I don't know Gil Gross real well. We've talked every now and then. He told me many times that he doesn't read blogs; not insulting, just that he doesn't like to engage in feedback, good or bad, and I believe him.
A few months ago I told him that he receives a lot of feedback here. Mostly negative, unfortunately and he sort of looked the other way. My feelings are that Gross is a good guy; probably a better news man as opposed to talk-show host, and based on the comments here, only further validates that point.
Gross' current show, (heard on NewsTalk910 AM) has brought on a lot of criticism which, for the most part, is legitimate. The constant subject changes, the occasional inane chit-chat, the mumbling and fumbling, it's often difficult to listen to Gross even when he's engrossed or doing a 10-minute phone interview, which is his best asset.
Part of the problem is not Gross' fault. He's trying to conform to a format that is AM radio, (and FM, to a degree), biggest conundrum today: the short attention span theatre that qualifies the non-IPod/smart-phone gadget folks who still listen to terrestrial radio. Only Gross isn't reading the room and either doesn't care nor is willing to tweak his program so that it doesn't become further fodder for his ample critics, of which there are many.
One major facet of Gross' repertoire absolutely has to go: the absolute god-awful inclusion of his wife on his Friday show. Rhoda Bodzin may be a wonderful wife and mother. She is not a good radio co-host. It's the plain truth. I'm guessing, again, that Gil puts her on because he really feels she adds to the show-- she doesn't. She's neither informative nor enlightening and her awkward pauses and out-of-blue takes are just plain lousy radio. Truth be told, she shouldn't be anywhere near the microphone.
Gross isn't going to lose sleep over his shortcomings or starve to death. He's been in the business for over thirty years as a news anchor, talk-host and he still does a weekly real-estate show. But he also has a little pride, (I would guess), and although his latest position at Clear Channel's SF outpost isn't going to make or break his career, I doubt he would want this latest project to be morphed into the negative tunnel it's traveling through now.
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I'll second your point.
ReplyDeleteGill Gross is very good at giving the news. That is where I first became aware of him.
His weekend news reports for the ABC Radio Network were first rate.
For that I give him an A.
As for a talk show host, well ..........
Newstalk 910 is now just called Talk 910. Do you know why, Rich? I always assumed 910 added Rhoda on Friday after Gil was hired full time (rather than just fill in) to sort of imitate Ed and Rosie who did fill in on Fridays when they were all filling in for Gene -- you know the interplay between male and female. However, I don't think it works. Rhoda is not a radio person and an interplay between husband and wife is quite different from between two radio people. Also, do we know how much the current format is dictated by management rather than by Gil. I thought his KGO show was great when he took calls because he often solicited a slightly different angle on the news of the day from what every other host was presenting. And consequently he often got fascinating calls. It's too bad he's into this new format, whoever's decision it is.
ReplyDeleteIt's Clear Channel's decision for a dead radio station with ratings that put it in a tie with KSFO in about 20th place.
DeleteThey fired their last program director at KKSF a few months ago and haven't replaced him. There are no "show producers". The station is mosty syndicated with Armstrong & Getty, Limbaugh, Tom Sullivan, Alan Colmes and overnight. Same thing happening on KNEW with no loca personality. All they have now is Gil Gross locally.
No news? Guess why. No money to afford news people. "Just throw FOX Noise on there. We distribute it at Clear (Cheap) Channel, so, we don't have to pay for much for it.
It's not about the listeners. There aren't many of them. No $450,000 a year salaries, either. No Tillem, no Rothman, Baxter, Rosie. Why? Clear Channe is $20-BILION in debt and has two years to make it happen before the next Citadel invades the court system -- just ike Cumulus is finding out now. That's why they cut costs at KGO.
Listeners have nothing to do with it. Listeners don't pay to run radio stations. Advertising agencies do. The demographics have to be right - ages 25-49 or 25-54 to make those cash registers ring.
AM radio in an FM world is so in trouble more and more.
I enjoy Gil. It's good, local talk radio.
ReplyDeleteIf you think this is good local talk radio then you have a pea for a brain or your brain is made of mush. Maybe you should get more educated.
Delete@5:03 Everyone is entitled to an opinion. For you to attack that guy the way you did and tell him to "get more educated" shows your lack of education. Dumbass.
