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Why is Cleveland radio so bad?

S

Soupydrek

I'm going to start this off on the AM side, specifically with WKNR. We're in an area with three pro sports teams, two decent size universities in Akron and Kent, and probably the largest OSU following outside of Columbus. And KNR is what passes for sports talk?

With everything going on, how is it that the station only has two full-time on-air sports and they are filled by Kenny Roda and Greg Brinda? Brinda has been let go from virtually every radio station in the Cleveland area over the years for having no ratings. He was taken off the air on KNR for no ratings and only returned because of Bruce Drennen's problems. But does he make any attempt to change his programming? Of course not. He's still rude to callers, ignorant of what's going on, and keeps running his lame bits, like 12 Question Tuesday.

Is this really the best that the area has to offer? Why do listeners put up with this and why wouldn't the station want to put out a better product?
 
WNCX also sounds worse than it ever has. Paula Bailish sounds like she would rather be anywhere than in the studio. Michael Stanley sounds like he is half asleep. Bill Louis rambles on and on and on about nothing and DLR, well...

Mr. Classic is one of the worst DJs in Cleveland history.

The only one who sounds good and has energy at WNCX is Chris V.

The full timers should all be replaced ASAP.
 
> WNCX also sounds worse than it ever has. Paula Bailish
> sounds like she would rather be anywhere than in the studio.
> Michael Stanley sounds like he is half asleep. Bill Louis
> rambles on and on and on about nothing and DLR, well...
>
> Mr. Classic is one of the worst DJs in Cleveland history.
>
> The only one who sounds good and has energy at WNCX is Chris
> V.
>
> The full timers should all be replaced ASAP.
>


I'm down in Cincinnati, but I had to chime in. All stations really care about is REVENUE!!!! As long as a station performs in that category, the powers that be could really care less about entertaining the masses or even what the Arbitron ratings say. Until the advertiser, (first)and the listener (last) dump traditional radio for better content on an affordable alternative.....we can get used to the status quo, including the same music played over and over and over and over and over and over..... ( oops that was in power rotation), along with the CHEAPEST, not BEST jock they can find.
 
> > WNCX also sounds worse than it ever has. Paula Bailish
> > sounds like she would rather be anywhere than in the
> studio.
> > Michael Stanley sounds like he is half asleep. Bill
> Louis
> > rambles on and on and on about nothing and DLR, well...
> >
> > Mr. Classic is one of the worst DJs in Cleveland history.
> >
> > The only one who sounds good and has energy at WNCX is
> Chris
> > V.
> >
> > The full timers should all be replaced ASAP.
> >
>
>
I was down at Shooters during the summer when Michael Stanley was doing his show. He was reading a book and smoking cigarettes one after another.
 
It's not.

Flame away, but there are other stations in Cleveland besides WTAM, WKNR and WNCX.

There is still good radio being done here and some good personalities; you can't let 2-3 stations represent an entire city.

This constant negativity has all but ruined the Cleveland Live board, hopefully it doesn't do the same here.


> > > WNCX also sounds worse than it ever has. Paula Bailish
> > > sounds like she would rather be anywhere than in the
> > studio.
> > > Michael Stanley sounds like he is half asleep. Bill
> > Louis
> > > rambles on and on and on about nothing and DLR, well...
> > >
> > > Mr. Classic is one of the worst DJs in Cleveland
> history.
> > >
> > > The only one who sounds good and has energy at WNCX is
> > Chris
> > > V.
> > >
> > > The full timers should all be replaced ASAP.
> > >
> >
> >
> I was down at Shooters during the summer when Michael
> Stanley was doing his show. He was reading a book and
> smoking cigarettes one after another.
>
 
> I'm going to start this off on the AM side, specifically
> with WKNR. We're in an area with three pro sports teams, two
> decent size universities in Akron and Kent, and probably the
> largest OSU following outside of Columbus. And KNR is what
> passes for sports talk?
>
> With everything going on, how is it that the station only
> has two full-time on-air sports and they are filled by Kenny
> Roda and Greg Brinda? Brinda has been let go from virtually
> every radio station in the Cleveland area over the years for
> having no ratings. He was taken off the air on KNR for no
> ratings and only returned because of Bruce Drennen's
> problems. But does he make any attempt to change his
> programming? Of course not. He's still rude to callers,
> ignorant of what's going on, and keeps running his lame
> bits, like 12 Question Tuesday.
>
> Is this really the best that the area has to offer? Why do
> listeners put up with this and why wouldn't the station want
> to put out a better product?
>

As I have said before on preious threads, the AM side of Cleveland radio suffers from lack of local flavor, and misuse of resources.

