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Valentine's Day

F

Filthy_Susan

Guest
Sorry to intrude on the love's lost festival but after reading all the posts from rejected lovers and stone-agers - are flowers appropriate - I say welcome to the changes, to Dobson, to KB and to WHLD (whom I can not receive).

Does one dare raise the dander here by suggesting WGR is in for an overhaul later this year?

And to those who have defiantly said that Entercommie (do you really think my opinion of them would change?) would never put WBEN talk at risk, would never desert the stale oldies format, would never leave behind the aged and the aging old-timers who come her to die, I can only repeat the words of Nelson Munch, "Ha, Ha!"

Have fun, fellas!
 
Life Is Like A Box of Chocolates

Susan, with any luck WHLD will stream just for you. You'll be able to revel in an orgy of left-wing lib-talk. Just think how much it will distress Little Tommy B. that Leslie Marshall and Al Franken are BOTH on radio in his town.

> And to those who have defiantly said that Entercommie (do
> you really think my opinion of them would change?) would
> never put WBEN talk at risk, would never desert the stale
> oldies format, would never leave behind the aged and the
> aging old-timers who come her to die, I can only repeat the
> words of Nelson Munch, "Ha, Ha!"

Believe me, if WHLD hadn't signed on with Air America, and if the bozos at AAR hadn't "accidently" put WHLD on their website a few months ago, it never would have happened. Actually, I think that KB has a stronger line-up without AAR than they would have had if they could have snatched AAR from WHLD.

The bottom line is $$$, and Entercom will combo WBEN and WWKB for advertising purposes and try to grab the cash from both sides of the aisle.

I do expect WBEN's pride to suffer if they lose a couple of shares and drop to 4th or 5th in the market.

Not that I expect KB to do significantly better in the long run with talk than they did with music. Maybe they'll get their 1.7 in a more saleable demographic.
 
> Sorry to intrude on the love's lost festival but after
> reading all the posts from rejected lovers and stone-agers -
> are flowers appropriate - I say welcome to the changes, to
> Dobson, to KB and to WHLD (whom I can not receive).
>
> Does one dare raise the dander here by suggesting WGR is in
> for an overhaul later this year?
>
> And to those who have defiantly said that Entercommie (do
> you really think my opinion of them would change?) would
> never put WBEN talk at risk, would never desert the stale
> oldies format, would never leave behind the aged and the
> aging old-timers who come her to die, I can only repeat the
> words of Nelson Munch, "Ha, Ha!"
>
> Have fun, fellas!
>

This may come as a shock to your system, but I looked at the Rochester ratings at allaccess.com.

Entercom-Rochester's WROC-AM (the Air America outlet) hasn;t been drawing any numbers.

I could be mistaken, but when you're not getting the numbers, something has to be changed.

If WROC-AM isn't drawing listeners, what makes managers from Entercom-Buffalo and, apparently, WHLD, think left-wing talk-radio will work?

Westrern New York's only left-wing talk host, "Brother Wease," gets numbers for two reasons:

First, he and his sidekicks often use coarse language and sexually-graphic material. Their attempts at comedy don't even come close to being funny! There is little in the way of any susbstantive debate. When any debate does take place, The host starts trash-talking at the caller and/or the lackeys jump in with their two cents. It's a verbal "gang-bang." Obviously, "Wease" can't, or won't, go through a debate without resorting to trashing a caller or guest.

Second, there really isn't anyone in the Rochester market with the guts to counter-program against "Wease." They tried to run Howard Stern against him. Big deal! What was the difference?

By the way, is it just me or does Bob Lonsberry avoid fighting back when "Wease" attacks him on the air?

Apparently, that's the case.

Please correct me if I'm mistaken.

Either Bob chooses not to let him have it, or the suits at WHAM won't let him do it, especially after left-wing activists twisted his quote about the orangutan running for Monroe County Executive a couple of years ago.
 
> This may come as a shock to your system, but I looked at the
> Rochester ratings at allaccess.com.
> Entercom-Rochester's WROC-AM (the Air America outlet) hasn;t
> been drawing any numbers.

Mike Doyle at Entercom Rochester, a guy who is a very good overall cluster strategist, has said WROC wasn't expected to be a major winner in the overall numbers. Its weak signal and specialized format would always limit its upside potential. But what it is supposed to do, is cut enough into WHAM's 12+ and 25-54 numbers to make it easier for Entercom's own WBEE to take and defend the overall 12+ and 25-54 crowns, with the extra national spot business those victories bring. On that level of business strategy, WROC has worked out quite well. WBEE may now be strong enough and entrenched enough at the top that it no longer needs that flanking strategy to help it. If that's the case, then WROC might go through another format change assuming there IS a format niche currently both unfilled, and potentially lucrative. (I personally think Hispanic programming might be a good move since the Spanish speaking population is approaching critical mass to support a fulltime station, and WROC's signal does reach the core of the Hispanic community in the area, which lives mostly in the city and inner ring suburbs. But they'll have to act fast or CBS might claim that format niche for 94.1 first.)

