I’d like to thank the good people of the Bay Area (and beyond) who have supported my work on KSFO. There has been a load of turmoil in the local talk radio field of late, but, for now, I’ve survived. Radio is a volatile business, built on the adage, “What have you done for me lately?” If the ratings are good and can support your salary, you’re fine. If not–curtains.
I would also like to thank my friend, and former sideman, “OV” for his contribution over the years. He and I used to joke about the lack of job security in the radio biz. Behind the scenes we’d often say: “Our job is secure–through this show.” Someday the guy getting the boot could well be me. Like “Vic,” I hope I have the class to not let the door hit me in the rear on the way out.
I’m serious when I say I’m envisioning “Vic” cruising around in his Gremlin, wife by his side, enjoying life in Crescent City. I also believe if he did move up to his beloved Montana (or was it Alaska?) he could run for office and win (by the way, if my initial thoughts on “Vic’s” whereabouts offended anyone, I deeply apologize; it wasn’t as light hearted as I meant it to be). No matter what, the guy behind the character known as “Office Vic” will be just fine, because he is a good, multi-talented guy.
Change is always hard to accept for radio listeners. It has to do with the fact that, as Marshall McLuhan said, radio (particularly talk radio) is a “hot” medium. It engages your brain. You develop relationships with the personalities. When a host gets shown the door it’s always hard to accept, especially when the intimate details of the departure are usually not made public. Generally terminations occur due to poor ratings, high salaries, or the combination of the two data points not intersecting correctly. Also (especially in radio) a canning can come from crossing a verbal no-no line, or getting too ticked off with management. It happens. If we wanted job security we would have become government workers.
Meantime, I’m thrilled to be working with Melanie Morgan again. She helped open the door to get me back into radio after my lengthy time in TV (by the way, I’m really tired of haters claiming I was fired from Channel 5–ask their current management team–I requested to be let go in the middle of a five-year contract to pursue other interests). She is a remarkable talent and a lightning rod (again, that “hot” concept). We work together like a brother and sister, and it will be excellent morning radio.
As for Rush moving to another station, again it’s all about ratings and salaries. If a show costs $2X to air, but only returns $1X in ad revenue, what would you do? Congressman JD Hayworth will be our live and local replacement. It’s a hoot to think that a TEA Party favorite like JD would being doing a radio show in Nancy Pelosi’s district. Long before he got into politics he was a local TV superstar, and he’s been a successful radio host in Arizona too. Besides being very sharp, the former congressman is hilarious! In about a year, the ratings will reveal that his program competes well with the Big Guy’s program, and at a fraction of the cost. Remember, we’re not NPR. This is a business.
Onward. We have an election to win, a state to turn around, a country to save, and laughs to share.
Respectfully,
Brian
I’ve been listening to KSFO regularly since day one and even longer. I remember Don Sherwood. That’s ….how long!
Sometimes, we the listeners fail to realize that “radio” is a business and it’s all about attracting advertisers. KSFO will continue to succeed as long as the station remains focused on bringing cutting edge conservative talk radio to this liberal hell hole known as “The San Francisco Bay Area”. We have no where else to go for common sense over the air waves. Brian, we know you will continue to keep up informed, entertained and enlightened. With the addition of Melanie Morgan, it’s a shoe in. Katie Green has been an asset and just keeps getting better. She is a gem. Hopefully, Team Sussman will come to be known as “The Three”….much like “The Five” on Fox News.
Best wishes and continued success in 2012. Please tell Melanie “Giorgio” is still out there and says hello, we missed you and welcome back!!
L. A. Lazarus
El Granada, CA
Commercial radio is a business, one that requires public airwaves to function.
When you come close to creating on-air content with the quality of say, Fresh Air, feel free to take cheap shots at NPR. Until then, know that they crush you with quality. Just FYI
Thank you for the fine letter. I will continue to listen but it will take some getting used to with your co host. I liked Officer Vic. I like JD because Mark Levin backs him and will listen at least for a while. Am very unhappy that I don’t see you and OV FB friends anymore. I do wish you all the best. You are a great patriot. I do believe they are out to kill Conservative talk radio though.
