Circle7 KGO Flirtation with Raddy More a Down Feeling about Bluster Beil; Saturday Nosh

MY REPORT about Gary Radnich schmoozing with a KGO suit (its GM, really) was more social than business --that said, it was a chance for the ABC folks here to engage with Raddy and explore if both parties are interested in a potential deal. There's a lot more to negotiate if KGO (Disney) shows a strong interest --and by extension, if Radnich is serious about some sort of deal, a comeback, if you will but we're no close to any deal now because all the variables have to be discussed, but there's a bigger point to be made here and it doesn't involve Radnich.

Yet.


The fact KGO is having talks (albeit, nothing official) speaks volumes about its feelings about current weeknight anchor, Larry Beil, who hybrids both news and sports. Beil, if he doesn't already know, is not the flavor of choice at 900 Front. His arrogance is beyond reproach. He is not liked by many of the KGO staff. But as bad as that is, at least that's off the air. Here's the issue(s) with Beil on the air: he is perceived (with good reason) as an asshole by many viewers, many of them women, a key demo in local TV news, especially the 25-54 women who watch. Beil comes across as a loudmouth and total wise guy (he is so there's no denying that) plus he has ZERO traction on the comfort meter (an industry term) therefore KGO has a problem; Beil is hardly a warm and fuzzy guy which is a Disney attraction, (no shit) --it's not an official trademark but it counts in the numbers and it's an advertising platform that the salespeople love to mention to the brick and mortar businesses. Beil is not the face of the station but he's on enough newscasts to form an identity and he's not exactly a benchmark guy. If you watch, you know that. I do.

So a Raddy fascination by the Circle7 gang is more than smoke and mirrors. If Gary lacks for substance he certainly doesn't lack for style. He still has an "IT" factor whether you like him or not and he may just join the local Mickey Mouse club if there's a ways and means. We'll see.

As they always say, stay tuned.

Radnich with wife, Alecia, and the family dog

Can We all say the Ken Wayne KRON Experiment is a Royal Dud? I will; KTVU's Mark Ibanez Slobbers on Gary Radnich; Roberta Gonzales Fallout All Her Own Doing Not Myself; No Big Deal Too; Greg Papa Arrogance Filters to TV and Radio; Monday Mash

Ken Wayne --no spark at KRON

KRON is undergoing severe change; it's not something that will historically change the present situation which is the case and has been the case for several years now. KRON still looks, acts, and is and will always be awful. Until someone or some decent broadcast company swoops in and saves it. I won't hold my breath.

The other thing is the personnel. It still stinks. There are a few talented people still on board but the
bulk of its personnel looks like third-rate amateur posers and even with the addition of some newcomers the product is still infinitely infected with KRON germs.

Let's be the first one to say the addition of Ken Wayne hasn't accomplished anything. Wayne is boring and vanilla. He has no personality. It could work at KTVU where his understated delivery was the essence of old-school KTVU and consistent with their pre-Fox design.

It doesn't work at KRON. It never would. You can't save a rotting corpse.

KRON needed a JOLT. A shot in the arm and some human credibility. Wayne was thought to provide some of that and he's been lukewarm oatmeal with melba toast on the side. He could walk down the Embarcadero and no one would recognize him. As a KRON staffer jokingly told me recently, "Wayne is Steve Aveson with a slightly better personality."

So, KRON has a lifetime to go and that's just plain impossible with or without Ken Wayne.

Dud.

*A FEW YEARS ago at a sports banquet, Gary Radnich made a joke: "Hey, look out in the audience: 'there's Mark Ibanez with a nice suit; hey Mark!", yelled Raddy. "Is that another trade-out?"

Gary Radnich

Ibanez didn't think the joke was funny. In fact, he was royally pissed off and angry. Ibanez has a sense of humor but was outraged that Radnich would go a little too deep and personal. He was stung to the max.

