Wednesday, January 4, 2017

'Armstrong and Getty' Heebie Jeebies at KGO Radio; PD Anthony and Opps Mgr Wittmayer Pause on Gruesome Twosome; Ethan Bearman: Nice Guy But Not Ready For Prime Time; 415 Media Wednesday Opener

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Armstrong and Getty not to hot in SF
 ONE OF my 415 sages told me he wouldn't be surprised if KGO dumped "Armstrong and Getty", the syndicated pop-tart program that has had a so-so run on the albatross AM 810 station.

A telling story: While the gruesome twosome took their holiday vacation, KGO suits (namely PD, Mike Anthony and Cumulus Opps Mgr, Justin Wittmayer) had Ethan Bearman fill in the entire week before Christmas.

This, despite, A and G's planned "guest host feed" that KGO nixed. The news here is not so much that Wittmayer and Anthony are enamoured with Bearman; more that they are becoming increasingly negative on Armstrong and Getty as a successful, "LOCAL" show--the show, and this isn't the major thing that is wrong with it, doesn't sound local at all.

Armstrong and Getty are in multiple markets from San Diego to Seattle --their jingoistic brand of Midwest humor (if you can call it that) seems to have carved a niche in today's wonder bread AM radio cart but the Branson, Missouri boys have been a disaster in Bay Area. Who would have thunk?

Armstrong and Getty have multi-year deals with most of their affiliated station but I'm hearing that KGO's deal involves a series of contracts with yearly options. Stay tuned.


Image result for Justin Wittmayer Cumulus
Justin Wittmayer
Image result for Mike Anthony KGO
Mike Anthony
*From an old KGO tonsil: "Mike Anthony and Justin Wittmayer made a catastrophic mistake...if that's possible. Anthony is slimy and Wittmayer is the proto-typical guy who looks good in a suit...Changing the KGO sound ...was the death bell. If in fact there was any life left."

*I have never been fans of Anthony and Wittmayer --they represent the worst aspect of modern-day terrestrial AM radio programming --both of them don't have an ounce of credibility and plus, they have to kowtow to the inglorious bastards running the insane asylum from Atlanta.

Furthermore, it was Wittmayer who made a wave by bragging he was instrumental in hiring insipid and talent-impaired, sports yahoo, John Lund, away from 95.7 FM 'The Game."


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Ethan Bearman not ready for prime time
Bearman is a nice guy and have no problems with him as a whole but I've never warmed to his show; he tries real hard to inject a hipness to the proceedings only to be hip you have to sound real and genuine and that ain't Bearman. True, he's handicapped by Cumulus' 'change the topic every 5 minutes' mantra but Bearman doesn't excite the senses and talks like some high-school pedantic history teacher lecturing his students. This is what Cumulus thinks is radio nirvana in San Francisco.

38 comments:

  1. If A&G go, will Cumulus have the wisdom to replace them with John
    Rothman? I / we can always hope.

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    Replies
    1. Rothman in morning drive?
      Fucking Classic!

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    2. I would take John Rothman any time, any where.

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  2. Did Bearman flunk out of law school? I used to hear him babble on KSCO and he supposedly left that station to pursue a law degree in SoCal but this guy has more radio lives than Freddie Kruger and Jason combined. Keeps coming back every other time I look. The thing is he doesn't improve. Sounds just as awful as ever.

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  3. I like Ethan B.,but in small doses. After an hour or so, his delivery, his giddiness and his preaching about nutrition get to me, so I change. It's just dawned on me tha Ethan is becoming more left wing, perhaps he wants to fit into the majority Bay Area bias.
    Did you know he's going to attend the Women's Rally against Donald Trump the day after Inauguration? Well, I about fell outta my chair when he said that. Ethan is becoming a mix of Alan(Male Feminist) Alda and
    Spencer(Boomerang) Hughes.
    I was wondering why I did not hear more A&G last week.
    Those guys are my pals.
    ****Ron Owens is troubled by Obama creating so much unnecessary drama for Trump. Ron agrees with me that Obama's Sanctions on Russia were ridiculous and not productive. Ron is disappointed and embarrassed at Obama's lack of class during his January exit.
    I already have the Champagne ready to pop on Inauguration Day!
    No more Obama, No more Mooch. Oh Happy Day!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yet another vile and stupid racist chowderhead.

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    2. Happy days indeed!

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  4. ARMPIT & GOATCHEESE are lame, and the KGO format is lamer still. I thought this was supposed to be "THE NEXT GENERATION OF KGO". Why are they still interrupting the flow of the shows every 7 minutes for Nikki Midoro and Kim Foster's news, traffic, and weather (and a million commercials)? If somebody wants traffic, they will go to KCBS. They need to go ALL IN with the talk format, or hang it up.

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  5. KGO has been eliminated by the Republican caliphate. Phase 2 is now complete. The liberal KGO voice is now dead.
    Proceed as planned.

    Trump Peace Out!

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  6. The one on the right looks like Tony LaRussa after he's had a few.

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  7. The problems at KGO radio are numerous. I worked there during the glory days and made the mistake of returning when it was run by Citadel and later Cumulus. This once almighty station began dying when Disney sold the radio group. 1st Citadel then Cumulus gutted the place, that's why Mickey left. The morons who run this company have killed every station they own in their respective market. KGO radio will never be the same and the way terrestrial radio is going there is no one who is in their right mind who would buy this albatross even if they gave it away.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just save your money and buy KGO at the bankruptcy auction for the best deal.

