No More Imus on The Edge

[Pratte4Life]

Over the years we've talked a lot about The Edge. I gather it's the sort of station a lot of us would like to run- information, comedy, sports- but because of signal, lack of promotion, or budget they have never made any sort of a niche.

However, the one thing I thought the station had going for them is "Imus in the Morning." Imus has the perfect personality for a Pittsburgh audience and often has lots of regular guests with a great local interest- Terry Bradshaw, Rick Santorum, even Howard Fineman- but no affiliates here.

However, they took the show off for "The Young Turks"- a mediocore at best show with little flow. The one time I was listening to it, they were going into serious discussion on "Why America wasn't the greatest country in the world."

If I want that kind of negativity- I'll listen to Tim Benz, Eddy Crowe, or Mark Madden (right Boss?).

I can understand if maybe you wanted to have more of a left-wing angle to your programming, but Imus isn't exactly Rush Limbaugh. He openly supported John Kerry and now endorses Harold Ford, Jr. in his Senate race. Paul Begala and Jim Caraville are regular guests. Many political insiders believe Imus' interview with Bill Clinton before the '92 New York primary was the turning point in getting him to winning the election- and in turn the nomination.

And if you wanted to do that- then what's the deal with having on G. Gordon Liddy?

With WPTT back to its struggles- it would seem to me that this would be the PERFECT opportunity for them to pick up Imus. He would fit into their format very well.

WPTT currently has NO morning show. Switch Hoerth to 10-12- which would allow him to capitalize on a New York and entertainment lead in. Put Cullen on from 3-6- where she can then go head to head with all the conservative talkers.

Any thoughts?

 

[Parttimer]

Two problems with Imus:

1) Expensive
2) The show is also on TV.

Actually,:
3) The show just isn't that good anymore.

I used to be a loyal Imus follower here in Tampa although the show has bounced around among 3 different stations. It is currently doing pretty well here on CC's 1250 WHNZ as the lead-in to a day of stockbrokers and other brokered programs during the day, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays baseball at night. An AE there told a friend of mine that the station is "printing money."

I do think Imus would work on WPTT or, strangely enough, on 970 (the show DOES originate from WFAN). CC has always been reluctant to do too much with mornings on 970 for fear that it would just pull 25-54 males away from Jim & Randy on the mothership. Imus' core is older and would not take DVE listeners ( and this actually would have been an even better fit while Savran was still there, as Stan's demos also were older than Madden's). But Tunch and Wolf were buying the time 7-10A, so bringing Imus on board would be double negative cash flow. (And I don't even know, what has become of that show, didn't Tunch leave?).

 

[Pratte4Life]

I'm curious as to why you think the show isn't that good anymore.

I don't think there has been a significant fall off from when I started listening to him 10 years ago. I would say, actually, that Rush might have fallen farther- Rush hardly uses the comedy that he used to have (when was the last time you heard an update- for instance)- and its still a staple of Imus.

In fact- I think a lot of Imus' show has become more contemporary. Those Cronkite impersonations used to be dead on- but they were dated- and they are no longer a staple of the program.

Certainly Imus hasn't fallen as much as the other syndicated hosts on The Edge such as G. Gordon Liddy and Tom Veykis.

As far as expense- I was told that basically The Edge was able to pick him up for nothing. I've heard that same excuse- but evidently the syndicator asks for a lot but then comes down a lot, too.

I mean, how much could they possibly have gotten from THE EDGE?

As far as TV- I hear what you're saying- but I'm not watching TV in my car. Mike and Mike is carried on ESPN2 and that doesn't prevent WEAE from picking it up.

Actually, I think that having the show on TV is about the best possible free promotion any radio station could possibly hope for.

I like your idea on WBGG, too.

Actually, if I was KDKA I might consider it. You'd lose a lot of local but not totally- you could keep your news staff for the updates- and certainly it would improve the quality of programming.

With the money they currently invest in their morning show they could spend it on getting better talk show talent- or at the very least getting Marty Griffin off for an hour.