Love ya,
Linda
Great letter Suss-man! As usual – classy. I will listen or watch ANYTHING that you are a part of. You LITERALLY speak for me and MANY MANY others. We love your knowledge and wit and easy way you have. You are a natural. Don’t EVER change!! YOU ARE THE MAN! And living in the Bay Area…we know there are not many real MEN around here anymore. Stay strong — you have my full support!!
From one true American to another—Judy
DEAR BRIAN, MY HUSBAND AND I APPRECIATE YOUR LETTER. I THINK I CAN SLEEP BETTER TONIGHT BECAUSE WHEN MY ALARM GOES OFF AT 0530 I WILL KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE MORNING SHOW. I HATE SURPRISES BUT HAD AN INKLING THAT OV WAS ON HIS WAY OUT BEFORE YOU ANNOUNCED IT MONDAY MORNING. AT LEAST YOU GAVE US DEVOTED KSFO LISTENERS A HEADS UP. WHEN LEE WAS DUMPED IT WAS TOTAL SHOCK. IT GREAT MELANIE IS BACK AND I KNOW SHE WILL KEEP YOU IN LINE! WE WILL MISS OV AND HIS HAPPY INFECTIOUS SPIRIT! I THOUGHT DR. VIC WAS BECOMING A THING ! WELL TAKE CARE; NOW I GOT TO WRITE DR. VIC, I MEAN OFFICER VIC……BLESS HIS SOUL.
That was well said Brian, you covered all the bases, too. I missed Melanie and I’m glad she’s back on again!
JD Hayworth is a good selection for the slot. Too bad he didn’t wax McCain, but it’s the listeners gain.
I’m say’n it and it’s not lame.
Your letter makes a lot of sense, Brian. Very sorry to see O.V. go, but understand your position too. Love your show & will give J.D. Hayworth a listen when Rush is on vacation or on commercial break.
Understood Brian. However, in the case of Rush being too expensive, watch what happens when the 9 to noon slot goes to 0X0. I have nothing against Congressman Hayworth but Rush has been, is and will be the man. KSFO has lost me for that time slot and, I’ll bet your yearly salary that the brunt of his audience is coming with me. I wish you and Melanie good fortune at any rate and I am confident that, come November, I’ll be hearing Rush proclaim victory at the end of our long national nightmare.
I like you. I like Melanie. I will surely miss OV. But without Rush I am afraid my station will no longer be 560 after 9AM. Rush is the not replaceable. I believe KSFO has hit a sour note in many peoples eyes.
5-9 ok. 3-6 ok. The rest of the time I will be listening to Sirius xm…..Blue collar comedy.
This is a sad day.
Thanks for the open letter. I wish the best for all of you.
In the back of my mind I thought the OV/Montana story was meant to be apocryphal but the raw feelings engendered by the 810 situation were still too fresh. OV going on record saying that everything was cool between you confirmed my suspicions. In any case, the talent moves taken together indicate that KSFO is not going to lay down and die. I hope listeners will give the new lineup a chance to sink or swim on its own merits. Best of luck…
Brian – thanks to you and your guest for keeping us informed as we head into this new year.. change is good ( but will miss OV )
Brian,
I hope OV lands on his feet. You guys were a great team and he certainly made me laugh a lot over the years. It was great having him around to lighten things up when the news was such a downer. I wish you and Melanie all the best, I am sure that the show will continue to be a great success.
Brian,
appreciate what you say about it just being business, and I’m sure O.V. understands that, but the way you spoke about it on air just got worse and worse with each hour, in my opinion, you lacked class and were obviously very defensive about it; you just needed to stick to a few professional comments about it, going off on the gremlin, montana, etc, was just weird and from your comments here “I also believe if he did move up to his beloved Montana (or was it Alaska?)” make it even more obvious that you really don’t care. We will continue to listen, not many other options, but I hope you and Mel can stay on target with data/facts/excellent interviews and not just perpetual outrage, the decible level is sometimes too much even for the choir.
Thanks for the letter to us Brian. I will miss OV and I wish him well. Always loved Melanie so glad she is back!
I will listen to Rush on iHeart Radio…. I love & respect & really, really need him so I won’t give him up! But like the previous comment above, I’ll give JD a listen when Rush is away. Those are tough shoes to fill!
