Thus, he told KGO/Cumulus to stuff it, so to speak. Oh, it was a little more diplomatic than that but good enough to allow all the bread crumbs at 810 AM to say goodbye and provide Burkhart a lovey-dovey farewell on Friday, his last day on KGO.
Everyone at KGO knows the deal. Including the various frauds (and house snitch EX producer) who took part in the fake farewell. Weren't it so sad, it would have been downright laughable. It's a good thing nobody listens to KGO anymore, a skeleton on life support with inmates running the asylum.
The old guy at 4-7, Rothmann, who knew Richard Nixon and Abe Lincoln and partied with Dwight Eisenhour and George Washington, the latest purveyor of house office/kiss ass and his bud, Mark Thompson, recently kissed major tuchus to the alleged PD, so he could keep his job.
I wonder if he just texted it.
Anyway, see ya, Bret.
People keep disappearing off of KGO by the day. Just how few people can they have, to still operate a radio station. It is now a skeleton crew, with many employees asked to multitask to keep the ship afloat. If Cumulus is unwilling to fund the station properly, it is a given it will go under. If this is the direction Cumulus wants to take, just sell the station and be done with it.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure John Rothmann would cover all the shifts for minimum (or less) wage if he could.
DeleteRothmanns few goals left in life is writing a biography of lee hammer
DeleteI hear Burger King is hiring.
ReplyDeleteBut he can just walk down the hall and join the KRONvicts.
DeleteNot knowing salary & benefits, it's hard to say whether Burkhart was unaffordable or not. One certainty, he provided lots and lots of pretty good KGO programming hours, co-hosting 6 hours a day M-F. That will be difficult for KGO's management to replace, irrespective of the cost. I'm guessing there's a PD job in Mr. Burkart's future. Best of luck BB :)
ReplyDeleteAs a long-term union KGO employee, he'd be at the top of SAG-AFTRA scale. AKA relatively expensive
DeleteMy thoughts on the matter,
ReplyDeleteI'm an older guy, but I'd of thought the old advice still pertains, of "it's easier to find a job if a person is still employed".
I'm familiar with the name Bret Burkhart but I don't listen much to KGO-Radio-810, I can't say I'd know his voice.
If he grew up in Saratoga as a bio said he did, perhaps he doesn't have to work for a living. Also, with fuel prices so high, perhaps the pay cut doesn't quite pay for the commute and parking costs.
There seems to be a demand for good media personalities, whether in industry, government agencies, or other, perhaps he might want to jump to that public info/PR work, again, if he actually wants/needs to work.
I did listen to KGO-Radio-810, just a bit, while "surfing the dial", and came across Mark Thompson. I personally just didn't like his voice, not that he can help that, and I couldn't remain listening to him. I've no idea if I'd even like his view-points/ideas as I didn't get that far.
(There's another guy on 780AM in Reno which has a similar voice and I also just can't listen to more than a few words. It's deep and clear, but somehow sounds phony or distrustful to me.)
That is all. Good luck to Burkhart and I do respect him for not taking a pay cut depending on amounts and circumstances.
being raised in Saratoga assures financial independence? huh?
Delete1:59 PM says "I do respect [Burkhart] for not taking a pay cut.
DeleteI concur. In my multi-year career in high tech, I was told I had to take a "mandatory pay cut" several times in order to keep my job; always refused this demand straight-away without a blink. I would mention however that technically it wasn't "my job" anyway, it was the corporation's job and as such the corporation could do with it what they wanted. In any event, in every instance the "mandatory pay cut" was never mentioned again.
"Cumulus won't properly fund the station", are you thinking KGO is profitable because I'm not. Welcome to 2022, check your 1980-2010 retro look-back as to profitability at the door
ReplyDeleteThat wasn't a fake farewell. Bret barely gave any notice and didn't tell anyone the real reason for leaving. He presumably has another gig lined up.
ReplyDeleteThis is what happens when the part thinks he's more important than the whole. Everybody is replaceable. The world doesn't stop because one person got his feelings hurt and goes off to sulk.
