What will WRKO do to improve their product (if anything)?

[frnkp2000]

Now that they're the "only game in town" as far as talk radio in Boston is concerned, are there any predictions as to what direction the station might take? New locally originated personalities? Better syndicated offerings? Imaging makeover? Sales seem to be stagnant. The only spots I seem to hear are Kuhner's Chamonix and "Net-work Capitol Fun-dink" (Bonus spots for the screaming mortgage people on weekends.) Oh yeah, the shed guys too... hmm.

When you're the only player on the field, you can either relax and enjoy your exclusivity, or you stay sharp and keep OUT the competition, should any be developing. I see WRKO resting on their laurels these days--nothing seems to be happening. Contentment?

 

[cs1366]

Seems to be lack of initiative and understanding. Shame.

 

[Cap-n Spackle]

The only spots I seem to hear are Kuhner's Chamonix and "Net-work Capitol Fun-dink"

You left out the annoying PSAs for selective service with the guys breaking cinderblocks with their heads and jumping out of airplanes, or the ones that equate "hip hop" record playing and being good at videogames (that was some ownage) to college preparedness.

 

[fmradio1]

I've said this for years, but I still think moving Dennis & Callahan from WEEI to 680 and letting them talk politics instead of sports is the best move they could make. It would bring conservative talk's prime demos solidly to morning drive. Keep Howie happy, and fill in the rest of the day with syndie talent (Beck 10-noon, Levin 7-9 Savage 9-mid, C2c overnights) It's not forever, but it would keep 680 relevant for the next few years....

 

[stevensonair]

Keep?

It's only relevant to a shrinking demo in its current form. There's very little they can change to actually grow the product, much less sustain it longterm.

 

[OFFICENERD]

Totally agree with fmradio1 Dennis and Callahan need to be moved out of EEI mornings-- They would be perfect on RKO. They could talk a little sports like they do now ;D and then talk about what ever else they want.

 

[fmradio1]

I agree with you Steven. There is no "growing" a talk station on AM. And there's no way to "transition" from a hard right conservative talk format targeting 45+ white males to...something else. There just isn't. So, Entercom might as well get as much out of 680 as they can, and let it die a slow death along with the AM band. The Red Sox rights deal, IIRC, ends in 2016, and that will allow them to get out from that, and some of their other high-priced contracts, like with Howie, D&C and Ordway.

Rush & Howie will most likely retire in the next few years, if not renewed. The audience has almost totally moved into the 55+ sales irrelevancy zone. Down the line, it will make the most business sense to just pull the plug and sell the signal (along with 850) to religious, brokered time, or foreign language broadcasters. That will be easy to do once Entercom is out from under the current Sox deal. But until that point, put the best drawing personalities on the station, and ride it as long as you can. This would allow Entercom to fix WEEI and keep it competitive with the Sports Hub by skewing it younger. It makes the most long term sense.

 

[tvradiogeek]

could they ever go hot talk?? I'm not sure who's out there for syndication purposes like a Adam corrola etc just a thought.

 

[Infidel]

Rush & Howie will most likely retire in the next few years, if not renewed. The audience has almost totally moved into the 55+ sales irrelevancy zone.

Howie could retire to "Flarr-Duh" and do a show for the other seniors down there.

Entercom could've put WRKO on FM if they wanted to. Once 96.9 flipped, I'm sure a lot of the regular listeners were confused. Most that I talk to have no idea that talk radio even exists on AM. If the typical 96.9 FM Talk listener was confused after the flip, and hit the seek button once, they would end up at 97.7 WRKO and start listening to that instead. At least on FM you run the possibility of gaining a talk audience from radio listeners who are scanning the dial. With AM not so much .....

 

[raccoonradio]

Yes but they may feel the AAF simulcast is worth more, but interesting idea. Maybe older talk audiences might be inclined to scan the AM dial to find talk but younger ones would be less likely. And consider of the mp3 players that have radio, it's prob. all FM only (and those few who have those HD radio portables, also FM only and I believe Ent. is not putting RKO on an HD2 etc)

As for hot talk, a) is it generally successful? and b)...on the Ancient Modulation band?

