WHTT news-John Tesh

[ThePickleReport]

With all due respect to the fine folks at WHTT and Mr. Tesh, who I have nothing against. Really. This is one of the worst radio shows I have ever heard.

From Radio & Records today:
"The John Tesh March of Destiny continues as Tesh annexes nights at Citadel AC WHTT (Mix 104.1)/Buffalo. Mr. Tesh replaces PD Joe Siragusa, who will continue doing Mix's "Ultimate '80s" show from 7-8pm and then let Tesh usurp the rest of his night shift."

 

[Element9]

With all due respect to the fine folks at WHTT and Mr. Tesh, who I have nothing against. Really. This is one of the worst radio shows I have ever heard.

Compared to what? (As Les McCann might ask.) Delilah? Ack! Toss-up.

The best move would have been to hire somebody to be LIVE and local, but apparently that's not in the budget. Citadel has to save those lucky bucks for Imus.

-9-

 

[Yeziknoradio]

It would have been better to pick up *CHFI's Lovers and other strangers actually, if syndicated programming is such a must, and Rogers may have been willing to make a deal for slightly less than the cost of running Tesh.

Respectfully, perhaps that's a show better fit for WJYE though...(?)

*CHFI Toronto does not currently syndicate Lovers and other strangers, but has in the past.

 

[alw]

Compared to what? (As Les McCann might ask.) Delilah? Ack! Toss-up.


-9-

I don't know who you are Mr. 9......but clearly you are the hippest of cats.

(When it was hip to be hep, you were hep)

 

[Bob1370]

The Tesh program certainly has its place, it's good at what it tries to do as a night show for a 'light rock' format. But that means it's really a better fit for a station like WJYE, where it would probably perform better than Delilah. It's a mismatch with the WHTT schedule, which is otherwise personality-driven and a lot more uptempo musically.

I just can't see it doing all that well ON THAT STATION. If Joe Siragusa thought he had to make a change in nights to get the numbers he wanted (or he just wanted off the shift for personal reasons, which is certainly his prerogative as PD) WHTT really would have done better to bring in Jackson Armstrong for nights, either live or tracked.He would probably fit the format, and what HTT's target listeners may be looking for at nights, a lot better than Tesh will.

The winner out of this change? Probably Star 102.5.

 

[JustPastBuffalo]

Reading the comments here pro and con, I'll tread very carefully, making it clear that my opinion does not speak for the decision-makers at WHTT.

There is no question that Jack Armstrong is an outstanding personality, but John Tesh is more a fit for what Mix 104.1 is doing and the direction we're taking. Tesh will add something at night that 25-49 year old Women will identify with. The man has high recall as a TV personality and music composer and I think he'll make a strong, positive connection with listeners. I'm also interested in seeing how his addition to our line-up might positively impact other dayparts, notably morning drive.

There's very solid programming on Star and WJYE at night and throughout the day and I hold those stations in very high regard.

-Jim Pastrick

 

[SirRoxalot]

It Ain't Delilah

I agree that WHTT is more personality-driven than WJYE.

As much as I like and admire Jack Armstrong, I don't hear his delivery as a good fit for WHTT as it is currently targeted.

I thought that Joe Siragusa was competent and pleasant, but obviously voice-tracked with little sense of immediacy. My initial reaction to Tesh is "ugh", but that's better than Delilah, who makes me gag. I've heard Tesh occasionally while travelling, and it seems that the music is variable from market to market. I don't know if he has different versions of the show for different formats, or if the music is programmed locally. For the moment, I'll reserve judgement. Since I'm out of their target demo, what I like probably doesn't mean anything anyway.

Live and local would have been a better choice, but I also understand that Citadel is looking to cut costs, not add to the budget.

 

[ThePickleReport]

Re: It Ain't Delilah

I've heard Tesh occasionally while travelling, and it seems that the music is variable from market to market. I don't know if he has different versions of the show for different formats, or if the music is programmed locally.

I've done the same thing and it makes me wonder. Every time I've heard his show he sounds detached from everything around him--music, imaging, formatics, etc. It almost seems like his show is being voice-tracked without a music log. Sounds too stiff.

 

[Element9]

For many reasons, it's hard to imagine Jackson Armstrong plying his craft at night on Mix 104 point 1. There are very few jocks as good as Mr. Larsh, but how would he sound doing Wannabe-Hot-AC on 104? Wannabe. Can you just hear him intro'ing Pink, Maroon 5 and John Mayer? Sure, he'd sound great doing the 60s and 70s, but it doesn't appear Mix plays many songs from that era. When I spot-check the station, it's lots of 80s and 90s, including some currents and an endless stream of "thanks for listening" liners from the midday guy who shamelessly plugs his blog in his posts here. I'd wager that when Star and WJYE flip to Christmas in a week, Mix 104 will fill the gap with more songs from 1995-present.

Speaking of Christmas music, here's an article from the Chicago Sun Times that makes a few points.

-9-

 

[Yeziknoradio]

So then, John Tesh is an automatic message that a station is a player in the market?

Mix will have some long term complications with Tesh running at night because the direction of the station will, in the end be a B93 of 2008.

The listener isn't stupid.
FYI, if the Toronto market is any example, Tesh did nothing to tear listeners away from CHFI.

It was the carelessness of CHFI (see the Erin Davis story...) that brought numbers up for EZ rock, not Tesh.

Tesh isn't always the solution.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Appreciating Tesh

Maybe Tesh will help listeners appreciate Siragusa more. He was getting beaten handily by Delilah.

This is radio. Nothing is forever. The numbers will do the talking.