Kiese's Article: "Summer Radio Ratings Are In "

[johnnyrichards]

http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/tv/

The 1st half is devoted to the Cumulus stations, to quote the article quoting Chris O'Brien, "Being acquired by Cumulus was "definitely the best thing that happened to us. The station has flourished since we moved a year ago. We're no longer treated like the red-headed stepchild. It's been great from the start," O'Brien says."

Don't want to risk the wrath of the 'board censors, so I will quote no more.

 

[onegreatplace]

That step child thing will look damn fine when they send him packing like Mr. Labarbara.

 

[Inventor989]

Some of us just don't need to edit the truth in order to kiss someone's butt. Chris is absolutely correct in his assessment, and I'm sure he has squirreled away enough money to be able to speak his mind without worrying about who gets POed. Jim Bryant treated GRR like a bunch of second class citizens from the day he engineered JR's exit from the GM chair and moved them into the second-class studio at Reading Road. The Daltons built a huge brand at WGRR. Bryant and the Hollander-led CBS nearly killed it. Cumulus, whether you agree with their moves or not, has put their money behind the product and it's paying off.

 

[oldschoolgal]

And let's not forget that Bryant had fired both Chris AND Janeen (on separate occasions) once before.

 

[nedsmith2007]

Don't want to risk the wrath of the 'board censors, so I will quote no more.

interesting comment from Jim Lababbler there. You go WGRR!

 

[onegreatplace]

Some of us just don't need to edit the truth in order to kiss someone's butt. Chris is absolutely correct in his assessment, and I'm sure he has squirreled away enough money to be able to speak his mind without worrying about who gets POed. Jim Bryant treated GRR like a bunch of second class citizens from the day he engineered JR's exit from the GM chair and moved them into the second-class studio at Reading Road. The Daltons built a huge brand at WGRR. Bryant and the Hollander-led CBS nearly killed it. Cumulus, whether you agree with their moves or not, has put their money behind the product and it's paying off.
[The /quote]

The common thread I see is this. WMOJ come into the market and cut WGRR's knees out from under them. Ten years later WMOJ changes their ownership, signal, and target, goes ethnic and gives WGRR another life. Cumulus did affect this by working the deal with Radio One, so give Cumulus credit. But Chris is still Chris, no better, no worse. Janine is still Janine, no better no worse. Ron is still Ron, etc., etc. When Cumulus decides the ratings are courtesy of the music and the space WMOJ left behind the fun bunch, or whatever they used to be called, will go the way of Lababler.

 

[Inventor989]

You may be right about that. However, it's been my experience that, unless the quality of the talent is truly substandard in some way (the former midday guy at WOMC comes to mind; he sounded great but was a mean SOB to callers), well known local talent will trump anonymous voices any day. Ron is well known and, in the past, did a halfway decent job of relating to the music, although it sounds like they are on a short leash these days. Chris and Janeen are well-known and have had their moments of goodness over the years. Chris can take a straight line from Janeen and knock a wisecrack out of the park when he's operating on all cylinders. JD does a great job at events and, as such, is an asset to the average listener. Every one of these people have done a great job over the years of making friends with the audience one by one. This only helps WGRR, at least for as long as this audience remains viable to an ad agency. While they have never been exactly a nurturing bunch, I don't think Cumulus is eager to destroy this franchise; I doubt a repeat of the Indy-saster with WGLD will happen here.