Imus loses, WNYC & WCBS win, Gambling, Rush and Sean lose, I lose

[Flash Gordon]

I have looked back on the last couple of months of the I-man and realized that I find myself tuning away from WABC in the morning and settling for WNYC and WCBS for news and discussion. The implication of this is that now I miss most of the day's programming on WABC because I don't tune back until the afternoon, often sometime late in Sean's show. I know it is inertia that causes this, but I usually have quiet mornings where I work on my computer and have ideas swirling into my head from both my work and the media. So if the stimulation is there, I won't generally tune back to WABC unless excessively annoyed, or if I've gone downstairs and caught some of WABC on another radio and want to continue hearing it upstairs where I work. The bottom line is that this means that Imus is driving me away from the other shows run by John Gambling, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. I hadn't listened to Imus since he first did the Billy Sol Hargas routine and I was turned off by his drunken, drug-addicted behavior. When he first came on WABC I couldn't listen to him for more that ten minutes before tuning elsewhere.

To make it worse, I never tolerate listening to those horrible weekend infomercials so now I'm missing Mark Simone on Saturdays and Religion on the Line on Sundays as well.

I just don't understand the qualitative aspects of what WABC is doing, even though I clearly understand the financial.
Is anyone else finding themselves listening elsewhere?
And one final note: When I have to drive in the morning, I find myself listening to Bill Bennett on Sirius or Riley and Bey on WWRL, though WWRL has too many commercials.

Flash

 

[radio mike]

What is wrong with you? Don't you know how to work your radio? Are you unable to figure out which knob is which?

Because you don't like one show on a given station, you can never listen to that station at any other time? That's either insane or very childish.

According to your very backwards way of doing things, no sports fan could listen to WFAN, because they had Imus on in the morning doing a non sports show. According to your dumb logic, no one could listen to the news on WCBS because at night they had a Yankee game on.

Stop being so childish. You hate WABC's new morning show. Fine. Listen to something else, but don't pout and throw your rattle and whine, "now I can't listen to any of the shows on the station!"

You are not supposed to listen to one station 24/7. You are supposed to listen to different shows on different stations. That is why they put the tuning knob right in front to be used regularly.

If people only listened to one station 24/7, there would be no tuning knob. It would be a preference you set once, in the back of the radio, and then just leave it on that setting.

 

[oaktree]

"You are not supposed to listen to one station 24/7. You are supposed to listen to different shows on different stations. That is why they put the tuning knob right in front to be used regularly."

RadioMike ... I heartily disagree. There are many thousands of program directors, including Phil Boyce at WABC, who would give his eye teeth to keep a listener "recycling" through each and every program on a given radio station. That's why things are done as they are to move a listener from and through one daypart to another ... and recycle listeners from one time of day when they shut the radio off to another when they turn the radio back on ... so they don't have the temptation to even touch the dial.

In the morning, a perfect example was described. If someone turns the dial and leaves it that way when they turn it off ... they turn it back on to the last station listened to and may not turn it back to the original station. If you're either a PPM panelist or a diarykeeper for ratings ... after 5 minutes, that's lethal to a radio station, as it credits the competition.

In TV, you watch Leno ... with NBC's hope that you'll turn the set on for "Today" the next morning ... and leave it there. If you watch Letterman, then CBS is begging that you leave it on ... but knows you'll switch to something else anyway ... because the "Early Show" just isn't happening for most people. And after "Nightline" ... tons of people leave the channel set for "GMA."

You were a bit hard on Flash. Actually, he raised some valuable points. Every minute counts.

In fact, I'd bet that any self-respecting program director would come back here to say that Flash is probably their worst nightmare.

No one wants a dial-switcher. The dial is there out of choice, not out of necessity to change.

 

[Flash Gordon]

I'm sorry if I sounded as though I was whining. That was not my intent.

The point was that in my busy day, I don't readily have the time to consider tuning around to see if there is something that might appeal to me. I want to turn it on and hear something that is stimulating that I can enjoy concurrently with my work. If the phone rings, my reflex is to mute or power off the radio, take the call and the restore to normal operation for further listening. Most times I would rather listen to John Gambling than Brian Lehrer, but if I'm tuned to WNYC since 6:00 AM, I'm going to listen to Brian and not John. I prefer John, but I can listen, albeit with a bit more cynicism to Brian.

As I said, Infomercials on the weekends have just broken my WABC habit for the whole weekend most of the time for the same reason.

Oaktree noted that PDs love guys like me. He/she is probably right, but I'm not out to curry their favor, as it is they who have the product to sell!

Have a nice day!
Flash

 

[radio mike]

The point is, if you don't like the morning show, that's fine, but there's no reason to refuse to listen to the other shows that you like on the station.

 

[oaktree]

Creatures of habit, like most of us, take change very seriously ... and, generally, not well. Even in our listening habits to radio.

That's why every minute counts, Mike. It's a tough business, and Flash proved it. "Give me what I don't want, and it may not be convenience for me to listen to what I do want ... so, later on, I'll find what I want.

