The '7-F' BS That Failed KGO's PD Mike Anthony; Cumulus CEO Berner To SF MM Harvill: 'Make Changes'; Lee Hammer Says 'Yes' But What Now? Bearman on Short Leash; Copeland Might Be Back; Rothmann/Thurston Probable Keepers; Franklin Iffy; 415 Media Inside Story Monday

OUT at KGO and KSFO: Mike Anthony

NO MORE "7F" BS; hallelujah --maybe there is a god.

When Mike Anthony took over KGO Radio two and a half years ago, the station was in its latest doldrums; thinking forward, Anthony did one better: his first major move was to, a ha, change the format (again) back to talk from news; not the old KGO form of news-talk, but his version which amounted to lifestyle crap that never caught on and was the forefront of KGO's latest downfall. Yes, it was already in a tailspin with marginal ratings and severe reduction in advertising revenue, only Anthony seem destined to burn the corpse.

That he did. And now, finally, he's gone.

Here comes new MM, Doug Harvill, making his first significant move but the move was really made a few weeks back when I reported Cumulus CEO, Mary Berner said changes were coming to the once-powerhouse 810 AM.

Doug Harvill

Anthony, who had little PD experience and came from a small-budget San Jose station was never able to make KGO relevant. His managerial style was to try old has-been ideas only none of them worked and the few remaining people at the station weren't excited; his revamped morning slew of talkers were essentially old, tired, retreads who never registered with listeners. Rumors of Anthony's demise began percolating; once Harville was hired and got a directive to make changes from Berner, Anthony was gone.

So now KGO again is about to undergo another iteration under Lee Hammer, the veteran programmer who ran KNBR and will now run KGO and KSFO, although KSFO is actually a profitable operation despite its impish local morning show run by clowns who cherish the ultra-right. Its temporary fixture as a Bay Area conservative outpost keeps it going so Hammer will leave it alone until he doesn't.

KGO? Cumulus, and by extension, Harville, have to decide if its middle-dial station is worth the effort in dwindling terrestrial AM radio. The Bay Area has always been a news-talk bastion and even with KGO muddled in programming abyss, there is a market, still, for news and talk. Like, say, "newstalk radio." Anthony slaughtered that idea with his foolish lifestyle brand that sounded positively ridiculous especially when major news broke and a host would be talking about his favorite breakfast cereal. Seriously now, how does a programming director get away with that...especially in these uncharted times when there's a new story almost every hour with a Trump in the White House.

The real embarrassment en fuego took place at night, where, unbelievably, Anthony ran a taped, earlier-in-the-day catastrophe called the Ethan Bearman Show --mind you if a big news event broke out, how lovely to turn on KGO and listen to a guy talking about lasagna recipes. DISASTER. Anthony was trying to score points for tight-fisted Cumulus by this moronic move (to save money) but it only hastened his demise.

Mary Berner

Thank God.

I don't know what the immediate KGO plan is; I don't think they do either but probably new and fresher voices. A weekend ensemble probably mixed with the dreaded taped financial crap but maybe something bold too. We'll have to wait and see. (I know, I'm dreaming.)

Bearman, who has zero ratings and no following is probably on a short leash. There is no way he keeps the 10-12 PM timeslot unless Hammer is completely brain dead because Hammer knows Bearman has no chance.

I'm not a Brian Copeland fan but if the rumor mill has it he might be coming back, he's better than Bearman (which is not saying much)

Chip Franklin has a contract but he could be bought out because his show is "7F" nirvana and that's not in play.

Lee Hammer

Hammer likes John Rothmann, a lot. I would love to see Rothmann have a gig, say 7-10 PM weeknights or at least his own show on the weekend. With politics and Trump in the forefront this would seem to be an easy call for Hammer.

Pat Thurston figures to be a keeper. Michael Finney's consumer show is a ratings draw and will stay aboard.

I'm sure there's a lot on the plate and changes are coming but if you read me you already know that.

#doublebasta
#415Media