Mark Maron to Leave Morning Sedition

[kaufcom]

Re: Franken Under Attack

The Premiere numbers use total housholds not ratings. Of course, Franken would be heard by more radio listeners because he has the best time periods -- 9 am -12 noon, Schultz has 12 noon to 3 pm slot (no drive time) and Springer has 6 am to 9 am slot (some morning drive) and less total coverage than Franken and Schultz. I have to agree with Webster on this one. AAR will be better off if they get rid of Franken. However, I would pick Bill Press over Thom Hartmann as his replacement.

> Hmm. I always thought that ratings were the name of the
> game in the radio biz. If you look at Premiere's recent
> press releases comparing Rush's ratings with three lib
> talkers, Al Franken has much better numbers than either
> Springer or Schultz. But the AAR-bashers keep promoting
> Schultz and now one of the most vocal bashers is now
> promoting Springer!
>
> BTW, Franken will be relocating to Minnesota in January and
> will continue to do his AAR show from there. If he ever runs
> for the senate (and its doubtful that he could even get the
> Dem nomination), it will be in 2008, for the Norm Coleman
> seat. Don't hold your breath. You could explode.
>
> > Randi's getting her act together. Jerry is
> > mostly on solid footing. If AAR can get Franken to go
> away
> > (Minnesota or anyplace else)so they can move Hartmann into
>
> > the midday slot, and put together an entertaining morning
> > show, they might have a chance to make it long-term.
>
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[kaufcom]

Re: BOB AND RACHEL DREAM TEAM

Arnie Arnesan has about as much of shot of getting a gig on AAR as Sen. Harry Reid does getting a post in Bush Administration. AAR has already played its hand by giving Thom Hartmann and now Stephanie Miller syndication deals. They also have the option of giving Rachel Maddow a time upgrade.

> Aurora seems to forget that while Ray is doing overnights in
> the Bay Area, it's morning drive back East. Overnights and
> morning drive are entirely different ballgames.
>
> But the Bob and Arnie show might work. It certainly would
> provide a lot more marquee value and drawing power than
> they've had so far with Franken.
>
> I don't know about Arnie. Arnie's big skill is as an
> interviewer. AAR was stuck with Riley and maybe they have
> to keep him around doing something, but he is not ready for
> the big time. And letting Riley do interviews while Arnie
> talks issues and reads news is a waste of Arnie's strongest
> skill. Besides Arnie and Rachel as co-hosts gives you no
> contrast. You might as well put on the satellite sisters.
>
>
> My dream team would be Bob and Rachel in morning drive.
> Stephanie doing mid-mornings*. Hartmann replacing Franken.
> Schultz in afternoon drive. Randi doing early evenings.
> Arnie replacing Garafolo and/or Malloy late evening. Doug
> Basham doing overnights. (*Jerry does a good show but he's
> just got too much baggage from his TV show.)
>
> Part of the value of Bob Edwards in morning drive would be
> to do a news oriented morning show that is not relentlessly
> ideological. If they want to broaden their appeal, AAR
> needs to stop preaching all the time.
>
> >
> > I like Ray very very much. But is Ray morning
> > material?.....not sure. He has a pure rhythm going at
> > night/early morning with his show on KGO. Hell, id give it
> a
> > shot but I don't know if it would work.....
> >
> > With Arnie Arnesen having trouble, I thought about
> > her...shes got that "coffee grounds" sort of delivery.
> She's
> > smart, knows the issues, can do the news stories. I like
> the
> > idea of giving her a shot....Arnensen and Maddow on the
> > issues.....two hard core news wonks with good senses of
> > humor. Riley doing interviews and Will Durst doing
> > commentary two or three times a week.
> >
> > I also thought about Bob Edwards....hes on XM and this is
> > his element. Why not bring Bob back to where he truly
> > belongs.....making my tea go down easier while im getting
> my
> > morning updates....Edwards and Maddow......thats a working
>
> > combo....with gravatas as well. If this happens, Riley
> gets
> > to work with Al Franken.
> >
>
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[kaufcom]

Re: Ray's 4am-5am hour

> > I like Ray very very much. But is Ray morning
> > material?.....not sure. He has a pure rhythm going at
> > night/early morning with his show on KGO. Hell, id give it
> a
> > shot but I don't know if it would work.....
>
> During the 4am-5am hour, Ray is news announcer as well,
> introducing Bloomberg business reporters and anchors from
> KGO-TV and the KGO-AM morning news. He is warm and
> friendly talking with the newscasters and it really makes a
> good transition from the first three hours of his show to
> the KGO Morning News. I think Ray would be ideal for
> 1am-5am on Air America (or even 6am). Maybe Ray could do
> his original show 1am-4am alone on KGO, with Rachel Maddow,
> Mark Riley, and other hosts joining him 4am-6am. I'd like
> to see Joe Connosen (spelling, sorry) appear more frequently
> on Air America.

Ray Taliaferro and Bernie Ward have good gigs at KGO which dominates in the SF market. They both make over $100 K and have strong roots in the Bay Area. I don't see them making a move to AAR. Also, I don't see AAR programming the overnight time period.
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[kaufcom]

Re: Morning Sedition

AAR is totally against local hosts. CC has local morning drive hosts in San Diego and Portland and of course there are other local hosts on some AAR affiliates, but AAR management is fighting these moves tooth and nail.

> > Both hosts are great and hope they continue to get
> > clearances. But im in Tom Betz's camp...local hosts seem
> to
> > be the better solution.
>
> Hey, while that approach makes sense to me, let's give
> credit where credit is due! Clear Channel management stated
> their intent to take that approach as much as possible when
> they launched their "progressive talk" format -- local hosts
> in morning drive, and syndicated programming the rest of the
> day.
>
> I wish I could remember who exactly it was from CCC quoted
> in the article where I read that... anyway, this doesn't
> mean that AAR shouldn't offer a morning-drive type
> syndicated show for those stations that can't afford to
> produce a local program. A re-tooled Morning Sedition could
> do very nicely for AAR, as long as they don't raise their
> expectations unreasonably high.
>
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[Tom_]

Re: Bob Edwards and Rachel Maddow!!!!

> Aurora seems to forget that while Ray is doing overnights in
> the Bay Area, it's morning drive back East. Overnights and
> morning drive are entirely different ballgames.

you didn't read my post - I said that Ray's 4a-5a hour includes Ray as both a talk host taking calls AND ALSO introducing reporters from Bloomberg, KGO-TV, and the KGO-morning news.

<But the Bob and Arnie show might work.

Bob Edwards does not have a voice that is typical for traditional early AM talk radio which is traditionally full of energy. Bob would need to appear with a co-host as you have suggested.

> Stephanie doing mid-mornings*. Hartmann replacing Franken.
> Schultz in afternoon drive. Randi doing early evenings.
> Arnie replacing Garafolo and/or Malloy late evening. Doug
> Basham doing overnights.

Schultz and Basham are not syndicated with Air America. Are you proposing they should be?

> Part of the value of Bob Edwards in morning drive would be
> to do a news oriented morning show that is not relentlessly
> ideological. If they want to broaden their appeal, AAR
> needs to stop preaching all the time.

Strongly agree. Maybe if Bob had Rachel MAddow as a co-host then it would work. Good idea.