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Why Howie on WMEX is Stillborn

U

Unregistered

Guest
Much is written here about Howie Carr and his big move from WRKO. Here's why it doesn't matter anymore:

1) Howie's act is old, tired and self-promoting. In his world, no one else matters or wins but Howie.
2) Howie suffers from so much arrogance and pride he truly believes he can't get any better. Has anyone ever won with that attitude?
3) Howie would rather sell books and t-shirts than get ratings.
4) That's good because he won't get any numbers on a station currently ranked below 54th in the November Arbitron. We don't know the actual rank because it doesn't show up.
5) Even if Howie were Howard Stern he couldn't move the station to relevance on AM with that horrible signal. And he's not Howard Stern.
6) He gets no callers now. Just listen. They are all gone. That's probably good because they all sounded like they arrived here via Plymouth Rock.
7) Howie makes his sponsors sound old and cranky. They will figure that out soon enough.
8) Howie refuses to surround himself with smart people. He trusts no one, hates almost everyone, thinks he knows everything and suffers no difference of opinion. If you want to work with Howie be prepared to be totally useless in the role.
9) Howie's hatred for anything left of John Birch comes through the microphone every break. Is this really a guy you would have a beer with?
10) Boston is fed up with Howie's whining about everything from his boss to his paycheck to his signal to the time the sun sets. He has become a geriatric spoiled brat....a 7 year old in a 70 year old body.
11) Good luck Howie Carr. You have burned every bridge conceivable, and even you know it. Don't be surprised when your left standing alone on the 1510 frequency while the sun is going down....literally and figuratively.
 
OK, "Unregistered":
1) nearly two dozen stations and their advertisers disagree. Yeah a couple may be time buys by Howie but most pay the affiliate fee. He's no
Jeff Santos
2) President Obama. The arrogance of hope.
3) He can make money either way
4)Supposedly MEX got a 0.6; it won't be gangbusters but he'll do OK. RKO went down without him
5)More stations signing on and when I just went from Beverly to Everett and back he did well on CRN, MEX, and CAP...some of his stations are on FM
and many listen online
6)I have heard many callers (yes incl his regulars) from various demos
7,8) Wrong, and with VB back the show sounds better than ever
9) He'd be called a Republican In Name Only by many elsewhere, especially embracing Brown, Baker, and Romney. His political
registration is the same as mine: Unenrolled

etc These past few days the show has been so much fun with the whole I-93 moonbat blockade
"Unregistered--Guest", (only 14,327 posts less than me), thanks for playing! Surely nobody cares about Howie anymore
and I'm sure his show will be cancelled by 2005 or 2006 :)
 
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4) That's good because he won't get any numbers on a station currently ranked below 54th in the November Arbitron. We don't know the actual rank because it doesn't show up.

Wrong again. You have been known to speak of things you no nothing about.

PM Drive: WMEX - 0.5 Pretty low...but they nowshow up for the first time with Howie! And considering WRKO in PM Drive is only a 1.1...not bad to move to a crappy signal and have almost half the audience of THE Talk station WRKO.)

He gets no callers now. Just listen. They are all gone.

Wrong again. He's actually getting a lot of calls (Which even surprises ME after moving to an unknown station in Boston with a new phone number.)
 
lets assume for the sake of conversation Howie is paying for the time on all the stations, either in barter, or with some cash tossed in.

The motivation for Howie is to make money. He puts out a product, he has a sales department that goes out and sells spots, but instead of using the "Arbitron says we are number 1 with ..." (I know Nielsen not Arbitron these days) they go out and sell with hits on FB and website numbers, # of calls, etc etc etc. to convince the buyer that Howie is attracting and holding a certain demographic and these are the people who will purchase from you if you advertise with us.

If they sell the inventory, and make a profit, they don't give a rats tail about "numbers" from a ratings service. It is really no different than many other leased time (ethnic) operations, as long as they make money they will put on the audio of 2 elephants humping with play by play narration. ( reminds me of my board op days at 2 AM's nobody ever heard of in the Boston area)

The proof that it is working for him will be in the caliber of advertisers, you start hearing "like spackle and paste" and you know they can't move inventory. Like him or dislike him, it is an ambitious undertaking and so far it is working.... if he is making a profit or burning his own cash to cover payroll and studio time is only known to Howie and the Mail Rom Manager....
 
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You got it! And happy 63rd birthday to Howie, today (VB was joking Howie is 67, one caller joked "72")...I know how old Howie is because he is about 10 yrs and a few weeks older than me. He turns 63 today and I'll be 53 on Groundhog Day.
 
Sorry, this isn't me. Actually, Howie is more listenable now that he is out of WRKO. Still, there may be some truth in that poster's thoughts. Thinks Howie wins in the short term but since Howie in now in his mid 60's and fast approaching his expiration date....;-) all he really cares about is the short term. Take the money and run Howie. You most likely will find the ad dollars won't be there in a year or two. As Howie once said of Jerry Williams. ...' it's not personal; it;s just father time.....'
Why does "Unregistered" sound just like Omnibus?

It's the same old song, but with a different profile since you've been gone!

(Sounds like an obsession with Howie!)
 
Agreed; at the time I thought someday, Howie, they may do the same to you and VB will inherit the show..but not long after, VB left to do TV. He's back w Howie
part time now and Howie has said "VB would rather go back to TV though." VB throws in some nice one-liners and puns. The ad dollars are drying up already nationwide
but some can still be had. Entercom is saving money by not paying him but they were making some money via affilliate fees--now that money goes to Howie
though some stations may be airing it due to Howie buying time, and he does have to pay rent to Money Matters. But I think I hear more ads vs PSA fillers
on Howie now, a good sign for him.
 
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