Is Dave Ross too big to fail?

It’s a conundrum no media manager ever wants to face: firing an local icon for ratings... for purely business reasons.

With extreme pressure to make-changes-and-make-them-now coming down from Bonneville corporate in Salt Lake City, Market Manager Carl Gardner faces a tough conundrum.

Does he dump the beloved, high-paid Dave Ross (m-f, 9a-12p) whose ratings have been less than stellar lately?

The conundrum part is that the diminutive Dave, 58, is highly respected locally, and has been on the radio in Seattle (on KIRO) since 1978). He's is a huge talent, a national talent. His musical abilites are great and unique. His reasoned voice has been the stuff of daily commentaries on the CBS Radio Network since 1993.

Pissed off, loud, hyperbolic negativity is what the talk radio audience wants now more than ever. Dave Ross, the lowered-voice Crusader for Common sense, appeals to an NPR sensibility, and the local market already has NPR. Without the incessant, offensive ad spots.

That’s why Dori Monson (m-f, 12-3p) is beating Dave Ross despite talents and an appeal that wouldn’t translate outside the 98 ZIP Code. Monson is one of the mighty herd of Limbaugh clones, a tried and true formula that works with the elder-dittos, especially in these days of anti-Obama rage.

Ross is the last live and local progressive talk show hosts in this, one of the most persistently liberal areas in the country. If he were to go, there would be none.

Ross told a local reporter recently: "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."

So what does Gardner do? Dave’s been tried in the evening drive, and Ron and Don who inhabit that space now are pulling the best numbers in the station. 

The answer to the question is Dave's too big to fail? is probably, no. Chances are, Carl Gardner will escort Dave Ross politely, respectfully out the door. There will be a mighty uproar in Seattle, despite that Seattle failed to support Dave Ross in the way that counts: by tuning in.

  

Comments

[gdog]

Yes, of course...if only everyone thought alike, looked alike, drove priuses, voted alike etc the world would be more to your liking.
Damn that whole free-thought and speech thing...

[Larry Lovebreath (from the eye of the Needle)]

Excellent analysis, Michael. Seattle says they love Ross when they really just love the idea of Ross while listening to somebody else. Fascinating too that Ron & Don pull the best ratings on the station, that must torque the little midday guy something fierce.

There would be absolutely no reason to have KIRO on my radio pre-sets if Dave Ross is gone. The station has pushed me away one host at a time beginning with the firing of Allen Prell. Wish they would survey me for Seattle ratings, I feel like smart people don't get a chance to vote with our ears...

[drool]

If Dave goes I am doen with KIRO forever.

[Santos]

gdog: "free-thought and speech thing..." when every talk host in Seattle except Dave is some form of Rush Limbaugh?

[Duffman]

My guess is that Dave will indeed be asked to 'retire' and some attractive exit plan will be devised and offered. It's cool; I'm sure he'll be fine.
However, the bottom-line is that KIRO needs to be back on 710 AM.

[Duffman]

And to answer the question, YES Dave Ross, as well as Jean Enerson are both too big to fail. They both command respect in any parting of the ways situation so that the station doesn't get viewed as an insult to the Seattle area. They've both had terrific careers, but like Griffey - it's TIME for a new direction. It HAS to happen SOMEtime...why not NOW.

[TomF]

It is a mystery why a town that congratulates itself on its progressive, advanced, common-sense outlook cannot support ONE common-sense talker on commercial radio. If Dave goes our talk roster will be indistinguishable from Kansas City's or Phoenix's. All conservative reactionary bombast, all the time.

[Chucks]

WTF? Progressive does not equate with either common-sense nor advanced.
But, beyond that, Dave should stay.
He is one of the few honest ones left on local radio, even when he is wrong.

[Duffman]

If 'honesty' begat ratings, Glenn Beck and Rush w/be paupers.

[gdog]

Santos: thanks for proving my point.

[Santos]

Dave Ross listens. No one is unwilling to come on his show, left or right. And they're welcomed.

[Peak Limiter II]

yeah, and Dave Ross (and his excellent producer) read more than just the most salacious headlines off the google. Calm reason, substantive doesn't pencil in today's talk radio. That's why it's dying along with the Boomers.

[Cynthia Neuberger]

The is so depressing. If Dave is gone, there would be no one left on regular radio, except NPR which bores me half the time.

[CorporateSuit]

All they have to do is consult Rick Van Cise. After all, he fired Larry Nelson from KOMO Radio. KIRO should ask him to come in and do the heavy lifting on Ross.

[Andrew]

Why is Dave payed so highly? Why don't hosts have performanced based pay? If Dave ROss gets low ratings, then why doesn't his paycheck shrink proportionately? What's the deal with these entitlement pay models? I think we've found the problem with local radio right there.

[Chucks]

I well understand what all of these radio people are going through. Knowing that business is off, with no signs of getting better anytime soon. Knowing that some will get axed, but no clue as to who is hard.
But hark, shit happens and happens to all of us eventually. Think of the children (the poor children whose first experience with full day school in the first grade come to mind. The poor little milk suckers that got whatshername as their 1st grade teacher. Ruined for life)
Anyway, unemployment pays up to $630.00 bucks a week and it seems to go on for ever. Combine that with buying and selling a few things on Ebay and you can coast for a long time.
Good luck, don't read this blog regularly as it can probably get depressing to you in the business and go forth.
If you are trying to appeal to liberals, you might want to consider TeeVee. It comes with pictures that allow libs something to focus on.

