"The Big Talker" is sounding worse and worse with their local hosts (especially Smirconish and Jerardi, but Giordano is no prize, either). Out of curiosity, I checked the station's numbers on R&R. The last three ratings periods over the summer have their 6+ cume going 750,800 to 719,800 to 682,900. One cannot blame the Phillies. A team playing for first place helps the ratings. The reason probably is that outside of the syndicated shows and Giordano, the station is starting to shift to the left. Smirconish seems to have been encouraged to show his true liberal colors. Previously, anyone with any intuition could tell he was a phony as he struggled to present a conservative facade. Now, his open liberalism is the beginning of the end for him. People are on to him. While I have not seen the numbers, I suspect that 1210's troubles have their roots between 6 and 9 am. It will be interesting to see how far down this station will be allowed to slide.
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
WPHT CONTINUES STEADILY DOWN THE TUBES
- Thread starter ftds
- Start date
ftds said:
This post seems more like a criticism on Smerconish and not WPHT overall. Besides, it's no secret that Smerconish is rumored to be looking to explore his possibilities with MSNBC rather than WPHT. Time will tell when his contract is up.
And furthermore, if WPHT is indeed "starting to shift to the left" as you suggest, they should go ahead and start carrying Ed Schultz and Stephanie Miller right now.
E
Evangelist
Guest
I respect what Michael Smerconish has done for Maureen Faulkner and also his books. His moderate tendencies come, I think, from his access to the powerful and elite in Philadelphia, many of whom are quite liberal. I don't think he is nearly as liberal as they, though. Some of his "liberal" positions sound more libertarian to me.
What I like about Dom Giordano is that he is still the same guy he has always been. He is who he is and isn't gonna change. Agree with him or not, I find that admirable. I enjoy his program.
To me, Dom, Sid Mark and the Phillies are the best reasons to listen to The Big Talker.
What I like about Dom Giordano is that he is still the same guy he has always been. He is who he is and isn't gonna change. Agree with him or not, I find that admirable. I enjoy his program.
To me, Dom, Sid Mark and the Phillies are the best reasons to listen to The Big Talker.
J
Jul
Guest
When WCAU-AM died in 1990, so did 1210 AM. It hasn't been the same station since.
Jay, when you and Hilarie left and Don Lancer was paired up with that yentah from Temple was when I "punched out" from PHT full time. Of course, I like Glenn Beck, but I can listen to him on XM.
I
imhomerjay
Guest
That Smirconish may not be a robot reciting the RNC talking points for his entire shift hardly shows the station drifting left. I, too, praise Smirconish for his work on behalf of the Faulkner family, and though I find his focus on himself offputting, I have come to admire him more and more for his willingness to tackle each issue on its merits, instead of having to conform to some arbitrary standards.
With that said, I enjoyed the earlier incarnation of WPHT--the Jay and Hillarie era--much better than today's version. The ratings tell a different story; even in a tough period now, it outpaces what it did as a mostly local station. So be it.
With that said, I enjoyed the earlier incarnation of WPHT--the Jay and Hillarie era--much better than today's version. The ratings tell a different story; even in a tough period now, it outpaces what it did as a mostly local station. So be it.
I must correct myself about one thing. I listened to Dom Giordano tonight for a while and was impressed. I had not listened to him for a long time. He has come a long way.
I would love to hear what Irv Homer has to say about today's issues. Last I heard, he was on a little AM in Bucks county. Is he still around?
I would love to hear what Irv Homer has to say about today's issues. Last I heard, he was on a little AM in Bucks county. Is he still around?
Hey Rockin Rob...
Tom Bigby thought I was a better DJ than a talk host. Ok...that's fair for him to have made that call...and I was GONE, due to another edict by Mel K. to cut budget, as the ratings were almost NOWHERE on 1210 then. NO one was listening to IMUS, and having Fred (he's a nice man) Sheerrrrrrman on between Imus and US was the kiss of death. Bigby was told to take over the station after PD Diane Cridland was left floundering...but they left HILARIE by herself for several months. That was a mistake too. If they had US in the morning originally, perhaps....MAYBE we could have found a niche there...but they blew that chance. I went back to NJ 101.5 for a year by myself in evenings...did VERY well again..triple ratings from the previous host...only to leave (again) over a monetary issue. I ended up BACK in Philly on WWDB-FM with Hilarie. She worked for METRO and I worked for DB technically. Just before the historic blowing up of the talk format, WE were told by LOCAL management that we were going to do mornings the following week replacing Pat Farnack and Gil Gross...two broadcasters whom we both highly respected...but we were excited non the less. That was in the middle of the week. We were going to actually negotiate a new deal together to DO mornings. Then the BEASELY BUNCH decided (without telling LOCAL management) that they were blowing up the station with that 80's crap. The 80's sucked IN the 80's. I digress. So that VERY DAY, the PD who put us together Jeff Hillery (who got out about 2 months before execution day at DB and went to KLIF in Dallas) called us up and asked us to audition. My WIFE was in Jefferson at the fabulous Rothman Institute recovering from Spinal Fusion and Decompression surgery when we finalized the deal with the DALLAS station after they "loved" us in our two-day audition some weeks before. So that's the story there.
