Eddie Stubbs retiring from WSM-AM

[MarquisP4]

https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/...-stubbs-to-retire-from-wsm-a-nashville-and-th

 

[Radio Nashville]

The passing of an era... What are the chances 650 WSM is unrecognizable to defunct in 10 years?

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Eddie Stubbs has put on a unique radio show through the years that's almost more museum tour than a traditional radio show. Unfortunately, that also made it hard to listen to at times, when he'd go into stories about artists who hadn't had a hit since the late 50s.

Having said that, I hope they find someone who can put together something unique, because they'll lose all of Eddie's audience if they use an announcer who only backsells records and reads liner cards.

What are the chances 650 WSM is unrecognizable to defunct in 10 years?

For sure it's adrift today.

 

[TheBigA]

Eddie Stubbs has put on a unique radio show through the years that's almost more museum tour than a traditional radio show.

Exactly. Eddie came to WSM from WAMU in Washington, where he hosted a local weekend bluegrass show. What Eddie does is best suited either for public radio or satellite, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up in one of those places next. Meanwhile, unfortunately WSM is suffering from several issues: Aging audience and lack of program direction. Those two things don't work well together.

 

[KentB]

I wonder if he was "asked" to retire? Eddie seemed to me to be a guy that wouldn't just step down from being an announcer on the Opry.

 

[firepoint525]

Meanwhile, unfortunately WSM is suffering from several issues: Aging audience and lack of program direction. Those two things don't work well together.

WSM may have just postponed the inevitable with their partnership with Circle TV. During the pandemic, we quarantined with "Coffee Country & Cody" almost every morning. We watched it on Circle TV, and listened to them on Alexa. Cody plays current, and even new, music during the morning shift. Needless to say, we did NOT listen to the staticky AM signal. The TV probably would have interfered with that, anyway.

The other inevitable that I see coming up sometime soon might be Cody's retirement, as well. He seems to be enjoying what he is doing, but he is probably in his 60s by now.

 

[anotherguyTN]

WSM may have just postponed the inevitable with their partnership with Circle TV. During the pandemic, we quarantined with "Coffee Country & Cody" almost every morning. We watched it on Circle TV, and listened to them on Alexa. Cody plays current, and even new, music during the morning shift. Needless to say, we did NOT listen to the staticky AM signal. The TV probably would have interfered with that, anyway.

The other inevitable that I see coming up sometime soon might be Cody's retirement, as well. He seems to be enjoying what he is doing, but he is probably in his 60s by now.

I think this was on Heartland (A streaming country music channel on Roku) until moving to Circle. I didn't watch it, but remembered seeing it on the schedule. I mainly watch The Red Green Show there.

 

[firepoint525]

I think this was on Heartland (A streaming country music channel on Roku) until moving to Circle. I didn't watch it, but remembered seeing it on the schedule. I mainly watch The Red Green Show there.

Channel 4 (WSMV) added Circle as a subchannel not too long ago. Of course, longtimers will remember the WSM/WSMV joint ownership, although such a connection does not seem to exist now. Channel 4 has been reairing the Grand Ole Opry on Sunday nights at 10:35, although they have also reaired it on Saturday evenings in recent weeks.

 

[TheBigA]

Here's a feature about Eddie Stubbs retiring from WSM:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsoXF3Qihwc

 

[J Alex Bowab]

I go to Nashville occasionally. When I pass the WSM transmitter site, I am still in awe of it. The legendary call letters ... the monster AM Tower ... sitting on a huge piece of land at an interstate exit ... the land is probably worth more than the station, methinks. I ask myself - would I want to pay the cost of lightning, painting, and insuring that facility ... or pay the electric bill on it? Not to mention the property taxes. The ratings published online, as most of you know, don't list the non-subscribing stations. So WSM's numbers are not in the rankings. Several years ago, these ratings showed WSM hovering around a 1 share ... and I doubt much of it is in the 25-54 demographic. With at least 3 full-power country FM signals, WSM has to differentiate itself ... but how?

 

[TheBigA]

With at least 3 full-power country FM signals, WSM has to differentiate itself ... but how?

The Opry. Bill Cody. That's about it. As someone else said, they're combining the radio with Circle TV.

 

[TheBigA]

Well that was quick! Country Aircheck reports WSM has announced the new evening host:

Opry Warm Up Show host and Ryman Hospitality Classic Country WSM-AM/Nashville fill-in personality Jeff Hoag has been elevated to night host. His WSM At Night With Jeff Hoag succeeds Country Radio Hall of Famer Eddie Stubbs, who retired last month “I along with the rest of [Jeff’s] radio family can’t wait to see how he develops his own live nightly show while keeping a long-standing tradition of classic country at night on WSM,” says Dir./Content & Programming J. Patrick Tinnell. A songwriter, musician and script writer, Hoag has resided in Nashville since 2003.

At the same time, Ryman Hospitality has announced that NBC's Megan Alexander will join WSM's Coffee, Country, & Cody as entertainment correspondent.

 

[firepoint525]

At the same time, Ryman Hospitality has announced that NBC's Megan Alexander will join WSM's Coffee, Country, & Cody as entertainment correspondent.

Heard her on there today. So does this mean that she is still with "Inside Edition," or has she left them?

Meanwhile, where does this leave the "girl named Jo"? We really liked her.

 

[TheBigA]

Meanwhile, where does this leave the "girl named Jo"? We really liked her.

According to this, she joined the Navy:

NBC-TV Inside Edition and NFL On NBC correspondent Megan Alexander has been tapped as Ryman Hospitality Classic Country WSM-AM/Nashville and Circle television network’s Coffee, Country & Cody entertainment correspondent. She joins hosts Bill Cody and Charlie Mattos and succeeds Jo Smith, who was recently commissioned into the Navy as an intel officer. “Megan will be such a treat for our radio and Circle TV audience,” says Dir./Content & Programming J. Patrick Tinnell. Coffee, Country & Cody was added to the morning television lineup for Circle in January

 

[firepoint525]

According to this, she joined the Navy:

NBC-TV Inside Edition and NFL On NBC correspondent Megan Alexander has been tapped as Ryman Hospitality Classic Country WSM-AM/Nashville and Circle television network’s Coffee, Country & Cody entertainment correspondent. She joins hosts Bill Cody and Charlie Mattos and succeeds Jo Smith, who was recently commissioned into the Navy as an intel officer. “Megan will be such a treat for our radio and Circle TV audience,” says Dir./Content & Programming J. Patrick Tinnell. Coffee, Country & Cody was added to the morning television lineup for Circle in January

Tell Jo (Josephine, I think) that we will miss her, and wish her well in her future endeavors.