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jbaxter
Guest
edge770 said:
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CaptnKarl
Guest
A new AM drive show would be nice, but Clear Channel management has gone to great lengths to run Kimmer off.Another thread says that Hullinger might be available…Anybody like that idea? What about Jimmy Baron?They still need to do FM simulcast to overcome the weak signal issue.RTibbs said:
In the 1920's this is some of what aired on WGST:Warner's 7 AcesTech NightZero HourMrs. C.C. Prescott, soloist at All SaintsI would suggest bringing it back but all the participants are dead, just like the station.
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CaptnKarl
Guest
That’s a very cynical attitude Fussbudget, but it does remind us that they have been around since the 1920’s. Clear Channel management has wounded GST, but it ain’t dead yet!How about a real programming idea or two?Mr. Bloomquist obliviously needs the help.fussbudget said:
Well Captn, I agree WGST needs all the help it can get. As others have suggested they should go all news in the AM but only if they can afford to put people on the streets and beat WSB at its own game. They need to a point-counterpoint talk show, with cohosts who can't stand each other but whose chemsitry is undeniable. (Think "Curtis and Kuby" at WABC). Surely,somewhere in this land of ours, such a pairing could be found! They need to retire the Kimmer and get a sharp wit on in PM drive, another "boy wonder" like Hannity. Trust me the next "Hannity" is out there. I'm not sure if Bloomquist has what it takes to find that individual. At night they can go sports talk...bring back Pete Davis for crying out loud. Let him rant anytime the Braves aren't playing.Short of those ideas, they could play 75 year old Victrola recordings of Warner's 7 Aces or simply turn off the transmitter and go home.
Well, the deal is that GST has to go the opposite of WSB. They're getting creamed because WSB owns all the images that matter in the news-talk environment, and GST is trying to hang on to a piece of them. News, weather, traffic. That's all that matters, and WSB owns them all outright. Game over. If GST insists on trying to play in that sandbox, there's only one way, and its a heckuva lot more than changing the liners around and using natural openings for newscasts: gotta steal some people from WSB (it can be done--WSB did it with Boortz and Clark from GST years ago). GST will never build the news team up; it'd take too long and they need a fast hit asap --so instead, go after Cap'n Herb, pay him whatever he wants, pay him to sit out his non-compete. This could be a problem because CC isn't gonna pay for a plane or a chopper. Ok, what about weather--Kirk Mellhuish? What about Clark? He's on 1-4 now, maybe that's not ideal? Who knows? But being really aggressive with talent is the only way IF you want to go head-to-head under these circumstances. Again: IF GST wants to take on WSB. btw, I think this'd be nuts, but it'd sure be fun to watch.If it were me, I'd start clean slate with only Rush. Kimmer, Denny, Hughes, the whole bunch, sayonara. If WSB is news, weather, traffic--you aren't. Or at least, don't waste time trying to claim those hills. Find out what WSB isn't--then plug that hole, claim that hill. And quite screwing around with the Braves, no one cares. The numbers bear that out.The problem may be, though, that there are no hills left to claim. What's left? All Spanish weather, all the time?
This is actually the only idea I've read in a long time that makes a lot of sense, however, it seems like in the past when WGST steals something from WSB, the results haven't been good. Dr. Laura was #1 in her slot at WSB, but over at 640, dissaster. The Braves do extremely well on 750, but no one listens to them on GST when you can hear them in FM on 96Rock.That being said, I think Boortz or Clark would pay immediate divedends for GST. You can have Capt. Herb, I think he's highy overrated, and a traffic reporter won't boost your ratings like a good talk show host. Lets face it, Boortz and Howard aren't going anywhere. How about inticing someone who wants to get into talk, say Mark Arum or Royal Marshall? Now I betchya either of those guys would jump at a chance to get their own shows. It would be a risk for WGST to go with someone with no experience, but they can do no worse than they are doing now.
Damn straight! CK Dexter is absoultely correct. There's just one problem, Cheap Channel won't pay the big bucks to steal the talent. Back to the idea of turning off the transmitter...