As you know, I'm sure, radio is a big game of "Maybe."

Good insight, both of you. Now I know why I swear it better to Super Glue tuning knobs in one place magically.

 

[daveallen99]

I don't like Carson Daly, so I don't watch NBC. ;D

 

[oaktree]

And according to NBC's ratings of late ... you're not alone! ;D

 

[motnow]

Well, I can relate a little to the original poster. My view and suggestion is this: "Ya Gotta Use Da Knob."
Now that Imus is on WABC, I avoid that station in the morning. I never cared for his show. I lost a morning show that I liked, and so the knob tunes right past 770.
To boot, since I'm out on LI, and I-Man took over 960WELI as well, I have to tune past that one as well. So I lost 2 morning shows that I used da knob for.
So what did I do? I used da knob and did some searching. Now it stops at TheBigTalker1210 out of Philly and tunes in Mike Smerkonish. No Imus there yet. Whew!
Static and all, I'd rather tune in a fringe station than listen to what's offered locally....but Ya Gotta Use Da Knob!

 

[New Castle]

I live in Delaware and work from home and I must say that I miss Curtis and Kuby. They were our morning show everyday and the radios would stay glued to WABC all day long. Now I'm cast adrift searching for a good morning show. Imus is just so bitter and his viewpoints on the issues are just so Katie Couric. I grew up listening to Imus all through high school and college and would struggle to get WNBC wherever I was within 500 miles of City Island. He was like a cup of coffee and a doobie. Now he's just old and sloppy and sounds out of place. The traffic and the weather girls don't sound happy anymore and Charles stumbles through his rip and read performance. There is zero discussion of the day's news that is of any relavance. I-man sounds so isolated from life nowadays that he might as well be living on the top floor of a hotel in Vegas watching his nails grow. Most of his guests are just a bunch of hack pink print journalists who are still re-living Vietnam and Watergate. There are so many resources available at 77 that he is failing to use. It is so sad. He oughta retire now and try and preserve whatever dignity he can dig up. To use one of Imus's own phrases: "It just can't suck enough!".
We have been relying on WILM's morning news on the alarm clock but I notice it doesn't get us up and active. Lots of snooze button. I tried Smerconish, but he is such a dweeb that I couldn't take more than a few days. Bill Bennett's OK but WIBBAGE doesn't come in at night at our house so it's hard to set on the old analog alarm.
Another point: this IBOC crap really f's up the AM band. The hiss from WBBM blocks out WABC most of the night on most of the radios in our house and in most of the cars. WOR gets creamed by WLW and WGN. The Cubans create enough havoc on the band. Why create more noise?

 

[oaktree]

Great posts!

Here's another point to ponder for those who "just go past" one morning show navigating for another ship sailing up the Delaware (as I'm from there, 30 years removed, New Castle,) or in the New York metro:

Now we know why those who don't use the tuning knob ... end up turning on their iPods or CDs and, yes, satellite radio, while inside, more and more go to Internet radio, music downloads and other mp3 players if not an iPod.

That's an important point to keep in mind. While radio "reaches" 94 percent of the potential "listening audience" every day, that does't mean that 94 percent of the people listen every day ... and even in that 94 percent covered by radio (five times over, according to most studies of people who own radios,) a growing percentage of them also have other devices to resort to ... as well as "radio."

Turning the knob now means turning to another source ... and that's what hurting radio in all demographics. Time spent listening is down, persons using radio is down and the biggest complaint for now and as the new generation continues to age is "what about the programming?"

Take a look at the flips, the flops and the changes that are affecting our industry on a daily basis. What was old is "new" again, what was "AM" is moving to FM, what was "Free FM" is no more in most markets and the landscape just keeps changing ... and will.

And so it goes...

 

[tony r]

Initially I was pleased he returned. But, that darn babble, oh, country music, hate it.

Just tired of him. As for hannity and rush, I do not listen, the times I did, they areonly shills for the failed administration, that has brought us permanently disabled veterans, for what?? Mortgage forclosures due to the donations to bozo in the whitehouse from mortgage companies and banks. Bozo always bragged more Americans own homes, yes, now we know why?? Rush states no recession , he will debate anyone on the economy.

One knows that if some of these so called talking points pro administration, were, on local stations, they would fail.

I am and have been for years Independent in local and national politics. Conservative in some areas and open minded in others.

I would love to hear any of the talking hosts point out that the Constitution is a Secular Piece of Paper. We do not banish gay rights and or abortion. No wonder this country is going down, too many, ignorant, ill informed, uneducated d persons regardint the Constitution and Bill of Rights.


I say annex Kansas and South Carolina, let them have their own form of Taliban Government .

 

[George Jetson]

Ha ha, this smells like either Curtis or Kuby opened a few accounts here so they could look like listeners picking on poor Imus so they can get their show back. Look closely at New Castle and Flash, you see it could be the same person. Both new accounts too and I am sure this will keep up. Phil, don't be fooled, it's just sour grapes. Now remember, you 2; you lose a show, maybe you get a better one, that's radio.
G.J.

