WPHT's Awful Ratings

[rtetro]

How much of it can be attributed to that horrible signal - perhaps one of the worst 50kw Class A clear Channel signals I've ever heard? I know WPHT's horrible signal has been discussed in this forum before, and the consensus then was that it definitely hurts them. I have always suspected that part of their signal problem is that they lack a good salt-marshy site like most of the NYC Class A's have.

Perhaps it's time to move the transmitter from Moorestown to south of Philly along the Delaware River...at least to a point where the salt water extends north from the bay. That would probably improve things dramatically.

 

[8638]

To be honest, I will never understand how ANYONE can listen every day to show after show where the opinions are the same and are ALL predictable. With exception to Smerconish, the station is an echo chamber, fit for people incapable of critical thought.

I wish more stations like this would tank. Maybe we'll get more interesting and unpredictable talk. God knows the format could use an influx of normal people as listeners..

Your opinion, to which you are entitled, still, in America.

Smerconish, an Obama supporter, obviously fits your political views more than the rest of the 'PHT lineup.

And just how do YOU define 'normal?' Someone who agrees with the Left? The format had such a network, Air America. Note the 'had.' Went belly up, made no money. No listeners. Guess not enough 'normal' people were interested.

As ususal, when anyone dares criticize "all-conservative all-the-time", it MUST be because they're a LIB!!!! That's the kind of shallow thinking that garners many-a-talk station an audience these days, so you're far from alone.

What I ACTUALLY said was that WPHT is an echo chamber with the exception of Smerconish. I never said I'm into his show, I just pointed out that it's the ONLY thing on the station that isn't a mere echo of everything else. And thank God for that!

Fact is, I do not prefer a liberal over a conservative. I like both ends and everything in between---WHEN THEY'RE INTERESTING! A great many hosts are boring and predictable. You get the feeling they're following a script. It's mind-numbing!

Again, I just don't understand how anyone LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE can suspend critical thought and HONESTY to the point where they're comfortable listening to a radio station that's just a glorified echo chamber.

My impression, based on your entire post, not just the section I quoted, was that you leaned left. Which is totally ok! IIRC, you made derisive comments about a prototypical generic caller, implying that only people of his intellect listen to/agree with conservative talkers. This is a favorite tactic of the Left, and most untrue. According to rabid lefties, all conservatives are monolithically stupid, because they don't see the big Liberal light on the hill as the only possible choice! So, if you are a middle of the roader, my apologies. And get out of the middle of the road, before you are run over!

I cut Smerconish out of my listening for two reasons: first, and primary, his show seems watered down since the simulcast began with WHFS Morningside/Washington (you think 'PHT has bad ratings!); second, his support of Obama. I cannot imagine anyone not finding Rush at least entertaining, if not interesting. Hannity is getting stale. I switch to WOR at 3 for the last hour of Lou Dobbs, then Steve Malzberg til 6.

I have no argument with your statements that the station does not connect with the community. Imaging could be better. Updated, live hourly news would be nice too.

 

[8638]

How much of it can be attributed to that horrible signal - perhaps one of the worst 50kw Class A clear Channel signals I've ever heard? I know WPHT's horrible signal has been discussed in this forum before, and the consensus then was that it definitely hurts them. I have always suspected that part of their signal problem is that they lack a good salt-marshy site like most of the NYC Class A's have.

Perhaps it's time to move the transmitter from Moorestown to south of Philly along the Delaware River...at least to a point where the salt water extends north from the bay. That would probably improve things dramatically.

How true, Rene! Your WNTP daytime signal is about as good at WPHT's, here in Bayville, NJ. I often wonder if 1210's ground system is fully intact. And, if they moved the stick, that real estate in Moorestown could fetch a tidy sum!

 

[DanStrassberg]

Perhaps it's time to move the transmitter from Moorestown to south of Philly along the Delaware River...at least to a point where the salt water extends north from the bay. That would probably improve things dramatically.

