A Personal Message from Michael Zwerling; Owner of KSCO/KOMY Radio and CEO ZBS Inc



Michael Zwerling

 

You could have knocked me over with a feather when Rich Lieberman invited me to pen a guest column for his ever-growing 415 Media blog.

 

"Wow, what an honor", I thought to myself.  Now I have a chance to talk directly with his audience, however large -- or small-- it is.  But what do I want to say to his audience? 

 

Shucks, I don't know; maybe I should just relate my thoughts about why I think Rich is a diamond-in-the-rough, brilliant talent poised to blast off to true celebrity status if only someone could find his fuse and light it...

 

I've been trying to do just that for the more than two years since I become acquainted with Rich, but have yet to succeed.  Could my premise be wrong?  Most of my staff at KSCO/KOMY/ZBS think so.  For the life of them, they cannot understand what I see in Rich.

 

Well, for starters, he is very intelligent, very eloquent, very well-read, very dynamic, very commanding, very affable, very articulate, very well-rounded, very clever, very funny, very rude, very crude, very low class, very self-deprecating, very introspective, very confident and very insecure (huh?-how is THAT possible??) and very many other, often conflicting things.

 

Rich is the ULTIMATE enig-man; and there MUST BE a way for him to cash in on that prominence!

 

I've been yammering at him almost since day one to do what I do to successfully fund my media operation; KSCO/KOMY/ZBS.  I leverage my audience, not by "renting it to advertisers" although we certainly do that; but rather to educate the audience about the importance of nutrition over prescription drugs to achieve and maintain optimal health and longevity -- and hopefully influence them to get on the high quality supplement program we support and promote-- thereby generating a compounding monthly residual revenue stream that enables us to "support our independent media habit."

 

But maybe I have put the cart before the horse.  Rich is fat and not very healthy.  We have to make him a believer first by getting him on our program and for him to experience firsthand the success of weight loss and increase in his overall health and well-being.  He recently told me he's ready to get serious about losing weight and getting healthy.

We'll see...

 

I believe that if Rich keeps growing his 415 Media blog, and adds the dimension of interactive audio (ideally VIDEO) it's possible that he can become a modern day Herb Caen (the beloved "Mr. San Francisco" columnist of the San Francisco Chronicle for nearly six decades -- people would KILL to be mentioned in his column)

 

We at KSCO/KOMY/ZBS hope to assist Rich in broadening his media presence by integrating an on-demand talk-radio component to his existing blog -- that way he will be able to do his radio program on HIS schedule, when he wants, just as he has always done his blog posts, while his listeners will be able to hear him at the same convenient place they now read him: also on THEIR schedule!

To those of you in the media industry who read and use this blog, please join me in saluting, supporting, and celebrating Rich Lieberman, this unique character who loves to read, loves to opine, and TRULY loves his mom (you have to love HIM for that alone! :-), who works tirelessly to bring it to us daily, and who has single-handily created his own unique medium to fill a niche void when no other outlet could or would.  Oh yeah -- and donate to the 415 Media Blog.  You'll feel good you did!

To those Anonymous cowards out there who take bizarre pleasure in trying to tear Rich down by throwing the rock and hiding the hand:  seriously now, get a life or at least grow the balls to own up to your toxic negative comments by identifying yourself.  Or better yet, go out and create something of value to others, as Rich has done!  Oh yeah -- and donate to the 415 Media Blog.  You ESPECIALLY will feel good you did!

Here’s to you, Rich Lieberman.  Keep up the GREAT work!

Michael L. Zwerling
Owner, KSCO NewsTalk AM 1080
Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz-San Jose

The Drakes Bay Oyster Farm Controversy on KSCO Saturday Special with MZ

Just got a note from KSCO owner, Michael Zwerling, who will examine the controversial Drakes Bay Oyster Farm issue on his "Saturday Special, (10 AM- Noon)

MZ:


OK it's FINALLY going to happen!  A radio debate on the controversial Drakes Bay Oyster Farm issue. 

Last November then US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar decided that the National Park Service was NOT going to renew the 40 year lease of the nearly century-old oyster farm located within Pt Reyes National Seashore land.

That decision meant the closing of the farm and the loss of jobs and housing for about thirty families.

But farm owners Kevin and Nancy Lunny fought back by challenging that decision, claiming that it was made based an lies and false science.  The matter is in court now awaiting a federal judge's decision to overturn Salazar's decision or not.

The Lunny's and supporters of the farm have been very willing to speak out publicly and loudly about the injustice of this case but the other side, those favoring the return of the land to wilderness state, have pretty much refused to participate in any public debate, preferring instead to work behind the scenes with government bureaucrats.  I call those people "SNEAKY WEASELS".

