*KCBS has hired Eric Thomas full time because they've apparently run out of bodies and need to fill staff positions because everyone is splitting the place. That's not a joke, that's what I'm told. Thomas, I keep hearing, is a "real nice guy." Too bad this nice guy is awful on radio.
*Everyone takes Summer vacations--even star TV News anchors, including ABC7 (KGO) veteran, Dan Ashley--but Ashey still hasn't reached a deal (contract extension) and now, there's genuine anxiety at 900 Front.
*The old KGO would have been appointment radio had a Supreme Court ruling the magnitude of Friday's Roe v Wade ruling taken place. Now, mostly, KGO is useless. With the exception of Pat Thurston, it's a waste of time. You have the incapable Mark Thompson, the useless Rothmann and his idiotic callers (Rob from Richmond, pothead Rama from Marin) who ramble on and on. Nikki Medoro? Please, don't get me started.
*KQED Radio used the bulk of its local time to go to NPR and that was a good call.
*KTVU wanted to use Roberta Gonzales on yesterday's big news event but Roberta was busy taking selfies with Oski the bear.
That was a joke but with Roberta, who knows.
*Just when I'm giving major props to KRON and actually believing they're a decent operation, they let Darya Folsom anchor when the Roe ruling hits and yeah, oh my God.
*On second thought, downstairs at ABC7, Ama Daetz? My god, how stunningly bad.
*Allie Rasmus, yes, is a very good anchor but she doesn't have the name and overall fortitude to get a more primetime gig at KTVU then again, the morsels at 2 are a collective bunch of bread crumbs. Rasmus is crisp, engaging, has a dry sense of humor and pleasing to watch. All bad ingrediants at The Firm.
*Here's how vacuous KGO's Thompson is: just a few moments after the SCOTUS ruling, Thompson still had movie guy, the annoying, useless Michael Snyder on --while everyone else was talking Roe v Wade, Thompson, the blowhard had on idiot Snyder. And now you know why KGO is in a freefall.
And further proof, Mark Thompson is a worthless tool who only loves the sound of his voice and is out of his league.
A fan of Bloomberg 960 and also limited fan of KCBS. I notice KCBS is using Greg Jarrett who is now on Bloomberg for their business reports. He really does a good job.
ReplyDeleteMark Thompson is fantastic! Brilliant, funny, entertaining
ReplyDeleteThe feature that most bothers me is Rothmann bringing on callers who may or may not agree with him, THEN FORCING them to answer "his narrow question" of the hour.
ReplyDeleteOver and over he interupts the callers and repeatedly pushes them to answer "his narrow question".
Makes the give-and-take absurd.
So often "his narrow question" has little to do with the caller's main point.
This practice is not a good way to keep the discussion on track and makes for unnaturally forced talk radio.
I always laugh when Rothmann's listeners call in and start belittling or talking trash about people who watch "FOX news". These same people get their news solely from either CNN, MSNBC or HuffPo. What they don't realize is that it's the same jaded, 1 sided bs propaganda but from the other side. Carlin was so right and way ahead of his time.
ReplyDeleteThey my as well change the call letters of KCBS to ERIC. Eric seems to be on 24/7 except for the Alisa Clancy the laugher.
ReplyDeleteCan anyone tell me how Alisa was on KCSM? She seems a little to giddy for a jazz station.
may sorry
DeleteRich is hitting every point in regards to Rothmannnnnnn today. It has basically become an echo chamber at this point.
ReplyDelete1. Trash Republicans.
2. Take Pelosi loving Gav can do no wrong callers that feel they are the moral superior and their shit don't stink because MSNBC and HuffPo reaffirm them daily.
3. Take one opposing viewpoint caller (make sure you talk over them).
4. Take more Pelosi loving Gav can do no wrong callers that feel they are the moral superior and their shit don't stink because MSNBC and HuffPo reaffirm them daily to trash the opposing viewpoint callers.
4a. Trash Republicans again.
5. Insert a few PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES into the conversation.
6. Opposing caller again (make sure you talk over them and scream. Maybe cut them off).
7. "Morally superior" callers like Karen in Marin to trash that dissenting opinion again.
8. Rinse, repeat.
I heard Rama call in to the show after Rothmann's one night. The former Larry King show that's now hosted by Jim Bohannon. Rama said that he was a street musician or is a street musician. One of the guys that play music on the streets of S.F. with their hat on the ground. Seemed like a nice enough guy but I was a little confused after hearing that as to why Ronn would devote a segment to him every show. Maybe Mark Thompson can give a segment to one of the guys that dresses up as Spiderman on the streets of L.A.
