Angela Alioto carpet-bombed the local media with a press release making the case for Ralph Barbieri (and by that I mean she talked to the Mercury News and the Chronicle and posted a release making Barbieri’s potential case on BASG). Now, it’s Cumulus’ turn to give their side of the story.
From SFGate:
KNBR’s response:
The following is a statement from Bill Bungeroth, Vice President / Market Manager, Cumulus, San Francisco.
“It is disappointing that Ralph’s lawyers have issued a press release filled with inaccurate statements and baseless accusations.
The simple fact is that Ralph refused to honor some of the most basic terms of his contract. As a result, KNBR exercised its right to terminate the contract.
Ralph does not disclose that KNBR offered him a contract to continue his pay and benefits for the next six months. His response to that offer was to make disparaging statements about KNBR in the press.
It is completely implausible that the termination of Ralph’s contract had anything to do with his age or the fact he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. KNBR renewed his contract this past fall with full knowledge of those circumstances. At that time, Ralph publicly recognized that the Company “didn’t view the Parkinson’s as a red flag.”
“That statement is true. It never has. ”Ralph’s response to KNBR’s response:
Ralph Barbieri called this reporter late Sunday and criticized KNBR’s offer to pay him for another six months. He said they did offer to pay him for another six months, but that the offer could be terminated after one month by management.
One would think any sort of 6-month payment would’ve probably been contingent upon the payee keeping quiet about his former employer. When you’re talking about a guy like Barbieri, good luck. He’s been pulling down 6-figure salaries for years now. Plus, he mentioned on just about every show how, in his former career in advertising, he couldn’t bring himself to devote his life to convincing consumers to purchase one razor blade over another. Why? Because as Barbieri was so fond of saying, it wasn’t in him to tell people why they should by this hunk of metal over another hunk of metal, since all razor blades are the same.
(Side note: that might’ve been true back when everyone used rotary phones, but not all razor blades are created equal these days. Otherwise stores wouldn’t protect razor blades with the same kinds of strict security measures used to keep people from buying too much Sudafed. A 7-day waiting period for a package of Gillette Fusions is the norm in most states, I’m told.)
More important than severance cash is something that could possibly make Barbieri more money in the future: the chance to remain in the public eye … and in character. The publicity he’s going to create for himself (positive, negative, it really doesn’t matter in this industry) is currency. Forget a few months of pay from Cumulus, there are talk shows to appear on and books to write.
Also, don’t discount ego in any of this (not that you would). Barbieri knows exactly how Cumulus operates, how they gutted KGO like so many other stations throughout the country. He’s going to seize this opportunity — one which could revitalize his career, at least for a short time — to fight the power and those who want to silence him.
And why not? What’s the worst that could happen to Barbieri, he doesn’t get anymore money from Cumulus and spends more than he expected on lawyers? Besides, while his refusal to lie down and accept what’s happened might or might not provide him with a hefty settlement, it certainly allows him to say what he wants without being censored. This whole ordeal also provides the added bonus of keeping Barbieri in the spotlight. Just how he likes it.
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Ralph was my favorite. He’s thoughtful, insightful…less schlok than most sports show hosts….I’m a mature female who tolerated a lot of the station’s banal “Jock” talk because Ralph’s commentary was a bright and refreshing change of pace….Unless there’s a game on….No reason for me to tune in now…..
had they not renewed it then, it would have been equally ugly if not more, given that he had just come out with the revelation about having parkinsons.
Ditto for the ongoing coverage BASG, as always informative and right to the point.
His contract was up in eight months. If they would have let him finished out, then let him have his goodbyes, both sides would be cool. Tony your right on the money, for KNBR to play it like this will be a PR nightmare. You would think they would have been smarter than this. Ralph is not stupid, for him to bring it to his point tells me he must have a case.
Goose, I’m NOT saying its the right move – but it will be the move-its been planned since their last failed move with Bruce , last summer with Gary.
Its exactly like I said..the settlement is the goal. The fun is threatening to drag Bungerhole by the nose through the courts if they don’t. And they will. As I have posted here,A Cumulus CEO who wont allow a Wiki page isn’t going to testify in court.
The only real mystery is..will he ever work again? He didn’t seem to love his old job at 300 grand a year.
The Ralph B. blog might be his next move.
Ralph is an excellent fit for satellite radio.
Ahhhhh,your younger then me-lol. I totally forgot about satellite. I still have radios that say “transistor” on them too..and that’s not a joke.
Understood fact275, but the big difference is the common guy gets no press, there is really no forum for it. I would like to think when you hear people voice there opinions about Ralph, they are also voicing it for others who have been treated like this.
Trust me i feel way more sorry for the working guy (who makes peanuts compared to Ralph) with 3 kids and a grip-load of Bills getting the Ax than Ralph. But it still does not make what KNBR and any other Industry for that matter make it right.
Who is to say KNBR did not offer him a one last good bye on the air?
I would bet they did. IF Ralph decided to the burn the bridge on the air then in the end it would reflect poorly on Ralph. So KNBR is covered on that front and could proceed with no fear.
Clearly Ralph, rather then say good bye on the air, has taken his fight to the press. Which also looks bad, but at least for him he has more control on what gets out to the public.
BASG..Evil Krueger said he wasn’t at the opening day. Having dental work done.
Did you mistake somebody else or did I miss something in his story-and surfing around,I might have I admit.
I generally sympathize with Ralph here, but on the other hand I have almost zero tolerance for anyone hiring Angela Alioto for anything. You know someone hiring her for this type of work is going for pure visibility and noise, rather than making an intelligent or well-founded case.
Super Lawyers get things done…if you ever need a lawyer in a high publicity case, you would be well served to get one of them as well. They get results, and noise is exactly what Ralph needs and wants on this one.
My goodness…….I screwed up here. I was thinking of her idiot niece Michaela Alioto the whole time. I have nothing against Angela Alioto and hear what you’re saying.
The one thing this really highlights is just how much employed based healthcare sucks.
Tom with Byrnes this afternoon and tommorow ….I’d think I’d rather have DBruce than The Dude Show.
I wouldn’t want either choice, but your point is well-made: either of Tolbert or Byrnes has enough Dude Factor on his own.
Tom needs somebody a little bit more straight-laced (but not stuffy) to balance his “laid-back-ness”. I think Ted Robinson would make a good pairing with Tom, but I wonder if he would want a full-time radio spot.
I will add my two cents on a potential replacement for Barbeiri.
You can’t go wrong with giving either Damon Bruce or Larry Krueger the time slot.
And when I say time slot we mean solo.
Both those guys have the personality and on-air presence to carry the show by themselves.
You can go extremely wrong with DBruce and I’m not saying this because he’s a phoney and by all accounts from people in the radio business is playing a persona designed to get younger angry listeners looking for an outlet to listen to him.
Krueger would be much better in terms of chemistry. DBruce is a solo act.
I wonder when Tolbert’s contract is due and if he’ll re-up seeing what they did to his partner?
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