Circle back in time to present day last Friday when Radnich was on his KNBR show and saying that night would be his last on the KRON and guess who called in? Ibanez himself, who proceeded to slobber for a good ten minutes and laugh and giggle at Radnich who sounded downright giddy. It was poignant, fun, a little too much gushing and a whole lot of sweet nothing from both but more so from Ibanez who frankly sounded nauseating --especially given his feelings for Radnich who on more then one occasion, Ibanez told this blogger he thought Raddy stunk. And not just that memorable banquet night.

Maybe Mark has a bad memory.

I don't.

Mark Ibanez

*Roberta Gonzales posted a sort of interesting picture on Twitter and it was sent to me and so I posted it here.

Several people ripped me for being a juvenile and offering poor taste because I used it.

Wait a minute!

Roberta is the one who posted it online so obviously she had no issues with it so why all the big fuss directed at me?

Because most of you have a sense of humor and don't automatically assume the picture was nefarious and laced with sexual overtones.

In my headline, I said "Roberta was being creative." And she was and that was it.

Those of you that want to rip me maybe you should contact Roberta instead.

Roberta Gonzales

*Dave Feldman was absent over the weekend on his NBC Sports Bay Area Giants' gig; gees, I wonder why and he was not on vacation.

*Greg Papa has built up a GIANT wall at both his radio station and at the cable outlet over his massive ego play and arrogance that has become quite problematic.

Greg Papa

Papa thinks he's God and while his moxie has been able to provide him a 49ers' gig (which he needs to finance the impending divorce from hell to a former Raiderette) its not very comfortable to be around Papa now if you're in his footsteps.

Papa is an accomplished professional and very good at his broadcast duties but his boorishness can be an issue and when he's en fuego he can be a real big jerk.

Arrogance is one thing. Self-absorbed assholeness is another.

Papa's self-importance and personal diatribes have future negative consequences and it'll be interesting to watch all this down the road.

Darya Folsom Wants Diva Status At KRON; Thinks She's 'The Most Popular' Personality At Station; Folsom/Radnich Buddy System Creates Wall With Danon; Staffers Fret Over Increasing Power

 Darya Folsom thinks she's the "most popular" personality on KRON. How much so? To a point, according to my KRONvict Insider, that the morning diva wants "major perks"--including the HIGHEST salary, her very own parking space at the station's 900 Front Street garage, and, get this!, her entire professional wardrobe funded by KRON's corporate owners! (Media General).


The latest demands by the ego-driven Folsom has touched off quite the firestorm at KRON with a major turf war emerging between Folsom and her allies (including sports guy, Gary Radnich) and Darya's own morning co-anchor, Mark Danon, who, according to the Insider, can't stand her and just goes to work every day to pick up a paycheck.


Says the Insider: "Mark puts up with all the drama (with Darya) because in reality he has no choice--'he's thinking, like, 'what, I'm going to fight Radnich  and her!"


Not coincidently, Radnich and Danon are not talking to one another and you can put the whole fire and ice situation between the two squarely on Folsom.


Another KRON Insider: "She thinks she's the greatest thing since sliced bread. And because Radnich is her enabler she can get away with pretty much everything."


Radnich, for his part, isn't talking. But his on-air (and off too) relationship with Folsom is considered a "major issue" at the station --in fact, it's common knowledge among the staffers: "DON'T MESS WITH HER (Folsom)--because messing with her is tantamount to messing with Radnich!"


Whoa Nellie!

That's some power.

Radnich Play Book: Bring Up Controversial Topic Then Run Away; Notarangelo KPIX Split Inside; Matier Explores Giants-Warriors Situation; Morning Notes

 MORNING RUNDOWN


It's part of the Gary Radnich playbook: broach a subject matter on KNBR that doesn't possess your usual run of the mill standard sports-talk radio faire only Raddy just teases and moves forward.


Case in point, he sticks his nose out and defends Floyd Mayweather even though the excuse(s) don't measure up.


Raddy could have gone toe-to-toe with his co-hosts over this and callers too but he began to sound nervous and quickly ran away and went back to Warriors and Giants.