If WPHT were to move west, wouldn't there be a third-adjacent-overlap problem with Alex Langer's WFYL 1180 King of Prussia?

OTOH, Langer (or his engineering consultants) were able to satisfy the FCC that his WBIX could push a very directional 50 kW by day (maximum inverse-distance field of 6711 mV/m @ 1 km from five 200+-degree towers) due east towards CBS's third-adjacent WBZ, which is directional to the west from 180+-degree towers only 28.2 miles away. Moreover, about eight of those 28.2 miles consist of the salt water of Boston Harbor. This operation will replace WBIX's current 40-kW/22-kW CH two-tower daytime setup from the former site of CCU's WKOX 1200. The way he proved that there would be no prohibited overlap of 25 mV/m contours was to provide field intensity measurements (made with a new Potomac FIM 4100), which demonstrated that for ~15 of those 28.2 miles, the conductivity was only 0.1 mS/m. I thought that the only places where such low conductivity was found in nature were the likes of the granite canyons of Manhattan Island (exclusive of Central Park). I mean, Greater Boston's western suburbs aren't North Dakota, but they are not Wall St (or downtown Boston) either. Anyhow, CBS did not object and the CP has been granted, so maybe a tit-for-tat on Philadelphia's Main Line is in order.

 

[Slant]

getting back to the pay to play stuff, the fact the station allows Paul Perrelo to host infomercials is unbelievably slimmy. Paul does news and then does infomercials? What is Metro Networks thinking by allowing him to devalue their service? What a disgrace.

 

[MikefromDelaware]

My Guess is WPHT sees it as a positive, name recognition. The day's of Walter Cronkite, Chet Huntley, David Brinkley, Douglas Edwards, etc is gone. Both radio and TV, especially TV both local and network, view the news as a show and a program to make money rather than a public service as it once was viewed. Today's newscasters are show people, air talent, personalities. Even in Philly, John Fascenda, Gunner Back, Vince Lenard, and even Channel 12's Sid Shaw for Delaware Tonight back when it first aired were newsmen first, TV personalities second just as their network counterparts. Also, as women have more and more taken over the on air spots on both local and network newscasts that too has caused a difference in style and approach, etc. So given the "news show" atmosphere of today's local TV newscasts and even some local radio newscasts (Wilmington's WDEL morning newsblock comes to mind vs the more traditional WILM and KYW approaches to newscasts). It isn't a big stretch to picture these same TV and radio news folks hawking time share resorts, vitamins, health food, or even laundry soap as they've become personalities rather than news reporters.

 

[jhguthlac]

The BBC gets it right when it calls the news presenters "news readers." In most cases, they are not investigative reporters. They simply read the copy in front of them. They may have written it, but they hardly went out on the street to dig up the story. Regardless of whether you are on the air reading a story about Obama or digestive track cleanser, it is still the same. You are reading a story.

 

[wcradio2]

By the way, the ad I saw during the olympics was for Phil Cannella and Joann Small Cash Proof Retirement Show. Twice during the opening ceremonies.

 

[1540]

I was working at one of Philly’s VHF stations back in the 80s as a summer relief engineer. Just coming off working camera for the news I ran in to the news director in the elevator and he asked me how did the show go tonight? I looked at him and asked him what show? He replied the news show. I told him that I did not think of the news as a show but as news. He started laughing and told me it’s not the news anymore it’s just a show.

 

[Slant]

any credibility Metro Networks has as a news provider is completely lost when one of their higher ups is doing infomercials. If I was in charge of metro, I would certainly not let this happen. It devalues their own product.

 

[imhomerjay]

In all honesty, how many people outside of the handful on a message board (a) know and (b) care?

 

[Slant]

well considering a lot of people that work in radio in this market frequent this board use Metro's service (including KYW) I would think a lot would care. Imagine if this was happening on WABC in NYC?

 

[joshzz]

To the poster - Great topic : Mega Dittos.

Actually I can bear no more than a few minutes a month of Beck or Limbaugh