 

[New Castle]

Dear George Jetson,
I'm not a C&K shill. I'm just another ex-radio man that follows the biz. I really feel for Phil. I know how screwed up and out of touch the big brass can make things. I once built a full service AM that pummeled my boss's cherished FM, so he strapped me with a paid Evangelist on Saturday mornings at 10am. It really busted up the karma of the format. Sort of like what Farid did to Phil. My complaint about Imus is that he isn't what I expected. I thought he may come back with his hat in hand looking to be rehabed. Instead he returns as if he has some hand. WABC is successful because it relates to the people in society who feel alienated by all the negative effects of the last 60 years of New Deal, Fair Deal, Square Deal and essentially raw deal politics that have prevailed in our nation. Wherever they turn they are bombarded by some media source telling them that it's wrong for them to feel that seeing neighborhoods destroyed, government corrupted, debased traditional culture and the whole litany is a bad thing. WABC is to be perceived as the shining beacon that stands for them. When they turn on the radio in the morning and hear the limosine liberal attitude of Imus and his minions it hits them much like how Scarlett must have felt when they burned Atlanta: a piece of the homefront has been lost to those trashy carpetbaggers. Now if Imus came back as one of "us", a fellow traveler in the right way of thought, searching for absolution, I do think that he may have easily found a place at the table. It's not to late for an epihany. Let's get with making it happen before there is a lot lost. Phil must be pulling his hair out at this point even though he is the eternal optimist. He must get on Imus and stay on Imus. Get him to truly see the light. Phil must get the cooperation and understanding of the big brass to be able to make this happen.
Citcom leadership can't be deaf to what their flag is all about and how it has worked well over the years.
And om another point..ditch IBOC today and nuke Cuban interference tomorrow!

 

[George Jetson]

Ok, so now it's a Liberal Bias issue. Think Ron Kuby wasn't liberal? Sure, maybe it was the result of some fairness doctrine but remember Howard Stern had more listeners that hated him than liked him. They all counted as listeners and gave him high ratings. Hannity has the same deal with many Hannity haters listening to his show.
My only bug with Imus is that he is on nationwide Satellite TV. The radio show should be at least part local and yet he has his nationwide audience to entertain as well. Now that's a tough cookie for even the best talent to swallow. So maybe "Urban Cowboy" Imus can throw in a few conservative guests for you and he can mention New York news topics during his show. At least Imus isn't cut off by sports events like so many on WABC and Imus can cover politics without being dull. Besides, this changeover is still new. Remember those engineering problems?
Also I should mention, you see Hillary being elected (censored!!!) and you bet this will do wonders in Washington when Citadel begs a favor from the FCC!! Now that's politics!

 

[New Castle]

I think a lot of Howard's audience thought it wasn't PC to admit that they liked him and Hannity does get a little too syryppy sometimes as well, but it's not necessarily about right or left in it's purest form when it comes to WABC. It's about finding an unserved audience and super-serving them. If I want Imus's view I can watch Katie or CNN or read the Slimes or the Stinkwire or the Snoozeurinal. I do give tribute to Imus because he had a lot to do with the creation and perveyance of the original cynical attitude format. Imus is the Paul Harvey of that genre. It just isn't fresh because it dominates everywhere else. The old 77 QH may feel that Imus is not speaking to "people like me" and it begs as to if is there enough cume in motion to replace those persons?

 

[ericdxx]

I think a lot of Howard's audience thought it wasn't PC to admit that they liked him and Hannity does get a little too syryppy sometimes as well, but it's not necessarily about right or left in it's purest form when it comes to WABC.

Yes. I'm a fan of the Howard stern show and Rush Limbaugh and I can't stand Imus. I hate the show. It's slow, Imus mutters and stutters they can't make me laugh.

 

[BACKnUSSR]

"You are not supposed to listen to one station 24/7. You are supposed to listen to different shows on different stations. That is why they put the tuning knob right in front to be used regularly."

RadioMike ... I heartily disagree. There are many thousands of program directors, including Phil Boyce at WABC, who would give his eye teeth to keep a listener "recycling" through each and every program on a given radio station. That's why things are done as they are to move a listener from and through one daypart to another ... and recycle listeners from one time of day when they shut the radio off to another when they turn the radio back on ... so they don't have the temptation to even touch the dial.

In TV, you watch Leno ... with NBC's hope that you'll turn the set on for "Today" the next morning ... and leave it there. If you watch Letterman, then CBS is begging that you leave it on ... but knows you'll switch to something else anyway ... because the "Early Show" just isn't happening for most people. And after "Nightline" ... tons of people leave the channel set for "GMA."

Somehow CBS gets a lot of those lost morning show viewers back for CSI: Miami.
The reality is that the lion's share or listeners and viewers ARE channel surfers....or dial hoppers.
So each show is judged on its own merits.....a strong lead in can get you an opportunity to be judged by a mass
audience....but can't create "shinola" as they used to say.