As a former Radio professional, including a couple of years on the air, I am disheartened every time I read or hear a story about the loss of another news station. While the Radio companies are correct that all-news stations are more expensive to operate, they are forgetting their mission to serve their local community. On a personal note, I stopped listening to KOGO several months ago when they dropped their morning news anchor team. And I think the new talk host they brought in to replace the morning news team sounds -- both literally and figuratively -- abyssmal! I do listen to KPBS, but their news product is too agenda-driven. How pathetic it is that I have to turn to a great Los Angeles station, 1070 KNX, for continuous news coverage. KNX even has a fulltime San Diego correspondent! Shame on KOGO and Clear Channel.

Posted by Robert E. Lee | reply to this comment
February 8, 2008 6:34 pm

This is a sad day for San Diegans! KOGO and KSDO before it were news sources you could count on throughout the day and early evening hours. The U/T is in shambles. Now KOGO is gone too.

Posted by RD | reply to this comment
February 8, 2008 6:45 pm

RD...you osaid it! San Diego is in shambles! The UT did a story on the airport today. Supposedly Peace is considering a run for mayor. Just what we would need is a John Moore's buddy as our Mayor...things never surprise me in this town. Moores divorce after 44 years....he'll probably follow France's president and marry some model. TV and Radio owners don't want news or independent voices cause it will ruin the kingdom for its masters that think bigger is better. Bull! San Diego is lossing it's charm as fast as it's cutting down our old beautiful trees. Craziness to put a huge airport in the middle of our city. Noise, traffic, pollution, thanks city leaders you're doing a heck of a job ...if you call this progress we are doomed!

Posted by Norman | reply to this comment
February 9, 2008 8:16 am

AM radio is a dying format. It should be relagated to novelty broadcasts and pirate radio.

Posted by Poppa | reply to this comment
February 9, 2008 12:50 pm

After KLSD went to sports, I went to either KPBS or 1070 AM in LA...with the exception of 1700 AM when Stacy Taylor is on at 3PM. News is what I want, and I go where it is.

Posted by BAJ | reply to this comment
February 9, 2008 4:12 pm

Sad, sad day for San Diego. I feel for Wade Douglas... a worthy news man. Look at the start of the fall of the UT and you can see why. The VOS needs to clean up its act as well. Late and slow postings, news a day behind and a lack of HONEST, IN-DEPTH investigating of the issues. Stop relying on the garbage printed in the UT and do your own investigating. Stop taking as fact the crap Aguirre puts out and ask questions when Sainz says ANYTHING. He would not know the truth if it slapped him up side his head. He is ALL about spin. Wake up VOS and San Diego. You get what you pay for in this City. Starts with your elected officials all the way down to your part time clerk.

Posted by Sparky | reply to this comment
February 9, 2008 4:21 pm

If Clear Channel's mission is to serve the public, and talk-shows are less expensive, why did they previouly axe another talk-show station, KLSD AM1360, the San Diego Air America station, a few months ago. They claimed it was for financial reasons (i.e., not political reasons -- RIIIGHT!). They replaced the only progressive-oriented Air America talk shows in San Diego with low-rate "all sports" talk shows, of which we already had several that are better than the new ones on KLSD. Fortunately, we can occasionaly find progressive talk on AM540 and AM1700. Stacy Taylor, former KLSD progressive, is now on AM1700 from 3-6 PM. Unfortunately, some of us can only get reception on AM1700 on our car radios.

Posted by John | reply to this comment
February 9, 2008 9:13 pm

In keeping with CC policy, just fire the people who can read.

Posted by SDRadio Chris | reply to this comment
February 9, 2008 10:39 pm

The revolution will not only not be televised, it won't be aired, period. I must say, though, I'm not surprised at this sad event. The media is owned by a handful of corporations with more rights than people, and they want nothing but money and power and to keep us in endless wars. KOGO is good for one thing, and that is Coast To Coast, where science "reporters" often beat NASA to the punch. Listen while you can, as they will also probably get the ax. Can't have the peasants informed or they might revolt! When the dictator declares martial law, I guess we'll learn about it on the internet.

Posted by Kathleen | reply to this comment
February 10, 2008 12:37 am

Hmmm...Toilet paper isn't selling so well during the news segments...Hmmm...Ex isn't selling well either...Hmmm...what can we do, we're losing our advertisers, we're losing ad revenue...Hey let's cut the news! Wait, Charmin says we have to call Rush, Exlax says we have to call Coulter -- they spew, they sell they really know how to make the bottom line swell!

