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Greater Media Cans Another Local Host

L

Laurence Glavin

Guest
Months after showing Michelle McPhee the door at its Boston yakker WTKKK-FM, Greater Media continues to economize by jettisoning a local host at its Charlotte, NC flamethrower WBT-AM 1110 (+99.3). A gent named Peter Kaliner will be Mapquesting the local unemployment office while his shift is replaced by a tape-delayed Neil Boortz. How soon will this proclivity be found in other dayparts? Will Grace F150 consider shi-itecanning M-I-I-I-I-Chael Graham for this Urbanski guy?
 
It seems as if the dayparts most as risk for delocalization are evenings, late nights, and middays, but mostly on music radio. Anyone hosting a local morning or afternoon drive show might be considered, as Seacrest would say, safe.

"Grace F150"... I like that, good one! :D
 
Here's a simple way to figure out if your job is safe. You should know how much a spot sells for during your shift. Multiply the number of spots by the cost per spot. Then drop all the network ads from the amount. If the total is less than what you make, including benefits, then you're likely to get canned. Those network spots will run in that daypart whether you're there or not. If your local show isn't attracting local dollars, then there's no point keeping a local host.
 
Don't know how long Graham's contract runs though of course if his ratings stink they could yank him off at any time. E&B and Severin are locked in till '13 (TKK ratings have been not all that hot but better than RKO).
Despite the statement that they aren't interested in Howie would they make a try for him late next yr?
(Howie am drive which he wants, E&B, Severin). Though Entercom could well wind up keeping him.

Graham had been let go by WMAL after controversial comments about a religious community (let's call them the Amish) and I think TKK was brought him aboard when there was some kind of contract dispute with Jay
(Graham wound up filling in for him for a long time)

Jeff Katz' facebook was lamenting WBT laying off his co-worker
>>sad to hear that my former radio station in charlotte is dropping one of their bright lights when there are still a number of dim bulbs which need to be changed

Comments on that post, from Katz fans down in NC no doubt, agree and one woman says " I mourn the loss of local talk radio. Whether you liked him or not, it was a local show heard all over the eastern seaboard and beyond. Syndication will take over and that is yet another time slot that people like me don't have an opportunity to fill. I am in mourning." (that was by Pamela Furr formerly of WVNN Huntsville http://www.flashpointblog.com/2009/02/08/wvnn-cuts-pamela-furr-news-staff/
Furr and most of the news staff at WVNN were let go by Cumulus due to budget cuts
http://midnight.hushedcasket.com/2009/02/07/pamela-furr-ousted-from-wvnn/

http://www.facebook.com --(Jeff Katz)

Grace "Chevy" Blazer still hasn't filled McPhee's old slot technically--webpage still says To Be Determined--though I think she has Michael Smerconish out of cheesesteak land, a host she helped get a start, for now
 
Graham just signed a new deal, so he is not going anywhere for the next three years and from the sounds of it all they are allowed to talk about now on that station are topics like what are your favorite colors :(
 
@Raccoon re: Jeff Katz: I think it's more like WBT replacing a bright light with a dim bulb - or, to put it in perspective, a bulb that flashes eleven hours after being turned on...

@MRBI: I've seen Grace in person. She's quite petite. But I wouldn't hold that against her.
 
If you all listen to 96.9, what do you all like about their station? How do (you) think they can better themselves? Let's talk?


Personally I like Jim and Margery. here is my idea to make them better


6am-10am Jim and Marjery
10am-2pmMichael Graham
2pm-6pm Jay Severin
6pm-9pm Hank Moorse News, Sports, Weather, and Entertainment Show
9pm-Midnight John Batchelor (Citadel Media Networks has it on live this time weeknights)
Midnight-1am (Best of 96.9 Shows)
1am-5am John and Jeff show. They used to be on here at this time


This is just a partial idea.


How about you all?

Your thoughts?
 
Morse has done that 6p slot as a fill in and helped out on election night, can work out

My sister, who is liberal for the most part, loves Jim and Margery (and told me she couldn't stand McPhee). Phil Hendrie now runs overnight--while I did like it for awhile, I burned out on it quickly.
Yes John and Jeff might work. btw I don't see Talk1200 going away soon--I see them sticking around till at least the 2012 election--but suppose they change format. IF so, I could picture Premiere placing Coast to Coast on 96.9 (and they could bring Rush back to RKO and maybe
TKK could run Hannity on delay or hire Katz, etc. but again 1200 may not change anytime soon.
And as I said if 96.9 can outbid RKO on Howie (fall of '12)...

