson's show getting axed, the fact that he is no longer operations manager at KSFO gives hope that a more creative-thinking person will replace him and recognize Barbara's talents and put her back on the air. That's all.
DeleteI believe Barbara was gone before kevin arrived.
DeleteInteresting you should mention Barbara Simpson, I tuned in to 560 at 4 p.m. assuming that Ethan Bearman would be on as usually, not that I'm a big fan of his, but KGO has football or some other game on, thus nothing else on, so I wanted to see what Bearman would talk about. Instead they are playing Rush Limbaugh week in review or something like that, wonders what that means? Rich do up date us when you know something.
ReplyDeleteI wrote the blog above, just check KSFO website, seems like Ethan Bearman has been cut to Saturdays only. I don't like Rush, I know a lot of people do, however even if you like a host it seems overkill to have him on 6 days a week. Guess it saves money, but probably makes the ratings drop. Seem like a trend, Gil for 4 hours 5 days a week. Would appear that management seem to think, the more the better of one particular person. I think that is a huge mistake, too much of the same thing gets old very fast, almost every week now, it seems those of us who like radio have less and less choices? Frustrating and sad.
ReplyDeleteKarel just opened his show talking about Metheny and yes, he had to drop in that Kevin liked his show. No way to prove that now, but way to use this as a way to promote yourself. Typical
ReplyDeleteI think it needs to be pointed out that there are a lot of really upset, stunned people at KGO. I work there too, and I can tell you that the newsroom was in absolute shock when this happened right in the middle of Friday afternoon at a busy time with everyone around. How could they not be stunned and upset?
ReplyDeleteAs for Rich's caustic comments about Metheny by using the pejorative term that Howard Stern turned profane: 'Pay Vomit,' I will just say this: Rich is a blogger with strong opinions and it's his right and his duty to try and stir it up. That's what blogs are for. Believe it or not, Metheny actually got a kick out of Rich's blog which targeted him frequently. I heard him laugh about it as he could take a shot and not get upset. You have to have a thick skin to be in this profession in the first place. So Mr Metheny took Rich's barbs in good humor and thought it was actually kind of complimentary, because after all, he must have been important enough for Rich to skewer.
It's a shame that Metheny really doesn't leave any kind of legacy at KGO because he was there for far too short a period to make any kind of major impact.
As someone who worked there and got to know him slightly, I will say that he was fairly well like by everyone who got to know him, so he was relatively popular with all of us who work in the newsroom, and was well respected. It's a shame what happened to Kevin but this is a crazy, tension-filled business, and working in it for 44 years sometimes takes its toll.
RIP Kevin! We're gonna miss ya!
Rene Bakos best bet to take Operations Director job for KGO & KSFO. The Queen of PPM technology and Executive Producer (essentially, Program Director.)
ReplyDeleteRandall Bloomquist from Atlanta. VP of "spoken word" programming for Cumulus. A big move with the Fall Nielsen rating period for the next 12 weeks here. Bakos would be best bet as "interim" as Bloomquist has corporate "spoken work & news" duties nationally to deal with.
Dark Horse: David G. Hall fro LA - former KFI Clear Channel PD as well as former CBS KNX 1070 news PD in LA.
Metheny's replacement at WJR, Detroit was just hired a week ago, three months after he left for the Bay Area. John & Lew Dickie might just take their time on this, as the most important 4th quarter is already here, a new rating period and grief counseling begins tomorrow at 5 tomorrow, as well as a staff meeting.
I'd bet on Bakos as the "interim".
Very very very dark horse: Karel. A lap down from the start of a short 6 furlong race.
Why should the Cloud Company rehire a fired part-time weekend host who is irrelevant with no ratings? It wouldn't hire back proven legends like Rothman, Talifaro, Tillem, Gross, Spencer Hughes (Sven Silva), Montemayor, Craft (fill-in from the deep part of the bullpen) and countless other "auditioners". Barbara Simpson is not a priority. A lot like Mel Baker, who will be in grief counseling at 5 pm Monday. No doubt after posting his crap on this blog all weekend.
ReplyDeleteBarbara Simpson probably will not be back, but I don't know how well her replacement is doing, his Sunday show was just axed, instead we now get Rush Limbaugh, the week in review, great 6 days of one host. As for proven legends you have a few names in there that are nowhere being legends, first and foremost Montemayor (he was on for a short time and his show was awful) Spencer Hughes he has been in and out of different stations, I don't think it makes him a legend. Gil Gross maybe as a newsperson, his show on KGO wasn't that great, and the show he has now on 910 is just awful and boring. Rothman, Talifaro, had successful shows for years, so they could be called proven legends, I certainly miss Rothmann on a daily basis.
