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Howie on WRKO Mar 16

This better be an early April Fool's posting, because I don't like ANY of it, especially a partnering between 'RKO and boston.com, and moving The Financial Exchange to evenings and essentially killing it off.

I think filling in the time period with discussions of "issues of the day" is better than hours of financial talk every day.
 
I think filling in the time period with discussions of "issues of the day" is better than hours of financial talk every day.

As I've mentioned before here, The Financial Exchange is more than "financial talk"; it's politics, sports, nutrition, technology, jobs, social trends. The guests interviewed are not all from the world of business/finance/banking.
 
As I've mentioned before here, The Financial Exchange is more than "financial talk"; it's politics, sports, nutrition, technology, jobs, social trends. The guests interviewed are not all from the world of business/finance/banking.

I'd rather hear news and talk people discuss things...rather that someone who is on the air because they buy the time.

I have no opinion on Armstrong's financial wherewithal.....but I don not think he is a great talk host.
 
Re:RKO and Armstrong:
Nope, got it from @bostonradio who told me months ago that the Fin. Exch contract would be up in May. RKO wants to move it to evenings. And now: "Entercom to Barry Armstrong :Move his show to 7-9p and not a penny less than the current deal, or else they'll move on from him and his show". They want the show out of midday; boston.com show (sim. arrangement to the Herald and MEX)with Kuhner following, 9-12 or 10-12. If Fin Ech won't take deal, it'll be Levin at 7 instead. Barry is on evenings on several stations.

http://www.financialexchangeshow.com/affiliates/
WTAG 9-10pm hr
WHYN 7-8p
WHJJ, WGIR, WQSO, WELI 6-7p
>Media Marketing Strategist: Jason Wolfe

Above stations also do an 11 am hour.
 
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I agree that the Financial Exchange (in spit of the name) is more than just a financial show. However they do have the Wall Street and world market numbers and what they mean to the listener. If it was moved to the evenings on it's flagship station, it would definitely impact the timeliness of a big part of the show.
 
Agreed; note above though that several stations take an hr of it at 11 am and then do an hour at night. When @bostonradio told me some months ago that Fin. Exc. contract was up in May he said Entercom "wasn't happy with it". Not in that time slot, at least. We could indeed see a boston.com show in morning drive next month followed by Kuhner, then Rush and Howie...and either Armstrong at 7 or more Levin. I wonder if RKO might do something like Kuhner 9-11a then an hour of Fin. Exchange, as the stations I mentioned do.

RKO does do a "closing bell" summary during pm drive (EEI may too, or they used to); business/financial radio is also at 1200 with Bloomberg leasing WXKS.
 
RKO does do a "closing bell" summary during pm drive (EEI may too, or they used to); business/financial radio is also at 1200 with Bloomberg leasing WXKS.

I wonder if he would pitch the show to Bloomberg so it could still run live from 10 - Noon on a Boston affiliate?
 
Thought of that too..RKO signal and reputation as a heritage talker would be advantageous but should they part ways,it would be a good fit for 1200.Either dealing with Bloomberg who is leasing the station,or iHeart if Bloomberg has no objections.
 
Re:RKO and Armstrong:
Nope, got it from @bostonradio who told me months ago that the Fin. Exch contract would be up in May. RKO wants to move it to evenings. And now: "Entercom to Barry Armstrong :Move his show to 7-9p and not a penny less than the current deal, or else they'll move on from him and his show". They want the show out of midday; boston.com show (sim. arrangement to the Herald and MEX)with Kuhner following, 9-12 or 10-12. If Fin Ech won't take deal, it'll be Levin at 7 instead. Barry is on evenings on several stations.


Way to go, 'RKO; yessiree, just mimic 'MEX's model and partner with a newspaper's stream. At least, 'MEX got the more conservative Herald, 'RKO will get the liberal boston.com.

Split The Financial Exchange (TFE) with one hour at 11 AM, one at 7 PM? How f#$%^&-up is THAT! I really don't give a crap if other stations - some of which are owned by iHateCC - do just that. 'RKO was Barry's flagship, and, as much as I'd loathe having to tune in to 1200 if he were to move there, well, dammit, I'd do it. TFE is entertaining as well as informative.
 
Good recommendation; in my own case my smartphone has Tune In pro (a one time $5 fee) which enables recording (again, with ads)
 
Why would RKO move Kuher? The Crazy One can be often heard on air claiming to have "the highest rated political talk program in Morning Drive in all of New England". Or that his show has "the highest ratings that Entercom has seen in years." Will those Blue Chip advertisers he has attracted like the cupcake shop in Melrose or the Donut shop in Saugus follow him to midday?

I think Boston.com needs to spend more time on their site before doing radio.

As I have said before, Barry Armstrong's primary reason for being on radio is to get people to request one of his brochures so he can get their name and phone number for the purpose of selling them an insurance annuity. His second reason is to feed his ego.
 
Will those Blue Chip advertisers he has attracted like the cupcake shop in Melrose or the Donut shop in Saugus follow him to midday?

What a riot!

As I have said before, Barry Armstrong's primary reason for being on radio is to get people to request one of his brochures so he can get their name and phone number for the purpose of selling them an insurance annuity. His second reason is to feed his ego.

That to me is enough to discount it as a real radio program. Although there are some here on this board that have said they enjoy it. However, with infomercials, the station has said they have blatantly put the idea for revenue well ahead the needs of the audience.

Why would I listen to station programming that shows they have given away their programming sense and efforts to someone/anyone with a cashiers check?

(That said, I am not totally against "paid programs"...there is a place for that....but not daytime on any station that wants to be taken seriously as a programmer.)
 
As I have said before, I don't think there is anything wrong with what Barry Armstrong is doing. Some Insurance Companies use the drip drip method of sending you a mail piece over and over again.The Knights of Columbus recruit new members to sell them their insurance products. Armstrong uses radio and unlike his former employees Richard and Sam he believes offering a higher quality program will produce more leads. What I find interesting is, RKO does not run a disclaimer before the show iding it as a paid program.

For a variety of reasons, I do not like like Pat Whitley eithier personally or professionally. Several years ago, I was friends with the then RKO PD. I gave him a call and said he really needed to run a disclaimer before and after Whitleys show. The following Sunday the Whitts Media paid program disclaimer starting running. Mr. Rate the Restaurants was none to pleased. I haven't listened in years and assume that over time it has been dropped.

Entercom really stopped caring about the quality of programming on RKO years ago. The entire weekend line up is just one infomercial after another. When they can't sell an hour for the latest cure all they will slap on a very badly edited Best of The Crazy One from the day before.

Speaking of Crazy Kuhner, I saw a really nice billboard on RT 1 for WEEI. Has Entercom spent a nickle on promoting the RKO morning program? Kuhner wanted to produce some sort of pro police bumper sticker and was not sure if he would have to pay for them himself. RKO does do these Town Halls at a Chinese Restaurant but that is more of a NTR thing for advertisers than promotion to attract new listeners.

Finally, I can not resist asking why would anyone want to record the Howie Carr show. It is pretty much the same show everyday. It can't be for those compelling interviews Howie does? Are you afraid you may miss the death pool picks or Sandy reading from the local police blotters?
 
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