Former KFI Host Launches Site Critical Of Station Management

ZIG ZAPS 'EM

Ex-KFI Host Fires Back At Former Staffers, Management







A recently- fired KFI / Los Angeles host has launched a website to fire back at the environment which he says led to his ouster from the station.

John Ziegler, who held early evenings at the Southland mega- talker until November, has created The Real KFI to "share my version of the truth" about "the fraudulent nature of the local talk show hosts at the number one talk station in America."

Just two days after its launch, the site has already generated a decent amount of attention, with a number of Ziegler's former listeners alerting your Radio Equalizer to its existence.

Featuring a nothing- held- back barrage of criticisms of the talk radio business, his site contends that "the talk radio industry (and particularly KFI) is dominated by freaks, fakes, frauds and phonies who tend to make crack whores seem respectable and reputable by comparison." It tears into the station's top hosts without mercy.

KFI Program Director Robin Bertolucci did not respond to a request by your Radio Equalizer for a response to Ziegler's comments.

Among his contentions:

- The John & Ken Show is fundamentally fraudulent and makes professional wrestling seem credible in comparison

- John Kobylt made one of the most racist statements ever made by a person in his position and, in the opinion of John Ziegler, is a racist.

- There is a lot that John & Ken don't want you to know about how they do their show and determine what they are going to say

- Bill Handel is a fair-weathered “friend” who hates John & Ken but who committed one of the most massive acts of hypocrisy imaginable after strangely going out of his way to defend John Kobylt

- KFI management is utterly incompetent and corrupt

Reached via email, Ziegler explained his reasons for creating the site:

My only agenda here is to share my version of the truth about my story and the fraudulent nature of the local talk show hosts at the number one talk station in America. I believe this reality is pervasive in all of talk radio, but at its worst at KFI.

I am prepared for any and all consequences. I realize that I will probably never this level of the business again, and I am fine with that. I don't want to be part of a business that thinks that John and Ken and Bill Handel are stars and punishes people with principles. I don't even care that much how much impact the www.therealkfi.com site has, I just want there to be a record of the truth so that people that care to find out, can learn what frauds these guys are. The reaction so far has been incredible and overwhelmingly positive from former listeners.

I hope that Clear Channel sues me because it is probably the only way that large numbers of people will learn what KFI is really all about, and I know that they could never win in court because everything I said is either factually true or my legitimate opinion. Unfortunately the suits at KFI are probably too smart to sue me, though I have overestimated their intelligence in the past.

For talk radio professionals, reactions are likely to be mixed: the obvious first thought is that Ziegler is disgruntled, but so are the vast majority of radio folks these days. At the same time, don't think for a moment others aren't looking at the site, as broadcast insiders are always looking for the inside scoop. Don't listen to those who claim they are "above" this sort of thing, they are lying.

As recently as a few years ago, sites like this probably wouldn't have been created, but with extreme industry cutbacks virtually wiping out talk radio opportunities, Ziegler and others now have little to lose by speaking out.

As to the validity of his claims, without having worked inside the building, it's hard to know what is true and what isn't. Since his termination, however, the station has considered replacement hosts with especially weak backgrounds, including a ratings- challenged former Seattle talker.

Whether accurate or not, Ziegler's assertions are sure to be eaten up by industry types always interested in the latest dirt.


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