You gotta feel bad for anyone that loses their job but that aside, I doubt this was personal; it was business. I bet fewer and fewer people listen to radio these days and that has a ripple effect. Fewer advertising dollars = less revenue = need to cut costs= layoffs. Seeing all this outcry on social media, calling this “not fair!”, and the hosts “deserved better!” They were laid off for legit business reasons. Economics 101.
Exactly. Local radio has been largely eclipsed by streaming services, podcasts, and digital platforms that offer on-demand, personalized content free from heavy advertising and geographic restrictions. As listeners shift to these highly curated and customizable options, traditional local radio struggles to retain its audience, which directly impacts ad revenue. This declining revenue means that stations, often already operating on tight budgets, are forced to cut costs, resulting in layoffs for local radio personalities who once held strong ties to their communities. In turn, local voices and perspectives fade from the airwaves, further diminishing radio’s relevance in a rapidly digitalizing media landscape.
@10:03 am These employees did not generate income. Last I looked, that was the requirement for staying employed. These kooks cut their own throats, and thought they were brilliant in the process. Yes, I prefer folks who actually discuss sports - not those who opine on fantasy football, beer, crappy R&R, movie reviews , or what they did over the weekend.
With teams moving to broadcasting games online, terrestrial sports talk will follow along. I'll miss the drive time sports talk on KNBR and 95.7 The Game.
Great reporting and insight, Rich. I appreciate all your work. Now let’s sit back and watch as SFGate, The Chronicle, and/or the SF Standard steal elements from your reporting, as they are notorious for doing. You heard it hear first: they’ll either update their existing, bare-bones “press release” stories from yesterday, OR they’ll write new ones, trying to create a sense of depth—when really, all they’ll be doing is rehashing the key points you made in this broadcast, while providing no attribution to their source. Screw them.
Sadly that was the only show that I found to be listenable on that station (other than pbp Giants games). When was the last time that the morning show was any good? Thinking Radnich in the Tony Bruno days, but even then the amount of pop culture ref's to appear hip took way too much away from the sports.
Sorry but calling people frauds is going overboard and frankly uncalled for. So Andrew Baggerly isn't Dave Anderson we know that but why make it personal. Clearly you don't like Lund or Papa. Papa ALWAYS has thought he was the smartest guy in the room and he comes with that attitude. It is annoying and I just don't listen. Likewise his Niner broadcasts on the radio are equally annoying, he and his partner define the word homers.
They will pipe in from the sound board “like you said” for Papa’s show after his soliloquies . Papa was saved by the 49ers job I guess because he made a lot more than Lund. Copes will be giggling to himself I suppose to the bitter end. I suppose the lowest paid (maybe hourly) on-air personal will be the last to go with just an engineer or janitor to turn on-off the lights each day.
Bruce Macgowan The first person who responded was tongue in cheek, Obviously. Frank Dill is over 90 years old. There aren’t any people such as Dill , or John Mac Flanagan, or scoop Nitzker or Dave Morey, or Rosalie, etc., getting into our profession. Big companies were allowed to swallow up as many stations as they could in the mid 1990s, but it wasn’t until the early 2000s that they really started to Hammer way at the bigger stations in places such as SF, New York and LA. You’ve seen it coming for a long Richie and so have I . I lost four’em, 4 different radio and TV jobs in the space of 16 years here in the Bay Area including KNBR, It was all done strictly to save a few lousy bucks. I can’t complain because I kept landing on my feet, but I felt badly for those that were not able to get another gig. What’s really sad is that America is not getting reliable information anymore from radio, with rare exception. Unless you go to PBS you’re going to get mostly noise and nonsense and lots of commercials and syndicated radio. Is it any wonder America’s collective IQ has dropped alarmingly? People now get their information off mostly off of social media or podcasts or Blogs which are fine for cheap “‘entertainment” but are not credible and are not put together by people who are schooled and trained in the business of broadcasting or journalism. . This breed hsve actually been to college and worked in radio from their late teens and early 20s to sometimes their 50s, 60s and even 70s. Thdy understand how the profession works. But I am merely pissing in the wind here. We’ve passed the point of no return in many ways in this country and it’s a shame. Tolbert knew it was coming and John Lund knew it was coming. They were both just trying to string it out as long as possible. Brian Murphy told me the other day that he’s “hoping to make it to 20 years“ which he will if he lasts into April 2025. He’s been a lucky guy. But the luck has finally run out and the clock is at about to hit the final 10 secs for “ terrestrial “ radio. Funny, I never heard that term used before about 2010 when Twitter came along and satellite radio, Facebook and all the rest of social media moved in. Sayonara!
