The Line has been drawn at KNBR -Cumulus, where the lowly-paid producers and board ops --will be in attendance at a union rally and press conference on Wednesday --the BIG ANTI-UNION on-air guys have made their feelings known, of course, OFF the air.At the FOREFRONT of the anti-union sentiment: GARY RADNICH and LARRY KRUEGER. Both have privately told KNBR workers to shun the pro-union stance: in fact, Radnich went so far as to tell certain low-paid producers and an on-air news kid to "forget the union and stick with {us}." Huh? Radnich has been told by management--Krueger too--NOT to mention any union news with regard to KNBR--a touchy subject for sure around the office.
The Sag-Aftra meeting tomorrow has already built a wall of "us-against-them" mentality at the Sports Bleeder. By the way, not a one prominent on-air personality has rallied to the side of the low-paid workers--all have been mum on the matter, no surprise there. The happy family mirage no doubt will be tested after Wednesday's union powwow.
*KCBS can't comment publically about the state of John Madden's health status (HIPAA Law) even though it's obvious that Madden is probably months away from returning to the airwaves if he returns at all. Yet KCBS continues to refer to its 8: 15 AM Sports Report as the "Madden Segment"--out of respect to the Coach, sure, fine, but if you keep milking the Madden name then play silence you set yourself up for criticism.
Madden is not doing good at all. He's not coming back.
ReplyDeleteKCBS could ask John Madden or someone in his family who is caring for him to release some general information about his health to let his fans and the public know how he's doing. HIPPA says family members are allowed to discuss a person's health if that person says it's OK. Madden may have told them not to say anything or he may be in a coma and couldn't give authorization. We can assume that if he can't make a daily phone call to talk about sports that lasts a few minutes it suggests that he may be so ill that he might not be able to talk or he may not be able to follow sports news. I would think that if he wanted to retire KCBS would have given him an opportunity to say good by on the air and do a tribute to him. Since KCBS is a news organization someone on the staff ought to tell the family if they haven't already done so that they should make some sort of statement to set the record straight and counter the rumors and speculation about him.
ReplyDeleteIf KCBS is milking the Madden name, will EA Sports do the same for Madden NFL '17????
DeleteMadden gets $1 million a year from EA for using his name. The video game name is so big even kids who didn't know he coached or broadcasted affiliate "Madden" with the video game. EA doesn't need to do anything. It's a machine unto itself.
DeletePeople still have a right to privacy (yes, even a celebrity) and their medical condition is none of our business. However, Madden did attend the annual KCBS BBQ just a couple of weeks ago. He's calling the shots regarding his return/departure from KCBS. KCBS shouldn't tell his family anything.
ReplyDeleteFor decades, many prognosticators have said that the Right to Privacy would erode in time. They've been right!
DeleteGood to know he was well enough to attend the BBQ That should clear up rumors about him being gravely ill or near death. I'm sure a lot of people must have come up to him and said it's great to see you when will we hear you on KCBS again and he might have given them some clues. If he tells non family members and friends about what happened to him they aren't prohibited by HIPPA law from saying to someone what he told them but they shouldn't pass it on if he asks them not to. I don't know if he's paid by the report or has more likely has some kind of personal services contract that gives him paid time off. At some point KCBS can probably insist that he give them a day he'll return so they can start preparing promos and stop scheduling substitutes or tell them he won't be returning or renewing his contract. I don't understand what 11:01 means by saying KCBS shouldn't tell his family anything. I'm sure John consults with his family about his plans before telling KCBS.
ReplyDeleteDoes Radnich always have to be in the middle of everything wrong? Cant he at least once make news once in his life doing something positive? And not something he does for a Tweet,but something other people say - What a guy!..Never.
ReplyDelete30 years in the business and all he's known for is being a selfish shock jock fat cat.
new guy with Tolbert, lund, he sounds like the ''go getter type''. you knew the bounce a basketball pop an IPA atmosphere would be changing. this guy sounds like a ''jumpstart'' vibe,''let's get talking!''. pop a brew later tom ,we've got a sports talk show to do!!. bastardo and gyorko in the afternoon, no less. so now Tolbert has a real talk show now.lund is an afternoon p-conn. so we all pop an IPA with Tolbert.he needs one and so do we.