It wasn't just Monday.


Last week, shortly after the Bruce Jenner interview, he smugly told the audience: "This isn't 'sports-talk radio and we're not going to talk about this, but that Bruce Jenner deal--ok, Bruce had to do what he's doing and I'll just say, 'I don't need to know anymore. " Huh? So, Gary, then if it's not meant for sports-talk radio then why bring it up? I agree with Radnich that the whole Jenner deal was nothing more than major tabloid fare but Jenner's Olympics heroics in Montreal had a sports connection. Probably would have made for interesting caller feedback but Radnich pulled away.


Standard operating procedure. for Raddy.


*It would be perfectly normal if you were suspicious that ex-KPIX weekend Ann Notarangelo would walk away from a $175K a-year gig as weekend news anchor to work as the PR person for the Contra Costa County Welfare Dept.


Notarangelo lives in Concord and will be able to spend more time with her family but she's also taking a major pay cut. I do believe KPIX informed her that her contract wasn't going to be renewed and that she wasn't going to be in their long term plans.


*Phil Matier talks about the Giants development outside the ballpark and provides a Warriors connection. Don't tell me the Giants wouldn't care if the Warriors build their new arena nearby.


*Just a guess: Ex-KGO sports talkie, Kevin "The Rat" Radich will end up at KCBS in the afternoon, eventually.


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Two Of Cumulus' Biggest SF Players, Gary Radnich and Ronn Owens Anti-Union; KNBR Recent Vote To Join SAG-AFTRA Dynamic; Thursday First Hit

Gary Radnich and Ronn Owens--both morning air talent for Cumulus stations, KNBR and KGO are notorious anti-union guys. Interesting coincidence given KNBR's recent vote to join the SAG-AFTRA Union.

We're not necessarily trumping up the idea of being pro or anti-union. That's for the membership to decide but given San Francisco's strong identity as a labor town it merits conversation.

It's just interesting that both Owens and Radnich, (and most other prominent air talent), have pooh-poohed the union --until they got to their status where benefits, health coverage and the like was a given and which they take for granted. The underlings at KNBR, fed up with Cumulus' work demand, its demeaning and destructive abuse toward its employees had enough, apparently. The hard part comes now but their heart is in the right place.

Owens has decried the union many times on the air; he's said repeatedly, paraphrasing, "Hey, I have to be in a union to work." Yeah, Ronn, it's a tough life.

Radnich hasn't been as vocal but once the KNBR-union story got out he made an off-hand remark like be careful what you wish for. Yeah, until they tell you they're cutting your pension and asking you to make more contributions to your health care.

Poor babies.

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Gary Radnich Just Said On KNBR That He Left The 49ers Game In The Third Quarter

 

 At least he's honest.

I've got kids. I don't want to be in traffic, blah, blah, blah, hell why not  just stay home?

Man, he's hysterical.

I know, I know.

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Kate T Scott Is Once Again Fucking Up And Screwing Gary Radnich's KNBR Segment Because She's Kate T Scott, Apparently

"I SAY NOTHING...I mean --NOTHING---I DO NOTHING...GARY KEEPS TALKING TO ME...Why am I here? Is it because I'm 'unique ...Is it because even though I say NOTHING and FUCK UP every segment I'm in they still like me, they really like me because I'm KATE T SCOTT! and I say NOTHING--was it just good fortune that even though I don't know shit about anything let alone sports I got this gig?...Why does Gary, Larry, Murph and Mac defer to me? HA HA HA! It's a wonderful life!--Thank You, Thank You Lee Hammer!!

New York's Mike Francesa On WFAN King Of The Hill; Radnich On KNBR Not Even Close; Saturday Column

 Mike Francesa is a sports-talk radio host for WFAN in New York.

He's funny, smart, highly informed, knows his sports and is, occasionally, a pain in the ass too, which automatically makes him a legend in NY, which he is.

And the highest paid, at that. And while he sometimes slips off the curve and is needled for it, the fact remains Francesa still, for the most part, delivers knockout punches and gets plenty of attention.