> I could be mistaken, but when you're not getting the
> numbers, something has to be changed.
> If WROC-AM isn't drawing listeners, what makes managers from
> Entercom-Buffalo and, apparently, WHLD, think left-wing
> talk-radio will work?

There are a lot of odd aspects to the Entercom and Citadel decisions. If Mike Doyle's logic is right about Air America's usefulness as a programming strategy to whittle away a little of the main news/talker's action in a market (and I think he is), then his colleagues in Entercom's Buffalo cluster just shot themselves in the foot. How? By launching one competitor and speeding along another which will each slice away a little bit of Entercom's own WBEN. But it gets worse. By blowing away oldies listeners who comprised close to a 2 share and sending those listeners toward their only alternative, WHTT (already a strong number 3 and within a couple share points of second ranked WBEN) they're handing ABC/Citadel's FM oldies station second place overall in the market. On top of that, they give CBS' market leading country FM, WYRK, extra breathing room.


> Westrern New York's only left-wing talk host, "Brother
> Wease," gets numbers for two reasons:

But not the two reasons you cite. His main appeal boils down to two things; he's regarded as a warm, likable 'mensch' and he's in touch with what's going on and keeps his listeners involved and in touch. He has the same kind of appeal to baby boomers today that Jack Slattery, Jack Palvino and Eddie Meath had for their parents in the 50s, 60s and 70s.

> Either Bob chooses not to let him have it, or the suits at
> WHAM won't let him do it, especially after left-wing
> activists twisted his quote about the orangutan running for
> Monroe County Executive a couple of years ago.

Lonsberry's temporary downfall didn't result from anyone twisting his quote--it came from people playing and replaying it in full, in context, so that people got the full thrust of it. And attacking the Roman Catholic Church on his website when Bishop Clark called his comments into question was the last straw. In a way it speaks to the power of corporate HQ in San Antonio to override local concerns, that he's back on the air today (although IIRC he has yet to regain all the audience he used to enjoy in that daypart).

As to why he doesn't attack Wease---maybe he's learned something about how little you gain and how much you can lose by attacking well-liked icons.
 
Lonsberry "Taken Out of Context" Twister Radio Edition

> Entercom-Rochester's WROC-AM (the Air America outlet) hasn;t
> been drawing any numbers.

In general, it's doing no better or worse than it has when it was running second tier conservative talk. As I've said in other messages, it remains the best secret in town to a lot of listeners who don't even know the station exists because it gets no promotion. Head south of Monroe County when the sun goes down and the signal disappears as well.

> If WROC-AM isn't drawing listeners, what makes managers from
> Entercom-Buffalo and, apparently, WHLD, think left-wing
> talk-radio will work?

It's turnkey cheap to run, is different from being just another oldies or right wing leftover outlet, and could draw a younger audience than the angry white old men that love Rush.

I don't know if two libtalk stations in Buffalo will fly though. I'd guess WHLD would have the disadvantage only because their signal is probably about on par with WROC here in Rochester.

> Westrern New York's only left-wing talk host, "Brother
> Wease," gets numbers for two reasons:

Brother Wease is not left wing libtalk. He's more akin to a kindler, gentler Stern or Imus for the working man.

> First, he and his sidekicks often use coarse language and
> sexually-graphic material. Their attempts at comedy don't
> even come close to being funny!

His trashing of Bob Lonsberry a few years ago after he called our black mayor a monkey escaped from the zoo was pretty priceless to me.

> There is little in the way
> of any susbstantive debate. When any debate does take place,
> The host starts trash-talking at the caller and/or the
> lackeys jump in with their two cents. It's a verbal
> "gang-bang." Obviously, "Wease" can't, or won't, go through
> a debate without resorting to trashing a caller or guest.

Disagree with a conservative local talkshow host like Lonsberry on the air and see what you get. NPR it isn't.

> Second, there really isn't anyone in the Rochester market
> with the guts to counter-program against "Wease." They tried
> to run Howard Stern against him. Big deal! What was the
> difference?

What do you want? They have the Tony & Dee lightness and fluff on one station, morning news/talk/featurettes on WHAM, some unknown guy on the Nerve, etc. I'm not sure what counter programming Wease would be - militant vegetarian man-hating Republican lesbians? :)

> By the way, is it just me or does Bob Lonsberry avoid
> fighting back when "Wease" attacks him on the air?

