News "reports" on WBZ

[nowradioguy]

People, maybe it's just cantankerous old me, but I find those "reports" by Drew Mulholland and Chris Fomma on WBZ to be rather annoying.

Drew is hard to understand, as he speaks too fast and could enunciate better. Plus, there's either (loud) concert music in his report, or, worse, he's playing back some "great" memorable moment in Boston sports history where the sportscaster is screaming insanely over the roar of the crowd. Yup, super important, I'm sure.

And Chris - well, it's probably the way 'BZ edits things these days, since it seems as if Chris begins his report on some off-the-wall matter, he gets in about three sentences, along with those oh-so-necessary actualities from someone he interviewed off the street, and then his report abruptly terminates with "Chris Fomma, WBZ, Boston's NewsRadio." And the next time this story shows up, it's a different set of words, but the ending is just as abrupt. Hey, why not let the whole story - more than just three sentences - play out before the report ends?

Who's running the show there these days?

And, in case you were wondering: for me, WBZ is the ONLY Boston radio station worth listening to.

 

[Cap-n Spackle]

...and this sort of content was what they were looping after the prime time lineup ended on Jan. 29th into Jan. 30th instead of carrying any coverage of the D.C. plane/helicopter crash, at least whenever I tuned in. In the (slightly) old days, they would have interrupted Steve Leveille or Bradley Jay to carry bulletins, and those hosts would have covered the crash as a show topic.

 

[CTListener]

Guess they're just trying to maximize whatever 25-44 female numbers (the Sacred Sales Demo) they can achieve while, hopefully, attracting fewer grumpy 55+ males, the most likely to appreciate hard news.

 

[nowradioguy]

Guess they're just trying to maximize whatever 25-44 female numbers (the Sacred Sales Demo) they can achieve while, hopefully, attracting fewer grumpy 55+ males, the most likely to appreciate hard news.

I find it hard to believe the iHeart ads which claim that "twice as many teens listen to (terrestrial) radio as they do TikTok". I have four teenage grandchildren, and not a one listens to radio. I don't know if they're on TikTok, though they pretty much are into gaming.

Anyway, broadcasters keep trying to reach these "Sacred Sales Demos", and I'm not sure how much success they're having doing so. But to drive away us 55+ cranky but serious-about-life listeners is certainly not in their best interests. Sales and marketing need to do a better job of who's listening to what, when, and what these listeners actually DO want to hear.

Many of us on these Forums do express our likes and dislikes with the current state of radio, but are usually told "this is the state of the business today", and/or "you don't work in the industry, so what would YOU know?". Tired of that.

 

[radiofan2023]

Anyway, broadcasters keep trying to reach these "Sacred Sales Demos", and I'm not sure how much success they're having doing so. But to drive away us 55+ cranky but serious-about-life listeners is certainly not in their best interests.

Maybe you should listen to some other stations

 

[nowradioguy]

...and this sort of content was what they were looping after the prime time lineup ended on Jan. 29th into Jan. 30th instead of carrying any coverage of the D.C. plane/helicopter crash, at least whenever I tuned in. In the (slightly) old days, they would have interrupted Steve Leveille or Bradley Jay to carry bulletins, and those hosts would have covered the crash as a show topic.

It's bad enough hearing these, uh, loopy reports when they air throughout the day, but to loop them during the hours when 'BZ is not running live seems to be a sad state of affairs.

 

[nowradioguy]

Maybe you should listen to some other stations

Been there, done that; no, thanks.

 

[TheBigA]

People, maybe it's just cantankerous old me, but I find those "reports" by Drew Mulholland and Chris Fomma on WBZ to be rather annoying.

Out of curiosity, what percentage of the day is made up of these reports? 2%? 3%?

The reason I ask is I read similar posts about certain songs a music station plays. That this one song doesn't fit the format or is too aggressive for the audience the station typically reaches. I then research the station's music list and see the offending song gets played maybe 4 times a week. Those four plays is enough to drive this listener crazy. There's a difference between listening to Pandora or Spotify and broadcast radio. The music services are aiming at just one person, while broadcast radio aims at a mass audience.

I understand why some people dislike some fast-talking hosts. But those hosts are on the air for at least three hours non-stop. These voice reports are each less than a minute.

So again, just for context, how often do these reports air?

 

[radiofan2023]

Been there, done that; no, thanks.

Have fun listening to these news reports you hate then

 

[MassMusicMan]

But to drive away us 55+ cranky but serious-about-life listeners is certainly not in their best interests.

What is your monthly consumer spend, and are you likely to change your existing tastes, or acquire new ones?

 

[MassMusicMan]

Been there, done that; no, thanks.

