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Opinion: Morning Drive

D

dm101066

Guest
As a person who began listening online to a bunch of Bay Area stations, who would you say are the top 2-3 teams for morning drive as well as a few that I shouldn't waste my time checking out. Are there any recent books that might suggest which teams are on top of their games and which ones are about to be booted out the door?
 
> As a person who began listening online to a bunch of Bay
> Area stations, who would you say are the top 2-3 teams for
> morning drive as well as a few that I shouldn't waste my
> time checking out. Are there any recent books that might
> suggest which teams are on top of their games and which ones
> are about to be booted out the door?
>

Don't mean to pick on your post but are you asking for opinions or the actual top 3 morning shows in San Franciso?

-R.E.<P ID="signature">______________
If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything...</P>
 
> > As a person who began listening online to a bunch of Bay
> > Area stations, who would you say are the top 2-3 teams for
>
> > morning drive as well as a few that I shouldn't waste my
> > time checking out. Are there any recent books that might
> > suggest which teams are on top of their games and which
> ones
> > are about to be booted out the door?
> >
>
> Don't mean to pick on your post but are you asking for
> opinions or the actual top 3 morning shows in San Franciso?
>
> -R.E.
>
Just really looking for opinions from the fellow posters on who they think are the top morning shows in town.
 
I'm Game. Here are my choices for you to listen to.


Sarah and No-Name on Alice 97.3
Lamont and Tonelli on The Bone 107.7










> > > As a person who began listening online to a bunch of Bay
>
> > > Area stations, who would you say are the top 2-3 teams
> for
> >
> > > morning drive as well as a few that I shouldn't waste my
>
> > > time checking out. Are there any recent books that might
>
> > > suggest which teams are on top of their games and which
> > ones
> > > are about to be booted out the door?
> > >
> >
> > Don't mean to pick on your post but are you asking for
> > opinions or the actual top 3 morning shows in San
> Franciso?
> >
> > -R.E.
> >
> Just really looking for opinions from the fellow posters on
> who they think are the top morning shows in town.
>
 
Agree with you on L & T...but, I can't stand Sarah and Whatshisface...

I think Don Bleu on Star 101.3 is still funny...and April Summers (sp?) is a great FM news sidekick. www.star1013fm.com No, I dont' work there.

Also, Renel on KISS 98.1 is good...Everyone else? Maybe Chuey Gomez, because he sure gets great response from listeners...But, KMEL is sooo not my thing, hard for me to judge.

Anyone heard Live 105's new group?

Cammy and Dean bore me. But I think the station's new direction is working.

I think AM morning radio pretty much blows in SF. KCBS sound 100 years old. Here comes John Madden! Woo!

KGO is boring too...Ed Baxter is too corny for me. I do like Jennifer Jones. GREAT voice and fairly smooth.

KNEW pipes their morning show in from Sacramento. And it sounds like it. the morning hosts know little about the bay area.

Haven't heard the new KQKE morning show...But, I'm not optimistic that a 75 year old man and a 55 year old political comedian can pull it off...even with the help of 55 year old Paul "Lobster" Wells. (that's a joke, son)

KNBR. pure crapola. Dorks unite!

That's my 5 bucks... :)








> I'm Game. Here are my choices for you to listen to.
>
>
> Sarah and No-Name on Alice 97.3
> Lamont and Tonelli on The Bone 107.7
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > > > As a person who began listening online to a bunch of
> Bay
> >
> > > > Area stations, who would you say are the top 2-3 teams
>
> > for
> > >
> > > > morning drive as well as a few that I shouldn't waste
> my
> >
> > > > time checking out. Are there any recent books that
> might
> >
> > > > suggest which teams are on top of their games and
> which
> > > ones
> > > > are about to be booted out the door?
> > > >
> > >
> > > Don't mean to pick on your post but are you asking for
> > > opinions or the actual top 3 morning shows in San
> > Franciso?
> > >
> > > -R.E.
> > >
> > Just really looking for opinions from the fellow posters
> on
> > who they think are the top morning shows in town.
> >
>
 