As for Red Sox Ent. could negotiate a deal in '16 at a lower price and keep them but at a less painful rate--or, amazingly sports hub could scoop them up--imagine 3 of the big 4 teams in town on same station! (conflicts? use another CBS station). Not sure if that happens. (btw in Cleveland CC has WTAM 1100 with Indians, Cavs, and Browns--unless Browns are on WMJI FM?--and the Indians just re-upped for 5 years on WTAM including 144 regular season games on WMMS 100.7 as well...meanwhile CBS' The Fan 92.3 has NONE of the 3 teams in town, just local talk and
CBS Sports net)

 

[MR. JAROME_CALVIN]

I'd say, what they should change
-Weeknights-
-Midnight-4am "America Tonight" Genesis Communications They have various topics
-4am-5am "Talk Radio Countdown" Genesis Communications (It already comes on Sunday mornings, it's a great show)
-11am-Noon "WRKO Today" with ?? June Knight. Various Topics, Entertainment Talk and Sports Talk
-7pm-10pm "Free Talk Live" Genesis Communications (This show is on LIVE) at this time in Boston
-10pm-Midnight "WRKO Tonight" with ?? Chris Villani, have Various topics. Fridays have him on until 1am
-Saturdays-
-Midnight-1am "WRKO Tonight"
-1am-4am "Coast To Coast"
-4am-6am PSA Programs
-6am-9am "Money Matters Weekends"
-9am-3pm "America Now" Envision Radio Network This is LIVE at this time
-3pm-5pm "Angelique Allen Show" Genesis Communications This is LIVE at this time
-5pm-6pm The Car Guys
-6pm-9pm "WRKO Tonight" with Avi Nelson Have Various Topics
-9pm-Midnight Bill Kelly Financial
-Sunday-
-Midnight-1am "Invite Health"
-1am-5am "Coast To Coast"
-5am-6am PSA Programs
-6am-1pm Keep it the same
-1pm-2pm "Mortgage Radio Show"
-2pm-4pm "WRKO Today" with Avi Nelson Have Various Topics
-4pm-7pm "Money Talks" Cumulus Media Networks This is LIVE at this time
-7pm-10pm "Free Talk Live" Either that or "Redding News Review" Both shows are with Genesis Communications Both are LIVE at that time
-10pm-Midnight "Alison Slade Show" Genesis Communications

If they do like that, their station will be the BEST Talk Radio Station in this whole country. Trust me on this. This is what listeners want to hear


You asked, so I responded


You also forgot that annoying commercial "Cars For Kids"

 

[raccoonradio]

Going at it one by one:
--They run Coast 2 Coast either because it does well/has listeners or maybe they have to carry it
to be able to run Rush. "America Tonight" can probably be heard online unless RKO did decide to takie it.
--Talk Radio Countdown may have been on before (Doug Stephan?) weekends or in the wee hours.

11 am: They want to give Kuhner a fourth hour and I guess Barry Armstrong doesn't want his show to run 10-noon, so this way they have some local content in between Fin. Exchange and Rush.
7 pm--FTL is in various cities but I think they may be satisfied with Levin. They had to take
something when Savage left.

10pm-1 am: they tried local talk before with VB and, years ago, Jay Severin at that time.
Will they spend the money? Remember Ent. has that big Red Sox contract to pay off. If they
feel people will listen, maybe. They may just leave the local talk to WBZ at that time.

Won't deal with weekends which is secondary to them. Maybe keep Dennis Miller, Avi Nelson,
and avoid if possible the colon cleanser commercials...unless they bring in money.

 

[moonchild]

Dennis Miller isn't on RKO anymore, hasn't been for awhile, there's mainly financial/mortgage shows on Sunday afternoon and into the evening with brinker ending the nite from 9p to midnite. Personally, I wish they'd get rid of brinker and bring Bill Cunningham back, does he still do radio? I read somewhere that he does a Jerry Springer type TV show? Anyone know if this is true and if he still does a program on Sunday nite somewhere?

 

[raccoonradio]

Sun nights via Premiere Bill Cunningham
http://premiereradio.com/shows/view/live_on_sunday_night.html

 

[Cap-n Spackle]

Sorry LAUROJRM, but I can't consider a station loaded up with finance and snake oil infomercials as the best in the country.

 

[Dighton Rockhead]

Sorry LAUROJRM, but I can't consider a station loaded up with finance and snake oil infomercials as the best in the country.

Amen, brother! And why all those shows from the Genesis Network? What can you say about a network where the majority of the country can only hear the programming by shortwave or internet streaming?