ReplyDeletePeter G, "Everybody is replaceable."
DeletePerhaps, but they're taking their time finding someone to replace Dr. Dean Edell.
What, its been over ten years?
Of course a honest new "doctor" would have to trash the the "health" products that are sold hundreds of times per day on most talk radio stations.
They’re not looking for a Doctor to replace Dr. Dean now, nor did they try to replace him back when he retired.
DeleteThere is no proof that Brett Burkhart got his feelings hurt. I know Rich thinks it has to do with salary, it might, that certainly is very likely. As for those who suggest he works at Burger King, I doubt he needs to do that. He was with KGO for 23 years. He mentioned his dad died a few months ago, and he just had a big birthday (50 or 60 I guess) perhaps he inherited money, perhaps he has made wise investments, maybe his wife makes good money. It is not unusual for someone in their fifties or sixties, to want to take some time off and not rush into another situation. In Europe it is popular to take sabbatical every 7 years or so, it can be as little as 3 month or as long as 1 year. I grew up in Europe, I been here a long time, and am use to and like the American culture. However, I still like the European idea that it is good to take time off and reflect on life, travel, spend time with family. Americans for the most part go from one activity to another without much reflection, especially in Calfornia and parts of the East Coast (I lived in New York City for 4 years) where the pace is very fast, in some ways it is exciting, but it can also be exhausting.
ReplyDeleteFor someone with so much experience, he sure did stumble over live reads every morning, along with consistently mispronouncing names and streets.
ReplyDeleteNon compete clause? Also George Washington's wing man with his hate Republicans first with a sprinkle of fake liberal outrage to keep his bullshit balanced, lost all credibility long ago! At lest with Niki you know you are experiencing a moron! With Pat love or hate her she sticks to her hard liberal convictions! Pat is sort of a liberal Michael Savage she will go down with the ship!
ReplyDelete“A non-compete is not enforceable in the State of California. Under California Business and Professions Codes, the law prohibits an employer from restraining anyone who is engaged in legal practice or trade. Any existing non-compete agreements in California are considered null and void by courts.“
DeleteThe way noncompete agreements work is that the employer pays the former employee a substantial amount every month, or quarter, to not work for the competition. The employee is free to join the competition at any time, but when that happens, the former employer cuts off the money. No need for a lawsuit. The arrangement is self-enforcing. And perfectly legal. But it's too expensive for media companies with tiny budgets.
DeleteI'm addressing non-compete clauses lasting a period of time after you quit.
DeleteI hear he's had an empiphany.. In a dream the idea came to him...
ReplyDeleteHe's going to start a media blog call it Bret 408 and deal the dirt on Cumulus and his love of Roberta Gonzalez' weather reports.;
It's "epiphany"
DeleteAll I can say is, "Wow!!"
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of departures, where have Ryan Yamamoto and Liz Cook suddenly gone from the KPIX evening newscast?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Kim Mc Alister is thrilled to be working mornings...
ReplyDeleteThe best thing that happened at KGO is dumping Chip & Bret walking away (or get laid off / fired). What a clueless newsman and a Newsom kiss a$$. His opinions sucked, couldn't think outside the box. Every time bridge tolls come up, he will always claim bridge tolls increased because people voted for it. I texted the morning show and said most voters like you are stupid, because you follow the democratic party pamphlets and cards sent in the mail.
ReplyDeletejohn lund cant shake that utter adulation /fear voice tone when Papa speaks.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh when reading the above comments about people sticking to their guns when it comes to pay cuts. This may work for workers in Silicon Valley: Stick to your guns...get fired...hey, no problem--I'll just work at another hi tech firm. This doesn't work in the TV/radio news industry. There are so few jobs in this market. Sure, you can always get a job in another market. Easy if you're a single "renter" w/o any family ties or commitments. But if you're married to a working spouse...and you have kids...and you want to remain in TV/radio here in the Bay Area, then you have no choice but to "take it" rather than "leave it."
ReplyDelete