I know it must have been hard to hear all the harsh comments today, so hang in there– we love you!
Georgianna
Campbell, Ca
I moved out of state (everyone still in California knows why) after 45 years about two years ago and was surprised not to hear Rush when I listened on-line yesterday. I am super happy that Mr Sus is still on KSFO and will continue to listen into the station for that reason.
This is disgusting. I can reason with the need to let someone go, but I cannot accept the lies to explain it. I will no longer listen to KSFO because of Vic’s firing and the lousy attempt to explain it.
Keep on keeping on Brian, you make my mornings – and welcome Melanie!
I was ready to start listening to canned music in the morning (yuck!) when I heard that OV was gone – not because I don’t like you, Suss, but because I’m tired of losing great ‘friends’ to the almighty dollar at Cumulus. But when I heard that Melanie has returned, I decided to hang in. Will give JD a try but since I seldom listened to Rush because of working, it’s not such a big deal as losing OV and hoping you were still hanging on!
Thanks for the letter. Well done. I miss OV, but as, Geoff Metcalf says, “one door closes, another one opens.
I was pleased and surprised by the change. Melanie is back!
I sincerely am sorry witht he changes made by the station owners. Economy and all that said, one thing stands out; “if it aint broke, don’t fix it”. The owners did it anyway and that is that. They own it and can do with it what they want. With the change in ownership, who came with it? and what happened? It is disruptive in a very distrusting time. People like myself are sick of being manipulated and muzzled by the lack of fair representation in our government and the lies that pervade their domain. It is a cynical point of view I recognize, however none the less, honest. The excuse for moving Rush at this time, here, in the belly of the beast, leaves us the one option of KFBK 1530AM in Sacramento. Their wattage actually reaches us better than KSFO 560AM at your morning hours in San Ramon!!?? what is up with that? do you actually save that much money with the voltage drop? Dunno but I digress. I truly wish OV gets his own gig here but I am certain that there is a non-competition clause in the contracts, so we will have to wait for the pod cast or a website for him to pop up.
Your show has been truly diminished as has the station, in my view. but I am only one listener (advisor). The real harm is the management’s decision to weaken by division, our resolve. Someone coined the phrase “Divide and Concour”(sp?). Me thinks THAT is what is happening…if not deliberate, certainly by default.
I hope I am wrong. I gotta go now. Rush is on.
Not jumping on this wagon till its stops moving.
I appreciate that you took the time to address listeners’ concerns. I will not exchange Rush for JD, but I will continue to listen to you and Melanie during the 5-6am hour while I am out doing my daily walk. You keep me company and my mind engaged so I am not thinking about being in the dark and cold (for half the year anyway). Best of luck to you on the new show and station format.
Crescent City, the Gremlin, Alaska, Montana, were all a part of the OV schtick. Sorry you didn’t “get it.”
That’s why I apologized.
Suss
It’s actually a really good day. Can you believes TWO conservative shows competing with one another in SAN FRANCISCO????
Mike,
I know the biz really well. Rush’s slot on 910 will bankrupt them. Watch.
Suss
Thanks for the letter – I really miss OV he was so funny and you guys compliment one another so well – Melanie is great and good to see her back she’s awesome. Have been listening to Hayworth and he is very informative but when I’m in my car I am listening to Rush I’ve been listening him since he was on TV and he is such an encourager – Hayworth is good and I wish him the best and will listen to what he has to say.
I’m so old that I have a dial-knob radio, which has been tuned in to Rush 910 AM as of yesterday and it will be tuned to that station permanently now. I have this vague feeling of the phrase that good-ole Lee Rogers used to use, BOHICA KSFO listeners. Unfortunately, I feel sad and even if it does bankrupt them, I guess will have to find him somewhere else.
Best wishes to those still at KSFO, but Rush was my draw.
Suss, that was a classy summary. Well said and well timed. Your audience will miss Tom but you’re right in predicting good things ahead for him. He and the Gremlin will ride where the road take them and arrive in style. JD has a tough hill with the big man taking audience up the dial, but as you pointed out, it’s a business and leaders have to make tough calls. Thank God it isn’t NPR! Carry on, Sir!
