KGO Drops Moneytalk with Bob Brinker

Update Dec 7:  Bob Brinker hosted his last show on 50 kilowatt KGO on Sunday Dec. 4, 2011.  He found a new home on 5 kilowatt (less powerful transmitter) KSFO (Detailed Story).

December 2:  Today the San Francisco Examiner reported KGO dropped "Moneytalk with host Bob Brinker" and many of its other talk shows due to falling ratings.

 On Friday, December 2, Owens told listeners that he had "survivors' guilt" but is excited about the new format.   Owens told listeners he was "numbed" by the news and felt bad for his friends and former co-workers.    He brought on the station's news and program director, Paul Hosley, who told listeners that slipping ratings with the station's longtime all-talk format was the reason for the change.

Hosley told KGO-TV, Channel 7,  "We thought that there would be a better opportunity to build audience by going to a semi-all news format.  Our talk format has been wonderful over the years for KGO, but the audience really hasn't stayed with us. The audience isn't there. We believe that news will attract more listeners."

We knew ratings were bad when they dropped Moneytalk from Saturday, but now Sunday afternoons will be hosted by Brian Copeland and Stacy Taylor.

Weekend talk
The weekend shows will remain partially intact.  Karel will remain 7-10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. According to the station's online schedule, Pat Thurston will take over 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on weekends.   Spencer Hughes takes over the 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. weekend slot that had been occupied by Bill Wattenburg, according to the station's Web site.   Wattenburg apparently among those who have been let go.   Wattenburg's Web page on the KGO site had been removed.

Bob Brinker's Moneytalk show, which had aired on Sundays at 1-4 p.m. is no longer on the station's schedule and neither is  Joanie Greggains.

Gene Burns' weekend Dining Around show has also been cancelled.  

Joanie Greggains did a show about exercise and Gene Burns' show was about eating out, usually at fancy restaurants.  I guess Brinker's show did so poorly helping people make money that they couldn't afford to eat out and thus didn't need to exercise! 

The good news for many is Ron Ownes, who was on weekdays from 9AM until Noon, will keep his popular, highly rated, show.  

New Sunday schedule as of Dec 6:

 

Start	Finish	Show Name
12:00AM	1:00AM	Spencer Hughes
1:00AM	5:00AM	Red Eye Radio
5:00AM	8:00AM	Brent Walters
8:00AM	11:00AM	Pat Thurston
11:00AM	2:00PM	Brian Copeland
2:00PM	5:00PM	Stacy Taylor
5:00PM	7:00PM	News Talk
7:00PM	10:00PM	Karel
10:00PM	12:00AM	Spencer Hughes