*Contributors, reporters, staff reductions en mass.
*Developing ...
UPDATED: 11: 26 AM PT
Most Chronicle contributors, including CW Nevius, are out. If not today, soon. Contributors, part-time reporters are being cut, I'm told.
UPDATE 2: 3: 44 PM
Don't let the KGO PR people fool you. Despite word that "no staffers" have been let go, at this time, layoffs are imminent. And part-timers and contributors have been terminated. The company line put out and carried by the Chron is simply window-dressing. Cuts are coming.
Check back periodically for Updates.
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Predictions...based on absolutely no knowldege:
ReplyDelete-Lynne Jiminez out
-Michael Bower's little restaurant reports gone (although I can't imagine they're paying him more than, what, mabye $50 a week for them?)
-All news shows will have a single anchor
-One weather reporter who will work an 8 hour shift (5a to 2p maybe) then recorded reports the rest of the day, with current temps read from the Internet by the anchor
-No changes to traffic I don't think there's any way to make the product cheaper, other than fewer reports...which might happen.
Anyone have guesses as to what will happen to weekend "talent"?
Do you happen to have an update on Gene Burns?
ReplyDeleteJason... sure you can make it cheaper.. fire everyone and put more syndicated crap on the airwaves... it's all becoming just noise anyway... those stations that produce their own programming reach their audience.. why would anyone want to listen to someone from Chicago.. or St. Louis.. vanilla is vanilla... just look at the demos and how young people have turned away ...
ReplyDeleteI was referring only to the traffic reporting, although it doesn't even have to be done with expensive local talent/studios anymore...Reliant Broadcasting produces "news, weather and traffic" for stations in LA and Las Vegas from studios in Washington DC! I suspect we'll begin hearing some syndicated content on weekends soon. I think they've already swithched to brokering with Karel. He's selling his own ads for his KGO show via his website.
DeleteDon't we listen to someone from Chicago every weekend when Monty is on the air? Or Bob Fitzgerald on KNBR?
DeleteI bet the sports department takes a hit. With KNBR in the same stable they could have them provide the sports updates.
ReplyDeleteWhy so gleeful???
ReplyDeleteHardly "gleeful." Some of the staffers being let go are friends of mine.
DeleteI notice Brian Copeland hadn't been on air for two consecutive weekends. Hope he is not part of staff reductions.
DeleteBrian is not part of the "reduction." Brian had a prior engagement on two occasions. I know this, since I was supposed to fill in for him both times, but only could the second go round.
DeleteIt's never good when people lose their jobs, but in the case of the Chron people, they still have jobs. - dw
If you're the host I'm thinking of dw....I actually enjoyed your viewpoints on a wholeee lot of stuff. It was a nice change from liberals all day/every day.
Delete"It was a nice change from liberals all day/every day."
DeleteI couldn't agree with you more. I always felt the morning weather and traffic reports to be nothing more than left-wing propaganda.
72 degrees and slightly cloudy? Who do these libs think they are kidding?
@8:38 You should go on tour with Copeland. "Not a genuine black man" touring with "Not an Anonymous Lieberman blog poster". Don't quit your day job...that is if you have one in this liberal run state. More taxes and regulations anyone?
DeleteThere are some talented people still there @ KGO Radio. But they're nothing more than an entry in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. That's it. So when there's too much red on that P&L file or if they don't fit the company's economics, they too will probably get the boot. Such a shame. Those of you who don't care take note: the same thing can happen to you at your place of work. Show some empathy.
ReplyDeleteAndrew Ross @ Chronicle now reporting cuts story, as well.
ReplyDeleteA station executive told Andrew Ross that some of the contributors, including Nevius are being cut, but there
Deleteare no staff layoffs planned at this time or the
foreseeable future.
Re: Brian Copeland, I always found it admirable, though ironic that Brian would be hosting a one man stage performance named; Not An Authentic Black Man. Admirable, in that he has found a creative vehicle, tailored for his creativity. What artist, visual, audio, writer does not want that kind of opportunity and greater still, that sort of lasting success. I found the title and theme ironic, because the couple of times I have listened to Brian, I was struck by how quick he was to play the Race Card (as viewed by a VICTIM) as a default response to almost any argument, especially when the topic has to do with social justice or injustices perceived. That aside, it can't be easy doing a talk show when it's only you, and the dead air must never, ever dominate, unless you are using that open air to provide emphasis for what follows. Brian seems likeable, but I have a hard time listening to his voice for a long while, as it tends to sound shrill and from the upper throat vs the esophagus.