Posted by Christopher Hall | reply to this comment
February 10, 2008 8:33 am

My suggestion is to flood KOGO with angry E-Mails and phone calls. Believe me I work in the business and Market Managers hate tons of negative publicity. Very bad move. Wade Douglas is a very impressive radio news reporter and anchor. He goes back to the heyday of KCBQ-AM in the late 60's & early 70's. At KSDO he was an integral part of the last real radio newsroom in San Diego. He along with Marilyn Hider (another former KSDO news-anchor/reporter helped give KOGO credibility as a news station in spite of Clear Channel's slashing of the department. By the way, the U/T bashing is all too easy and really has nothing to do with the radio market. Some of you need to stay on topic.

Posted by Mike Raymond | reply to this comment
February 10, 2008 5:59 pm

I am amazed. In Wash DC news station WTOP has expanded it's all news format to two AM stations, one FM station and the whole broadcast streamed online. Guess SD is still small-time.

Posted by eric | reply to this comment
February 11, 2008 7:39 am

KOGO hasn't been on my preset for years. Their lineup of loudmouths, hypocrites, and racists just isn't appealing.

Posted by Larry | reply to this comment
February 11, 2008 7:42 am

Remember how KOGO was on-point during the fires in '03 and '07? They really shined then, but as both events burned out, the hegemony of Hedgecock, et al,. came back to spin the story and do business as usual--and many switched them off, never to return until the next disaster. The lesson they should have learned is that news DOES matter, though the product has to be vibrant, alive and close to the public it serves. That it isn't is evident by the few commenting here; we're the only ones who'll care if the radio newsies go away. But someone has to answer the question---''Who needs news when you have Hedgecock and his fellow sirens? Doesn't he always tell you all you need to know?'' Betcha Clear Channel thinks so, and they're banking on convincing the public of that, too. It's like Joe Goebbels never died.

Posted by JR | reply to this comment
February 11, 2008 10:10 am

Great, now KOGO can now take advantage of the airtime previously devoted to news to spew their right-wing venom. Unfortunately, the Conservatives are quickly loosing favor and it should only be about 9-12 months before another format change relegates the current batch of Republican Party mouthpieces to the midnight hour - that is, unless Hillary wins the nomination, in which case there will probably be a few more right-leaning stations that come on line to beat up the Clintons/Dems. Sad, but true...

Posted by Oh boy... | reply to this comment
February 11, 2008 10:42 am

The most recent cuts at CC SD shouldn't have surprised anyone. KLSD, as "Progressive" had just a couple of people on the payroll. KLSD as "Xtra Sports" has many more. In this economy, it's impossible to believe that expense increases would be happening, but resources being allocated from station "A" (KOGO) to station "B" (KLSD) so they can be the FOURTH sports station in the market is a little questionable. Unfortunately, Wade and Marilyn are the latest casualties (along with some others). The local CC people are trying to make do with what they have -when it's really not their fault the expenses are down. Most of the CC cuts nationwide have been "veterans" (i.e. well-paid) and the bucks have been either put to the bottom line or spread to hire newer people. It's a BUSINESS y'all.

Posted by SDMason | reply to this comment
February 11, 2008 11:21 am

WHERE IS ERNIE MYERS WHEN YOU NEED HIM?

Posted by Doc | reply to this comment
February 11, 2008 12:51 pm

To "eric": WTOP in D.C. is owned by a different company, not Clear Channel. The company that owns and operates WTOP holds much truer to serving the needs of the local communities in which it has stations, unlike Clear Channel. And to "SDMason": KLSD/"Xtra Sports 1360" does NOT cost a lot to operate, because much of its programming is "piped in" from the Clear Channel sports station in Los Angeles, 570 AM. For the most part, KLSD now serves simply as a simulcast outlet for the L.A. station, with small amounts of locally-originated programming.

Posted by Robert E. Lee | reply to this comment
February 11, 2008 2:29 pm

Where are the 4 sports stations in SD? there is 1090, 800 and 1360, can't think of another one. Alse, 1360 or KLSD is not just a simulcast outlet. From 5 in the morning until 7 at night, it is local programing on Mon-Fri. Actually, it is just as good and better in some cases than 1090. 1360 in its prior liberal format was a loser. I know that I wouldn't listen to that format. Most people like the conservative formats because they are more fun to listen to. KLSD was always negative with never any new ideas, only bashing of Bush and conservatives, The only survivor in SD is Stacy Taylor, who could be a liberal or could be a conservative, depending on who signs his check.

Posted by BAN | reply to this comment
February 12, 2008 4:52 pm

Stacy Taylor is as phony as they come. he is the great liberal now but just a few years ago, he had a lot more conservative show and even filled in for Dennis Prager. Do you think that Prager would have hired him as a fill in is Stacy was a liberal? Not a chance.