And a network where you start with "The Alex Jones Show" .....and it just gets kookier and wackier from there?.

 

[Infidel]

Sorry LAUROJRM, but I can't consider a station loaded up with finance and snake oil infomercials as the best in the country.

It's on its way to becoming one giant commercial.

Every time I turn on the morning show, it's an improvised spot for "neh-twerk" capital, male enhancement or an informercial disguised as an interview.

If you want to hear what's left of actual content for a lot of these talk shows, you're much better off downloading the podcasts and listening to them in 1/4 of the time.

they tried local talk before with VB

Bring back The Pit!

 

[NERadio2007]

The only way RKO becomes relevant is to get an FM signal. No on under the age 40 (and I am in my mid 20s) that I know listens to the AM band, with the occassional exception of flipping on WBZ for traffic. Unless Entercom can make the FM switch that station is doomed. The right wing radio talk for 16 hours a day is brutal. Listening to Rush, Beck and Howie calling Obama a socialist all day just gets so worn out. You need to mix it up with some different personalities. Maybe with a strong FM signal and an AM, if somehow they can swipe either C's or Sox PxP that can boost the ratings some how. Let's face it...the Howie isn't as popular as he once was...his schtick is getting old. But WRKO is definitly irrelavant at this point in the Boston radio scene.

 

[ThatGuyOnTheRadio]

The only way RKO becomes relevant is to get an FM signal. No on under the age 40 (and I am in my mid 20s) that I know listens to the AM band, with the occassional exception of flipping on WBZ for traffic. Unless Entercom can make the FM switch that station is doomed. The right wing radio talk for 16 hours a day is brutal. Listening to Rush, Beck and Howie calling Obama a socialist all day just gets so worn out. You need to mix it up with some different personalities. Maybe with a strong FM signal and an AM, if somehow they can swipe either C's or Sox PxP that can boost the ratings some how. Let's face it...the Howie isn't as popular as he once was...his schtick is getting old. But WRKO is definitly irrelavant at this point in the Boston radio scene.

An FM presence for sure, along with more local hosts. Maybe even a more moderate slightly left leaning host on for a few hours? Mix it up a bit. Just a thought, I know it's expensive to have local talent.

 

[MR. JAROME_CALVIN]

Ok then, I will try this again
To make it better, they can also go this route
-Week-
-Midnight-4am "America Tonight" Genesis Communications (As I stated, they have Various Topics, all different topics) Not only Finance (This show is simular to Howie Carr Show) <<to make you all understand better
-4am-5am "Talk Radio Countdown" Genesis Communications Again, another show, they have Various Topics
-5am-6am "Wall Street Journal"
-11am-Noon "WRKO Today" Put June Knight on there, Talk about Various Current Topics, and Entertainment
-7pm-9pm "The Good Life Show" (Listen to Big City 101.3 weekdays 8am hour-They have Various Topics) A show like this would be great
-9pm-Midnight "John Batchelor"
-Saturdays-
-Midnight-1am "John Batchelor"
-1am-4am "Coast To Coast"
-4am-6am PSA Programs
-6am-9am "Money Matters Weekend"
-9am-3pm "America Weekend" Envision Radio Network This is a LIVE News Program (Not Finance)
-3pm-5pm "Angelique Allen Show" Genesis Communications This show has Various Topics. Not only Finance. (This is simular to Howie Carr show)
-5pm-7pm "WRKO Today" with Avi Nelson
-7pm-9pm "Ron Seggi" IRN USA Radio Network (This is a LIVE Entertainment Radio Show-Like Entertainment Tonight as well as the next show)
-9pm-1am "Hollywood 360" Syndication Networks http://www.syndication.net/ On Top, put your Mouse on "Our Shows"
-Sundays-
-Midnight-1am "Hollywood 360"
-1am-5am "Coast To Coast"
-5am-6am PSA Shows
-6am-1pm Keep The Same
-1pm-4pm "WRKO Today" Bring back Jen Brien for this, have her talk about Various Topics and Entertainment
-4pm-7pm "Money Talks" Cumulus Media Networks
-7pm-10pm "Redding News Review" Genesis Communications This is a LIVE News Program
-10m-Midnight "Alison Slade Show" Genesis Communications This show is simular to Howie Carr show.
ok, there, not only Finance
If this ain't enough to make them better, I don't know what is. You all are never satisfied with anything I say here. You all asked, so I chimed in