Entercom CEO David Field's trip to Seattle yesterday was to say goodbye.
Entercom announced today the signing of an agreement exchanging four stations in Cincinnati, OH and three of its seven radio stations in Seattle for three FM radio stations in San Francisco owned by Bonneville International.
Talkers KIRO, KTTH, and oldies music KBSG will be acquired by the Mormon-owned company who owned KIRO before selling it to A.H.Belo Corp in 1995, who sold it to Entercom in 1997.
What's ahead for KIRO and KTTH? Stay tuned for background on Bonneville International, KIRO staffer's reactions to this big change.
Wow, maybe Jim french will come back...
Posted by: coiler | January 18, 2007 at 10:59 AM
Wow--so KIRO's back with Bonneville after lo these many years?
Posted by: lukobe | January 18, 2007 at 11:36 AM
Doesnt Bonneville own some Portland stations?
If Tom Clen-dinger goes, Dori should be very afraid..
Posted by: sparky | January 18, 2007 at 11:38 AM
Finally Entercom pulls its dick out of KIRO. Maybe we'll get a great station back! Good riddance, David Field. And take Clendenning with you! he's a real Entercom guy.
Posted by: Ann Boleyn | January 18, 2007 at 11:44 AM
this is the best news since they fired brian Maloney!
Posted by: syd | January 18, 2007 at 11:47 AM
With Bonneville in there, the good people will be saved the poor ones will go. You know who they are, they know who they are...
Posted by: Susan | January 18, 2007 at 11:50 AM
A new management team!!!!! Pleeeeeze!!!!!
Posted by: sicklecell | January 18, 2007 at 11:52 AM
They gonna make Dori wear Mormon underwear?
Posted by: drool | January 18, 2007 at 12:59 PM
Would it be any different than what he has probably been wearing during the recent cold spell?
Posted by: Duffman | January 18, 2007 at 01:21 PM
two words my eyes should never see in the same sentence..."Dori" and "Underwear".
Posted by: sparky | January 18, 2007 at 01:24 PM
Mitt Romney has no chance in Seattle, eh? :)
Posted by: lukobe | January 18, 2007 at 01:53 PM
they're going to FM- you watch! that's what bonneville is doing with news. this proves there's life after entercom.
Posted by: sicklecell | January 18, 2007 at 01:55 PM
Talk about coming full circle. Is anybody except Dave Ross still at KIRO from the earlier Bonneville ownership?
It's hard to know how much it means, but Bonneville's Washington DC operatons include WTOP, WFED and Washington Post Radio, all of which are quality news operations. WFED specializes in "news and information for and about the federal government," while Washington Post Radio does long-form interviews with reporters and columnists from the Post and other print media.
As a listener, I think this is very encouraging news.
Posted by: rev | January 18, 2007 at 01:56 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYZ4Jj5S1BM
Posted by: Tom | January 18, 2007 at 01:56 PM
I grew up listening to Bonneville Broadcasting stations.(No, I'm not LDS). They are as conservative as they can be. Their flagship station is one of Sean Hannity's biggest affiliates. They only own one talker, the one that Hannity is on.
Two points:
The LDS church's best chance of ever having one of their members elected President is the current third place choice for Republicans, Mitt Romney. This is a very big deal for them as they teach that one of their members will save the United States and its constitution. They are not going to own a large station that will spend it's entire broadcast day bashing Republicans. Not this election cycle.
Secondly from a business perspective, KTTH is ascending in the ratings, KIRO is descending. The logical choice is to move Rush over to KIRO, buy Hannity from KVI and push their candidate in one of the largest markets.
Why do think that KIRO hasn't filled any open slots for a long time? No contracts, no buyoff.
Posted by: Will down South | January 18, 2007 at 02:12 PM
hey Michael- if some hippy Unitarians owned a business, you wouldn't point it out like you did with Bonneville and the Mormons. It is not like the Church owns the company. Enough of this religion-bashing.
