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AP: Clear Channel Keeps the Mic in Madison
- Thread starter smedge2006
- Start date
WXXM, heretofore to be known as the Cagney & Lacey of radio stations--in that there was a large outcry among fans after its original dismissal.smedge2006 said:
However, I wonder how the plans for WXXM's local sports coverage (what would have been airing had they indeed flipped to Fox Sports) would be affected. The plan was to have increased high school and UW Badgers events, along with play-by-play of the Madison Mallards. Will they now work that coverage around progressive talk?
T
talkjim
Guest
As a strong believer that there should be more than one point of view on the air, especially in a progressive town like Madison, I'm more than happy to read this news. But the whole thing had "STUNT" written all over it from the beginning. Who in the modern era announces a format change six weeks in advance? But a well-handled stunt it was that succeeded in attracting nationwide publicity, and ends with Clear Channel looking heroic. What a world.
It was a stunt.. Clear Channel subsidizes (provides welfare) many Err Amerika stations.. KLSD san diego is another one. But I think the money moving will dry up in another 6 months as CC sheds more small market stations.
B
bigtalkradiofan
Guest
talkjim said:
That thought crossed my mind as well, but there's one thing running against that argument, namely the FOX Sports affiliation. Currently, there's another station in town carrying the FOX Sports banner - WTLX (100.5). They've had it for a few years already. I highly doubt Premiere (which owns the FOX Sports franchise) would be dumb enough to alienate an affiliate like that. And I don't think Good Karma, the station's owner, would go along with the gag. They even came up with a new logo for their station, eliminating the FOX Sports branding. It's not exactly easy to rip a station's programming source right out from under them just for a stunt, even though I'm sure WTLX will welcome them back. WXXM had to back out of the contract.
Quite frankly, I think Clear Channel in Madison botched this whole thing badly, though they did get a ton of press out of it, albeit not-so-nice press.
That's OK; believe it or not, I wouldn't mind liberal talk on the air, but I just liked making fun of them and how bad they were doing in places like Boston (where they're now gone, in one of the bastions of liberalism). Heck if
it were someone like Alan Colmes I might even listen. But even though there is some sympathy in my heart
for libtalk listeners, there's also a bit of schadenfreude too...
"Taking delight in the miseries of others". Like, how a Red Sox fan would feel if the Yankees get eliminated
in the playoffs...
>>Clear Channel subsidizes (provides welfare) many Err Amerika stations.. KLSD san diego is another one. But I think the money moving will dry up in another 6 months as CC sheds more small market stations.
But Boston, at #11, isn't exactly a small market--and while they didn't sell off WKOX and WXKS, they did
dump libtalk.
it were someone like Alan Colmes I might even listen. But even though there is some sympathy in my heart
for libtalk listeners, there's also a bit of schadenfreude too...
"Taking delight in the miseries of others". Like, how a Red Sox fan would feel if the Yankees get eliminated
in the playoffs...
>>Clear Channel subsidizes (provides welfare) many Err Amerika stations.. KLSD san diego is another one. But I think the money moving will dry up in another 6 months as CC sheds more small market stations.
But Boston, at #11, isn't exactly a small market--and while they didn't sell off WKOX and WXKS, they did
dump libtalk.
R
Radio_Realist
Guest
But the whole thing had "STUNT" written all over it from the beginning. Who in the modern era announces a format change six weeks in advance? But a well-handled stunt it was that succeeded in attracting nationwide publicity, and ends with Clear Channel looking heroic. What a world.
That hits the nail right on the head. I didn't think it was that obvious that it was a stunt from the beginning at the time, but in retrospect, you're right about stations never announcing format changes that far in advance. It does leave me wondering whether or not the people doing the public protests and fake funeral procession were recruited and paid or if Clear Channel really was able to exploit those who supported the station to go along with the scheme on their own.
And who was behind the stunt? Was it an idea that came from someone at Clear Channel, or someone from the AAR side? Whoever it was, I see some promotions and a raise for whoever came up with and executed that idea.
As for where Fox Sports fits into this, I don't know if they were unwitting dupes or active participants. I suspect that this stunt wasn't an idea from any of the participants' corporate headquarters. I suspect this is an example of a few people lower down the corporate totem pole taking a risky shot and having it turn out well. I don't think the suits at corporate in any of the companies involved would have the intestinal fortitude to take such a risk to do a stunt like this, but I can believe that some lower echelon people might.
That hits the nail right on the head. I didn't think it was that obvious that it was a stunt from the beginning at the time, but in retrospect, you're right about stations never announcing format changes that far in advance. It does leave me wondering whether or not the people doing the public protests and fake funeral procession were recruited and paid or if Clear Channel really was able to exploit those who supported the station to go along with the scheme on their own.