Bruce, it's Kevin. Don't know if you remember me but we worked together at KNBR in the mid-90s. I was your stringer to get sound from the visiting team at 49ers games too. Thanks for the honest, no holds barred message. It needed to be said. Hope you are doing well.
Tolbert is lucky to have this long with a job for lack of talent. Dont see how he got National jobs on NBA including the finals just like another bay area talent Mr Caffeine Eric Byrnes ,
Copeland is around 30 with a college degree and someone like John Burris’ legal counsel waiting in the wings if unjust from any perspective. Give Will the Thrill a break. He can give and is entitled to an opinion on the employment of a public radio personality. Just like RL.
After reading these comments, I presume it's the same reason LaMont and Tonelli had their last show after 35 years today, Cumulus being cheap? Not much left to listen to on terrestrial radio after this, which seems to be the point.
Prediction: KNBR will rise from the ashes as KPO, with John Mack Flanagan and Frank Dill in the morning
ReplyDeleteKPO? More like KPOO(-Poo)
Delete@7:58pm - I get it, har har har
DeleteAdam Copeland reminds me of Reggie from The Nutty Professor. Ol’ Shitlocks.
ReplyDeleteYou gotta feel bad for anyone that loses their job but that aside, I doubt this was personal; it was business. I bet fewer and fewer people listen to radio these days and that has a ripple effect. Fewer advertising dollars = less revenue = need to cut costs= layoffs. Seeing all this outcry on social media, calling this “not fair!”, and the hosts “deserved better!” They were laid off for legit business reasons. Economics 101.
ReplyDeleteExactly. Local radio has been largely eclipsed by streaming services, podcasts, and digital platforms that offer on-demand, personalized content free from heavy advertising and geographic restrictions. As listeners shift to these highly curated and customizable options, traditional local radio struggles to retain its audience, which directly impacts ad revenue. This declining revenue means that stations, often already operating on tight budgets, are forced to cut costs, resulting in layoffs for local radio personalities who once held strong ties to their communities. In turn, local voices and perspectives fade from the airwaves, further diminishing radio’s relevance in a rapidly digitalizing media landscape.
Delete@1:48AM - I think I know what you're saying: Dinosaurs deserve the next meteor that will impact Earth.
DeleteWhen's the ax going to fall on Copey Copes? We should throw a party Rich.
ReplyDeleteSure. Let's hope for and then celebrate someone losing their job, and thus their ability to support their family.
Delete@10:03, I agree. "Will the Thrill" - do better next time. Such juvenile and mean-spirited comments are beneath you.
Delete@10:03 am These employees did not generate income. Last I looked, that was the requirement for staying employed. These kooks cut their own throats, and thought they were brilliant in the process. Yes, I prefer folks who actually discuss sports - not those who opine on fantasy football, beer, crappy R&R, movie reviews , or what they did over the weekend.
DeleteWith teams moving to broadcasting games online, terrestrial sports talk will follow along. I'll miss the drive time sports talk on KNBR and 95.7 The Game.
ReplyDeleteGiants baseball with Glenn Kuiper on KNBR next year with FP will be a great listen.
ReplyDeleteSurely you jest, Shirley.
DeleteGreat reporting and insight, Rich. I appreciate all your work.
ReplyDeleteNow let’s sit back and watch as SFGate, The Chronicle, and/or the SF Standard steal elements from your reporting, as they are notorious for doing. You heard it hear first: they’ll either update their existing, bare-bones “press release” stories from yesterday, OR they’ll write new ones, trying to create a sense of depth—when really, all they’ll be doing is rehashing the key points you made in this broadcast, while providing no attribution to their source.
Screw them.
SFGate even used the same Tolbert picture used, they are SHAMELESS!!!
DeleteGood riddance to bad rubbish
ReplyDeleteHope they can babbling Brian Murphy next. He is a no talent Marin moron.
"He is a no talent Marin moron."
DeleteJust like Mike Mibach. It'll be a great day for the Bay Area when both are given their walking papers.
Sadly that was the only show that I found to be listenable on that station (other than pbp Giants games).
ReplyDeleteWhen was the last time that the morning show was any good? Thinking Radnich in the Tony Bruno days, but even then the amount of pop culture ref's to appear hip took way too much away from the sports.
Papa and that clown Carlos Martinez. What pictures does Carlos have as he keeps getting jobs?