Posted by: sicklecell | January 18, 2007 at 02:17 PM
One reason I don't believe that will happen is that I can't imagine them wanting to lose Dave Ross; and I don't think he'd be willing to defer to 'Rush' and for this scenario to play out, Rush would have to be 'live'.
Posted by: Duffman | January 18, 2007 at 02:21 PM
Anyone hear Dori? He sounded really nervous as he talked about this. But boy did he suck up to Entercom and then started sucking up to Bonneville.
Posted by: coastmar | January 18, 2007 at 02:30 PM
Any one know if KIRO would retain the Seahawks broadcasts?
Posted by: Duffman | January 18, 2007 at 02:34 PM
Hey Sick: Vonneville International is holy owned by the Church of the Latterday Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Posted by: blathering michael | January 18, 2007 at 02:35 PM
Belo is mormon-owned too.
Most mormons tithe at least 10% of their incomes to the church, so dont rule out a significant stake in the success of businesses such as Albertson's, Belo and Bonneville.
Posted by: sparky | January 18, 2007 at 02:37 PM
Maybe you will get Glenn Beck 24/7, with a smattering of Ken Jennings.
Posted by: Liz | January 18, 2007 at 03:04 PM
Perhaps Mr. Monson and the brain trust that is Ron and Don, will share a Greyhound out of town.
Drop Dori off in Omak, and the Hardy Boys off in Pullman, and they'll all be in markets they cater to.
Well, hopefully one day soon I'll be able to leave my radio tuned to KIRO past 1:00pm.
I wish all KIRO staff well during the transition. Changes like this are difficult for everyone. Uncertainty sucks, I don't care who you are.
For listeners, it can only get better. Can it be that our long local nightmare is over?
Perhaps Bonneville will pull the iceberg out of the hull of the good ship KIRO, and make it seaworthy again, in a relatively short period of time.
Posted by: adc | January 18, 2007 at 03:12 PM
michael's right--do your research, sick :)
Posted by: lukobe | January 18, 2007 at 03:17 PM
Dori is banking on the fact that Bonneville hired him in the first place. Not so fast , wee one. I doubt that any of the executives from that era are still around, more than a decade later. You're not even a pro broadcaster after all these years- do a soundcheck of your amateurish, pubescent voice and delivery. The new Bonneville is probably interested in a slick professional product, not the homey,"regular guy" sounding hometown boy- just my hunch. Also, I was wrong about Dori's famous guote. He DID say "ALL art is crap". I thought he'd said most art is crap, but the full quote is -"with a few exceptions, ALL art is crap!". Having an art degree myself, I kow how hard it is to do realistic or abstract art that looks like anyhting anyone would want to buy. Dori couldn't create anything anyone would want to buy, i guarantee it. I noticed that a short time after he reiterated his nonsense "crap" quote today , he slyly changed it to "all art commissioned by government is crap", and went on to say it would never sell in the public marketplace. But that's not what he said originally. Which is it, you silly little dweeb- all art or government comissioned art? What an absolute dope and moron. the wee little fella DID sound a bit nervous today.
Posted by: Tommy008 | January 18, 2007 at 03:45 PM
This can't be a good thing for Mike Webb!!! :)
Posted by: XM | January 18, 2007 at 03:48 PM
The only question to ask someone with an art degree is, "How many lattes do you serve a day?"
Posted by: SimpleSimon | January 18, 2007 at 04:27 PM
Tommy008 is dead on. Bonneville has new people now. No more townie radio.
Posted by: sclub | January 18, 2007 at 04:30 PM
Buh-by Dori!
::fingers crossed::
Posted by: coochie mama | January 18, 2007 at 04:49 PM
I recall a case involving Belo, and some others in this venue may also recall it. Pretty slimy, and it involved KIRO TV:
http://www.dallasobserver.com/Issues/1997-02-06/news/feature2_full.html
Posted by: adc | January 18, 2007 at 04:54 PM
I can't wait to tune in and hear Ron Reagan's last broadcast!!
