Cumulus Rolls Quake-Like Shake-Up at SF’s KGO.

Story by Inside Radio

In a major shake-up at one of the Bay Area’s oldest radio stations, news/talk KGO (810) San Francisco has reportedly laid off its morning and afternoon staffs in anticipation of a new direction at the Cumulus Media outlet. Ronn Owens, a KGO fixture for 40 years, is moving to afternoon drive on Cumulus Media sister “Hot Talk 560” KSFO starting Monday.

His departure is part of what’s expected to be a major format change to mostly syndicated talk programming. The San Jose Mercury News reported that 20 people were laid off at KGO Thursday. Other reports pegged the number at three dozen. Among them: sports director Rich Walcoff, a nearly 32-year station vet. “They just basically told me that they’re going in a different direction,” he told the newspaper. “It’s a Black Thursday at KGO.” Kristin Hanes, a KGO news reporter, said Cumulus “blasted out almost the entire news staff.”

Read more: http://kirktanter.blogspot.com/2016/04/kgo-san-francisco-and-death-of-radio.html

Promos tout a new direction for the station: “The next generation of KGO 810 is coming Tuesday morning at 6am.” Regular programming has been removed in place of a long-form stager that celebrates San Francisco and its people.

The upheaval occurred on the same day that Cumulus appointed veteran rock programmer Bryan Schock as Operations Manager/Program Director of its classic rock “The Bone” KSAN (107.7) and adult alternative KFOG (104.5). In a memo to staff, Justin Wittmayer, VP and market manager, addressed new programming strategies. “We believe the direction will put KGO and KFOG on the best paths to growth and success,” Wittmayer said. But the changes also involved “the difficult but necessary task today of restructuring our KGO and KFOG station staffs to allow us to meet the new needs of these two stations as we invest in new programming that is redefined, refocused and of the highest quality.” Without disclosing numbers or names, Wittmayer said that affected “a number of full-time and part-time positions across these two stations, primarily in the news department at KGO and in key dayparts at KFOG.”

KGO ranked 21st with a 1.8 share of listeners aged 6+ in Nielsen’s February survey. KFOG was tied for 17th with a 2.0 share.

Wittmayer promised more details on the programming changes and additions in the next few days.

With Owens in afternoons, KSFO will be live and local in both drive times. Program director Mike Anthony says the move is “a great opportunity for a whole new audience to hear the brilliance that has made Ronn a legend in San Francisco radio.”

Owens, who was heard from 9am-noon on KGO, was offered his choice of time slots at KSFO by Cumulus and chose 3pm-6pm, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. “What a unique opportunity to keep doing what I’ve been doing for the past 40 years, in the place I love doing it, the Bay area,” Owens said in a release. “And I’m just a couple of clicks down the dial.”

“Talk 910” KKSF is also making news with a new morning-drive host. The iHeartMedia talker is bringing “The Stephanie Miller Show” back to San Francisco beginning Friday. In addition to her syndicated morning show, the left-leaning talker is well known from her TV and comedy appearances, including as the host of CNBC’s “Equal Time” and Oxygen TV’s “I’ve Got a Secret,” among others. Miller replaces Sacramento-based Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty, who are expected to be part of the new KGO airstaff.

KKSF will also add Mo’Kelly to the lineup from 6pm-7pm weekdays.

“The Bay Area is arguably the most progressive market in the nation,” said Don Parker, senior VP of Programming for iHeartMedia San Francisco. “This move aligns Talk 910 with the predominant sentiment of the region in all prime dayparts, delivering compelling progressive or lifestyle content throughout the day.”

Read more: http://kirktanter.blogspot.com/2016/04/kgo-san-francisco-and-death-of-radio.html