KGO News/Talk 810 is history

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KGO News/Talk 810 is history

Postby radiofan » Thu Oct 06, 2022 1:28 pm

Shortly after 10 AM today, the geniuses at Cumulus pulled the plug on San Francisco's legendary KGO News/Talk 810. The new Sports Betting format will hit the airwaves on Monday.

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Re: KGO News/Talk 810 is history

Postby radiofan » Thu Oct 06, 2022 1:36 pm

KGO 810, legendary long-time Bay Area talk radio station, ends format, leaves cryptic message
‘Today we say goodbye,’ says message on website

By ETHAN BARON | ebaron@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: October 6, 2022 at 11:28 a.m. | UPDATED: October 6, 2022 at 1:28 p.m
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Bay Area radio station KGO 810 has shut down its talk radio programming, issuing only a cryptic message and replacing the local shows with pop music and promotions on air.

“It’s a terrible loss,” said long-time news-talk host John Rothmann. “KGO has for its entire existence been the community billboard for everything, whether it has been elections or disasters or the economy or war or peace. There’s nothing like it.”

Rothmann, 73, started at the station in 1996. Nobody from the station or the company that owns it, Cumulus Media, told him about the shutdown, he said Thursday by phone. “I’m in a state of shock,” Rothmann said, adding that he had an interview scheduled for Friday with controversial San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins that will now be cancelled.

The AM station issued a message providing little information.

“Today we say goodbye to the legendary KGO,” read the message on the AM station’s website that came up Thursday morning for those who clicked on the website or links to “Ways to listen” or shows such as Rothmann’s or Pat Thurman’s.

“Over the last 80 years, KGO has been here for Bay area listeners covering and discussing all the news that has impacted our world and local communities. We thank you for your loyalty and for trusting KGO to be your source for information. We also want to sincerely thank all the talented men and women that worked so hard over the years to produce award-winning programming on KGO.

“On Monday, 810 am begins a new era. We hope you will tune in.”

On-air promos broadcast at around 11 a.m. Thursday called the mysterious programming switch “the biggest gamble in Bay Area radio history” and made references to betting and money.

Songs played Thursday morning followed the theme: Pet Shop Boys’ “Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money);” followed by Pink Floyd’s “Money” and then “Take the Money and Run” by Steve Miller Band.

A subsequent promotion clip said, “Coming Monday: A radio station that covers ALL the action,” followed by the song “All I Do Is Win” by DJ Khaled.

Cumulus Media, the parent company of the station — which has studios in San Francisco — said it would provide further details Monday about “the exciting new brand coming to the Bay Area on Monday.”

Cumulus in its most recent annual report to regulators said it made $17 million in profit last year, after a $60 million loss in 2020.

Before the change Thursday at the station, Nikki Medoro, the first female drive-time host in KGO’s history, would take the microphone at 6 a.m. every weekday, followed by Mark Thompson, Pat Thurston in the afternoon and Rothmann from 4 to 7 p.m. After Rothmann’s show, the station would switch to a nationally syndicated format.

“All the hosts were devoted to providing quality broadcasting,” Rothmann said.

Through the decades, the station’s biggest name and most prominent host was the legendary Ronn Owens, the drive-time host who was affiliated with KGO for 40 years. During his tenure he was elected to both the National Radio Hall of Fame and the Bay Area Hall of FameIn a 2016 shakeup, Cumulus executives announced that they would be moving Owens to sister station KSFO — then reversed the decision just a few days later, citing “listener outcry” as the reason for keeping Owens at his “home station.” Owens returned to host a shorter program at KGO, then transitioned to doing a 10-minute daily commentary called The Ronn Owens Report.

Check back on this developing story.

— Bay Area News Group editors Daniel Jimenez and Linda Zavoral contributed to this report

https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/10/06/ ... c-message/
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
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Re: KGO News/Talk 810 is history

Postby brian451 » Thu Oct 06, 2022 3:24 pm

Word is cumulus is going to be launching a format focused on sports gambling and just sports in general. Monday is a perfect time to launch with the new NHL season starting. Plus baseball playoffs will be on by then. Would be great if they broadcasted sports events too.
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Re: KGO News/Talk 810 is history

Postby PicturesForYourEars » Fri Oct 07, 2022 12:39 am

Shame!
Upcoming Proposition 27 will allow sports betting in California and, anticipating passage of that prop, odds are that the new format will be similar to other stations already doing this (Atlantic City), with a national feed out of Las Vegas:
SPORTS BETTING.
Yes, that is a format (apparently).

HOWEVER -- word on the street is that the Propositions 26 and 27 aren't doing well in the Golden State...THEN WHAT?

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...LEFT PLACES I SHOULDA STAYED,
STAYED PLACES I SHOULDA LEFT...
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Re: KGO News/Talk 810 is history

Postby don'tpanic » Fri Oct 07, 2022 4:40 pm

Yep....the main positioning line is 'You can bet on it'....and the music bits are all about money.
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Re: KGO News/Talk 810 is history

Postby Peteradio » Fri Oct 07, 2022 6:27 pm

As Trump would say..."Sad." Just pathetic really. We're already bombarded by sports betting on TV Now this. Talk radio is needed more than ever in our chaotic world. KGO in the old days was essential listening.
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