Can KIRO snag bob rivers? Can bob rivers snag KIRO?

KIRO is “evolving.”

Bob Rivers’contract is up this summer, and is looking at a radio big picture that shows his kind of talk radio may be "devolving."

KIRO is FM-icating its dayparts. Rivers is a big morning FM jock (KZOK m-f, 6-10a) who, with a rather tame zoo,  rules the FM ‘waves with a funny/harmless show.

Sounds like a good match, no?

There have, we’re told, been rumblings for months that KIRO was interested in Rivers (given name: Poncy Schickman) but that he was too pricey.

A source writes, “I’m wondering if he's tested the waters and [sees] there's not much demand in this climate. OR... maybe KIRO finally realizes they need to spend a lot more money to get a show like Bob’s.”

Again, we wouldn't know, but neither does anyone else, so pardon us as we jump right in.

High-salaried, high-profile, big crewed shows like Rivers' tanked when PPMs were brought on line a year and a half ago- hence the disappearance of such monster blabbers as Ichabod Caine (KMPS) and the T-Man (KUBE 93).

Despite it's probably the end of an error, Rivers has struggled and re-built his numbers, but not to where he was with the old diaries where he was regularly #1 in the 25-54 money demo.

Rivers, 54, has long expressed interest, they say, in working on a “more traditional news station.” (Of course, If KIRO installed his present show, KIRO would no longer be such a station, though it can be argued the KIRO brand has already been seriously skewed).

“The Hersholt firing with nothing in place to replace him except a watered-down status quo makes no sense, unless they’re trying to work out a contract with Rivers to put him on in the morning,” according to someone or another who writes us stuff.

The coincidences are almost unbearable: Linda Thomas (KIRO m-f, 5-9a) filled in plenty on his show and before she got her present slot, was a recent finalist to be his news-babe. (don't call us sexists, that's what they called them in the boys-world of old FM). Rivers’ agent is Seattle-based Paul Anderson. He's a big deal: At one point, Ryan Seacrest was a client (and may still be). Anderson also represents such localites Ron & Don, Dori Monsoni, and Jane Shannon.

The anonymous radio geniuses at Radio-Info (aren’t all anonymous radio pontificators geniuses?) are predicting confidently that Rivers will be hired at KIRO by Fall.

Bob Rivers (‘Bob Livers’ in Japan) is known for his song parodies whose productions are sharper than their wit but appear reliably in the appropriate seasons, especially Christmas.

He's a likable guy: no gusset-busting here; he’s even tempered, politically moderate, nice. He has a certain depth on the issues (when he does them) otherwise it’s weather talk, battle of the sexes, celebrity guffaws, sports jabber, booty banter, global fund-raising nice-nice.

He's safe: Ron & Don without the stupid, Dori without the mean. A naughty Jim French (if that doesn’t make you puke a little in your own mouth).

In "this climate," we can imagine KIRO hiring ol' Bob, dropping the sidekicks, and the infrastructure, giving a board opp a hyphen and 12 bucks an hour, and making him or her Rivers' "producer." Seems like that's radio these days.

We suppose Paul Anderson can shake Bonneville for what a Bob Rivers is worth, but he better get with it: radio salary deflation is sad but real.

Stay tuned.

Comments

[Ryder]

Like B. J. Shay, Bob Rivers' show is not designed for the absolute endless barrage of traffic & weather breaks & commercial breaks that KIRO does. Even without the sidekicks I don't see his style working on KIRO.

[Rat Bastard]

That would be the big nail in the coffin of KIRO as I have known it...
Ron and Don opened the door for a few little nails, but something like this would put a padlock on the coffin door...
(At least for us old KIRO news radio fans)
Could be that it's a better financial decision and for that, who could blame them?
I was an "all KIRO all the time" listener a few years back...
Times change, stations change...
KVI and KTTH get much more of my radio time these days anyway.

[Andrew]

I'm listening to Bob Rivers thismorning to get an idea of what this would be like. They would have to cut back on the news in order to give Bon Rivers some room to shine. All we got from milquetoasts Hersholt and Shannon were 2-3 second cheezy quips and lame remarks between news stories, like "ooh... watch out for that cancer!" or "another... wet day in the Pacific Northwest!", and unless you want Bob Rivers' to make similarly short inane remarks also, he'll need a lot more room to talk.

I think his twisted tunes and intelligent agreeable manner would be a good lead in for Dave Ross.

I've always thought bob rivers seems a little too sharp for morning zoo, as if Dave Ross were to tolerate Don O'Neil. I can see why he would like to get into news talk before this radio thing goes the way of vaudeville.

[ExPatBrit]

Bob Rivers without his crew wouldn't be much of a show. The banter with Spike, Joe, Maura, Pedro and Eric makes the show work.They also don't do the smuttiness that so many shows of this genre have sunk to.

Add to this, most of the guests are not KIRO fare (aging rock stars, comedians and TV / movie personalities).

I listen quite a bit as the AM reception on one of my cars sucks on my commute.Bob's a bit of a contrarian but that only makes the show more interesting.

