Springer lukewarm on hometown blowtorch

[ajhenderson]

> Because Clear Channel made a deal with Springer, who wants
> as much exposure as possible in Ohio, where he still has
> political aspirations.

Buy an ad.

 

[Wilkins_Micawber]

> I'm so tired of hearing about bloggers.

I would at least like to know who the blogger is being quoted so I can decide if it's someone with a shred of credibility.

Saying "one blogger wrote" is like saying "I read a book once that said.."..
A blog is a platform, not a genre.

> Certainly, some folks like OA have blogs as an extension of their expertise.

He has developed a good reputation hasn't he. He is obviously knowledgeable and (best of all) has the ability to write dispassionately about political talk shows.

Most people not only don't do that, I've been told it's not possible!

 

[nate81]

> I'll give your guy an extra bonus... he'll NEVER be able to
> expect much. On a monster talk station, really the only one
> in the market, you should get instant traction. If you
> can't, they shouldn't have replaced Glenn Beck. If Dr. Laura
> couldn't have gotten more traction that whoever she replaced
> (Lee Kirk??), she shouldn't and wouldn't have put her on.

Dr. Laura replaced local host Rich Michaels, who, IIRC, was last heard as an oldies DJ somewhere in Michigan. Rich himself replaced Lee Kirk in 1995.

The reason Dr. Laura was installed into the 9a slot was because she got good ratings against the Indians games in her old 8p-11p slot. (Remember, the Indians' flagship was WKNR/1220 (now WHKW) during this period.)

WTAM bid their time in the evenings with a few local hosts (including the late Morton Downey Jr.) before they snatched the Indians rights.

And Dr. Laura did fine with the move, ratings-wise - enough for her to last on the air up until 9/11. IIRC, WTAM was one of the first stations to clear Glenn Beck. OA and other have written lots about Dr. Laura's fade into oblivion, I don't need to go there.

With WTAM, placing Dr. Laura, and later Glenn Beck, into the 9a-11:30a slot made good sense, and were totally safe moves. The Jerry move is one that never made a lick of sense at all - and WTAM is stuck with egg on their face.

> How long before Triv took Jeff & Flash's crap ratings and
> turned them into gold?

Again, when WTAM stole the Indians rights from WKNR (and that was WKNR's fault - they overbid for the rights and had to sell out to WTAM's owner, Jacor), that was when Triv "took off." If Jeff and Flash stayed in PMD for just two extra years, they would have been in Triv's position. And THEY would have been #1.

Triv is just a mediocre host that is SO lucky. The Indians are such a hugh ratings draw that it doesn't matter what he does. Also, CC fired his top competitors a few years back in WGAR's Danny Wright and WMJI's Scott Howitt. That also was key. (Instigated by Triv, perhaps?)

> It's not that I'm against liberal talk, although I am a big
> fan of Beck's (as CC Cleveland should have been with his
> performance). What I'm saying is that a reactionary,
> personally motivated move like this is ridiculous when the
> product is an untested buffoon with no measurable support.
> While I don't think she would fit either, I'd be happy to
> see Stephanie Miller on in this spot. While listeners might
> not agree with her, they'd be entertained. While money
> trumps all, it does seem to me that a quasi-heritage station
> like WTAM has an obligation, being the only player in town,
> to select wisely when deciding which of America's 6,000 talk
> shows it decides to put on its air. And Springer is a 0 in
> the talent department.

I'd laugh my butt off if Steph (on WARF-Akron) outdraws Jerry on WTAM. Hell, Glenn's registering on WHLO-Akron (and soon on WEOL-Elyria), so why not?

- nate81<P ID="signature">______________
Nathan Obral
University Partership Representative: LCCC Student Senate, Elyria, Ohio

The Morning Love with Mark and Sarah - Fridays 9AM EDT on Duck Radio!</P>

 

[nate81]

Re: Pig Virus

> Kevin Metheny is the program director Howard Stern called
> "Pig Virus" when he was on WNBC. In the movie "Private
> Parts," the character based on Metheney was called "Pig
> Vomit."
>
> How do you know he hates Beck? And why does he hate Beck?

He may not. He may. I do agree with the $$$ part. He's never really been known as an "innovative" programmer, but as a "safe" one. Two other stations he controls - Country WGAR/99.5 and Oldies/SAC WMJI/105.7 - both well known and legendary in the market, have been decidedly neutered.

Rocker WMMS/100.7 was in a bind when he took over, and has actually improved of late; WAKS/104.9-Lorain-to-96.5-Akron was initally a sattelite-fed CHR that replaced WZLE, an all-local CCM from neighboring Lorain (this was NOT under his directive); WMVX/106.5 is... well... a boring HAC that fits right in with boring Infinity HAC WQAL/104.1.

WTAM is not known for a good cadre of local talk. Triv's it. You want local talk? Try WNIR/100.1 in Akron.

- nate81<P ID="signature">______________
Nathan Obral
University Partership Representative: LCCC Student Senate, Elyria, Ohio

The Morning Love with Mark and Sarah - Fridays 9AM EDT on Duck Radio!</P>