"If Dave makes it past Friday, he might be OK," a KIRO staffer told us. "Right now, nobody feels safe."
Eggshells, that’s what they’re walking on as the hits keep on coming in the Bonneville blabber cluster, KIRO, and KTTH. New PD and chief executioner Ryan Hatch is said to have Dave Ross and other longtime KIRO talent’s
heads on the block. Veteran morning charmer, Gregg Hersholt is said to be one of them. (photo: Ryan Hatch)
Meanwhile, down the hall at KTTH, embarrassing flamer Michael Savage is, without fanfare, finally gone. His refried satellite show has been replaced by everybody’s least favorite place-holder, Fox Radio’s John Gibson (m-f, 6-9p). Gibson is a reheated morning show. If past is prologue, we should be seeing somebody else in the slot eventually. Gratefully, Gibson is usually used to plug holes in schedules.

Dave Ross has been the only progressive voice in the otherwise conservative KIRO line-up. If Ross goes, it will complete what seems to be a Bonneville process of converting KIRO, long a “mixed format” (left and right) station to the industry norm of all conservative talk. (
Like we were just sayin': what this town needs is another right-wing station...) Ross has long been up against Limbaugh and right-wing ranters like Laura Ingraham. Dave
recently told Burien’s
Highline Times, "I can't do a Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh type show. I can't put on an act for three hours a day. I have never found name-calling interesting to do."
KIRO NEWS needs to stop trying to appeal to the younger crowd. Dump the hip music. (Hip? Please! Don't make me laugh.) These guys tease us with headlines. Go to commercials. Come back, repeat the headline. Maybe add one or two extra sentences. Move on to a fluff piece. Back to commercials. Traffic reports. Weather. More commercials. But I bet they don't more than 7 or 8 minutes of actual local news per hour.
Don't dump Dave Ross. Dave is one of the few hosts that don't rely on wild rage. He reasons. Yes, he is sometimes silly. And many times he seems to defend any kind of stand or action that most of us frown on. Leaders seem to want to appear on Dave's show, not because he asks fluff questions but he treats them with respect. And then doesn't spend years replaying the same wretched soundbites that make them sound wicked.
I have noticed that Don O'Neil is calming down a bit. He isn't always talking over anyone who would dare to ask him a question. A lot of the R & D show is a lot of fluff but seems to be decent drive home entertainment. There are plenty of other choices between 3 & 7 for those who want conservative talk.
Dori obviously feels no fear of being let go. He continues to turn every topic into an end of the country fright fest.
Frankly though, the Bonneville suits are probably stuck between a rock and a hard place. I am sure there are contracts to fulfill. Perhaps they could simulcast AM & FM together though allowing some time for AM to be the sports station.
Just a couple thoughts.
Posted by: Ryder | May 20, 2010 at 01:11 PM
Ross's dismissal would be a victory for Ross. He is the bridge to when KIRO was the class act of local radio.
Posted by: Mike Barer | May 20, 2010 at 01:12 PM
Dave is good, no doubt -but, sometimes I feel that he retired a couple of years ago and just hasn't told his company yet. He just may have to be 'eased' out in a fashion not too dissimilar to Ken Griffey of the M's. Sometimes, with the 'repeats' of certain segments of his Show (earlier that day) I wonder if he might be cat-napping, like Mr Griffey??? WHATever, he'll land on his feet...if not he's likely got enough $padding to fall gently. A more frugal person there isn't. Will be anxiously awaiting your UPdates, Bla'M.
Posted by: Duffman | May 20, 2010 at 01:25 PM
i've had my problems with Ross, but all in all, there is no justificaiton for taking him off KIRO....my critiques were aimed at giving his show a tuneup not an axeing.... the Mormon classless boors at KIRO want to turn it into a station of lowclass or noclass boors and simpletons like Monson and Shiers.....giving the more powerful AM signal over to t he yukyuk knuckleheads doing KIROespnsportsradio, instead of logically putting them on fm was an insult to the intelligence of this community ....
Posted by: Tommy008 | May 20, 2010 at 01:51 PM
If Ross leaves, KPTK and KUOW will pick up more listeners.
Posted by: coiler | May 20, 2010 at 02:09 PM
...and quite possibly Dave Ross himself.
Posted by: Duffman | May 20, 2010 at 02:11 PM
i knew those gutless Mormon bastards would eventually yank Savage off the air...they want everything on their staitons banal, dumbed down and bland, albeit conservative, with talkjocks like Shiers, Monson and Boze,,....snooozefests
Posted by: Tommy008 | May 20, 2010 at 02:36 PM
Good riddance to Michael Savage.
I found myself listening to him maybe once or twice a month for 15-20 minutes if he was in story telling mode or talking about food and drink. But when he was on politics, he literally made me physically shake until I could get the radio turned off.
The man can just be such a crass, loutish, classless PIG, and he has absolutely no regard for truth; I've never heard so many lies. Regardless if much of it is just schtick, there is nothing more dangerous than nationalism and religion.
Posted by: Jason Andersen | May 20, 2010 at 02:42 PM
'...those gutless Mormon bastards...'
That could be described as 'hate speech'; and aren't you the one so critical of what that cop said to and about the Latino on the ground.
