WPRO is hurting , WHJJ is gaining

[Power Of Radio]

I was listening to Dan Yorke today. And he was talking about Providence Mayor David Ciccilline. And the poor
way he was running things in Providence. Dan also mentioned how bad the roads are to drive if you're going through Providence. And several callers backed him up on that. Dan also mentioned, that he hopes DC runs for Governor.
Steve Laffey to the rescue!!

 

[wknd92]

DC is the prohibitive favorite Dem to run for Carcieri's seat when he is thru in 2010....Providence is in poor shape, no firefighter contract still....1200 days or so by the counter out in from of the station on S Main St, layoffs and unfilled positions at the school dept, underfunded pension system, poor infrastructure for the roads and some city buildings (like the schools); acrimonious relationship with a part of the city council (the ones he didn't hand pick in the past election)....bad news in Providence. The one positive thing he has done is dump the civic center on the state's lap; but listening to the shift change of the police on the scanner is ridiculous on how poorly executed it is....while Buddy's watch was not always smooth, it seems to me that there are a lot of problems going on behind the scenes currently and it is only getting worse.....In looking to what would go on if DC didn't win the governors race, he'd have to go back to lawyering as he is definitely not as accomplished in front of the camera as his predecessors Buddy, Joe P, Joe D, etc

 

[Holland Cooke]

Blowing-the-lid-off Beacon Mutual

QUICK QUIZ: What is the LEAST-interesting thing you've recently heard a Providence radio talk host obsess about?

 

[alfieradioguy]

Honestly, Buddy Cianci. Our Paris Hilton

 

[awardmrnobody]

Buddy and the Casino . It never ends.

 

[ryanbadrapper]

Holland, You doing a little research here?? ;D

Depetro, the 'N' word 80 year old guy thing.
Glover and her 'Workouts' thing.
Yorke and his 'defending Cianci' thing.

And WPRO news morning man endlessly speculating about Cianci. So yes, I vote Cianci too. really over the top.

Ryan

 

[Dighton Rockhead]

Re: Blowing-the-lid-off Beacon Mutual

QUICK QUIZ: What is the LEAST-interesting thing you've recently heard a Providence radio talk host obsess about?

Usually, the short answer to this one would be: THEMSELVES ! ! !

dr

 

[aqualung]

Re: Blowing-the-lid-off Beacon Mutual

QUICK QUIZ: What is the LEAST-interesting thing you've recently heard a Providence radio talk host obsess about?

Usually, the short answer to this one would be: THEMSELVES ! ! !

dr

Actually I'd say yapping about others who work at the station. Mainly phone screeners, board ops, producers. The audience doesn't care who's wearing a funny jacket or who walks around with a cell phone strapped to his ear. It's inside stuff nobody appreciates but the people working there. Save it for the Christmas party. Do these supporting players have something in their contracts that stipulates their names have to be mentioned hourly?

 

[Dighton Rockhead]

From aqualung:
Actually I'd say yapping about others who work at the station. Mainly phone screeners, board ops, producers. The audience doesn't care who's wearing a funny jacket or who walks around with a cell phone strapped to his ear. It's inside stuff nobody appreciates but the people working there. Save it for the Christmas party. Do these supporting players have something in their contracts that stipulates their names have to be mentioned hourly?

Good point. It could be that all these years later, we're STILL feeling the after-effects of the tremendous success that Howard Stern had with, basically, turning his entire supporting cast into integral parts of the show.

The first time I remember this happening in this market was in the early 1980's on WHJJ, when Steve White regularly included his producer in the on-air shenanigans. Now it seems most every talk host is copying this in some form or fashion. Most of the time, it just sounds forced and lame, and doesn't really work.

dr

 

[Skynet74]

I have always liked hearing about the behind the scenes stuff. It adds another dimension to your typical radio program. It makes it more interesting if done right. I love it when somebody behind the scenes is getting yelled at or when there's some kind of tension going on. I think that makes for some great radio. Howard Stern has always been the best at doing this. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and I feel it's one of the main reasons for his success. When you tune into Stern you just never know who's going to get yelled at or goofed on next. But it's a Guarantee that someone will. That makes for some interesting radio that always keeps listeners coming back for more.

 

[wknd92]

I have always liked hearing about the behind the scenes stuff. It adds another dimension to your typical radio program. It makes it more interesting if done right. I love it when somebody behind the scenes is getting yelled at or when there's some kind of tension going on. I think that makes for some great radio. Howard Stern has always been the best at doing this. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and I feel it's one of the main reasons for his success. When you tune into Stern you just never know who's going to get yelled at or goofed on next. But it's a Guarantee that someone will. That makes for some interesting radio that always keeps listeners coming back for more.

I can't believe I'm doing this; but I agree w/ John....it is breaking down the 4th wall....instead of being on the outside, it brings you closer into the show. All part of the "Theater of the Mind" that PD's are looking for....

