WDEL says no to ABC Radio demand and drops Hannity for local talk/news

[Phil Boyce]

Re: RE:WDEL says no to ABC Radio demand and drops Hannity for local talk/news

Johnny: I am looking for the next talk radio superstar. Send your tape and resume ;D

pb

 

[Ultimajock]

Disney has always been right wing, right back to Uncle Walt. And that corporate culture is revealed in ABC Radio talk programming...No progressive hosts in syndication (not since Michael Jackson was carried on ABC's talk network in the early 80s).

...actually, the last progressive talk programs distributed by ABC were Jim Hightower's Saturday and Sunday shows, which were replaced with Bernie Ward's weekend show after a year or so. That was in the mid-'90s, well after Jackson's cancellation. And before someone rebuts with Tom Snyder, he was always a moderate who, like Tom Leykis, only appeared to be a progressive in comparison to Rush Limbaugh and G. Gordon Liddy...

 

[Scott in DE]

PD-Dude, I love it! LOL! ;D This thread is so entertaining!

 

[Johnny Morgan]

Re: RE:WDEL says no to ABC Radio demand and drops Hannity for local talk/news

Absolutely!

 

[Cromwell]

After much frustrated searching for the polite comments that I posted here, yesterday, I am inclined to believe that my contribution was censored. As this blog is controlled by a fair and constitution loving administrator, I may be mistaken, though.
So, I will post here again today in the light of fair and balanced conversation and the liberty to exercise my free speech rights.

If a radio station wishes to drop Sean Hannity from their program line-up or add Mark Levin, that is a decision that is owned by the program director or managers or owners. I do not think ABC has forced anyone into accepting Mark Levin. Mark Levin has surpassed all other talk show hosts in the 6-8 PM EST time slot and most radio stations will be clamoring to change their line-up to incude him, either live or at least as soon after his show ends as possible. This same phenomenon occurred in the early 1990's with Rush Limbaugh. Rush is on more stations and has more listeners than other talk show hosts. Radio stations eagerly added Rush to their program line-up and now the same is happening with Mark Levin because he is experienced and knowledgeable in the subjects of which he speaks. Mark Levin is a patriotic American who loves and respects his country, the military and his "beloved audience" and we love him.

 

[Phil Boyce]

Re: RE:WDEL says no to ABC Radio demand and drops Hannity for local talk/news

Make sure Secret Squirrel sends his as well. I have a special place in mind for him.

 

[Scott in DE]

After much frustrated searching for the polite comments that I posted here, yesterday, I am inclined to believe that my contribution was censored. As this blog is controlled by a fair and constitution loving administrator, I may be mistaken, though.
So, I will post here again today in the light of fair and balanced conversation and the liberty to exercise my free speech rights.

If a radio station wishes to drop Sean Hannity from their program line-up or add Mark Levin, that is a decision that is owned by the program director or managers or owners. I do not think ABC has forced anyone into accepting Mark Levin. Mark Levin has surpassed all other talk show hosts in the 6-8 PM EST time slot and most radio stations will be clamoring to change their line-up to incude him, either live or at least as soon after his show ends as possible. This same phenomenon occurred in the early 1990's with Rush Limbaugh. Rush is on more stations and has more listeners than other talk show hosts. Radio stations eagerly added Rush to their program line-up and now the same is happening with Mark Levin because he is experienced and knowledgeable in the subjects of which he speaks. Mark Levin is a patriotic American who loves and respects his country, the military and his "beloved audience" and we love him.

Sounds like an awful lot of censoring has been going on! Perhaps we are wasting our time by posting here! That's very sad! :'( I suspect this post will be removed as well!

 

[evnlee]

And one more thing. I just noticed that the post I made defending myself against the slander of Secret Squirrel was also removed....but the original slanderous post making accusations against me and my character was allowed to remain. So this board exists to allow anonymous posters who know less than nothing about what they are talking about to publicly slander me....by name....but when I come here to defend myself and deny those allegations...that post is removed.

