I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE--now it resonates. And now we're in crisis mode.
Tonight, there's a Cal basketball game and it is to be broadcast on KGO Radio from 6-8PM dumping John Rothmann and live discussion between host and callers of what everyone is talking about, literally around the globe: the Coronavirus virus and its ongoing crisis.
The fact a useless basketball game is broadcast while the world, the nation, the Bay Area is essentially shut down is unconscionable. We're in a crisis whether you like it or not.
KGO is contractually committed to Cal basketball but I'm certain there's an out clause if something dictates the situation like say, a 9-11. This isn't 9-11 but damn near close and maybe more disturbing and certainly fluid especially when the WHO has now officially called the virus a pandemic.
A simple solution: KGO, namely its PD and Cumulus SF bigwig, should move the game to KSFO (which runs a business program from 6-9) and allow a host, probably Rothmann, to take calls and -provide information to the public. It's a nod to community relations, something the FCC used to mandate, right? This is a no-brainer for me.
UPDATE 2: 19 PM: The Power of 415 Media and you:
The game has now been moved to KSFO. KGO will run the president's address and will then take calls.
What came first Lee Hammers decision to move the game or your suggestion?
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing funnier than when people at our station start to take their jobs really seriously like we're affecting the public opinion. Has anyone seen our ratings? No one is listening to us especially at night.
DeleteSome people are listening I am, so are some of my friends, and John Rothmann no matter how many hours he is on, gets plenty of calls and also emails.
DeleteMy admiration for KGO soared when John Rothmann announced that the game would be be moved and he would be on. KGO's coverage of the virus has been excellent.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rich...have a feeling that you might have helped make this possible
ReplyDeleteYou're as bad as the general media promoting panic about the corvid-19 (proper name FYI, Mr. News Man). Maybe you should tone it down and not live in the panic world you do.
ReplyDeleteGeeze, talk about the ones you write about running with a story for ratings. You do too, I see.
The preempting of Levin's final half hour elicited his call out of Lee Hammer's decision to move a low rating Cal basketball game in his place. Levin named KSFO directly and claimed they are contractually required to carry his program. KSFO, as you know, is owned by Cumulus Media. Levin is syndicated by Westwood One. a subsidiary of Cumulus. I don't think this will happen again.
ReplyDeleteLevin's "call-out" can be heard here at 1:47:30 on the podcast of today's show. Levin mistakenly refers to the team as "California State basketball" (he would've been *more* PO'd if he correctly said "UC Berkeley", haha).
DeleteAs a regular listener of college sports on the radio, I've noticed that Levin's show gets pre-empted in part by college sports in other areas - like on KKOB in Albuquerque (U of New Mexico), WBT in Charlotte (U of North Carolina),KVOR in Colorado Springs (US Air Force Academy), WJR in Detroit (Michigan State U), and WLS in Chicago (U of Illinois). In an era where online options like podcasts are competing with old school radio, I wouldn't be surprised that the stations do that - probably the reason they're able to distribute Levin's show in the first place!
Levin said that KSFO was "not supposed to" pre-empt the show due to the station being owned and operated by Cumulus. Yet I wonder when he's ever had a problem with Air Force basketball pre-empting his show on KVOR (another Cumulus station that has his show live).
(Forgot to add to my previous comment) I was also surprised that Lee Hammer chose KSFO and not KNBR 680 to carry the Cal game. Perhaps 1050 having the Stanford sports rights prevented him from doing that? (To my knowledge, 1050 has only Stanford football and hasn't had a Stanford basketball game since...2015 or 16-ish, Stanford basketball radio broadcasts are now online only.)
Deleteobviously, one of his listeners must have told him, how would he know or even care, thought he was on in the afternoon..levin is the biggest, pompus blowhard out there now, loves to hear the sound of his own voice
DeleteFrankly, I'd rather listen to an entertaining college basketball game then listen to most any media outlet talk ad-nausea about this virus even if it is John Rothmann.
ReplyDeleteDid Mark Levin mentioned that the game was moved from KGO to KSFO? I think Levin comes off as a cry baby, 1/2 of his show when we have a national emergency, really!! Cumulus is also contractually to carry the game. Levin is syndicated, his show can be heard on many stations, one is 580 our of Fresno, which can be heard in many areas around here, for anyone who absolutely have to hear ALL of Levin ranting and raving about the Democrats there is always streaming.
ReplyDeleteYou know who's been quiet about the virus? Jerry Falwell Jr. Pat Robertson Jr & Sr. also. Billy Graham Jr. Not one has blamed the corruption of the last three years of Trump. They all blamed earthquakes on Obama..God's PUNISHMENT. Not a blip from a one of those hypocritic critics.
ReplyDeleteI'm still waiting for "Reverend" Al Sharpton and "Reverend" Jessie Jackson to speak out myself. Can't roll my eyes fast enough.
DeleteNobody..and I mean NOBODY listens to those fucking college sports games on KGO. What do they draw, tens of listeners? That shit should be on 1050 til the end of time.
ReplyDelete