How can Clear Channel have so many properties in Cincy

[Jeff_Davis]

CC doesn't own Riverbend, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra does. CC does the booking. Just a clarification.

 

[brian65]

It always amuses me how much people hate CC. I really have no problem with them, except for the fact that my paycheck could be a little heftier but that's another deal.

If your that young then you wouldn't understand what radio was like before the onset of mega-ownerships and "superior" technology.

If you ask me, all this new technology has done is create Snippet Radio where its just pieced together and there is no on-air personality in control of anything.

I blame Darryl Dead Air for much of am radio's quality decline here in Cincinnati.

 

[Jeff_Davis]

Brian, what would you rather have? Salem owning a couple AM stations? Then we would have "News/Talk 1530 WCKY" with the same lame shows that were on WBOB. Or the WCVX Christian format would be on 1360 WSAI. Do you want syndicated shows on WLW? Just look at Cleveland to see what Cincinnati radio MIGHT be like if CC only had two AMs. Not that it wouldn't be great to have some competition on AM, but CBS is not doing AM in markets other than the majors or the ones they've had forever like St. Louis and Pittsburgh. Susquehanna was interested in AM, but not heartily. They had AMs in major markets like SF and Dallas. They got the Kansas City AM in a package deal. With CC, we have a flamethower local AM in WLW, a mostly-syndicated talker in 55 KRC, a sports talker on WCKY, and AAR on 1360. I doubt that any of the current owners in Cincinnati would have taken any of these stations on. CC has actually kept it diverse. You can always listen to WPFB and The Buzz for talk, WDJO for Oldies, and WCVG for Spanish. Not to mention the religious broadcasters on 740, 1050, and 1560. And ESPN on 1450. 1480 is kind of a wild card because we don't know who's going to own it. CBS owns all of the talkers in Philly. I wonder if they complain about it? Anybody know?

 

[gr8oldies]

Let some of the CC talkers be standalones and watch the brokered programming fly!

 

[keys2]

Let some of the CC talkers be standalones and watch the brokered programming fly!

This is true. While not originally a believer in dereg and the subsequent consolidation, I do think there would be a lot more crappy radio than there is now. Cincinnati has always been a very good AM market and it still is thanks in part to Clear Channel. Look no farther than Cleveland for a good example of an AM wasteland, with the exception of WTAM.

Clear Channel has done an excellent job with its many AM properties here. We have 50,000 watt WLW which is mostly live and local and is one of the most respected news-talkers in the country, 55KRC which carries mostly syndicated conservative talk, WSAI which is syndicated liberal talk, and 50,000 watt all sports WCKY which has more live and local hosts than most sports stations in a market this size. That's a pretty good offering from one company. How can anyone deny that? And our other smaller AMs provide even more variety for local listeners.

Has CC dropped the ball with some technical issues on their libtalk station(s)? Yes, at times. But the conspiracy theories about Daryll Parks and CC sabotaging the format are as tiring as the liberals' incessant whining about Bush stealing the election. (Have I said this before?) I don't know Mr. Parks, but I'd say he's pretty darn good at what he does. He obviously knows and understands the Cincinnati market very well. Yes, he needs to address some of the technical issues with the syndicated libtalk, if for no other reason than to get the conspiracy-minded liberals off his back. But to suggest, as some have, that it's time for him to move on is pretty silly.

 

[TheGrudge]

It always amuses me how much people hate CC. I really have no problem with them, except for the fact that my paycheck could be a little heftier but that's another deal.

If your that young then you wouldn't understand what radio was like before the onset of mega-ownerships and "superior" technology.

If you ask me, all this new technology has done is create Snippet Radio where its just pieced together and there is no on-air personality in control of anything.

I blame Darryl Dead Air for much of am radio's quality decline here in Cincinnati.

Do we know each other, Bri? No? Then please don't tell me what I understand and don't understand. I've been around radio since I was 5 years old, hanging out in my step fathers station in Columbus back in the 80's and 90's (610 WTVN). I saw reel to reel, carts, and real live radio. I also saw typwriters and cassette tapes. Are you against all that newfangled technolog-i, too?
Look, if done right all this new stuff can make some pretty good radio. Yeah, there are some problems, but thats from not understanding HOW to use it. Every time I use the stuff it works perfectly.
For all the "old timers," get over it. Technology gets better. It's not the olden days. Things CHANGE. I've noticed that about a lot of radio guys from my step dad's time. They couldn't accept the way that radio was going so they couldn't survive and they got out.
Is radio better than it was back before VT and syndication...yes, i think in some ways it is. But it's the overuse and not knowing HOW it works that makes problems.

 

[WyllyWylly]

CC doesn't own Riverbend, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra does. CC does the booking.

While that may be technically accurate, the reality is that when you control the booking, you control the venue. What I find irritating about Riverbend is that all the permanent marquee adverts are CC stations - there's nary a one from any other competitor (in radio, anyway) in the market.