But guess what?  We FINALLY found an opponent of the oyster farm Bruce Kranzler, who is a straight shooter (that is, NOT a Sneaky Weasel) who is not only willing but EXCITED about debating oyster farm owner Kevin Lunny on your favorite radio station.

DON'T MISS IT on the next KSCO Special this Saturday 10 AM to 12 Noon, right here on proud to shine the light on and scatter the cockroaches radio AM 1080 KSCO.

 

MZ-

Old-Fashioned Radio in the SF Bay Area; MZ and a Passion for the Future; Oh, and Respect for the Listeners

Remember the old KFRC?

The 'Big 610?"

Dr. Don, Bobby Ocean, Bill Lee, Marvelous Mark, Don St. John, Bam!

I loved Dr. Don, (San -RAQUEL!")

Let's retreat from 1976 and concentrate on Today, shall we?

Those of you that miss talk-radio in the Bay Area; those of you that have an insatiable love of genuine conversation with host and caller; those that miss the idea of an audio-broadcast bar to commiserate, to celebrate, to vent and to rage, I do believe all of you have hope. Listen to me.

There's this maverick businessman out there. You'll have to excuse me because I'm biased here. He's a close friend. His name is Michael Zwerling. "MZ", as he's known to his friends, is a broadcast impresario. Among other businesses he oversees, he has a love for the radio business when radio meant something, particularly local, independent, original radio that has a pulse and that listens, that covets, that respects its core audience: its Listeners.

Recently, I asked MZ about the idea of acquiring a San Francisco radio frequency. He told me that he has a grand vision. Keep in mind that MZ already owns KSCO and KOMY Radio in the Santa Cruz-Monterrey Bay Area. He also has several vested business interests in SF too. So, what about radio in SF? I asked him point blank if he had the resources to nail down a Bay Area frequency.

MZ told me that if he wanted something he could apply himself to "do anything." I believe him. In fact, I'd go as far to say that I think MZ has a plan in his head that transcends a mere new, exciting radio station in the SF Bay Area--I can't speculate specifics yet because, A. I don't want to jinx, and B. I don't know the full-scale business model of radio but I also know he's on to something and has a passion for the craft.

Let me know what you feel. Tell me, all of you, including the ex-KGO legion, how you feel about vintage radio; the radio you looked forward to and that you could trust and respect and have adulation for your favorite host and hostess? Give me your thoughts. More importantly, tell me how you'd love to have YOUR radio station back.

*Follow me on Twitter

*Be sure to listen to me today on my radio show on KSCO/KOMY from 1-4 PM PT--we'll discuss all of this and I invite you to call in and/or listen. The phone number is 831-477-1340.

Broadcast Maverick, Michael Zwerling, Has Sights set on Bay Area Radio Frequency; Talk Radio Format on his Radar

In the 17.5 months since quality live and local TalkRadio all but died in the Bay Area NOTHING has been done to revive it.  On the contrary, it has gotten even worse: example: dropping of Len Tillem (John Rothmann?) and other local voices by Clear Channel's KKSF AM 910.

Killing quality local programming seems to be the trend at Clear Channel -- recently veteran broadcaster Mark Carbonaro's very popular 6A to 9A morning drive program was dropped by KION AM 1460 Salinas-Monterey-Santa Cruz and replaced by Armstrong & Getty from Clear Channel's Sacramento outlet, also carried on KKSF AM 910.

Over the weekend the San Jose Mercury News published an interesting story about Family Radio, Inc. the Oakland-based, donation-supported religious broadcaster that owns radio stations, translators, and shortwave outlets throughout the country, including locally, KEAR AM 610, the old KFRC (Dr. Don Rose, etc.)

It seems that donations to that radio ministry are down significantly as a result of a sluggish economy AND fallout from repeated predictions of impending Rapture (end of the world) dates which failed to materialize.

As I read this Mercury News story (see it at http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_23224368/end-world-oaklands-family-radio ) I could not stop thinking about how GREAT it would be if somehow, some way, some TIME soon, this channel could be tapped to reinstate ( perhaps more appropriately, "resurrect" in this case :-) quality LIVE AND LOCAL talk radio in the Bay Area.

Then I thought about Michael Zwerling, "MZ", the major sponsor of this blog, and the owner of KSCO AM 1080 and KOMY AM 1340, the Monterey Bay stations that originate the Lieberman Live daily three hour talk show.

Last month I wrote a story about MZ ( http://richliebermanreport.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-i-got-current-kscokomy-radio-gig.html ) planning to bring independent (non-corporate) talk radio back to the Bay Area.  But that story wasn't up for fifteen minutes before the Boston Bombing mega-story hit, so a story that is particularly meaningful to me and many other talk radio enthusiasts -- pretty much got buried...

