KGO Age Discriminatin?

[sloux]

but if he came with a $100K premium over a lesser-known news talent, the sum would seem trivial to the amount of extra revenue he might generate.

I think he's had a long time to demonstrate the amount of revenue he generates. There's a track record to look at. They may not know the subtilties of individual skills, but they definitely can see the costs and revenues.

They may know of his track record in the talk format, but my point was that Gross' talents as a news anchor could have been tapped in PM drive. To say its not worth the premium is to say that KCBS is foolish in throwing a premium at anchors like Stan Bunger. KCBS has success not merely because of its all-news format, but in great measure due to the quality talent it possesses.

 

[oaktree]

Can't be discrimination if they fired the "veterans" equally ... and most of all, changed the format differently from what was.

Note that Gene, Len and Gil still retained their "personal services" part of the contracs with sponsors who didn't cancel ad buys. That money for "personal services" still goes to the personalities involved. Not so the ad buy itself. That goes to Cumulus/KGO.

Age discrimination is more decisive (and equally difficult to be provable in a court of law) in the employment process. A station turns down an older person while hiring a younger person for the exact same position. Even that is hard to prove ... and the reason why CHR stations don't hire many over 60 jocks these days. Or over 50 for that matter. That's not age discrimination. That's just plain not effective hiring in most cases. Sad ... but true. Not always the case ... but sure plentiful and more cost efficient to broadcasters than in the past who didn't fear an "older" personality on staff.

They must say they are "equal opportunity employers" ... meaning, giving all applicants an equal chance to apply for the job ... just not getting hired. Really hard to prove. If you're older and a station hired an older person it's certainly not age discrimination. If they hire someone younger for a "lifestyle format" that fits the need better, that's not age discrimination, either. Now, hiring someone for less money for someone at an older age and you are in competition for the same job ... that's different. That is age discimination because they hired someone as old or older than you at a cheaper wage than the norm. The only hold back on that is the quality of people being hired. If you are older and can't do the job as well as someone else and that is provable by your demo, etc. ... you don't get hired. That's not age discrimation. You got the opportunity to apply equally ... you just weren't so good to get the job.

 

[TheBigA]

They may know of his track record in the talk format, but my point was that Gross' talents as a news anchor could have been tapped in PM drive.

At the same salary? If he's not doing the same work, he probably shouldn't get the same salary. The new format will bring in less revenue, at least to start, regardless of the talent, so he was probably looking at a salary cut. How do we know all this wasn't in fact discussed with him?

 

[DavidKaye]

I don't think age is the issue at KGO, in my opinion it has to do with $ and in Ronn Owens case ( I am sure he's not a youngster)

Ronn Owens is 66.

Unlike the other hosts, Ronn Owens has a bulletproof contract.

 

[DavidKaye]

They kept Christine Craft and she's really old.

She doesn't have a regular schedule, either. She's a fill-in.

 

[LKellerIII]

They kept Christine Craft and she's really old.

She doesn't have a regular schedule, either. She's a fill-in.

And they probably wouldn't want to mess with Christine. If I remember correctly, she won a discrimination suit in the 80s against at TV station in Santa Barbara that had demoted her from anchor to reporter.

 

[DavidKaye]

And they probably wouldn't want to mess with Christine. If I remember correctly, she won a discrimination suit in the 80s against at TV station in Santa Barbara that had demoted her from anchor to reporter.

HAH! Excellent point!

 

[TheBigA]

Nothing like a woman scorned. Twice.

 

[RadioStarOne]

So whom is going to be the first to score an interview with the deposed host's? I'd like to hear what Ray would have to say!

 

[sandwix]

And they probably wouldn't want to mess with Christine. If I remember correctly, she won a discrimination suit in the 80s against at TV station in Santa Barbara that had demoted her from anchor to reporter.

Actually, it was Kansas City in 1983. And she lost. The suit was based on whether or not she was "differential to men."

 

[oaktree]

Christine actually won the lawsuit but the award was overturned when she was in Kansas City at KMBC. She left KEYT-TV 3 in Santa Barbara to go to Kansas City, came back after being told she "wasn't derrerential to men." (the near title of her book about what transpired.)

She also was in San Franciso at KPIX and as a sports reporter for CBS nationally, they "remade" her into a blonde ditz and she then had enough of that.

I like her and she is, actually, a very nice person and approachable. As many know, she posts here. I'd have put her on 7-10 permanently ... but she has no reason to sink to that level of a daypart.

http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=craftchrist

And now ...

"An evil, old & mean man." - Dr. Bill, according to Karel just now. I'm sure Cumulus loves this kind of publicity (which he freely mentions by name) even though he's on non-Cumulus stations. Where is OWNERSHIP on this crap? I mean, if you mention KGO on my station ... you'd be fired. Period.

Karel just apologized to John Rothman for calling him "boring." His producer said, "Would you apologize to his face after saying that?" Karel said .... "Whatever."

