That is unfortunate, but not too surprising.
Back when I was working in the Bay Area, I had KGO on in my office all day long. Ron Owens, Len Tillem, and Jim Eason were among my favorites. I also looked forward to Paul Harvey twice a day. I really enjoyed Pete Wilson, and his death truly bothered me. Duane Garrett had his demons, but he understood California politics better than anyone else. He was also the only nighttime host I could tolerate.
Since retiring, I haven’t felt the need to be talked to by anyone on the radio. I have my favorite SiriusXM stations, and if the DJ has talked for over 15 seconds, I’m changing the station.
TN guyOctober 6, 2022 - 5:45 PM - 5:45 PM
Have you noticed that “Magic Matt” on the 70s channel is CONSTANTLY TALKING OVER THE MUSIC with his dumb stories and attempted comedy?
Cant stand it. I pay for Sirius so i dont have to listen to wannabe comedians who couldnt make it.
SOctober 6, 2022 - 2:40 PM - 2:40 PM
a new era on monday???????
We could use a classic country station….
kgo not my cup of tea since Ray Taliaferro left
Hope JohnsonOctober 6, 2022 - 3:16 PM - 3:16 PM
Heard it will be sports-oriented, somehow leaning toward sports betting.
RicardohOctober 6, 2022 - 3:04 PM - 3:04 PM
No one on that station was worth listening to. Long time ago they were the only game in town and a few who I can’t even remember were OK. They won’t be missed by me.
So they were not your cup of teas, but many including liked KGO, especially John Rothmann and Pat Thurston, also enjoyed Mark Thompson, Niki’s morning show not so much. Found John Batchelor at night informative although conservative, didn’t rant and rave and had some really good interesting shows, especially when he talked history from the past. If you like conservative radio there are enough stations in this area to listen to KSFO, 860 I believe is still conservative and there are 2 Sacramento stations that are conservative, although I do like Tom Sullivan at times, he does not rant and rave, are polite to callers and tolerate callers from people he disagrees with.
Just who is going to listen to that, but then I’m not a sports fan, but to think that those of us who listened to Rothmann and Pat Thurston will certainly not turn into to sports betting, give me a break
FredOctober 6, 2022 - 3:39 PM - 3:39 PM
If you need more proof that corporate controlled radio has been a disaster, well that happened 10 years ago when they got rid of local djs. Rumor is it’s going to be sports talk and betting.
DJOctober 6, 2022 - 4:04 PM - 4:04 PM
On Monday, KGO Radio will re-launch with a new format focused on sports talk and related programming, a person familiar with the change told “The Desk. “The shows will incorporate aspects of sports betting as a central theme; some syndicated sports analysis shows are also expected to be on the schedule, the source said.
video killed the radio
Internet killed the radio star.
CellophaneOctober 6, 2022 - 4:19 PM - 4:19 PM
Sports betting?
What a waste of a 50K watt clear channel radio station.
The becon of the west, now a sports junky gambling station.
Captain BebopsOctober 7, 2022 - 9:16 AM - 9:16 AM
Indeed Internet killed the radio star. Old formats no longer work on AM or FM radio. Stations like KGO were slow to figure out the new media. They were competing against a younger and more interesting crowd doing podcasts and vblogs.
KGO also had a north-south signal path which didn’t go that far inland to compete with the blowtorches (a radio industry slang for high power stations) further inland.
He was merely conducting extremely detailed research. It takes a lot of terabytes to make sure he had a handle on pedophilia. 🫣
CellophaneOctober 6, 2022 - 4:10 PM - 4:10 PM
I used to love KGO radio.
When I lived in Colorado I could sometimes pick it up late at night.
Or when traveling by car on the northern plains.
When I moved to San Francisco it was my go to station until the format changed.
I have’t listened since. I surely do miss the classic KGO.
I’ll check out the new KGO. Nothing can replace the old News Talk 81.
