"What, me worry? would be the most obvious feeling over at KCBS, where suddenly, the local all-news outlet has direct competition from the new KGO, but that isn't the case--at least for now.
A few of KCBS' staffers told me that while, short term, the higher-ups feel there's no immediate threat from KGO's evolution into all-news, (except on the weekend), long-term, "they're bound to get a small percentage of listeners."
"The sheer fact they're up and running, sure, some of (our people), will give a listen, " says a senior reporter. "I doubt any of our core audience is gonna jump ship."
Then why would KCBS begin playing a series of new promos touting it as the "only" all-news outlet? "They, (management), want to be pro-active. Better to act than re-act."
Heck, they could have given me the money instead.
I mean, KCBS is stocked with some of the best reporters and anchors in the biz. I'll take Stan Bunger and Susan Leigh Taylor any day of the week over Jon Bristow and Jennifer Jones-Lee.
And CBS local is stocked with some of the very best and seasoned reporters including City Hall tonsil, Barbara Taylor, street reporter vet, Bob Melrose, SouthBay reporter, Mike Colgan, and longtime Bay Area correspondent, Mike Sugarman.
And don't forget nighttime anchors John Evans and Dean Danos. I can't fathom that miscast Peter Finch poses any threat to KCBS from 7-10, after all, as we all know, KCBS' brand has been all-news, 24-7, "all news, all day, all night" indeed.
Another thing: KCBS has built up a remarkable market constant: "sports at '15 and 45'"--traffic on the 8's", etc. Sure, there's nothing profound here, but most people who "want news"will keep it at 740 AM. This isn't necessarily a full-fledged plug for KCBS--more a slap at KGO, whose Cumulus management seemed to think that they could re-invent the market. I seriously doubt it and I get the feeling I'm not alone.
*Kristy Siefkin, her high-priestess of weather at CBS here, is splitting the SF market and heading outta town to Phoenix Television, gees, I hope we can all sleep. I'll say this: she does have a face for TV.
*Ronn Owens note: Ex-KGO higher-up, Jack Swanson, said it was a monumental mistake that Owens was placed on the air the day after the KGO mass firings. I agree. Swanson told a local broadcaster that "you always protect your prime talent."
*Owens return on Thursday coincides with the "Occupy KGO" rally at 11: 30-you can bet your ass that the timing was intentional. Ronn no doubt is going over his monologue right now, in between his facial and manicure/pedicure. Maybe if he's tired, he can rest on his latest new mattress.
*Meanwhile, over at Cumulus other outpost, KNBR, the bean counters, (other than Barbieri and Radnich), await their Cumulus knifing, and it's coming soon.
*Yeah, I'm just as perplexed as you are that, by and large, most of the local mainstream press, ignores the KGO mess, (other than a few blurbs), but they're more interested in real news like the SF Hooters closing.
*It's not that Spencer Hughes is merely bad, more god-awful, painful bad--sorta like the State Farm jingles invading your kid's elementary school.
*Hughes makes Eric Byrnes sound like Charles Osgood.
*Good people caught in the abyss: Christine Craft, Michael Finney, Bob Gowa, Stan Burford, Pat Thurston, and Rich Walcoff.
*Please, "Live 105" is cool, I get it, but its not exactly FM radio sacred ground. You can always go over to Pandora for gawds sake.
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