ReplyDeleteThere is only one word to describe the anti-union stance by KNBR on-air personalities, Gary Radnich and Larry Krueger, Shameful!
ReplyDeleteRich - Your bottom line point on Madden is correct. KCBS isn't keeping mum because of HIPAA, it's because it's not in their interests to say much.
ReplyDeleteHIPAA (check your spelling, commenters) is irrelevant here. HIPAA governs what public disclosures healthcare providers and insurers can make. It has nothing to do with KCBS talking or not talking.
The idiot you're talking about is John Lund, who is better at penis jokes and other absurdities than sports news. KNBR made a mystifying choice bringing this guy in. Listened to him the other afternoon with Tolbert and they talked nonsense and no sports for over an hour. Guess they're going for the brain dead listeners under age 30.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand it either - I've listened to portions of the show for two days now and Lund poses very predictable sports talk radio questions that hundreds pose. Tolbert and Ratto were a good pair of opposites - and both have good analytical knowledge. Ratto also brought knowledge of hockey and soccer that Tolbert doesn't have. It made for more well-rounded sports talk. Lund doesn't seem to bring any of that to the table.
DeleteThe HIPPA law does not in any way limit what KCBS can say. The law only restricts how hospitals, doctors and other medical professionals can share and release information about their patients. KCBS does not need a signed release to broadcast a report, and they are free to broadcast any and all medical information they acquire, down to the smallest detail. That doesn't mean they should; it just means HIPPA is not stopping them.
ReplyDeleteRadnich opened his show today attacking Joe Hughs "As angry over something today". He then went for Joe's jugular by laughing at the guy and offering to POSSIBLY let him host his show when Radnich is on vacation. Probably a bogus teasing offer. Radnich wants to see if Joe grovels for the bone he was tossed.
ReplyDeleteNo,you can't throw Raddy off. You can though get to see what he really is like.
Also,Radnich who had ripped the person "slapped" by Green as a nobody who deserved it,then changed his "blame the victim" to Green should have had his goons lean on the guy to go away? Funny,that it turned out Green had goons alright- who pushed and pulled the buy AND his GF the night before. That wasn't enough for Green,who the next time slapped the guy after the Michigan player told Green the night before "Wasn't cool".
ReplyDeleteHe should take his Raddy millions,retire and stop polluting the airwaves.
KRON's embarrassment. KNBR's typical host.
also ,they replaced the ''lazy laid back '' drumbeat track on Tolbert and replaced it with Led Zeppelin ''levee breaks'' similar drum sound.want to rock and roll it up to get the show away from ''retired jock rumpus room '' atmosphere for some lincecum stoner generation Zeppelin.
ReplyDeleteI HEAR ABOUT 10 PEOPLE SHOWED UP TO THE SO CALLED RALLY THIS MORNING. HILARIOUS. SEE YOU BOARD OPS TAKING MY ORDER AT STARBUCKS OR BAGGING MY GROCERIES AT SAFEWAY VERY SOON.
ReplyDelete10 people risking retaliation? Brave. Maybe it will encourage more next time.
DeleteIts not like the movies where riots and thousands show up. Real people are taking real risks. Lets see Radnich side with that.
Stan Bunger posted a video on Facebook from their big bocce tournament a month or so ago. In it, he said John had hip replacement surgery not long ago, and is recovering from that, but is looking forward to coming back.
ReplyDeleteI've said it before, I'll say it again: coronary bypass surgery takes longer to recover than you think. John at least tries to keep up with the sporting world so he can say something intelligent every day, and if he's not up to that there's no point going on the radio.
The fact that traffic guy/producer Joe Hughes, who sounds like a high school kid, is actually reading updates on the air, or that 'P-con' hs his own weekend show and is Marty Lurie's co-host for pre game programs, tells you about the quality of talent that Cumulus and Lee Hammer covet. Cheap, stupid, and unprofessional. But that's Cumulus and that's radio in 2016. Unlistenable 90 percent of the time.
ReplyDelete