The only real AM shows with Cleveland flavor are:

Bill Wills, Mike Trivisonno, Kevin Keane--WTAM
Greg Brinda, Kenny Roda, Bob Karlovec(Tribe/Cavs postgame)--WKNR

Wills is just a traffic cop on his show, Triv is a car wreck waiting to happen, and Keane is a waterboy for all the local teams.

Brinda is good, not great. Roda is OK, not awe-inspiring. Karlovec, while he knows his stuff, is too vanilla.

Other then that, everything else is either syndicated (Mike and Mike, Rome, Springer, Rush, Noory), cookie cutter (WHK-Salem conservatalk, WWMK-Radio Disney),
or gospel/religious (WHKW, WJMO, WCCD, WABQ).

And who knows what to expect from WERE.

None of the AMs scream CLEVELAND! (though WTAM comes closest, but that comes from having all the sports teams more so than having any real community involved programming).
 
maybe because ...

cc and infinity have a lock on most of the market... yesterday i HAD to listen to regular radio so i decided to choose between tam and knr. i chose TAM because of the news and on the oft chance something interesting may be talked about.... oh well no luck. i have got to tell you the number of commercials and junk on the afternoon drive is totally crazy. and now with pat butler chiming in a "stanick windows " after his name on EVERY 10 minute traffic update is the most annoying thing i think i have heard in a while. the show is one big commerical. the other day brad sussman hosted, and while having to play commercials, he also held a topic and got the callers involved and it was great. obviously TAM is not interested in a " good" show, just a "good " money maker, and if Triv actually think he has the slightest to do with it he is kidding himself. i could think of 10 local personalities that are way more compelling and interesting than him. hell snyder, coleman( get better casey) and schwab are better on air than mike is. it is like me and you in a car race, but you get to drive an escort while i get a porche 911, i will kill you, not because i am a great driver, but because of our circumstances....i wish we had atleast a 3rd player in the quasi-sports/news afternoon drive maybe we could get some quality shows.. tam does nothing because they are making money, and knr does nothing because they cry poor and are afraid to loose thier 20th ranking or whatevery they currently have...

ok, rambling rant is over ... for now
 
Baloney!

> Flame away, but there are other stations in Cleveland
> besides WTAM, WKNR and WNCX.

True.

>
> There is still good radio being done here and some good
> personalities; you can't let 2-3 stations represent an
> entire city.

Well then, tell us what you think are the good stations.
>
> This constant negativity has all but ruined the Cleveland
> Live board, hopefully it doesn't do the same here.

I don't see this as negativity. I tend to agree that radio
is pretty bad. But it's not just here but all over. And isn't
the purpose here to mention new information and discuss things?

Mike Dane
WSTB-FM 88.9
SundayOldiesJukebox.com
 
Re: Baloney!

I agree with what everyone's saying...radio is bad, but it's not just Cleveland. If you travel... flip around! You'll hear the same stuff on both AM and FM. All the Clear Channel, CBS, Cumulus, etc. stations are formated the same whether their in Cleveland, Pittsburg, Atlanta, Columbus, Philly, Orlando...whereever! THERE are a FEW exceptions.
There is a good reason why so many people are turning to other forms of media to be entertained and informed and it's not just because radio is bad in Cleveland. Radio, as an industry, must evolve to stay relevant.

> > Flame away, but there are other stations in Cleveland
> > besides WTAM, WKNR and WNCX.
>
> True.
>
> >
> > There is still good radio being done here and some good
> > personalities; you can't let 2-3 stations represent an
> > entire city.
>
> Well then, tell us what you think are the good stations.
> >
> > This constant negativity has all but ruined the Cleveland
> > Live board, hopefully it doesn't do the same here.
>
> I don't see this as negativity. I tend to agree that radio
> is pretty bad. But it's not just here but all over. And
> isn't
> the purpose here to mention new information and discuss
> things?
>
> Mike Dane
> WSTB-FM 88.9
> SundayOldiesJukebox.com
>
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by lovethebiz on 01/14/06 02:35 PM.</FONT></P>
 
Re: It's not.

