KGO fired Burns, Rothmann, Gross and Taliafero today!!!

[Madmansam]

A sad day indeed. Not entirely unexpected, but sad nonetheless. I always admired KGO. As a child, catching it at night in the Tri-Cities, WA - I loved Wattenburg's crustiness. Ray T I thought was obnoxious. The station was great though - and I listened. Here was a talker that would keep the torch burning in a world of syndicated talk that kept it local.

This new 'all news 10 hours a day with some talk' feels like a test. Keeping Owens at least anchors some local talk. If this turns out to be unsuccessful, they can try to revert it back.

It's already a success, because they've now driven the payroll way down. I think Cumulus knows they aren't going to out hustle KCBS, especially with only a partial all-news format and an AM only brand.

The points about the competition being on FM is spot on. The trends moving away from AM are undeniable, yet KGO, a station that was renowned for being ahead of the ball is now suddenly looking way behind it.

I wonder what would've happened in say, 2000 if KGO would've started an FM simulcast in the bay area. Would things have played out the same?

Phone calls have already gone out to Luckoff. I wonder if he'll publicly comment. He knew this day was coming too. That why he flipped Farid the bird and quit.

Stephanie: This isn't a test. They're keeping Owens because he was the only one with a no-cut contract. He can't be fired except for cause. They'd have to buy out the entire remainder of his contract...and Ronn is expensive.

Since Cumulus seems intent on switching KGO to mostly All News, why not switch it to All News 24/7? Yes, they can't get rid of Ronn Owens but couldn't Cumulus just change Ronn from a talk show host to a News Anchor? They wouldn't have to get rid of him to go All News. Or is there something in his contract that specifies that he be used "ONLY" as a Talk Show Host?

 

[Questor]

This new 'all news 10 hours a day with some talk' feels like a test.  Keeping Owens at least anchors some local talk. If this turns out to be unsuccessful, they can try to revert it back.

It's already a success, because they've now driven the payroll way down. I think Cumulus knows they aren't going to out hustle KCBS, especially with only a partial all-news format and an AM only brand.

I wondered myself, if the recipe for success is to combine talk with more news, why such an extreme exorcism?  Don't people like to comment about the news in the PM as well as the AM?

Why not have many hours of news, then one morning talk show, then many hours of new news again, then one evening talk show?

Listening to Ronn Owens today was excruciating at times.  I felt for the guy.  It was as painful as trying to like Lobo, that song of
"Baby I'd love you to want me,
the way that I want you,
the way that it could be."

Maybe as a creature of the night with something to say, I'll still find solace among abnormal paranormals in wildcard and first-time caller lines with Noory.

 

[lolbrat]

So, I'm guessing doing news at KGO was the "opportunity" ex-KFOGger Peter Finch was hinting at last month?

and Mr Finch just announced on Facebook that he'll be at KGO starting Monday.

I couldn't stand Peter Finch when he was on KFOG. Now that he's on KGO, I'm sure I will not listen to KGO at all.

 

[ChemicalMethod]

Ironically, at the start of Ray's Thursday morning show, he noted this is the month "we're all going to be receiving great gifts."

 

[davideduardo]

Well, which is it? Can KGO's decline be attributed to the use of PPMs, the departure of Bernie Ward, competition from new media, or a combination of the above?

When a station that looked good, billed well, and was among the top couple of stations in the market drops down a dozen rank positions in 25-54, then the catalyst of the problem is the change in ratings methodology.

Without the dramatic changes seen in the PPM, the costs and competition would have been long-range issues, not immediate contributing factors.

 

[DavidKaye]

Well, which is it? Can KGO's decline be attributed to the use of PPMs, the departure of Bernie Ward, competition from new media, or a combination of the above? Yes, KGO's demos suck, but ratings are only part of the equation. I know from my experience in network television that the cost of making the product is the other part of the equation. Profit = revenue - costs.

PPMs mean that results are measured. Diaries mean that people misremember their listening. There are many cases of people listing in diaries callsigns that no longer existed, DJs who had moved on, shows that were cancelled. KGO's boon was also its bane -- KGO was so successful in promoting its brand that people reported listening to it even when they weren't. PPM reports the truth, or at least a microcosm of it. KGO suffered because of this.