[CorporateSuit]

$630 a week? Who is getting that much?

[Chucks]

me

[joanie]

$630 a week? Overpaid RV sellers. I can guarantee you not teachers.

If we had local, community employers would have kept the lid on the emotional, sensational dishonest and disrespectful talk that emits from their stations. Dave may be a casualty of the Barnum and Bailey school of talk radio: emotional drugging. Intelligent talk is not the drug of highs. Better to get people angry and stupid at the same time.

That's not Dave. And no community employer would do that to his neighbors.

Glenn Beck and Dori Monson are the monsters of absent and very rich employers. And poeple flock to see monsters.

[CorporateSuit]

Um, benefits are running $472 a week, plus an extra $25 from the feds for a total of $498 a week. Trust me. I know.

[WTA]

Corporate Suit - a quick check on the State unemployment site shows the maximum weekly benefit is $560 plus a "temporary" $25 increase = $585. Guess you weren't making enough to reach the maximum when your were laid off?

[Chucks]

I have been collecting $605 plus the $25. for a very long time now. Just when I think it is over, they extend it.

[Tommy008]

Dave Ross'es time to go? Will Dori ever be taken off KIRO and put on a rightwing staiton as he deserves? A grateful City of Seattle shuts off Blatherwatch tonight at 8 pm and retire to their tv rooms, where they'll watch a 400 pound latino man and his 300 pound sister lead a repo team into various areas of L.A., as they repossess cars and trucks from various impecunious low-life losers...

[Chuck Taylor]

Dave should get a gig on public radio. Imagine him freed from that huge commercial load. He could take it national from there.

[Dangerous Dan]

Unfortunately, corporate radio has little regard for heritage and tradition. You are only as good as your ROI. I don't doubt Dave - mainly by nature of his tenure - is commanding a pretty penny. It's not unusual for ANY business to replace well-paid senior staffers with ladder-climbing middle managers willing to accept a modest raise for more responsibility, but who are still cheaper than keeping longtime staffers on the payroll.

Dave had a parade of people sit in for him when he was on vacation. They didn't do too badly. There is probably lots of great talk talent in smaller markets who would take half of what Dave's getting to prove themselves in a market the size of Seattle.

I'm sure he will continue with the CBS Radio gig and Bonneville will probably give him a nice severance package. Will he go to Fisher? Not likely as they just sacked Kirby to cut costs. So that doesn't leave him any local options.

Might he move to another market? Maybe that depends on how much he needs the money. In the meantime, I'm sure there are no shortage of fill-in gigs he can get subbing for other major market talkers - especially with summer vacations coming up. The technology is already there for him to pull off doing a show in any city right from his spare bedroom.

If I had to make book on which of the KIRO personalities will be axed, I'm afraid it would be Dave. I know there is a huge anti Ron & Don sentiment here, but like it or not that style of talk radio just might be what saves KIRO in their quest for younger (translation: saleable) demos.

[Bill Wippel]

KIRO has to remake the station. I believe all on-air folks are in jepordy. My guess is that they will extend their ownership and buy KJR, which will give them the Huskies. And 97.3 will go back to oldies, the only format (forget KIXI)that isn't used in the market. Promotion will have to be intense. It takes an average of 2 years to own the Seattle market. It'll take 5 miliion in ads to get there.

[Tommy008]

Dave is so annoying about illegal aliens, still stuck in the eighties with his tomato lettuce and apple picker paradigm of Mexican workers ( "doing htose jobs we Americans just will not do"), you know, maybe he is too out of touch anymore, and he really does need to go. I don't see how you can fire Dave without firing Dori........

[joanie]

Well, chux sure isn't looking for work, is he, Tommy? He'd never work as hard as a Mexican anyway. Most Americans won't until they're on the street. Even then, I don't know.

Dave isn't out of touch even though I agree he misses the target every once in a while. He's still the best on radio for calm, intelligent and diverse talk. Quite a few conservatives listen to him as well. Look at Duffman.

[KS]

That's one reason I won't miss Dave if/when he goes. What Bill W. is saying sounds like the coming reality.

Unless the programming on 97.3 FM moves back to 710AM - there will be a change that will sweep out all of the talk show hosts and replace with music of some kind. The switch back to 710AM would be the less painful way to go about the inevitable change coming at 710/97.3.

[CONELRAD]

what ks is saying is he could listen to jim french all day and his musical merry go round.

[OSK]

Wait a second. Dave Ross works partially for CBS, right? And our "local" underwhelming progressive station KPTK (AM1090) is part of CBS Radio, right? Bingo! You connect the dots...

[joanie]

Dave tries to be thoughtful and centrist. Not a fit for KPTK!

