I had listened to Chip Franklin and wrote back then he'd eventually replace Ronnnnnn Owens.
One KGO Insider: "Actually, when Ronn goes and it's gonna be sooner rather than later, he's, (Franklin), in that slot."
Having listened to Franklin a few times in San Diego and here when he filled in, he's a better-than-average yapper, but for a station that was being re-branded to go "live and local", this move isn't about to change the current dynamics and KGO, while doing a little better in the ratings and improving from near obscurity, is still an albatross.
Franklin's hiring, (he begins Dec. 8th), will be part of an incremental change at 810 AM where Cumulus reinstitutes more talk content and reduces news coverage which it knew it was sucking at and was never going to challenge KCBS. We'll report more in the coming days.
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One KGO Insider: "Actually, when Ronn goes and it's gonna be sooner rather than later, he's, (Franklin), in that slot."
Having listened to Franklin a few times in San Diego and here when he filled in, he's a better-than-average yapper, but for a station that was being re-branded to go "live and local", this move isn't about to change the current dynamics and KGO, while doing a little better in the ratings and improving from near obscurity, is still an albatross.
Franklin's hiring, (he begins Dec. 8th), will be part of an incremental change at 810 AM where Cumulus reinstitutes more talk content and reduces news coverage which it knew it was sucking at and was never going to challenge KCBS. We'll report more in the coming days.
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Which way does he lean politically?
ReplyDeleteHe was pretty much to the right in SD. His ratings must have been low since he was replaced in 2013.
ReplyDeleteHello Mr. Chip, please be frank with your opinions. This fallow garden needs the pruning, weeding and deep hoe treatment, starting yesterday.
ReplyDeleteI listened to him on one weekend "trial," and again when he did some days when Ronn was on vacation. I found him to be quite listenable.
ReplyDeleteWhen Ronn did the brief intro with him, they spoke of wanting some base for give-and-take ... not only with a fellow host ... but with the callers. I hope it works out to be that way.
I lean pretty far left, and I've always appreciated Ronn (and the "old" KGO) for encouraging opposing points of view, as well has praising points and opinions that hadn't yet been voiced. As strong as I am in my opinions, I would hate a liberal version of "mega dittoes." And I appreciate hearing angles that hadn't occurred to me.
It'll be good to have more talk, again!
(Usual disclaimer: Not a cheerleader for the current KGO ... left in the 90s ... hate Cumulus)
He's a typical California Conservative. He'll keep his political leanings relatively obscured at KGO as he attempts the general talk the now deceased Metheny was aiming for. In hiring Chip management can still lay this on Kevin Metheny, if they have to.
ReplyDeleteWhat this entire thing comes to is Cumulus admitting they made a grave error by blasting out all the KGO talent. These are not the type of people who admit mistakes. No. They're the type of guys who say things like "maybe we could have done things a little differently." Chip Franklin is just that. A B+ on his great day.
I have no problem with him as a host as he's a mid-market guy and can be relatively entertaining. There's also a reason he's been around the block, had no job, and lands in Market #3. How often do people fail upward to major markets? I'm guessing ever since Cumulus took over radio, quite often.
The only answers Cumulus has are cheap answers, and I would bet Chip is just that. They know there are many talk hosts desperate for work, so they'll take anything they offer. For Cumulus this works because the Dickeys have major bills to pay.
Expect more cuts. Expect weak talent. Expect a weak station.
Better than their lame all news format. Anything is.
Every other VP across the nation sees the headline, "CHIP FRANKLIN TO KGO" and thinks, "Who is that?"
Cumulus's KGO.
So they replaced a moderate liberal with a right winger at night and now bring in another conservative in the day.
DeleteKSFO will be the national syndicated conservative station and KGO will now be the right leaning local station with fence sitter Ronn until he's done.
I guess when right wing southerners own your local station this is what we get.
What a travesty.
I wonder if Randall Bloomquist will go around saying, "We're going to do radio the same...but ratings differently..."
