In a shocking letter to his disgruntled fans, KSFO (560-AM) radio host Lee Rodgers told them he was fired from the station but probably would have quit anyway, because Citadel, owned by Farid Suleman, had pushed him toward making positive statements about Muslims.
Suleman hasn't responded for comment yet.
Here's the text of Rodgers' letter:
I'm very pleasantly stunned at the volume of correspondence from longtime listeners, and I want to thank you by being truthful about my abrupt departure. It was forced upon me, with no notice.
While KSFO & KGO were and are profitable, Citadel Broadcasting, the parent company that owns ABC Radio is in bankruptcy.
The top management of Citadel, led by a CEO named Farid Suleiman--widely regarded as the most incompetent executive in broadcasting--decided that I was making too much money after 25 years with ABC and fifteen as morning host on KSFO, taking no note of the fact that I've generated large sums of money for the company.
I was seriously considering retirement at the end of my contract in early July, and I certainly wouldn't have left without saying goodbye. Instead, within one minute of the conclusion of last Thursday's show, I got the word that it HAD been my last one; cut with no notice, in violation of my contract.
This is typical Citadel tactics; they've carried out massacres at many of our sister stations. At the Chicago station, WLS, a highly respected newscaster was pulled from the studio in mid-show, during a commercial break, and fired! There's a certain justice in that outcome: the two management people who carried it out were themselves fired a week later.
Understand, please, that this course was not chosen by the local management of KSFO. Mickey Luckoff and Jack Swanson have been helpful throughout my long run in San Francisco.
I WILL tell you, in all candor, that thanks to Mr. Suleiman's Citadel management, I could no longer proudly say that the company had never told me what to say or what not to say. There was an obvious cave-in to some ultra-left and pro-Muslim groups, making it unlikely that I would have ever renewed my contract with the company, anyway.
While it surprised many people to learn that the program came from Arizona, where I've lived for the past seven years (in the mountains near Tucson), it had been in the papers several times. Since I had exactly the same news sources as in SF, and my colleagues and I could see each other via video link, I never dwelled upon Arizona events which I felt would be of no interest to a largely
California audience. I was hardly "disconnected" from the Bay Area.
Some e-mailers apparently were under the impression that messages sent to me at this address would carry their complaints to management. Not so--if it was sent to this address, it came to me.
I want to convey my lasting respect and affection for Officer Vic, Big Buck and the best producer in radio, Sheri Yee. Our friendship is permanent. I also thank my old friend Melanie for the kind words she posted on her website. We had a lot of laughs together for a lot of years, and I'm hugely relieved that, while serious, her medical problem is treatable.
Susan and I are leaving next week for a cruise, planned long ago. Meantime, I'm adjusting to life with more than four hours sleep per night!
It's not likely that I'll be returning to the airwaves, but nothing is impossible. There are discussions already, but after fifty-plus years in radio/TV, it would take something extraordinary to bring me back.
Since you have demonstrated your good feeling for me, let me share with you my new e-mail address, in the event I'm removed from this site:
Thank you--many times over.
"And now...if you'll excuse me..."
Lee
Comments
Wow..... Lee is an enormous talent. Though I left the bay Area years ago, my wife and I still listened via internet daily. The dirt balls of political correctness inflicted their decision. KSFO will be a hollow shell without Lee. We think that Lee is the finest interviewer in the US - move over leftist scum. Lee should do a 1x or 2x weekly show and enjoy semi-retirement
Lee's a class guy and a real talent. He will be sorely missed. It certainly seemed completely bogus when Glen Sussman was talking about his "retirement".
I've suspected for a long time that Citadel management wanted to keep KSFO as a weak sister to KGO. If you've traveled or lived in other markets, you know that KSFO's hosts, whether intentionally or not, are much weaker than their counterparts in Dallas or Houston or Atlanta. Mark Davis could mop the floor with Brian Sussman and that's why neither he nor someone else of his caliber will ever be allowed on local radio in this market.
