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del_griffith
Guest
He turned 77 in December.
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Nomoreradionews said:
Was listening to Bob Connors show this morning. You(with a trained ear) could hear that Bob Connors is still taking his Winter vacation in Florida
and broadcasting his show from there. When BC first got on the air this morning, he asked his co-hosts how the drive was in to the studio.
BC did not give his drive in report afterward because he had none to report and certainly not one in ice and snow!
BC refrained from tellinghis listeners he was enjoying the sunshine in Sunny Florida. At 6:10 AM this morning, one of BC's news producers came into the local WTVN studio
and told them that Columbus City Schools has closed for today. This was immediate announced by a WTVN news person on the air. A few minutes,
later BC got back on the air and said, "I hear you guys said the Columbus City Schools has closed for today". It appears that BC, Who left December 1, will takes a four month long vacation to Florida.
The questions I have, would BC have retired ten years ago if WTVN had not have made this special vacation arrangement with him? ??? He has insisted on the air that CC management offered him this vacation time without him even asking for it because of his valuable
contribution to the radio station over the past 40 years. Last but not lease, is it fair to his listeners that he refuses to divulge his Winter broadcast
location in Florida? I don't expected him to want to rub it in during the days Columbus may be experiencing a blizzard but this doesn't exactly sound
appropriate to keep this a tight lip secret with his large and loyal listening audience. Can this secret be insulating to us radio buffs out there?
Here is an Smart Business Columbus article on this very topic from ten years ago:
http://www.sbnonline.com/Local/Article/316/70/0/BCs_road_show.aspx
Cover Story
BC's road show
Why executives at WTVN let Bob Conners do his radio show from Florida this winter
By Nancy Byron
Smart Business Columbus | April 2001
Click here for the rest of the story:
http://www.sbnonline.com/Local/Article/316/70/0/BCs_road_show.aspx
This is hardly a unique concept (Tom Barbard at KQRS/Minneapolis comes to mind, not to mention the numberous voicetracked talent). But I suspect WTVN makes plenty of money thanks Mr. Connors; the ratings are certainly more than good enough to keep the show going.
Not to mention the fact that the AVERAGE listener probably doesn't care in the first place. (Their typical listener would never visit a radio discussion board in a million years. They're not programming to radio geeks.)
Not to mention the fact that the AVERAGE listener probably doesn't care in the first place. (Their typical listener would never visit a radio discussion board in a million years. They're not programming to radio geeks.)
pbf1 said:
Found this article on Tom Barbard of KQRS/Minneapolis doing his show from Florida: http://www.startribune.com/featuredColumns/15668827.html
He also dose not elude to broadcasting from Florida during his show according to the article. Tom Barbard is a shock jock. Bob Connors is hardly a shock jock so we are comparing apples and oranges
They are both very successful and that is a similarity between them. They both earned that privileged.
He's almost 80... even if he was in Columbus if I was Clear Channel i'd let him do his show from home anyways on a day like today... he's a pro broadcaster and a legend ... he has far beyond earned the right. (and with modern technology doesn't matter if he is sitting in a box room at 5th ave, at his home, or in another state..) the way of gathering the news data isn't going to be much different.
There was quite a, uh, kerfuffle when it was found out that iconic WBZ/Boston host Gary LaPierre was also doing his show from Florida in the winter months.
It is QUITE common, and folks eventually calmed down.
Who cares that BC is in Florida, anyway? He's a radio host, not a policeman or fireman or mayor.
It is QUITE common, and folks eventually calmed down.
Who cares that BC is in Florida, anyway? He's a radio host, not a policeman or fireman or mayor.
And of course, up in Toledo, the "Blade" made a federal case of WSPD/1370 PD/afternoon driver Brian Wilson "sneaking out of town" to live in Virginia.
OhioMediaWatch said:
Glad you mention his name! Never heard of him but have never been to the NE. I did find an pertinent article on him and his Winter broadcasts from Florida. They mention in the article below why it may not be ethical to keep a remote studio location a secret. Bob Connors
broadcasts his news show, for about three months during the Winter, from sunny and warm Southern Florida. My point is why should BC and his
other colleagues in the business want to keep this a secret? If it's not detrimental to their show, then why do they refuse to say they are
broadcasting from Florida when they are on the air? It can't be because their listeners are experiencing a major Blizzard when they are basking in
Sunny 85 degree days. Nope, that can't be the reason why. No WAY! :
Now, I'm a fan of BC but don't agree with this secretive behavior. There has to be a motive why they won't promote this information.
Click here for the rest of the article:
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2004/01/15/local_anchor_feels_our_pain_from_afar/
LOCAL ANCHOR FEELS OUR PAIN FROM AFAR; [THIRD Edition]
Suzanne C. Ryan, Globe Staff. Boston Globe. Boston, Mass.: Jan 15, 2004. pg. A.1
Caption: GARY LaPIERRE Familiar voice in Boston
Knowing that the local host is "one of us" and is sharing the local "experience" makes them more relatable. One of terrestrial radio's strengths is that is is a truly local medium. That's pretty basic stuff. It matters more at certain formats and at certain times than others. When the host can talk believably about scraping off the ice; avoiding that stalled car in the middle of 33, and give that shout-out to the person who gave him a jump at the BP, that is relatable radio at its best. It is differentiated from online or Florida-to-Columbus.
D
del_griffith
Guest
Maybe I'm over romanticizing, but I agree. Just knowing they are seeing, feeling and experiencing what's going on in our city makes a huge dif.