DawgOctober 6, 2022 - 4:37 PM - 4:37 PM
I haven’t listened to KGO in years. Ronn Owens, Pete Wilson and Jim Eason were the best. I also liked to listed to Dr. Dean Edell. It was sad when Pete Wilson died, and the day before he went in for surgery he was talking about how worried he was, and was afraid of dying in surgery.
Although Ray Taliaferro was extremely liberal, and I found it difficult to listen to him because he would cut off anybody that argued with him, I was shocked and saddened to hear of his death. He died in the woods in Paducah Kentucky. What I found sad was that he was dead for about a month before his body was found.
I couldn’t tolerate listening to Ray Taliaferro, but what happened to him was awful. Dementia takes out way too many intelligent people and being lost in the woods must have been terribly confusing and scary for him.
DorothyOctober 6, 2022 - 5:06 PM - 5:06 PM
This is only the burial, it died some time ago.
Mr. SmithOctober 6, 2022 - 5:14 PM - 5:14 PM
Dr. Bill was the best, I also liked Pete Wilson he would argue either side of the subject with valid points. The rest of them I had no use for.
Loved Dr. Bill. Lots of memories listening to him growing up with my brother. I once called in and he and his listeners helped me with a college paper. Crazy hour!
Captain BebopsOctober 6, 2022 - 6:12 PM - 6:12 PM
Late night in the 1970s in the Pacific Northwest driving home after an evening of playing music for drunks I often listened to the “blowtorch” KGO. Ira Blue had a way of making the Bay Area small town and community like rather than a sprawling metropolis.
ReasonableOctober 6, 2022 - 6:17 PM - 6:17 PM
I tend to go to coast to coast am for some interesting. On some various channels. Not heady stuff. Just plain alien info many days.
RipleyOctober 6, 2022 - 6:50 PM - 6:50 PM
Sadly it was gone a long while ago but in its hay day I was young kid and hearing those familiar voices in the background always brought a peaceful comfort. It was the only station my parents, grandparents and even my inlaws who I first met in my teen years seemed to have on constantly.Hearing Pete Wilson, Ron Owens, Jim Eason and the greatest voice of my childhood, Paul Harvey are ingrained in me.
Always sad when parts of our lives become only memories, it’s like a part of my life passed away
Paul BarnesOctober 6, 2022 - 7:36 PM - 7:36 PM
A hyper-liberal 50,000 watt station had worse ratings than its sister station, 5000 watt KSFO…No one wants to listen to that liberal garbage, so it went bye bye….
PO'dOctober 7, 2022 - 9:51 AM - 9:51 AM
Yeah, liberal talk radio is a non-starter. If you can’t make it work here, it won’t fly anywhere (except possibly in New York).
Yes, it’s all about ratings. Period.
Kentucky DerbyOctober 6, 2022 - 9:08 PM - 9:08 PM
I don’t listen to anything but good music on the radio. It’s more relaxing and enjoyable.
I used to listen to KGO all of the time and I especially enjoyed Dr. Bill and Duane Garrett. I’m surprised that an ultra-liberal talk radio station can’t make it in this area, while KSFO is going string. I would sometimes listen to KGO for a few minutes to see what “the other side” was saying. After a very few minutes I would start yelling at the idiotic nonsense being discussed and go back to KSFO or to KCBS if I need a traffic or news update. I won’t miss what KGO became at all. What I miss most on the radio though is Rush.
If you liked rush no wonder you didn’t care for KGO, but many like to listen to Pat, John and Mark Thompson. They way youd describe your reaction to liberal talk, is the way many of us feel about conservative talk radio, which is why there should be a choice, so everyone can decide what the like best. I don’t think KGO failed because it was liberal, they failed because they didn’t spend the money to promote the station, and they kept changing format instead of staying with the tried and true when they took over KGO.
redrazorOctober 7, 2022 - 12:29 PM - 12:29 PM
I miss Rush soooo much! What a great broadcaster, and what a great American he was!