[Andrew]

I stopped listening to Bob this morning because I'm a news talk guy, I want a constant flow of information coming in. The happy fun banter was too slow and uninformative.

[mcmurphy schmidt]

The new KIRO presentation, still evolving, will be an example for other stations. NEWS delivery will be only part of these media services.

[KIROcrat]

oooo, "out of the box" for KIRO. They've had such a tin ear for every damn thing for the last 4 years, I can't imagine them them breaking new ground and sticking with it long enough to let it work. Jim French BTW is NOT out of the box.

[mark]

How about no? Bugger this morning zoo crap.

[mcmurphy schmidt]

This is not going to be a "morning zoo" format with KIRO

[WILD BILL]

I don't get it, Hood, you write: "Rivers is a big morning FM jock (KZOK m-f, 6-10a) who, with a rather tame zoo, rules the FM ‘waves with a funny/harmless show." Correct, good analysis. So, how come Rivers is harmelss and Ron & Don are Satan to you? Ron & Don's goofy clubhouse isn't that different from Riverville.

[Rich]

Ron and Don are loud and stupid, Bob and crew are quick and some what cleaver. Spike is a true comic. The show would have to at least have Spike.

[WILD BILL]

ANDREW, there ain't no constant flow, be it KIRO, KUOW or KOMO; they have a set of stories and features and then repeat, repeat, repeat...

[WILD BILL]

RICH, I guess taste is all in the mouth. I find Rivers nice but boring, and Ron & Don make me laugh out loud when they're in the groove....oh well, that's why Richy Rich designer cones has all them flavors. urp.

[Basho]

My problem is that KIRO was once about the fairly serious consideration and discussion of the news. Now it is becoming tabloid TV. I'm probably just old, but I just don't want my news talk mixed down with People magazine crap. I find myself in this weird between place. I find NPR too boring much of the time. KIRO, but for Dave, is too lite. The others are too right-wing. I find myself going back to music more and more.

[murk]

I'm really getting bored with all this shit about these stations and a medium enjoyed by so few. Why aren't you, Michael? They started slipping into insignificance and irrelevance years ago even before the internet.

[Andrew]

I was in the car so I gave Dori a shot, because TBTL is internet only, and basically all his show is is shrieky whining about stupid things some liberal person said... "arizona doesn't border mexico"..."visited the twitters headquarters"..."smartass!"..."illegals are Americans too!", "and after the break I'll tell you what some stupid school official told us"

That's a 99% accurate recount.

It amounts to "HAHA YOUR ZIPPER IS DOWN YOUR ZIPPER IS DOWN!" It's not substantive, it's the epitome of petty whining. Whether liberal ideology succeeds or fails doesn't work does not hinge upon a few mispoken words, or embarrassing misteps. That's just trivial bullshit. He's a small man who only has small things to say.

[Duffman]

...with BIG ratings, so STFU.

[Andrew]

so says duffman; the internet's first blog hall monitor and spelling bee champion, who also gives free hand jobs.

[Duffman]

You're a sucker for getting reduced to name-calling...you've lost any credability you may have worked so hard to gain. BUH-bye.

[Puget Sound]

I love all the contrived explanations the Dori Haters have to use to explain why they hear every word:

'I was driving through town and the car could only get KIRO'
'I was visiting a friend's house, and the radio was already on.'
'I was out walking around Greenlake and someone had it on a boombox.'

Jeez, it sounds a lot like John Belushi in Blues Brothers explaining to Carrie Fisher why he missed their wedding.

Off in the distance, Star Monson is barking wildly...

[Andrew]

well I wasn't lying, I don't know what you want to hear.

[Duffman]

Puts...it's the epitome of 'listening to Dori by accident'; I swear I've never heard so many folks listen to Monson by accident...like T008, he listens to him by accident every fricken day. Bwahahahah

[Andrew]

it wasn't by accident. I deliberately turned on the radio. If you don't want to be called names, stop acting like a gay mall cop who never has anything of his own to say.

[Rat Bastard]

Does every blog posting here end up about Dori no matter what it starts out as?
OK, I'll give ya' some...
I tuned away from Dori today when he was talking about he murdered little girl.
Dori was so shocked that anyone would do such a thing.
All I could think was that nobody ever seems to care much about the thousands of Chinese children who are murdered for being girls instead of boys.
Some nut job here caves into his "Bi Polar" BS and kills an innocent child...
Can't be his fault since it was "mental illness", the greatest scam of all crimes.
A horrible, awful story.
I just didn't want to hear about it so I switched to Carlson and Schramm.
(Talking GUNS and fireworks)
I'm at the point where KIRO is slipping right off my radar.
If something REALLY mentally ill happens like the Bob Rivers show being added to the line up...
I'm pretty sure I'll just erase KIRO all together from my listening.
One thing to change tuning, but the FM/AM button makes it all that much more reason to just keep it on AM.
Hopefully Dori will move to KVI when his contract is up.
He'd be a great addition to the new local line up with Suits and Carlson.