ReplyDeleteFrom a totally different polarity, I like Mark Levin as a person, and used to listen to him, but very rarely do now, the big reason is because of his voice, which sounds like an angry nagging shrew yelling in my ear from a thin plastic megaphone. A second reason that Mark Levin encouraged me to not listen to his show very often, not due to any coy race baiting, like our pal Brian C., I rarely tune into Mark Levin because he can be very vindictive toward others, especially other conservatives who don't meet his standard. I can easily imagine Mark Levin calling his blood brother Sean Hannity up, saying "Sean!! I cannot stand that new senator from Virginia, Don't have him on your show either. Got It?!" Sean, always concillatory will make a feeble attempt to kid Mark out of his latest purple rage, but will eventually comply with his Mean Girl instructions from Mark L.
Sean Hannity and Mark Levin are two of the worst talk show hosts in the business, and maybe ever. If you know how this business works then you know why they are on the air in the first place. They are both awful. I used to dislike Savage, but his comments about those two are spot on. They are completely uninteresting and boring.
Delete@4:52 Uninteresting and boring to you, others not so much. I personally enjoy all 3. I have seen numerous times where people praise Hannity and Levin only to rip Savage. To each his own.
DeleteIt won't make any never mind to me at this point. In December 2011, they eviscerated the station and there hasn't been anything worth listening to since then. Of course I don't like it when anyone is laid off, but KGO has been dead to me for a long time.
ReplyDeleteIf they got rid of Ronnald Owens, they could keep everyone else. And the public would be all the richer.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy Ronn but the 25 minutes of talk and 35 minutes of commercials every hour is realllllly annoying. I believe Ronn is the only show on KGO that sells so they sell all they can.
DeleteThey maybe losing people outside their target demo but the young people are really enjoying their format!
ReplyDeleteNo need for a liberal radio station.
ReplyDeletePlease be gone and fly away KGO.
right, but total need for right wing boredom...
Delete2:54....Definitely a need for a liberal to moderate radio station. There are plenty of right wing programs out there. KGO has such a great signal that we should want good, factual, interesting programming. The Bay Area is not Orange County or Merced. We need representation for left of center, as long, IMO, as it doesn't get too extreme.
DeleteI think Ronn is the best.
Nothing infuriates me more when someone thinks we don't need liberal talk radio. First of all with the current hosts at KGO they are not all that liberal, and they were never 100 liberal anyway (Ronn, Gene, others on certain subjects) Hosts who are not predictable is entertaining, I never, ever listen to Rush, I pretty much know his take on things, same for Sean Hannity. I do listen to Tom Sullivan because he is fairly unpredictable, and polite to people who disagree with him. Why are conservatives of scared of different opinions? I don't get it, I enjoy liberal, middle of the road and some conservative hosts, such as Barbara Simpson at times, use enjoy Lee Rogers. When someone suggest there should be no liberal talk shows, I wonder what their reasoning is? Do the want a dictorship? Are the scared of someone challenging their views. I really would like to know, since I'm totally puzzled by such an attitude. Diverse opinions is what makes thing interesting, everyone should be heard.
DeletePosters above.
DeleteQuestion: Whatever happened to Air America?
Answer: They put everyone to sleep.
There is a reason why conservative radio wins the ratings war.
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ReplyDeleteI listen on weekends where they didn't change the format -- all talk. Used to be a KGO junkie. Now it's just another news station, just as good as the next, I guess. Probably would tune in KCBS for news, before KGO, but about the same, I guess.
ReplyDeleteNews is ubiquitous, local (nonsports) talk is rare.
Karel hinted on his show yesterday that he might be let go. It wouldn't be a loss though.
ReplyDeleteChristine Craft is filling in for Karel today , btw.
ReplyDeleteThat means I won't be listening.
DeleteHow does one find this show? I'd like to hear Christine, but don't know where to find Karel other than on KGO on the weekends. I can't bear him, but would make some effort to hear her again.
DeleteHe is on KRXA 540 Carmel. I think 2-5 or 3-6?Christine covers for him often.
DeleteSpeaking of investigative reporting....ex-KGO TV employee indicted for conspiring with Anonymous: http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2013/03/reuters-investigating-matthew-keys-after-anonymous-159370.html
ReplyDeleteRonn Owens is the only reason to listen to KGO at this point.
