Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Wednesday AM Media Notes


If the planets align sometime in the near future, expect a resurrection of a true talk format in San Francisco at a yet, undisclosed frequency. And don't underestimate Michael Zwerling, the owner of KSCO/KOMY and a multitude of other businesses.

Zwerling recently acquired a Telegraph Hill penthouse and he's not there to simply eat the sand dabs at the North Beach Restaurant.


**SF could use a good talk-show format on radio since Cumulus kidnapped the only talk station in town and if you read some of the trades the new station has some issues and a dwindling listener base.

**OK, traffic reports every 10 minutes, I can stomach...but weather too? Fog in the morning, sunny in the afternoon and low clouds at night...every now and then a heatwave with fog coming...In the winter, rain for a few days, occasional flooding and then clear and cold with frost. I just gave you the Bay Area weather.

**Gary Radnich and Larry Kruegar: It's not just that they TALK over Each OTHER every two minutes its just that they continually say nothing...oh, and recently the dynamic duo tried to play down the fact that Kruegar and traffic yenta, Kate Scott can't stand one another. I don't really give a damn but I thought you may want to know.

**The underlying opinion from many is that Tom Sinkovitz is "too expensive" to hire. Really? Well, get this, Sinkovitz is a name anchor and would add immediate buzz to a station that could really use some. To boot: Sinkovitz told me recently that he's itching to go back to work, take note, KRON and KTVU.

**Get ready for an avalanche of sidebar stories on the security at this Sunday's Bay to Breakers.

**I wasn't duped--indeed a KRON source who works at the station told me that GM, Brian Greif was let go. Greif is still employed at the station but there's rumors circulating all over the building that suggest change may be coming soon.




73 comments:

  1. We are supposed to be impressed that Michael Zwerling recently acquired a Telegraph Hill penthouse?

    Has Rich been hired as Michael Zwerling's press agent?

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    1. Impressed? Yes. Then again, MZ and his mother Kay are worth >$100 million.

      Yes, Rich is promoting MZ. He's feathering his own bed with the boss. What's good for MZ is good for Rich. Nothing wrong with that.

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    2. How do you know that? $100 million? Where did you pull that figure out of? I didn't know that MZ had hit the lottery. $100-mill? Not.

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    3. MZ is the scion is of a very wealthy old-money family. Don't be so quick to dismiss the Zwerlings, though they could care less.

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    4. Again, how do you know?

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    5. No. Rich needs to get laid. Badly.

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    6. 4:06PM: What business is it of yours?

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  2. You're delirious, Rich. A penthouse on Telegraph Hill is not a multi-million radio station, of which none are available at a fire sale price.

    The penthouse is probably for mama Zwerling to live out her final days.

    This must be your idea of a tongue-in-cheek scenario. MZ was in rreal estate development before he and mom bought KSCO & KOMY. At least Harold Camping developed Jack London Square. MZ didn't reach that level. Joined the Youngevity marketing plan on radio in 1998. Not a lot of a track record of huge success.

    He wanted $4-million for KSCO years ago. His compeitor - same size as KSCO -- just sold for $300,000. MZ paid $600,000 for KSCO. $4-mill? Not likely.

    Rich, you're dreaming. MZ is a little old to be playing multi-million dollar stakes races with big city radio stations at this time. With what he could have had in Monterey, Carmel and on Cannery Row with radio and passed ... your dream is less than likely.

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    1. Inside sources have every reason to believe that MZ is poised to buy or acquire a substantial ownership stake in an AM or FM radio station with a signal that blankets San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose. This is serious. Money is no issue for the extremely wealthy Zwerling family dynasty. It's no coincidence that he recently bought a swank penthouse on Telegraph Hill. Get your laughs in now because you won't be laughing for long.

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    2. Greif will be out in less than 2 weeks. Wait and see.

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    3. KSCO, if it were placed on the market, would easily fetch $10 million.

      MZ has no plans to sell the station or KOMY. He can raise the cash to buy a station in the Bay Area.

      The odds right now are that he's going to buy 610 AM from Family Radio.

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    4. Um, it WAS on the market five years ago and no one bought at that place or offered anywhere near that. Keep dreaming.

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    5. Radio stations are the WORST financial investment that can be made today. Banks won't touch them and the economy won't allow such carefree high leveraged investment without a lot of guarantees for debt service.

      Then, there are those nasty books.. KSCO doesn't "cashflow" very well. Any half bright business person can figure that out. There's no money in radio anymore -- and hasn't been for a long, long time. I have friends who used to own KSCO when Jeffrey-Fuller Broadcasting owned it. A horrible market to make money. That's why they sold it for $600k.

      $10-mill. Give me a break. A termite check on that building (built in 1947) would cost that today.

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  3. Kruger is knowledgeable, she brings zero to the table. It's punishing to hear her interject with anything regarding professional athletics. She's just a goofy fan.