You people are pathetic. I was going to ignore that post that I consider defamation of my character and allow my response to be the answer. But since my response is NOT allowed...and yet this persons post IS allowed, maybe this time I need a lawyer. I wonder where I will find one....hmmm. Do I know any really good lawyers that might take this case?

pb

[Moderator's Note--The posts are over on the Take It Outside Board. You can find them and related posts at http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/board,320.0.html]

Phil Boyce, you have been vindicated.

This entire thread, as I stated from the beginning, was speculative at best. The word of a radio 'consultant' ( who is remarkably silent lately ) was taken as validated proof of an unethical conduct perpetrated by ABC radio.

I have seen this tactic used previously, as in the damning of Clear Channel ( during the Dixie Chicks hullabaloo ) for the sins of Cumulus.

Then when the false allegation is proven out, the posts 'move' mysteriously by the intrepid 'moderators'.

Fred claims to like debate and discourse in good mannered fun, with no 'personal attacks' or 'vitriol', yet when backed into a corner, he writes

"Quote from: fred flintstone on Today at 09:36:20 am
Disney has always been right wing, right back to Uncle Walt. And that corporate culture is revealed in ABC Radio talk programming...No progressive hosts in syndication (not since Michael Jackson was carried on ABC's talk network in the early 80s)."


IMHO, that constitutes a personal attack not only on ABC Radio, but also, Walt Disney. And that statement is patently false.

I am glad, for one, that someone from the corporations that seem to be the target of some of these unfounded rumors has finally stepped in here and straightened these few misguided souls out.

Kudos!

 

[fred flintstone]

Fred claims to like debate and discourse in good mannered fun, with no 'personal attacks' or 'vitriol', yet when backed into a corner, he writes

"Quote from: fred flintstone on Today at 09:36:20 am
Disney has always been right wing, right back to Uncle Walt. And that corporate culture is revealed in ABC Radio talk programming...No progressive hosts in syndication (not since Michael Jackson was carried on ABC's talk network in the early 80s)."


IMHO, that constitutes a personal attack not only on ABC Radio, but also, Walt Disney. And that statement is patently false.

Dear Evan,

I recommend:
Schickel, Richard, and Dee, Ivan R. The Disney Version: The Life, Times, Art and Commerce of Walt Disney. (1967) Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, Publisher. ISBN 1-56663-158-0.

Decide for yourself where Disney stood politically. But since when is describing someone's politics a "personal attack?" As I recall that you have put political labels on people (in my case, an incorrect label).

Debate is talking about this issues raised in this thread (by me and others). Boyce debated. Few others have. The rest is name calling, which seems to be standard practice around here. But that's one result of the kind of programming Phil offers. Thanks to talk radio, much conversation has sunk to the level of Jane-you-ignorant-slut.

I am coming to appreciate the Salem hosts more every day. I seldom agree with them but they are seldom disagreeable.

BTW: Holland Cooke posted the information about WDEL here. The station PD said the same thing locally. Are you calling them liars? Based on what proof? Because Boyce tells a different story? That's he-said-she-said. Not proof. Denial is not vindication.

 

[fred flintstone]

Last Word on WDEL

Here is what Phil Boyce posted on Take It Outside:

OK let's talk about WDEL. We offered them a chance to keep Hannity and asked them if they would take Levin. We would have accepted 10pm for Levin. We had an offer from a crosstown station but we always prefer to go back to the affiliate and give them a chance. We could have just canceled them.

We report. You decide.

 

[Slant]

So just to be clear Mr. Boyce, ABC RADIO does not demand an additional two hours of ABC programming OR equiv. inventory cleared to some if not all of the Hannity affiliates?

And one more thing for everyone else, does Premier still do the same thing with Rush and Dean Edell? I worked at a Major Market station that was forced to take Dean or run his spots if the show wasn't aired in order to keep Rush.