ReplyDeleteSorry but calling people frauds is going overboard and frankly uncalled for. So Andrew Baggerly isn't Dave Anderson we know that but why make it personal. Clearly you don't like Lund or Papa. Papa ALWAYS has thought he was the smartest guy in the room and he comes with that attitude. It is annoying and I just don't listen. Likewise his Niner broadcasts on the radio are equally annoying, he and his partner define the word homers.
ReplyDeleteRadnich talks sport when was this?Radnich what a joke how he lasted so long with his schtick . Ray from 94085
ReplyDeleteThey will pipe in from the sound board “like you said” for Papa’s show after his soliloquies . Papa was saved by the 49ers job I guess because he made a lot more than Lund. Copes will be giggling to himself I suppose to the bitter end. I suppose the lowest paid (maybe hourly) on-air personal will be the last to go with just an engineer or janitor to turn on-off the lights each day.
ReplyDeleteCan we all agree KNBR went downhill after Ralph (RIP) was let go?
ReplyDeleteRalph the OJ lover? His schtick was lousy long before he was fired. Thank heavens they finally got rid of his side kick Mr Dog-Turd.
DeleteBruce Macgowan
ReplyDeleteThe first person who responded was tongue in cheek, Obviously. Frank Dill is over 90 years old. There aren’t any people such as Dill , or John Mac Flanagan, or scoop Nitzker or Dave Morey, or Rosalie, etc., getting into our profession. Big companies were allowed to swallow up as many stations as they could in the mid 1990s, but it wasn’t until the early 2000s that they really started to Hammer way at the bigger stations in places such as SF, New York and LA. You’ve seen it coming for a long Richie and so have I . I lost four’em, 4 different radio and TV jobs in the space of 16 years here in the Bay Area including KNBR, It was all done strictly to save a few lousy bucks. I can’t complain because I kept landing on my feet, but I felt badly for those that were not able to get another gig. What’s really sad is that America is not getting reliable information anymore from radio, with rare exception. Unless you go to PBS you’re going to get mostly noise and nonsense and lots of commercials and syndicated radio. Is it any wonder America’s collective IQ has dropped alarmingly? People now get their information off mostly off of social media or podcasts or Blogs which are fine for cheap “‘entertainment” but are not credible and are not put together by people who are schooled and trained in the business of broadcasting or journalism. . This breed hsve actually been to college and worked in radio from their late teens and early 20s to sometimes their 50s, 60s and even 70s. Thdy understand how the profession works. But I am merely pissing in the wind here. We’ve passed the point of no return in many ways in this country and it’s a shame. Tolbert knew it was coming and John Lund knew it was coming. They were both just trying to string it out as long as possible. Brian Murphy told me the other day that he’s “hoping to make it to 20 years“ which he will if he lasts into April 2025. He’s been a lucky guy. But the luck has finally run out and the clock is at about to hit the final 10 secs for “ terrestrial “ radio. Funny, I never heard that term used before about 2010 when Twitter came along and satellite radio, Facebook and all the rest of social media moved in. Sayonara!
Bruce, it was an absolute pleasure reading your post. Without question you are on point. Ernie from San Lorenzo
DeleteBruce, it's Kevin. Don't know if you remember me but we worked together at KNBR in the mid-90s. I was your stringer to get sound from the visiting team at 49ers games too. Thanks for the honest, no holds barred message. It needed to be said. Hope you are doing well.
DeleteYou said it yourself, "pissing in the wind."
DeleteWhen is Cumulus going to blow up KMJ in Fresno?
ReplyDeleteTolbert is lucky to have this long with a job for lack of talent. Dont see how he got National jobs on NBA including the finals just like another bay area talent Mr Caffeine Eric Byrnes ,
ReplyDeleteCopeland is around 30 with a college degree and someone like John Burris’ legal counsel waiting in the wings if unjust from any perspective. Give Will the Thrill a break. He can give and is entitled to an opinion on the employment of a public radio personality. Just like RL.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading these comments, I presume it's the same reason LaMont and Tonelli had their last show after 35 years today, Cumulus being cheap? Not much left to listen to on terrestrial radio after this, which seems to be the point.
ReplyDeleteLamont & Tonelli, LOL
DeleteYeah, firing Lamont & Tonelli is the last straw. (giggle giggle giggle)
ReplyDeleteI'll miss their "War of the Roses" bit and "Guess the celebrity birthday"...all so relevant...until today (rimshot sfx) (jingle out)
When's the funeral?
ReplyDelete