ReplyDeleteRonnnn? Is that you? That's very funny.
DeleteI pretty much agree for the most part. Monty has grown on me lately. I find myself agreeing with his opinion and topics lately. Really starting to enjoy him. I say lately because I couldn't stand his viewpoints around election time.
DeleteI know alot of people don't care for Karel...and when it comes to politics I don't care for him either...but I enjoy his show. It's unique. He seems to have heart.
Monty is fine but he's never going to be better than he is. He's not a deep thinker. Just throws the topics out there and opens up for discussion. A poor man's Ronn. But at least he gets worked up. The other stuff is mostly drivel. Karel? Does he even have ratings? Do any of them? I know the station is in disarray. Whatever the case I'm done talking about it. It's boring already.
DeleteMonty is an intellectual lightweight, doesen't matter if you agree or disagree with him, he can't make the subject interesting. I can't believe his stand on racial profiling, it was so superficial. He just said he was for it, nothing about how it could be done nuanced or intelligently. Just said it was okay to stop blacks and latino's, especially if they drove old cars. I couldn't believe he the way he framed it.
DeleteBesides not being too bright, I wonder how much preparation he does. Think Gene Burns or John Rothman discussing the same subject.
I agree with 10:04 regarding Monte. I often agree with his opinions, but he cannot make a subject interesting because he just repeats his opinions. When callers comment, he allows them their say and then immediately hangs up and repeats his opinion again. There is no conversation with them and he doesn't develop a subject by having a discussion with callers who might be interesting. Monte isn't a bad guy, but he is awful and boring as a host. I need someone to garden with on week-ends and Monte just doesn't cut it. One day his producer, a female, came on, and she was actually quite good. Monte might be good at sports, I don't know. I do know that he was on vacation when the Giants had their big games. Why? Made no sense.
DeleteAre they or are the not going to all-talk again, can anyone shed some light on this? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteKarel, literally needs a heart procedure called a "heart oblation" .Karel if you're reading this go ahead and have the procedure done.The anti arithmea drugs used are ineffective, and stay away from diarrhetic blood pressure meds. you still may need the antiarithmea drugs post operation,and try diovan drug in post procedure therapy.I may not agree with you much Karel but want you feeling good,bro.Were about the same age,best wishes,God bless.
ReplyDeleteAnon 7:32, you have to listen online. Goggle "karel show" and you have options, either through Karel's website, GCN or TuneIn Radio. I recommend TuneIn. It really is a great way to access all kinds of radio. I discovered Phil Hendrie there, and "FineArt" plays classic Art Bell shows. But you can't just tune in your clock radio or punch a button on your car radio. Looks like terrestrial radio is truly going to be gone very soon.
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, Christine will be filling in for Karel 3-6 on Friday.
Thank you very much. I need to get in the habit of thinking of my iPhone as a radio.
DeleteWho cares?
ReplyDeleteHonestly, who cares. Not the FCC. Not Congress.
They bought the frequency. They own it. Let them broadcast coded numbers for drug runners, if they want. I don't care anymore.
Let them rebroadcast every vanilla show they can get from the satellite. Who cares.
I, for one, will not be listening.
Get rid of staffer Geoff Glaub.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fucking douche.
I used to have KGO on throughout the day and evening. If just for background noise. Sometimes I would yell at the radio. It was entertaining, for the most part. But some of it would get old really quick. Some changes were needed but not the ones that were made.
ReplyDeleteWhat was left over? The weekend cast is a joke. Karel, in the early days, was amusing. He quickly became irritating. I used to like Brian Copeland, but I began to see through him. Monty = garbage. Pat Thurston, meh.
Why Ronn Owens makes so much money is beyond me. The constant unfunny quips (blah blah blah, quip...uh... back to business ad infinitum). Don't forget that "uh" Ronn, you've made millions off of it. But then, I don't get Howard Stern's appeal, either.
These days I listen very briefly in the morning to catch up on the news. Jennifer "How Exciting!" Jones-Lee is extremely hard to listen to. Her partner is not much better and even lamer with the quips then Owens.
The CW Nevius reports will not be missed. A boring droner that the background drum machine soundtrack could never save. Whose idea was that, anyway? "God, this guy is boring. Let's give him a pulsating beat!!"
KGO prior to the cleansing had its flaws, but was decent. This foul spectre is better gone.