Posted by: Duffman | May 20, 2010 at 02:43 PM
Mormons are not protected, they own pepsi.
Posted by: Coiler | May 20, 2010 at 03:50 PM
God, I'd love to see Dave replace the bumbling, mumbling Steve Scher.
Posted by: Fang | May 20, 2010 at 04:21 PM
If he does leave. I hope they bring back Allen Prell. He was a fresh voice back then. Or Erin hart. Is she still Colorado. We could use her here for this election.
Posted by: Queen of Lahania | May 20, 2010 at 04:45 PM
KUOW couldn't match Ross' pay.
Posted by: Coiler | May 20, 2010 at 04:56 PM
Erin Hart? Not unless she got a new dryer cord.
Posted by: sparky | May 20, 2010 at 05:29 PM
What ever happened to Alan Prell? I didn't like him when he was on Kiro but would take him any day over the two Nit-Wits on from 3:00 to 7:00.
Posted by: Doug from Puyallup | May 20, 2010 at 05:45 PM
Savage has to go back to KVI or else he won't be on in this market...i cant think of any station other than KVI....Savage on KOMO1000? don't make me laugh...
Posted by: Tommy008 | May 20, 2010 at 07:56 PM
Ross replace Scher? I like that. Dave would actually bring some energy to that station. And Dave isn't exactly known for energy. I'd love to hear a show like his on KUOW because I can get that station at school.
That's just a great idea, Fang.
KUOW could match pay but probably wouldn't. Darn.
Posted by: joanie | May 20, 2010 at 07:58 PM
Time to plug Kirby Wilbur into Michael Wiener... er... Savage's time slot. Kirby would bring some weight (no pun intended) and substance to KTTH... or KIRO for that matter. Kirby has plenty of years left on him if given the right guidance and incentives by management. Which may be just what the new young gun at Bonneville is capable of providing.
Posted by: jackrebney | May 20, 2010 at 10:14 PM
my names joanie and I live alone... I'm a spinster and I have a cat at home....and I say a lot of really interesting things on this blog.. and this is why I live by myself....except for my cat!
Posted by: mynamesjayoeneeewhy | May 20, 2010 at 10:35 PM
Bla'M, I note (with interest) that Gregg Hersholt is not at his desk this a.m.??? Is it just wishful thinking on my part?
Posted by: Duffman | May 21, 2010 at 07:39 AM
'KUOW couldn't match Ross' pay.'
Dave Ross 'may be' at a time in his life when $money is not the most important thing. He would be amazing on NPR and it would be a very good 'match' for him...NPR is kind of a 'Prius'-type station. :)
Posted by: Duffman | May 21, 2010 at 07:47 AM
Gregg Hersholt is out; his last week on the air is next week. He just confirmed it on a social media site.
Posted by: Once and future KING | May 21, 2010 at 08:24 AM
Steve Scher is a Northwest treasure! Why don't you just bump him up to the next level and have him replace Garrison Keillor? After all, he can carry a tune.
Posted by: Jason Andersen | May 21, 2010 at 08:25 AM
'Steve Scher is a Northwest treasure!'
Correction:
Steve ScherDAVE ROSS is a Northwest treasure!Posted by: Duffman | May 21, 2010 at 08:33 AM
Once and future KING: hope you're correct and not just a rumor...where you getting this???
Posted by: Duffman | May 21, 2010 at 08:50 AM
Gregg Hersholt has announced last week is his final one at KIRO.
Posted by: RobP | May 21, 2010 at 09:39 AM
Oops - that should read NEXT week, not LAST week.
Posted by: RobP | May 21, 2010 at 09:40 AM
SOURCE please.
Posted by: Duffman | May 21, 2010 at 09:42 AM
Hey Duffman.....its true...and try not to be too much of a Jackel
Posted by: Clyde | May 21, 2010 at 09:52 AM
If IT'S true...where's the source.
(BTW: It's jackal, Einstein)
Posted by: Duffman | May 21, 2010 at 09:57 AM
Bitter much Jacka**....
Posted by: Clyde | May 21, 2010 at 09:58 AM
Oh, I see...you're apparently in a symbiotic relationship with joanie and tommy. How sweet.
Posted by: Duffman | May 21, 2010 at 10:00 AM
Clyde's on-line DNA bears a strong resemblance to Coiler and I don't mean the symbols on the left hand side of each comment.
Posted by: KS | May 21, 2010 at 10:44 AM
'Once and future KING', 'RobP', 'Clyde' ???
can you say rumormonger
Posted by: Duffman | May 21, 2010 at 10:47 AM
ks/duff
looks like one of the usual suspects has the keys to the phony poster machine...
Posted by: Puget Sound | May 21, 2010 at 11:04 AM
Duffman: No, I don't traffic in rumors unless I label them such. Source was Gregg's own Facebook page this morning. I suspect that's about a reliable source as one can get.
Posted by: Once and future KING | May 21, 2010 at 12:54 PM
Now this is why I read this blog..Interesting.
Posted by: Blerf | May 21, 2010 at 12:55 PM
KING: Thanks. I respect you for that and I'm sorry I doubted you.
Posted by: Duffman | May 21, 2010 at 12:56 PM