WPHT announcement tomorrow morning 10/15 at 7:30 AM ET

[flybynight]

I think alot of people were swearing over the summer that Hanity & Rush was done in Philly.

A few suggested Rush might move back to 1210, but 1210 being in such a powerful position would be able to tell clearchannel to kiss their you know what about taking Sean back too.

Too bad that didn't come true.

Here was a perfect situation where a station, WPHT, wouldn't have had to be concerned with having two of the most polarizing figures in talkradio on the air. An opportunity to be live and local and do material that wasn't empty-headed ideological rhetoric.

They had the chance, and they blew it. Typical of post-consolidation, uncreative, mindnumbingly shortsighted corporate decision making.

The slow death that is happening to talkradio has a lot to do with stupid decisions, not just the band those stupid decisions play out on.

 

[musichead1029]

Here was a perfect situation where a station, WPHT, wouldn't have had to be concerned with having two of the most polarizing figures in talkradio on the air. An opportunity to be live and local and do material that wasn't empty-headed ideological rhetoric.

You have 61 posts on this board under your current handle, so no doubt you've read some of the many many many many threads on this. Yet you parrot the same empty argument.

Let's go slower. Do you actually listen to WPHT?
Have you listened to Rush Limbaugh? For at least an hour straight through?
Have you listened to the WPHT "local" hosts?

If the answer to any of these is "no", you're dismissed.

If you were able to answer "yes" to those 3 queries, then you understand that Limbaugh, Levin and to a lesser extent Hannity, are "polarizing" to people who don't want to listen to the format - conservative talk radio. Great. Go elsewhere. L,L&H attract a sizable audience that tunes in daily - appointment listening - and stays tuned in. Look at IQ's TSL (or their cume vs quarter hour to get the idea). Listeners tune in and stay tuned in. That's what a radio station wants.

PHT's "empty-headed corporate decision blah blah blah" was the only decision. Get their star - the patriarch of their format - back.

Period.

The "slow death" of talk radio is due to the fact that the kiddies aren't tuning in in sufficient numbers to hard or soft talk, just fantasy stuff - sports. They aren't getting their issues talk or political talk from radio and they're apparently not interested in the "shock jocks" and "lifestyle" piffle formats either. Goodbye "Free FM". NJ101.5 does fine in their markets because they're regional. We have KYW, so enough people either don't need or don't want a fulltime "local" focus on a talk station. WPHT's truly 'local' topics are far and few between and are most often simply a local take on national issues.

If people want another talk format besides conservative politics, they're going to have to prove it by listening. Hasn't happened.

Now, bookmark this post and retire yet another repetitive argument that always goes nowhere.

Someone fire up the grill. We need to cook up some crow. FredLeonard needs to eat it now. Didn't he swear up and down WPHT Wouldn't want Rush & Sean back?

I don't think Fred's at all concerned with how he appears on these boards. He's been doing the same "angry old partisan guy" act for 15 years now. You'd think he'd be as least as bored with it as we are.

 

[flybynight]

You have 61 posts on this board under your current handle, so no doubt you've read some of the many many many many threads on this. Yet you parrot the same empty argument.

Let's go slower. Do you actually listen to WPHT?
Have you listened to Rush Limbaugh? For at least an hour straight through?
Have you listened to the WPHT "local" hosts?

If the answer to any of these is "no", you're dismissed.

If you were able to answer "yes" to those 3 queries, then you understand that Limbaugh, Levin and to a lesser extent Hannity, are "polarizing" to people who don't want to listen to the format - conservative talk radio. Great. Go elsewhere. L,L&H attract a sizable audience that tunes in daily - appointment listening - and stays tuned in. Look at IQ's TSL (or their cume vs quarter hour to get the idea). Listeners tune in and stay tuned in. That's what a radio station wants.

PHT's "empty-headed corporate decision blah blah blah" was the only decision. Get their star - the patriarch of their format - back.

Period.

The "slow death" of talk radio is due to the fact that the kiddies aren't tuning in in sufficient numbers to hard or soft talk, just fantasy stuff - sports. They aren't getting their issues talk or political talk from radio and they're apparently not interested in the "shock jocks" and "lifestyle" piffle formats either. Goodbye "Free FM". NJ101.5 does fine in their markets because they're regional. We have KYW, so enough people either don't need or don't want a fulltime "local" focus on a talk station. WPHT's truly 'local' topics are far and few between and are most often simply a local take on national issues.

