ONE OF GREAT THINGS lately is that I'm getting more and more readers. And more readers attract advertisers--have you seen the new ads lately? Of course you have because the pledge breaks have decreased and I'm getting a heck of a lot more penetration --which is great especially after a hangover, but it was a memorable Thursday Night, I'll leave it at that.I digress to the reaction from the KCBS love society over Thursday's post regarding Rebecca Corral.
First off, I have no issues with Ms. Corral. I received a tip from a pretty good source who knows 855 Battery inside and out. Nevertheless, the source provided the information regarding Ms. Corral and some inter-office chatter. After getting the tip and reading it and concerned about the nature of the news, I again, called the source and asked, "You know, this is kind of 'big, are you sure?" I even asked, "You're not pulling my leg are you?" The source said "No, of course not." I had to ask because that's what good journalists do, even bloggers. So after the reassurance and much consideration, I went with the story.
Contrary to what a lot of people think, NO, I just don't thrown feces against the wall and see what sticks. Really, I try to get it right every once and awhile. A story like Ms. Corral and the KCBS post is a difficult story to write because it involves some people I know and respect. Therefore I take these things seriously and ponder the consequences of writing such a story every day.
It does me no good to publish something like the Corral/KCBS story because inevitably there will be tons of negative reaction and those friends of Ms. Corral who wrote me (both e-mail and on-line here) to complain and defend Ms. Corral, who I've never met but have the utmost respect (personally and professionally) and have written as much, including, generally speaking, my respect and admiration for KCBS. So it pains me to publish a story like Thursday's but in the end I went with it because the source is airtight legit; a source that has provided me tips in the past every one of which was true so I have no reason to question the validity. Even so, I still had to ask, (and always will) "you sure this is kosher?"
What bothers me (only slightly) is that those who responded either directly or indirectly; some anonymously, some not, questioned my credibility and my source(s) with some subtle and not-so-subtle personal jibes. One in particular on Facebook said he enjoyed my "fiction", as if that was going to sully my day. Fat chance.
I have no issues with people who love Ms. Corral and came aboard to defend her. They have every right just as I have every right to write something controversial and profoundly personal. That's what I do here and that's why you read it. Not everything is going to be popular and warm and fuzzy and no, I'm probably not going to gain friends writing what I wrote Thursday but that's not why I do this.
I write for the readers, MY readers, who fortunately have taken to this site in record numbers and continue to come here even when the going gets tough and put up with the pledge breaks and have supported me thick and thin. I'm sorry if you think I'm being self-righteous and such because that is not what I'm trying to accomplish.
I write this, first and foremost, with the intent of being fresh, entertaining, and above all, accurate. No, I haven't been 100% correct and I've screwed up quite a bit but I've also hit a few homers too, quite a lot actually. Nobody's perfect, including me. By and large, most people get it. Others don't and will continue to bitch and moan but that's life and the environment we're in. The Internet age.
So, sure, Ms. Corral and her friends and defenders have every right to be ticked. But I'm good with the story because the source is credible and is quite literally close to the action. One could argue, logically, hey, "why write such a story--there's this type of shit in every office, not just some radio station." Fair point. And I considered (and consider) that logic on a daily basis when the situation merits --again, ultimately I went with the post based on the veracity and credibility of the source, plain and simple. Even so, my detractors will say it's all a bunch of rumor and innuendo. Oh well.
Did I lose some of you because of what I wrote? Maybe, maybe not. Hopefully, you'll still come back, but I have no control over that. Did I ruffle a few feathers at KCBS and other places? Yes, of course, including, probably, the new news boss at KCBS for whom I have the utmost respect, but even he would agree (hopefully) that my heart is in the right place and I sincerely have no intention of hurting people (Unless they hurt me). Nevertheless, Thursday's article probably hurt a few people but again, sometimes what is written is not always going to be popular and trendy; sort of what the guy who wrote for Rolling Stone a thousand years ago, does. If you're into the coffee table pieces, he's great for that kind of material, you outta read him in the Pinkie every two weeks.
Me here at my site, 415 Media. I'll continue to rock and roll, (God willing) and try to be even more entertaining and insightful and provocative. I'll also continue to try to bring to the Bay Area a fresh, non-sanitized, real and honest, occasionally raw account of Bay Area media culture devoid of the usual bs that is so pervasive.
I'm done.
*Follow me on Twitter
If Elaine Corral's pissed about the direction KCBS is going in -- she should be. The dopey SFX in the various packages from the field, Kevin the Rat injecting his opinions and commentaries into every sports segment, the inability to catch subtle flaws, such as the 49ers pre-season game promos from KPIX that talked about head coach Tom Sula.