Posted by BAN | reply to this comment
February 12, 2008 5:01 pm

Hey Ban: What do you do for a living? Okay, so you sell software for instance. Suddenly there are only 2-3 companies to work for, what do you do pal? Stacy is a survivor. I've worked on some projects with national talk hosts (conservative) if you really knew these guys you would realize that many are truly "phony" according to your rules. Its always easy for some guy like you to stand outside and urinate into the tent. You wouldn't survive in the business in any aspect with your attitude.

Posted by ArbitronRated | reply to this comment
February 12, 2008 7:31 pm

What's amazing to me is that AM radio still exists! I only have one radio that gets a clear signal and that's in my car. So I only listen on the way home for work to get the traffic and news updates. But there are plenty of other ways to get news without AM radio. Why is it PBS is the only FM station for "news"? Why the distinction?

Posted by Ann | reply to this comment
February 12, 2008 9:45 pm

The only station I "try" to listen to is KPBS. And since they have gone to almost full time begging, I listen less and less all the time. My favorite station for news in the BBC on my XM radio. It is only a matter of time until KPBS is gone, or has switched to 22 hours of classical music. This has happened to so many NPR stations around the US.

Posted by Hillcrester | reply to this comment
February 13, 2008 6:11 am

I'm a news junky. When KOGO switched a.m. drive-time format from news to Chip, I switched my car radio to KNX1070. Not that I care about traffic on the Newhall Pass, but I need my news fix on my drive to work.

Posted by Freebie | reply to this comment
February 13, 2008 6:40 am

So, Arbitron, you think because Stacy couldn't get a job on conservative radio, it is ok for him to be a liberal now and always be negative toward anything that is not liberal. never a positive thought or positive words from his mouth. I guess we can determine that is ok to be a phony and not have any personal integrity as long as you get a pay check. I would like to know what you do so I don't do any business with an unethical person like you.

Posted by BAN | reply to this comment
February 13, 2008 8:45 am

Talk radio, left or right, is rarely about informing or being accountable for what is said. The hosts seldom offer solutions; they just rale against their targets and keep people inflamed into name-calling and setting up "straw man" arguments. I've heard more than one talk show host say that informing people isn't their responsibility. Their job is to keep people listening so their sponsors will keep paying confiscatory fees. Even when I agree with them I'm careful about taking what they say too seriously. Do as much fact-checking as you can! We're digressing aren't we?

Posted by Captain T | reply to this comment
February 13, 2008 5:30 pm

It is sad that the news of today is centered all day, every top of hour, and almost all talk, on the stupid congressional investigation into baseball and steroids. So what? Russia is buzzing the Nimitz, geopolitical and economic events are of enormous importance to our future, but most newscasts are fluff and entertainment, distracting the masses with garbage. So what about Britney and baseball. KOGO has a problem of repeating the news every hour. The former KSDO 1130, in the 80's and 90's, I think had the best news coverage for San Diego. The old KFMB 76 did a great job in the 70/80/90's. I still tune KNX for breaking news, sometimes they do even a better job at breaking San Diego news than KOGO.

Posted by Darren | reply to this comment
February 13, 2008 8:47 pm

Ban-You're very naive. It's entertainment pal. I'm not suggesting that this is a bad or good thing-but it's reality. My point is talk radio is an art. Michael Savage was famous for pitching his talents to a Bay Area radio station 15 years ago with the pitch "I can go right or left..just tell me what you want". For anyone to believe that hosts effect social or political change you are sadly mistaken. It's showbiz. Ban you are the perfect sucker who buys all this stuff, hook line & sinker. I have been responsible for some shows you likely love. Don't be so hard on Stacy, he is a fine talent.

Posted by Arbitron Rated | reply to this comment
February 13, 2008 9:00 pm

Things to keep in mind: 1. Radio stations are businesses, even if they have more lofty pretenses...like KPBS. 2. Businesses are profit-making organizations, with or without shareholders. 3. Business activities that are not profitable are abandoned...unless they are supported by government funds. 4. If you want something from the airwaves that is not being supplied, you must pay for it; e.g., classical music stations or jazz or, especially, unfiltered news. 5. It was always like this but previously advertisers were willing to pay for news segments; advertisers no longer see the economic sense in subsidizing news.

Posted by josil | reply to this comment
February 13, 2008 10:11 pm

Thank you, Josil; you're right about the business community shaping the media. What shapes the biz commies is a standard, MBA-inspired concept that urges buying into largest media only, in the biggest rating only. What this does is kill off everything else and leaves the lowest common denominator of media alive. This means news, alternative, grass roots and local specialty media croak and only the McD's of network madness grow and prosper. Funny, that so many people think that's a good thing...

Posted by JR | reply to this comment
February 14, 2008 9:35 am

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