The NEW WOR - format speculation

[FLjack2]

Re: The NEW WOR Programming Speculation

[/quote] That the contract likely requires Rush to actually air daily aside, why would you "rush" to replace your format-defining program with an also-ran failed in-house product that likely has a short shelf life? Doesn't sound like much, if any, upside. Develop something with some appeal during the time left on the Rush contract, start airing it in another slot when ready and then promote the hell out of it so that when its intended slot becomes available, listeners are already familiar with it. Don't panic and throw on third-rate programming just because it 'exists' in-house. Why not have the cake and eat it?
[/quote]
While it's true that the contract actually requires Rush to actually air, I'm sure there are ways around it. They WILL lose Limbaugh. No doubt in my mind. So dump him fast and replace him while the other station cannot air him. Best scenario

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

I expect that except for morning drive (until/unless Clear Channel-owned Premiere Networks launches a high-profile nationally-syndicated morning-drive talk show), WOR-710 will be all-syndicated.

I would think Rush, Hannity, Noory, etc. will all be moving to 710 around Labor Day. I don't think CC will be able to yank them off other area stations anytime sooner.

Most of the current WOR local air staff (except for the third-generation John Gambling) will be gone within the next three weeks.

Expect WOR to also become the New York affiliate for Fox News Radio.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

Where does this leave Buckey's other stations??

Is the company getting out of radio??

 

[alok]

Maybe NYC will finally get a REAL local talk station.

Yes there are stations now doing some local talk in some form but nothing like many of us feel NYC deserves.


Al

 

[jh]

I expect that except for morning drive (until/unless Clear Channel-owned Premiere Networks launches a high-profile nationally-syndicated morning-drive talk show), WOR-710 will be all-syndicated.

I would think Rush, Hannity, Noory, etc. will all be moving to 710 around Labor Day. I don't think CC will be able to yank them off other area stations anytime sooner.

Most of the current WOR local air staff (except for the third-generation John Gambling) will be gone within the next three weeks.

Expect WOR to also become the New York affiliate for Fox News Radio.

It could look something like this:

6am Bob and Tom
9am Glenn Beck
noon Rush Limbaugh
3-6pm ? (Hannity is a joint Premier/Cumulus program, Cumulus has the rights in markets where they have O&Os, so he probably stays on WABC)
6pm Andy Dean
9pm-1am ?
1am Coast to Coast

I don't think that's what CC will do, I think they will keep some local programming. Of course, it may not be the same local programming they have now.

Is CC getting the WOR Network with this deal? That would give them a few more national shows.

 

[Bob1370]

Re: The NEW WOR - format speculation; and how WABC could react

A guess? Don't look to KFI as a template (although it probably should be). Expect CC to run WOR like it runs other big signal talkers like WTAM or WHAM.

WOR'll keep John Gambling's current morning show, since CC usually holds on to heritage local morning shows on all their blowtorch AM signals.

Late mornings, Glenn Beck will return, even though he didn't make it in NYC before, because he's a CC in-house product (although at leat one Clear Channel station, WHAM in Rochester doesn't carry him, opting for local product instead--but that's an anomaly in the chain).

Noon-3, Rush, as soon as they can get out from under WABC.

3-6, they'll get Hannity because they have a share of the action with him, and some of the latest numbers indicate he's been sliding at WABC and could be allowed to get away. Some CC talkers like a couple local hours of afternoon drive, usually with an extended news block, but that may not happen at WOR.

6 PM to 9 PM, they're launching a new syndicated conservative talk show this month with Andy Dean, a former contestant on "The Apprentice" who later came to work for Donald Trump and later WSB in Atlanta (not a CC station). Don't be surprised if he's an early addition to WOR since carriage in NYC will boost his national profile with other stations that could carry him, and with national ad accounts.

9 PM-1 AM, anyone's guess. They probably couold stick with two hours of Savage and two hours of Dr. Joy Browne, each time-shifted to fill in the gap until George Noory comes on at 1.

Weekends it could be the usual mix of how-tos, infomercials and colon-blow testimonials.