In theory? I agree.
In practice? Gary LaPierre and Bob Connors are highly paid morning HOSTS. They aren't out there gathering the news. They aren't claiming to be out in the field reporting.
They are reading things in a studio. I'm not sure if it matters if that studio is in Columbus, Boston or Florida...particularly if, as it is in both cases, the host is a long-time local fixture who has spent the bulk of his career in the market.
In practice? Gary LaPierre and Bob Connors are highly paid morning HOSTS. They aren't out there gathering the news. They aren't claiming to be out in the field reporting.
They are reading things in a studio. I'm not sure if it matters if that studio is in Columbus, Boston or Florida...particularly if, as it is in both cases, the host is a long-time local fixture who has spent the bulk of his career in the market.
D
del_griffith
Guest
Maybe it only matters to those who know the one time connection of "they are experiencing what I'm experiencing". Maybe it's part of the reason why when I was a budding personality, I had a line of people ahead of me to get an on air job, any job, where today many outlets go begging for those wanting to become part of the business. The plug and play mentality may have taken away that special uniqueness.
Bob was one of my heroes growing up. I remember with pride the Christmas morning I was listening to him on WBNS on the way to fire up WRFD and be the all day Christmas fill in guy. The thought of knowing I was "competing" with him for an audience. BC and me working on Christmas day on competing frequencies. I was in awe when I worked pt at WTVN and relieved him on Saturday evenings to do a show. Just knowing the guy who wore the headphones prior to me was the great BC. Or appearing at Eastland Mall together to do a Secret Santa remote.
As I said; maybe I'm a radio romantic. Just enough geek remains in me where this type of thing matters. Maybe for most of the population, if they know they don't care and most probably don't know but if they did it wouldn't matter.
There's a big part of me that that looks on with respectful awe that at 77 he still matters. That he has enough clout to do his show where he wants (even the Early Worm often broadcast from home in the 60's). Sure the voice isn't as crisp and clear as it once was. That he doesn't sound as hip as he used to. But he still matters. That's a testament.
And then there's the traditional part that of me that says if you want to represent the city, you need to be in the city. Maybe that part needs to silently slip away because times have changed. And hosts, for the most part, no longer matter as much as they once did.
Bob was one of my heroes growing up. I remember with pride the Christmas morning I was listening to him on WBNS on the way to fire up WRFD and be the all day Christmas fill in guy. The thought of knowing I was "competing" with him for an audience. BC and me working on Christmas day on competing frequencies. I was in awe when I worked pt at WTVN and relieved him on Saturday evenings to do a show. Just knowing the guy who wore the headphones prior to me was the great BC. Or appearing at Eastland Mall together to do a Secret Santa remote.
As I said; maybe I'm a radio romantic. Just enough geek remains in me where this type of thing matters. Maybe for most of the population, if they know they don't care and most probably don't know but if they did it wouldn't matter.
There's a big part of me that that looks on with respectful awe that at 77 he still matters. That he has enough clout to do his show where he wants (even the Early Worm often broadcast from home in the 60's). Sure the voice isn't as crisp and clear as it once was. That he doesn't sound as hip as he used to. But he still matters. That's a testament.
And then there's the traditional part that of me that says if you want to represent the city, you need to be in the city. Maybe that part needs to silently slip away because times have changed. And hosts, for the most part, no longer matter as much as they once did.
I think Connors, and LaPierre, get an exemption because they are clearly parts of the markets they serve...after decades of actual presence in the market.
I am not sure it matters that they are in Florida for the final years of their career. It likely means you're getting a few years of BC that you would, technology aside, not gotten in the past (and same with Gary, though he's now retired).
Bob clearly knows the difference between Gahanna and Grove City, between Delaware and Pickerington. He's not some interloper who knows only Tampa and Orlando.
I am not sure it matters that they are in Florida for the final years of their career. It likely means you're getting a few years of BC that you would, technology aside, not gotten in the past (and same with Gary, though he's now retired).
Bob clearly knows the difference between Gahanna and Grove City, between Delaware and Pickerington. He's not some interloper who knows only Tampa and Orlando.
Was listening to the WTVN morning show because I was expecting Bob Connors to be back on the air this morning. He was not on today but Joel, substituting for BC, mentioned there is a false rumor going around on Craigslist that mentions of "BC's demise". He said all they would have had to do
is call the station(WTVN) and they would have been told that BC is in good health and spirits. He
had been off the air for over two weeks now because he has been on vacation. I'm a BIG fan of
BC but how would a bad false rumor like this be started? As a big BC fan, I'm insulated.
BTW, they quoted the air that "Jerry Revish will give a eulogy".
This is what was posted on Craiglist... It has since been taken down:
is call the station(WTVN) and they would have been told that BC is in good health and spirits. He
had been off the air for over two weeks now because he has been on vacation. I'm a BIG fan of
BC but how would a bad false rumor like this be started? As a big BC fan, I'm insulated.
BTW, they quoted the air that "Jerry Revish will give a eulogy".
This is what was posted on Craiglist... It has since been taken down:
And he still has those right-wing, Faux News talking points down pat!del_griffith said:
D
del_griffith
Guest
gabigley1 said:
Joel mentioned Monday AM that Bob would be back Thursday.
But his vacation time is beginning to rival that of Johnny Carson. He'll have to change his theme song to Johnny's soon.
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