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It's official at KDKA

C

captainrexk

INFINITY Talk KDKA-A/PITTSBURGH names GARY DICKSON as permanent overnight host. DICKSON, formerly morning co-host at crosstown CLEAR CHANNEL Oldies WWSW (3WS), has been filling in on KDKA's "UNDERCOVER CLUB" since BOB LOGUE exited in JANUARY.
From today's ALL ACCESS Net News.....

Remember how long Bob was there, and where he came from, when you judge Gary as a show host. He's getting into the groove more and more, and sounds better than when he first signed on. Question to Steve Hanson, what took you so long? I guess McIntire's above hosting an overnight show.
 
> INFINITY Talk KDKA-A/PITTSBURGH names GARY DICKSON as
> permanent overnight host. DICKSON, formerly morning co-host
> at crosstown CLEAR CHANNEL Oldies WWSW (3WS), has been
> filling in on KDKA's "UNDERCOVER CLUB" since BOB LOGUE
> exited in JANUARY.
> From today's ALL ACCESS Net News.....
>
> Remember how long Bob was there, and where he came from,
> when you judge Gary as a show host. He's getting into the
> groove more and more, and sounds better than when he first
> signed on. Question to Steve Hanson, what took you so long?
> I guess McIntire's above hosting an overnight show.
>

Part of the issue is they want Gary to do the show the way Bob did -- be ultra friendly and patient with callers. They don't want to lose Bob's clients, otherwise doing a live overnight show doesn't make economic sense.

McIntire wouldn't be a good fit in that context and they're looking at him to take a more prime spot in the M-F lineup.
 
> > INFINITY Talk KDKA-A/PITTSBURGH names GARY DICKSON as
> > permanent overnight host. DICKSON, formerly morning
> co-host
> > at crosstown CLEAR CHANNEL Oldies WWSW (3WS), has been
> > filling in on KDKA's "UNDERCOVER CLUB" since BOB LOGUE
> > exited in JANUARY.
> > From today's ALL ACCESS Net News.....
> >

As I stated below, there is nothing new, fresh or cutting edge about KDKA's lineup, so Gary Dickson overnight is par for the course. Ok, but nothing that will help the station to grow.

> > Remember how long Bob was there, and where he came from,
> > when you judge Gary as a show host. He's getting into the
>
> > groove more and more, and sounds better than when he first
>
> > signed on. Question to Steve Hanson, what took you so
> long?
> > I guess McIntire's above hosting an overnight show.
> >
>
> Part of the issue is they want Gary to do the show the way
> Bob did -- be ultra friendly and patient with callers. They
> don't want to lose Bob's clients, otherwise doing a live
> overnight show doesn't make economic sense.
>
> McIntire wouldn't be a good fit in that context and they're
> looking at him to take a more prime spot in the M-F lineup.

One can only hope McIntyre will get a M-F slot, perhaps in place of the sports show. Pgh doesn't need four stations doing sports talk at 6 PM.

Note to McIntyre on the Saturday show: Lose the music! It called news/talk
>
 
> > INFINITY Talk KDKA-A/PITTSBURGH names GARY DICKSON as
> > permanent overnight host. DICKSON, formerly morning
> co-host
> > at crosstown CLEAR CHANNEL Oldies WWSW (3WS), has been
> > filling in on KDKA's "UNDERCOVER CLUB" since BOB LOGUE
> > exited in JANUARY.
> > From today's ALL ACCESS Net News.....
> >

As I stated below, there is nothing new, fresh or cutting edge about KDKA's lineup, so Gary Dickson overnight is par for the course. Ok, but nothing that will help the station to grow.

> > Remember how long Bob was there, and where he came from,
> > when you judge Gary as a show host. He's getting into the
>
> > groove more and more, and sounds better than when he first
>
> > signed on. Question to Steve Hanson, what took you so
> long?
> > I guess McIntire's above hosting an overnight show.
> >
>
> Part of the issue is they want Gary to do the show the way
> Bob did -- be ultra friendly and patient with callers. They
> don't want to lose Bob's clients, otherwise doing a live
> overnight show doesn't make economic sense.
>
> McIntire wouldn't be a good fit in that context and they're
> looking at him to take a more prime spot in the M-F lineup.

One can only hope McIntyre will get a M-F slot, perhaps in place of the sports show. Pgh doesn't need four stations doing sports talk at 6 PM.

Note to McIntyre on the Saturday show: Lose the music! It's called news/talk
>
 
> Note to McIntyre on the Saturday show: Lose the music! It
> called news/talk

Only radio types stick to such limiting definitions. The new McIntyre Saturday show was touted as being something new and different, which basically means it's supposed to be a 3rd millenium rework of the old style variety radio shows with music, interviews, conversation, and other bits and pieces. I've heard it described as the new "Monitor".