Sometimes stations can do changes one wouldn't expect. Imagine yrs ago when 96.9 was WJIB with a successful beautiful music station...could we have predicted they'd eventually go talk? :D
 
LAUROJRM said:
like you said on the other responce, good responce too, yes I also agree, Programming Management personal have their reasons
Click to expand...
I would get rid of the two bleeding hearts, Jim and Margery. I would much prefer Graham in morning drive. I'd listen to him.
 
Not into J&M myself; I will say that their contract was renewed a couple yrs back (till '13 or so?)
and supposedly WRKO was hoping to snag them away. Maybe they get half decent ratings, don't know. Of course as to politics it all depends where one is on the political spectrum; some, like my sister who's to the left of me politically, say they like J&M while to others they might seem
"too right wing" (various messageboards also will view the likes of Bill O'Reilly, John McCain, Mitt
Romney, etc as far right or "Republican in name only" depending on where one stands). Maybe
some moderates or lefties may like J&M, as opposed to listening to Jeff Santos, Jeff Katz, or Tom & Todd...
 
LAUROJRM said:
thank you @Art, I'll have to listen to his show next time I have a day off next month.
Click to expand...
I don't listen to him. I just said I would if he was on instead of them. Congratulations on having a job. Don't tell Jim and Margery about it. They prefer people who are welfare recipients or state employees.
 
LAUROJRM said:
If you all listen to 96.9, what do you all like about their station? How do (you) think they can better themselves? Let's talk?


Personally I like Jim and Margery. here is my idea to make them better


6am-10am Jim and Marjery
10am-2pmMichael Graham
2pm-6pm Jay Severin
6pm-9pm Hank Moorse News, Sports, Weather, and Entertainment Show
9pm-Midnight John Batchelor (Citadel Media Networks has it on live this time weeknights)
Midnight-1am (Best of 96.9 Shows)
1am-5am John and Jeff show. They used to be on here at this time


This is just a partial idea.


How about you all?

Your thoughts?
Click to expand...

I used to listen to John & Jeff overnight but stopped listening to TKK when they put that fool Phil on in their place. I mean, come on ... Phil's callers are himself with badly disguised voices calling to argue with himself. His show is an insult to anyone who listens to it. At least that's how I feel about his show. John & Jeff are on during the weekend and I listen at that time. But the other five nights are a waste with PH on so I listen to my TV. And on the 2 to 6 slot with Jay, who I can't abide listening to, I click over to 1200AM and listen to Rush until 3pm when Howie comes on. I used to listen to McPhee from 1 - 3 but got sick of her cop groupie act and her hanging up on anyone who doesn't agree with her, so I switched to Rush. That 12 to 1 slot on RKO is just a commercial for that Armstrong guy so Rush is a better fit for me while waiting for Howie each day. Has anyone listened to Hank Morse on Saturday mornings? He is starting to do the "blue" material, especially when he has another male co-host and I've stopped listening to him too. And I won't even say what I think of that wanna-be fake shrink with the shrill voice and the guys name on Saturday mornings. I can't click off the radio show fast enough when I hear that voice. I even mute the sound when she does commercials on other TKK shows. John Batchelor is too high brow for me. Everyone agrees he is a smart guy but I zone out when he talks about foreign countries and people with mile long names I can't even pronounce, so he is a no go for me. He is too serious and I like to hear some fluff at the end of the day. Sorry this is so long but you did ask for opinions. Hope I didn't offend anyone, that is not my intention.
 
I just finished listening to Jen Brien at WRKO from noon to 2pm on Saturdays. I like her and she lets the callers make their points and doesn't cut them off. I would love to have her fill the WTKK slot that McPhee left from 6-10PM weeknights. She mentions that she is on the air weekday mornings down the cape with some other hosts but I don't get those stations so I don't remember the call letters. She has a facebook page and I think I will post over there and ask her about trying for the TKK spot. I don't mind Michael Smerconish repeats, but he isn't local or live so we can't call into his show. Jen would be a perfect fit for that slot in my opinion.
 
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