Please help me to understand here – one week you are saying the ratings are through the roof, and the next you have dismissed the best 2 personalities, in my view, on your station. So what assumption should be made here? Our radio has become quiet until 9:am when we tune into Rush on 1530. I hope OV can get something going up north on the radio, he deserves it, I will miss my early morning laughs, it was a great way to start the day.
Well Brian,
I’m Not Happy! OV was a major part of my morning, next to you!!!
He grounded you and the sound machine God I will Miss That, Sharks Horn it was perfection all in one basket…. Oh My your station is gonna regret this. New beginnings are good but this has left a really bad taste in my mouth..
Radio has always been a joy for me .. I learened from radio from my grandparents. ( Radio always on in kitchen 24 -7 thats how my grandparents did it) So of course I do the same with my kids. I hope you can pull us through this and for Melanie she may be big thing but she is no OV..
God Bless America!!!!!!
Brian – thanks for the letter. I’m one of your biggest fans and I LOVE that Melanie has reappeared. but the OV thing is hard to take. One guy above said it well: OV helped lighten the mostly grim news. His comedy and funny stuff was just what I wanted to hear, to break up the horrible news on Obama/Healthcare/state of California/ etc. something about OV made me feel like he was a favorite cousin or brother. it’s amazing how one can feel like friends with the “radio people”. Send OV our best. I do understand that radio is a business. And I’m glad you’re still in it. Sure hope OV finds another niche that he likes. If he reappears, I’ll be with him….
Well Brian,
I’m Not Happy! OV was a major part of my morning, next to you!!!
He grounded you from going over the edge and the sound machine God I will Miss That Sharks Horn, it was perfection all in one basket…. Oh My your station is gonna regret this. New beginnings are good but this has left a really bad taste in my mouth..
Radio has always been a joy for me .. I learened about radio from my grandparents. ( Radio always on in kitchen 24 -7 thats how my grandparents did it) So of course I do the same with my kids. I hope you can pull us through this and for Melanie she may be big thing but she is no OV..
God Bless America!!!!!!
Brian, I have always enjoyed listening to you, AM and PM. I remeber when boy from the hood got canned, you said the same thing as you did for OV, you know,”They will be fine and they have a lot of talent”. Suss, your listeners are conservative, not liberals. We are not stupid, when we get one source of info, we look at for other sources to verify. I do recall you saying the same farewell statment for the Great Lee Rogers. I really don’t think you went to bat for OV. In these hard times we are in, the one thing we all need is laughter and OV was the master. Suss, I am a 54 year old former marine, conservative w/christian values and I judge people by their honesty and being focused and FAITHFULL, or as we say Semper Fi
Have enjoyed the program for years.
Followed Rush to KSFO from KNBR years ago and he is part of the my Radio Family… always though the KSFO lineup was unbeatable and liked the way you, Rush, Hannity and Levin interacted…
I made the time to attend the Smog Check rallies at the State Capital… Limbaugh and the KSFO morning show awakened my political activism…
It’s always hard to adjust to change and it was a real shock…
Sorry to see OV go…
Nice try, goodbye. Richard B said it right, KSFO listeners are not stupid, please stop treating (them) like they are. I’ll check back in a while once the sting has worn off.
brian
hate to leave ksfo but without Vic and no Rush, his replacement and Melanie are not good substitutes,you have lost the charisma of the show – adios
Guess who else didn’t “get it”? OV!
It was schtick, it was bullschtick. Your listeners were disgusted by it, and they are turning their dials in droves due to the shrill blather that you and Diva have provided this week.
I said MY ratings are doing great… and now will be even greater.
Suss,
Coming back from a two week vacation on Tuesday and hearing all the news was a shock!!
I was very, very, sorry to hear that OV was shown the door. I understand these things happen in business but it sucks just the same.
While I enjoy you comments and views I was also bummed to hear the Melanie M was back. I salute her patriotism but I quickly tire of hearing from her all of the things that she has done, is doing and will do. She spends way too much time on Melanie Morgan and not enough time on what is going on in the world. I will miss not having to change my radio station……………….
Of course you will be back Betty…
See you again really soon, Marvin.
If Marvin and Betty do come back, Melanie and Brian will probably still be blathering about diets—that went on FOREVER this morning. Unbearable.
