Upstate: 94.5 format change 12-3-12

[awp69]

I don't know how good the news show is going to be with Lisa and Lee but I can't listen to Cassell shout over Lisa any more anyway. I just can't stand it. Better he has his own show where he can rant by himself. It's not hard to imagine the thought process behind the show. Cassell will get a one hour head start on Gallagher who will then try to peel off his listeners because they are probably the same people. Cassell has been out the door at 10:01am for years if not decades so this change may not be going down well.

I found myself listening to 94.4FM yesterday not because Michael Medved is so good but because Bob McClain is so not good.

Yes, whatever your political views are, Cassell comes across as so arrogant that his show is doomed to run its listeners off to the at least more personable Gallagher.

And McLain is the biggest joke in Greenville radio (well, maybe the Rise Guys could compete for that title). The decision to award himself the afternoon drive after Ralph Bristol left tells you how much he must think of himself. But I certainly think he's not cut out for talk radio.

Honestly don't know how WORD has done so well (at least in the morning and afternoon drives). But I hope 94.5 gives it a run for the money.

[rjaudiovideo]

I don't know how good the news show is going to be with Lisa and Lee but I can't listen to Cassell shout over Lisa any more anyway. I just can't stand it. Better he has his own show where he can rant by himself. It's not hard to imagine the thought process behind the show. Cassell will get a one hour head start on Gallagher who will then try to peel off his listeners because they are probably the same people. Cassell has been out the door at 10:01am for years if not decades so this change may not be going down well.

I found myself listening to 94.4FM yesterday not because Michael Medved is so good but because Bob McClain is so not good.

Years ago (back when WORD was 1330 am WFBC), I believe in the early 90's, when Mike Gallagher was the morning host, Russ Cassell used to have his talk show right after his.

He even has subbed for Mike Gallagher's national show in the past. I wonder how much of a toll this will have on their personal friendship (they have both said they were friends on their respective shows).

[carolinaradio]

From what I read on 94.5 and 106.3's Facebook pages when 94.5 launched, there are a LOT of people who liked Mike Gallagher but did not like Russ Cassell at all.  With Gallagher now on 94.5, I would imagine he will convert a lot of those listeners, and sponsors, over to CT 94.5.  I've listened to a little of his show on there - he has locally-recorded segments just for Greenville with attacks obviously on 106.3 and aggressively promoting his sponsors.  He always had a close relationship with 106.3, and I too have wondered where that stands these days.

Bob McLain is far from a good talk show host - but, at least he doesn't come off so rude and condescending like Russ Cassell.  I'm just really disappointed that they didn't keep Laura Ingraham.  I think she could attract a better audience than Cassell.  I think he will lose against Gallagher.  Who really wants to sit and listen to him for 4 straight hours?

[Salty Dog]

Bob McLain is far from a good talk show host - but, at least he doesn't come off so rude and condescending like Russ Cassell.  I'm just really disappointed that they didn't keep Laura Ingraham.  I think she could attract a better audience than Cassell.  I think he will lose against Gallagher.  Who really wants to sit and listen to him for 4 straight hours?

I agree with all of that. The promos are positioning WORD as the local station which may be the reason they moved away from Ingraham. Or maybe they just didn't like Ingraham's contract terms.

[vchimpanzee]

Years ago (back when WORD was 1330 am WFBC), I believe in the early 90's, when Mike Gallagher was the morning host, Russ Cassell used to have his talk show right after his.

WORD was never WFBC. It was, however, WSPA. Technically, WSPA and WORD swapped frequencies, which makes little sense given that 910 paired with 1330 should have covered the whole market.

I saw a newspaper article that referred to something said on WORD-FM. They probably meant WYRD-FM. Unless Salem  brought the letters in, which would be a bad idea given the potential confusion.

[rjaudiovideo]

WORD was never WFBC. It was, however, WSPA. Technically, WSPA and WORD swapped frequencies, which makes little sense given that 910 paired with 1330 should have covered the whole market.

To clarify my earlier post I meant since the branding of "WORD." (was News/Talk WORD before changing to NewsRadio WORD in the early 2000's) WFBC-AM 1330 became WYRD-AM in the mid 90's, even though you never hear that except at the top of the hour. They focus on WORD, which was 910 AM for many years before switching to 950 in the early 2000's.

As far as 1330 AM goes by the way, it does not seem to reach near as far as it used to. Have they lowered the transmitter power on that frequency in the last few years? I really don't understand why they continue to simulcast on three separate frequencies, anyways.

[carolinaradio]

Many times when I'm right in the middle of Greenville I'll notice 1330 is off the air.  It was this afternoon.  950 and 106.3 are always on when that happens.  I don't see why 1330, 950, and 106.3 need to broadcast the same thing either.  Their signal is quite inferior to the FM's (unlike a lot of AM/FM news/talk simulcasts).  I guess they don't know anything better to do with them.

That aside, I heard Russ Cassell late last week and he literally sounded like he was preaching.  Scripture quoting and all.  When did WORD become a religious talk station?