I've said this many times...WGST cannot, repeat cannot, beat WSB by trying to program the same type of content. They will always fall short in this town. Neil and Sean OWN the Atlanta Right Wing Radio title. Rather than try to climb that mountain, they'd be MUCH better off going to a more pop culture/lifestyle/humor type of programming. (They're not gonna get Clark, by the way, because Clark's next move is more likely to be early retirement than rolling the dice at GST.) Hullinger, Baron (who sounded pretty decent with Mark Arum a couple of weeks ago filling in for Chis Krok), maybe a Chris Dimino (who could probably be enticed for the right price), or even Chris Rude (paired with the right partner) would all fit in will with a 25-54 Atlanta male audience. This town isn't "newsy" enough for two newstalk stations...as we're seeing.
You've got to be kidding?? Have you been in this town long enough to remeber the PlanetRadio fiasco? That was aimed at lifestyle fluff, and it failed miserably. I'm convinced GST can compete sooner or later with WSB, because they have in the past when they had Boortz, Hannity, and a top notch news department. If they try another Dr. Buff, that will spell the end of them. Just ask Nancy Zintack.
Planet Radio. Sure, I remember that. But I don't think you can use that abomination (conceptually fashioned by an advertising agency--wasn't it Joey Reiman who led that team?), as the crowning example of doing the opposite of WSB. Planet Radio was a lousy execution of a poorly defined strategy. That being said--the truth hurts---there's no way GST can beat WSB-AM head to head today without radical surgery and big bucks investment. WSB is so focused now. They weren't 20 years ago, when GST was competitive with them. Everyone forgets that WSB was itself all over the road until about 1991 or 1992--then they honed in on the few things that mattered, and got to the business of doing those few things really really well. GST needs to figure out what kind of radio station it wants to be--then, jettison everything that isn't that kind of radio station out from the building of death. Cut it out like cancer. Then start building the station back but with the narrow focus in mind. Del Core needs to get someone in there who'll do the hard work of making that happen. Good luck, he's going to need it. Even then, I wouldn't bet on success. I think it's probably too late.
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CaptnKarl
Guest
WSB has the signal, they got your news, traffic and weather in AM drive, but I find them a little boring. The only reason I wake up with 750 is because I'm over 10 miles from GST's transmitter. I'd love an alternative that's a little more like the “News Monster” format from the 90’s, and I'd love to hear it on FM. I guess there's just not enough listeners like me to make that viable…or is there?
Planet Radio didn't work because of execution, not concept (as another poster said). It's just like what they did with Real Radio. Good concept with possibly the worst lineup of hosts possible. Free FM isn't proven yet but it's a good example of what Real Radio should have sounded like. And, if memory serves me, Planet Radio was only on for about 10 minutes. GST needs to commit to a (new) format and go at it balls to the wall, and give it time to develop.
That's surprising, I thought that Dave Paul's talent was that he was comfortable on air and could be himself without having to announce a topic. Are you sure about that? I remember when he was on WGST for that test run, he had some bit where he called his apparantly estranged brother to try to get a car from their parents or something. It was great radio that you want to listen to because you never know where he's going but it wasn't a forced attempt to be controversial or stir emotions, just interesting banter. I don't think GST could ever do much better with the signal regardless of talant, if you never know when you're going to be lose the radio station you're listening to as you drive, pretty soon you'll just stop tuning it there at all. Misc suggestion box tip: Don't hire talk show hosts that have to declare a topic, it makes the show seem forced.CaptnKarl said:
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CaptnKarl
Guest
Would Clear Channel sell? Are there any LOCAL companies/individuals/groups that would be interested in taking over GST?radionut925 said:
Re: GST Suggestion box - do they listen?