Posted by: Davis | January 18, 2007 at 04:59 PM
uhh sparky, albertsons was in bankruptcy for a while and is now being purchased mostly by save-on drugs, bonneville did hire dori and since he is more conservative than the other hosts probably has a better chance of staying, entercom also could have fired him and didnt for ten years. i wouldnt hold my breath for major changes at least where dori and ross are concerned.
Posted by: dave | January 18, 2007 at 05:01 PM
The link below is an unbiased overview of Bonneville. And yes, the Gordon Hinkley mentioned, is either the father or grandfather of the young man who tried to assassinate President Reagan. I believe Gordon was the grandfather.
Coincidentally, (and I really do mean coincidentally), Gordon Hinkley and George H.W. Bush were very close friends. This is the stuff conspiracy theories are made from.
http://www.answers.com/topic/bonneville-international-corporation
Posted by: adc | January 18, 2007 at 05:06 PM
uhh, dave, you need to go back through the archives and read about the history of Dori Monson and his good friend Tom. You should also read the posts regarding the Bonneville that was "then" and the Bonneville that is "now."
As far as Albertson's filing for bankruptcy, that has nothing to do with what I posted.
And, I dont have much interest in what happens other than that of curiosity, because I cant get KIRO here and I dont listen to it, so my breath is safe... tank you veddy much.
Posted by: sparky | January 18, 2007 at 05:10 PM
Me own speculations
Bonneville will dump Ron & Don to return to an afternoon news block.
They will aggresively go after the Mariners when the contract with KOMO is done.
If successful there they will return to a 3 hour block of sports talk & news in the evenings, hiring someone to replace Vinnie.
Joannie & Sparky will be hired to do the 10 pm - 5 am shift.
Well, except for some nightbirds no one cares what goes on then anyway. If the Fairness thing passes they can use the nightshift for those who want to equalize Dori and Dave.
Everyone else will be either gone or relegated to weekends.
Now I know many of you think Dori's ratings are in the tank and he'll also be done. But if it were true that his ratings stunk up the place do you think he would be able to negotiate a contract that gives him more time off than kids in school?
Posted by: Ryder | January 18, 2007 at 05:26 PM
SimpleSimon duhh how original. wrong, simpleton. I went to college and graduated from it to learn how to think, as well as pursue an interest. I not only learned how to think, but I learned how to work for myself, and am making a good living from my entrepreneurial business talents, which includes selling my art in more or less degrees, depending on the year. 4or 5 percent of artists make over 100,000 a year, and probably another thirty or forty percent make less than that but over 45,000. Fine arts as a career is a very streaky, fluky field, with a lot of ups and downs. Anyone who goes to college as a fine arts major thnking they'll make a college grad level fulltime income from painting , sculpting or whatever right after college straight through until they retire is not wellinformed about their business. That doesn't mean it's not worth pursueing success as an artist. People who spout simplistic cliches wouldn't appreciate most art anyway, except maybe those Thomas Kincaid "light" paintings, or Red Skelton's clown jobs. Since you kneejerked onto the board with that pathetic cheapshot, I'm assuming you're one of "Dori's dopes".
Posted by: Tommy008 | January 18, 2007 at 05:48 PM
Tommy008:
Virtual high-five!!!!!
I always say, do what you love, not what Mommy and Daddy told you to do.
Out of all the miserable wretches I've met in my life, not one has had an Art degree. Lots of engineer's, attorney's, and accountant's though!
Let them work themselves into an early grave. We'll be sure to drop their BS in Business diplomas in the casket with them....Framed of course and hung conspicuously on the coffin lid, right in front of their cold, dead eyes.
No more iced venti non-fat chai latte with TEN DAMN ICECUBES for them!
The happiest, most well-adjusted people in my life are physicians, musicians, and artists. I wouldn't trade their friendships for nuttin'.
Peace Out
Posted by: adc | January 18, 2007 at 06:12 PM
Whoo hooo..the Joanie and Sparky show..LOL
i would probably make much more money than i do now.