ClayDenOctober 7, 2022 - 1:35 PM - 1:35 PM
Hanne,
Your comment reminds me of the story about the guy who was showing his new Democrat puppies to his friend. A couple of weeks later, his friend was over again and he showed him his new Republican puppies. His friend said he thought they were Democrat puppies. The response was that they were Democrat puppies, but now their eyes are open.
I was a liberal Democrat a long time ago when I was in college, but when I grew up and saw how the world actually worked, I became a conservative Republican. My Mom was a lifelong Democrat until a few years ago when I convinced her to look at more than the “main stream media” and she is now a conservative Republican. Look at how Biden is destroying the country and you will see what I mean. Open borders, increased crime, going from a net exporter to begging the Saudis to increase oil production, bowing to China and letting them provide Fentanyl to the cartels who are getting it through our open borders which is resulting in over 100,000 deaths per year, letting Iran gain nuclear capability………… This evil man and the Democrat controlled Congress MUST be stopped.
To Do ListOctober 7, 2022 - 2:16 PM - 2:16 PM
ClayDen: I think there is more to that process. The Democratic Party has also been shifting so far to the left that even well known Democrat politicians of that time would now be considered republicans. In the 1970s no Democrats would have supported Biden withholding funds for school lunches unless the school adopts transgender policies.
chuckie the trollOctober 7, 2022 - 6:57 AM - 6:57 AM
My favorite memory of KGO was the week Rush Limbaugh was a guest host, before he went National. Nearly caused an earthquake.
hanne jeppesenOctober 8, 2022 - 10:45 AM - 10:45 AM
Clayden, You missed my point, you trying to convince me that democrats are always wrong and republicans right, but my point about KGO was/is there should be a diversity of opinions on the radio so people can choose. Just because KGO goes away does not mean I all of sudden will listen to Mark Levin or Sean Hannity, most likely I will turn to NPR or music, and KCBS for news and traffic. I do often listen to Tom Sullivan (1530 am Sacramento)his show was opposite of Pat Thurstons show, so depending on her subject at times I preferred Tom Sullivan.
WC---CreekerOctober 7, 2022 - 7:43 AM - 7:43 AM
All they seemed to talk about was Jan 6th and Trump documents. So many other important things to discuss. I quit listening. It’s a business people, if your not making money selling apples, you switch to something that you hope will make you money. Sports betting is lucrative.
PO'dOctober 7, 2022 - 9:53 AM - 9:53 AM
All the more reason to kill prop 27.
hanne jeppesenOctober 7, 2022 - 10:19 AM - 10:19 AM
Although Jan. 6th and Trump was often talked about it was not all they different hosts talked about. Pat Thurston talked a lot about PG&E, the homeless, many other subjects. John Rothmann talked mostly politics, but also discussed global warming and several local issues. I think people hear what they want to hear. I for one will not turn into sports betting, and I doubt any who listened to John, Pat and Mark will turn in to the new KGO.
Wesley MouchOctober 7, 2022 - 12:28 PM - 12:28 PM
Unrestrained sports betting won’t end well. (Gambler’s Anonymous is going to be busy.)
Gee, I wonder if there are any former KSFO hosts who could back up my assertion? Some of you will know who I’m talking about.
RobOctober 7, 2022 - 8:56 AM - 8:56 AM
I haven’t listened to KGO since they dropped the original format long ago.
Just a reminder – no matter how successful or big you are now – it could all vanish…
TtdOctober 7, 2022 - 9:22 AM - 9:22 AM
I would listen to the station daily-not sure why, because the hosts were the worst. I did like Kim – she was very fair, balanced and had an even tone. The rest thought they were all that and more. That being said, I do feel bad for the hosts if they were blindsided by the firing.
miguelOctober 7, 2022 - 9:27 AM - 9:27 AM
not a listener (past or present), I just remember the old commercials: ‘kaaaaay geeeee ohhhhh… NEWSTALKRADIO eightyone!”
whateverOctober 7, 2022 - 2:50 PM - 2:50 PM
and yet another example; go woke, go broke.