I bring this up because every now and then some alien from another planet says the morning Radnich program on KNBR "is the best sports-talk show in the country." Not even close. No comparison. Granted, Radnich's enterprise is vastly different than Francesa and the Bay Area, obviously, is a far cry from New York City--still, Francesa, if you're a sports fan, is meat and potatoes while Radnich is more scrambled eggs.

For starters, Francesa doesn't need to pull the Don Rickles act every day like Radnich does--irritating as all get go and flush with repetitious bullshit; how many times can you stomach this: You have to have kids to be something; For the 99th time; Got the Bentley out to get the brakes checked, and on and on...Do we see a pattern here? Same old shit. Does Gary think you're a moron? No, but he insults and dumbs down his audience like they're a pack of Fremont idiots. Of course, the bulk of KNBR's beer and boobs demo is men, I get it, but the constant Raddy cackling with the two side-by-side Neanderthals is mostly empty.

On the other hand, Francesa is brick and mortar. Interviews galore, the best guests and engaging commentary and opinion spiced up with his own kvetching and yes, while he kvetches, he's still funnier than hell, all the while engaging also and best yet, doesn't lecture you on the importance of having kids and being responsible in life. Sometimes when I'm listening to Radnich it's as if Dr. Phil hijacked the program. Funny, I thought it was a sports program.

Give me conversational girth, mix it up a notch, don't do the same thing over and over, most of all, cut all the Shecky Green shit--every now and then, sure, it's funny, real funny in fact, but not when you know it's coming and becomes all too predictable and Raddy's act has become a stale rye bread with loads of baloney and velveeta.

 

I'm a steak guy. And Francesa is a

42-ounce Porterhouse with plenty of broccoli and hollandaise sauce. Solo too. It's an acquired taste but if you like simple, basic, yeah--again, --meat and potato-style sports-talk radio then Francesa's daily presentation is the very best.

Radnich has his advocates --including me at times when he does an interview, say with a controversial guest with a controversial topic, he shines, and for that is to be complimented. When he goes off the trail and meanders into the having kids bullshit, he loses me.

Yes, Francesa is king. In my opinion.

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Gary Radnich's BackAssward View on Becky Hammon He Took on KNBR--On KRON; At Least Darya Called Him Out

The morning he made it clear on his KNBR show he didn't think Becky Hammon should coach in the NBA for reasons that went out in the green stamps era, Gary Radnich said the same stupid stuff hours earlier on his "Gary's World" gig on KRON.


Darya Folsom, of all people, challenges him; (as best as Darya can do), we'll give her credit over the female yahoo at KNBR who choose to back down and do her best Marcia Brady.


The KRON charade on the video begins at 5: 20 and pretty much exposes Radnich for the old boot he is. And please, just listen to the patronizing shit, the old-fashioned crap you'd expect to hear from the hardware store clerk in Iowa--but realize this is a Bay Area broadcaster who has that backassward mentality.


Look, Radnich is entitled to his opinion. We don't have to beat him up because he does that quite admirably himself here. I'm just curious as to why some fairly prominent women sports journalists are silent on the matter. Maybe they don't want to rock the boat and take on a popular SF sports media figure. How sad, how hypocritical, we could go on and on but we'll leave it like it is and ponder the consequences.


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Gary Radnich Just Said on KNBR That New Spurs Coach Becky Hammon 'Can't Relate' To NBA Guys; UPDATE: KNBR Omits 9 AM Hour/Radnich's Words

 Gary Radnich just stuck his foot in his mouth.

Radnich essentially said that Becky Hammon, the woman coach just hired by the San Antonio Spurs wasn't worthy of the job.


I'm paraphrasing, but Radnich basically said that women coaches; no matter how revered; no matter how much respected like Hammon, for example, can't relate, (Raddy's words), to present day, modern-era athletes. They can't coach men. Also Radnich's words.


