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Radio's Bob & Tom now also TV's Bob & Tom

R

reformed

I see that they've announced Bob & Tom's highlight show on WGN. The only surprise is that it's taken as long as it has. I haven't been a regular listener to them for quite some time (little ears in the car these days), but I look forward to seeing what they do on "late night" television. I've always been a little bit proud to work in radio in the same market as these guys and give them a lot of credit (even though they do a fine job of giving themselves credit... but c'mon, you would too.)

http://www.theindychannel.com/entertainment/17255791/detail.html?rss=ind&psp=news
 
Cool way to ditch CC in a month.

"It's not a radio broadcast, it's a tv broadcast aired on 150 stations."

Thanks Randy!
 
As long as your cable company carries WGN America, then you should be able to watch Bob & Tom. Chicago area viewers don't get to watch WGN America due to having local WGN-TV in the market, and cable companies don't carry it there (except for DirecTV & Dish Network viewers in the Chicago market).
 
At first I thought it was going to be a live simulcast of their show - like Imus.

Now that I see it is a highlight show, then they can always cut out the part with the "canned, pre-recorded" laugh track.
 
RDO said:
At first I thought it was going to be a live simulcast of their show - like Imus.

Now that I see it is a highlight show, then they can always cut out the part with the "canned, pre-recorded" laugh track.
Click to expand...

Perhaps they should switch to more compelling radio topics, like begging for peach-flavored milkshakes from Compton's Cow Palace in Shelbyville?
 
RDO said:
At first I thought it was going to be a live simulcast of their show - like Imus.

Now that I see it is a highlight show, then they can always cut out the part with the "canned, pre-recorded" laugh track.
Click to expand...

I love people that think B & T have some sort of "laugh track" like it's a sitcom. It's not Seinfeld RDO. Do you think Bob sits behind the board and hits the "laugh" button every time Chick says something funny? I hope you were joking.
 
WGN and WTTV are owned by TRIBUNE. B and T are on Clear Channel.

Their contract ends in November at WFBQ.

Is the Network (radio) a Clear Channel holding or is it apart from the station?

This seems to be a big deal. I don't see Michaels doing something in a small way and he IS a B and T fan.

Will B and T be on CC in December? Will Tribune buy a radio station (or several?) Or will Jack have a new Morning Team?


Michaels likes to separate and dominate. Look at Bob and Tom and what is their closest competition as far as any "personality"?

Would this be a cool way to combine television and radio and become dominate with just one show?
 
Bob & Tom are syndicated by Premier Radio, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications.
 
Actually, I think it's pretty obvious that they fire up a laugh track because NOBODY can laugh that hard EVERY time at a joke that should only merit a polite chuckle. It's also pretty blatant on the promos that run during the day:

CHICK: "I went to the bank today and the time and temp sign was WAY off!!!"
BOB: (raspy, loud, multiple overmodulated guffawing)
ANNCR: "Boooob and Tooom in the Morning on Q-95!"

I can only give these guys kudos, though.
I've never ever ever EVER thought any of that song-parody-white-trash-poo-and-boob-joke humor was funny.
The funniest part of the show is the comedians that stop by who aren't actually part of the show regularly.

BUT they turned a radio show in Indy into a national franchise and now a television show. Quite a trip.

In short: Not funny. Never were (Maybe for a few months in the early 90's at their peak). BUT way to go, guys!
 
pitterpatter said:
I love people that think B & T have some sort of "laugh track" like it's a sitcom. It's not Seinfeld RDO. Do you think Bob sits behind the board and hits the "laugh" button every time Chick says something funny? I hope you were joking.
Click to expand...

No, I wasn't joking. As Lafayette Unplugged points out - no one can laugh that hard at stuff that ain't that funny. It was more noticeable in the early days. But, then, I haven't listened in years. Not my kind of humor or radio show.
 
bigtime said:
Bob & Tom just signed a new deal with Premiere earlier this month. Terms were not disclosed.
Click to expand...
Surprised there was any money left for Bob & Tom after the new Rush Limbaugh deal that was announced just a few weeks ago. :)
 
Those who trash the show as passe and unfunny have CLEARLY NOT listened in a long time. They are smarter and more well prepared than any morning show in the markatplace. Each day there are national calibre guests either in-studio, satellite or phone...sure, lots of comics; but, who else even comes close in Indy Morning Radio for variety.