ReplyDeleteHe enjoyed saying that when he brought Kevin on. Radio? The same. Ratings? Different.
Oooooooooohheeeeeeee!
I don't think his right leaning views are going to be something I want to listen to. Even in deep red San Diego he wasn't that popular on KOGO before they fired him.
ReplyDelete"he's a better-than-average yapper"
ReplyDeleteI'll agree with that, and probably it's the best KGO will do at Cumulus prices. He's been kicked around some recently, so he may have settled for rock bottom pay.
You have to wonder if KGO will eventually dump the news format after 7pm and hire a local talk show host. Of course no one can replace Gene Burns but nights are made for talk radio. They could just have the top and bottom of the hour newscasts done in Dallas like they do with traffic anyway.
ReplyDeleteNon-Cumulus radio stations seem to do ok in other markets (maybe a blip, or not?).... Quick search reveals no Cumulus-owned stations in the City that brought us Gene Burns!
ReplyDeletehttp://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/11/18/resurgence-of-conservative-talk-radio-impacting-mass-political-scene/
I listened to a lot of when he was on for Owens and he was terrible. He could not stay on point throughout an entire sentence. He seems to have an obsession with fat men ogling other people's daughters. Or maybe it was just the subject matter at the time. God awful and I will not be listening.
ReplyDeleteI gave John Bachelor a chance. He seemed ok at first as it appeared he had a neutral voice, but it soon became obvious that he is another wing-nut. I find something suspicious about him as if he is hiding something. Plus, the ominous bumper music is pretentious beyond belief. Beats Ronn Owens' look-at-me-I'm-so-hip bumpers, though.
he's not a right-wing nut. Have you listened to his discussions on Russia? He blames the United States for orchestrating a war in Ukraine, a coup of a bad government and leader. However, if that is a precedent for our foreign policy, then I guess we are going to overthrow 75 percent of all governments in the world. He has also called out the U.S. government for Biden (liberal) who has a son on a gas company's board in Ukraine as well as a family friend. Talk about oligarchy. The United States forced the Ukraine disaster to get NATO as close to The Russian Federation as it could. If I were TRF, I would start with building bases in Mexico and Cuba, Central America and South America. That is what the U.S.A. is doing. All for oil, gas and greed. Sure, he is more conservative than some, but your analysis reveals your lack of listening to him over the long term. He has been the ONLY radio host who has taken America to task for Ukraine. He also was highly critical of the Republicans in the run-up to the 2008 elections and couldn't believe McCann got the nomination and that Palin was a heartbeat away from the presidency. I also lean conservative, but I'm not an idiot and I also listen to "liberal" hosts. I listen to John Batchelor because his is the most extensive news/opinion radio show that covers the entire world, brings on experts ~ both left and right. He is also a huge critic of "liberal" President Obama, whose policies have enriched his rich Wall Street banksters and greedsters at the expense of the average American. He is also a huge critic of President Obama's support of the Muslim Brotherhood, offshoots of which have murdered my religious brethren all over the Middle East. Is opposing genocide "conservative"? He is a huge critic of "liberal" President Obama's picking targets for drones. He is a huge critic of "liberal" President Obama's policy of accepting "collateral murder" that only produces more American-haters. He is a huge critic of "liberal President Obama's surveillance state. So much for conservative and liberal.
DeleteI mentioned neither right or left, but it is very clear where your head is firmly stuck. Which is my problem with wing-nuts on either side. And those that claim to be in the middle for that matter.
DeleteIt looks to me like his head is stuck in the facts.
DeleteKarel complained on his show yesterday about Franklin's hiring. He claims that he was also up for that job and he feels insulted that KGO hired somebody from San Diego rather than promote one of its weekend hosts to a Monday - Friday job.
ReplyDeleteHe added that he fully expects to be fired any day now.
