Today the last vestige of 'for profit' news radio in the US died.

KGO 810, was finally killed off yesterday by the vultures that have come to dominate the US radio business.

For many of us who grew up in California, KGO was that monster who's signal stretched from the Pacific to the Rockies.

But times change, and as the networks sold their radio assets to venture capitalists, hedge funds and the like, people who had no interest in radio, just wanted to strip assets for profit, the writing was on the wall.

Hopefully, with the era of Internet radio a new generation of broadcasters, unshackled from the money sucking leeches of Wall St, will rise to fill the void.

Still a sad day, for one Californian exile at least.....

Used to like Ray Taliaferro.

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Wow.

That's surprising.

They were SO BIG.

I was on air with them a few times on the restaurant review show.

Speaking of KGO shocks.

What happened to Bernie Ward ... that was one too.

Wow.

That's surprising.

They were SO BIG.

I was on air with them a few times on the restaurant review show.

Speaking of KGO shocks.

What happened to Bernie Ward ... that was one too.

I seem to recall he was released from Lompoc a few years back. but I don't know how you ever recover from a child porn conviction.

The best I think he can hope for is that he's working as a night shift gas station attendant

But he was doing research for a project or so he said. Yes I see he was released.

Thinking of Bernie, it triggered my aging brain, and I suddenly remembered another KGO personality who's life ended in ignominy.

Remember Duane Garrett who committed suicide by jumping of the GGB back in the 90's, after his various ponzi schemes all came crashing down

On the more positive side, KGO also spawned one of my all time favorite radio presenters; Michael Krazny who after his rather ignominious firing from KGO has been presenting KQED's Forum program for the past 20 some odd years.

Anyone remember Bob Wilkin's "Creature Features" on Channel 2 ?