AS 2021 NEARS...the BIG question: what's on tap for KGO Radio?
It would seem to be a benign question but it isn't. KGO has made strides since its latest iteration as a news-talk outlet that has deep foundation in Bay Area radio. It has tried to go back to vintage KGO --a great goal but way off the radar. What should have been a banner year, 2020, and an Election year at that was just OK and not fantastic as KGO had hoped.
HIGHLIGHTS:
The emergence of Pat Thurston. Thurston has always been solid but she clearly elevated her game --it's great she was moved to Noon-3 PM but she needs better support. Great guests and magnificent interviews obscured the fact that Thurston's program needs more promotion and exposure. KGO should highlight her but they don't. That's sort of weird. But leave no doubt: Pat is KGO's best talk host.
*I was just going to compliment PD, Lee Hammer but now I get word that KGO plans to can Saturday programming. A shame, not just because I like John Rothmann, but I despise taped financial shows. I know the taped programs bring loads of cash to KGO but destroys the station's legacy.
*OBSERVATIONS:
KGO could save a ton of money by dumping Mark Thompson and replacing him with ABC7 anchor, Dan Ashley, who's been doing fill-in this week. (And other time slots too) Ashley isn't great but he's solidly above average and can do good interviews. Plus, he sounds comfortable in the gig. He's also based in the Bay Area while Thompson still tonsils from LA, what a waste.
*Why is Consumer reporter Michael Finney wasted on the afternoon weekend? KGO could easily switch Finney to weekdays (say, 3-5 PM and just move Chip Franklin from 5-7PM and John Rothmann from 7-10)
*KGO should just do the obvious in the morning: Nikki Medoro is not a AM Drive personality --her show is terrible. Medoro needs a good partner: Chip Franklin and Medoro would make for a decent drive show but KGO can't admit it made a mistake by allowing Medoro to go solo. Adding Franklin would solve a lot of problems.
Finney has a full-time job Monday-Friday and he’s not just reading the prompter.
ReplyDeleteI have started to listen more lately. What I do not understand is Bret Burkhart. He seems like the 2nd host of several shows.
ReplyDeleteIt’s two shows. He’s the AM news anchor and serves as co-host until the shift change.
DeleteYou're insane. Chip and Nikki should both be sent packing, not combined into exponentially more ear-garbage.
ReplyDelete810 needs a complete housecleaning ... I'd fire Chip, Nikki, Thompson, Pat and Mr. President of the United States. They've all had their shot and the ratings are still terrible. You'll never bring back the KGO of old and you'll never beat KCBS at the all-news game. Another sports talk station for the A's, Raiders and Cal makes more sense than what they're doing now. Of course they own 1050 AM, where they could put the A's, Cal and Raiders, but don't seem to realize 1050 exists.
ReplyDeleteI agree. KGO is NOW using for talent what the original KGO used as a "Bench" when no other fill ins were available. Remember Pat and John were weekend overnighters on the Original station. Cumulus is just to cheap to hire anyone talented, plus, Hammer could not handle real talent, he just needs people who fit into the Accounting Spread Sheet.
DeleteJohn Rothmann took over the 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. after Bernie Ward left. Many said Pat was being groomed to take over after Gene Burns, who had severe health problems for years. I always preferred John over Pat, although I like Pat's show as well.
DeleteIf it weren’t for Lee Hammer you’d be listening to syndicated programming. Go take a look at KABC. He’s working within a budget set by a company that just came out of bankruptcy. His options are limited.
DeletePat was never groomed to replace Gene Burns. His day to day health issues were manageable until he had a stroke, and that was post KGO. Gene’s endorsements and live reads brought in serious revenue and he worked 6 days a week. Pat was hired as a weekend host/fill-in and was considered for the 10pm-1am slot along with the other rotating fill-ins. Unfortunately, the final decision was made by a GM who didn’t think women should be talk show hosts. I know, I was there and heard it with my own ears. However, the death of KGO as we knew it was the result of corporate execs who no longer work for Cumulus. They literally said “we don’t cater to ego” before firing the entire slate of hosts who weren’t under contract.
DeleteNot all of us are sports fan, that is a terrible suggestion. Isn't there already a couple of sports stations in this area? I like Pat and John Rothmann, try to plan my day around their shows. I listen to Chip and Mark if I'm by a radio at those hours. I agree about Nikki, she is just not very good and at times rather annoying. Kim McAllister filled in for her and she is much better, and when they are on together, Kim seems to be more knowledgeable. Nikki didn't know that the term "brown shirts" originated with the Nazi's, Kim did, that is just one instance.