Many of my 40 to 50ish male friends have a "been there, done that" attitude and dismiss them as something they have outgrown...then they admit that they have not listened to them in 7 or 8 years. If you are going to express a valid opinion, do your homework.

Name me any morning show anywhere that has continued to thrive in the ratings for over 25 years. If you truly do not find them funny....you still should respect the quality that they produce each day and the ratings they still achieve.

No, I do not handle B&T PR; just a former CC employee who enjoys their efforts and respects the fact that they all work hard.

No laugh track. And, the 11pm on Channel 4 is not simulcast with anything - but is the same edited down version of that day's mornings radio show - aired an hour prior to the WGN broadcast - at least that is what a WTTV-4 person told me.
 
Speaking of homework, read my previous post, Mikey.

How could I listen now and suddenly like it when I stopped listening even passively 10 years ago? "NOW I get it! They're funny!"
It's like saying, "You don't like 'Lost' because you've never watched it". Um...yes...that is correct and I don't intend to now as they enter their new season. Bob and Tom lost me at 'hello'.
It's like when my jazz-loving friends tell me that I just haven't listened to "good jazz" and that's why I hate it and don't listen to it.
Maybe if I wait another 7 or 8 years, they'll come up with some jazz I like? Is that it?

My opinion IS valid because I just wrote it. That's how I know I expressed a valid opinion. When I write it down.

And I DID say I give them credit for advancing their agenda into television...right after I said I've never found the show to be funny.

Yes laugh track.
 
Lafayette Unplugged said:
Actually, I think it's pretty obvious that they fire up a laugh track because NOBODY can laugh that hard EVERY time at a joke that should only merit a polite chuckle. It's also pretty blatant on the promos that run during the day:

CHICK: "I went to the bank today and the time and temp sign was WAY off!!!"
BOB: (raspy, loud, multiple overmodulated guffawing)
ANNCR: "Boooob and Tooom in the Morning on Q-95!"

I can only give these guys kudos, though.
I've never ever ever EVER thought any of that song-parody-white-trash-poo-and-boob-joke humor was funny.
The funniest part of the show is the comedians that stop by who aren't actually part of the show regularly.

BUT they turned a radio show in Indy into a national franchise and now a television show. Quite a trip.

In short: Not funny. Never were (Maybe for a few months in the early 90's at their peak). BUT way to go, guys!
Click to expand...
 
the opinion my be valid, but that doesn't mean it's correct.

Ratings, ratings, ratings....B&T have them in 150 markets! You may not like them, but you don't matter....the listener matters. I don't like Delilah, but if I ran an AC station she'd be doing nights.
 
Lets say that for arguments sake this is presented to you, the OM of a station:

B&T are available to you (In Indy). Money is not a factor for you or them, and you have first dibs on them.

Would you sign them??
 
---George Bush is a great president because he got the most votes in 2004.
---Michael Bolton is a great artist because he sold 53 million albums.
---Bob and Tom are funny because they are in 150 markets.

Everybody's trying to do a "gotcha!" with me on this, but you can't gauge "funny" on ratings or markets. Bob and Tom are funny to the people who have the diaries and then Arbitron uses those diaries to determine ratings which create success for Bob and Tom's show.
I'm not wrong. I just don't have a diary.

I stand by what I initially said: I do NOT think they are funny, but you can't argue with success. Somebody must think they are. AND those same people (the handful who are lucky enough to get diaries) determine the ratings that give them their success. More power to them.

Again, it's all opinions on here, right? Opinions are valid. I do matter, U2, but I don't have an Arbitron diary.
I certainly wasn't having a "Bob and Tom don't have ratings" argument like where this thread suddenly veered off to.

Hoosierky cleared the muddy water by presenting something actually relevant to the argument and my point: Even if I thought they sucked and would never listen to them, if I was running a classic rock radio station in the midwest and I was trying to reach 35-54 year old males, would I consider signing up Bob and Tom? Yup.
However, Bob and Tom saw a huge 8.4 drop in that demo in the recent Indy book, so I'd probably think to myself,
"Hmmm...they must have been less funny during that book!". I mean, if that's how some gauge success, right? ;D
(I wonder how many other jocks in the Indy market got a TV show after this book when their ratings took a dive).
 
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