> Agree with you on L & T...but, I can't stand Sarah and
> Whatshisface...
>
> I think Don Bleu on Star 101.3 is still funny...and April
> Summers (sp?) is a great FM news sidekick.
> www.star1013fm.com No, I dont' work there.
>
> Also, Renel on KISS 98.1 is good...Everyone else? Maybe
> Chuey Gomez, because he sure gets great response from
> listeners...But, KMEL is sooo not my thing, hard for me to
> judge.
>
> Anyone heard Live 105's new group?
>
> Cammy and Dean bore me. But I think the station's new
> direction is working.
>
> I think AM morning radio pretty much blows in SF. KCBS
> sound 100 years old. Here comes John Madden! Woo!
>
> KGO is boring too...Ed Baxter is too corny for me. I do
> like Jennifer Jones. GREAT voice and fairly smooth.
>
> KNEW pipes their morning show in from Sacramento. And it
> sounds like it. the morning hosts know little about the bay
> area.
>
> Haven't heard the new KQKE morning show...But, I'm not
> optimistic that a 75 year old man and a 55 year old
> political comedian can pull it off...even with the help of
> 55 year old Paul "Lobster" Wells. (that's a joke, son)
>
> KNBR. pure crapola. Dorks unite!
>
> That's my 5 bucks... :)
>
>


I hear ya. Interesting that the first two shows someone named --L&T and Alice-- are both retreads. Maybe it's just me or maybe it's just the station but L&T aren't what they used to be. Alice? The less said the better. Renel and Chuy are solid but like you said, if you're not into the format, you're not into them. Though a truly good morning show could draw you in even if you don't like the format, I don't think either of them fit that category.

If nothing else, the AM news stations deliver the predictable clock --that's not a bad thing, though I'm with you on Ed Baxter. He reminds me of that FM morning DJ who reaches too often and doesn't know the difference between when and when not to tell a joke. When he goes down that road, he ends up dragging Jennifer Jones with him. Lousy interviewer, too, I think.

Overall, nothing really stands out in this market, does it, but then, you can say that about many markets. You used to hear the argument that consolidation, voice-tracking and syndication would eventually yield a shallow talent pool from which to draw the next generation of broadcasters. I wonder if we aren't seeing the fruits of that endeavor. That and the "safety first" mantra of major market corporate radio make the Bay Area less than dynamic.

Of course, they really don't care as long as they're making money.

Just my Golden Gate Bridge toll sense. ;)
 
>>
> If nothing else, the AM news stations deliver the
> predictable clock --that's not a bad thing, though I'm with
> you on Ed Baxter. He reminds me of that FM morning DJ who
> reaches too often and doesn't know the difference between
> when and when not to tell a joke. When he goes down that
> road, he ends up dragging Jennifer Jones with him. Lousy
> interviewer, too, I think.
>
> > I had to comment because you've hit on someone who's been bugging me for years. It's hard to believe that Baxter has gotten as far as he has, considering he's not good at the ad-lib humor thing, and he not very articulate. He became popular in the late 70s/early 80s on the Afternoon News when the horrible "happy talk" format was popular, primarily on TV news. I can only speculate, but I think KGO let their anchors loose to show some personality and lighten-up the news. When it works, like with Jim Dunbar & Ted Wygant in the morning - it's OK, but Baxter isn't witty enough. I remember thinking that his co-anchor and "straight-man" at that time - Jan Black - came off as kind of silly and superficial. When Black moved over to KCBS, I listened to her again, and was surprised by how intelligent she was. She later won awards and accolades for her anchoring during the 89 earthquake, when KGO was knocked off the air, and KCBS was the only place to go for news. Baxter brought Rosie Allen down too, so it's no surprise that he's doing the same to Jennifer. Apparently this is fodder for jokes at KGO too. Mike Amatori's CD has a satirical "promo" for Baxter with sound bites of his malapropisms and tongue-tripping. It's hysterical. This may sound elitist, but with NPR around, I'm not sure why anybody still listens to KGO or KCBS for more than a few minutes of headlines and traffic.
 