 

[Scott in DE]

Re: Last Word on WDEL

Here is what Phil Boyce posted on Take It Outside:

OK let's talk about WDEL. We offered them a chance to keep Hannity and asked them if they would take Levin. We would have accepted 10pm for Levin. We had an offer from a crosstown station but we always prefer to go back to the affiliate and give them a chance. We could have just canceled them.

We report. You decide.

Fred, so what? ??? Please explain exactly what you object to here? I just don't see anything wrong. : Help me learn, Fred!

 

[board_manager]

Thanks to everyone for the comments both calm and impassioned. We've listened to all sides regarding their concerns and restored the thread intact (with the ocassional edit for language e.g.).

This thread has been interesting to follow from day one. This is why it was important to us to not delete any post out of hand. It was not our intention to stop the debate or to silence any one side on the issue. We did relocate several posts (on both sides) to TIO in an earnest attempt to preserve this particular topic. As has been pointed out, sometimes things are better in theory than in practice. The restoration of this thread has been made as a response to the numerous helpful comments from users on both sides.

I do request that everyone watch watch their use of namecalling and other TOS violations.

Thanks to all for their assistance in this matter.

 

[Lando Griffin]

Thanks to Radio-Info using this post on its front page, I have had the pleasure of reading this thread featuring many different opinions about how ABC does its business, and the business strategies involved in running local and national programming.

As a radio producer and talk host who aspires to and wants to make the "big time" in the NYC market (not too far from me, I live a bit upstate), I have to say I would have given my spare arm (or at least many hours on a Saturday) to do an ABC show for free and move my skills to a high level under the likes of Mr. Boyce (or work for him on the tech or producer side to do so). Like him or not, Mark Levin took his opportunity, improved his craft and became a success.
If, in fact, ABC networks and Mr. Boyce are making affiliates carry Mark Levin to clear Sean Hannity, I see it more as an enterprising move to strengthen a network. Any programmer will tell you that weaker program (in popularity) with potential can elevate itself on the coat-tails of a more successful show. Any syndicator with a real business mind would not try to force dung onto an important affilate's schedule; obviously, ABC thinks highly of Levin's potential and what he could bring to the table nationally. He and ABC have the power to make their entire network better and local Station Managers can make their decisions accordingly. Carrying Levin would be mutually beneficial in many cases: it would allow ABC to give Levin a chance to stand on his own in the future while offering stations the opportunity to get in on the ground floor with a low-risk, high-reward move. Money made from the Hannity-Levin local spots would, in turn, offer the affiliate a chance to strengthen its morning drive, news and other local programming -- as well as retain top talent. If Levin succeeds as a naitonal show, then everyone wins. If he fails, then ABC will hear it and likely do something about it.
I must say that Boyce and Co. know what sells... I disagreed with ABCs firing of Bob Grant, but that was my opinion. I, in the long run, was clearly in the minority.
I see that Boyce has taken a big chunk of criticism in this thread and felt he had to respond. I don't think it's fair for anyone to lie about him like the poster who misrepresented his tenure on the WABC programming timeline just because he thought Joy Behar and Lynn Samuels were legendary talk hosts.

Let's see how this business strategy plays out.

And yes, Lando Griffin is not my real name.

 

[PD-Dude]

So...

Holland? Secret Squirrel? Hellooo?

Anyone who matters... care to respond to all this (not so fast fred flintstone)?

 

[evnlee]

Decide for yourself where Disney stood politically. But since when is describing someone's politics a "personal attack?" As I recall that you have put political labels on people (in my case, an incorrect label).

While that may be true, you had the opportunity to respond. Walt Disney does not. That's what makes a 'speculative assessment' of his politics a 'personal attack' , even more so if used as 'guilt by association'.

Some say Disney had contempt for labor unions which were documented and proven to have been funded by communists suring the cold war. Others claim he was an anti-semite. Either way, to point at Disney and claim 'they are right wing' smacks to me of someone who's losing his argument.