Good God, I've just spent 8 minutes of my life considering the skeletal remains of a station that I once loved, that is now but a shell. A broken, vacuous shell. I will never get those 8 minutes back.
ReplyDeleteAnd they wonder why the mainstream media is becoming increasingly irrelevant...
ReplyDeleteI vote for more Christine Craft.
ReplyDeleteThey could just do syndication 24/7 and run it remote control from HQ in Atlanta except for sales and some contract engineering.
Letting lots of people go and downplaying it publicly is not unique to Cumulus. One media company I worked for once all but shut down it's entire corporate office of 450 people in Denver and moved just a few people to the new HQ in NYC. But, in the papers, it looked like they just did a little trimming around the edges. JW
KSFO 560 is also due for some severely conservative rosebush pruning! Clip, Snip, Rip all the way down to those tangled up roots!
ReplyDeleteI get the feeling that Cumulus wants to go all-syndicate, all of the time. What a shame... 'cause if there's an earthquake, the last thing I want is to tune to KGO to "talk about it" and hear Sean Hannity.
ReplyDeleteWho listens to radio anymore, really, come on now. I had Sirius on my drive from SJ to Sac yesterday. Reminds me why radio is dead. I have to listen to the crap they feed me instead of the music I like. My drive home I played songs off my mobile hooked into my console. Same with TV, who wants to watch 500 channels of nothing. Wait for the Giants game or record it and watch it later without commercials. Come on media folks, get into the 21st century, ya old white male dinosaurs.
ReplyDeleteJust because you don't listen to radio, doesen't mean no one does, or want to. What a narrow minded view. I love music (all kinds)but good talk radio stimulate me intellectually, that is if it is an intellectually stimulating host, which is harder and harder to find. What does white, old and male have to do with taste. You certainly could do with a little education and expansion of your views, yes the world moves on, and new things are good, but that does not mean that, some older tried and true programming of the past does not have value. Not everyone like music and sports, I love the first, never ever listen to the second. You are the one who sounds stuck, seem like you cannot imagine anyone having different taste and likes. So narrow minded.
DeleteHwy 4:53pm, you'd be surprised how many people still rely on radio. If you want immediate local news or sports, you're certainly not going to get it on satellite radio or off your i-pod. Numbers are down, but radio is still the most viable medium because unlike i-pods, satellite radio, cable TV, internet, and newspapers, it's actually free. (what a concept!) If there were an emergency or major breaking news story that was important locally, do you think you'd get any info that was reliable off of satellite radio? NOT!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd Rich, as far as another wholesale 'Saturday Night Massacre' happening at KGO, yes, Cumulus may get rid of some part timers, but I don't think they're going to cut any more reporters or anchors, and I can't imagine them using some of the dweebs at KNBR to fill in on their sports updates. They need the people tehy currently have to retain a shred of identity and credibility in Northern California. After shedding the big salaries of the talk show hosts, they've already got their news people working harder than ever, and they can't begin to expect to cover the local news with a skeleton staff.
I'm one of those 'old white FEmale dinosaurs', who listens to a small transistor radio which I keep on my person at work. I do care what's on the airwaves. Lately this middle aged Jew has found herself listening to Catholic radio because the content is more interesting that what I can pick up here in the East Bay.
ReplyDeleteThey could fire a couple of KSFO morning show employee,s. Like Brian Sussman and Kathy Green. Have anyone listen to their show lately? What a disaster, I tune in once in awhile, because although I don't agree with them, I listen to other right wing hosts (Tom Sullivan, Armstrong and Getty) I like to know what the other side is up to, and I use to enjoy Lee Rogers and Melanie. The KSFO morning show has be one of the worst show ever, it sounds like it is from some small town in Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama etc. Not a big metropolitan city like San Francisco. I cannot listen, they talk over eachother, the shrieks, fake laughter, all kinds of weird gimmicks, this is suppose to be good radio for intelligent adults. Please, what are management thinking or are they thinking at all. Melanie is nothing like she use to be, save for when she does the news. Is she being forced to being dragged down to Katie's and Brian's level.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! The KSFO Morning Show is the least professional radio program I have ever heard. If this is what typical Right-Wing mentality has sunk to...clearly, they're losing their minds. Melanie Morgan was once a 'class-act', but this level of infantile broadcasting four long hours a day...is a terrible embarrassment and reflection on San Francisco Radio.
Delete