DeleteNo Dumbass
DeleteI gave an opinion. If you dind't like it then you are bigger a dumbass then I am. You sure are not educated because people that educated you never use that word they would respond with more educated opinion then you did.
5:03, what an insightful comment. Next time, spare us.
DeleteNo I won't. Spare us your comment. I would like to know what people think about your comment. Anyone out there would like to comment. I would like to know why someone calls me a dumbass by giving my opinion as I see see it. I guess we don't live in a free country any more. And now that is the problem on been able to talk on a blob. Too many people been nasty. Instead why don't we talk and disagree with respect. I don't see that happening because people are getting madder and madder about other people opinion but they can spill there hate and it's O.K
DeleteI agree. I enjoy Gil's show and listen every day. Rhoda is OK... I have no real problem with her presence on Friday.
Delete@8:29 let me guess....english as a second language?
DeleteFor the people who are getting a little confused here...I believe 7:19 was sticking up for 3:33 who was ridiculously attacked by 5:03. Based on responses I believe 8:29 and 9:34 are the same person who started with the insults...that being 5:03.
DeleteAll the guy said was he enjoyed listening to Gil. For 5:03 to start attacking him calling him mush brained and saying he has a lack of education is petty and childish and doesn't belong here on the blog. Let's be civil as Rich asked last week....
Gil has an agile brain and can handle callers perfectly well. I too, prefer more callers, however.
ReplyDeleteChistine
DeleteInstead of listening to Gil I would rather be listening to you. Be as it may be I will not be listening to Gil any longer. Hopefully if people don't tune in to 910 at the time is on maybe eventually he will go away. I don't what happen to him he was good on KGO. Christene he might have an agile brain but if you listen to him it's all about and what he thinks and he hardly gets any calls. Am I right or not. By the way I am one of your fans even tho I didn't always agree we you I enjoyed you when you were on talk radio. The best to you.
The problem with talk radio today is that it goes severa ways.
DeleteSome hosts deplore having calls, or many of them because of the "quality" of the calers who ramble, don't make a point or are uninteresting to isten to. Limbaugh is a proponent of this. Hate away, but 14-million listeners a week and one "open phone day" and a $400-million contract says it better than us, frankly.
Having calls to carry the host iss often boring and out of synch. I'd rather hear more of the host and fewer callers without ten minute senseless ranting and raving.
Gil's doing what he does for a reason and so does Christine. Both have their place in Bay Area radio, though both do not relate to the "sales demos" of 25-54 year olds -- the very thing that killed KGO. Theire "new" format doesn't attract them, either.
Gil's wife is the female version of him. They both think each is entertaining. They're not.
DeleteGil is the most professional radio person in the market. Having worked in radio myself, I see things quite differently. Frankly I'm tired of the same old crap that I hear across the dial. It's a nice change to hear more of a conversational approach than hearing "I hate The President" or "Blame it on Bush" talk. If it were up to me so-called Conservative and Progressive talk would be gone. I don't care if it sells it's boring. People can learn from Gil....
ReplyDeleteProgressive talk is not "entertaining" and that's why it has horrid ratings nationwide. From the Air America days unti now -- it's not the ideology, it's the formatic itsel. Rachel Maddow parlayed herself from the radio dredges to MSNBC and does quite well for herself.
ReplyDeleteThere is, outside of KGO and it's side, no real "progressive" radio now in SF, now that Green 960 is gone and, for what little it was worth, Energy FM. To be equal opportunity, the right on KSFO is tied with KKSF. Sussman and Morgan's ultra-rigt rant isn't working either at below a two share.
The demographics aren't getting younger, either. It's still an oder audience without an attraction for listeners, especially younger iisteners who don't even know what AM radio / talk is and there is nothing to attract them on FM except the same "old" talk radio, most of it syndicated.
Although I don't know Gil personally, his decency comes through in everything he does. Perhaps a tweak here or there will help his show. Radio's a tough gig, especially these days with corporate management that is constantly changing formats, hosts, etc.
ReplyDeleteBe careful what you wish for. If Gil goes, his replacement could be as bad as some of the KGO hosts. I'll take Gil any day over people who aren't even located in the Bay Area.