Eventually, the lefties eat their own as they climb over each other to get further and further left.
Barbie DahlOctober 7, 2022 - 9:18 PM - 9:18 PM
I’m glad they got rid of Uncle Pervy, I mean Bernie Ward, the pedophile.
JessicaOctober 7, 2022 - 11:05 PM - 11:05 PM
All the comments in LOVE with this propoganda sinkhole. Not surprised so many people are reminiscing — we are on Claycord after all…
joseOctober 8, 2022 - 5:07 AM - 5:07 AM
I listened to am radio for nearly 30 yrs while working and living in CoCo County.
I worked indoors and at night so the KGO output was always the best. Ray T not so much. Even could tune into KGO while on a cruise in Alaska or visiting my brother in Oregon, but only during the night or early morning hours.
Around 9 am I would switch to KSFO just before going home to listen to Melanie Morgan and Lee Rogers.
Another station in the day was the Frank & Mike show of KCBS…….those guys were funny.
But the best show and most informative was Rush.
RedOctober 8, 2022 - 9:40 AM - 9:40 AM
Stopped listening as it went way left not honest, same with Contra Costa Times!
Dr. JellyfingerOctober 8, 2022 - 9:54 AM - 9:54 AM
52 comments
They lost me when they dumped Tillem.
He was a LAWYAH
I loved Tillem too….he died a couple of years ago.
That is unfortunate, but not too surprising.
Back when I was working in the Bay Area, I had KGO on in my office all day long. Ron Owens, Len Tillem, and Jim Eason were among my favorites. I also looked forward to Paul Harvey twice a day. I really enjoyed Pete Wilson, and his death truly bothered me. Duane Garrett had his demons, but he understood California politics better than anyone else. He was also the only nighttime host I could tolerate.
Since retiring, I haven’t felt the need to be talked to by anyone on the radio. I have my favorite SiriusXM stations, and if the DJ has talked for over 15 seconds, I’m changing the station.
Have you noticed that “Magic Matt” on the 70s channel is CONSTANTLY TALKING OVER THE MUSIC with his dumb stories and attempted comedy?
Cant stand it. I pay for Sirius so i dont have to listen to wannabe comedians who couldnt make it.
a new era on monday???????
We could use a classic country station….
kgo not my cup of tea since Ray Taliaferro left
Heard it will be sports-oriented, somehow leaning toward sports betting.
No one on that station was worth listening to. Long time ago they were the only game in town and a few who I can’t even remember were OK. They won’t be missed by me.
So they were not your cup of teas, but many including liked KGO, especially John Rothmann and Pat Thurston, also enjoyed Mark Thompson, Niki’s morning show not so much. Found John Batchelor at night informative although conservative, didn’t rant and rave and had some really good interesting shows, especially when he talked history from the past. If you like conservative radio there are enough stations in this area to listen to KSFO, 860 I believe is still conservative and there are 2 Sacramento stations that are conservative, although I do like Tom Sullivan at times, he does not rant and rave, are polite to callers and tolerate callers from people he disagrees with.
all sports betting station…wth
Just who is going to listen to that, but then I’m not a sports fan, but to think that those of us who listened to Rothmann and Pat Thurston will certainly not turn into to sports betting, give me a break
If you need more proof that corporate controlled radio has been a disaster, well that happened 10 years ago when they got rid of local djs. Rumor is it’s going to be sports talk and betting.
On Monday, KGO Radio will re-launch with a new format focused on sports talk and related programming, a person familiar with the change told “The Desk. “The shows will incorporate aspects of sports betting as a central theme; some syndicated sports analysis shows are also expected to be on the schedule, the source said.
video killed the radio
Internet killed the radio star.
Sports betting?
What a waste of a 50K watt clear channel radio station.
The becon of the west, now a sports junky gambling station.
Indeed Internet killed the radio star. Old formats no longer work on AM or FM radio. Stations like KGO were slow to figure out the new media. They were competing against a younger and more interesting crowd doing podcasts and vblogs.