Ryder, I still think Dori's Excellent Adventures in Las Vegas and elsewhere are a result of his friendship with Tom C. If you remember, Dorki wrote a big "neener neener" missive to his critics when Best Buddy Tom was hired, and Tom wrote something about Dori being Prime Rib or something. ( Those of us here compared him more to a rump roast or pork butt.) Bonneville may decide to scrap the whole crew and start from scratch for all I know. They may decide to run Rush, Hannity, Glen Beck, The Mighty Wiener, etc. and hire one person to push the "play' button on the syndication computer.
But when the Favored Child no longer has his Protector around, he needs to be searching the want ads in Disc Jockey Monthly ( i hear the latest issue has a centerfold of Brian Baloney, Radio Fertilizer..) hoooya!
Posted by: sparky | January 18, 2007 at 06:13 PM
"This is a very big deal for them as they teach that one of their members will save the United States and its constitution."
They think they already did that when they paid a lot of $ to defeat the Equal Rights Amendment.
Posted by: Dana | January 18, 2007 at 06:44 PM
One programming change is almost certain: at least one of the three stations will start running the weekly "Music and the Spoken Word" program with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Other than that, and a handful of "public service" spots from the Mormon church in favor of families, we probably won't hear any hard-core missionary activity.
Posted by: rev | January 18, 2007 at 08:00 PM
Well if that is the case, they can run public service announcements for teens on what to do on a date.
Please note choices # 18, 31 and 77.
Posted by: sparky | January 18, 2007 at 08:25 PM
Did anyone catch "The Chuckler", pathetic former Bush sycophant talkradio host and present W. Bush Pressboy Tony Snow spinning the Bush cave-in on W's illegal eavesdropping. They now say that yes, they will run their spying through the FISA court after all. Snow claimed this was the result of two years of negotiations and revisions with the FISA judges. What an absolute crock. As Taliaferro pointed out last night, Bush always had the ability to start any surveillance he wished and could continue for three days before clearing it with FISA. The laws already permit this. Bush didn't want to have to clear it, because then he couldn't conduct his totally illegal spy jobs, like snooping on the Kerry Campaign or domestic peace/activist groups. Isn't it special that W and company finished their "talks" with the judges and decided to comply just in time to avoid hearings into the spying by the newly elected House and Senate.
Posted by: Tommy008 | January 18, 2007 at 09:10 PM
Interesting comments from all. Here are a few of my own, in no particular order of importance.
Point one: Like him or not, Monson's ratings are solid in midday. In fact, they're the best in the market in his time period. Monson and Ross remain a potent, powerful one-two punch 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Two: It never made any sense for KIRO to concede afternoon news to KOMO, an inspired, but second-tier news operation. If you're going to promote yourself as Seattle's news and talk leader, it's pretty damned tough to sustain that image with only a morning-drive newscast. You get back to what made you a dominant factor in the market: News. Look for Bonneville to beef it up.
* Note to Bonneville: Bring back Val Stouffer, a credible, gritty newswoman with verve, great pipes, and a crackling sharp delivery.
Third: Vinnie's gotta go. An illiterate peasant and amateurish, small-market buffoon who's much more of an embarrassment than an asset to a 50,000 watt, major-market operation. He must work cheap, which is the only explanation for keeping him on the air.
Four: The perplexing decision to put two astonishingly incompetent blowhards -- the abrasive dullards Ron and Don in P.M. drive -- speaks volumes about the level of Clendenning's incompetence. Clendenning's days are numbered(to the utter relief and undisguised pleasure of the news staff).
Speaking of whom:
Five: KIRO news staffers, producers and others are breathing a collective sigh of relief that Entercom will soon be a thing of their past.
Six: Reagan's toast. This noon-hour liberal latte will be offed and quickly. Hardly anyone will notice.
Seven: Does Bonneville have a long-term strategy in mind to buy Fisher?
Just a bunch of random thoughts.
Posted by: Bill | January 18, 2007 at 10:28 PM
I remember KIRO from Bonneville's previous ownership days. I always thought it was "milk and cookies" radio. Thus, I listened to KING.
Rush wouldn't have been their cup of tea in those days. So, who knows?
Bill, you might be right. But, I think Reagan is a good fit for them because they like "nice" as opposed to controversial. That's their sound . . . but, then again, there's Rush.