> Flame away, but there are other stations in Cleveland
> besides WTAM, WKNR and WNCX.
>
> There is still good radio being done here and some good
> personalities; you can't let 2-3 stations represent an
> entire city.
>
> This constant negativity has all but ruined the Cleveland
> Live board, hopefully it doesn't do the same here.


WDOK a shining light in Cleveland radio. Consistent performer and good radio.
 
Re: maybe because ...

This thread sounds like a commercial for Sirius/XM. The only way to express your dissatisfaction is with $... invest $12.95 a month for more diverse programming.



> cc and infinity have a lock on most of the market...
> yesterday i HAD to listen to regular radio so i decided to
> choose between tam and knr. i chose TAM because of the news
> and on the oft chance something interesting may be talked
> about.... oh well no luck. i have got to tell you the number
> of commercials and junk on the afternoon drive is totally
> crazy. and now with pat butler chiming in a "stanick windows
> " after his name on EVERY 10 minute traffic update is the
> most annoying thing i think i have heard in a while. the
> show is one big commerical. the other day brad sussman
> hosted, and while having to play commercials, he also held a
> topic and got the callers involved and it was great.
> obviously TAM is not interested in a " good" show, just a
> "good " money maker, and if Triv actually think he has the
> slightest to do with it he is kidding himself. i could think
> of 10 local personalities that are way more compelling and
> interesting than him. hell snyder, coleman( get better
> casey) and schwab are better on air than mike is. it is like
> me and you in a car race, but you get to drive an escort
> while i get a porche 911, i will kill you, not because i am
> a great driver, but because of our circumstances....i wish
> we had atleast a 3rd player in the quasi-sports/news
> afternoon drive maybe we could get some quality shows.. tam
> does nothing because they are making money, and knr does
> nothing because they cry poor and are afraid to loose thier
> 20th ranking or whatevery they currently have...
>
> ok, rambling rant is over ... for now
>
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by tightandbright on 01/15/06 03:13 PM.</FONT></P>
 
Re: maybe because ...

> This thread sounds like a commercial for Sirius/XM. The
> only way to express your dissatisfaction is with $... invest
> $12.95 a month for more diverse programming.
>
Not really. there are other ways to go. MP3 players are one
way ( I like the Iriver products myself)
Cd players, especially ones like the one I had in my late
lamented ford that would play CD's with mp3's, Hell I had
more music on 2 cd's than MJI had on their entire play list.
Internet "radio stations" which anyone can do. There are
thousands out there.
Sirius/XM are just new and are getting the buzz.

Mike Dane
WSTB-FM 88.9
SundayOldiesJukebox.com
 
Re: maybe because ...

> > This thread sounds like a commercial for Sirius/XM.

I agree, but after only 8 days with Sirius I don't know how in the world I listened to terrestrial radio for so long. No commercials, TONS of different music formats. Only thing they gotta work on is the sound quality (a little bad but otherwise ok).



> > only way to express your dissatisfaction is with $...
> invest
> > $12.95 a month for more diverse programming.
> >
> Not really. there are other ways to go. MP3 players are one
> way ( I like the Iriver products myself)
> Cd players, especially ones like the one I had in my late
> lamented ford that would play CD's with mp3's, Hell I had
> more music on 2 cd's than MJI had on their entire play list.
>
> Internet "radio stations" which anyone can do. There are
> thousands out there.
> Sirius/XM are just new and are getting the buzz.

I agree about the 'buzz', but I really do believe satellite radio will be the 'meteor that kills the terrestrial radio dinasour'...lol When the average radio listener realizes he doesn't have to listen to 20 minutes of commercials, or the exact same songs day in and day out most people will give satellite a try and not go back. Inernet radio is fine, but it's something I can't listen to in my car on the way to work...
Hopefully T.R. will evolve to save itself, but I doubt it. It's all about the $$$, not the listener....
 
Re: maybe because ...

If those in charge of programming at commercial radio would get their heads out of their asses it wouldn't be necessary to pay $12.95 a month to get good (and diverse) programming. Someone from a major Cleveland station told me that their playlist is around 500 songs. 500? A bar jukebox has a better song selection!

I will never listen to commercial radio again except when I am at work and have no choice. I have both XM and Sirius. They both completely blow away anything that is on terrestrial radio.