      Delete
  8. Just heard Pat Thurston is filling in for a Copeland all week. Apparently he's been in the hospital for days. Any word on his condition?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The flu.
      Supposed to be back next week.

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    2. I always make it a point to avoid the whiny malcontent race-baiting Copeland. Yeah, we get it, you were a persecuted black guy.

      It's also 2017 and despite the cop shootings/riots, we've made great advances in race relations overall and blacks can do no worse under Trump, so give Trump a chance and stop the constant race-baiting topics mkay?

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    3. Copeland back next week? Oh shoot! As a Christian, I want him to get better. I was just kinda hoping he would be struck mute for a few years. Oh well.

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    4. I don't know why some blogger are so hard on Brian Copeland. Race baiting, really. Yes, he talks about issue from a black perspective when it warrants. Why shouldn't he. Prager and Michael Medved certainly often talk about issue from a Jewish perspective, as does Ronn, although not as much, not that I mind that. Brian is black, why shouldn't he bring it up. He really has a variety of topics, he has a real estate hours, a motivational hour, he interviews different people, local and otherwise. I heard him interview Ben Vereen, Johnny Mathis, others. I don't like all of his shows, but on the whole I think he does a good job, tackling different subjects. Those who think he only talks race, are either not listening very much or are paranoid about the subject.

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  9. I was wondering about the guest host thing. Did they still go with their announced plan of a rotating lineup on their other stations?

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  10. Off topic... Rich, Kate Scott announced she's leaving KNBR. Do you know where her next gig is?
    Ps..glad you're back! Jane

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pac 12 Network play-by-play. Good for her - she doesn't need to know sports and can just report what's going on on the field or on the court.

      Delete
  11. Good riddance to Kate Scott. Worst radio voice ever. She should be a phone sex operator

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  12. There is no doubt that Cumulus will be filing for bankruptcy this year. iHeart is probably not far behind. Here's an article from Inside Radio with some details about the financial problems at Cumulus.
    http://www.insideradio.com/free/cumulus-drops-bankruptcy-hints-in-debt-restructure-talk/article_76c7fa62-ccd2-11e6-ad32-7fc7b44b18f4.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share

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  13. Bearman often fills in at Los Angleles KABC. They KGO and KABC advertise the live and local thing, but Bearman is in LA quite a bit of time. Just today he was in LA when he was a guest on one of the cable channels. When he does the KABC show he talks about seeing the other regulars behind the glass so he's confirming he's in LA. Then I listen to him on KSFO and they say he's local. He can't be in both places as live and local at one time.

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    Replies
    1. No matter his location Bearman sucks. Must pay the guy peanuts he's on way too many stations for how bad he is...

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    2. First time I've ever seen a photo of Bearman. He's even goofier looking than he sounds.

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  14. For the first time, I listened to Ethan Bearman during the noon hour today. He is quite good.

    But he had some annoying giggly sidekick on with him. Who is that? She ruins everything.

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  15. Bearman is an annoying twat. I'm surprised he doesn't get punched in the face on a daily basis just walking around being himself.

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  16. wondering same thing. who the hell is the silly female co host?? These folks cannot go it alone.

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  17. Ethan Bearman...Hell..even Ethel Merman (Although, granted, the latter would require digging up a rotted carcass) .. Would be an improvement over A&G.


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  18. Armstrong and Getty reruns?!? Ridiculous- I turned to 740 for the first time since my Nana died 42 years ago. Much better.

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    Replies
    1. "The Best of Armstrong and Getty"... Is there really such a thing? I don't think so.

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    2. Is there some friggin law that KGO cannot cut the last hour of A&G and let Ronnnnnnnnnnnnnn actually work more than 2 hours?

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  19. I didn't think Bay Area radio could get any worse and then along came Armstrong and Getty.

    Owens has become a right-wing idiot. He watches Fox News and reads Drudge Report and thinks he's informed. He's self-centered and intellectually lazy. He should have retired 20 years ago.

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    Replies
    1. As for Ronn Owens becoming right wing, not so fast. In his first hour today he strongly defended Planned Parenthood, and is opposed to any defunding the Republicans is trying to withhold from that organization. Ronn is and always has been very social liberal, on other issues he is more to the right, but I would not call him a right wing idiot, more like an old fashion Republican before the party totally turn way right.

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    2. I don't know many liberals that watch Fox News, reads the Drudge Report, and has a distaste for most liberals. Yes, he says he supports gay rights and a abortion rights but that's about it. Most liberals don't yearn for a republican to vote for.

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  20. I stopped listening to kgo after the purge. I actually like A&G but understand why many in the Bay area don't. I'm on the road a lot & listen to Sacramento and LA stations. Still not listening to the "new" kgo.

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  21. I for one enjoy Ethan Bearman. I don't think this changing of topics is his fault. This must be an order from higher ups.

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  22. KGO only played Bearman for one week...thank goodness he was horrible...well really he was B-O-R-I-N-G ....A&G have more profound dialogue than Ron Owens ever had...they actually read books too...shocker-roo of all shocks!

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