How will WABC counterprogram? Probably the same kind of content, further diminishing the impact of talk radio in market #1. But there is an opportunity for a radically different approach with younger higher-energy LOCAL hosts talking about the area and the issues that matter to your hoped-for 35-64 core. If my scenario holds true, CC steals WABC's syndicated name brand shows, and Imus retires in a year (as some expect), it could either be a disaster or an opportunity for re-birth and re-growth. Either direction would cost about the same. The risks in hiring lesser known, but talented local hosts are a little higher than buying the shows of second-tier national hosts who are better-known. But the costs are the same and the potential rewards are FAR greater. It's really the same approach WABC took against entrenched CHR competitors in 1960-61, and we all know how well that turned out.
The Dickeys have let it be known they aren't satisfied with how WABC, KABC, WMAL and some of their other big market talkers are doing. So they might be willing to shift their cash from national syndicators to local personalities, especially if (as is likely) they cost no more.

This COULD get interesting. That doesn't mean it will, but it could...and expect WABC to be the station that makes the most attention-getting moves once WOR/Clear Channel steals some of their past signature shows.

 

[davideduardo]

Re: The NEW WOR - format speculation; and how WABC could react

A guess? Don't look to KFI as a template (although it probably should be). Expect CC to run WOR like it runs other big signal talkers like WTAM or WHAM.

I really don't think that using market 30 or market 57 as examples is the proper focus.

There are NYC stations that bill more than the whole Rochester market does... and higher revenue makes many programming options both available and viable for WOR.

WTAM and WHAM are barely in the top 10 in 25-54 in their markets, so using them as models is probably not a good idea, either.

The issue is whether the purchase price is low enough to just use WOR to protect the premier shows, or whether a higher level of performance is needed.

WOR, based on pre-Arbitron-ban numbers, is in the mid-20's in 25-54 rank position. Obviously, it is not doing what CC needs it to do.

 

[WNTIRadio]

If I were WABC, I would dump Rush tomorrow. Clear the commercials (as likely required by their contract) and have Rush off the air in NYC as long as possible. I would put Huckabee on immediately in Rush's old time slot. It's the best way to get Huckabee known a bit and take the spotlight off Rush.

Except you're leaving one thing out of the equation... Huckabee sucks on air! Taking all politics out of it, it's a boring show with a boring host.

IF WABC wants to compete again against Rush on WOR, then do a NYC metro focused local issues talk show. It just may work. Think of all the local live reads that can run too...

WABC wanting to get rid of Rush for Huckabee is like the Yankees wanting to dump Sabathia for some AAA pitcher. It will happen to them, but don't think the local sales team isn't saying "OH S***" right now.

 

[wadio]

WOR has made some significant programming changes over that past decade but none has budged the Arbitron meter. The overall ratings are in a slow, gradual downward spiral. (My suspicion has always been that this has more to do with Arbitron than with WOR, but that's another discussion.) It will be interesting to see if Rush moving from WABC to WOR and other possible flips will move the PPM dial. In theory these changes should bring WABC and WOR much closer to each other.

 

[TheBigA]

IF WABC wants to compete again against Rush on WOR, then do a NYC metro focused local issues talk show. It just may work. Think of all the local live reads that can run too...

Sounds like public radio. In fact, it is. WNYC AM. You see the big numbers local talk pulls in on WNYC and WNYM. This is not going to attract the kinds of numbers they need.

This isn't Hooterville where they talk about the local school board or fixing potholes. This is New York. Think big. And if they do a local show that becomes successful, it will become syndicated.

 

[radioguy39nj]

Re: The NEW WOR - format speculation; and how WABC could react

How will WABC counterprogram? Probably the same kind of content, further diminishing the impact of talk radio in market #1. But there is an opportunity for a radically different approach with younger higher-energy LOCAL hosts talking about the area and the issues that matter to your hoped-for 35-64 core.

This COULD get interesting. That doesn't mean it will, but it could...and expect WABC to be the station that makes the most attention-getting moves once WOR/Clear Channel steals some of their past signature shows.

Given what Cumulus did to KGO, I see no way Cumulus will take WABC local. They'll go with their own syndicated programming whether or not it has an audience in New York. Cumulus will be happy with a 2 rating as long as the bottom line is in the black.

It is incredible that New York does not have a talk station with local hosts talking about issues that matter to the area. New York will soon have two 50 kW talk stations that are totally disengaged from the area they serve.

 

[mikerock]

Re: The NEW WOR - format speculation; and how WABC could react

It is incredible that New York does not have a talk station with local hosts talking about issues that matter to the area. New York will soon have two 50 kW talk stations that are totally disengaged from the area they serve.

If you are not covering anything local you do not have to deal with the costs related to fallout that comes with that. I bet it makes the local political establishment happy.