The wimp factor. What do you want. I used to despise Lonsberry for his crazy talk and voice made for newspaper writing talk show, but he seems to have mellowed from being a major irritant to just another guy with a radio show. Older listeners who listen to 1180 seem to think he's delightful so he has his audience. Wease has his.

> Either Bob chooses not to let him have it, or the suits at
> WHAM won't let him do it, especially after left-wing
> activists twisted his quote about the orangutan running for
> Monroe County Executive a couple of years ago.

Yeah, it's left wing moonbats who "twisted" his comments. Welcome to Fantasy Talking Points Island. Let's get real. We heard the clips in their entirety. The only thing twisted was Bob Lonsberry assuming his little clip was going to fly outside of a morning drive show in Selma circa 1963.

You explain to us how "the monkey escaped from the zoo and he's running for county executive" has been horribly taken out of context by "left wing activists." I enjoy acrobatics as much as the next guy.
 
Re: Life Is Like A Box of Chocolates

> Susan, with any luck WHLD will stream just for you. You'll
> be able to revel in an orgy of left-wing lib-talk. Just
> think how much it will distress Little Tommy B. that Leslie
> Marshall and Al Franken are BOTH on radio in his town.

In fact, AAR has been streaming in both WM and RA format for a long time and is one of the more popular streams on the Internet.

http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=airam/airam/wmlive/live.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx

http://play.rbn.com/?url=airam/airam/live/livea.rm&proto=rtsp&rbnkey=1

And there's an MP3 stream from WKIZ (weekdays only).
http://66.132.166.124:9000/

Just for you...
 
Re: Life Is Like A Box of Chocolates

> In fact, AAR has been streaming in both WM and RA format for
> a long time and is one of the more popular streams on the
> Internet.
>
http://play.rbn.com/pla> y.asx?url=airam/airam/wmlive/live.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx
http://pla> y.rbn.com/?url=airam/airam/live/livea.rm&proto=rtsp&rbnkey=1
> And there's an MP3 stream from WKIZ (weekdays only).
> http://66.132.166.124:9000/
> Just for you...

If 1520 does things right (I mean correctly, not on the right, lol), WHLD will end up being the station to switch, and they most likely will go with oldies of some sort.

However, if WHLD draws the right attention, 1520 could be the one to change to...what ever...and it most likely will not be business news radio. That was done, and drew worse ratings...right? Or is it too early to tell...?
<P ID="signature">______________
"If you never say NO, How much is your YES worth?"
</P>
 
Re: Life Is Like A Box of Chocolates

Yes, but it's not the same as the total "WHLD Experience".

WNY, Stand By. Tomorrow's the day!
 
Re: Life Is Like A Box of Chocolates

> Yes, but it's not the same as the total "WHLD Experience".

I have that record.
Her name was Joanne and she ran a station near the Falls...
 
Re: Life Is Like A Box of Chocolates

> If 1520 does things right (I mean correctly, not on the
> right, lol), WHLD will end up being the station to switch,
> and they most likely will go with oldies of some sort.

I'm voting all 70's Disco, myself.

> However, if WHLD draws the right attention, 1520 could be
> the one to change to...what ever...and it most likely will
> not be business news radio. That was done, and drew worse

Business radio was so 90's!

> ratings...right? Or is it too early to tell...?

Yes, I think it's too early. Give it till Spring before ringing the death knell.
 
For The Record

>
Bob,

Thanks for the compliment on strategy.

But for the record, I have NEVER said we flipped to Liberal Talk to hurt WHAM. Others may have said that, but not me or anyone here

In fact, if I wanted to hurt WHAM, I would have kept O'Reilly, Ingraham, etc. We flipped cause we wanted our small audience to be passionate about a point of view that was NOT available on commercial radio. We wanted a product to sell that no one else had (same thing with Fickle). Both, by the way, are outperforming expectations, and the Bee and The Buzz are doing great. And any of you who want to see the ratings, just call. I subscribe. The 12+ numbers you see online mean nothing.


Secondly, I prefer the name "Michael" to "Mike." Since you are a journalist, I thought you might want to add this to your stylebook when referring to me.

Thanks.
 
Re: For The Record

> >
> Bob,
>
> Thanks for the compliment on strategy.

Michael, you're welcome.

> But for the record, I have NEVER said we flipped to Liberal
> Talk to hurt WHAM. Others may have said that, but not me or
> anyone here

Nevertheless it has happened---it is a format that does cut a slice of the talk audience away from its dominant player, and I'll accept your comment that it was designed not only to draw talk listeners away from the competition but give them something they could feel loyal to and stay with (something both our respective stations seem to have succeeded with). Looked at from either direction, it serves the purpose of helping you defend WBEE's #1 ranking in 12+ and 25-54, which I've got to believe helps you pull in more national spot business, and helping to keep WHAM at a comfortable distance behind you. Good move in the game of cluster chess.
 
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