SO YEAH...the end of the month is never a good time at a radio station --especially here: KCBS let loose with most all its traffic and sports staff, one guy who does the PM sports and has for 21 years, Dave Lewis is out the door. So too are a lot of traffic people.The garbage bin of new hires is particularly nauseating. I'm not mentioning names yet.
A lot of this crap most of the people knew what was coming April. The bartenders will be busy at the Old Ship and Grumpy's.
Have a lovely Friday night.
It's all over the place @ CBS Radio - same thing at 1010 WINS in NYC.
ReplyDeleteKCBS' contract with the people providing them traffic and late night/weekend sports expired. That's what happened. And now we'll be stuck listening to the pretentious Bruce McGowan do sports while still wishing he was working at The Sports Bleeder.
ReplyDeleteSad farewell to "Sky 3" Alan Brooks on the 6:38 pm traffic...
ReplyDeleteIn other news: The U.S. Senate has voted to fix the pothole at University and Shattuck.
ReplyDeleteSome things on KCBS have been a little off lately...I'm guessing they were gearing up for this change. It don't sound good...I hope it doesn't turn out like KGO...gone and never return.
ReplyDeleteSons of bitches
ReplyDeleteThese are "for profit" stations. They have a right to be profitable. Maybe the "on-air" talent should buy the station out if they know better how to drive PROFITS.
ReplyDeleteSteve Bitker no longer shilling for xfinity and the annoying live replays? Damn!!
ReplyDeleteJust wait until the CBS merger with Entercom later this year. Won't be pretty.
ReplyDeleteWell - Mike Tracy is doing Sat. morning traffic....isn't he the regular Sat. guy???
ReplyDeleteSome terrific people left and some terrific, veteran voices are coming in..There is no tenure for anyone in broadcasting, ever..This is a basic rule.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that Steve Bitker is gone. Can Rich Lieberman please confirm the number of people who were let go. Thanks. Could be a tempest in a teapot.
ReplyDeleteDave Lewis was very good at giving the sports in small segments.
ReplyDeleteHe did it well.
I will cover my ears the minute I hear Bruce McGowan.
Before his sports update is done, he will have gone into 10 different tangents.
No thanks.
McGowan is a pretentious ass. Ever see his Facebook posts? You can tell he loves himself very much. He thinks he's special. He's about as special as a wet newspaper.
Delete8:12 seems to hate Bruce so much he can't get enough views in on Bruce's FB page!
DeleteAnd since when has FB been used by people for self promotion?! I just can't believe it!
Now they are playing spots in the *middle* of the traffic reports - great way to keep listeners...
ReplyDeleteThe people who were employed by CBS are still there; the people who work for TTN are not. The contract expired, and CBS has brought the traffic and sports reporting that was handled by TTN in-house. I believe all of the TTN folks still have jobs, but they're not on the air at KCBS. The original post doesn't really tell the whole story.
ReplyDeleteMitch Thompson is gone, the airbornes are gone, Dave Lewis is gone, Kiffany Witstrom is gone, the various weekend people....all still have jobs at Total Traffic & Weather Network, and will now be handling other duties and other stations, so you may hear their voices elsewhere albeit under different names. We had 30 great years with KCBS. What amuses us greatly is that KCBS in general and CBS Corporate in particular thinks they can handle their own traffic operation and make a smooth transition to the new effort. We wish them well, but there will be growing pains and difficulties, some of which will be obvious on the air, some of which may hurt the product, but hopefully the turbulence will pass quickly and the standard of quality set by KCBS will be maintained. There was some effort by KCBS to keep the voices you've come to love so much, but contracts, etc., got in the way. Such is life. Kim Wonderly and Cheryl Raines will still be on the air, and they will certainly use their experience to help the new team grow into the role.
ReplyDeleteCBS was a great outfit to work with, and we'll miss saying those iconic call letters and telling everybody that's us. We aren't happy with the chance, but we also didn't have a choice. Things change and life goes on.
There should be a special place in hell (If there is one)for the cold hearted "people" who tossed all the veterans out the door who spent so many years on the air. I hope they got a decent severance and find decent paying jobs somewhere with a company that appreciates and adequately compensates its staff if such a company still exists. The new company easily could have kept the old staff in place and worked out any contractual obligations with previous management if they valued loyal people, some of whom spent over 20 years on the job gaining valuable knowledge of the Bay Area that they could pass on to listeners. I wish I knew if the new local management tried to keep the old staff in place but were overruled by some soul less bean counter who is just looking for people who will work for minimum wage. I would like to know if the new staff is represented by AFTRA and they get less money and benefits than the TTN people got. I'm happy to hear that George Rask and Dick Smith/Mark Richards/John Rivers are back and I don't blame the new people for taking jobs there but I hope they don't get shafted some day if another company takes over in a few years. To paraphrase Hunter S. Thompson, the radio industry is a long and narrow hallway where pimps and thieves run free and good men and women die like dogs. Unfortunately the radio industry is no different than any other business. It's mostly run by ruthless heartless people that just treat workers as annoying costs of doing business. They would probably have robots that don't get sick leave, vacations, healthcare and other benefits or outsource the workers to some other state or country if they could. Obviously we're lucky they aren't basing them in Texas like Cumulus does.
Deletethe older employees may be like so many former print journalists: never to find a full-time media job again, or if they do, it will not pay near as much. Some will remain permanently unemployed.
Delete@ Anonymous April 1, 2017 at 3:47 PM
ReplyDeleteNow they are playing spots in the *middle* of the traffic reports - great way to keep listeners...
I heard this too...you're on the road waiting for a minute or so traffic report and they stick this crap in the middle. I'll be calling Monday morning but I doubt they will they will care. Sounds like KC "BS" is heading in the dumpster...