I hope to get out of my job in terrestrial radio and go to work for satellite radio in the next year. Terrestrial radio is stagnant and the programming boring. I am sick of it.



> > > This thread sounds like a commercial for Sirius/XM.
>
> I agree, but after only 8 days with Sirius I don't know how
> in the world I listened to terrestrial radio for so long. No
> commercials, TONS of different music formats. Only thing
> they gotta work on is the sound quality (a little bad but
> otherwise ok).
>
>
>
> > > only way to express your dissatisfaction is with $...
> > invest
> > > $12.95 a month for more diverse programming.
> > >
> > Not really. there are other ways to go. MP3 players are
> one
> > way ( I like the Iriver products myself)
> > Cd players, especially ones like the one I had in my late
> > lamented ford that would play CD's with mp3's, Hell I had
> > more music on 2 cd's than MJI had on their entire play
> list.
> >
> > Internet "radio stations" which anyone can do. There are
> > thousands out there.
> > Sirius/XM are just new and are getting the buzz.
>
> I agree about the 'buzz', but I really do believe satellite
> radio will be the 'meteor that kills the terrestrial radio
> dinasour'...lol When the average radio listener realizes he
> doesn't have to listen to 20 minutes of commercials, or the
> exact same songs day in and day out most people will give
> satellite a try and not go back. Inernet radio is fine, but
> it's something I can't listen to in my car on the way to
> work...
> Hopefully T.R. will evolve to save itself, but I doubt it.
> It's all about the $$$, not the listener....
>
 
Re: maybe because ...

> If those in charge of programming at commercial radio would
> get their heads out of their asses it wouldn't be necessary
> to pay $12.95 a month to get good (and diverse) programming.
> Someone from a major Cleveland station told me that their
> playlist is around 500 songs. 500? A bar jukebox has a
> better song selection!
>
> I will never listen to commercial radio again except when I
> am at work and have no choice. I have both XM and Sirius.
> They both completely blow away anything that is on
> terrestrial radio.
>
> I hope to get out of my job in terrestrial radio and go to
> work for satellite radio in the next year. Terrestrial
> radio is stagnant and the programming boring. I am sick of
> it.
>
>
>
> > > > This thread sounds like a commercial for Sirius/XM.
> >
> > I agree, but after only 8 days with Sirius I don't know
> how
> > in the world I listened to terrestrial radio for so long.
> No
> > commercials, TONS of different music formats. Only thing
> > they gotta work on is the sound quality (a little bad but
> > otherwise ok).
> >
> >
> >
> > > > only way to express your dissatisfaction is with $...
> > > invest
> > > > $12.95 a month for more diverse programming.
> > > >
> > > Not really. there are other ways to go. MP3 players are
> > one
> > > way ( I like the Iriver products myself)
> > > Cd players, especially ones like the one I had in my
> late
> > > lamented ford that would play CD's with mp3's, Hell I
> had
> > > more music on 2 cd's than MJI had on their entire play
> > list.
> > >
> > > Internet "radio stations" which anyone can do. There are
>
> > > thousands out there.
> > > Sirius/XM are just new and are getting the buzz.
> >
> > I agree about the 'buzz', but I really do believe
> satellite
> > radio will be the 'meteor that kills the terrestrial radio
>
> > dinasour'...lol When the average radio listener realizes
> he
> > doesn't have to listen to 20 minutes of commercials, or
> the
> > exact same songs day in and day out most people will give
> > satellite a try and not go back. Inernet radio is fine,
> but
> > it's something I can't listen to in my car on the way to
> > work...
> > Hopefully T.R. will evolve to save itself, but I doubt it.
>
> > It's all about the $$$, not the listener....
> >
>

Those in charge of programming ARE NOT PROGRAMMERS in MOST cases.....They are ....dare I say it??? SALESPEOPLE, SUITS, MBA's. When is the last time you really saw a REAL PD?...an ARTIST?...a developer of talent? And if you saw one, was he/she REALLY IN CHARGE of programming or just staffing, paperwork, and taking the blame for a bad book?

As to the comment of "all this negativity"....Its not being negative...its being truthful. I love this business as most on the board do, but when someone you love is blowing it, do you just sit back and say nothing? I believe that most of us are attempting to foster the answer....not just bitch about the circumstance.
 
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