Long-time reader, first-time poster.
I have read with great amusement the many changes at the CC cluster this week, with 96 Rock's flip, Lite FM's potential flip, and today's news about WGST.
As a talk fan, the choice between WSB and WGST has always been pretty simple, as local numbers have proven over the last 10+ years. No sense regurgitating what seems to be thousands of other threads.
What I'm not pleased with is a lack of competition. Clark Howard always preaches that with competition, the consumer wins. In radio, competition usually means the listener wins.
As WGST loses all local relevance, it means WSB has no reason to improve. It means that we'll continue to get sizable chunks of best-of shows for Boortz and Howard when they're on vacation, not to mention the countless replays of WSB All-Stars on the weekends. It also means that WSB has no reason to think or compete locally, which it doesn't do 10AM-10PM, other than the top and bottom news. (Boortz is usually all national from 10 on, Clark ditched local hours years ago, and Hannity and Savage of course have no Atlanta focus.)
Live and local -- NOT! (Imagine Borat saying it.) Is Atlanta the only top 10 market where a talker can get away with it?
Also, if WGST stops producing local programs, where will WSB finds its next generation of stars? (Boortz, Howard and Hannity all broke teeth up the street.) Plus, it means no realistic in-town outlet for Royal Marshall and others to break away and try their own show.
WSB is obviously doing fine. It is controlled by research and consultants as much as any other big cluster station. It certainly must have better consultants and research than Clear Channel! But it doens't mean that we as Atlantans are getting the best possible product we could receive.
I have read with great amusement the many changes at the CC cluster this week, with 96 Rock's flip, Lite FM's potential flip, and today's news about WGST.
As a talk fan, the choice between WSB and WGST has always been pretty simple, as local numbers have proven over the last 10+ years. No sense regurgitating what seems to be thousands of other threads.
What I'm not pleased with is a lack of competition. Clark Howard always preaches that with competition, the consumer wins. In radio, competition usually means the listener wins.
As WGST loses all local relevance, it means WSB has no reason to improve. It means that we'll continue to get sizable chunks of best-of shows for Boortz and Howard when they're on vacation, not to mention the countless replays of WSB All-Stars on the weekends. It also means that WSB has no reason to think or compete locally, which it doesn't do 10AM-10PM, other than the top and bottom news. (Boortz is usually all national from 10 on, Clark ditched local hours years ago, and Hannity and Savage of course have no Atlanta focus.)
Live and local -- NOT! (Imagine Borat saying it.) Is Atlanta the only top 10 market where a talker can get away with it?
Also, if WGST stops producing local programs, where will WSB finds its next generation of stars? (Boortz, Howard and Hannity all broke teeth up the street.) Plus, it means no realistic in-town outlet for Royal Marshall and others to break away and try their own show.
WSB is obviously doing fine. It is controlled by research and consultants as much as any other big cluster station. It certainly must have better consultants and research than Clear Channel! But it doens't mean that we as Atlantans are getting the best possible product we could receive.