A very noted, respected, and mucho-underrated traffic/sports anchor, John Atkinson, resigned.
Already, Atkinson's abrupt departure is getting significant media play, but Atkinson has been fed up for quite some time now so his spliting from KCBS wasn't all that surprising --Atkinson was said to be annoyed and angry over routinely being passed over the last few years, for various fulltime jobs that opened up yet he wasn't given serious consideration.
Culross, as I reported earlier today, (Friday), is said to be fed up with ND, Jennifer Seelig and that their relationship, I'm told by multiple sources, is "broken" and "toxic." Culross has been anchoring KCBS's morning news (5-9AM), a position deemed as "fill-in" although she's been on the mic for nearly three months now.
Greg Wong, also a respected digital editor and considered by many as a "backbone" to the overall news operation, gave notice earlier Friday, that he's resigning.
"We lost a good person and we didn't have to," said a newsroom source who pleaded with me not to mention their name out of fear of retaliation by management (read, "Seelig").
KCBS's ratings remain strong despite the obvious turbulence inside the newsroom but a good many of Seelig's critics seem to feel that is in spite of her and not because of her. In fact, normal attrition rates at companies dwarf what has transpired at KCBS; seasoned reporters and anchors have either retired or just plain wanted to leave and get out. The result has seen some of its finest anchors and reporters leave en masse and make KCBS sound not as robust and as lively as years past.
The newest drama today will certainly not help matters.
*This is an ongoing story --check back for more details.
KCBS has always been the sausage n eggs n hash browns of Radio: nothing special but it feeds one’s appetite.
ReplyDeleteThe repetition is grating, the lack of variety is appalling but then again it is the “feed bag” of bounce in - bounce out listeners. “Traffic and weather together on the 8’s”, is about all we expect to glean from their reportage.
These folks do their jobs, it isn’t glamorous or weighty, yet they show up every day and pump it out. I hope management gives them a raise as a way to say “Thanks!”
Between Seelig, Watkowski, Eikel... lots of Karens in the news management business
ReplyDeleteYou hated Bunger, Taylor & Bitker…now you hate their replacements. The headline should be Lieberman Hates KCBS.
ReplyDeleteRaise??? Not gonna happen under Audacy's , They are circling the drain financially. Plus there is an AFTRA contract there. As for Seelig, She has NO TALENT except Ass Kissing, She also has made it a policy to hire mostly women, young ones that will be beholding to her, while pissing off the the senior female staff. BUT, just like Cumulus, Audacys only interested in saving money...Seelig is the Audacy version of Lee Hammer at Cumulus. Two reasons why Bay Area Radio stinks.
ReplyDeleteKCBS and KGO used to be the best radio for news and comment anywhere. When living in L.A. I waited until it wad late enough and then tuned in to each during the night. Only KCBS is left and it isn't as good now.
ReplyDeleteIs radio going the way of the newspaper; business ending? Is or has streaming replacing/replaced these two in news/info/entertainment media? If not there yet, soon.
ReplyDeleteIt’s too bad that John Atkinson is gone. He has good pipes (which is in short supply now days at KCBS) and is very competent (which is also in short supply). He’s been doing afternoon traffic for quite a while at a Sacramento rock station(98.5) that’s owned by Audicy.
ReplyDeleteJohn Atkinson has so much experience and knowledge yet amateurs like Joe Hughes remain. KCBS is a jokep
ReplyDeletehttps://www.audacy.com/kcbsradio/hosts
ReplyDeleteSee how many faces are gone from this list. I guess KCBS must of gotten rid of the person in charge of updating their webpage.
Who needs this garbage? That is why people are turning to Sirius XM radio. Glad I did and never looked back.
ReplyDeleteCulross is a major annoyance and KCBS would be better off without her. But I don't see her delivery as "bland" or as her having "no personality"....on the contrary - her delivery is waaayy to perky, rapid, and high-pitched. "Annoying" is the best description. Atkinson and the others will be missed. Hope "someone" can "fix" KCBS. It is a mainstay in this area.
ReplyDeleteBristow was right. Zira needs to go.
DeleteThank Don Bastida (traffic boss) for Atkinson's departure. People can only take so many knife wounds to the back.
ReplyDeleteTime to rename KCBS to KRAP
ReplyDeleteSeelig is way over her head. She needed to stay in producing instead of moving into the news director position. That station is a shadow of what it once was.
ReplyDeleteThere’s a good reason why KCBS is bleeding talent, losing veterans and seeing reporters with credibility walking away or being pushed out into the street. They are going cheap and could care less about providing public service. Entercom or Audacy or whatever the hell they call themselves these days after ‘rebranding’ could also care less about on-air quality unless they can get it for cheap. They’re also paying their new hires the same starting salaries people were making 40 years ago.
ReplyDeletePerhaps, KCBS should hire to San Francisco State’s Students.
ReplyDelete