 

[fred flintstone]

While that may be true, you had the opportunity to respond. Walt Disney does not. That's what makes a 'speculative assessment' of his politics a 'personal attack' , even more so if used as 'guilt by association'.

Some say Disney had contempt for labor unions which were documented and proven to have been funded by communists suring the cold war. Others claim he was an anti-semite. Either way, to point at Disney and claim 'they are right wing' smacks to me of someone who's losing his argument.

Disney had contempt for labor unions - period.
After his animators tried to organize (and were fired) Disney caricatured the leaders as the clowns in Dumbo, who have a few drinks and start singing "We're going to hit the big boss for a raise."

A few years later, Disney was one of the more active witch-hunters in Hollywood (abetted by the then president of the Screen Actors' Guild, whom many claim sold out to management) but those were separate issues.

I do find it interesting that ABC Radio under Disney employs many of the most strident and partisan right-wing talk show hosts, syndicates no progressive hosts and - unlike the other large broadcast groups - operates no progressive talk stations. I simply pointed out that this is consistent with the company's political philosophy back to its founder. Of course, the ownership at ABC Radio is about to change.

Sounds like you saying that while it's OK to call someone "left wing" on this board, but not OK to call someone "right wing?" Does this mean that when someone throws a political label at me, you will post saying they are losing the argument?

 

[fred flintstone]

Re: Last Word on WDEL

Fred, so what? ??? Please explain exactly what you object to here? I just don't see anything wrong. : Help me learn, Fred!

OK. You don't see anything wrong. You have your standards. I have mine reasonable people may differ.
No one said anything illegal happened here (not even Elliot Spitzer).

I do find it interesting that Phil Boyce was concerned about this topic being discussed here. I nothing wrong has happened, why does he feel the need to defend himself on a board he had never heard of before.

I am puzzled that some Mark Levin fans would be so about upset about this topic being discussed here. He is air-talent. Affiliation sales deals are not something in which he is involved.

When Rush was a fairly new phenomenon and starting to take off, some bigger-fish talk stations tried to get the program away from the stations that had originally taken the show in individual markets. Rush's charter affiliates, who had invested their resources into helping develop and promote what had been an untried concept, were understandably concerned. Rush publicly said they would remain loyal to their existing, original affiliates and not take away the show. Unfortunately (IMHO) that changed after Jacor took over the show.

This issue is not just about ABC Radio-Levin and WDEL. WTDY lost two liberal talk shows they had helped develop and promote in the Madison, Wisconsin market when the syndicator gave them to a larger competitor. The station now says it won't consider syndicated programming. (For those who keep wanting to make all this about Levin's politics, please note these shows were liberal talk shows.)
Now WDEL has had a similar experience. I wonder how this will affect their willingness to consider syndicated programming in the future.
Both WDEL and WTDY are locally owned and compete with major group owners (like Clear Channel).
Both have gone to local-live programming (which I consider a good thing - that's my bias).

If you've been living in an apartment for several years and your landlord tells you to leave this month (not even at the end of your lease - this month) because he wants the apartment for his nephew or sister, how would you feel? Would you want to rent from this person again? Now, this is legal in many states. Right or wrong is a personal judgment. But I doubt you would be very happy about this and I doubt you would have much regard for your soon-to-be-ex landlord.
But there's not much you as a renter - or a locally-owned station in medium market - can do in situations like this.

I see this an issue of integrity, and of how I want those with whom I do business to conduct themselves.
But I can understand that you may look at this differently.

 

[Johnny Morgan]

syndicates no progressive hosts

I'm pretty sure Tom Joyner isn't a Reaganite.

 

[fred flintstone]

syndicates no progressive hosts

I'm pretty sure Tom Joyner isn't a Reaganite.

OK. Make that "no progressive talk show hosts."

And Joyner works for Radio One, not ABC Radio.