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    1. Take that back! We learned just the other week that the Denver Nuggets were being aggressive just like her 12 year old soccer team in Fresno. Talk about the ultimate "Nobody Cares!"

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    2. You prefer hearing about Kreuger's Dodger LL team? Or that until he got re-hired he was the fuckup in the family? "My brother is a lawyer,my other brother king of Ethiopia",blah,blah.

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  4. Raddy just went on one of his nonsense rants that sports beat writers have the lowest form of media job,and many have been fired ten times with grudges to get players. Huh? Beatwriters if anything, are the most inoffensive writers and team friendly media there are. Name a beatwriter in the bay area who was truly out to get a player?
    Baggardly?..Radnich defended him by saying he was "light in his shoes" if your're old enough to use that term your're old enough to know it means your're calling a man gay. It has no other meaning.

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  5. The woman on the radio does not "add" anything to the show true but when it's just a pack of middle aged white guys saying the same stupid things on the AM and FM sports stations, a different voice (true spitting the same garbage) is still a different voice. There should be more woman and minorities on the sports radio stations. Then we all can be radio blowhards and bags of hot air!

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    1. That's it. You get it. The only way to break the cycle of middle aged white man's view of sports is to hire somebody who isn't. And those who complain about Kate,should realize she's doing the best she can to keep the arguments light when the two hosts bash most of the bay area.

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    2. But her constant "YES" schtick grows real old fast and does not add antyihg just wants to be heard. Should just stick to her traffic reports and sports and be QUIET! "nobody cares as the favoirte saying about what she has to offer.

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  6. Rich, Will Mr. Zwerling make sure he hires professional producers and radio people?

    KGO was ruined by newbies being brought in by corporate types. Newbies that have turned Ronn Owens' usual vanilla topics into rancid and spoiled milk that you can stand only long enough before you turn off the radio.

    Hire some veterans who don't expect a lot of money both on the air and behind the scenes, Mr. Zwerling. Whatever you do, please don't hire The Monte from KGO, or Karel, or the boring guys on 910, or the fake conservatives on KSFO who are nothing more than tea party nutcases.

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    1. Gil Gross, cBas Kunz, John Rothmann and Lloyd Lindsay Young would be excellent addition to MZ's news-talk lineup.

      Lieberman Live 1-4 followed by Gil Gross 4-7.

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    2. He most certainly will. Mr. Zwerling has impeccable taste and keen judgment. You have my word.

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    3. The Jodi Arias cruely hearing was far more entertaining today with both Jane Velez-Mitchell and Nancy disGrace.

      The amazing thing, though, was I turned down the sound and turned up Rich and the sound echoed exactly what was on the screen! Amazing! How'd you do that Rich?

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  7. I only trust me, Rich and his mom.

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  8. This just in: This country is screwed up. I don't mean to be a bummer.

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    1. You must be Rich's agent. :-)

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    2. It's not screwed up.

      Actually, to quote Rich: "it's in the toilet."

      So there.

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  9. Rich: Your radio show has evolved. It's a parody of yourself. I love it! :-)

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    1. Yeah, whatever, but he don't do shtick!

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    2. A big ball of senseless hot air *is* shtick.

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    3. "Lieberman Live" is shtick. It's a parody of talk radio in general and Rich in particular. Senseless hot air? You bet. Lots of it. Funny thing is, it's working. Rich has come to that realization, too. He's found his niche.

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  10. Rich didn't wait for all of the facts to come in before he starting yapping away about the Boston Marathon bombing and indulging in speculation.

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    1. Lieberman lacks any self-awareness. He is guilty of every little thing he accuses all other of. He's an oblivious hypocrite.

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  11. "The Black Jimmy Carter. Perhaps even worse."

    RL on BHO.

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  12. You're Mr. Excitement. Don't worry.

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  13. Replies
    1. Except for KOMY and KSCO. They rule!

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    2. More or less, yes.

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  14. Rich is neither liberal nor conservative.

    He's not a Democrat, not a Republican, not a Libertarian, not a Green. He has no party affiliation whatsoever.

    He's not even an "independent."

    No label applies to Rich.

    He's advanced beyond partisanship and ideology.

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    Replies
    1. He's a big mouth with a microphone who has NOTHING TO SAY.

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    2. He's talk radio's answer to "Seinfeld," the TV show about nothing. I'm paying the big schmuck a back-handed compliment here.

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  15. lIEBERMAN


    LIVE


    IS


    AN


    ADDICTION.

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  16. I admire and respect Rich.

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  17. RL: Do you trust your rabbi?

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  18. What will you be like, Rich, when you become big?

    It could be any day now.

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  19. We have no leadership, no priorities. That's the gist of our problem.

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  20. CONFIDENTIAL MEMO:

    Rich:

    What the hell is happening to you and your radio show?

    Seriously. The long rants, the recipes, the berating of callers. You think this makes for good talk radio? Really?

