Indulge me on some local yocal radio news here in L.A.: Tom Hoffarth of the L.A. DAILY NEWS reports this week that longtime Los Angeles sports radio host Joe McDonnell will be replaced on the KLAC-AM evening shift by Tony Bruno’s new syndicated show. KLAC is the Lakers’ radio flagship and a stalwart in the local sports radio market.

The move, no matter what you hear, is pure economics. Bruno’s show will cost the station nothing to air while McDonnell was paid by the station. I doubt Bruno’s show will be one wit better than the production put on by McDonnell & Co, but hopefully I’ll be wrong. Bruno’s offering will be networked by Dan Patrick’s syndicator, the Chicago-based Content Factory. That probably was also a factor in McDonnell’s untimely demise.

As I said when Bruno’s show was first announced, I think he’ll be much better suited to an evening shift emanating from L.A. We’ll see. The one thing that Bruno will not be able to replace is the local angle provided on McDonnell’s show. Like having McDonnell’s close personal friend, Mike Scioscia, on the show all the time. And with the re-emergence of the Dodgers (finally), it’s a shame that McDonnell, who has more Dodger insider contacts than anyone in the city, won’t be around for the team’s playoff run and future with Manny Ramirez.

For the first time since i moved to L.A. in 2000, I’m actually revved about the club and plan to hit a postseason game, thanks to some phenomenal deals on baseball tickets from My Boy Barry.

So, who are the folks most happy about the Bruno announcment?

Most likely it’s the programming department at KSPN-AM, which has already been making gains by bringing back Mason & Ireland middays and riding the USC football ratings wave. We’ll see, but I’ll most likely take Doug Gottlieb’s “Pulse” and ESPN Gamenight over Bruno.

I hope Tony is up for a fight tho, as the listener can only benefit.

UPDATE: Hoffarth has reax from McDonnell.