Keep in mind that Hammon was hired by Spurs coach, Gregg Popovich, hardly a guy who's been accused of creating PR stunts. Popovich knows what he's doing--he just won his fifth NBA Championship-- and was very high on Hammon's work tenure.

Radnich is entitled to his misogynist opinion. He's pretty backward in this area. Too bad his KNBR colleagues didn't call him out. Well, they tried to; a little late to the party anyway.


When Radnich strays off into areas beyond the toy department and delves into deep social thought and process he tends to come off as an old, white-male boot. I won't say what I truly believe Radnich was saying because he didn't say it, but he might as well have.


It's a black and white issue if you know what I mean and I'm sure you do.






UPDATE: 12: 07 PM PT: KNBR traditionally places interviews and content on its podcast pages--it has curiously OMITTED the 9 AM hour of its "Gary and Larry" Show.


We're not surprised. But we're not stopping either. Perhaps KNBR will have a change of heart, gees I wonder why this hour was omitted --Oh, never mind.

OK, 95.7 The Game If You Really Want To Move The Needle: A Gary Radnich-Tony Bruno Dream Team In The Morning; Play Ball

 It would require a HEFTY BAG full of money.


It would have to involve the buyout of Gary Radnich's contract which is doubtful but not impossible. He's got a lot of overhead, after all.


It would pair Bruno and Radnich from 6-10 AM and IN AN INSTANT blow KNBR off the map, but if you're talkin' move-the-needle material, it would work.


The money involved: probably a million or so, (Radnich: $500K, Bruno, $300K and the rest for staff.
Just estimates.


Most of all, it would IMMEDIATELY catapult 95.7 The Game into a real threat, at least in the AM drive time, and blow off KNBR.


Sure, Knibber still has the Giants, 49ers, and Warriors but The Game would have, arguably, the BIGGEST Morning Show in the Bay Area. Maybe the nation.


*Can it be done?

Sure.


The biggest obstacle would be getting Radnich, who has labored on the Leader for 23 years and is loyal to the core. But Gary likes money and security. Not to mention the fact he's nearing his mid-60's and his next big contract is probably is last big contract.


Tony Bruno loves San Francisco and is looking for a job. He has a history of short stays at radio stations and is known to be a pain in the ass to GMs but this alliance with Radnich, probably his last rodeo, could mellow him.


Entercom has the financial wherewithal to pull this off and The Game's PD, Jason Barrett, would have to woo like hell to bring Bruno and Radnich together, it starts with money and money is the greatest equalizer.


For three+ years The Game has tried everything under the sun to dent KNBR, to make themselves worthy, anything and everything to become a genuine player in the sports-radio war. Only KNBR hasn't lost an inch and although its pesky FM counterpart tries and tries, KNBR is King.


A Radnich-Bruno morning pairing would SIGNIFICANTLY stack the deck against the KNBR dynamic.


Furthermore it would allow two of the more engaging, funny, energetic and enlightening personalities in radio work TOGETHER, a DREAM TEAM of a radio show. Would it work? Yes. Could it really happen? Sure. Like I said, there's nothing more basic than money. That wouldn't necessarily alone work because there needs to be negotiating and non-compete clauses and some details ironed out but it's infinitely doable.







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Former KRON Weather Woman and Gary Radnich Friend, Janice Huff, Appears OUT At WNBC-TV in NY

 Janice Huff is an almost 20-year weather meteorologist forecasting on NY's WNBC. Huff, it's been reported by Newsblues, (paywall), might be on her way out at the NBC outlet.

From News Blues: "Early Retirement" is what it's being called, but it really isn't. Her contract simply isn't being renewed." She, (Huff), isn't alone.

Huff, you may recall, was at KRON in the late 80's and early 90's where she built up a friendship with  sports anchor, Gary Radnich.


Huff isn't saying anything for now. Her situation isn't all that different from other veteran, well-paid TV anchors, weather and sports reporters being shown the door by cost-conscious broadcasting companies that are increasingly doing away with big names.


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