I don't know that such an attempt at something so different or so retro is a good idea or not, but in any case, at least it's an attempt at something other than just a cookie-cutter copy of every other show on the air.
 
> > > INFINITY Talk KDKA-A/PITTSBURGH names GARY DICKSON as
> > > permanent overnight host. DICKSON, formerly morning
> > co-host
> > > at crosstown CLEAR CHANNEL Oldies WWSW (3WS), has been
> > > filling in on KDKA's "UNDERCOVER CLUB" since BOB LOGUE
> > > exited in JANUARY.
> > > From today's ALL ACCESS Net News.....
> > >
>
> As I stated below, there is nothing new, fresh or cutting
> edge about KDKA's lineup, so Gary Dickson overnight is par
> for the course. Ok, but nothing that will help the station
> to grow.
>
> > > Remember how long Bob was there, and where he came from,
>
> > > when you judge Gary as a show host. He's getting into
> the
> >
> > > groove more and more, and sounds better than when he
> first
> >
> > > signed on. Question to Steve Hanson, what took you so
> > long?
> > > I guess McIntire's above hosting an overnight show.
> > >
> >
> > Part of the issue is they want Gary to do the show the way
>
> > Bob did -- be ultra friendly and patient with callers.
> They
> > don't want to lose Bob's clients, otherwise doing a live
> > overnight show doesn't make economic sense.
> >
> > McIntire wouldn't be a good fit in that context and
> they're
> > looking at him to take a more prime spot in the M-F
> lineup.
>
> One can only hope McIntyre will get a M-F slot, perhaps in
> place of the sports show. Pgh doesn't need four stations
> doing sports talk at 6 PM.
>
> Note to McIntyre on the Saturday show: Lose the music! It
> called news/talk
> >
>


They don't want cutting edge in the overnight slot. They want to maintain the advertiser base they have that keeps local programming viable in the overnight hours.

On one hand, you're lamenting the absence of anything fresh or different...then you're complaining about the limited use of music in McIntire's show. It's a different concept they're trying, and it's a trial run for a bigger role on the station. Do you want programming that's trying to be different, or do you want a show that fits the mold of every other show? Make up your mind.
 
> > Note to McIntyre on the Saturday show: Lose the music!
> It
> > called news/talk
>

> I don't know that such an attempt at something so different
> or so retro is a good idea or not, but in any case, at least
> it's an attempt at something other than just a cookie-cutter
> copy of every other show on the air.
>
Agreed. I guess I'm just too much of a purist when it come to the talk format. I don't think music and talk mix well together. Just my opinion and nothing else. Who knows, it might just work on the weekends.
 
Re: My main beef with it is

> McIntyre's taste in music sucks.
>

The few musical selections on the show are picked because they somehow relate to the topic being discussed. It isn't American Top 40.
 
congrats, Gary

Hope it works out well for Gary. It's a shame such a talented guy has been out of oldies radio for so long. That Merkel & Dickson team was dynamite.


> INFINITY Talk KDKA-A/PITTSBURGH names GARY DICKSON as
> permanent overnight host. DICKSON, formerly morning co-host
> at crosstown CLEAR CHANNEL Oldies WWSW (3WS)
 
So that's an excuse for mediocrity

Sorry, doesn't wash. Rush Limbaugh, Jim Quinn, and a host of other talk show hosts have long used music that fit the description of the topics they choose.

There's no way around it. McIntyre's choice in music is lame-o.
 
Re: So that's an excuse for mediocrity

> Sorry, doesn't wash. Rush Limbaugh, Jim Quinn, and a host of
> other talk show hosts have long used music that fit the
> description of the topics they choose.
>
> There's no way around it. McIntyre's choice in music is
> lame-o.
>

In your opinion. That's it.

What's the matter, he doesn't play enough AC/DC for you, Red Boots?
 
Re: So that's an excuse for mediocrity

The thing about McIntyre's music is it really is just this stuff you figure you'd get in your grandmother's record collection.

It's supposed to be funny, but it just comes off as nerdy.
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Pratte4Life on 07/17/05 04:32 AM.</FONT></P>
 
Help us all out -- name the tunes.

> The thing about McIntyre's music is it really is just this
> stuff you figure you'd get in your grandmother's record
> collection.
>
> It's supposed to be funny, but it just comes off as nerdy.

I'll admit I'm lazy. What's more, I have things to do on Saturday night that makes spending time listening to McIntyre's show not possible. So, could you maybe list the title & artists of some of the songs he's playing?

And (again for those of us who can't manage to listen to the program), does he play entire songs as program elements, or are you talking about little pieces of songs used as bumpers?
 
Re: Help us all out -- name the tunes.

That's just it Realist- I CAN'T name the tunes!

I'd like to give him credit for "finding gold at the bottom of the record graveyard" and trying something new.