I have encouraged MZ to follow his dream of establishing his brand of talk radio in 415 -- as well as in 510, 925, 707, 650, and 408!

He says any frequency will do, AM or FM, so long as it has a strong signal into San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Marin, and the peninsula.  Concord, Walnut Creek, and Martinez would be a plus.  

He will buy from, lease from, or partner with an operator who wants their channel to perform better.

MZ is a pretty clever and creative guy.  Herewith I re-offer the audio red meat I put forth in the April 15 post:  Attention Bay Area radio broadcast operators who are tired of swimming upstream in a business that is going south fast:  Make a deal with MZ: he GETS IT -- and knows how to turn negatives into positives--AND put smiles on many faces.  



*Follow me on Twitter

How I got the KSCO/KOMY Radio Gig; Could the 'Old KGO' Brand return to Bay Area Radio Airwaves?' Broadcast Pioneer Zwerling has Sights set on SF Market; Media Rundown Special

Let's talk about a significant moment in Bay Area radio broadcast history. And better yet, let's talk about something in the future that might get a lot of people excited.

Me especially and probably many thousands like you that never forget and long for the good old days when an iconic station was hijacked by a bunch of corporate raiders who didn't know about a huge legacy station beloved by an entire region.

Most will agree with me that December 1, 2011 was the day talk radio died in the Bay Area.  That was the day Cumulus Media sent corporate hacks into 900 Front Street SF to put a bullet in the head of the longest-standing, most successful commercial US news/talk radio station of all time. 

The unexpected and incredibly disrespectful firing of KGO hosts John Rothmann, Ray Taliaferro, Gil Gross, Len Tillem, and Bill Wattenburg in an attempt to compete with KCBS in an all-news format was stupid stupid stupid, and the proof is in the pudding: KGO's ratings are now less than half of what they were the day they killed the goose that laid the golden egg.

But KGO's loss became KSCO's gain.  Michael Zwerling, the eccentric 61 year-old owner of the 10,000 watt, Santa Cruz-based independent talker actually went on the air with a promo BLASTING Cumulus for the decision He knew would immediately result in a huge increase in listeners for his own station.  (Full Disclosure: I'm a talk-show host at KSCO).

Click http://ksco.got.net/podcasts/122invitation.mp3 to HEAR that promo  

Click http://ksco.com/a-special-message-to-kgo-listeners to READ that promo and comments from listeners) 

Why would Zwerling do that?  

"Because you don't shit on loyal people, the hosts AND the audience, who made you what you are", he said in typical MZ mince-no-words style.

It was as a result of the KGO meltdown that I became acquainted with MZ and his AM talk radio duopoly (KSCO AM 1080 and 1KW KOMY AM 1340) operation.  He had me on his Saturday Special and several other programs to talk about the KGO drama.  He reached out to Wattenburg, Rothmann, and other hosts to appear on interviews and to host shows.

He reached out to ME to encourage me to add a live news/talk radio dimension to my growing 415 Media blog.

When I visited KSCO I was amazed to see a family of secure, happy people, some of whom have been with the station for many decades.

MZ says, "If I can't have a station with a heart and a soul and a personality that SERVES its community rather than RAPES it, then I don't want to be in the business; I'll find something else to do."

The more I observe KSCO, KOMY, MZ, his staff, and audience, the more convinced I am that the Bay Area could benefit immensely from and would SURELY embrace a true "voice for everyone" talk radio station run  by Michael Zwerling.

Zwerling wants to bring a little of the old KGO back to the Bay Area. He has the means, both financial and practical. He's the ultimate business purveyor with a keen sight on coming into the SF market. Am I being a bit self-serving? No. I'm just telling you the truth. Per that feeling, I'm going to throw out a nice piece of audio red meat.

I urge any owner (or even lessee) of an under-performing Bay Area AM or FM broadcast station to contact MZ, email mz@ksco.com, and make a deal with him.

Like Mickey Luckoff and Jack Swanson, MZ "gets it" and he has the resources. Seriously.

Bay area radio will be all the better for it.


*Follow me on Twitter and LISTEN to me Monday-Friday on "The Rich Lieberman Show" from 1-4 PM PT LIVE on KSCO/KOMY, (click on the streaming audio site and podcasts are available).


*Tips-E-Mail: Rich.Lieberman@Gmail.com

ADVERTISE on 415 MEDIA: The Bay Area's #1-read media blog: Rich.Lieberman@Gmail.com --Reasonable rates; great demos with over 300K documented monthly page views.