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Michael Graham leaving NewsRadio 106.7

As you say, Larry Wachs would be a logical replacement. Rumors have been rampant of a format change after the Braves season. With Larry, Cumulus wouldn't have to bring in someone from out of town who might not be with the station in 6 months.
 
The braves just made its own format change releasing Freddy Gonzalez. I still wonder why cumulus thought this current format working better than all news. Should have given up news & talk when they decided to kill All News.
 
Isn't part of the problem with the station's ratings is that they do zero advertising? The last billboards around town for the station were 4 years ago and those lasted about 1 month. I recently noticed some billboards for Bert, but that is to counter Jeff & Jenn. For a company that relies on advertising as a main source of revenue, they do none. Larry Wachs has the talent to be a good talk show host, but his recent efforts as a fill-in were too juvenile.
 
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All news is probably the most expensive format to execute. Cumulus is broke. Ain't gonna happen - or it will half-ass happen and WSB will continue to eat their lunch.
 
I'm sorry, I don't see it. I can't see what the expense would be to operate "all news." There are so many source out there one can reach using an Internet connection, you might not even have to subscribe to one of the news services or a network. Other than the talent, then, I can't see what would the expense. Youi don't have to have a traffic helicopter, and with cell phones, youi don't need radio equipped mobile units.

"Plain it to me, Lucy …
 
If you're going to do all news and make it listened to, you will need to cover local news heavily. It's expensive. No localization, no listen. People want to hear Kasim firing the airport manager as live sound.
 
Mike_Rafone said:
Read that again. "Other than talent…" meaning talent would likely be the most expensive line item.
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Because you need MORE talent for news than music, such as news writers, editors, and field reporters, we're talking more expensive than any other format. So even without the capital expenses you list (you can get traffic services and a mobile unit in trade, no actual expense), it's the most expensive format you can have.
 
gr8oldies said:
You also don't just grab any audio you find on the internet and use it. That costs money or spots
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Who said anything about "grabbing any audio." Part of the skill of a news operation is taking the known facts and re-writing them to make a new story. But then, I forget. Writing is a lost art in the news business today. Just rip off someone else's effort and pass it off as your own. When I worked in Athens, sure I read the AP wire, but I re-wrote everything. That way, it was mine.

I would think an operation that boasted originally produced content would be a good sell. You could get the spots.

Sure you might need some audio but there are surely some less than Cadillac-priced sources of audio. And besides, if you give attribution, there would be little problems.

Okay, so I'm daydreaming, but I think a lot of folks on this board just want to throw in the towel and declare all news in Atlanta a dead weed, so plow it under.
 
I may be wrong, but you can likely secure the support personnel as part-timers/temporary from places like GSU, Emory. UGA. orris Brown, Clark Atlanta, Georgia Tech as interns or folks that want to do it for experience and resume sake. Sure, there would be a lot of turnover, but if it helped some new blood get a leg up in the career race, I suppose many would jump at the chance. If the Cloud folks would me a shot at it I could get them up and running on pretty much a shoestring and the format would be salvageable.
 
How are Kimmer’s #’s verses Rush? If 106.7 is blown up would his show with music and not so much political work for AM drive on a classic pop hits station? If Kimmer doesn’t want to get up @ 3:30 AM I would figure out how to keep the “newsmaker” bits with Jim Gosset for whoever does the mornings. I don’t know if I would keep the name newsmaker, possibly some form of a celebrity hot line.

BTW if anybody at Cumulus reads and likes this PM me. I work “cheap” at home in my bathrobe.
 
Mike_Rafone said:
I may be wrong, but you can likely secure the support personnel as part-timers/temporary from places like GSU, Emory. UGA. orris Brown, Clark Atlanta, Georgia Tech as interns or folks that want to do it for experience and resume sake.
Click to expand...

Do you want to do GOOD news radio, or do you just want to do it for the sake of making the meters bounce? You can see how good WYAY has done hiring professional and experienced news staffers from CNN Radio and other places. Maybe hiring inexperienced college kids could do better. But my question to you is: Is that really what you want? They're already doing "salvageable" radio, but it's getting a 1 share. They want better than a 1 share. That costs money. WSB isn't radio on the cheap.
 
I'm wanting professional presenters/readers. The support people can be the interns/college folks. What I want is an outlet that presents news 24//7. It can be done, and ought to be seriously attempted. Cumulus started out right, but got spooked. Everybody piled on all their little missteps, and the Suits got worried about the money.

I guess from the "nay-Sayers" I've stirred up, there's just not that much emotional support for the concept in the great urban market of Atlanta. Let's just keep with Country, Hip-Hop, R&B and Alternative (whatever that is).
 
I've an excellent plan, Mike. Why don't you buy a station, try all this out, and see how long it is before you end up 1) in court 2) the subject of an EEOC complaint and 3) bankrupt.
 
Mike_Rafone said:
I'm wanting professional presenters/readers. The support people can be the interns/college folks. What I want is an outlet that presents news 24//7. It can be done, and ought to be seriously attempted. Cumulus started out right, but got spooked. Everybody piled on all their little missteps, and the Suits got worried about the money.
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The "suits" are worried about financial solvency. CBS can do all news because they have almost no debt compared to IHeart /CC & Cumulus. Plus they are very good at it. If you are ever north of 285 at night listen to 780 AM WBBM. (When interference allows you to hear this great operation) The newsreader on Saturday or Sunday 2 AM is better than most newsreaders in this market. Being a "union" station the newsreader just reads the scrpt. While the board operator takes care of the other stuff. Also most of the CBS All News operations are in markets where they have O & O TV stations. If all news will ever work in Atlanta Cox will do it.
 
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