Mariellen Burns, Ellen O'Brien on WRKO 10 - 1:40 - they were great

[Finn]

Mariellen (would someone please confirm the spelling of this name?) Burns and Ellen O'Brien were on from 10 to 1:40 today with some guy whose name I never really caught (sorry - he's from the Globe).

Didn't listen to the whole show, but caught a couple of things...

1) Mariellen said she's for death penalty for cop killers,
Ellen sez that's another topic,
Mariellen sez, what, you're not for the death penalty for cop killers,
Ellen sez, I'm against the death penalty, Mariellen, so you're going to have to take off one of your high heels and put it through my eye before......

- WOW - integrating death penalty and high-heeled shoes, two topics near and dear to my heart. None of the boys do that!

2) Ellen's story about the very special picture that appeared on her cellphone while it was lost at the Brookline movie theater filled with Birkenstock-wearing, herbal-tea drinking liberrals was hilarious.

This was fun and I enjoyed the debate.

The conversation about people with guns in the 'inner city' would have been more interesting if either one of them had personal experiences in the neighborhoods they were talking about - stories about people they know, people they've spent time with, kids who are in gangs, kids who have avoided getting in gangs.

Overall, a refreshing change from same-ole, same-ole white conservative irish/italian/jewish/un-aligned guys.

 

[yoyoradio]

worst radio I have ever heard...

 

[Finn]

worst radio I have ever heard...

oops, my mistake for saying something positive here....

So who do you like who is local?  I am genuinely interested.  I don't recall you ever having mentioned who you would like to see fill the spot.

 

[raccoonradio]

At least it's LOCAL talk in ingles on 680, while the former home of Air America is ready to Rumba...

 

[shotgunanniexo]

That was good stuff!

YoYo, what is your problem? Specifically?
guest was a guy from the Globe who sounded like the closest thing to a real reporter I've heard on air. Meanwhile, it's true they didn't mention any direct contact with gangs and guns but one of them (ellen?) apparently had beein on the street reporting and talked about meeting families of victims.
i never listen saturdays finn-but i was working and had it on. don't know if they are going to be on again?

could work: one problem. voices sound alike and when mariellen doesn't pause for a breath it sounds like she's going it alone.

questions though. So Braude and Eagen get more hours (good!) but Graham is still on? Does he get ratings?
and I hope RKO drops Rush...any bets?

 

[Finn]

YoYo, what is your problem? Specifically?

Indeed. I often wish the 'experts' on this board would be more specific in their comments so everyone could benefit from their knowledge. However, I do understand, since saying anything specific is very much like putting a bull's eye on your back.

i never listen saturdays finn-but i was working and had it on. don't know if they are going to be on again?
could work: one problem. voices sound alike and when mariellen doesn't pause for a breath it sounds like she's going it alone.

I don't know if they'll be on again, and they may not either.

Agree about the voices. So, they probably can't pair up together long term. Each could pair up with someone else though.

questions though. So Braude and Eagen get more hours (good!) but Graham is still on? Does he get ratings?
and I hope RKO drops Rush...any bets?

Graham is on 10-12. He was on afternoon drive time until Jimmy Severino came back when he was bumped to evenings. Don't know his ratings. His bio on WTKK says he's been a political consultant and a standup comic. I have to say that listening to him I would never have guessed. He sounds like just another guy to me.

I too hope Rush is dropped. But, I bet not. Michael Savage's ratings dropped 69% last summer when the local programming dropped by 11 to 18% (excepting DePetro who dropped 50%). They just moved Savage from 10pm - ?? to 7pm-10. Though ratings undoubtedly increased in the fall up through November with the election, I am surprised that they moved Savage to a better slot, especially given the election result.

The ratings info was published in the Herald last November and can be viewed here http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1740127/posts and here is an excerpt that is interesting given the recent flurry of news about Finneran:

WRKO’s current ratings aren’t helping the station.

