Big moves at WSB. Find out where Rush Limbaugh is going!

[rho01]

http://blogs.ajc.com/radio-tv-talk/...augh-adds-news-show-from-5-to-7-p-m/#comments

 

[sagebasics]

I thought several months ago that if All News 106.7 was a success, WSB Radio would have to go to a news block from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. I figured they would split the WSB-AM and WSBB-FM signals. Who would have thought they would have a conservative talk show host as a host/newscaster from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. That may not be the brightest idea to come down the pike. If they're serious about doing news, then put some news people in place.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

I'm curious as to why they won't run Hannity's entire show from 3-6 and then Erick Erickson from 6-8. I personally don't feel Erickson is of the caliber of the national hosts although he is live and local. In any case, getting Rush is huge for WSB.

 

[RhubarbFan]

It's weird because Rush has been on WGST since his show started.

 

[sagebasics]

I'm curious as to why they won't run Hannity's entire show from 3-6 and then Erick Erickson from 6-8. I personally don't feel Erickson is of the caliber of the national hosts although he is live and local. In any case, getting Rush is huge for WSB.

I can see why WSB wants to start an extended news broadcast at 5:00 p.m. It's because many motorists leave the office aroudn 5:00 p.m. headed home. If I was programming, I would have broken simulcast at 5:00 p.m. and go with all news on WSB-AM and the Hannity broadcast from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on WSBB-FM. I would carry Erickson on WSBB-FM from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. On WSB-AM, I would carry all n ews from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and resume the simulcast with WSBB-FM at 7:00 p.m. Again, I think it is a lousy idea having a talk show host as a host/newscaster from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. There is enough talent at WSB Radio to have a newsman hosting from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. either solo or a combo co-anchoring.

 

[Benji_Kurtz]

If I was programming, I would have broken simulcast at 5:00 p.m. and go with all news on WSB-AM and the Hannity broadcast from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on WSBB-FM. I would carry Erickson on WSBB-FM from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. On WSB-AM, I would carry all n ews from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and resume the simulcast with WSBB-FM at 7:00 p.m.

If they break simulcast at all, they can't add the AM and the FM together for the bottom line arb number. That would be quite self-defeating.

 

[sagebasics]

If I was programming, I would have broken simulcast at 5:00 p.m. and go with all news on WSB-AM and the Hannity broadcast from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on WSBB-FM. I would carry Erickson on WSBB-FM from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. On WSB-AM, I would carry all n ews from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and resume the simulcast with WSBB-FM at 7:00 p.m.

If they break simulcast at all, they can't add the AM and the FM together for the bottom line arb number. That would be quite self-defeating.

Perhaps. But it would be interesting to see if an all news broadcast would pull better or poorer numbers than Hannity.

 

[BarryATL]

From Media Confidential

http://mediaconfidential.blogspot.com/2012/09/rush-limbaugh-to-move-to-wsb-atlanta.html

“Atlanta’s Evening News” returns weekdays 5 – 7 p.m. with traffic every six minutes led by Captain Herb Emory and the WSB Traffic Team, continuous breaking news, Atlanta’s most accurate and dependable weather with Chief Meteorologist Kirk Mellish and fast-paced, urgent commentary from Erick Erickson on the news Atlanta listeners may have missed while they were working.

So, we are talking about Atlanta's Evening News with a Fox News slant.

I guess I will stick with AN106.7.

 

[BarryATL]

Also, notice the above quote says "traffic every six minutes".

Isn't that too often? It will sound more like the traffic show rather than a news show.

 

[artsutton]

http://blogs.ajc.com/radio-tv-talk/...augh-adds-news-show-from-5-to-7-p-m/#comments

Wow..what an original idea!

Anyone who wanted to hear Rush in Atlanta could easily hear him on the 50KW daytime signal of WGST, which by the way, is larger and covers more total people than WSB's.

Yes, WGST drops power at night but every single Rush program has been on the full 50KW signal.

It appears WSB is going to "cheap route". Just run syndicated shows when instead it ought to be investing in new talent and developing new hosts. It's all about content and demographics and it appears WSB is moving toward the wrong side of that equation.

For many many moons, WSB had been an innovator in programming which was copied by broadcasters throughout Georgia and the South. Taking Rush doesn't live up to that standard.

 

[upstate29651]

It appears WSB is going to "cheap route". Just run syndicated shows when instead it ought to be investing in new talent and developing new hosts. It's all about content and demographics and it appears WSB is moving toward the wrong side of that equation.

For many many moons, WSB had been an innovator in programming which was copied by broadcasters throughout Georgia and the South. Taking Rush doesn't live up to that standard.

I detect personal opinion in your comment above. It's a shame you won't separate that from the business itself.

The fact remains Rush is the #1 draw to radio, based on total listenership. Period.

G

 

[nightmanager]

Back in the day, WGST's afternoon news and 60 at six were lead by Denis O'hayer and Bob Coxe. It was a darn fine product. I remember well the day Bob left GST.

Well, he's still at WSB. Wonder if they asked him about the afternoon news gig.

 

[secondchoice]

It appears WSB is going to "cheap route". Just run syndicated shows when instead it ought to be investing in new talent and developing new hosts. It's all about content and demographics and it appears WSB is moving toward the wrong side of that equation.

For many many moons, WSB had been an innovator in programming which was copied by broadcasters throughout Georgia and the South. Taking Rush doesn't live up to that standard.