ReplyDeleteRe: Jim Bohannon, what happened to him? KGO had planned to air some sort of personal money-management show (boring), but the host had some issues apparently that prevented KGO from airing that program, so Jim Bohannon was installed 7-10 pm instead. But the so-called-host Bohannan has only appeared on the show a few times. For the most part he's missing in action, and w/no explanation from either his own show, or from KGO.
DeleteRe: Rama. I enjoy listening to his point of view. True, his ideas can be overly idealistic & impractical; but it is still worthwhile IMO for KGO to give some advocating airtime for a currently out-of-reach goal once in a while. Rama's personal life is just that -- personal -- and of no concern to me. My only quibble w/Rama is his tendency to waste air-time by rambling a little too much before getting to his main point. There's no need to say "thanks for taking my call" etc. Other than that, You go Rama!
I have heard a few callers ask about Bohannon. I believe he may be dealing with a medical issue of some sort (he's in his late 70's) which is why there has been a stream of fill in hosts for a little over a month. Prior to that, I believe Jim was hosting the show while it was on KGO for months.
DeleteI was surprised to hear about the history of the show. I heard them mention that it was the show that put Larry King on the map (prior to his going to CNN). Apparently Larry hosted it for decades and it was appointment radio. I believe they mentioned that Jim has been hosting it since Larry left but I may be wrong. I enjoy the show when Jim is hosting.
Thanks 4:51 for some of the update and background. I download Jimbo everyday and he’s been out of action for close to a month now. Yes, he took over on Mutual Radio from the show, circa 1989 ish ? As a former radio head, I remember his show and Larry’s (let the phone ring, we’ll pick up when it’s your turn) on our ‘AM side’ for years.
DeleteJimbo is the part of a dying breed. Great voice, deep knowledge of the issues and a perspective you just can’t get with the newer generation of any political stride. Others of his kin have retired or passed on. Bob Brinker and his MoneyTalk. I know it might be ‘boring’ to some, but he had such a deep knowledge of the markets and the economy (had a good swath of callers in the Bay Area, mostly E. Bay). He called the 2008 collapse by saying in ‘05 real estate speculators are leaving the market. The late Bruce Williams, who started all this with TalkNet in 1981. He too called the housing collapse...again early in ‘06/’07, died in ‘19
I hope Jimbo is OK. I’m sure his caller ‘David in San Francisco,’ misses sparing with him. (roll eyes). Muah...uptight libby. :)
"Here's how vacuous KGO's Thompson is: just a few moments after the SCOTUS ruling, Thompson still had movie guy, the annoying, useless Michael Snyder on"
ReplyDeleteAnything is better than Pat and her movie guy Tim Sika. Or Rothmannnnn and his movie guy Jan Wahl.
Jan Wahl is my least favorite movie "guy" lol. Sika second except when he goes on his pro-Democrat rants with Pat. Probably why Pat has him on.
DeleteRothmann is a Brilliant on many things political! In my opinion Starving infants, $6 gallons of milk and $120 gas tank fill ups are the Kitchen Table Issues on Americas mind! With the Democrats about to get their asses kicked at the ballot box, John would better serve his 6 listeners with Currant Issues! Lets face it Joe and Jane Voter could give two shits about January 6th or Donald Trump who holds no power. It might be long past time KGO went La Música
ReplyDeleteThat's what I miss about KGO...no discussions about "currant issues". Gene Burns was so good on those, and I adored his recipe for cranberry compote!
DeleteJ Rothmann giving so much time to caller Rob from Richmond, concur w/you Rich, it seems a little hard to justify. Better if callers were limited by the show's producer to a single appearance, by either phone, text, or email, per week, per host.
ReplyDeleteHonetly, if Dan Ashley leaves KGO 7 no big deal that station is offically down the tubes and a joke. Every time he spouts that "Building a better Bay Area" BS he lowers himself, it's embarrassing.
DeleteEven John Rothmann’s command of facts may be questionable.
ReplyDeleteA week or so back, he berated a caller’s contention that the Washington D.C. church that Trump cleared Lafayette Square to stage a 2020 photo op had been set on fire the previous night by BLM protesters. Turned out the caller was more or less correct as it was the parish house by the church that had sustained arson damage.