It's a feedback circle: You lament that a single radio station no longer exists to serve you, then you decree "no thanks" to the alternatives.

There's a finite amount of content, be it music, or spoken word. If an entity and their advertising partners deem you insatiable, there's an end to that line which results in them ceasing to try to reach you.

You're the pitcher. Commercial radio is the catcher, and you keep shaking off the signals. Except, in this case, the catcher doesn't come to the mound, he walks out of the stadium.

 

[nowradioguy]

Out of curiosity, what percentage of the day is made up of these reports? 2%? 3%?

The reason I ask is I read similar posts about certain songs a music station plays. That this one song doesn't fit the format or is too aggressive for the audience the station typically reaches. I then research the station's music list and see the offending song gets played maybe 4 times a week. Those four plays is enough to drive this listener crazy. There's a difference between listening to Pandora or Spotify and broadcast radio. The music services are aiming at just one person, while broadcast radio aims at a mass audience.

I understand why some people dislike some fast-talking hosts. But those hosts are on the air for at least three hours non-stop. These voice reports are each less than a minute.

So again, just for context, how often do these reports air?

I don't know if this satisfies your criteria for what I am allowed to rail against, but: I listen to 'BZ pretty much most of the day, from around 8:00 am till 5:00 pm or so, and there's a Drew or Chris report (sometimes slightly revised but typically just recycle) once every half hour. And, for the record, I have no problem with the 'BZ news anchors or the rest of their reporters.

 

[TheBigA]

I have no problem with the 'BZ news anchors or the rest of their reporters.

I think my point is that, percentage wise, we're talking about a very small part of their day.

Are they allowed to hire a couple of younger reporters who might have a different approach to the news? There are stations where the presentation is a lot more mundane, a lot more adult. But you've said that doesn't fit your taste either.

But hey, if it makes you feel better to rail away at people who might get fired in the next round of cuts, rail away.

 

[nowradioguy]

I think my point is that, percentage wise, we're talking about a very small part of their day.

Are they allowed to hire a couple of younger reporters who might have a different approach to the news?

I'd rather they didn't if the content is fluff and poorly delivered.

There are stations where the presentation is a lot more mundane, a lot more adult.

WERE. I'm thinking of the Westinghouse or CBS days of WBZ.

But you've said that doesn't fit your taste either.

TBH, NPR, if that's what you're referring to, doesn't fit my taste. But there are tons of folks who do depend on NPR, and, to be clear, I'm not in agreement with that empty-headed ilk who want NPR or PBS defunded.

But hey, if it makes you feel better to rail away at people who might get fired in the next round of cuts, rail away.

Not wishing/asking they be fired; just that they "tighten up" on their production quality.

 

[TheBigA]

I'd rather they didn't if the content is fluff and poorly delivered.

I'm thinking of the Westinghouse or CBS days of WBZ.

Those were days when the format attracted more money, and could pay more qualified staff. Entercom could have kept WBZ and WRKO but chose to spin them off to iHeart, which is not known for spending money on this kind of radio. This may be their only news station. So it's either them or nobody at this point.

 

[MassMusicMan]

I listen to 'BZ pretty much most of the day, from around 8:00 am till 5:00 pm or so

Have you ever worn a meter for Nielsen?

 

[nowradioguy]

Those were days when the format attracted more money, and could pay more qualified staff. Entercom could have kept WBZ and WRKO but chose to spin them off to iHeart, which is not known for spending money on this kind of radio. This may be their only news station. So it's either them or nobody at this point.

I believe you are quite correct in that WBZ is iHeart’s only news station. That they let several people go at one of their crown jewels, albeit not a “news” station per se, KFI in LA, is cause for concern.

 

[nowradioguy]

Have you ever worn a meter for Nielsen?

No.

 

[nowradioguy]

It's a feedback circle: You lament that a single radio station no longer exists to serve you, then you decree "no thanks" to the alternatives.

There's a finite amount of content, be it music, or spoken word. If an entity and their advertising partners deem you insatiable, there's an end to that line which results in them ceasing to try to reach you.

I think you meant: “If an entity and their advertising partners deem you undesirable, there's an end to that line which results in their ceasing to try to reach you.

You're the pitcher. Commercial radio is the catcher, and you keep shaking off the signals. Except, in this case, the catcher doesn't come to the mound, he walks out of the stadium.

I’m not shaking off the signals; the “catcher” is. Hence my rant.

 

[TheBigA]

I believe you are quite correct in that WBZ is iHeart’s only news station. That they let several people go at one of their crown jewels, albeit not a “news” station per se, KFI in LA, is cause for concern.

KFI has since hired a new PD, and did a great job covering the wildfires