Jimmy Failla to replace Mark Levin on WPHT

[TheBigA]

The purchase will affect more than “165 million monthly listeners on Audacy – a network that includes conservative programming like Sean Hannity, Dana Loesch, Mark Levin, Glenn Beck, and Erick Erickson.

Do you live in Philadelphia? Obviously not. Because WPHT doesn't carry most of those shows.

As the subject line says, WPHT just dropped Mark Levin. And they're replacing him with a show from Fox News. That left wing network.

So don't worry about your little Sean Hannity or Erick Erickson shows. They'll be fine and people who want them can still hear them. On stations owned by iHeart and Salem.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

No it isn’t a joke.
The purchase will affect more than “165 million monthly listeners on Audacy – a network that includes conservative programming like Sean Hannity, Dana Loesch, Mark Levin, Glenn Beck, and Erick Erickson.”

“Affect” does not mean change. You’d have to assume what…they’re changing all the A/C to polka outlets? Classic hits to Gregorian chants? Either of those are as probable as Soros somehow caring a whit about day to day operations of one station in a given cluster that is one part of one of many investments his companies have. Seriously. Maybe that it’s not a joke is the funniest part of all. No one gives a rat’s rear end about getting involved in programming decisions.

What do YOU think the reason is ?

💵, again.

Or do you like more Hispanic /religious programming ? AM is a disaster.

Why would I care either way? There are religious folks. Programming for them is fine. What’s the issue with Hispanic formats? Or other ethnic formats in general?

 

[Delete My Account]

Most of Audacy's stations aren't even talk. Of those that are, two of the best sounding are KMBZ (FM) which is mostly apolitical, and WWL in New Orleans. Those are focused on their local markets and aren't full of the syndicated shows or the talking points.

Even IF this theory were true that Soros was somehow going to interfere in the programming, it would affect a single digit number of stations. Nowhere near the amount of stations programmed nationwide by iHeart and others carrying an abundance of conservative talk. The scenario people "fear" isn't going to happen, but even if it did, it would be a single digit loss of affiliates for conservative shows at most.

It's no different than a country outlet going Top 40 or an English outlet converting to a station serving Spanish language audiences. Formats change, demographics change, and markets change. And a person with the wealth of George Soros isn't micromanaging it. He cares about as much about one station airing Mark Levin as he does how many times their CHR stations play Taylor Swift each day.

As for Senator Cotton, it's an interesting dilemma. On one hand, he's the sort that would say the government and media don't trust people to make up their own mind and govern themselves, and yet, he's implying that this handful of radio stations mostly on AM can somehow change the minds of these voters in two weeks. Or that someone thinks in two weeks, by somehow shoehorning a liberal program onto these only modestly relevant stations, an election is going to be won.

Surely he knows better.

 

[radiofan2023]

Most of Audacy's stations aren't even talk. Of those that are, two of the best sounding are KMBZ (FM) which is mostly apolitical, and WWL in New Orleans. Those are focused on their local markets and aren't full of the syndicated shows or the talking points.

Even IF this theory were true that Soros was somehow going to interfere in the programming, it would affect a single digit number of stations. Nowhere near the amount of stations programmed nationwide by iHeart and others carrying an abundance of conservative talk. The scenario people "fear" isn't going to happen, but even if it did, it would be a single digit loss of affiliates for conservative shows at most.

It's no different than a country outlet going Top 40 or an English outlet converting to a station serving Spanish language audiences. Formats change, demographics change, and markets change. And a person with the wealth of George Soros isn't micromanaging it. He cares about as much about one station airing Mark Levin as he does how many times their CHR stations play Taylor Swift each day.

As for Senator Cotton, it's an interesting dilemma. On one hand, he's the sort that would say the government and media don't trust people to make up their own mind and govern themselves, and yet, he's implying that this handful of radio stations mostly on AM can somehow change the minds of these voters in two weeks. Or that someone thinks in two weeks, by somehow shoehorning a liberal program onto these only modestly relevant stations, an election is going to be won.

Surely he knows better.

He went to Harvard for undergrad and Harvard Law School for a law degree, he's much smarter than he's acting.

 

[TheBigA]

As for Senator Cotton, it's an interesting dilemma. On one hand, he's the sort that would say the government and media don't trust people to make up their own mind and govern themselves, and yet, he's implying that this handful of radio stations mostly on AM can somehow change the minds of these voters in two weeks. Or that someone thinks in two weeks, by somehow shoehorning a liberal program onto these only modestly relevant stations, an election is going to be won.

Surely he knows better.

Exactly. That's why I said that letter wasn't aimed at the FCC and is not about broadcasting. That is a political letter aimed at his base. The FCC knows all the factual mistakes in his letter. They know because they saw the application from Audacy. They investigated it for six months. They know it didn't happen in 48 hours. They know the foreign ownership part is still going on. They also know that George Soros has an ownership stake in 20 other radio stations. That sale was approved 2 years ago. At the time, republicans made the same claims. If there was any national security issue, we all would know about it by now.

The Chairman of the FCC probably won't respond to this letter. But last night, she did respond to another politician demanding that the FCC revoke CBS' license over a 60 minutes interview. He doesn't know that CBS isn't licensed by the FCC. No networks are. Or maybe he does know these things, and he, like Cotton, is speaking to his base. In either case, here is how the chairman of the FCC responded. Her response to him is similar to what should be said to Sen. Cotton.

Trump wants CBS license revoked; FCC chair explains that isn’t going to happen

Trump's "threats against free speech are serious," Jessica Rosenworcel says.

arstechnica.com

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

He went to Harvard for undergrad and Harvard Law School for a law degree, he's much smarter than he's acting.

There are myriad examples of people who have a prestigious college in their bio who…are t necessarily the brightest bulbs on the Christmas tree. He may well just be playing the part to pander to the extremist wing of the base, certainly. But we can’t always assume a degree means they’re not dim.