 

[415sf]

most likely mike, big hint indeed. there's a petition going around right now to bring back the newstalk and radio personalities. lots of people are flocking to kgo's yelp page to vent their frustrations, so far, yelp hasn't filtered.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/kgoradionewstalk

 

[Rusty Muck]

Here in DC, CBS is in the position that Cumulus is taking against CBS in SF--they are putting together the market's second news station. In DC (where many decades ago we actually had 3 news stations at one time), I think a competitor can drain off some of the enormous profits that WTOP garners. But I still credit a large proportion of the tune-in to traffic reports - and the information already available on a mobile platform will only get more convenient to access even on the road. So I foresee news stations losing a big chunk of their cume in not too many years. They could compensate with better local news coverage - but do you really expect Cumulus to successfully mount such an effort? --Dave Arlington

CBS, the master of all-news, is taking on Hubbard, a formerly regional operator (Minneapolis, Albuquerque) who bought WTOP from Bonneville. I'd bet heavily on CBS.

I don't think WNEW-FM (CBS' soon-to-be all-newser in DC) will dethrone WTOP right off the gate. After all, WTOP has a network of full-power FM relays - in addition to one of the best FM signals in the market - a decades-long head start in the all-news field, and still will be the CBS Radio News affiliate (due to a quirk where CBS Radio News is distributed by Dial Global).

 

[chris319]

PPMs mean that results are measured. Diaries mean that people misremember their listening. There are many cases of people listing in diaries callsigns that no longer existed, DJs who had moved on, shows that were cancelled. KGO's boon was also its bane -- KGO was so successful in promoting its brand that people reported listening to it even when they weren't. PPM reports the truth, or at least a microcosm of it. KGO suffered because of this.

If KGO's audience is so old, it's a wonder they could remember anything.

 

[semoochie]

What percent of the petitioners are under 55? This is a very interesting situation. Instead of attempting to protect their brand by moving to FM, KGO has opted to jettison it instead. I have to wonder when wholesale panic will set in with AM broadcasters. It's just a matter of time until it's all gone and the fact that the band is nonexistent on new radios, certainly doesn't help matters!

 

[MC]

Lee Rodgers, who used to work at KGO/KFSO states on his website that Owens is being kept because he has another year left on his contract. Since they are concerned about money, it would be stupid to can Owens and have to pay him for a year anyway. (Which is what they had to do with Rodgers at KSFO.)

Karel says on his website he is still at KGO. (He might have time left on his contract as well.)

Rodgers also says that KSFO people are being "evaluated" which means they will be let go after Christmas.

check it out:

radiorodgers.com

radiokrl.com

This is the biggest personnel change in Bay Area Broadcasting since Van Amberg was let go from KGO TV (although Bernie Ward and Duanne Garrett were big stories as well)

 

[recto101]

What percent of the petitioners are under 55? This is a very interesting situation. Instead of attempting to protect their brand by moving to FM, KGO has opted to jettison it instead. I have to wonder when wholesale panic will set in with AM broadcasters. It's just a matter of time until it's all gone and the fact that the band is nonexistent on new radios, certainly doesn't help matters!

OK I'm 25 and I don't even use the AM side to get news like KCBS 740. Since 2008 KCBS added 106.9 FM for news and I tend to get my news there instead of 740 mainly because my MP3 player only has an FM tuner/receiver. But what FM station should KGO occupy if they want to go FM? I accept the fact that I used to listen to music on FM a lot in the 1990's but my generation does not listen to music on FM anymore they left for web broadcasts that air music. I'm not sure how you're going to convince a person that in their 20's in the Bay Area to get their news on AM today since KCBS is on the top 5 and the audience moved to FM. Or even yet get people to listen to any music format on AM radio today. The question next here is when will News KLIV 1590 AM San Jose move to FM?