And who was behind the stunt? Was it an idea that came from someone at Clear Channel, or someone from the AAR side? Whoever it was, I see some promotions and a raise for whoever came up with and executed that idea.
As for where Fox Sports fits into this, I don't know if they were unwitting dupes or active participants. I suspect that this stunt wasn't an idea from any of the participants' corporate headquarters. I suspect this is an example of a few people lower down the corporate totem pole taking a risky shot and having it turn out well. I don't think the suits at corporate in any of the companies involved would have the intestinal fortitude to take such a risk to do a stunt like this, but I can believe that some lower echelon people might.
E
evnlee
Guest
Scribbler said:
Mighty Fine!
Another possibility as to the early announcement and the backpedal could be linked to bickering CC management. There is a regional manager in Cincinnati who oversees several markets, including Madison. It sounds like the decision to make the flip came to him, as he oversaw the flip of WSAI to pre-recorded advice shows (c'mon - at least air them live!). CC/Madison management didn't seem to keen on the idea, since the liberal talk format has given life to what has been, prior to 2004, an underperforming frequency. The previous modern AC format did terribly (though they did well for years with modern rock before that).
Jeff Tyler, the hivekeeper in Madison, made the announcement last month. I get the feeling he did not want to change the format, but has to answer to Cincy. I assume that in the end, Tyler won this little power struggle.
As for the early format change announcement, these do sometimes happen. It's really nothing new in radio, though most stations don't seem to announce anything. I also assume that, since the WXXM flip involves taking the FOX Sports affiliation from a rival, that word would have leaked anyway.
Jeff Tyler, the hivekeeper in Madison, made the announcement last month. I get the feeling he did not want to change the format, but has to answer to Cincy. I assume that in the end, Tyler won this little power struggle.
As for the early format change announcement, these do sometimes happen. It's really nothing new in radio, though most stations don't seem to announce anything. I also assume that, since the WXXM flip involves taking the FOX Sports affiliation from a rival, that word would have leaked anyway.
Radio_Realist said:
Just to clarify:
Clear Channel owns Fox Sports. It simply licenses the name from Fox and has nothing much else in common with Fox Sports Net. This is all an inside deal and nothing will need to be "worked out". It's all in the family!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_Sports_Radio
robbbc said:
The FOX News radio updates function more or less the same way. It's merely Premiere's news syndication outlet, and FOX doesn't have a whole lot to do with it. Same goes for CNN radio and NBC radio, which are handled by Westwood One.
B
bigtalkradiofan
Guest
talkjim said:
That thought did enter my mind - but when they canned the popular local WXXM "Pro-Show" morning show, Lee Rayburn and Jodie Shawback (sp?) - I stopped thinking it was a stunt.
Although the "Pro-Show in Exile" podcast was still being created every week at a local coffeehouse, and Lee was supposed to do some fill-in on the AAR national broadcasts over the Holidays (if I remember correctly).
Anyone think Lee and Jodie will be back?
bigtalkradiofan said:
Nobody knows. Jodie is allegedly moving out of town. As for Lee, I heard he was offered a job at WTDY, but who knows? I guess it will all shake out over the next week or so.
It does sound like The Mic wants to get back into local programming, which I think is a very smart move.
It does seem like it could have been a stunt (and a pretty good one) except they did announce the new program lineups of both the AM and FM sports stations. And this morning on ESPN, Cowherd did mention he was going to be on an additional hour in Madison (because of the format change). If it had been a stunt, they probably wouldn't have told ESPN they were taking on more of their programming.
R
Radio_Realist
Guest
If it had been a stunt, they probably wouldn't have told ESPN they were taking on more of their programming.
If they really wanted to sell the stunt and make it work, then they'd have done things that radio-info participants wouldn't expect them to do if it was a stunt. The reasons everyone keeps submitting to prove it wasn't a stunt simply reinforce the fact that it was not only a stunt, it was an extremely clever stunt.
If they really wanted to sell the stunt and make it work, then they'd have done things that radio-info participants wouldn't expect them to do if it was a stunt. The reasons everyone keeps submitting to prove it wasn't a stunt simply reinforce the fact that it was not only a stunt, it was an extremely clever stunt.
If "Saturday Night Live" was a RADIO show...
You may already have heard this.
Someone just Emailed it to me over the weekend.
If "Saturday Night Live" was a RADIO show, this would've been the opening skit:
http://hollandcooke.com/ClearChannelChristmas.mp3
Happy New(s) Year,
HC
www.HollandCooke.com
You may already have heard this.