 

[TheBigA]

Re: The NEW WOR - format speculation; and how WABC could react

Given what Cumulus did to KGO, I see no way Cumulus will take WABC local.

Huh? Have you listened to KGO? It's a local news station.

 

[davideduardo]

Re: The NEW WOR - format speculation; and how WABC could react

Given what Cumulus did to KGO, I see no way Cumulus will take WABC local.

Huh? Have you listened to KGO? It's a local news station.

With one local talk show, too.

 

[radioguy39nj]

Re: The NEW WOR - format speculation; and how WABC could react

Given what Cumulus did to KGO, I see no way Cumulus will take WABC local.

Huh? Have you listened to KGO? It's a local news station.

With one local talk show, too.

OK, my mistake on KGO! Cumulus isn't taking WABC local to news or talk. Definitely not news after the Merlin debacle.

 

[RadioFanBoy]

I think Dr. Joy Browne's stock may have gone up if Clear Channel now pretty much owns her show. Ever since Dr. Laura (remember her?) took her ball and rowed away to SiriusXM Island, they really have not had their hands on a good advice show. Dr. Joy may have a shot on a bigger syndicated stage now.

 

[Iconoclast1240]

I agree with those who believe that CC will dump alot of the longtime WOR hosts - for the reasons listed, the only survivor could be Gambling. Joan Hamburg and the rest of geriatric appeal shows are gone. And the WOR network? That's in for a major overhaul. Maybe CC will use it as a talent development platform for Premiere. Alot of the shows on the WOR network are of very low quality and very third-tier. Maybe it makes sense for CC to consider Premiere "The Major Leagues" with its top talent and use the WOR network for young up & comers (kind of like a AAA baseball team) - In this scenario most of the current WOR network shows go bye-bye.

 

[WNTIRadio]

Yeah, think BIG. New York is BIG. Meaning there are a lot of issues that affect such a large city and its surroundings. That's why there are two high rated all news stations covering mainly the city and suburbs.

WNYM is on a frequency nobody has cared about for decades... but WNYC pulls a combined cume of 900k. Not bad for a public station, and only about 100k behind WABC. And they raise a BOATLOAD of money, because they have an affluent audience.

And please, I usually never wish anyone to lose their job, but Joan Hamburg is past her expiration date. They CAN'T leave her on there and expect to have a viable station, especially if they want to lower the demo. Dave Ramsey is about as lame as can be, and today I heard Gov. Patterson stumbling all over himself trying to make some point about Paul Ryan for a good 5 minutes. Terrible, boring radio.

 

[TheBigA]

Yeah, think BIG. New York is BIG. Meaning there are a lot of issues that affect such a large city and its surroundings.

After reading your post about all the stations and people who DO talk about local issues, why do you think doing that kind of thing would be any better on a more powerful frequency?

 

[stationless listener]

John Hogan, chairman and CEO of Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, told The Post that he aimed to push all of the company’s stations into the top six slots.
While Hogan declined to discuss changes, he hinted that a push for sports radio rights could be in the cards.

“The Yankees radio rights come up next year, so do the New York Jets and there are others,” Hogan said. “If you look around on other news talk stations, sports can be a component.

“Part of the New York opportunity is that it allows us to think about the entire cluster, think about promo power of five radio stations plus WOR,” he added. “That’s a really compelling package for sports players and advertisers.”

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/change_of_tune_for_talk_radio_wor_h6PR044gxziISppzrAHl7J

Hmm...there are opportunities other than Jets, Giants, Yankees and Mets (and Knicks/Rangers) that, if done right, could attract an audience. I would suggest an idea from way out in left field but might work in this case: Brooklyn Nets on WWPR

Reason: Having moved to Brooklyn it's no longer the same ol' Nets. They're now deeply based inside the urban core, in a borough that has been made famous worldwide by the likes of Jay-Z and Notorious B.I.G.. Sales of Brooklyn Nets gear have far outstripped that of the NJ Nets in the past year. And that's before the unveiling of their new uniforms, scheduled in September. Brooklyn Nets is now a hot item in the city and Clear Channel is in a unique position to market to this new group of basketball fans by putting the team on FM. This would not cost nearly as much as the Jets or Yankees would and it would attract an audience that hasn't had a reason to listen to sports radio so far.

There are also rumors of a team in NYC proper that would play in MLS in the next five years. Rumors are that a stadium deal is in the works in Queens, which could house a team not long after. That would be another opportunity if CC is serious about pursuing sports.