Thompson preps for his "show" like i prep for my morning dooty, not much, but same amount of dooty. Rothman back-to-back with Thurston is like keeping the salt shaker next to the bile sauce. She's not the salt of the Earth, but she does keep kgo reminiscent of kgo of old. Rothman is simply pus'n guts bile.
ReplyDeleteI think snyder is witty, on-point, and not worthlessly chatty. He puts up with thompson's tired schtick, whereas i cannot stomach walls for 2 seconds.
ReplyDeleteSounds like I'm not missing much when I listen to my one radio appt. of the week: A 25 year old tape of Art Bell which runs on KSRO (1350) on Saturday from 6 to 10 pm...
ReplyDeleteRich, I misplaced your email address and cant seem to find it here. Contact me at PugetSound.Media --Jason
ReplyDeleteNew morning news person fled the creepy dude. He cuts off more callers than he keeps, or then he oodles over them. He so outraged. I get embarrased for him because he is so fake. His ego is so fricking big he has no idea he is a smart fake creepy old man.
ReplyDeleteI know where Dan has been. He told everyone he was on vacation, but secretly WABC is looking for a main anchor and he was in NYC the past week. I’m told it’s nearly a done deal. Dan wants to end his career on top.
ReplyDeleteRothmann is the best educated host on SF radio. His shows could be top notch if he engaged in the reasoned dialogue he’s capable of. (The way Gene Burns used to do). But he seems to think that only “outrage” sells on talk radio, so he lowers himself.
ReplyDeleteWhy are you so hot on Dan? Ama has it. She is why I turn on the TV in the afternoon. I hope he enjoys vacation. It’s been nice without him. No clue why the Darya hate. She is solid and wasted at KRON. Maybe she should hop over. That would be a great team!
ReplyDeleteRich, you keep saying so-and-so doesn't move the needle, but who would? No one tunes in for the "personalities" anymore; you're living in the 1970s. The center of news has shifted to the web, for better or worse (worse if you ask me) and TV just exists to fill time when syndicated programming would be too expensive. As syndicated programming continues to rise in price expect more "news" programming (if you call coverage of Pride parades, bakeoffs and the opening of puppy shelters news) and more recycled content--have you noticed now they broadcast the same stories over and over for almost a week? Not even advancers but just reracks. And they let bites go really long and allow anchors to babble and babble endlessly about nothing. Anything they can think of to fill time that doesn't involve hiring writers and editors and photogs.
ReplyDeleteI remember Working in television news back in the 1970s and early 1980s. At that time it was considered one the most respectable professions in America. But that’s before deregulation hit and companies such as ‘FAKE NEWS, (FOX,) decided to turn news into “entertainment,” just to get ratings. Now, even though some people still watch TV news, the quality has really gone to the pits.
ReplyDeleteAnd unlike in years past where if you wanted to get into TV news, you had to work your way up through the small markets before you got a shot at someplace like San Francisco, you can almost get a job out of a college at a local big market TV station. The quality of broadcast journalism has gone down the tubes, mainly because of deregulation and the fools who run the industry and think that ratings are sacrosanct.
Here! Here! Deregulation (typically a GOP tenet) turned the networks from guardians of the public airwaves to content providers, long before the internet "invented" content providers. I remember when companies could be held accountable for unsubstantiated claims in their advertising. Now we won't fund serious FTC or much FCC regulation. It's all Caveat Emptor now.
DeleteJohn has two subjects he loves
ReplyDelete..politics/foreign policy and history..that's all he knows..anytime he tries to bring up a lighter topic,he bombs because it's obvious he knows nothing about it...if I ran kgo, I would stick him on 7 to midnight then he can get his 5 hours that he still openly complains about not getting,and he can three hours o herbert hoover or harold stassen cause nobody is listening then anyway
You nailed it. Or just fire the d-bag.
DeleteDear 4:11.. Politics, Foreign Policy, History are three separate subjects( not two). They couldn't be more important. They have lasting impact on all our lives. The daily ebb and flow of "lighter topics" are gone in a whiff. No wonder you don't like John. He's too in depth for your ADD.
DeleteI dont have add and I didnt say I didnt like him..good grief
DeleteI was making an observation that he has a hard time discussing anything outside of politics and hes better suited late at night where he can go for much longer segments without having to take breaks..
I'd buy the pay-per-view for a Vern-Juliette fight. I think you may be on to something here, Rich.
ReplyDelete