Thank the good lord for satellite radio.
” Rush’s slot on 910 will bankrupt them. Watch.”
Brian, are you telling us that Rush is now unmarketable? No station can have him without bankrupting themselves? Can we expect to see stations across the country dropping Rush? Are his ratings suddenly down? Is he no longer appealing to key demos? I’d love to know how suddenly no station can have Rush’s show on without going bankrupt. I understand this is a business but it seems KSFO has decided to go the KRON route…become a small player with 2nd and 3rd tier programming. You settle for smaller ratings and lower earnings but it’s cost efficient and ends up being more profitable in the long term.
And while I understand that this is a business decision, as a marketing professional I have to say that the communication was horribly botched by KSFO. Dropping the bomb on people the day of the change and trying sell it to listeners as if it was a wonderful, exciting change was insulting. Like two parents trying to tell their kids that getting a divorce and remarrying is great because now they’ll have two mommies and daddies. As a cowboy will tell you, don’t on my boots and tell me it’s raining.
Conservative talk radio has a very familial aspect to it but that becomes a two edged sword when listeners feel they are getting hosed. Live by the familial aspects of talk radio…and die by them.
Thankyou Betsy in Antioch, I am just saying it as I see it. I really enjoyed Brian and OV, as I did Lee Rogers and OV. I never saw this coming until Katie Green showed up, that’s when I started getting very worried about OV’s future. I am in the construction field and I don’t trust anything that has to do w/corporate, they are a bunch of back stabbing, dod eat dog bastards. My advice is go to 650am from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm and listen to Michael Savage, he is the only one that speaks the unvarnished truth, example: go to google and type in “Obama Orders Media Blackout”. Then tell me what really happened to the BP oil rig. Savage was the only one to talk about this. Why did Goldman-Sachs sell off 57 percent of their shares in BP 3 days prior to the exsplosion of the oil rig, this I heard from Savage. N. Korea did it and Obama knew it was going to happen
Suss, READ YOUR EMAILS, BRING OV Back or follow in his footsteps
Back from vacation today and no more than 30 sec into the Morning Show an cacophonous, grating sound eminating from the radio made me realize my Christmas wishes had been answered!
Thank you for letting OV go and replacing him with Melanie Morgan. Now I can sleep in and no longer fear finding myself laughing out loud before 6am in the morning. No more distractions from work betw 7-9am as I pause to take in one of OV’s razor sharp puns or another classic ad libbed jingle. My productivity is sure to skyrocket.
OV carried you when you were getting your sea legs after taking over for Lee Rogers. You two developed a uniquely entertaining repartee that I believe surpassed even the Rogers/OV duo (Rogers could be too petulant for my taste at times).
I couldn’t stand MM’s babbling incoherence before and no longer have the patience for it now.
I’d sooner listen to fingernails on a chalkboard.
It really is an insult to the listeners.
Cumulus’ mgmt obviously never listened to your show. Nor, apparently, do they have any competence for valuing the synergy of a well-balanced team. The sum really was greater than its parts.
Alas, all good things must come to an end.
Brian, Good luck to you. Unfortunately, I’m done.
N.B.: But really, couldn’t KSFO take up a micro-payment collection from your listeners? We each ante $1 and we could buy her SILENCE…
No, I’m saying that his program (which I love) doesn’t garner the 25-54 year old audience that advertisers want.
KNEW paid a ton of money for Rush, and they won’t make it back in ad revenue.
I’m a business guy in my other life. It’s a bottom line issue.
That’s all.
Brian,
You were a breath of fresh air in the morning. I loved your show and the changes you brought to the morning format. Adding the insufferable, self proclaimd diva Melanie Morgan to the show with the awkward ‘America’s Morning News’ format just doesn’t work for me. JD Hayworth could not replace progressive John McCain in conservative Arizona. Why would you ever think JD could replace Rush? I am sad to say I will not be listening to KSFO anymore. I need my daily fix of Rush.
Obviously you didn’t really read my open letter, Doreen.
I’m sure we’ll see you back in the morning really soon.
As for Rush, most people will be checking out JD during the commercial breaks.
Best regards,
Suss