So, how would D&C sound on 96.9? The latest Track rumor

[raccoonradio]

Radio Equalizer pointed out this item in the Herald (not to be confused with a herald in the Item for
those of you in Lynn! )...the latest in the "someone trying to steal D&C away from WEEI" rumor mill.
Or is it just a contract ploy?

http://thetrack.bostonherald.com/moreTrack/view.bg?articleid=195733&srvc=home

"Our spies around the dial report Greater Media boss Peter Smyth is 'still bitter' about losing the Red Sox to ’EEI, and began to explore ways to woo the sports station’s top-rated morning men away from Entercom months ago.
'He either wanted to start up an FM sports station or go guy talk on WBOS or get rid of Imus altogether,' said Someone Who Knows. 'They hadn’t been happy with Imus or his ratings for some time. And (Mike) Barnicle isn’t the answer.'"

Though I thought I read that Imus was ranked 11th in Boston...? (which may not sound like much but that's
among all stations and some pretty tough competition. Now if they had been ranked 25th...)

And as we all know, John and Gerry are very polite people who never say anything controversial
and don't even get into politics at all, right? (/ sarcasm )

 

[raccoonradio]

http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com

Brian also says it's inevitable that another FM talk station will come to Boston, and he's surprised
WRKO hasn't moved to FM. Would we see WRKO on, say, 93.7 AND 97.7? No static at all,
clear sound, and maybe easier for some people to get in their workplaces.

 

[radiodouble]

And as we all know, John and Gerry are very polite people who never say anything controversial
and don't even get into politics at all, right? (/ sarcasm )

we also know that inside track hoochies don't know what they're talking about 8 times out 10 :

"....which may explain why dennis and callahan’s on-air blather has gotten less jock-oriented and more newsy of late..."

'more newsy of late'??? give me a break. they've had the 7:30 news segment going for what, 6 or 7 years now. they've always gone off sports topics once they kick into 'in the news' segment....this is not recent. their 'source' sounds like someone from radio-info universe. there's some pretty clueless stuff in the inside track story. smyth is 'bitter' over losing the sox to wrko/weei? he is the one walked away from doing the deal and now he blames entercom? he got the invitation but never showed up at the party. please. and, if he wanted to dump imus so badly why did he extend him for a few more years then?

 

[raccoonradio]

If there's a spy at GM, well there's Herald writer Margery Eagan. You're right, if they wanted to dump Imus
so badly, why did they sign an extension? And Maloney does bring up the bit about GM's pursuit of the Sox.

(SaveWRKO.com): "Why would Smyth be bitter about costing his arch-rivals many millions of dollars in lost revenues? Entercom was outsmarted and everyone knows it (except in the People's Republic of Kahnistan, where Her Majesty is revered by all)."

He's implying that the bidding war for the Sox really drove up the price, though I know the Sox will make
a lot of money for Entercom as before (but it also cost them a lot...The rumor originally was $20 mil a yr
for 10 yrs but later word had it being more like $14 mil or year, though they had been paying $9 or $10 mil a yr before--still quite an increase)

But if the announcement comes that GM has inked D&C, the Track gals (who once worked at WTKK didn't
they?) can "Herald" this as a bit of a scoop.

 

[radiodouble]

If there's a spy at GM, well there's Herald writer Margery Eagan. You're right, if they wanted to dump Imus
so badly, why did they sign an extension? And Maloney does bring up the bit about GM's pursuit of the Sox.

(SaveWRKO.com): "Why would Smyth be bitter about costing his arch-rivals many millions of dollars in lost revenues? Entercom was outsmarted and everyone knows it (except in the People's Republic of Kahnistan, where Her Majesty is revered by all)."

He's implying that the bidding war for the Sox really drove up the price, though I know the Sox will make
a lot of money for Entercom as before (but it also cost them a lot...The rumor originally was $20 mil a yr
for 10 yrs but later word had it being more like $14 mil or year, though they had been paying $9 or $10 mil a yr before--still quite an increase)

But if the announcement comes that GM has inked D&C, the Track gals (who once worked at WTKK didn't
they?) can "Herald" this as a bit of a scoop.

do u honestly think they'd be sharing any personnel decisions with margery???
callahan works at the herald and probably fed the ladies some chicken soup ;D
and the way he sounds lately, he needs lots of it...

driving up sox' rights? maybe they did. if you want to play in the bigs, be prepared to swing at the ball. gm blinked and lost the most lucrative sports package in the business because they chose not to play the game. there's nothing to be bitter about.

plus entercom did ok for themselves. an option to sell unfixeable wrko off to the sox is not a bad option to have in that contract if you think about it.

 

[raccoonradio]

Yeah that's right, Gerry CallousMan works at the Herald too. But maybe Margery or he fed the Track
that info and who knows if it's correct or not.

sell WRKO to the Sox? Hmm. I guess the Angels have a station of their own (KLAA 830 in LA which
just picked up Michael Savage after KRLA dumped him for...you know, the guy I keep pitching
'TKK (or someone!) to pick up

 

[ChrisNH]

http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com

Brian also says it's inevitable that another FM talk station will come to Boston, and he's surprised
WRKO hasn't moved to FM. Would we see WRKO on, say, 93.7 AND 97.7? No static at all,
clear sound, and maybe easier for some people to get in their workplaces.

That's an excellent point. Unless you're within the 128 belt, WEEI has a miserable winter-time signal which is often trounced by far-off 50K stations benefitting from skip. A move to FM would be good, in the same way that the Patriots' move to 'BCN was a good move. The downside is that Callahan's deteriorating voice--like a pitchers' arm or a skaters' legs--is made much worse on the clear FM stage.

Chris in NH

 

[JustinT]

Would we see WRKO on, say, 93.7 AND 97.7? No static at all, clear sound, and maybe easier for some people to get in their workplaces.

Simulcasting WRKO on what is now WKAF doesn't seem like it would be a bad decision at all, considering that WKAF is assumed to be pulling a 0.0 share 12+. While the strength in the suburbs would be limited, particularly at night in the western suburbs, it would at least be a good place to test whether there would be any benefit to placing the station on a stronger FM signal.

As for placing WRKO on 93.7: Even though its 12+ numbers at the moment are somewhat lacking as it lurks beside such stations as WBOS and WPLM-FM, the station still pulled in $13.5 million, with a strong power ratio of 1.19: virtually the same power ratio as WBOS. WRKO currently bills $8 million, with a terrible power ratio of 0.47. Unless Entercom is confident that a WRKO on 93.7 would be able to bill 13.5 million more than it currently does (placing it in the ballpark of WXKS and WJMN's billing), then placing WRKO on 93.7 would be a complete waste of the signal for Entercom.

 

[ChrisNH]

I guess Callahan has been sent to the land of misfit toys until his voice 'improves.' What a time to be in the throes of contract negotiations. Those two weeks had BETTER do him some good, because with the newspaper industry going the way of the Edsel and talk radio in the midst of 'The Great Re-Think,' Callahan could come out the other side with a nice voice...and a job as a Wal-Mart greeter.

Chris in NH