415 Media Reflection: The Good Old Days of KTVU; KGO Radio; Ronn Owens; KNBR In The 1970's and Eighties; Those Were The Days My Friends

Claud Mann (l) Elaine Corral (center) and Mark Ibanez

YOU HAVE TO CARE ABOUT IT IF YOU RIP IT ENOUGH TIMES

I GET a lot of heat sometimes because of my notorious (not to me) relentless attacks on, say, KTVU, KGO Radio and KNBR.

YES, I do a lot of ripping and it can be monotonous but there's a point here: to rip and critique as much as I do means, let me get this out: I care. At least some of these outlets, yes, I repeat: I care. I loved the old KTVU and its commitment to local news and its hardcore reporters like Rita Williams and Betty Ann Bruno. Lloyd La Cuesta didn't always look the part but he was a helluva street-side reporter. So too Betty Ann Bruno who retired years ago. I remember her vivid reporting live from the Oakland Hills fire storm in 1991. Rita Williams had a knack for asking questions no one else would dare ask. When Rita did a live shot, it was always riveting. Miss her dearly. Miss the old KTVU which further explains my present-day criticism.

KTVU still has great people but they pale in comparison to the yesterday talent. Which was the hallmark of a news station that had excellent journalist and rock steady News Directors and one tenacious GM. It was one time a legacy station that was the envy of not just the Bay Area but nationwide outlets too. It no longer carries that cachet and I'm often guilty of thinking of the past but I'm saddened that such a great, local news giant is being slaughtered by corporate sloth.

Ronn Owens/1976

KNBR also used to be a hallmark station with the likes of Carter B. Smith (not a huge fan) Frank Dill and Mike Cleary (not great but better than average); Joel A. Spivak (fan) and Peter B. Collins and Pete Franklin (fans of both) so now to hear its present-day radio miscarriage of justice is to enrage the mind and be emotional about such once-great call letters.

More than anything else, these legendary institutions were run by people who knew the business. Were into the business. Made millions of dollars for their respective stations. Bill Dwyer had a reputation as a complete asshole and tough to deal with ( the late Hank Greenwald had tons of stories) but no one ever said he didn't know radio. Same too, Mickey Luckoff, at KGO who was/is still a personal tyrant (ask Ronn Owens) but whose reign at KGO produced record ratings and tremendous local respect and envy. Those of you that are Bay Area natives know KGO was bigger than a mere radio station. Yeah, I DO CARE. When you think back how special KGO was and how it is today, than you understand passion and revere. Everyone in the 415, 408, 925 and 510 revered KGO. Today? They're trying but way, way, off the mark.

"Mayor" Art Finley

YOU ALL who read me know my frequent ripping of one Ronn Owens. Years ago Ronn was a good friend. Met Ronn in 1976 at Raiders Day in Santa Rosa. He had only been on the KGO air for a few months and I was his first caller (in 1975, Thanksgiving night, I was 13) Heard this incredibly funny, seriously cool, guy on KGO talking politics, sports and rock and roll trivia on Friday night. The guy was a hoot to listen to and was incredibly interesting and fun. Little did I know a few years later I would be at his wedding with a woman he met at the Oakland Arena --the circus, no less, at a KGO event in '76. He put me on the air in May of '78 as "Rock Rich" and I co-hosted  "Rock Trivia for an hour. God, I was living the dream. I used to think of Ronn as my Cousin Brucie. We had a special bond. Loved the man; the father figure I never had; the loyal brother that eluded me. I miss the old Ronn even as I chastise him for wrecking his radio legacy by bowing down to a horrible company that essentially KILLED SF radio.

I CARE.

You would care too if you spent a remarkably long period of time listening and watching these stations.