Karel has real highs and real lows. His first job sure looks like local pandering / affirmative action, and I've heard him say things that would get any conservative or conservative white male fired in a minute. His rant, on and on, of a mythical GOP conversation that there is a "BLANK" in the White House!!" [insert N word] made me turn him off forever. Immature, unneeded, inane. He is so bothersome, he motivated Dr. Bill to go on a long whine one night about his image being tarnished by Karel, on and on and on. Rumor has it that Mickey Luckoff had to put that quarrel to bed.
DeleteSpeaking of Dr. Bill, I had some problems picking him up recently via streaming. But I thought I heard him talk about getting close to a new deal. He is either hanging on at 910, or could he be coming back to KGO? He does seem to have mellowed some (he is in his late 70s), and it looks like he has an earlier time slot the past few years - 8 - 11 PM? I'd love to hear him on KGO again! Maybe Gil Gross, too.
While I don't care a lot for Karel's immaturity, he had potential. I wish him no ill, however, with the way the economy is. He will have a tough time finding a job, and I wish joblessness on no one. I'm also much more conservative than Karel, but I do like his tech news, some of his views on Wall Street, etc. I tired of his references to his husband, oogling over handsome men, and his whole "See Me, I'm gay," banter. I fully support marrying whomever you love and I do feel sorry for him at having lost his husband. His angst comes from frustration, tragedy, immaturity, etc., but I don't think he's a total wipeout. If he would be open to constructive criticism, I think he could still be a decent host, even though, as I said, I disagree with him on some issues.
DeleteI have listed to John Bachelor on another station and frankly like him. He seems to be a voracious reader, well informed, tackles meaty subject matter. He won't do "tech gadgets" 4x a month, or Brittany Spears. I could not tell what his political leanings are, and when he took a traditional "left" stand, I figured he was a Democrat. Then I heard him take several stances on fiscal issues, and I think he took rational, fact-based choices that the Bay Area is probably not comfortable with. I like his maturity.
ReplyDeleteNever heard of this Chip guy. It sounds like the "all news" format tanked? Were they too worried if they axed 5 or 7 old guys, they'd get sued up the wazoo? So change format, flush them out, and retool?
My sweetie doesn't like the guys that come off as "harsh" (like Mark Levine), but she did like Gene Burns. I miss him.
P.S. I like learning about Kashmir, Khazakstan, or Putin's background, this is not the typical fodder of abortion, taxes, or socialism that most talk show hosts typically focus on year after year. These are the kinds of topics Bachelor delves into, he may have strong leanings, but they weren't immediately evident.
DeleteHe can make me think, just like Krasney or Savage.
I agree with you 10:18. You have obviously listened to Batchelor's very nuanced points of view. You are also correct, 10:46. He can be boring, but so can Savage.
DeleteSo Chip gives up an "O" to GO to a larger market. KOGO --> KGO
ReplyDeleteChip who? Never heard of him... Usually those who one has never heard of have to work their way up the ladder, so to speak, to get a job in a market like SF. Since Cumulus has virtually dismantled KGO, my guess is the offers can now be made much lower. Of course, most of the listeners (those who appreciate great talk radio) said bye-bye a long time ago. Even though I no longer live in the Bay Area, I did enjoy tuning in KGO after dark to hear Gene, John, Ray, and the like (and I'm one of those conservative types). What KGO has now is certainly not the same... Maybe one day? I'm not holding my breath!
ReplyDeleteRich, when I get a job, I'll give you a donation. Sorry I can't yet. I do like the blog and will miss it if it goes behind a paywall.
ReplyDeleteKGO put a conservative in Ray Taliaferro's old time slot. The firing of KGO hosts was a very dumb ploy to try and stifle west coast liberal talk in hopes of swaying western states to vote for a republican president. Well KGO still has some liberals on the weekends and I'm glad for that. Brian Copeland, Pat Thurston and Karel are liberals that are on weekends.
ReplyDeleteFranklin was a right wing blow hard in the early AM slot on KOGO. Today he is pretty much a liberal, pandering to his current audience in the Bay.
ReplyDelete