I detect personal opinion in your comment above. It's a shame you won't separate that from the business itself.

The fact remains Rush is the #1 draw to radio, based on total listenership. Period.

G

Nationwide Rush is #1 but based on the 6+ Arbitron (I do not have access to demos or particular hour breakouts):

http://ratings.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb047

WSB is 6.0, WGST is 1.3, that is over 4 times the listeners. Just doing some math, for Rush to have a positive impact on WSB, all of WGST's ratings have to come from Rush's three hours. I wonder if Cox is paying for Rush's show or is WSB getting it for "free" just by clearing Rush's commercials? This is a good move for CC. They get to cut payroll (at WGST staffers expense). If Rush is "free" to Cox then they can move Clark to nights, as Clark seems to be headed to TV via CNN.

 

[fortt3]

??? This feels rushed (no pun intended). Did CC want to flip GST and Rush had to land somewhere, so WSB was most logical? With the announcement 4 day (2 business days) before the event, it's not normally how WSB does things.

 

[Firebird]

Someone on the Rodney's blog posted as to whether CC CEO John Hogan had some sort of vendetta against WGST and the other stations in the local cluster. Why would he allow his home town stations to languish over the past 10 or so years? There have been some short-term successes, but for the most part, CC Atlanta has been a disaster.

In other, albeit smaller markets, such as Louisville, Cincy, Cleveland and others, Clear Channel actually does a decent job. But Atlanta? There's no excuse, unless there is a hidden agenda. Is CC consider selling WGST or at least the 640 frequency?

This latest move makes Nancy Zintak's Planet Radio and Randall Bloomquist's Reign of Stupidity look like programming successes.

Finally, say what you want about Cumulus, but All News 106.7 is a first class operation.

 

[fortt3]

So what is WSB going to shuffle to make room for Rush reruns on the weekend?

 

[MarcB]

So what is WSB going to shuffle to make room for Rush reruns on the weekend?

Who says they're going to run reruns of Rush on the weekend? CBS-owned WTIC in Hartford does not carry Rush reruns on the weekend.

 

[jabba17]

Nationwide Rush is #1 but based on the 6+ Arbitron (I do not have access to demos or particular hour breakouts):

http://ratings.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb047

WSB is 6.0, WGST is 1.3, that is over 4 times the listeners. Just doing some math, for Rush to have a positive impact on WSB, all of WGST's ratings have to come from Rush's three hours. I wonder if Cox is paying for Rush's show or is WSB getting it for "free" just by clearing Rush's commercials? This is a good move for CC. They get to cut payroll (at WGST staffers expense). If Rush is "free" to Cox then they can move Clark to nights, as Clark seems to be headed to TV via CNN.

How has Clark Howard really been doing on radio lately? Reading between the lines of Wisbee's press release, it sounds like most folks had been getting their Clark fix from other media (particularly online and TV) and NOT radio. I haven't listened to his show in years, and most folks I have talked to who do complain about him being repetitive and not really plowing any new ground. This may have been a win for Cox to freshen up the noon-3p slot. Love him or hate him, Rush still has his game.

IMO WSB should move Jamie DuPree (great segment!) to 11a-noon, because Herman Cain is gonna need the help when Boortz hangs up his cans, at least out of the gate. Is Cox going to be syndicating Herman Cain out of the gate, or wait to see how he does? If he does not, is WSB considering Beck as a replacement?

Erick Erickson for PM news will be interesting, to say the least. IMO they should run the whole Hannity show live and not tape-delay any of it, and start the PM news at 6. If there is a concern about scaring off non-conservatives during PM drive, using Erickson is NOT a solution.

 

[FLjack2]

??? This feels rushed (no pun intended). Did CC want to flip GST and Rush had to land somewhere, so WSB was most logical? With the announcement 4 day (2 business days) before the event, it's not normally how WSB does things.

I'm curious which way this deal went:
Did CC plan to flip WGST and not want the market to be without Rush, the biggest nationally syndicated radio talk show?
Or did WSB "steal" away Rush (as some have suggested) which forced CC to change format on WGST?
Since CC owns Premiere and Rush is on Premiere, I think it would be the first scenario. And if that's the case, Cox was in the drivers seat on this deal. Face it, there is NO other station for Rush to go on that would make a dent in the market for Rush. There are no talk FM's in Atlanta and the other AM's are seriously also-rans. (AN106.7 would have been foolish to consider taking Rush.)

 

[beachguy3b]

??? This feels rushed (no pun intended). Did CC want to flip GST and Rush had to land somewhere, so WSB was most logical? With the announcement 4 day (2 business days) before the event, it's not normally how WSB does things.

I'm curious which way this deal went:
Did CC plan to flip WGST and not want the market to be without Rush, the biggest nationally syndicated radio talk show?
Or did WSB "steal" away Rush (as some have suggested) which forced CC to change format on WGST?
Since CC owns Premiere and Rush is on Premiere, I think it would be the first scenario. And if that's the case, Cox was in the drivers seat on this deal. Face it, there is NO other station for Rush to go on that would make a dent in the market for Rush. There are no talk FM's in Atlanta and the other AM's are seriously also-rans. (AN106.7 would have been foolish to consider taking Rush.)

I suspect that, like in Boston, they decided the station had run its course, and made it available to the most logical outlet in town. I suspect Rush will do well on WSB.

Unless something has changed, Clark has had a mediocre product for a while. He doesn't run live, as I recall, as it is. His radio show has slid downhill over the last few years.