Advertiser pressure can be huge in radio or TV.
Absolutely true, but it is possible to overstate it. Where the rubber meets the road, the advertisers do the calculus and decide if the audience and past results warrant rolling the dice. Howard Stern on WBCN, as I understand it, got the highest advertising rates ever seen in this market (and probably a lot of others), and he was the loosest of loose cannons and hardly an exemplar of good taste. But stations were willing to cough up millions in FCC fines to keep him on the air, and it wasn't because of their belief in the 1st Amendment but their belief in the 1st National Bank. They, and the advertisers, pays their money and takes their chances.
A friend of mine used to do national sales for Rush Limbaugh, and whenever she came to Boston was frustrated by the fact that one of the largest financial institutions in the world refused to buy his program because they had an in-house rule of never buying any program that could be construed as 'controversial.' Later, they did a study (or paid for a completed study) which demonstrated that listeners didn't necessarily connect advertisers with the views of programs or program hosts and were able to separate the two in their own minds.
They started buying Limbaugh, and a vast number of cable shows without regard to the programs' controversy potential and just based on the numbers and demos. They are still at it years later, so evidently it seems that their decision continues to make sense to them. Of course, there are some programs which are just beyond the pale for some advertisers, but Finneran probably isn't one of them.
Of course, the original Maloney prognostication on Finneran was that his show would have no advertisers due to the outrage at the obstruction fall. Now the story is that all those non-existent advertisers are going to pull their non-existent spots because of outrage at McGuirk co-hosting for a couple of days. A relative (my sister-in-law) in the media buying consulting biz tells me that 'RKO's sales staff has those McGuirk days back on the street for a premium, so evidently they, like John Paul Jones, haven't gotten the word.
There's the case when outraged viewers/listeners contact advertisers because they object to a show they sponsor being offensive. Or advertisers might object for same reason (which was one reason WRKO fired John DePetro, for various incidents: Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, a big WRKO sponsor, was very concerned).
You can make a pretty good case that WRKO was looking for a reason to can DePetro and he handed them one on a silver platter. Gave them the chance to lance a programming boil and look like 'listener sensitive' heroes in the bargain. If DePetro had been doing a 12 in mid-morning, he's still be there (perhaps after a brief vacation) and Harvard Pilgrim would still be on board after accepting his apology.
In some cases advertisers SUPPORT an embattled show: Opie and Anthony advertisers are doing that now that they've been suspended by XM (withdrew accounts in protest of the suspension).
Yep, they like the venues which deliver results. But if XM thinks O&A are a liability in the overall corporate business plan, no advertiser support will save them because the money at stake is too large, and no single advertiser packs the clout to whack or save a show.
Remember, it was TV which sank Imus, not the radio program. And then it took almost all of the advertisers walking to do him in (plus the fact that he was persona non grata at most of MSNBC and had nobody holding a brief for him when push came to shove.)
Not surprising that some on this board don't like Howie and that's their opinion and people are entitled to their opinions of course.
Well, I'm pretty much an agnostic when it comes to Carr. He does a big number for WRKO, both audience and billing wise, but his show is pretty much lightweight entertainment. When it comes to the big important issues, once he get through with shooting the usual fish in the barrel, he gets in over his head pretty fast, and when he switches to 'deep thinker' mode the show becomes a borefest. I think he realizes this himself, because he keeps the show pretty light and the barrel stocked. He doesn't do those "which Weather Channel babe would you like to see naked" segments as a commentary on the vanishing domestic apparel industry.
TS has a good point about McG being someone that could be entertaining, and certainly provocative, and Entercom is taking a chance it'll work (knowing also that controversial personalities could also create headaches). See: O'Donnell, Rosie.
It appears that even Barbara Walters got tired of Rosie's latest over-the-top conspiracy rap and she's about to be history. Based on what she supposedly brought to the show viewer-wise, the money dispute shouldn't have been a problem, and appears to be cover for her having outlived her usefulness.
Whether Howie says stupid things is a matter of opinion. Some feel the Air America crowd says stupid things; all a matter of opinion.
Well, the market has certainly spoken in regard to its opinion.
Howie understands that the business is about entertainment, which is something that Air America didn't understand and therefore cratered. Having a entire network based on non-stop Bush-bashing and character assassination got too old too fast for too many. It remains to be seen if the new owners 'get it.' I believe they've actually hired a mainstream talk PD as part of the resurrection scheme, but the old version may have left behind too much carnage and too little advertising and listenership to get many stations (except for those on life support) to take a chance with it.
Things like Howie's "la cucaracha" horn can offend some people but he's
making a point about the dangers of ILLEGAL aliens etc. --and mostly trying to entertain people. Then again he can put on stuff that isn't so offensive and might appeal to more than just his regular listeners, like his talk with Norm Crosby yesterday. (Jordan Rich also had Norm on, and the first caller happened to be Jordan's dad, who reminisced with Norm about the old days)
With the exception of Brudnoy, who was a one-off local institution, WBZ seems to take its talk programs right up the middle, which probably accounts for so little turnover and such consistant numbers.
While I differ with Varulven on many issues btw I've met him more than a few times and he's a nice and dedicated guy and a talented writer, producer, etc. I'm sure some will differ with my opinions too but I'm not the ogre some might thing I am. If I'm an ogre, maybe I'm the lovable Shrek
Well, he also isn't much of a debater if you go by the agenda driven stuff he tosses out on this board. And I do find the 'do you know who I am, I'm famous' references a bit off-putting.
I certainly don't think you're an ogre, but I've never met you outside of this board, and I tend to like people who like to defend their ideas, especially ones I don't agree with. Of course, I do think you belly-up to Maloney's Kool-Aid bar a little too often (which I find surprising), but unlike Maloney you don't hide and don't mind going toe to toe.
Thanks to all on this board, whether or not you agree with me --it's fun talking
Yes, it is,
Regards,
TSB