In the key category of 25-to-54-year-olds, DePetro’s share dropped 50 percent, from a 2.2 in the spring to a 1.1 in the summer, according to numbers provided to the Herald.

In the same category, 'Boston This Morning' dropped 68 percent; ‘The Scott Allen Miller Show dropped 18 percent; Rush Limbaugh fell 42 percent; Herald columnist Howie Carr fell 11 percent; Todd Feinburg fell 17 percent; Michael Savage dropped 69 percent and ‘Coast to Coast' fell 26 percent.

Sources confirmed to the Herald that WRKO brass has been talking to former House Speaker Tom Finneran about a possible on-air role. The station has been interested in Finneran for some time.

Finneran was indicted last year on federal charges of perjury and obstruction of justice and the case goes to trial in January.

Sources say Finneran has been trying to get on WRKO on and off since Andy Moes died in 2001. Moes was the co-host of 'Blute and Moes in the Morning.' Finneran has not returned phone calls.

 

[shotgunanniexo]

Well, now, I really truly don't get Savage. I'm perplexed. And I don't get Finneran. Do they have person they think he should be paired with? Or he'll just be the anti-Howie Howie with his own show?

It's close to 5pm so I'm logging off, but I'll be watching or listening I should say. Here is what's interesting: TKK seems to be getting a lot of buzz post-election. Did you hear Ellen joking about Deval not coming on her show even though her Dad was featured in Globe as loyalist and she's been supporting him for months on air? It was funny, but not good sign for WRKO, I thought.

I'd hate to lose the "two chicks" just because the voices are kind of alike. MaryE's is faster for sure (is she former big dig flak or is that someone on site causing trouble?)

 

[Finn]

Well, now, I really truly don't get Savage. I'm perplexed. And I don't get Finneran. Do they have person they think he should be paired with? Or he'll just be the anti-Howie Howie with his own show?

It's close to 5pm so I'm logging off, but I'll be watching or listening I should say. Here is what's interesting: TKK seems to be getting a lot of buzz post-election. Did you hear Ellen joking about Deval not coming on her show even though her Dad was featured in Globe as loyalist and she's been supporting him for months on air? It was funny, but not good sign for WRKO, I thought.

I'd hate to lose the "two chicks" just because the voices are kind of alike. MaryE's is faster for sure (is she former big dig flak or is that someone on site causing trouble?)

All news reports I've seen say Finneran will be paired with someone, but they don't say who. I am sure a lot of people will listen at first just to see what he'd say. I have not seen anything to indicate that any other stations would be interested... The Herald should get someone on that story, no?

I didn't hear the bit about Ellen saying Deval wouldn't come on the show. Given the station was 'all Healey, all the time' until the polls closed (except for Ellen's time on Saturdays), I am not surprised that he doesn't want to reward the station. However, given that she's 'Daniel in the lion's den' on that station, he should do it.

Mariellen Burns is the former spokesperson for the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and left when Amorello did. If you google this spelling, you can find stuff on her.

If someone called her a 'flak' it's pretty funny - she was a target because talk radio blindly supported Romney's craven moves to turn the tragedy into something he could use for his Presidential campaign... So, the Republican appointed and staffed MTA (including Burns) was attacked 24/7 by talk radio last summer... perhaps another instance of 'carrying water' a la Rush Limbaugh????

Anyway, she knows what it's like to be on the receiving end... Before MTA she was spokesperson for Boston Police Department.

 

[raccoonradio]

>>paired with someone

Peter Blute? Currently mornings on WCRN but maybe they can work out a deal & simulcast etc

>>They just moved Savage from 10pm - ?? to 7pm-10.

RKO is saying Savage 7-10, Doyle at 10 pm EXCEPT:
Celtics/Red Sox game at 7--Savage at 10 pm, no Doyle
When a late game, Savage would air at 7... he takes preference.
I believe Doyle airs 3-6 nationally, Savage 6-9 both from TalkRadioNetwork