The Slow Painful Death of KDKA

I've been saying for some time the wrong people are in charge of America's first radio station. These folks are great at destroying stations and so far they have proved me right.

Ratings continue to drop, heads are beginning to roll and I cringe everytime I tune in.

Just in time for Christmas. KDKA fired three executives, including program director Steve Hansen, sales marketing director Greg Jena, and Deborah Weppelman of the traffic department. CBS Radio Pittsburgh VP Keith Clark and KDKA news director Marshall Adams will assume Hansen's responsibilities. The problem is Clark also oversaw the demise of B-94. He is the problem, not the solution. You can't do a 30 second news story on Iraq and then let Shelly Duffy do 5 minutes on what Paris Hilton did last night. NOBODY LISTENING TO KDKA CARES!

Then there is Marty Griffin. Who hired this guy? Marty Griffin, the KDKA-TV (2) reporter and KDKA (1020) talk show host did a story on thefts from St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland. Griffin has had rough times lately with his connection to the suicide of a Ben Avon pastor who was to be the subject of a KDKA-TV investigation.

Griffin also if facing a law suit from former security guard for a Beaver County school district for defamation and invasion of privacy. In a report that aired in May, Griffin reported that James Law Jr. of Pulaski Township had been convicted more than 13 years ago on a variety of charges, including theft and drug possession. The KDKA report called Law "a walking crime wave" and showed copies of court documents that included his Social Security number.

Back to the St. Paul story... Griffin thought it would be great radio to expose theft at the church. The problem is that the thefts (including vestments and donations from the "poor boxes") have been going on for years --- they're not recent, as Griffin's story and the station's promos implied. A priest says the report was sensationalized.

I predict 2007 is going to be a tough year for CBS and Clear Channel radio. I can only hope that when it's all said and done, good people will get back to good radio. Something missing from much of the Pittsburgh airwaves these days.