KKSF embraces “progressive talk”

After an absence of six years, progressive talk radio has returned to San Francisco. It’s called “Real Talk 910” (KKSF) and features a nationally syndicated programming lineup familiar to Bay Area listeners. At various times from 2004 to 2012 Stephanie…

Frank McCulloch’s extraordinary life

To countless young journalists, Frank McCulloch was the adult in the newsroom. To veteran reporters, he was a sage counsel, advising them on the intricacies of complicated and controversial stories. To journalists everywhere, he was a towering figure who stood…

The sound of sports – before TV

In the early days of sportscasting, the roar of the crowd and the crack of the bat didn’t always come from the ballpark. Dick Meister, a longtime Bay Area journalist, describes how the radio play-by-play sometimes came from creative announcers…

Headline writing as done in the comics

There are plenty of places to learn about headline writing. You could get 10 terrific tips from the Poynter Institute’s Matt Thompson, an NPR product manager and veteran newspaper editor. The BBC’s “Teacher Resources” feature suggests how bloggers can broaden…

Neighborhood papers fill a void

A local restaurant is faced with potential closure and the Castro Courier covers it. El Tecolote explores the plight of homeless students. The San Francisco Bay View reports on a town-hall-style meeting about income inequality. Across San Francisco, neighborhood newspapers…

Journos hit chord as ‘Irish Newsboys’

They might not all be Irish, newsies, even boys at all—but when the Irish Newsboys band hits its stride at local watering holes, patrons can count on a rip-roaring Saturday night of rowdy folk music peppered with a bit of San Francisco-style rock.…

In his small lab, television emerged

He was little known, yet he changed the world. He often worked alone in his laboratory, yet he battled the Goliath of his time, RCA. His inventions made possible the sublime, educational, inspirational programming that comes directly into our living…

It’s a fair to remember, and also to watch

The numerals “1915” that were emblazoned on the tower of San Francisco’s Ferry Building harkened back to a time when the devastation of the great earthquake and fire and a turn-of-the-century can-do spirit combined to create an event that amazes…

Harnessing the power of FM

You’re cruising north on U.S. 101 heading out of  San Francisco when your favorite Bay Area FM radio station begins to crackle, fading in and out. You hit the search button and find another broadcast that suits your taste. A…

A newspaper poem for the decades

When spring arrives, sports writers wax eloquent as the ballet that is baseball begins anew. There is prose and there is poetry – much poetry. Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s “Baseball Canto” appeals to the longtime San Francisco Giants fan while John Updike…