The I-95 closure: is the local WPHT talk show hosts talking about it?

[Jul]

I would like to know has the local talk show hosts on WPHT-AM talked about the closure of I-95 in Philadelphia between Girard and Aramingo Avenues today. I would think that this is a big story that the local talk show hosts should talk about. I would be shocked that the 1210 AM hosts doesn't talk about this.

 

[Starscream]

It's emergency bridge repair. the problem was noticed, it's being fixed. It's not a "huge story".

 

[DG02816]

And KYW has been beating it to death today too. Bet Sam Clover will be gasping for breath tomorrow morning...

 

[WTUX]

Let's think about this. Obama was giving a major speech in Philadelphia. The economy is in major trouble. And you want to talk about a bridge repair? KYW was covering it quite well, thank you. And besides Michael, who else is there to talk local on WPHT?

 

[LocalRadio]

The I-95 closure: is the local WPHT talk show hosts talking about it?

I think Michael Smerconish are talking about it.

A minor story that rivaled Bolaris' snow coverage on TV.

 

[Wil]

I would like to know has the local talk show hosts on WPHT-AM talked about the closure of I-95 in Philadelphia between Girard and Aramingo Avenues today. I would think that this is a big story that the local talk show hosts should talk about. I would be shocked that the 1210 AM hosts doesn't talk about this.

Did you listen to 1210 today to find out? That would be the best way to answer your own question!

 

[BRNout]

It's not very good fodder for talk radio. In other words, there are far better current topics to cover (as noted above).

To be fair, I haven't monitored enough of WPHT's programming over the past day or so to comment on how much time they spent on it. However, I'd doubt that it was much because it's just not that compelling of a topic.

 

[orange434]

glen macnow or big daddy graham on 610 have probably already done a top 10 road closure topic with callers, i would reckon.

 

[XTalker]

It's a traffic report! Not a talk-show topic!

 

[mimo]

Exactly. It doesn't draw much in the way of an audience to talk about a bridge being repaired..and you can't go very long with it. Seriously what can you do except a "¿What's the worst traffic inconvenience you've ever experienced? Call us and tell us about it". At best it's a 5 minute (and that's stretching it) topic.

 

[NJMike]

Apparently, the I-95 closure was a big enough deal that 95.5 WPLJ up here in NYC included it in their traffic report...in fact, it was the first thing they even mentioned in the report! They kept giving updates every 20 mins it seemed during the PM drive time. I listened from around 6-7pm yesterday.

 

[BRNout]

Apparently, the I-95 closure was a big enough deal that 95.5 WPLJ up here in NYC included it in their traffic report...in fact, it was the first thing they even mentioned in the report! They kept giving updates every 20 mins it seemed during the PM drive time. I listened from around 6-7pm yesterday.

I don't get that. If it were the NJ Turnpike, I would totally understand. But, the only New York area travelers that would be on that stretch of I-95 are those actually going to Philadelphia. In which case, they can get a local traffic report from KYW and others. It's basically a local highway at that point. The through road southward is the NJ Turnpike, which you'd take if you were going anywhere beyond Philly or Chester.

If there was a similar problem on I-84 in Hartford, would WPLJ lead with it? I think not....

 

[aindik]

Apparently, the I-95 closure was a big enough deal that 95.5 WPLJ up here in NYC included it in their traffic report...in fact, it was the first thing they even mentioned in the report! They kept giving updates every 20 mins it seemed during the PM drive time. I listened from around 6-7pm yesterday.

I don't get that. If it were the NJ Turnpike, I would totally understand. But, the only New York area travelers that would be on that stretch of I-95 are those actually going to Philadelphia. In which case, they can get a local traffic report from KYW and others. It's basically a local highway at that point. The through road southward is the NJ Turnpike, which you'd take if you were going anywhere beyond Philly or Chester.

If there was a similar problem on I-84 in Hartford, would WPLJ lead with it? I think not....

WPLJ at times acts like a local New Jersey station. Lots of its audience is in New Jersey (though, of course, not far enough south in New Jersey for this I-95 thing to matter). People in Princeton hit the local Philly I-95, but nobody really north of that.

 

[1069_KIFR]

Yes.

 

[MarcB]

Apparently is was a major deal. I saw it in the local paper here in Connecticut. Plus I heard it this morning that it was reopen on an ABC News update on Scott Shannon's True Oldies Channel. WPRV/790 Providence, Rhode Island.

 

[BRNout]

Apparently is was a major deal. I saw it in the local paper here in Connecticut. Plus I heard it this morning that it was reopen on an ABC News update on Scott Shannon's True Oldies Channel. WPRV/790 Providence, Rhode Island.

Yes, but it was primarily a local story. There were local detours. If you were just passing through on your way north or south, your only impact was to hear about it on Philly radio stations as you cruised by on the NJ Turnpike. Or on 295. No, this only impacted those who have to travel between Trenton and Center City. Anyone else could get around it.

Quite unlike when the I-95 Mianus River Bridge collapsed in Greenwich, CT back in 1983 or so. Now that was a big deal - because it impacted traffic patterns throughout the northeast. And, for a long time. It made national headlines and sadly resulted in some fatalities because the bridge collapsed in the middle of the night. So, some trucks went right over the cliff without braking. Pretty bad.