She even did Afternoon Drive today, (Tuesday).
But, there's a bigger story here.
Thurston's new fill-in anchor position at KCBS is just that: as a fill-inanchor.She was hired as the eventual talk-show host that will be the centerpiece of a new, probably nighttime format change at all Audacy stations, including KCBS, as I also reported here, exclusively.
The new format, I've heard through industry sources, is probably set to debut around the new year --the exact date isn't known nor the time but I've heard either a 7-12 midnight time frame --or even more dramatically, 7 PM to 5AM the next day.
Whatever the exact time, here's the certainty: it's coming and it will commence soon, around Jan., 2023.The news was dramatic enough that some KCBS staffers went to PD/VP of news, Jennifer Seelig, who told staff that there was nothing to my story. Seelig, who is having a tough time with most of her own peoplecurrently at KCBS, isn't being honest, or, at the very least, is being disingenuous. Maybe she truly doesn't know? More likely, is trying to stave off the inevitable pushback from staff once the new format is instituted at KCBS, via Audacy and its Entercom parent.Thurston's hiring at KCBS was accelerated by this new coming format. Her news anchoring fill-in Monday is only a "foot-in-the-door", I'm told by multiple broadcast sources, to her eventual position as a talk host on KCBS.
In fact, Thurston took the gig because it was local and it involved an established station that has several advantages, including local access and geography suitable to Thurston, a Marin resident. I'm told Thurston was courted by several outside markets, including Sacramento and LA.
The new format won't be similar to a KGO-type model; won't be opinionated ; won't be partisan-based. It will have a more public-interest, CSPAN-type bend. And it will involve much guests and host-interaction with callers, I'm told by industry sources.
#RICH LIEBERMAN 415 MEDIA EXCLUSIVE