Wednesday Wire...
I'm delighted a number of you are wondering what the hell has happened --the truth is
nothing has happened. Wait, some things have transpired.
Change is a big deal. Especially when it involves a radical change that involves me and a different brand of radio talk at a station that has its own identity albeit one whose owner seeks a different path.
After much talk with the owner,
MZ, (
Michael Zwerling), he wanted me to do a Monday-Friday show from 2-4 PM. It would be radically different from the current
KSCO formula which looks, according to Zwerling, to want to broaden its base, maybe shake it up a bit.
Enter me.
Before I posted the switch from KOMY to KSCO, I was given the OK from the operator. We had decided that the week of Oct. 7 was a perfect launch date but we didn't anticipate the technical issues, (i.e, --setting up the electronic infrastructure; making sure the signal and sound would be A-OK; oh, and we had some last-minute creative issues to go over).
Here's the skinny: I'm leveling with you. We want to get this right. I apologize in letting the cat out of the hat early but as I said, we didn't anticipate the high-speed wiring issues. I could go down to Santa Cruz and do the show in the studio but that's too much a personal load, (for now). And yes, some of the mangers down at the station have expressed reservations about my content. Fine. They've been there awhile and have a right to voice their concerns. Perfectly understandable.
Me? I'm ready to do the show. MZ knows that and so do the other players. We want to get this right and we need to resolve the outstanding issues which are the reason the show has not surfaced, yet.
And no, nobody has told me what I can and cannot say. And no, I haven't been held back because I talked about a few taboo subjects. Like I said, we're in a holding pattern. Some of it is my fault but there exists a lot of blame on the other side too, but we continue to talk. And we will hopefully come to a satisfying conclusion. I'm just as frustrated as you are. But I'm confident things will eventually be worked out.
That's the story, for now. Should you have any questions or comments, you can e-mail MZ himself at:
mz@ksco.com
*
KGO Hemming and Hawing--
This is a steady amount of anxiety over at KGO. Seems
Cumulus is doing a steady amount of cost-cutting with its radio stations --
this has probably accelerated the move. What's the move? The company has been instituting a 50% pay cut with some of its more high-paid talent. Included in the maneuver is significant cuts at news divisions too, including the local cluster.
A source told me the thinking was this:
"We're doing it in other markets--why not do it in SF."
*Last I checked, through a source, morning anchor,
Jennifer Jones-Lee had a medical issue. She has been out a number of weeks and was due back on Monday. On Wednesday, co-anchor
Jon Bristow simply said Jones-Lee "
is away."
If Jones-Lee status is medical related, I will defer. It's a personal affair and I respect that...if, as some have whispered it may be related to the Cumulus financial matter, I'll report that back to you.
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Twitter
Mystery...
