F
fred flintstone
Guest
San Francisco Chronicle writer Ben Fong-Torres in this weekend's column describes how Stephanie Miller took over morning drive on KQKE, San Francisco (Market #4): "How do you fire a mayor from your radio station?"
The column points out that since January the station had been running a local morning show which teamed former SF mayor Willie Brown with comedian Will Durst. Fong-Torres calls the effort "local, live and lively" but "barely causing a tremor in the ratings."
One week before firing the mayor and the local comic, PD Bob Agnew announced the "new fall line-up," Fong-Torres reports. That new line-up included taking the first hour of Stephanie Miller's LA-based show (replacing a local news program). During the next week the Arbitrends came out and "were not as strong as we wanted," Agnew said. Agnew moved with surprising speed.
The column says both Durst and Brown remain under contract to KQKE. Durst is doing short commentaries. Brown is scheduled to make appearances and take part in station events (such as debates).
The column goes on to describe the rest of the KQKE line-up. And as newspaper columns about radio often do, this one manages to get some of the facts wrong. No, Thom Hartmann is not from Seattle. He's from Michigan, lived in New England and now works in Portland. Thom Hartmann "beats" Rush Limbaugh in the Seattle market is a questionable assertion. Lionel a "libertarian from New York?" Moderate liberal from Florida is more like it. Mike Malloy is having "contractual problems" with AAR? No, he was fired.
The column points out that since January the station had been running a local morning show which teamed former SF mayor Willie Brown with comedian Will Durst. Fong-Torres calls the effort "local, live and lively" but "barely causing a tremor in the ratings."
One week before firing the mayor and the local comic, PD Bob Agnew announced the "new fall line-up," Fong-Torres reports. That new line-up included taking the first hour of Stephanie Miller's LA-based show (replacing a local news program). During the next week the Arbitrends came out and "were not as strong as we wanted," Agnew said. Agnew moved with surprising speed.
The response on Stephanie Miller seemed to get stronger and stronger." Agnew decided to replace Brown and Durst with Miller, and to do it in time for the fall Arbitron ratings. On their last morning show, Sept. 29, Durst and Brown were upbeat, joking and laughing their way through the show. It probably helped that both men are being paid through February.
The column says both Durst and Brown remain under contract to KQKE. Durst is doing short commentaries. Brown is scheduled to make appearances and take part in station events (such as debates).
The column goes on to describe the rest of the KQKE line-up. And as newspaper columns about radio often do, this one manages to get some of the facts wrong. No, Thom Hartmann is not from Seattle. He's from Michigan, lived in New England and now works in Portland. Thom Hartmann "beats" Rush Limbaugh in the Seattle market is a questionable assertion. Lionel a "libertarian from New York?" Moderate liberal from Florida is more like it. Mike Malloy is having "contractual problems" with AAR? No, he was fired.