Larry Elder Leaves KABC - Today; Changes in Dodgers TV Booth

[4UH8SIMBKAGN]

I love Mark Levin. Began listening to him via the web a few years back, and knew once KABC added him to the lineup he would take over. Sad that the local talent had to go to make this happen though. First Mr. K, then Kevin James. You had to know that Al wasn't going to last in that slot once Mark Levin got the three hour gig. He always wanted to be live in L.A., and now he is. I'm pretty excited about it.

I like Al, but he is too much of a gentleman for afternoon drive. (You can listen to Hewitt for that.) If KABC wants to take on John and Ken (NJ transplants, btw) they need the big guns. It's a gamble. Mark is far more intelligent, hilarious and in your face, but John and Ken have made local their niche. (Remember the disastrous syndication with Disney.)

This will be interesting. As for LA "not liking New York", you might be wrong. I remember when I first moved here, everyone listened to Mark and Brian in the mornings. Growing up with Howard, I couldn't understand why anyone thought they were even the slightest bit amusing. When I would tell people about Howard Stern, they would comment about "New York humor". Well, we all know what happened when he finally got here.

John and Ken are New York Lite. Mark, though he is in D.C., is New York. John and Ken are successful with their mix of New York delivery and local issues. Mark will be more national. But he is the bigger talent.

John and Ken are LOS ANGELES. There is nothing East Coast about them or their delivery. They are THE most powerful talk show hosts in ALL of California. There are dozens of news stories written about them in recent days (search "Heads on a Stick" on google news) as they are single handedly influencing the hold-up in the California state budget. Thankfully so.

Mark Levin will never, can never, compete with the localization of John and Ken. KABC remains the loser and will probably sink south even further since afternoons will no longer be focused on what they should be, Southern California issues. KABC is lost with an underqualified morning show host who can never compete with Bill Handel (proven) and now afternoons with a no-name talent to Angelenos.

Lets see how many times the local tv, newspapers and bloggers give Mark Levin the amount of exposure John and Ken get. Zero will be what Mark Levin gets. Close to what I expect his ratings at KABC will be.

 

[westfield60]

Forget about which personality is more talented, but the reason that John and Ken are number one in listenership and even more important extremely influential in local politics is because they are LOCAL. When I tune in at 3:00pm I want to listen to some analyst of the local stories. That was the problem I had with Larry Elder who would always focus largely on national politics. I want to hear what the Mayor is up to, I want to hear about the local train crash etc. That is what KABC just doesn't seem to get and explains why they have gone from number 1 to number 16 or so.

Imagine if we had a large local story breaking, John and Ken would be all over it, while KABC Levin would be discussing Sen. Schummer or someone else. Who do you think most people will listen to?

 

[snickers]

"John and Ken are LOS ANGELES. There is nothing East Coast about them or their delivery. They are THE most powerful talk show hosts in ALL of California. There are dozens of news stories written about them in recent days (search "Heads on a Stick" on google news) as they are single handedly influencing the hold-up in the California state budget. Thankfully so."

I agree that they drive much of the agenda here. I appreciate that, and have been a listener since they first arrived---around the same time I did. They are very effective in rallying the troops and holding feet to the fire. But they are East Coast in delivery. That is what made them so entertaining. It was/is shocking to people, and freeing in a way, to hear such bluntness. They talk about their beginnings in Albany and New Jersey all the time.

I agree with them on many issues, and I agree with you that local radio is necessary. In fact, I wish Mr. K and Kevin were back at KABC for that reason. I am tired of syndicated programs. I love the local talent iwith a focus on local issues.

But I still think Mark Levin will be successful. Sorry if that bothers you. Rush went up against the local heavyweights on KABC during their glory days---and won. It was a game changer. And part of the reason that KFI went on to be so successful---it was no more pulling punches, no more genteel talk. That suddenly was viewed as "old" and "out of step". If Rush was out of that mix now, I doubt KFI would have the ratings they do. I think there is room for the right talent in syndication, and Mark is as close as it gets. He's funny, entertaining and enlightening. You might not agree with him on the issues, or like his focus on national issues, but he's never boring.