By the way to ftds: Psychics are sure fire ways to get NO ratings but lots of phone calls from every love-lorn loser in the world. Almost as pathetic as Delilah folks. But at least SHE gets ratings because of the sappy AC music. Irv is a WONDERFUL broadcaster. It's truly a shame he's only on a pea-shooter station. That's no put-down on where he IS by the way, it's just after a FAB career in Philly, you'd think SOMEONE would find a way to fit him IN somewhere. The fact that he's still AT it is a testament to his talent and following. I hope to still be walking by the time I reach his age.
Ok...enuf for now.
Remember to BE BIG!
Big Jay
www.bigjayandanita.com
Tom Bigby thought I was a better DJ than a talk host. Ok...that's fair for him to have made that call...and I was GONE, due to another edict by Mel K. to cut budget, as the ratings were almost NOWHERE on 1210 then. NO one was listening to IMUS, and having Fred (he's a nice man) Sheerrrrrrman on between Imus and US was the kiss of death. Bigby was told to take over the station after PD Diane Cridland was left floundering...but they left HILARIE by herself for several months. That was a mistake too. If they had US in the morning originally, perhaps....MAYBE we could have found a niche there...but they blew that chance. I went back to NJ 101.5 for a year by myself in evenings...did VERY well again..triple ratings from the previous host...only to leave (again) over a monetary issue. I ended up BACK in Philly on WWDB-FM with Hilarie. She worked for METRO and I worked for DB technically. Just before the historic blowing up of the talk format, WE were told by LOCAL management that we were going to do mornings the following week replacing Pat Farnack and Gil Gross...two broadcasters whom we both highly respected...but we were excited non the less. That was in the middle of the week. We were going to actually negotiate a new deal together to DO mornings. Then the BEASELY BUNCH decided (without telling LOCAL management) that they were blowing up the station with that 80's crap. The 80's sucked IN the 80's. I digress. So that VERY DAY, the PD who put us together Jeff Hillery (who got out about 2 months before execution day at DB and went to KLIF in Dallas) called us up and asked us to audition. My WIFE was in Jefferson at the fabulous Rothman Institute recovering from Spinal Fusion and Decompression surgery when we finalized the deal with the DALLAS station after they "loved" us in our two-day audition some weeks before. So that's the story there.
By the way to ftds: Psychics are sure fire ways to get NO ratings but lots of phone calls from every love-lorn loser in the world. Almost as pathetic as Delilah folks. But at least SHE gets ratings because of the sappy AC music. Irv is a WONDERFUL broadcaster. It's truly a shame he's only on a pea-shooter station. That's no put-down on where he IS by the way, it's just after a FAB career in Philly, you'd think SOMEONE would find a way to fit him IN somewhere. The fact that he's still AT it is a testament to his talent and following. I hope to still be walking by the time I reach his age.
Ok...enuf for now.
Remember to BE BIG!
Big Jay
www.bigjayandanita.com
J
Jul
Guest
Bottom line, WCAU-AM and WWDB-FM will always be the remembered as the 2 greatest talk stations in town. 1210 AM WPHT and 990 AM WNTP will never be able to duplicate what those 2 famous stations did with the talk format.
Julius May said:
Howe profounde
Even IF it had top programming, the signal is impaired, and the audio quality is the worst. To squeeze the OBOC hash onto 1210, they abandoned the 99% of listeners using standard radios. It is arguably the worst sounding major market AM station in the nation. KYW is a close second, sounding thin and raspy. IBOC on AM, I'm afraid, is a case of the cure is worse than the disease.
S
Soon Yi CIV.V
Guest
Have you noticed this interesting phenomenon sweeping message boards? People keep starting sentences with "Bottomline," but finishing them with an opinion. 
I
imhomerjay
Guest
Bottom line, it's a great thing for that to be happening.
- Status