KGO also had a north-south signal path which didn’t go that far inland to compete with the blowtorches (a radio industry slang for high power stations) further inland.
S,
And not to forget Bernie………….
Bernie should still be in jail.
He was merely conducting extremely detailed research. It takes a lot of terabytes to make sure he had a handle on pedophilia. 🫣
I used to love KGO radio.
When I lived in Colorado I could sometimes pick it up late at night.
Or when traveling by car on the northern plains.
When I moved to San Francisco it was my go to station until the format changed.
I have’t listened since. I surely do miss the classic KGO.
I’ll check out the new KGO. Nothing can replace the old News Talk 81.
I haven’t listened to KGO in years. Ronn Owens, Pete Wilson and Jim Eason were the best. I also liked to listed to Dr. Dean Edell. It was sad when Pete Wilson died, and the day before he went in for surgery he was talking about how worried he was, and was afraid of dying in surgery.
Although Ray Taliaferro was extremely liberal, and I found it difficult to listen to him because he would cut off anybody that argued with him, I was shocked and saddened to hear of his death. He died in the woods in Paducah Kentucky. What I found sad was that he was dead for about a month before his body was found.
I couldn’t tolerate listening to Ray Taliaferro, but what happened to him was awful. Dementia takes out way too many intelligent people and being lost in the woods must have been terribly confusing and scary for him.
This is only the burial, it died some time ago.
Dr. Bill was the best, I also liked Pete Wilson he would argue either side of the subject with valid points. The rest of them I had no use for.
You are so right. The Dr. Bill Show was awesome.
Loved Dr. Bill. Lots of memories listening to him growing up with my brother. I once called in and he and his listeners helped me with a college paper. Crazy hour!
Late night in the 1970s in the Pacific Northwest driving home after an evening of playing music for drunks I often listened to the “blowtorch” KGO. Ira Blue had a way of making the Bay Area small town and community like rather than a sprawling metropolis.
I tend to go to coast to coast am for some interesting. On some various channels. Not heady stuff. Just plain alien info many days.
Sadly it was gone a long while ago but in its hay day I was young kid and hearing those familiar voices in the background always brought a peaceful comfort. It was the only station my parents, grandparents and even my inlaws who I first met in my teen years seemed to have on constantly.Hearing Pete Wilson, Ron Owens, Jim Eason and the greatest voice of my childhood, Paul Harvey are ingrained in me.
Always sad when parts of our lives become only memories, it’s like a part of my life passed away
A hyper-liberal 50,000 watt station had worse ratings than its sister station, 5000 watt KSFO…No one wants to listen to that liberal garbage, so it went bye bye….
Yeah, liberal talk radio is a non-starter. If you can’t make it work here, it won’t fly anywhere (except possibly in New York).
Yes, it’s all about ratings. Period.
I don’t listen to anything but good music on the radio. It’s more relaxing and enjoyable.
Where do you find good music on the radio?
I used to listen to KGO all of the time and I especially enjoyed Dr. Bill and Duane Garrett. I’m surprised that an ultra-liberal talk radio station can’t make it in this area, while KSFO is going string. I would sometimes listen to KGO for a few minutes to see what “the other side” was saying. After a very few minutes I would start yelling at the idiotic nonsense being discussed and go back to KSFO or to KCBS if I need a traffic or news update. I won’t miss what KGO became at all. What I miss most on the radio though is Rush.
If you liked rush no wonder you didn’t care for KGO, but many like to listen to Pat, John and Mark Thompson. They way youd describe your reaction to liberal talk, is the way many of us feel about conservative talk radio, which is why there should be a choice, so everyone can decide what the like best. I don’t think KGO failed because it was liberal, they failed because they didn’t spend the money to promote the station, and they kept changing format instead of staying with the tried and true when they took over KGO.
I miss Rush soooo much! What a great broadcaster, and what a great American he was!