If people want another talk format besides conservative politics, they're going to have to prove it by listening. Hasn't happened.

Now, bookmark this post and retire yet another repetitive argument that always goes nowhere.

I don't think Fred's at all concerned with how he appears on these boards. He's been doing the same "angry old partisan guy" act for 15 years now. You'd think he'd be as least as bored with it as we are.

Simpleminded, yet strident people like you are the reason the format is in trouble.

It was programmers shortsightedness and laziness that has created this dead-end niche that you are so happy to embrace.

it was unnecessary to skew this format toward such an extreme ideological bent. I'm sure you do not agree, which only demonstrates your abject ignorance of the history and evolution of this format over the last 25 years.

Educate yourself before making foolish statements that betray your partisan motives.

 

[Richard Lewis]

I am not from Philly anymore but come wintertime I will be able to pick up WPHT and Sean at its new time as a DX pick up here in Mississippi, if not by streaming. One thing I must mention is that the third hour of Sean's radio show will be competing with his TV show on Fox News Channel which is at 11:00 PM ET. So they will lose some listeners to cable news.

By the way, what is to become of Glenn Beck and his show on WWIQ?

 

[musichead1029]

it was unnecessary to skew this format toward such an extreme ideological bent.

You haven't listened to Limbaugh for even 20 minutes, have you?

the third hour of Sean's radio show will be competing with his TV show on Fox News Channel which is at 11:00 PM ET.

Hannity's on FNC at 10PM ET, so the second hour of the delayed radio broadcast would run concurrent with the TV show.

Glenn Beck started his syndicated show in Philly with WPHT as his flagship in 2002, but he hasn't been on the air here since 2011. I haven't heard any plans regarding a new Philadelphia affiliate for Beck.

 

[flybynight]

You haven't listened to Limbaugh for even 20 minutes, have you?

I've been sampling Limbaugh (for more than 20 min at a time) for almost 24 years. His show has evolved (if I can even use that word) to a point that fits the description I gave.

If you object to my characterization of him, then perhaps you need to listen to him more.

 

[PhillyWatch]

And pray tell, what is "local" on your satellite radio "app?" Michael Boreconish? PRX? Perhaps Art Bell.

I think you were too consumed with informing everyone else how they're missing the point and you happened to miss my point completely.

THERE IS NO LOCAL TALK.

I listen to "Ron & Fez" podcasts; news, politics, sports, movies, music. That's talk radio. Maybe every now and again sample some public radio offerings, but I usually just search that up on my TuneIn app (and there's much more variety there than the 2 or so satellite public radio channels).

Still, it isn't live, and it isn't local, and I personally think that's a bummer.

But I guess Rush & Hannity must be heard. They're nationally syndicated, after all!

Also, I love the liners on IQ talking about how they'll be the station to turn to when snowy weather sets in. Chances are, they'll be gone while the unseasonably warm temperatures are still around.

Disingenuous 'til the very end!

 

[Small Market Guy]

Too bad that didn't come true.

Here was a perfect situation where a station, WPHT, wouldn't have had to be concerned with having two of the most polarizing figures in talkradio on the air. An opportunity to be live and local and do material that wasn't empty-headed ideological rhetoric.

They had the chance, and they blew it. Typical of post-consolidation, uncreative, mindnumbingly shortsighted corporate decision making.

The slow death that is happening to talkradio has a lot to do with stupid decisions, not just the band those stupid decisions play out on.

What radio stations have you run? Since you know everything, why don't you buy 'PHT and run it better?

The fact is that Rush and Hannity were the two best options from a limited choice for CBS.

 

[flybynight]

What radio stations have you run? Since you know everything, why don't you buy 'PHT and run it better?

Really?

I didn't realize your "small market guy" handle was referring to your being 6.

 

[Jul]

I will say this, airing Hannity on tape delay and not moving Dick Morris to evenings will come back to haunt WPHT. Andy Bloom should be ashamed of himself for keeping morris in the afternoon.

 

[A casual observer]

Well two things to consider. First PHT needs something to drive revenue and Limbaugh helps there. Secondly, and not so inconsiderably, they needed him to provide " cover" for their hiring of Dick Morris. It will be interesting to see how much of Limbaugh's lead-in the Morris' show can hold onto.

 

[cg41386]

You haven't listened to Limbaugh for even 20 minutes, have you?

Hannity's on FNC at 10PM ET, so the second hour of the delayed radio broadcast would run concurrent with the TV show.

