I KNOW THE BEACH IS AWESOME --But seriously, Jack Swanson, you just took the gig to return to KGO barely over a month and that's your spin? Really now. Please.
THIS is BS folks.
Jack Swanson call tell all he wants to his posse and those that just follow the on-going drama that is KGO. Swanson a consultant? My oh my, the truth is hard to spit out.
First off, in spite of some late disrespect, I like Jack. He may have pulled off the impossible but he wasn't given a chance by the people who take care of the Cumulus cash, what's left of it.
415 Media has learned through independent sources there was a variety of reasons why Swanson split the 810 AM offices. Let's go through just a few:
* Swanson wanted to essentially blow up the current KGO and start over. That would have involved swallowing up at least one big contract (negotiated in an earlier time) involving Chip Franklin. I don't know what the exact amount is owed Franklin but it was enough to veto Swanson's plan. Probably over a million dollars for that contract alone.
* Swanson didn't expect the hurdles that await him and the huge vault of problems currently enflaming KGO, and to a lesser degree KSFO. It was KGO that Swanson was paid the estimated $300G he was signed to but forward a viable model to get KGO back into action; not #1-rated at first but at least showing a pulse and becoming relevant again in the AM radio terrestrial domain.
*Swanson was interviewing some new and old talent. He was thought to wanting to bring Ronn Owens back for probably an hour but Ronn wasn't/isn't ready and Owens wanted considerably more money then both Cumulus and Swanson were willing to pay for a guy past age 71 and no longer has the chops nor the audience to justify such compensation.
*Swanson expected more money and a workable budget to retune the old 810 AM but what was ultimately awarded him was a "no-can-do" proposition. It takes a lot of money to tweak a once behemoth and even if you trim, there's millions of dollars at stake. Either Cumulus wouldn't budge or Jack was thinking he couldn't make do with what they put on the table.
*Two people are not really happy today: Len Tillem and Brian Copeland. Tillem is more reticent and aware of the situation, he was set to come back and work but that's off the mark now. Copeland was telling people (through Swanson's guidance) that he was close to coming back to KGO. That could still happen but given Swanson's closeness to Owens (a buddy of Copie) that' is unlikely now. Not impossible just not likely.
*Lee Hammer has been thrust back into a position he probably wasn't intending --but Hammer won't walk away from at least $250G --it beats working.
*Hammer likes John Rothmann and Pat Thurston but from what I hear KGO is not in business for the weekend come the new years. Maybe John and Pat in a new time slot during the week? Might be in the cards.
*I know Jack Swanson has to tell the industry he's becoming a "consultant" but that's not really the case and if so, it's a helluva 360 from just over a month ago that he was the NEW PD for KGO and KSFO. Sorry, Jack, but if you really wanted the beach that bad you would have NEVER taken the new gig so please don't spout the bullshit. You reacted to a zoo when it was the Garden of Eden they hoped you could evolve the old dump you were given.
the definition of Downtime...the 6 to 7 Hour of Tolbert and Lund.
ReplyDeleteDon't know what relecance is but a lot of people seem to be hired and not given the power to achieve their mandates, then they're sacked and the people who got in the way are often promoted. There's no cure for stupidity or insanity. And both are epidemic. I hope this post has some "relecance."
ReplyDeleteRadio stations like KGO were put on death watch once the government changed the rules to allow companies to own more than one station in an area. Big corporations came in, bought up the stations, raped them of any assets and then ran off with the cash. Screw the consumers. A station like the old KGO with the great talent they always had is a bygone era. I'm glad that I got to enjoy it but now times and tastes have changed
ReplyDeleteAnd Republicans like this, for a multitude of reasons.
DeleteIt doesn't have a lot to do with this. Independently owned stations aren't doing well either. Yes, Congress made this a reality and Clinton signed it, but it was a non-factor regarding the future of radio. It's no different than the death of shopping malls, the death of everything - the INTERNET.
Delete9:41 coming with the facts to educate 5:46. Aren't low information Democrat voters grand? They're so easy to manipulate and influence. It's why their politicians love them.
Deletelmao..@2:00pm...a very low information President appealing to a cult of old racist, sexist white guys like you who love Limbaugh, Fox News, Breitbart, etc.. you have the gall to even comment on here. Stay away from KGO and leave us sane ones at lesst one progressive station. You have the vile KSFO and 860 24/7.
DeleteThe same old, tired names will yield the same sub-par results.
ReplyDeleteLet me get this right. Swanson's "plan" was to bring back R0nnn and Copie. LOL. .
ReplyDeleteKGO management will get the message only when there are no more advertisers.
ReplyDeleteWho? Where? I'm under 50.
ReplyDeleteNo budget on-hand for the job that needs doing at KGO to bring it back to top ratings? hmmmm ... well, down 25 or 30 stations from the top on the ratings list is better than not being on the air at all I guess. KGO managment's objective seems to make it the 14 year old Hyundai of the San Francisco radio market: turns on and runs most of the time, but not a very compelling ride. No worries, KCBS and KQED still serve up a pretty good ride.
ReplyDeleteI predict that KGO will either be foreign language or dark within the next year.
ReplyDeleteOr it could become the new home of the Oakland A's.
DeleteIt would be helpful to know the duration of Chip's contract if a mil is his number. Which, for a guy who has literally talked about bowel movements and farting as topics, is shameful. That's also a lot of "consignment shop" commercials that have to air. And anyone considering returning Raaahhhnnnn Lowenstein to the air is an idiot. Nothing worse when people that have no self awareness and should be hanging it up.
ReplyDeleteChip's contract is literally NO MORE than AT BEST $150,000 a year. A Mil? What planet are you on? The station doesnt' bill. Sports talkers are making $100,000. You think the KGO guy who pulls no numbers is getting a mil? Stop it.
DeleteToo bad we don't require smartphones to receive AM-FM band like other countries require.
ReplyDeleteNot some stupid data hogging, spying app.
They're not going to pay millions of bucks to hosts and then run the required tons of commercials to pay them. I'll pass. It's over. Just go to 910.
ReplyDeleteTake note KGO...
ReplyDeleteFormer "border blaster" XETRA 690am in Baja,MX just switched format to Chinese.
Yup,
50,000 watts of Chinese music music and programming all over Socal.
Yes,
Chinese
Why is there no Chines programming on any Norcal AM powerhouses yet?
XPRS was once the home for Wolfman Jack circa early 70s.
DeleteWere XPRS and XETRA ever related?
They were both run by Mexicans and both have xmitters in rosarito, but otherwise I don't think they were ever directly related.
DeleteWolfman was simulcast on XERB (XPRS) there is a little landmarker at the former studios of XERB commemorating Wolfman.
I think I remember the building was next to the Rosarito Beach Hotel.
So I was thinking... since paying talent what they want is such a huge issue for KGO why don't they put on cheap talent? I'm talking really cheap, like free.
ReplyDeleteThere are plenty of people who would like a start in broadcasting. All the station would need to have on salary is someone to interview the wannabes who would like to get on the air, and a producer with their finger on the censor button. Listeners would get a real variety of topics.
What have they got to lose? At worst it would be a gong show but wouldn't people tune in for that as well?
I believe KGO and KSFO still have AFTRA contracts. I doubt that anyone
ReplyDeletewould be allowed to work for less than union scale or free.
You're telling me they cant draw from Stanford, UCB and bring in some fresh young talent? I hear small stations in Fremont with no budget bringing in local Doctors to do a health show. It is way more interesting than the Bearman and Chip garbage KGO puts on.
ReplyDelete