Plus, he's certainly better than hate-talk radio, even if such rancor is emitted from local hosts who are old enough to know better.
Hope your Mom is better, Rich.
He's boring. I don't care if he's local. Still boring.
ReplyDeleteThe most annoying thing about Gil Gross is were he pauses in his sentenses and when he pauses to take a breath, and to many ah's while he is gathering a thought.
ReplyDeleteHe is my least favorite talk show host regardless of political bent.
Amen. Gross was the weakest weekday host on KGO prior to the mass firings. He was brought in to KGO after the untimely death of Pete Wilson and now he got the fulltime gig at KKSF after Burns' health issues. Four hours of Gross is torture for those of us who have long attention spans and his speech inflections are annoying. KKSF had a good thing thing going when they had the All-Stars format. Allen and Baxter were fun on Fridays and we could hear Rothman, Gabbert and only one day of Gross! Today Margaret Thatcher died, I wish I could hear the old hosts' take on her legacy. Instead we have the histrionic types like Tim Montemanure faking outrage about texting while driving.
DeleteI must concur on Gross' speech affectations.
DeleteVery very annoying.
Let me second the comment about "KKSF had a good thing thing going when they had the All-Stars format. Allen and Baxter were fun on Fridays and we could hear Rothman,....." (I think Gil was 2 days back then, not 1.)
ReplyDeleteSupposedly KKSF said that the "advertisers" wanted a consistent host. Well, the LISTENERS liked the variety. I for sure did. And now we're left with Gil going from 6 hours a week to 20 hours a week. It's too much. And there's no TALK. It's all his talk, not the listeners' talk. And they fired Len Tillem. KKSF blew the gift they were handed on a silver platter.
hold on a minute..Gil Gross actually met Margaret Thatcher...I'm sure he'll have plenty to say.
ReplyDeleteGross just re- hired old producer, as if that will make a difference. Anyone who knows him is aware that what he really needs is someone to tell him what to do and not the other way around. I was also told clear channel didn't even go through the hiring process but just turned the job over to Sabrina after two weeks. Shocking that a guy with no ratings still calls the shots. Who's running that place?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the Friday show is really, really awful. I cannot listen to it any longer.
ReplyDeleteFour hours is also too long. They should split it up between Rothmann and Gross.
They also should do more caller participation. That is why Alan Colmes show is the best one in my opinion. It is very entertaining, informative and not because he is a lefty. As a matter of fact Wattenburg's show is very good as well and for the very same reason. Some of the other hosts sound like preachers. They just love hearing themselves.
Gil has uh.....ah....uh...become....ah....uh... extremely boring. True, he has a very uh.....uh....ah....impressive resume. But you wouldn't know it by his current program on NewsTalk.... uh..... Talk....KNEW....KKSF...910am? Tune in next week to see what happens next....Will Gil interview the Penguin? or will he get an exclusive with Mr Freeze. Will Gotham City survive? Or will CCR change the name again to Gil 910 AM.
ReplyDeleteI spend a good deal of the afternoon in my car, not in and out of the car, but driving a good distance, started at 4 p.m and got home at 6:40, made one stop, listened to Gil Gross most of the time. He had some good guests on, but all in all, it is too much of listening to one person, who does not take calls, he says people can call if the have something on their mind, but I don't think I heard one caller. He told at least 3 or 4 lenghty stories, that I really didn't find that interesting. He say the radio format, as we use to know, it is dead, that no one does it anymore? Well, Ronn takes calls and Rich says his ratings is good, Mark Levin, Tom Sullivan, Rush, Alan Colmes all take calls, some of those hosts have very good ratings. The hosts on KGO like Pat Thurston, Christine Craft takes calls, so I think it depends on how the host approach his/her show. I don't like Gil's approach, when he was on KGO he took calls. I had to change to music once in awhile,I just couldn't keep listening to him drone on and on about nothing. Too bad he doesen't read blogs, he might learn something. I use to like his show most of the time, now I rarely care if I tune in or not.
DeleteOne of Gil's strong points is his reporting background and connections to many media sources. He can get on guests who KNOW the business and deliver the story. Yes, the Friday wife bit can be a hard to take but overall I find him a wealth of knowledge.
ReplyDelete