Better to go to KUOW. I'd love that! Why not a weekend show...just to keep him doing what he obviously loves. As long as he doesn't compete with Ring of Fire which is on Sat and repeated on Sun on KTPK. How long can KPTK keep that up?

Don't go away, Dave!

[Obama is a black man]

Global markets tanking....

Economy rapidly sinking...

Freedom 1/20/13
The experiment has failed.

[Tommy008]

i think if Dave goes they all should go,........ how disgusting to see a truly bad person like Monson left while Ross is shown the door.....what i think is RIGHT and what dumbass Mormon Suits will do are two different things....Joanie's "stupid bunch of knuckledraggers" may be winging their way into Seattle as we speak.. better have plaenty of Glade on hand for the studio onair booths...

[Pablos1026]

You know, radio is just show biz. Nothing more and nothing less. Ross is old school and like most of you, thinks radio is a public service. But its show biz. I think a liberal voice (lets stop calling it the more PC "Progressive" term) is an assett, and nice to have. But equal time on the air is no longer required. So if the progressives, I mean liberals, would just tune in to increase ratings, then the point is moot. But it seems liberals have better things to do with their time than to listen to retards. Again it's just SHOW BIZ! The problem isn't the suits, its the lack of listeners.

[Upton]

First off, I don't consider Ross a progressive. He's more of a Republican lite appeaser.

Secondly, there wouldn't be any problem with ratings if they had just stayed at KIRO AM. Then people like myself would be able to listen regularly..something I'm no longer able to do.

It's as if Bonneville wanted this to happen..

[Tommy008]

i was the first to state your theory many months ago, Upton- my belief that Bonneville is probably desroying the old kiro on purpose. I believe the DMS types in control at Bonneville have contempt for Dave Ross and people like Tom Tangny who appears on hiis show........ cetainly their first goal was to destroy Dave's ratings and show him the door....they love rightwing anti-intellectual boors and creeps like Monson and Shiers.. therefore i think Monson's and probably Frank's jobs are safe if THEY ARE EVEN STAYING WITH THE CONSERVATIVE NEWSTALK FORMAT.... A big if........

[joanie]

What "experiment?" YOu keep saying "experiment" - what was it?

[TomF]

Tommy008, that's like the New Coke conspiracy theory, which said the suits deliberately marketed a nasty product to get a bunch of press. No corporation is that smart or that dumb. It's absurd to think they'd launch a format hoping and believing it would fail.

[KS]

Joanie's knuckle-draggers as T008 refers to them; would that possibly be the statists like Ed Schultz, Randi Rhodes and hate-talker Malloy ? they have a home and their talk shows will keep circling the drain.

Ross is a centrist Democrat, who may be civil to both sides on his show, but has an air of phoniness about him - have believed that since I heard him. For example, his drive-by common sense for the masses theme is as phony as a $3 bill - oh wait - he must be talking about common sense for the proposed welfare state). He has talent and could make it somewhere else, but in reality he is no more honest than any of the rest of the local talkers, whether they are left or right.

[Bill Wippel]

When Bonneville takes this much time to change it will be Major. Letting Gregg Hersholt go was the first shot across the bow. Keeping Dori would not be a change. In fact, Dori could wind up on KIRO AM with a sports gig as a play-by-play commentator. That's what he really likes anyway. BTW if they do buy KJR, what would it's format be? I am guessing that all the former hosts on KIRO FM would go to KJR, thereby admitting that listening to an out-town consultant doesn't always prove correct.

[Crack Smoker]

Has nothing to do with yelling. Dave is old, out of touch and boring. Does the guy have any social networking ability? Does he even know what a tweet is? Find someone younger to bring in an audience that will listen and download podcasts, 50 year old guys aren't the answer.

[Bill Wippel]

Dave started a feature on AP Radio 25 years ago about computers. He is no techie dummy.

[TJ]

TOMF said..." which said the suits deliberately marketed a nasty product to get a bunch of press"

You are both wrong and wrong, TOMF.

The New Coke "conspiracy" wasn't to generate press, it was to switch over from sugar to corn syrup in the formula to save the corporation $$$$. to pull that off, they had to give the customer the interim "New Coke" in order to fake the populist demand for "Classic Coke".
That was your second wrong.
Your first wrong was in use of the word "theory".

[RobP]

What people seem to forget (perhaps because they're too young) is that this isn't the first dance for KIRO & Bonneville - the Mormons owned the station from 1964-1997 and during that time it had spectacular ratings. So clearly the ownership DOES know how to run the station successfully.

[Tommy008]

facorite B.A. (bad attitude) Baracus?--- Mr. T , Rampage Jackson or Dori Monson?

[Lorie]

If Dave Ross goes, that's the end of KIRO radio for me. It will AM1090 all the time, interspersed with NPR, R&B, and jazz radio.

[lt]

I've been a Kiro listener for close to 30 years. Hersholt and Ross gone? So am I! (I don't listen to the mid-day screeching apologist for the neo-cons--good riddance to him.)

[Robi Robinson]

Seattle without dave ross.No Way best thing on and I'm a limey over the pond

[RossifarianSpy]

I'm not going to tune in so I can hear the sound of cheap flowers being tossed Patty Murray's way...