I find it funny, that if people have been in the market for a long period of time on the FM side, they are considered stale.
Lamont and Tonelli are in my opinion a great fit for their station. They still have creative ideas, and it is still fun for me to listen to.

As for Sarah and No-Name, if it weren't for them Alice would have melted to ground a long time ago. They have a show that is relatable to everyday life, and apparently women like that.
How many other hosts can lose a long time partner, pick up someone from live 105, and continue to earn great ratings.
Sarah should be considered one of the best Morning Drive Talents in Market 4






> I hear ya. Interesting that the first two shows someone
> named --L&T and Alice-- are both retreads. Maybe it's just
> me or maybe it's just the station but L&T aren't what they
> used to be. Alice? The less said the better. Renel and
> Chuy are solid but like you said, if you're not into the
> format, you're not into them. Though a truly good morning
> show could draw you in even if you don't like the format, I
> don't think either of them fit that category.
>
> If nothing else, the AM news stations deliver the
> predictable clock --that's not a bad thing, though I'm with
> you on Ed Baxter. He reminds me of that FM morning DJ who
> reaches too often and doesn't know the difference between
> when and when not to tell a joke. When he goes down that
> road, he ends up dragging Jennifer Jones with him. Lousy
> interviewer, too, I think.
>
> Overall, nothing really stands out in this market, does it,
> but then, you can say that about many markets. You used to
> hear the argument that consolidation, voice-tracking and
> syndication would eventually yield a shallow talent pool
> from which to draw the next generation of broadcasters. I
> wonder if we aren't seeing the fruits of that endeavor.
> That and the "safety first" mantra of major market corporate
> radio make the Bay Area less than dynamic.
>
> Of course, they really don't care as long as they're making
> money.
>
> Just my Golden Gate Bridge toll sense. ;)
>
 
The best morning-drive show in San Francisco...is in San Jose.
Greg Kihn and Chris Jackson on KUFX-FM.
Kihn is a master of self-deprecation(as opposed to defecation), and his insights on current events as well as 'old time rock' anecdotes are a breath of fresh air, compared to other jocks on that station(as in, 'Greg Stoned'), and elsewhere on the dial. Not everyone's cup of tea, but an alternative for those looking for something other than 'sarcastic gen X humor', '(BLEEP) and butts radio', or stammering old news anchors.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by ViewStu on 02/17/06 01:04 AM.</FONT></P>
 
> >>
> > If nothing else, the AM news stations deliver the
> > predictable clock --that's not a bad thing, though I'm
> with
> > you on Ed Baxter. He reminds me of that FM morning DJ who
>
> > reaches too often and doesn't know the difference between
> > when and when not to tell a joke. When he goes down that
> > road, he ends up dragging Jennifer Jones with him. Lousy
> > interviewer, too, I think.
> >
> > > I had to comment because you've hit on someone who's
> been bugging me for years. It's hard to believe that Baxter
> has gotten as far as he has, considering he's not good at
> the ad-lib humor thing, and he not very articulate. He
> became popular in the late 70s/early 80s on the Afternoon
> News when the horrible "happy talk" format was popular,
> primarily on TV news. I can only speculate, but I think KGO
> let their anchors loose to show some personality and
> lighten-up the news. When it works, like with Jim Dunbar &
> Ted Wygant in the morning - it's OK, but Baxter isn't witty
> enough. I remember thinking that his co-anchor and
> "straight-man" at that time - Jan Black - came off as kind
> of silly and superficial. When Black moved over to KCBS, I
> listened to her again, and was surprised by how intelligent
> she was. She later won awards and accolades for her
> anchoring during the 89 earthquake, when KGO was knocked off
> the air, and KCBS was the only place to go for news. Baxter
> brought Rosie Allen down too, so it's no surprise that he's
> doing the same to Jennifer. Apparently this is fodder for
> jokes at KGO too. Mike Amatori's CD has a satirical "promo"
> for Baxter with sound bites of his malapropisms and
> tongue-tripping. It's hysterical. This may sound elitist,
> but with NPR around, I'm not sure why anybody still listens
> to KGO or KCBS for more than a few minutes of headlines and
> traffic.
>