But it's like the songs are so bad that I just tune them out. The tunes demand no attention whatsoever and the lyrics are forgetable. I don't even know what GENRE of music it is!

He had one song that I found tolerable- some diddy that went "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke that cigarette!" and had a line that asked St. Peter to wait for the singer by the Golden Gate so he could have another cigarette in the verse.

Do you know that one? That's the only song that even left enough of an imprint for me to remember. I mean they are JUST THAT LAME!

And he plays these monstrosities full length!
 
Re: Help us all out -- name the tunes.

Well, I looked it up.

The song was "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke!(That Cigarette", written in 1947 by Merle Travis for Tex Williams (back in the day when writers wrote and singers sang). There's a website for it at:

http://www.tobacco.org/History/Smoke_Cigarette.html

I'm sure there are other places. This was the first million selling record for Capitol Records. BTW, Merle Travis did his own hit version of the song later, as did Phil Harris.

As for the genre of music, this was Western music from the days before Western and Country merged into Country & Western. Actually, it wasn't so much a merger as a hostile takeover as the Country guys simply overwhelmed the Western guys, though the Western guys did win the argument of whether to wear Country or Western hats and shoes. That's why you almost never see a C&W performer wearing a straw hat or clodhoppers, it's always cowboy hats and boots, even for guys from the East.

Now, just going from this one example, I'll wager that anyone old enough to remember the songs on the 1947 hit parade first hand would probably enjoy this piece of pure nostalgia. But then, those people are all listening to KDKA (or WJAS) anyway. If McIntyre thinks he will appeal to new listeners who don't already have their radio dials rusted onto 1020 AM with western swing from the early post WWII years, then McIntyre isn't as savvy as people give him credit for being.

> That's just it Realist- I CAN'T name the tunes!
>
> I'd like to give him credit for "finding gold at the bottom
> of the record graveyard" and trying something new.
>
> But it's like the songs are so bad that I just tune them
> out. The tunes demand no attention whatsoever and the lyrics
> are forgetable. I don't even know what GENRE of music it is!
>
>
> He had one song that I found tolerable- some diddy that went
> "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke that cigarette!" and had a line that
> asked St. Peter to wait for the singer by the Golden Gate so
> he could have another cigarette in the verse.
>
> Do you know that one? That's the only song that even left
> enough of an imprint for me to remember. I mean they are
> JUST THAT LAME!
>
> And he plays these monstrosities full length!
>
 
Re: Help us all out -- name the tunes.

It's not a music show. The songs are there because they're used to briefly distinguish different portions of the show.

That campy song was used to billboard a segment about a possible smoking ban in Pittsburgh restaurants and bars. One more time -- it's not Casey's countdown...the music serves to dress up the segments. It's glorifed bumper music that occupies maybe five minutes worth of a two-hour show. It isn't the big deal our clueless friend wants to make it.
 
Again I ask

Bumper music is a few seconds out of commercial. This isn't Rush or Quinn setting up a segment with the first verse, this is him playing two whole songs an hour, minimum.

And not from the record graveyard collection, but from the WAX CYLINDER graveyard collection!

The way our friend is defending McIntyre is not by listing the songs and defending them, but by personally insulting me. This says much about the kind of audience McIntyre attracts.

Why is it so many people misidentify snideness for being cutting edge?
 
Re: Help us all out -- name the tunes.

> It's not a music show. The songs are there because they're
> used to briefly distinguish different portions of the show.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't music used to BRIEFLY distinguish portions of a show usually a short segment of a song, like maybe just the first verse? Doesn't playing the entire song run counter to the principle of bumper music being something, as you said, that's brief?

> That campy song was used to billboard a segment about a
> possible smoking ban in Pittsburgh restaurants and bars. One
> more time -- it's not Casey's countdown...the music serves
> to dress up the segments. It's glorifed bumper music that
> occupies maybe five minutes worth of a two-hour show. It
> isn't the big deal our clueless friend wants to make it.

Well, if anyone else were to play a three or four minute "bumper" when a 15 to 30 second one was appropriate, I'm sure most broadcasting professionals would be condemning that as unprofessional.

What I'd like to know (but not enough to waste a Saturday night listening to the show) is if McIntyre usually plays entire songs as bumpers, and if he usually picks such off-the-wall songs as bumpers.
 
Re: Again I ask

This is boring. Tell the story of how the Steelers threw you out after they found you were scamming media credentials.




> Bumper music is a few seconds out of commercial. This isn't
> Rush or Quinn setting up a segment with the first verse,
> this is him playing two whole songs an hour, minimum.
>
> And not from the record graveyard collection, but from the
> WAX CYLINDER graveyard collection!
>
> The way our friend is defending McIntyre is not by listing
> the songs and defending them, but by personally insulting
> me. This says much about the kind of audience McIntyre
> attracts.
>
> Why is it so many people misidentify snideness for being
> cutting edge?
>
 
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