Hanne,
Your comment reminds me of the story about the guy who was showing his new Democrat puppies to his friend. A couple of weeks later, his friend was over again and he showed him his new Republican puppies. His friend said he thought they were Democrat puppies. The response was that they were Democrat puppies, but now their eyes are open.
I was a liberal Democrat a long time ago when I was in college, but when I grew up and saw how the world actually worked, I became a conservative Republican. My Mom was a lifelong Democrat until a few years ago when I convinced her to look at more than the “main stream media” and she is now a conservative Republican. Look at how Biden is destroying the country and you will see what I mean. Open borders, increased crime, going from a net exporter to begging the Saudis to increase oil production, bowing to China and letting them provide Fentanyl to the cartels who are getting it through our open borders which is resulting in over 100,000 deaths per year, letting Iran gain nuclear capability………… This evil man and the Democrat controlled Congress MUST be stopped.
ClayDen: I think there is more to that process. The Democratic Party has also been shifting so far to the left that even well known Democrat politicians of that time would now be considered republicans. In the 1970s no Democrats would have supported Biden withholding funds for school lunches unless the school adopts transgender policies.
My favorite memory of KGO was the week Rush Limbaugh was a guest host, before he went National. Nearly caused an earthquake.
Clayden, You missed my point, you trying to convince me that democrats are always wrong and republicans right, but my point about KGO was/is there should be a diversity of opinions on the radio so people can choose. Just because KGO goes away does not mean I all of sudden will listen to Mark Levin or Sean Hannity, most likely I will turn to NPR or music, and KCBS for news and traffic. I do often listen to Tom Sullivan (1530 am Sacramento)his show was opposite of Pat Thurstons show, so depending on her subject at times I preferred Tom Sullivan.
All they seemed to talk about was Jan 6th and Trump documents. So many other important things to discuss. I quit listening. It’s a business people, if your not making money selling apples, you switch to something that you hope will make you money. Sports betting is lucrative.
All the more reason to kill prop 27.
Although Jan. 6th and Trump was often talked about it was not all they different hosts talked about. Pat Thurston talked a lot about PG&E, the homeless, many other subjects. John Rothmann talked mostly politics, but also discussed global warming and several local issues. I think people hear what they want to hear. I for one will not turn into sports betting, and I doubt any who listened to John, Pat and Mark will turn in to the new KGO.
Unrestrained sports betting won’t end well. (Gambler’s Anonymous is going to be busy.)
Gee, I wonder if there are any former KSFO hosts who could back up my assertion? Some of you will know who I’m talking about.
I haven’t listened to KGO since they dropped the original format long ago.
Just a reminder – no matter how successful or big you are now – it could all vanish…
I would listen to the station daily-not sure why, because the hosts were the worst. I did like Kim – she was very fair, balanced and had an even tone. The rest thought they were all that and more. That being said, I do feel bad for the hosts if they were blindsided by the firing.
not a listener (past or present), I just remember the old commercials: ‘kaaaaay geeeee ohhhhh… NEWSTALKRADIO eightyone!”
and yet another example; go woke, go broke.
Eventually, the lefties eat their own as they climb over each other to get further and further left.
I’m glad they got rid of Uncle Pervy, I mean Bernie Ward, the pedophile.
All the comments in LOVE with this propoganda sinkhole. Not surprised so many people are reminiscing — we are on Claycord after all…
I listened to am radio for nearly 30 yrs while working and living in CoCo County.
I worked indoors and at night so the KGO output was always the best. Ray T not so much. Even could tune into KGO while on a cruise in Alaska or visiting my brother in Oregon, but only during the night or early morning hours.
Around 9 am I would switch to KSFO just before going home to listen to Melanie Morgan and Lee Rogers.
Another station in the day was the Frank & Mike show of KCBS…….those guys were funny.
But the best show and most informative was Rush.
Stopped listening as it went way left not honest, same with Contra Costa Times!
Me too Red, but that was a long,long time ago.
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