Hmm. You got me.
I think for the time being, Tom's just giving all his friends what they want. Let somebody else be the bad guy.
Oh, and Tommie, thanks. Guess my ears are still working okay. BTW, I love artists . . . I'm a wannabe myself.
BTW, Ryder, Sparky and I are ready when you are. Let's do a threesome and make a bundle of money for our retirements. What d'ya say?
Posted by: joanie | January 18, 2007 at 11:55 PM
One more thing . . . I think we all agree that Vinnie is history.
And whether he has reason to worry or not, isn't it satisfying to think that he might be a little worried? - 710DORI I mean.
Posted by: joanie | January 18, 2007 at 11:59 PM
I've watched this board for some time - and Bill's comment is one of the most informed I've seen here. I can't believe the amount of ignorance on this board.
I don't work at KIRO - I'm at a competing music station - but I love talk radio. I also have access to ratings and I can tell you that Dori has had the highest rated talk show in the market for most of the past eight years. Yes - even beating Dave Ross.
I don't know him personally - but I can also tell you that my friends at Entercom say he's considered one of the hardest working people at KIRO. An example would be flying back from Chicago Monday morning and going straight from the airport to the studio to do his show. I'm told he's routinely at the station at least five hours before his show.
Why do you think he does so many commercials? The sales department and advertisers love him because nobody in Seattle delivers results like Dori. He's probably one of the most secure radio people in the country.
I don't know why I feel the need to defend the guy - except to say that the amount of hate on this board towards someone who's been a market leader for over a decade borders on the psychopathic by some of the posters here. I respect the industry - it's obvious most of you have no clue about this business.
Voice of reason... out!
Posted by: InsideInfo | January 19, 2007 at 12:31 AM
Our opinions are not decided by the bottom line. Women's mud wresting and Bill O'Reilly are also profitable entities. If you have respect only for the bottom line - which I guess a business has to have - 710DORI is fine.
But, I don't have to listen to him. I don't have to like him. And I have every right to disrespect him for encouraging intolerance, selfishness and hypocrisy. That has nothing to do with my or anyone else's knowledge of talk radio. It has to do with our integrity and willingness to call him out for what he is. An intolerant, hateful and selfish hypocrite.
Easy to appeal to the worst in people . . . nothing bonds like negativity. That's 710DORI. And that's why he is successful.
Apparently you think someone who is a market leader has to be admired regardless of the smell they emit. Well, I don't. It is a matter of integrity, isn't it.
Posted by: joanie | January 19, 2007 at 12:45 AM
Joanie,
Please give an example of his "intolerance, selfishness and hypocracy". And please don't start with the tired old liberal line that anyone who believes in smaller government and less taxes is "selfish".
I live near his community - I see how many auctions he donates his time to. I have a good friend who has a daughter that played on the team he coaches - I know for a fact that Dori donates hundreds of hours a year to coaching kids.
I've seen your posts. You want intolerant and hateful? Look in the mirror, honey.
Posted by: InsideInfo | January 19, 2007 at 12:56 AM
Suggesting his kid buy a ticket and not see the movie. You asked for it.
Posted by: joanie | January 19, 2007 at 01:22 AM
You know, I don't think you do know much. You are too "in love" with him to be objective. You think teaching a kid to lie is okay? You look beyond the truth to what you want to see. Isn't it nice he coaches his "girls" and does auctions for his cushy little community. Now, if you'd said he donates time at a soup kitchen or to raise money for the underprivileged, I might have to rethink my opinion.
But, you didn't, did you?
His mockery of callers he doesn't agree with. His tendency to belittle them off air . . . his dropping of derisive names for people he doesn't agree with or like . . .
You don't hear Ross or Reagan do that. No, you're one of his sheep. That kind of stuff is right your alley, too. That's why you like it.
Like I said, negativity bonds with itself. You're the example I was looking for. You listen to his divisive and derisive comments. I don't have to. I'm better than that.
Posted by: joanie | January 19, 2007 at 01:32 AM