I think David G. Hall has a pretty good idea what works here. Plenty of people were yelling when Phil Hendrie was brought on to KFI, and he turned out to be a phenomenon.

This is not knocking John and Ken. They are highly influential and very successful.

Like I said, I really miss the days, like in the early to mid 90's when L.A. was all local radio. Maybe they can happen again, or close to it with the right balance of syndicated/local like they have on KFI. Hopefully, that is what KABC is doing. I'm just glad they brought in someone funny.

 

[westfield60]

Phil Hendrie was one of the most entertaining personalities on radio. It's a shame that neither KFI nor KABC is using him. I certainly would tune him in.

 

[snickers]

Agreed! Have you listened to his current show? I don't know how well the political talk would fly with his fans, but when he puts the characters in the mix, it's great.

I understand the anger about syndicated programs, believe me. The local flavor is what I love about AM radio. But if we are going to have syndicated programming on KABC, I'm glad Levin is drive time.

All of this sounds like the perfect opportunity for a smaller station to scoop up some talent and do local only programming. Plenty of underemployed/unemployed hosts out there who already have a following: Mr. K, John Ziegler--even hosts from KFI in the last 90's. Give them a forum where they can really explore LA topics in depth (instead of quarter hour increments) and let listeners sound off. Bring Brian Whitman in for comic relief to back up the hosts. It could work.

 

[4UH8SIMBKAGN]

Agreed! Have you listened to his current show? I don't know how well the political talk would fly with his fans, but when he puts the characters in the mix, it's great.

I understand the anger about syndicated programs, believe me. The local flavor is what I love about AM radio. But if we are going to have syndicated programming on KABC, I'm glad Levin is drive time.

All of this sounds like the perfect opportunity for a smaller station to scoop up some talent and do local only programming. Plenty of underemployed/unemployed hosts out there who already have a following: Mr. K, John Ziegler--even hosts from KFI in the last 90's. Give them a forum where they can really explore LA topics in depth (instead of quarter hour increments) and let listeners sound off. Bring Brian Whitman in for comic relief to back up the hosts. It could work.

Rush Limbaugh, from your other post, went up against a dying KABC. KABC has been dead for many, many years. I don't know why anyone ever mentions Michael Jackson who use to hold the mid-morning shift on KABC. His type of talkradio is DEAD. He can never return and build any type of ratings. He needs to be credited with helping the beginning of the end for KABC.

Mr. K., John Ziegler (difficult to control) and Brian Whitman are nobodys. They are the past. Move on and find some new more entertaining hosts for todays audience (Ziegler comes closest but doesn't work well with others). Zieglar has his own website and scored an interview with Sarah Palin that was aired on Fox News Channel. Mr. K. has his own site and podcasts.

As far as Mark Levin, nobody in Southern California knows who he is as he has never been on in afternoon drive. KABC can never promote him like KFI does John and Ken. He will never speak the issues of Southern California. KABC has no local news department. The most idiotic move KABC could have ever made was to place a syndicated show in afternoon drive against THE single most influential talkshow of ALL STATIONS in California.

You obviously do not understand Los Angeles. This is Hollywood and we expect to be entertained. John and Ken aren't just talk show hosts presenting local issues, they also make you laugh (Mark Levin does not). This is a place where your talk show host must get local exposure in the local media (newspapers, tv and John and Ken get a ton of local exposure...they even got onto CNBC this week). If not, you are dead. Mark Levin is dead out of the gate. Next KABC afternoon host, please...(following my pattern after The Sound went on the air).

At this time, and I posted this before to David Eduardo's claim that KFI would be on FM by May, I would not be starting a new talk station due to the liberal Democrats brining back the Fairness Doctrine (likely disguised in another name). It just happens to be a front page story on Radio-Info.com today...

 

[ChannelFlipper]

I have posted on a number of occasions through the years that Michael Jackson is a ratings loser anytime he is faced with something called competition. Those that long for a return to the good ole days are longing for something that simply does not exist any more. I long for commerical-free FM, but it vanished a long time ago never to return, but I don't make silly posts wondering why it can't be so. In the good ole days Michael and KABC had no competition and the radio was boring (Dr. David Viscott, anyone?).