Glenn Beck started his syndicated show in Philly with WPHT as his flagship in 2002, but he hasn't been on the air here since 2011. I haven't heard any plans regarding a new Philadelphia affiliate for Beck.

Uh, isn't he currently on WWIQ?

 

[cg41386]

And to answer a question someone asked earlier, Dick Morris started at WPHT on April 15th.

 

[HGN2001]

And to answer a question someone asked earlier, Dick Morris started at WPHT on April 15th.

Then barring a quick decision due to disastrous ratings, his show will likely continue through April 11th, to honor a presumed 52-week contract. Only the higher-ups at CBS/WPHT know the details thereof. It could involve as much as large cash payouts to Morris, or simply running commercials already booked for his show through the end date of the contract.

 

[musichead1029]

Glenn Beck started his syndicated show in Philly with WPHT as his flagship in 2002, but he hasn't been on the air here since 2011. I haven't heard any plans regarding a new Philadelphia affiliate for Beck.

Uh, isn't he currently on WWIQ?

Correct. My typo.

It should read Glenn Beck started his syndicated show in Philly with WPHT as his flagship in 2002, but he hasn't been on the air there since 2011. I haven't heard any plans regarding a new Philadelphia affiliate for Beck post-IQ.

 

[musichead1029]

I think you were too consumed with informing everyone else how they're missing the point and you happened to miss my point completely.

I was responding to your closing statement:

But hey, what do I know? I'm just a 20-something craving local talk radio to listen to that isn't the sports page 24/7. Guess I'll stick to my SIRIUS/XM app.

...where there is no local content (unless you count "Radio Times").

But, your point taken, there's little local talk locally because...., again, people don't listen to it (excepting sports).

"Hot" talk/"shock-jock"-wise, satellite has Stern, who migrated by choice and traded mass popularity for freedom from FCC haggling over double-entendre (and a handsome fortune) and O&A, R&F and a few others who flamed out with the failure of the Free FM "hot talk" genre. (Plus rebroadcasts of stuff available free elsewhere on the 'net.) O&A's subsequent simul-stint in terrestrial and satellite AM drive didn't work out on the terrestrial side. Hence, programmers are less than enthused about "hot talk" when sports and conservative talk work more reliably. Hence, sports on FM, conservative talk on AM, no "hot" talk format, little "local" talk."

(Having never listened to Preston & Steve, I don't know how you'd characterize what they do, but they do get ratings.)

Thanks to the internet, there are many talk shows in genres from libertarian to socialist and all brands of nonpartison special interest jabber, even for those who think management is "mindnumbingly shortsighted" for not programming to their personal whims on a local terrestrial AM, ratings and history notwithstanding.

 

[Jul]

E-mail I sent to WPHT

Good morning. 1210 should move Sean Hannity to the 3-6 PM time slot Monday-Friday and move Dick Morris to another time. It doesn't make sense for Hannity to air on tape delay from 9 PM-12 AM. Last night was a example of why we need to have live and local talk at night, because of breaking news concerning the shutdown and debt ceiling and the NJ senate Race. People were able to talk about the breaking news live and airing a tape delay show at night takes away that chance for listeners to discuss the news of the day , live at night. I hope that WPHT will reconsider and change the schedule so that there will be live talk 24/7 during the week. Thanks for reading.

 

[Small Market Guy]

Good morning. 1210 should move Sean Hannity to the 3-6 PM time slot Monday-Friday and move Dick Morris to another time. It doesn't make sense for Hannity to air on tape delay from 9 PM-12 AM. Last night was a example of why we need to have live and local talk at night, because of breaking news concerning the shutdown and debt ceiling and the NJ senate Race. People were able to talk about the breaking news live and airing a tape delay show at night takes away that chance for listeners to discuss the news of the day , live at night. I hope that WPHT will reconsider and change the schedule so that there will be live talk 24/7 during the week. Thanks for reading.

Wouldn't live and local during drive time be better?

I agree with you that Hannity should be live and Dick Morris moved, but your reasoning is all off. There is no reason to have the number two show in all of America on tape delay.

 

[Small Market Guy]

I listen to "Ron & Fez" podcasts; news, politics, sports, movies, music. That's talk radio.

Fez hasn't talked in years. Anyone who knows the show gets the reference.

 

[Small Market Guy]

Really?

I didn't realize your "small market guy" handle was referring to your being 6.

Do you have anything but insults? Seriously, you know nothing about the business of radio. You're just sore that your constant predictions of the demise of the format are not coming true.