Let's face it. The wealthy, pampered, lefty Baby Boomer set controls the Bay Area. They settled here after graduating from college and used all the tools available to enrich themselves. It's their property and there's simply nothing we can do about it.
I will no longer listen to KSFO.
Mike, I could see Lee hooking up with someone locally and (providing his health holds out) pushing out nationwide soon afterward. He's simply too valuable to just throw away.
Mornings will no longer be the same without listening to KSFO which I will not be doing since the removal of the Lee Rodgers show. Over and out!
Sad day for the voiceless in Bay Area. No one on radio has had the honesty, integrity, and candor of Lee Rodgers. KSFO will suffer not only the loss of intelligent listeners but the loss of sponsors. I would bring him back and pay him double his salary and benefits. But no chance of that, so goodbye KSFO forever! drflynch
I am a very long time KSFO listener. I am shocked that they wanted to silence Lee Rodgers. Lee your email has already been taken down.I am retired and I could sleep until 9 if I wanted but I woke about 5 to listen to Lee,Ov and the great guest that added so much to our knowledge. The owner is asking their listeners to cave to a small population that are probably not even citzens. he wants to be nice to islam and part of them want us dead.Keep it up and some day your grandchildren will be wearing burbas and praying to Allah. I will be listeneing to KFBK in Sactramento
Lee is a real pro, Brian Sussman is a bogus host without any of the humor, chops, or integrity of Lee. KSFO is a weak sister by design. That suck-up Sussman will suck the ratings right out of mornings. Lucky they still have Rush.
Citidel is a failing organization everywhere they own broadcast property. This is just another fine example of why broadcasters and listeners alike will be better off without them. Lee Rodgers will still be a household name while everyone says huh at the utter of CEO 'Fargreed Suleiman'.
I am appalled beyond words to fnd out that Lee was fired over the nature of his on-air commentary. He is one of the most erudite and compelling on-air talk show hosts. I have listened to him for 25 years! My long morning commute was made more bearable by him. If the bastard that fired him, by virtue of his name, is also a Muslim, this is even doubly appalling. Sedition and subversion from within. When it comes time to start impaling people on pitchforks this bastard should ben on the list (and don't thbink that kind of revolt can never happen - it is becomimng all the more likely.
PULL THE PLUG ON KSFO....IT IS OVER'''
I don't think the station owners can ever get rodgers to say good things about muslims, however, the sussman has already made right wingest things about prezz obama as a terrorist adopted or suggested name. of course, there's no truth to it. the suss is a joke, he went from legit t.v. to a radio paid hater spreader.
I'm so disappointed to hear that you're no longer on KSFO. There is no replacement for you, Lee. I probably won't be listening to that time slot much anymore.
Pretty disturbing that an employer would mandate what an opinion host says. Why doesn't Suleiman just become talent himself, if it's so easy, go on the air and tell us all how great every Muslim is.
Bring back Lee and fire Suleman. Won't bee listening to KSFO in the mornings anymore. What an incredible loss.
Many of my outspoken friends have been banned from their public gigs for being truthful about the Muslim faith. The only thing fear of a formidable enemy ever did was lose wars. I am grateful for Lee's honest stand. Sussman's wannabe, whiny and impish persona will never invoke a fraction of the respect I have for Lee. Brian needs to learn how to grow up before he'll ever command the maturity and conviction to master effective commentary or ride talk radio to the top instead of to the basement. I wish Sussman luck but I think he'll need more of a miracle than a good hand.
I love Sussman. He is smart, insightful, AND good-natured. This cannot be said of Lee Rodgers. Granted, Rodger was eloquent, but he was a raving a-hole. Sometimes, it's not enough to be great at you job if no one you work with can stand you.
I love the Lee Rodgers program...I lived in Southern California for two years..Late 2000 to early 2002...I listen to the show online...I heard the show on 9-11 before I turned on the TV. Need I say more about my respect for Lee? I hope to hear Lee Rodgers again soon. I hope he writes a book on interviewing.....it actually takes hard work.....and preparedness. You can know all guest are impressed with Lee regardless of how it ends.