 

[michael hagerty]

Here in DC, CBS is in the position that Cumulus is taking against CBS in SF--they are putting together the market's second news station. In DC (where many decades ago we actually had 3 news stations at one time), I think a competitor can drain off some of the enormous profits that WTOP garners. But I still credit a large proportion of the tune-in to traffic reports - and the information already available on a mobile platform will only get more convenient to access even on the road. So I foresee news stations losing a big chunk of their cume in not too many years. They could compensate with better local news coverage - but do you really expect Cumulus to successfully mount such an effort? --Dave Arlington

Nathan: I didn't say "out of the gate". It will take time. I'd still bet heavily on CBS.
CBS, the master of all-news, is taking on Hubbard, a formerly regional operator (Minneapolis, Albuquerque) who bought WTOP from Bonneville. I'd bet heavily on CBS.

I don't think WNEW-FM (CBS' soon-to-be all-newser in DC) will dethrone WTOP right off the gate. After all, WTOP has a network of full-power FM relays - in addition to one of the best FM signals in the market - a decades-long head start in the all-news field, and still will be the CBS Radio News affiliate (due to a quirk where CBS Radio News is distributed by Dial Global).

 

[semoochie]

"OK I'm 25 and I don't even use the AM side to get news like KCBS 740. Since 2008 KCBS added 106.9 FM for news and I tend to get my news there instead of 740 mainly because my MP3 player only has an FM tuner/receiver. But what FM station should KGO occupy if they want to go FM? I accept the fact that I used to listen to music on FM a lot in the 1990's but my generation does not listen to music on FM anymore they left for web broadcasts that air music. I'm not sure how you're going to convince a person that in their 20's in the Bay Area to get their news on AM today since KCBS is on the top 5 and the audience moved to FM. Or even yet get people to listen to any music format on AM radio today. The question next here is when will News KLIV 1590 AM San Jose move to FM?" This is mostly in situations where there's big money involved and a brand to protect. AM stations that don't have that will eventually wither and die.

 

[LKellerIII]

"OK I'm 25 and I don't even use the AM side to get news like KCBS 740. Since 2008 KCBS added 106.9 FM for news and I tend to get my news there instead of 740 mainly because my MP3 player only has an FM tuner/receiver. But what FM station should KGO occupy if they want to go FM? I accept the fact that I used to listen to music on FM a lot in the 1990's but my generation does not listen to music on FM anymore they left for web broadcasts that air music. I'm not sure how you're going to convince a person that in their 20's in the Bay Area to get their news on AM today since KCBS is on the top 5 and the audience moved to FM. Or even yet get people to listen to any music format on AM radio today. The question next here is when will News KLIV 1590 AM San Jose move to FM?" This is mostly in situations where there's big money involved and a brand to protect. AM stations that don't have that will eventually wither and die.

I haven't tried to tune in 1590 since their Top 40 days about 30 years ago...of course, I live in San Francisco. I was under the impression that KLIV ran CNN or some other syndicated feed, with little or no local content...perhaps local news and weather cut-ins. If that's the case, it's probably cheap to operate - why would they waste an FM frequency on that?

 

[radioguy39nj]

This is truly sad! KGO was one of the three best news/talk stations in the country, the others being WGN Chicago and KIRO-FM Seattle. Bonneville had the foresight to move KIRO to FM. WGN and KGO didn't have that option.

Does Cumulus really think they can be profitable with mostly news on 810 AM against CBS juggernaut KCBS 740 AM & 106.9 FM and NPR outlet KQED-FM?

 

[415sf]

I'm 28, my aunt is legally blind due to an illness, she is in her early 50s, but I enjoyed listening to Gene, John and Ray. I come from a late night radio background..so late night radio has a soft spot with me.

What percent of the petitioners are under 55? This is a very interesting situation. Instead of attempting to protect their brand by moving to FM, KGO has opted to jettison it instead. I have to wonder when wholesale panic will set in with AM broadcasters. It's just a matter of time until it's all gone and the fact that the band is nonexistent on new radios, certainly doesn't help matters!

 

[EDwalker]

The top of the hour branding says it all: "A Cumulus Station".

A bonehead decision handed down from Atlanta.

 

[mikecroaro]

.

 

[jflores33]

I will miss Tillem, Burns, Dr. Bill, Rothman and the rest. I used to love Dean Edell as well. As far as news, I already have KCBS to listen too.

This was clearly just a cost cutting move, but this "new" Cumulus-owned KGO will find its market share plunge. Whether a lower market share plus lower costs means more profits (which is all they want), who knows? But our beloved station is now dead. R.I.P.