I would like to let WGST know what I think. But, we can all see that over the past 10 years, or so - they don't care. But I like your idea to give them a piece of my mind:1. Snake was the most original sports guy on radio. His was the only sports commentary I could listen to. He had the sense to put those bloated athlete-attitudes in their place. "Shut upppp" from Darla was priceless!2. The rest of the sportscasters nuzzle up to the players, and sound like jock-sniffers. 3. And Pete was versatile. He could handle any kind of talk-topic with light-hearted banter. If you’re reading this Pete – you allowed me to debate Doug Teeper one night at a live remote at Sidelines. The crowd thought that I made a monkey out him – thank you.4. Sam and Dave make great radio, and I’d like to hear more. Except when they promote that bogus “Tornado” product. It's all about credibility guys - anyone who researches that product knows better.5. “Random Access Radio” was a great computer show, and was most informative. It’s needed now more than ever. Sure, Kim Kommando has a great show, but there’s room for a local show.6. Cancel all of those phony-talk-show-vitamin-buy gold-infomercial hucksters. They make the station look desperate.7. Get Dr. Dean on during Daylight hours.8. And for cripes sake – restore WGST Talk on FM, and cut the Mexican FM crap! 9. Do you REALLY think that the Mexican crowd trusts your advertisers? I’ve worked with a lot of Mexican guys in our subdivision. I like them, they’re nice, I wish they didn’t get my tax money for free social welfare.10. But you’re talking about an audience that is illiterate in our language, and cannot read or write in Spanish. They were raised to not trust advertising. They raise their kids to not trust the gringo. To them, advertising is a big trick to steal their money. The consultants who told you that Spanish radio is more profitable than American radio suckered you. 11. Kimmer is funny. And, he puts forth a likeable personality. Keep him, stop slashing his staff, and promote him. Otherwise, he will drown. 12. Yes - drop the Braves. Baseball and Basketball on radio was fine 30 years ago. Nowadays, the athlete has taken the image of the rap-thug-gangster-cretin-derelict-counter-culture-looser that would just as soon kill you, as play ball for you. A few exceptions - sure, but that is the image and speech that they cultivate and promote.13. Bring back “Earl Pitts”!
I would like to let WGST know what I think. But, we can all see that over the past 10 years, or so - they don't care. But I like your idea to give them a piece of my mind:1. Snake was the most original sports guy on radio. His was the only sports commentary I could listen to. He had the sense to put those bloated athlete-attitudes in their place. "Shut upppp" from Darla was priceless!2. The rest of the sportscasters nuzzle up to the players, and sound like jock-sniffers. 3. And Pete was versatile. He could handle any kind of talk-topic with light-hearted banter. If you’re reading this Pete – you allowed me to debate Doug Teeper one night at a live remote at Sidelines. The crowd thought that I made a monkey out him – thank you.4. Sam and Dave make great radio, and I’d like to hear more. Except when they promote that bogus “Tornado” product. It's all about credibility guys - anyone who researches that product knows better.5. “Random Access Radio” was a great computer show, and was most informative. It’s needed now more than ever. Sure, Kim Kommando has a great show, but there’s room for a local show.6. Cancel all of those phony-talk-show-vitamin-buy gold-infomercial hucksters. They make the station look desperate.7. Get Dr. Dean on during Daylight hours.8. And for cripes sake – restore WGST Talk on FM, and cut the Mexican FM crap! 9. Do you REALLY think that the Mexican crowd trusts your advertisers? I’ve worked with a lot of Mexican guys in our subdivision. I like them, they’re nice, I wish they didn’t get my tax money for free social welfare.10. But you’re talking about an audience that is illiterate in our language, and cannot read or write in Spanish. They were raised to not trust advertising. They raise their kids to not trust the gringo. To them, advertising is a big trick to steal their money. The consultants who told you that Spanish radio is more profitable than American radio suckered you. 11. Kimmer is funny. And, he puts forth a likeable personality. Keep him, stop slashing his staff, and promote him. Otherwise, he will drown. 12. Yes - drop the Braves. Baseball and Basketball on radio was fine 30 years ago. Nowadays, the athlete has taken the image of the rap-thug-gangster-cretin-derelict-counter-culture-looser that would just as soon kill you, as play ball for you. A few exceptions - sure, but that is the image and speech that they cultivate and promote.13. Bring back “Earl Pitts”!
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News1360
Guest
fussbudget said:
Even better. All news from 5a.m.-Noon, a break for Rush Lumbugh at Noon, more news at 3:00 p.m. (With traffic updates for the afternoon-evening rush), sports-talk at 7 p.m. (or earlier for coverage of Braves Baseball), more news from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. and finally "Coast To Coast AM" (Live) from 2-5 a.m. Someone come up with a weekend sched, would you?
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karlrove
Guest
Don't despair, John "ratings don't matter" Hogan has been in town this week to devise a turnaround plan for WGST. Much like he's "turned around" Clear Channel's stock price from 65 to 30.
Go Spanish News/Talk on 640.
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