The 'King' of Bay Area TV/ Radio Says Enough is Enough; Gary Radnich Calls It Quits on KRON; Will Stay at KNBR For Now; Farewell From Unlikely 415 Media Blogger

WHEN YOU SURVIVE almost four decades at a TV News station in the Bay Area you deserve plaudits and then some; for sports personality supreme, Gary Radnich, a big day and one to remember --Radnich announced earlier in the morning he was retiring from KRON and that his last day would be Sept. 1.

Sure, the wily veteran and showman was going to leave any day now; in fact it's been rumored for months and clearly, Radnich, still at the top of his game had dragged a bit at the end and when Nexstar made it clear to everyone at KRON that even the big stars were going to have their pay program slashed, Radnich decided it was time to go but it wasn't all about money. Far from it.

The combination of a six-show at night schedule combined with his weekly sports-radio show on KNBR was already taking its toll on Radnich's family (he has three kids from current wife, Alecia and three grown kids from his first wife, Donna) --the physical and mental work was already a behemouth. Something had to give and it was TV that was the designated eraser.

Gary Radnich

Radnich, who clearly had lost a lot of his luster, was tired of a two-prong rigor. You have to give the man credit for juggling a massive schedule and spending the better part of the day from morning to midnight devoted to work even if his work has noticeably slacked. It did. That said, Radnich still had a sizable adoring fandom and made the vanilla KRON at least watchable--to a degree. He had slacked off attending most sporting events and devoted the little time off air to emceeing events and KNBR activities. Family matters were beginning to become altered states and Radnich decided to make a move; he's nearing his late sixties and only has so much time left and the clock is running out.

We've had our differences. Major differences. Combustible?, you betcha. I called him out and thought at times he was mailing it in which in some cases he was but overall --in nearly 40 years of work in radio and TV in the nation's 4th largest market (for radio) and 8th (for TV) he had to do something right.

I know you're shocked but it needs to be said. Even, yes, from me.
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So, I congratulate the King and wish him well down the road. It's the right thing to do because anything else would be cranky at this point and I'm not going there, yet.