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Dream scenario: Disney buys back KGO AM then they easily move ESPN radio programming, get the rights for A’s baseball and also Sharks hockey. Talk radio starts a new beginning on 610 AM as someone buys it and removes “robotic announcer” on the airwaves. Could it happen...maybe...will it happen...probably not but KNBR would definitely have major competition...
ReplyDeleteDunbar & Wygant in the morning and Ed & Rosie in the afternoon, were market winners with just the news and traffic and weather. Bring back the news & information format, it certainly still works for KCBS.
ReplyDeleteWhen KGO had news on it was during morning and afternoon drive time. The rest of programming was talk. When KGO fired all their talk show host and went to all news, it did not work. I could see brining news back on a limited basis, perhaps 2-3 hours in the morning, and 2 hours late afternoon. Two all news station is too much, don't even know if Bloomberg news is still on the dial somewhere.
DeleteThey tried that and it didn’t work. KCBS is an expensive operation, but it has the ratings to sustain it. Doing news on the cheap was an horrible experiment. Is there really enough room for two all news stations? Cumulus isn’t going to green light that.
DeleteKGO had the winning formula back then. Then Cumulus blew up the station. KGO could become an ESPN station with competent hosts, plus adding the A’s, Warriors, Cal and the Raiders. They would kick the snot of all their competition.
DeleteNO, NO and No we don't need another sports station in this area. I believe there already are 2 or more. Have some compassion for those of us who do not listen to sports, we would like to have radio shows that are informative and entertaining.
Deletewas curious to see if rothmann mentioned the saturday show being cancelled, he said in passing he wouldnt be on thursday to monday because of new year, he sounded rather miffed about it..could see him barging into lee hammer's office demanding he let him on the air anyway, haha..
ReplyDeleteMaybe if he wants to screen his own calls. I’m sure his producer appreciates having the holidays off.
DeletePerhaps John could BUY the time and still do his own weekend show. The ONLY reason that his show was cancelled was that they/Cumulus Sells that weekend time for infomercials...Trading Academy, Edelman, Vitucci and the Vitamin Shows are all PAID Infomercials...Ihey can make more money selling the TIME, than having to pay John and just sell spots. John is a very wealthy fellow, he can afford to buy the time if he wants to be on the air that much.
ReplyDeleteThe show has not been cancelled. They’ve mentioned it’s a holiday schedule this week. It’s the same reason Finney has best of shows. Don’t believe everything you hear.
DeletePut Terilyn Joe on weekends. Or If the Chipster moves to mornings, put TJ in that afternoon slot!!
ReplyDeleteYeah, there’s nothing more entertaining than Chip desperately trying to one-up every guest, reporter, or caller. He invites experts on just to constantly interrupt them, wasting opportunities to extract useful information. Does he really need to interrupt and “explain” every news story back at abc reporters? It’s obnoxious and reeks of insecurity. I’m important! I’m smart! I’m funny! *eye roll*
DeleteDoes anybody like Nikki Medoro ? she's so bad that she makes Mark Thompson look good. Medoro is hurting the station and should be sent back to the newsroom. It's obvious they are using her to fill a quota, she's the only person of color (half Puerto Rican) on their talk host lineup
ReplyDeleteBoth Chip and Nikki suck. They were better together. What the hell is Chip, I mean Dick going to do without Trump? Is he going to pull a CNN and detract from presidential coverage? John Rothman lost me a long time ago. Pat. Well I would rather listen to Tom Sullivan on adjacent stations. Hey KGO good Christmas season, A & G raised over a million for vets, JJL and KFI raised $750,000+ for homeless kids program. Lee, What the hell has KGO done? Brett Burkhart, you are just the coolest! LOL. KGO is a fucking joke just like Chris Merill.
ReplyDeleteMedoro is awful. I like Pat in the morning. Can't listen to Thompson. They need a new 6 - 12 noon. Then I would listen to kg o all day
ReplyDeleteI refuse to listen to kg o between 6 am to 12 noon. Nikki and Mark are awful
ReplyDeleteThe liberal bias on KGO is endemically horrific. Chip is a bombastic fool. John Rothman grovels to keep his role at KGO. Nikki is an airhead, Mark is a goofy has been Socal TV announcer. John Batchelor syndicated at night is insightful and mature. Thurston has never found an ultra far left cause she can't support. Thank God for Armstrong and Getty and channel switching technology!
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