Well, now I have to hit on something you said. First, I guess it's nice to see I'm not the only one who feels this way about Mr. Baxter. No offense, but I have a hard time --no, a frustrating time-- listening to him interview whomever, be it a Washington insider, the mayor or a c-list guest selling a book. When KGO did that All-Star thing a couple of months back, I just thought his skills as a moderator failed him miserably.

On the other hand, Rosie Allen (since you brought it up) may well be their newsroom's best asset. And now that I think of it, I do miss Mary Ellen Geist, but Jennifer Jones is okay. She'd be better if she had a stronger co-host.

As for NPR, I don't see listening to them as being elitist at all. Their biggest advantage is time. It's hard to beat having 90 minutes (on All Things Considered) to give stories more depth, or expose angles no one's coming up with. Who else thought to talk to Harry Whittingham's law partners in Austin, TX?

KCBS and, to a lesser extent KGO, provide exactly what you said: a few minutes of news, weather and traffic. There are good moments blended with mostly routine ones. KCBS' strength is its familiarity; KGO's, it's talk show hosts.

Again, just my opinion.
 
> > >> I think we agree, PJ. What KGO and KCBS also excel at is live, breaking stories, especially huge disatsters like the 89 earthquake I mentioned in a previous post. KCBS's coverage was very impressive...and they had the sense to have a working backup generator. If I remember correctly, the only other station still on the air was KNEW, which played Country music in those days. But NPR is not local, and KQED doesn't have the resources... Norm Howard and their shared Metro Traffic person can't provide any real coverage. But compelling breaking news stories don't come along very often...unless you're into fires, shootings, natural gas explosions, and the like. So I still default to NPR during morning drive. I used to park my car in a downtown Oakland parking lot in the morning. On a couple of occasions, I would sit in my car because I wanted to hear the end of an NPR story. It was always striking to me how many people arriving and parking near me would also have KQED tuned in. This was a "working person's" parking lot by the way - not a place full of high-income yuppies. So you're right - if NPR ever had an elitist audience, it doesn't seem to anymore. Though KQED does not participate in Arbitron - since it's non-commercial, it's been speculated that KQED would be among the Top 5 during drive times if their audience was measured.

> > >
>
> Well, now I have to hit on something you said. First, I
> guess it's nice to see I'm not the only one who feels this
> way about Mr. Baxter. No offense, but I have a hard time
> --no, a frustrating time-- listening to him interview
> whomever, be it a Washington insider, the mayor or a c-list
> guest selling a book. When KGO did that All-Star thing a
> couple of months back, I just thought his skills as a
> moderator failed him miserably.
>
> On the other hand, Rosie Allen (since you brought it up) may
> well be their newsroom's best asset. And now that I think
> of it, I do miss Mary Ellen Geist, but Jennifer Jones is
> okay. She'd be better if she had a stronger co-host.
>
> As for NPR, I don't see listening to them as being elitist
> at all. Their biggest advantage is time. It's hard to beat
> having 90 minutes (on All Things Considered) to give stories
> more depth, or expose angles no one's coming up with. Who
> else thought to talk to Harry Whittingham's law partners in
> Austin, TX?
>
> KCBS and, to a lesser extent KGO, provide exactly what you
> said: a few minutes of news, weather and traffic. There are
> good moments blended with mostly routine ones. KCBS'
> strength is its familiarity; KGO's, it's talk show hosts.
>
> Again, just my opinion.
>
 
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