DeleteRob Artigo here. I have never posted here before but I will. Nobody, I mean nobody, at KGO 810 "hated" Kevin. We're West-coaster's mostly, not interested in Howard Stern, so most of us shrugged at this infamous character taking over. Rumors spread, we watched the YouTube clips from "Private Parts" and wondered what would come of the change. Kevin has changed nothing, zero. We kept moving forward toward the a plan (something some day to come) that would some day be executed. In that time Kevin gave us smiles, outrageous stories, hours of his time to listen to us complain, offer ideas, present our own outrageous stories and laugh. He was rarely without a big smile and ready to enjoy a day in radio. He was there before I showed up in the morning and there long after I left. I even once engaged him in a conversation about how he was portrayed in Stern's flick. He smiled and spoke volumes about how Howard is "good people." He didn't make that reference just once. I never once got a negative vibe from the guy. I wasn't there Friday, I just heard the news through the assigned friends at work who had the difficult task of spreading the word gently. None of us know how to deal with a death in our presence. I know nothing of Kevin's career before he arrived at KGO other than a little research, but I held no bias. He came in, we all worked with him. No one expected this to be how we parted. It wasn't long ago I was on a nice spring bike ride with a dozen wonderful friends and two of them didn't make it home that day. I looked at them, lying on the side of the road, one dead one soon to be, and it left an indelible mark on my soul. I knew Kevin much less than this, but I knew more of his last days than the daughters he left behind and those who loved him most. He was to me a fine, professional programmer and manager and in that short time I saw him alive and working hard. I'm the harshest critic of many things, but I had no problems with Kevin. This won't be the last word in any forum on him, but let this serve as a warning to those who just want to tear him down. I'm not an anonymous source. Be careful, your rumors and innuendo are probably wrong and will only make you look foolish. 60 is too young, a couple of months is too short to make a new friend. I am a war veteran and I take the death of a team member very seriously. Let Kevin rest in peace now. His time in the sun has gone.
ReplyDeleteRob, thanks for sharing what you did about yourself. The next time I see you I will look at you not as a reporter but as a real human with personal experiences that no one should have to witness. You guys run from story to story, most tragic, and do so without having to shed tears and hold emotions in check. I'm sorry about your bike buddies.
DeleteWell-stated.
DeleteBut "team member?" You had me before that.
You had me until the "look out, I'm a war veteran" BS
DeleteI always think it is prudent to take the word of someone who actually knew and worked with the person, rather than that of someone who observed from afar. Nothing more, nothing less. Why is mentioning "I'
Deletem a war veteran" BS. If it is true, which I'm sure it is, why should it not be mentioned. I'm sure it leaves a mark on someone forever so why should it not be mentioned?
The only thing worse than the introduction of Kevin Metheny was the person doing the introduction: Randall Bloomquist.
ReplyDeleteWhat a charlatan he was. I had never heard of him before until the week of his arrival, and those who did know of him were seemingly spot on in their assessment.
On no less than 2 occasions he said "we are going to do radio the same but ratings differently!" It became the biggest running joke for like a month, and it unfortunately colored Metheny's hiring because of its own obvious absurdities. A number of people kept saying "WE ARE DOING RATINGS DIFFERENTLY!" I never did not find that hilarious.
If this Bloomquist fellow is as big an unknowing fool as he seemed on that day then I fully expect to see him at our new headquarters.
Btw, in case you didn't know theyre moving the entire cluster to a new, smaller, cheaper location with terrible facilities, in the worst trafficked area of the entire city. This should ensure that reporters never make a single story, all so the Dickshits can squeeze more money out of a failing company into their own accounts.
I look forward to meeting you, MISTER BLOOMQUIST!
Thank you Mr Artigo. Many of us don't like Howard Stern, Sarah Silverman, Louis CK, Joan River's, etc. the Bay Area is above the vulgar nasty stuff. Radio is in a huge transition period. Where it goes is far bigger than any one man.
ReplyDeleteIronically, Mr Metheny 's last programming decision was to put 2 nit wit women on the radio to attempt the exact thing you claim the Bay Area is bigger than.
Delete"I'm sure Cumulus is aware at this point that the guy, (Bloomquist), is an empty suit and I'm sure they'd love to 'pawn him off on SF, and get him out of Atlanta." I'm not sure this is true, Cumulus had to be aware of Randall Bloomquist's pathetic track record when they hired him, yet they chose to ignore documented proof of his utter incompetence. On the other hand if they moved Bloomquist to SF at least he wouldn't be destroying ALL their talk stations.
ReplyDeleteAnother observation: With John Dickey now demoted from co-COO to a new post overseeing programming of Cumulus stations, he, being a nitwit, might just want to keep Bloomquist, McVay, Mahoney, Jeffries and others around to help make him look good and "survivable." I doubt Bloomquist will be here on a regular basis. He has kids to raise.
ReplyDelete