He isn't long for the world.

 

[MC]

Look at Roy Masters and George Putnam, they were even older than Craft. Or Andy Rooney or Helen Thomas...etc. (BTW just joking about Craft) Let's face it, ratings were down at KGO, and 5 men were the main stable of personalities. I wonder if the news stuff will work? It might be cheaper.

 

[coppersmom]

thanks very much..I guess I'm now the resident geezer fill-in host...which is fine by me. I'm still not afraid to post fb pictures...including one just the other day with a certain resident equine...Marco. He often knocks my glasses off, old bat that I am. Keep your chins up everybody...the ride just got very bumpy.

 

[kinetic]

They kept Christine Craft and she's really old.

She doesn't have a regular schedule, either. She's a fill-in.

And they probably wouldn't want to mess with Christine. If I remember correctly, she won a discrimination suit in the 80s against at TV station in Santa Barbara that had demoted her from anchor to reporter.

Kansas City, not Santa Barbara. She went to Santa Barbara after Kansas City. The Kansas City dispute began in 1982. Though she won twice at lower court levels, her lawsuit, and the half-million-dollar judgment in her favor, was overturned on appeal by the 8th Circuit, and the Supremes refused to hear the case.

Also, she'll turn 70 in 2014.

 

[DavidKaye]

Also, she'll turn 70 in 2014.

What an odd way to put it. She's 66 now, right?

 

[sandwix]

Christine actually won the lawsuit but the award was overturned when she was in Kansas City at KMBC. She left KEYT-TV 3 in Santa Barbara to go to Kansas City, came back after being told she "wasn't derrerential to men." (the near title of her book about what transpired.)

Kansas City, not Santa Barbara. She went to Santa Barbara after Kansas City. The Kansas City dispute began in 1982. Though she won twice at lower court levels, her lawsuit, and the half-million-dollar judgment in her favor, was overturned on appeal by the 8th Circuit, and the Supremes refused to hear the case.

Oaktree, you're a big supporter of Craft's, which is nice. But spinning to say she won her case isn't the whole story. I posted earlier that she lost because I cut to the chase. It was national news for a very long time back in the early 80s as it dragged through the appeals process, and finally, at the end of the line, she lost. Those are the facts of the case.

BTW, the word is "differential."

 

[oaktree]

Sorry. I forgot that you are perfect. Incidentally, the headline isn't about "Discriminatin" it's "Discrimination". Perfection among us is so dang elusive. My point was only that she won then she lost. It's not important to go into her 30 year old past with old news. The summation was suitable and accurate. Thanks.

 

[coppersmom]

the word is actually deferential..The only people I have ever deferred to were my parents, my bosses, and of course these days not so happily....judges in my clients' cases. My case was about being expected to defer to peers..solely because of gender..YOu see in Kansas City ..when I went there..they were in second place in News..When I left they were number one..which made it emotionally a lot easier to proceed with civil litigation. My case made it possible for many men and women in broadcasting to keep their jobs decades longer than before Craft v. Metromedia. That's a good thing, I think. I also admittedly had a problem with being expected to support the Kansas City Chiefs...pretty hard for a Raiders fan..in fact just not possible.
I just realized I'm not the oldest geezer fill-in at KGO..GAbbert has got that honor.. and btw...I don't think any of the remaining hosts are too young for that AARP membership or nearly so.
I also don't think that you have to be in a prized demographic yourself to be a successful talk show host. You don't get interesting really..until you have some life experiences to get interesting about..some perspective..yes?

 

[TheBigA]

I also don't think that you have to be in a prized demographic yourself to be a successful talk show host. You don't get interesting really..until you have some life experiences to get interesting about..some perspective..yes?

Well, maybe. It seems today people are more apt to take advice, even if its bad, from their peer group rather than from someone who actually knows.

 

[michael hagerty]

Christine actually won the lawsuit but the award was overturned when she was in Kansas City at KMBC. She left KEYT-TV 3 in Santa Barbara to go to Kansas City, came back after being told she "wasn't derrerential to men." (the near title of her book about what transpired.)

Kansas City, not Santa Barbara. She went to Santa Barbara after Kansas City. The Kansas City dispute began in 1982. Though she won twice at lower court levels, her lawsuit, and the half-million-dollar judgment in her favor, was overturned on appeal by the 8th Circuit, and the Supremes refused to hear the case.

Oaktree, you're a big supporter of Craft's, which is nice. But spinning to say she won her case isn't the whole story. I posted earlier that she lost because I cut to the chase. It was national news for a very long time back in the early 80s as it dragged through the appeals process, and finally, at the end of the line, she lost. Those are the facts of the case.

BTW, the word is "differential."

No, it's "deferential". It means to defer to others. Christine was deemed "Too old, too unattractive and not deferential enough to men". That alone was bad enough, but as I recall, it was the TV station's consultant who said it, while showing a tape of her to a focus group. He also used the phrase "What a mutt."