Boston Herald streaming radio...talk?

[pjc1961]

Series of articles from The Herald on the radio station: http://bostonherald.com/topic/boston_herald_radio

From Talkers.com, their July 29, 2013 piece on the station: http://www.talkers.com/2013/07/29/monday-july-29-2013/

 

[DavidZ]

How can they afford Howie Carr? I realize he is probably looking at taking a pay cut after this contract, but the Herald couldn't come close to covering the cost of having him.

Howie has made it very clear that he no longer wants to work for Entercom. What other options does he have for remaining over the air in Boston? Besides, he already works for the Herald.

They'll bump his pay somewhat and with no other options he will take PMD for Boston Herald Radio.

 

[raccoonradio]

Or could set up his own network including some stations he's already on (good friends in Holyoke, Portland, etc). With a small investment he could do the show from home if need be or who knows where; whether it'd be a success, who knows. He's hinted at moving to Florida and doing show from there but I don't know if there would be a Howie Southern Command.

What would RKO air, assuming they're still talk, in PMD? Kuhner? McPhee? Talk demo is aging but (perhaps due in part to the Howie contract, or maybe they're doing "OK") we have yet to hear a flash bulletin about RKO going to True Oldies, ESPN Deportes, brokered, etc...the only full talk station in town and they must be doing "OK" or perhaps a loss leader (EEI makes the money, RKO stays on
with talk despite lackluster ratings/earnings).

 

[dyeingeye]

How can they afford Howie Carr? I realize he is probably looking at taking a pay cut after this contract, but the Herald couldn't come close to covering the cost of having him.

Howie has made it very clear that he no longer wants to work for Entercom. What other options does he have for remaining over the air in Boston? Besides, he already works for the Herald.

They'll bump his pay somewhat and with no other options he will take PMD for Boston Herald Radio.

Howie has made it even more clear that he likes to make a buck. On Herald Radio, I don't think he would crack six figures. Faced with a hug pay cut and not being heard, I think he would go back to Entercom.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

Raccoon Radio:

If Howie Carr leaves WRKO-680 (whether to go to the Boston Herald's new online talk station or not), I suspect they may go syndicated and pick-up a live feed of Sean Hannity.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

The Herald has been devoting two pages' worth of articles every day to their upcoming online radio station.

One other thought: While the Herald might be barred from buying a station in Boston under FCC rules (anyone who has updated information on these rules should respond to this post), what about WCRN-830 in Worcester??

Worcester may be far enough from Boston so that the Herald could buy the station, and as a 50,000-watt signal with transmitter just west of Worcester and a signal beamed to the East, towards Boston, the Herald would have an on-air presence in Boston since the 830 signal can be picked-up by almost every AM radio in the metropolitan Boston area.

 

[raccoonradio]

If Howie left RKO would probably stay local
in PM drive..local issues as well as national,.
local ad spots, mostly.Unless they're really
throwing in the towel..might as well shut off
the trasnmitter or go brokered..even 1200 had
someone local on. Jay.

 

[wickedwritah]

Pat Purcell has squat for cash. The only way the paper is surviving is if Uncle Rupert is offering a nice subsidy.

 

[TSBench]

Howie has made it very clear that he no longer wants to work for Entercom.

Howie has made it even more clear that he wants to make his mortgage payments. His anti-Entercom bit is just noise, plus it is the only negotiating leverage he has left. Unfortunately for Howie, the demise of 96.9s talk format probably makes his current contract the most lucrative he's ever going to have.

What other options does he have for remaining over the air in Boston?

None. Which makes his "[making] it very clear that he no longer wants to work for Entercom" counterintuitive BS.

Besides, he already works for the Herald.They'll bump his pay somewhat and with no other options he will take PMD for Boston Herald Radio.

Howie's ego is the only thing that approaches, or possibly exceeds, his paycheck. Howie probably pays more in taxes than the entire air-talent pool at Herald Radio grosses. Given the choice of a high-profile gig at WRKO at X dollars versus a no-profile gig at Herald Radio at 1/10th X dollars, either he re-ups at Entercom, leaves the market, or retires.

Regards,
TSB