Finally Rush came along and showed that superior ideology combined with actual radio entertainment was a ratings winner. In the marketplace of ideas, listener ears' and ratings, he kicked everyone elses butt. Today, the successful personalities such as John and Ken and Hannity have all picked up the mantle and have succeeded over and above all other competitors.

As far as the fairness doctrine goes, I guarantee that Rush is praying every night with both hands on the radio for Congress to take this up again. He will bludgeon them while making a ratings coup all at the same time. It will be his finest hour.

In today's radio world, Michael Jackson is best suited for retirement. He can tell all his grandkids and DB about the good ole days and the KABC radio domination, and each time he does, he will leave out the one critical fact that led to that success. He had no competition.

 

[4UH8SIMBKAGN]

I have posted on a number of occasions through the years that Michael Jackson is a ratings loser anytime he is faced with something called competition. Those that long for a return to the good ole days are longing for something that simply does not exist any more. I long for commerical-free FM, but it vanished a long time ago never to return, but I don't make silly posts wondering why it can't be so. In the good ole days Michael and KABC had no competition and the radio was boring (Dr. David Viscott, anyone?).

Finally Rush came along and showed that superior ideology combined with actual radio entertainment was a ratings winner. In the marketplace of ideas, listener ears' and ratings, he kicked everyone elses butt. Today, the successful personalities such as John and Ken and Hannity have all picked up the mantle and have succeeded over and above all other competitors.

As far as the fairness doctrine goes, I guarantee that Rush is praying every night with both hands on the radio for Congress to take this up again. He will bludgeon them while making a ratings coup all at the same time. It will be his finest hour.

In today's radio world, Michael Jackson is best suited for retirement. He can tell all his grandkids and DB about the good ole days and the KABC radio domination, and each time he does, he will leave out the one critical fact that led to that success. He had no competition.

I can't disagree. If the Republicans can keep up the heat (see the latest simulus package polls) as they have for this bogus stimulus package - in reality a bunch of programs for the left wing to create socialism - with Rush and other conservative hosts leading a meltdown of the phone lines in Washington D.C. - they could stop the rebirth of the Fairness Doctrine. But, I think you're going to see them chip away in smaller bills, such as localization committees, to stop conservative radio. That may be harder for Rush to flight since it's going to be a bunch of little bits of legislation, some snuck into larger bills in the middle of the night.

 

[westfield60]

The only thing keeping Rush "up" is a cocktail (no pun intended) of Viagra and Oxycotin.

 

[ChannelFlipper]

The only thing keeping Rush "up" is a cocktail (no pun intended) of Viagra and Oxycotin.

Ad hominem attacks are the last refuge of the arguer who is out of facts and lost the argument.

In this case it is odd since I didn't think the thread was argumentative at all. But if some lame joke about Viagra and Oxycotin is all you got...well I would have hoped for something a bit more substantive, or at least funny.

 

[Nate Wesley]

The only thing keeping Rush "up" is a cocktail (no pun intended) of Viagra and Oxycotin.

Ad hominem attacks are the last refuge of the arguer who is out of facts and lost the argument.

In this case it is odd since I didn't think the thread was argumentative at all. But if some lame joke about Viagra and Oxycotin is all you got...well I would have hoped for something a bit more substantive, or at least funny.

ChannelFlipper is right, westfield. Leave the humor to the professionals...like this one:

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-co...17823/february-03-2009/the-word---army-of-one

 

[westfield60]

Wow ChannelFlipper you are a lot geekier than I imagined. Sure we are on a radio forum of all things so I expect a higher than usual level of geekiness, but you take the cake if you were offended by my albeit feeble attempt at humor. Dare I say it - Get a Life.

 

[mred]

4u u4 Thank you for identifying the LAness of J and K. They identify the issues, relate to the celebs, and the spokesholes. Where was GrochoLevin on the 8isenough broodmom? Big LA issue. You might be able to pickup Hendrie on 720 kdwn out of Vegas 11pm-1am. if you are in your car or not on the net.