ReplyDeleteKCBS is popular because it's a news station -- and somebody somewhere got the bright idea to spice it up by trying to make it more entertaining and hip. No doubt that somebody looked at the demos and said "hmmm, we're trending older -- we need to appeal to a younger audience." Yeah, right. Good luck getting all the invaders of Twittertown to put down their devices to listen to terrestrial radio with, egad, COMMERCIALS.
Just leave KCBS alone before it gets screwed up and everybody bolts -- just like they did after somebody somewhere tinkered with KGO's winning formula.
> If Elaine Corral's pissed about the direction KCBS is going in...
DeleteWhy would Elaine Corral be concerned about KCBS? She never worked there.
I'm sure the person meant Rebecca --c'mon David.
DeleteJack Swanson knows as much about fixing a talk station as he does a new station, which is next to nothing. The reality is it can't be fixed.
DeleteSpeaking of thrown feces, Karel just came back from visiting his "ex-wife" in Texas...let's hope Karel leaves tomorrow for residency in the Lone Star State.
ReplyDelete9:04 AM Has Karel indicated the gender of his 'wife'?
DeleteMaybe I should specify and say present gender.
I already have my notions.
I'm surprised that your post received the sort of reaction that it did. Enough of a reaction that you felt the need to write this very extensive follow-up.Two phrases come to mind....get lives people and nobody cares.
ReplyDeleteAnon @9:18, Please follow your own advice.
Delete12:58 lives up to the comment.
DeleteLame. You don't print what is probably a ton of comments to the contrary of your highly inaccurate piece but deem this "insider" as reputable. You stir the pot then edit out most of our comments followed by this pseudo-mea-culpa. Oh it's all just "what you do" which is just to add to the dung-heap of garbage we already have to deal with. I do not read your column regularly since it's so inflammatory and gossip driven. When I saw the link on Facebook from one of my colleagues, I decided to look. It makes me sad that there is someone here among us that is feeding you such a line of BS. Unfair to Rebecca. Your original post should be taken down out of fairness. But...you probably won't, nor will you likely print this.
ReplyDeleteThis is a case of someone who dislikes Rebecca Corral using Rich Lieberman to advance their own agenda.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't news, it's character assassination.
I think the real questions to come out of this are for Rebecca Corral's brother. How was Elaine? Was she all natural? Why'd you quit it?
Delete"ultimately I went with the post based on the veracity and credibility of the source, plain and simple."
ReplyDeleteNo competent journalist would ever publish an uncertain claim based on a single anonymous source.
Here's what Reuters says: Stories based on anonymous sources require particularly rigorous cross-checking. We should normally have two or three sources for such information.
Rich Lieberman knows better than Reuters?
I find it amusing that you were bothered by someone's comment about enjoying your "fiction" and referred to that as being a "personal jibe" when in the same post you refer to "the guy who wrote for Rolling Stone a thousand years ago".
ReplyDeleteThe one other person quoted by Rich in the Corral piece is Melissa Culross, who used to work the 10am - 2pm anchor shift with Rebecca, but was booted to reporter (a job she hates) and weekend anchor. Everyone at KCBS knows she wants Rebecca's job, and her mid-day anchor shift back. She is Rich's inside source.
ReplyDeleteNope, never spoke to Ms. Culross, but good guess.
DeleteKCBS listeners for Trump 2016!
ReplyDeleteRich, if you want more readers, why don't you glom on to the angle that these news people are nothing more than paid propagandist towing the government line. Conan O'brien did a pretty good job of this in pretty much the only way he could.
ReplyDeleteYou could start with the 2003 decision in which a Florida Appeals court claimed that the FCC policy against falsification of the news does not rise to the level of a “law, rule, or regulation,” it was simply a “policy.” Therefore, it is up to the station whether or not it wants to report honestly.
Without any repercussion under the law, the "news" has certainly distorted fact after fact on too many stories to mention here. They simply regurgitate what that dumb teleprompter says.
That, combined with no real journalistic integrity of any consequence on our lawless leaders, means there's not much to respect about mainstream news anymore.
Rich: Keep doing what you're doing. Nobody else covers the Bay Media backrooms. We need more writers like you. Sadly, the Bay is like the rest of the nation - the gap between the big wigs and the listeners is widening more than ever. Each region needs local news, no matter what the head honchos say. Jack Swanson is at KCBS because Les Moonves hates radio. (That's one big disappointment about Moonves - he never has and never will understand the necessity of having local news in the event of an emergency as still not everyone is online and not all gives a rip about his wife's insufferable 'Big Brother' show.)
ReplyDeleteRich, thank you for continuing to cover the local Bay newsrooms that like newsrooms elsewhere in the U.S. often make The Simpsons seem functional!
Moonves had nothing to do with hiring Swanson. Don't act like you know what you're talking about.
Delete