    If you were reviewing your own show through the same lens that you critique other talk show hosts--where you spare no criticism no matter how blunt or sharp-edged--you'd come down on yourself like a ton of bricks.

    You got off to a good start, despite the persistent technical glitches that plagued your show initially. You had interesting and informative guests and did great interviews.

    Now your show, as someone else posted, has become a parody of you.

    You can do better. Please.

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  21. Rich isn't an atheist.

    He's not agnostic.

    He's not religious. Not a believer.

    What is he?

    Mazeltov, Rich

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    Replies
    1. Your note confirms what everyone is saying about the cause of anti-semitism.

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  22. We're simulcasting today on KOMY 1340 and KOMY 1080.

    Tell Rich Lieberman what's on your mind.

    Pick up the phone and dial 831.477.1340.

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  23. Rich you've had two crack pots who want to impeach Obama because he's trying to ruin the country and a religious lunatic.

    Great callers. LOL

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  24. Jeez Rich! You couldn't be more obvious about your partisan support of Obama. At least be honest with yourself. You're not fooling us.

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  25. Oh come on, Rich!

    You're not defending Obama?!

    Really?

    Could have fooled me :-)

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  26. I don't see the Kruger/Scott hate thing. I watch them on Comcast every morning and if they hate each other you could fool me. No body language to that effect..

    Regarding Sinkovitz, I think he's in the same boat as John Kessler-aging and deemed dispensable by younger and cheaper Talent.. I like and miss them both. Great broadcasters..

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  27. The link to the trades about KGO. That's the American Spectator. The far right wing news magazine, whose basically being supportive of Limbaugh. Show me some good links to the trade press such as Radio Ink, American Spectator isn't a trade publication.

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    Replies
    1. yes it's a conservative magazine but is the story inaccurate? one of you cumulus folks needs to speak up. is it a good place to work?!?! everyone i know hates the place.

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  28. Rich: I agree with you completely and I support our President.

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  29. re Zwerling: "Pig Arthritis Formula been very, very good to me!" Actually, a Bay Area acquisition is what he might need. He probably can barely keep his Monterey Bay stations in the black without informercials and having a piece of the multilevel marketing pie from Dr. Wallach. This keeps him from offering money for the real talent out there that brings listeners in. KKSF 919 sorta tried to take over for KGO, but it has too many (very) boring syndicated shows to draw in the locals. Key is: signal + veteran manager (Mickey Luckoff!) interesting local talent like Burns (pray), Eason (beg!) Rothman & Gross.

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  30. Then again ... maybe, if not probably, he can't. It's not in his DNA to do "better." He brags about voting for Obama, then makes it sound like he doesn't support the President. Rich knows that mama Zwerling must be seething everytime she listens, if she cares enough to listen. Maybe she bitch-slaps MZ each time she tunes in.

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  31. I only have one question about any future media acquisitions: Will the hosts all have to be Kosher-approved, like the hosts KSCO?

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  32. Rich
    How about ABC7 version of Christian Loren... Traffic gal Leyla Gulen. Hubba Hubba Hubba

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  33. There was a huge amount of bickering on the Radnich show today. I watched all three hours and it was not pretty. Radnich seems oblivious his conservative values are rubbed in to Kate Scott who can only squirm in her chair. Extreme body language from Kate. Kreuger is like Raddy's human Pit Bull. Radnich rips Charlie Pellet? Kreuger goes for the throat telling 50,000 watts Charlie kisses somebody named Mike or Mark, Mills ( I think) ass. Same for the producer...Raddy does his best to humiliate the guy,Kreuger them moves in to cut off the guys nuts.
    How many times does Raddy remind the audience he bought Mike a bike? Mike the low income producer who has to bike to work. Or that Raddy's car's brakes cost more then Kate's car is worth. Larry has a loner Mercedes,Kate the same POS she drove when she got the job two and a half years ago.
    A lot of resentment..what Dibs couldn't take anymore. Radnich says he (Dibley) is third string wherever he goes. I'm sure Dibs feels third string anyplace but at KNBR is a step up.
    Plenty of smoke and anger on that show..the fire might be smouldering..

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  34. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. There is a poster here who listens to Alex Jones? Good God, that's scary.

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  35. Has anyone else noticed that the callers to RL's show all sound deranged? Wonder why that is.

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    1. They're part of the vast right-wing conspiracy out to get Obama.

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  36. WOW Rich has a Bonafide hater club. Most of the members consist of would be Radio and TV hosts. Each wake up everyday hoping there Key card still works.

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  37. Plenty of references to whats been posted here on KNBR today and the last few. So much for managements muzzle on the hosts to stymie 415.

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  38. Worth a mention Rich. This is the first year that Radnich is not hosting KRON's Bay to Breakers coverage. You can make your own inferences on that one.

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    1. Raddy admitted on KRON its because he was told he "Doesn't stick to the script". Why he also claims that Jacky B. was taken off for that same reason sounds hard to believe. I don't see her as that off the wall..right?

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