The Complex Analysis Why Jeremiah Crowe was 86ed from Cumulus/KNBR; No Leverage Leverage; Inside Dope

THIS IS BS, the press release version of something far more COMPLEX, something far more nuanced. An ultimate decison that wasn't consumated by one specific individual but more a systemic reality that is the BOTTOM LINE in EVERY business, not just RADIO.

Money and management.

But it's more than that. Think of a pizza sliced eight different ways; you want salami and cheese. Your buds want sausage and onions. The other guys are veggies only. In other words, a lot of screaming and yelling over specifics without the ultimate point that the pizza is the main event no matter what version. Sure, lots of arguing over the bottom line, but a pizza nonetheless.

Jeremiah Crowe is out of a job simply because he and CUMULUS/KNBR couldn't agree on the ingrediants of the pizza. And while no one ordered anchovies, the show wasn't allowed to continue. Too many forces wanted different ingrediants and that didn't hapen. Return to sender.

KNBR will continue, of course, rudderless but not enough for you to notice. It will be business as usual. There's NO official Interim PD but my peeps tell me Lee Hammer, who for years ran the show (and ordered the pizza) is the man in charge. He will be captain for now and probably for the foreseeable future.

Crowe wanted more resources and money. He wanted more dough for himself too and after that, the radio station itself. He basically wanted to re-arrange the furniture. He was gung-ho Giants but he was more gung-ho 49ers too having seen what baseball ratings are and what NFL numbers are too. While the Giants/Larry Baer and friends aren't ecstatic that Crowe is gonno, they aren't losing sleep either. Crowe was first and foremost a business guy who made sure the numbers were good and that's a good thing because, non-numbers, he wasn't such a nice guy, personally.

In fact, as I knew first hand and as other folks ell me, Crowe was deviod of PEOPLE SKILLS. He never warmed up to anyone, even his bosses, which was OK because KNBR and its cash cow ecosysyem was going strong. Then came COVID but everyone was fucked by that. As the virus waned and things began opening up, creative models went into pitch meetings. Crowe's plans and ideas were being explored only he and Cumulus had different ideas of how to start the car. And that's where all hell broke loose.

When Crowe essentially FORCED OUT Lee Hammer, he did so at the blessing of Cumulus which didn't regard Hammer as some programming genius. Hammer was thought of more as simply a good, loyal company man who would make sure clients were happy and that relations were always #1, He didn't/doesn't like to piss off people (like the Giants and Larry Baer) and made sure everything was nice and cool.

Crowe didn't mind ruffling feathers; hell, looked forward to it. Wanted to mix it up and tweak things even if it meant compromising clients who were with the organization from day one. Crowe was in charge and allowed to lead the cavalry becuase business was good (as noted) but he ultimately was slayed because during and after COVID, his mean-spirited vibe no longer was tolerated. If you prove your worth, sure, people-less skills don't dictate your future but once there's an oil leak, you're screwed.

Crowe thought his shit didn't stink. He wanted more money from Cumulus and they told him no in a number of ways. He probably though he had a lot more leverage than he did but he didn't. He also didn't have any friends to advance his cause, at least those that carried considerable weight. He could have continued to work, even on a short-term (a year) extension but that wasn't in the cards.

So yeah, it's always ultimately about the money. But it's far more than that and too many peope wanting too many different pizza slices. Hold the anchovies and go to the beer.