Someone just Emailed it to me over the weekend.
If "Saturday Night Live" was a RADIO show, this would've been the opening skit:
http://hollandcooke.com/ClearChannelChristmas.mp3
Happy New(s) Year,
HC
www.HollandCooke.com
F
fred flintstone
Guest
Go Ahead - Do Local Sports
The Mic - and other progressive talkers - should make a point to carry local sports.
These games are almost always played in the evening and on weekends when talk radio - all talk radio - generally has zilch audience.
HC wrote a piece some time back urging talk stations (regardless of political orientation) to come up with something different to draw the weekend audience.
Weekends and evenings are dead times for sales, but advertisers - for some reason - love to sponsor local ballgames, even when nobody is listening.
Local sports is a good way to (1) Draw attention to the station, (2) Get new listeners possibly to sample the station and (3) Get new advertisers to try out the station.
Besides, hard as this may be to believe, some liberals like sports (real sports - not stuff like NASCAR).
Right-wing talkers often broadcast local high school, college and even pro-games. It can be argued that this helped establish the conservative talkers.
If Mike Malloy gets preempted sometimes for weeknight games, it's a price worth paying.
The Mic - and other progressive talkers - should make a point to carry local sports.
These games are almost always played in the evening and on weekends when talk radio - all talk radio - generally has zilch audience.
HC wrote a piece some time back urging talk stations (regardless of political orientation) to come up with something different to draw the weekend audience.
Weekends and evenings are dead times for sales, but advertisers - for some reason - love to sponsor local ballgames, even when nobody is listening.
Local sports is a good way to (1) Draw attention to the station, (2) Get new listeners possibly to sample the station and (3) Get new advertisers to try out the station.
Besides, hard as this may be to believe, some liberals like sports (real sports - not stuff like NASCAR).
Right-wing talkers often broadcast local high school, college and even pro-games. It can be argued that this helped establish the conservative talkers.
If Mike Malloy gets preempted sometimes for weeknight games, it's a price worth paying.
Sports might be a good idea for prog. talkers for nights and weekends. In Burlington VT, AAR/prog talk
was on WVAA 1390 (full time signal, Burlington) while ESPN was on sister station WTWK 1070 (daytimer,
Plattsburg NY). The decision was made to put prog talk on the daytimer at 1070 and 1390 became
not just sports from ESPN but some local sports as well, WCAT. A stronger signal, full-time, and closer
to downtown Burlington (antenna in the "Intervale" section of town). They could have made 1390
prog. talk days and sports talk/sports coverage nights and weekends (and done who knows what with
1070--maybe some ESPN during the day, and it would be "ESPN 1070 days, 1390 nights"). Who knows.
Meanwhile an effort to bring AAR/prog talk back to Boston started the day the Rumba format took over
1200/1430--yahoo group, etc.; trying to lobby stations to carry shows or even get someone to buy a station
for them. Considering that the rumor of AAR leaving had been around for a few weeks, they could have gotten a head start but they're trying to make up lost time. I don't know where they may land, except maybe on
smaller independently owned stations...the "other" big companies in town are CBS, Entercom, Greater Media and Salem
(1200/1430 are Clear Channel) (Of those, the libtalk political philosophy seems less likely to wind up on a Salem station of course!
Any Salem stations running political talk do conservatives, as Salem does do with 1150 full time and 950
at night in Boston)
was on WVAA 1390 (full time signal, Burlington) while ESPN was on sister station WTWK 1070 (daytimer,
Plattsburg NY). The decision was made to put prog talk on the daytimer at 1070 and 1390 became
not just sports from ESPN but some local sports as well, WCAT. A stronger signal, full-time, and closer
to downtown Burlington (antenna in the "Intervale" section of town). They could have made 1390
prog. talk days and sports talk/sports coverage nights and weekends (and done who knows what with
1070--maybe some ESPN during the day, and it would be "ESPN 1070 days, 1390 nights"). Who knows.
Meanwhile an effort to bring AAR/prog talk back to Boston started the day the Rumba format took over
1200/1430--yahoo group, etc.; trying to lobby stations to carry shows or even get someone to buy a station
for them. Considering that the rumor of AAR leaving had been around for a few weeks, they could have gotten a head start but they're trying to make up lost time. I don't know where they may land, except maybe on
smaller independently owned stations...the "other" big companies in town are CBS, Entercom, Greater Media and Salem
(1200/1430 are Clear Channel) (Of those, the libtalk political philosophy seems less likely to wind up on a Salem station of course!
Any Salem stations running political talk do conservatives, as Salem does do with 1150 full time and 950
at night in Boston)
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