People PAID To Call In To Talk Shows?

[Laurence Glavin]

The Columbia Journalism Review contains an article about an effort by Premiere Networks to make their (ahem) underperforming talk shows appear to have a certain critical mass of listeners. They PAY folks to call in to their stations:

http://www.cjr.org/the_kicker/premiere_plants.php

Hey, now that JKeff Katz is on-the-air for FIVE hours on a station with no listeners, maybe they could prime the pump here.

 

[rockcaptain]

This is nothing new.

 

[activeradioactive]

Laurence might want to take a look at the fact that most talk shows no longer do much with callers anyway (Rush and Beck especially). Callers have always been played the same way that hit records are. For a guy who hates Jeff Katz as much as he seems to, you have to wonder why he listens so much.

 

[ArtSpooner]

Somebody please tell me that they don't pay the idiots that call WEEI. There is a lot wrong with the world, but I don't think I could handle that. Say it ain't so.

 

[Laurence Glavin]

Laurence might want to take a look at the fact that most talk shows no longer do much with callers anyway (Rush and Beck especially). Callers have always been played the same way that hit records are. For a guy who hates Jeff Katz as much as he seems to, you have to wonder why he listens so much.

Since I don't know the man, I can't say I HATE him. Like many people who post to media sites or blogs, I
sample stations from time to time to observe what's happening...even foreign language stations. Just
today (Sunday, 03/06) I noticed that WNNW-AM and its FM translator (why do they call it a translator when it's
STILL in Spanish?) carried programming that was different from what was on WNSH-AM 1570 in Beverly. Earlier in
the week, I learned that WPKZ-AM 1280 and its translator on 105.3 (why do they...oops, never mind) in Fitchburg
had replaced Brian Kilmeade with Imus in the Mourning. I have no use for the undoubtedly moronic Kilmeade
(an opinion formed from watching Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert), but I don't think I would have replaced him
with Imus, a person whose career is heading for the checkout counter. I merely referred to Katz as being on a low-rated station seemingly with few if any callers.

 

[Uncle Kaimbridge]

Just today (Sunday, 03/06) I noticed that WNNW-AM and its FM translator (why do they call it a translator when it's STILL in Spanish?) carried programming that was different from what was on WNSH-AM 1570 in Beverly.

Most likely 'NSH is/was running previously contracted (more lucrative?) brokered programming from its previous incarnation.

 

[Blackroc]

This is nothing new."
------------
It sounds new to me. I have no doubt callers have been setups. But someone offering a client station a voice suited to what they are trying to accomplish on the day, sounds nutty.
A good screener can get the right person or 2/3 if he's on the ball. It's not like people calling RW shows don't know what's expected of them.

 

[raccoonradio]

Of course there are also such things as "seminar callers" who are asked by political campaigns (not sure if they're paid or not) to call shows and pretend they are non-affiliated, but expressing their opinion. "Hi Howie, I'm a first time caller. You know I don't know why people are so down on Romney for his health care plan..." Or, after a debate: "I think Candidate X won..."

 

[Tunedinvp]

Several years ago I did a phone intensive Air Shift and was approached by a guy who I knew had a relationship with PRN... He wanted to buy my recorded listeners phoners.... I told to forget it... Well I guess he found someone else who needed some cash!

Is there nothing that Clear Channel won't try and make a buck on? Their greed is disgusting....

 

[raccoonradio]

From the headline section of radio-info.com:
>>Some folks (not Tablet) are jumping to the conclusion that On Call is being plugged into Premiere politically-oriented shows such as Sean Hannity. But in the comments section of the Columbia Journalism Review site, “CCProgrammer” posts something that sounds more likely - “The truth is, this service is used almost exclusively by music morning shows and syndicated shows when they need a ‘caller’ to set up a pre-planned bit. Trust me, I’ve been that caller.”

 

[Uncle Kaimbridge]

“The truth is, this service is used almost exclusively by music morning shows and syndicated shows when they need a ‘caller’ to set up a pre-planned bit. Trust me, I’ve been that caller.”

Ah, that's probably the story with `ZLX's "7:15 Senseless Survey"! :

 

[Tunedinvp]

“The truth is, this service is used almost exclusively by music morning shows and syndicated shows when they need a ‘caller’ to set up a pre-planned bit. Trust me, I’ve been that caller.”

Ah, that's probably the story with `ZLX's "7:15 Senseless Survey"! :

"The War of Roses" on Mix sounds fake... The female callers always have a OMG valleygirl quality... Does anybody ever send roses to the right girlfriend on that bit? The reactions dont sound real...

 

[rockcaptain]

“The truth is, this service is used almost exclusively by music morning shows and syndicated shows when they need a ‘caller’ to set up a pre-planned bit. Trust me, I’ve been that caller.”

Ah, that's probably the story with `ZLX's "7:15 Senseless Survey"! :

"The War of Roses" on Mix sounds fake... The female callers always have a OMG valleygirl quality... Does anybody ever send roses to the right girlfriend on that bit? The reactions dont sound real...

It is without a doubt a staged bit.

 

[Deleted User]

interesting thread on R-I Dallas-Ft Worth
http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=186372.10

 

[Tunedinvp]

interesting thread on R-I Dallas-Ft Worth
http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=186372.10

Good thread.... Thanks!

 

[tubessoundbetter]

i've been a paid caller for years. when the announcer asks me to call, I make him buy me a value meal. it's been a beautiful relationship since day 1. he gets what he wants, i get lunch. win-win

 

[GovtMule1979]

Rush was talking about this topic this afternoon in his first hour. I was in and out of the truck so I didn't hear everything he said, the jist I got was that he doesn't have paid callers, but he thinks the DNC pays people to call him.

 

[MHB]

“The truth is, this service is used almost exclusively by music morning shows and syndicated shows when they need a ‘caller’ to set up a pre-planned bit. Trust me, I’ve been that caller.”

Ah, that's probably the story with `ZLX's "7:15 Senseless Survey"! :

"The War of Roses" on Mix sounds fake... The female callers always have a OMG valleygirl quality... Does anybody ever send roses to the right girlfriend on that bit? The reactions dont sound real...

At least on one occasion, the man did. The woman felt pretty bad afterward.

 

[freebirdradioman]

This is all very enlightening! Wow...this stuff is all phoney?

 

[GenXRadio]

Ok, so the fact that his syndicator admits to using & operating the service that doesn't raise a re flag?
So they just offer that service to other shows just not Rush's right?
Doesn't pass the sniff test for me, just doesn't.

Rush was talking about this topic this afternoon in his first hour. I was in and out of the truck so I didn't hear everything he said, the jist I got was that he doesn't have paid callers, but he thinks the DNC pays people to call him.