 

[Skynet74]

Howard has actually talked about this subject before. When Stern was a kid he said he loved listening to the radio especially when things would go wrong. He wanted to somehow do a radio show someday that broke down that 4th wall and pulled people inside. I agree that It definitely makes the listener feel closer to the show. It's a formula that lots of hosts now emulate because they see how well it has worked. Unfortunately just like anything else in life, not everyone can pull it off well. You have to remain genuine. Be yourself. It's the Realness of it which makes it fun for the listener.

 

[Dighton Rockhead]

It's a formula that lots of hosts now emulate because they see how well it has worked. Unfortunately just like anything else in life, not everyone can pull it off well. You have to remain genuine. Be yourself. It's the Realness of it which makes it fun for the listener.

Exactly my point. Most of the hosts doing this "schtick" have nowhere near the talent of a Howard Stern...... (or even a Steve White, for that matter)...... to pull it off, which is exactly why it doesn't work most of the time.

Also, programmers see getting "the crew" in on that act as a way of getting more "creative content" into a show without necessairily PAYING anything extra for it.

dr

 

[Holland Cooke]

Then, there's the obvious...

Maybe talent-talking-to/about-what's-going-on-within-50-feet don't have anything-more-interesting to say.

 

[aqualung]

Re: Then, there's the obvious...

Maybe talent-talking-to/about-what's-going-on-within-50-feet don't have anything-more-interesting to say.

And there's nothing worse than radio people entertaining other radio people around them and leaving the audience out in the cold.

 

[wc3434]

I agree about the Beacon thing. Yorke runs that into the ground.
I disagree with the conversations with Yorke and Allen. Allen is a riot and Yorke
sometimes is shocked by what Allen may have to say.
A master at this was Howie Carr. The thing he had with V.B. was priceless.
On a day when Yorke is getting a 78 , when Allen jumps in, it goes to a 96. Walter.

 

[Skynet74]

Maybe talent-talking-to/about-what's-going-on-within-50-feet don't have anything-more-interesting to say.

And there's nothing worse than radio people entertaining other radio people around them and leaving the audience out in the cold.

This I totally agree with. With Stern there are no secrets. There is no leaving the listener out on the cold. That's what makes it fun. You actually understand what's going on. However I have heard hosts which will bring up things to their producer. Then in the same breath they will say that they can't talk about it on the air. Hey Jackass! YOU'RE ON THE AIR!!! If you can't talk about it, then what the hell are you doing bringing it up at all? Those hosts should be shot on the spot for stupidity.

 

[aqualung]

Maybe talent-talking-to/about-what's-going-on-within-50-feet don't have anything-more-interesting to say.

And there's nothing worse than radio people entertaining other radio people around them and leaving the audience out in the cold.

This I totally agree with. With Stern there are no secrets. There is no leaving the listener out on the cold. That's what makes it fun. You actually understand what's going on. However I have heard hosts which will bring up things to their producer. Then in the same breath they will say that they can't talk about it on the air. Hey Jackass! YOU'RE ON THE AIR!!! If you can't talk about it, then what the hell are you doing bringing it up at all? Those hosts should be shot on the spot for stupidity.

Like someone else said Stern pulling this stuff is one thing. Also Yorke mentioning Matt Allen is a different animal because the audience knows Allen. He has his own show so he's on the talent end. Some of these other board op-call screener-so called producers are poseurs and they're some of the most affected people in the biz. Talking about them like they're people the audience needs to know about is filler no one cares about. Yorke has this tendency to be at a loss for words at times hence the filler and the looooong pauses and constant repeating of the same sentence over and over.

 

[Holland Cooke]

RE "I agree about the Beacon thing. "

I'll bet a crisp ten-spot that I'm the only one posting here who's ever bought a dang Beacon Mutual POLICY (Workman's Comp coverage, for the 8 years I had a retail business). And *I* don't even get how-this-story-makes-sound. This IS radio, right?

Wasn't this company's product B-to-B?
Am I wrong about that?
Did they also sell homeowners or auto insurance?
DID Beacon Mutual write any B-to-C business?

So a BROADcaster is choosing a topic only-of-interest-to business-owners-who-happen-to-be-listening?
Isn't that NARROWcasting?

This story is arcane-enough in the excruciating detail the print media can lend it. So, admittedly, I ask this to-the-extent a-dummy-like-me can follow it, but isn't THE CONSEQUENCE of this story, as-it-now-stands, that the-toothpaste-is-already-out-of-the-tube?

And even if I've got it wrong, HOW-the-heck are Homer & Marge Diarykeeper stakeholders in this arcane matter?

Good evening from SWELTERING Noo Yawk, where THE OLDIES ARE BACK, on CBS-FM,
HC
www.HollandCooke.com

 

[wc3434]

Thing is with Beacon, its about Talk radios Bread and Butter, RHODE ISLAND CORRUPTION!
This Beacon thing is about 'Operation Dollar Bill'. It's about Guy Dufault, its about U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Its about Union Heads, its about several legislators including The Speaker of the House in RI.!
Its about ALL of them in major trouble!
It will be the next BIG story.
When the U.S. Attorney for R.I. starts arresting these guys it will be the talk of the town!
Holland, check into it a little more, maybe you'll see it differently! Walter.