It would likely help McIntyre's show out- Mac's personality kind of stands out- and not in a good way- on the current lineup- but Imus would have a way of making it more acceptable.

 

[Boss Radio]

The Tunch and Wolf radio show on 970 is history. Tunch wanted to pursue other interests and Wolf failed to interest CC in paying for a show rather than being paid for the airtime.

WPTT has no morning show because their signal can't be heard anywhere for a part of morning drive.

 

[Pratte4Life]

Hoerth was on from 7 a.m. on for awhile back when Jerry Boyer was part of the lineup. The signal is at full strength 12 months out of the year at that time.

There is simply no excuse for WPTT to blow off that period of time- and clearly Imus would be a superior draw and promote their schedule better than Laura Ingraham on tape delay from the day- or in the case of Monday- WEEK before.

Then again, it could very easily be said WPTT blows off their time 24/7.

 

[Boss Radio]

And every other morning show starts at 5 a.m., which puts them at a disadvantage if they have to start at 7.

If Imus is such a great draw, why has no other station in town tried him? Why is he on an obscure station at the end of the dial that no one listens to?

 

[Pratte4Life]

You gonna put Imus on WDVE? WAMO? K-Rock? WSHH?

My God- that "why hasn't anyone else picked him up?"- implies the direction of Pittsburgh radio is absolutely perfect.

And Imus been off the air locally for what- two months?

I don't know what kind of a draw Imus would be- and nobody else does, either.

What I do know is that his show is far, far better than any of the five morning shows we've mentioned on this thread (Young Turks, KDKA, Mike and Mike, FOX Sports- which I believe begins at around eight or nine a.m.- and Ingraham).

I can tell you his absence has meant I don't listen to The Edge anymore- whereas when he was on I not only tuned in to the station every morning but often would give it a listen through the day because of the draw of having Imus on.

I can assume, therefore, that The Edge has lost 100% of their audience.

 

[pfa]

...I can assume, therefore, that The Edge has lost 100% of their audience.

Not 100%, yet. But they're trying!

Seems that 1550, The Edge, has gone to Air America crap just this weekend. Did not lefty-talk Air America file for bankruptcy reorgination just last week? (Again?).

 

[pfa]

...I can assume, therefore, that The Edge has lost 100% of their audience.

Not 100%, yet. But they're trying!

Seems that 1550, The Edge, has gone to Air America crap just this weekend. Did not lefty-talk Air America file for bankruptcy reorgination just last week? (Again?).

[Edit] Don't know what the heck's goin' on... Just heard a promo that Liddy will be on every day, 10am-3pm... Guess "The Unshow" with Jeff Schnieder is history.

 

[Boss Radio]

What I do know is that his show is far, far better than any of the five morning shows we've mentioned on this thread (Young Turks, KDKA, Mike and Mike, FOX Sports- which I believe begins at around eight or nine a.m.- and Ingraham).

You're not even close to being practical. Do you have any idea what percentage of KDKA's revenue comes from morning drive? There isn't a snowball's chance they would plop down syndicated programming in those hours.

 

[Pratte4Life]

Why would a poor, expensive local show be a higher revenue stream than a quality syndicated one?

As for The Edge, I know that they had been looking at Air America for a long time. Why they got on now- when the ship has sailed- instead of in 2004 when the network was getting national attention and therefore they could have picked up a ton of free publicity- I don't know.

But yes, G. Gordon Liddy and Air America. That just ain't right.

 

[Boss Radio]

Because Imus wouldn't come close to drawing the audience the current flawed show does, and because there wouldn't be as much time to sell with a syndicated show.

Morning drive is their last cash cow. It carries the rest of the station. They're not going to tamper with it to put Imus on the air.

 

[Parttimer]

I'm curious as to why you think the show isn't that good anymore.

I'm quoting Imus, live on the air, a few months ago... "and you know, the show just isn't that good anymore."

His show only really works in a few markets like NY and Boston. Other than that he's on bottom feeders like 1550 almost everywhere else. No more big stations are going to take a chance on him, because his demos are just as old as anything their local hosts are drawing now, if not worse.