[Rat Bastard]

Wait! OK you Dori bashers...
I meant to say "THE" murdered little girl, not "HE" murdered little girl.
Oh GAWD... To give you Dori haters ammo like that...
Sorry, my mistake.

[Andrew]

You have to understand the function of proximity in matters of public sympathy.

[Wilkie]

Anyone else notice this dude McMurphy Schmidt who posted here for the first time and for the first time starting this topic on Radio-Info?

Seems like he either is or works for Bob Rivers; or works for KIRO (Hatch, that you?) and is trying to start a buzz about Rivers going to KIRO.

Either that, or this is one big scam.

[Puget Sound]

it wasn't by accident. I deliberately turned on the radio. If you don't want to be called names, stop acting like a gay mall cop who never has anything of his own to say.

Posted by: Andrew | June 28, 2010 at 04:44 PM

why would orientation be an issue with you?
besides, it's such a put on. if you want to listen to Dori, go ahead. tens of thousands do every day. you don't have to come up with an excuse as to why you can then be offended by the show content and rush over here to blog about it.

at least tommy 008 makes no bones about it. he hates monson but listens to him every day so as to tell us why he hates monson. he doesn't insult our intelligence with some scenario as to why he had to listen to monson.
'i was in the car so i gave dori a shot...'
what? no other radio stations available?
is your car radio locked into kiro?
and surprise surprise, you didn't like what monson had to say...thank you Captain Obvious!

[Andrew]

It doesn't really matter one way or the other.

[Andrew]

I'm not going to tell you I would have listened to Monson even if I had TBTL on hand because that would be a lie. Should I tell a lie just to confirm your assumptions?

But I'll give you this; feeling disgust towards Monson is slightly more interesting than feeling nothing for the news readers on KOMO, but it's still not as interesting as the delightfully irreverent TBTL.

[Rich]

How often do r&d go into a groove, I listened today, did'nt hear one. Did you?

[NoBS]

Andrew's point that "it doesn't really matter" is most accurate. Radio isn't where I get most of my information anymore. That said, I could hear Bob Rivers and Linda Thomas but if KIRO snags him would they also have to employ Bob's coat tail riders who've been with him all those years? Or would Bob insist on taking his whole team and blowing out everyone else at KIRO in news to make room for his salary?

[Andrew]

It wouldn't surprise me to see Shiers replaced with a feed if they picked up Rivers.

[MacTwinny]

The ""accidental listening" theory is just so infantile. The basis of the theory is that you have to be a Dori Monson fanatic (in some cases read obsessed by Dori Monson)and listen all day every day. It's that black and white. No room for discerning listening and switching to other forms of entertainment. If you do that, it is "accidental." Yeh, that's it...

[Duffman]

I still hope they (KIRO) finds a slot for Luke Burbank and his ever so creative producer Jen Andrews.

[Coiler]

infantile and duffman are key words.

[Puget Sound]

ah yes, the 'accidental listening' pretext or introductory clause as in:

'I was sitting in the car and someone put Dori on, (now fill in faux outrage)'
kind of predictable.
lmao.

just do what tommy 008 does, he makes no apology that he intentionally turns on the monson show in order to blast it. he doesn't go all phony with the 'accidentally listened' meme.
now THAT's infantile.

[Andrew]

I did however opt to listen due to "special circumstances", which is not the same as an accident, and I was clear about that from the beginning.

[joanie]

So it has reached the point where you are now defending yourselves regarding radio-listening methodology? Hopefully, Dori bashing has run it's course.

Probably not.

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[TheX-KXRX]

Every time I get sucked into clicking over here to see what's up it's like the Blog that Time forgot, nothing ever changes. KIRO as it was is never coming back, Dori does or doesn't suck depending on what side of the fence you are on, and this page always looks like it is 35 years old. Change the scenery around here and maybe just maybe the banter will change too. Oh and IMHO Bob Rivers is happy as a clam right where he is at

[Puget Sound]

'by accident' 'special circumstances' or via 'space aliens' you end up with Dori just the same.
Star Monson thanks ya!

[Duffman]

And I (as an avid supporter of Dori) also thank you.

[Wonderfulwino]

Dori sits on the stern of the Titanic.
That will be his claim to fame when talking about the "old KIRO days"...

[Rus]

Andrew is a typical reason why it is such a pain sifting through these comment pages in order to jump the troll roadblocks that this jackass puts up.
Not to mention his use of the word gay is indicative of someone who is not privvy to understanding that the world is trying to move on with that reference as a form of the word "lame" or "stupid".
The conversation was about Bob Rivers and the possibility of a KIRO hookup...not about name-calling and one-liner shilling. Dude, your first comment about so-and-so being a blog hall monitor was sitting up in your RAM waiting for you to right-click and select Paste. Dying to use that one, ay?
Can't wait for your most clever troll reply.

[TJ]

Now that Bob has left KZOK after 10 years, makes you wonder if this is going to happen.

From what I've read elsewhere, Bob had a 6 month non-compete clause. I guess we'll find out come April 1st.