I never attended a listener cruise, but I still hate that Mulling--sp guy for stiffing Lee and my friends the listeners. That how I feel about the Lee Rodgers’ show….I trust him….his big Black Friend in Mill Valley-Charles
So this explains it. I wondered how Lee could disappear without a word of explanation - at least not that I've heard, and I listen to the show daily - and nothing on the KSFO website. This is not the way to treat someone like Lee who has done so much to build the station to what it is today. The show's not the same without him and I greatly miss his wry humor and commentary. I wish him well and hope that he'll return to the airwaves again. In the meantime, I how he'll catch up on his sleep.
So this explains it. I wondered how Lee could disappear without a word of explanation - at least not that I've heard, and I listen to the show daily - and nothing on the KSFO website. This is not the way to treat someone like Lee who has done so much to build the station to what it is today. The show's not the same without him and I greatly miss his wry humor and commentary. I wish him well and hope that he'll return to the airwaves again. In the meantime, I how he'll catch up on his sleep.
This has nothing to do with politics, or race, or religion. Contrary to Lee's assertions, KSFO is NOT profitable but is hemorrhaging red ink. Across the US, talk radio is hit with serious ratings and revenue challenges caused by the flawed methodology of Arbitron's PPM research. This highly-compensated entertainer sorely misjudged the marketplace in his contract negotiations, and chose to be inflexible, which turned out to be a bad bargaining position. End of story.
Not buyin' it, Squire. Not even a little bit.
And Lee is not an "entertainer." Funny how you libs like to refer to consevative talk hosts with that word, attempting to trivialize what they are and what they do.
Good bye KSFO; I found another radio station.
I've listened to Lee for 20 years. There is no one on radio who stimulated my thinking more than Lee.
Come back, Mr. Rodgers!
Barbara
Listening to KSFO is done. I reprogrammed the dial in my old truck and so...good-bye. Four weeks now I have been listening and wondering when Lee was coming back from his "vacation" again, and then I find out what's going on. Brian is nice, but he hasn't got the "attractiveness" of the "old man". I enjoyed Lee's voice, timing, sarcasm, confidence, wisdom and worldly views that only an experienced, widely-traveled person, who knows themselves can project. I would listen from Sacramento on a scratchy tuner. The guests just before 7 a.m. were addicting. I will try to find where he may broadcast next and listen on the internet, if that's alright with Al Gore! Screw the non-talented CEOs who don't know their markets and appreciate their talent.
i am so happy that you are longer polluting the air waves. get a clue........
ALL terrific gigs come to an end.
As we now see free speech being evacuated, the loss is beyond Mr. Rodgers.
This is America and we have free speech here and if you don't like what someone says , then turn the dam dial....fools. That is YOUR choice......
As I listened to Lee for well over 20 years from KGO and the "Fights" to having him personally take KSFO to born again status, this is particularly unfortunate.
NOTHING was like Lee from 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m....NOTHING.....
Yep, it helped that he articulated what I could not....
His loss is im-measureable and quite unfortunately while Mr. Sussman is wished good luck, well, there just ain't no other Lee Rodgers .......
A Very Sad development.
Lee, you are missed EVERY morning........
Your e-mail address posted, would be nice again.......to let you know, more personally how I REALLY feel.
Lee Rodgers is a stupid jerk. I don't have a thing against conservatives (although I'm not one), but he gives them a bad name. He thinks that Democratic women are ugly, when it's not true. In fact any women looks better than Sarah Palin, even Melissa Leo from "Frozen River."
And the old hag needs to shut up. There are a lot of pretty Democratic women.
PS, a little of the subject, but add Julia Louis-Dreyfus from "Seinfeld" on the list of hot Democratic women.
Good for him. He deserves to be fired.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus from "Seinfeld," who's 49 years old, is better-looking than Palin, who is 46, and she looks like a turkey. Happy Thanksgiving, lol.
Miss you Lee Rodgers... If you ever decide to broadcast another radio show, I will be there.
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