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FredLeonard
Guest
And long term revenue. But they were going to unload, so what the hell?
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And long term revenue. But they were going to unload, so what the hell?
Isn't it always? Radio management types LOVE syndicating non radio people. It almost always has disastrous results.
Only one problem: CBS Radio doesn't have a syndication division. Smerconish had to go to Dial-Global to get syndicated. Then he went to Sirius.
So no, I don't think anyone at WPHT or CBS was thinking about syndication. Perhaps Morris was. But he should give up that thought. He has a better future as an author. Hey, how about a syndicated columnist? For whom?
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FredLeonard
Guest
Apparently either: Some suit is not willing to admit he made a big mistake hiring Morris, or Morris has a contract that CBS can't get out of. (Maybe Smerconish drew it up for him.)
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Unregistered
Guest
WPHT should put Rich Zeoli on at 3 pm and put Gary R'Nel at 7 pm. Dick Morris is a huge bore.
J
Jul
Guest
1210 is finished as a radio station. They should just turn the transmitter off . Management has truly ruined a great radio station.
I doubt Mr. Paley had much to do with the running of WCAU or its change to all news in 1976. He was, after all, 75 years old then and not involved in doing the day to day things. You can't even blame Stanton for that one, as he was gone three years earlier.
The change was in no small measure due to the success of CBS's all news operation in New York. And the sometimes annoying rivalry they had with Westinghouse in numerous markets. It was a big mistake... they averaged a 10 share in 1975 and were down to the 4's by 1977, while KYW was seemingly unaffected.
Those mid-70's years were when CBS began beating Westinghouse's KFWB in LA consistently in the all news arena, so they likely thought that they could do the same in Philadelphia. Obviously, they were wrong.
WPHT is actually doing better than other news talkers in New York,Chicago,LA and other markets. 1210 has been some form of news or talk for decades. Can't see CBS changing anything.Philly is oversaturated with Sports signals and besides brokered or Spanish, there really are no options. Personally I would love to see a 50's 60's oldies or a Standards format on 1210,but obviously, that ain't gonna happen.
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FredLeonard
Guest
He didn't run. It was widely reported at the time that he was irked that Westinghouse, which went head to head with CBS in all news at the time in New York and LA, had all news to itself in Philly. He said something and when Paley said something, all sorts of people did something.
Reportedly, Paley stuck his head in a TV programming meeting and saw the board with next year's shows. He saw Lou Grant on the board and said, "why is that there?" And the show was cancelled. The man's hubris knew no limits.
I said nothing about Dr. Stanton.
Paley had contempt for Group W. Let's hope when Westinghouse took over CBS that Satan made sure Paley in hell found out about it right away.
J
Jul
Guest
if we all boycott 1210 AM, then CBS will do something.
Let's see. We have Sol Taishoff, who you call a whore, and Wm. Paley who you are certain is residing in the nether world.
Who are your heros in broadcasting? Or is everyone evil and deserving of pejoratives?
Easy answer: he just looks longingly into his own mirror...
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FredLeonard
Guest
I might ask you who is NOT a hero in your world? Apparently anyone who makes a certain amount of money qualifies, no matter their character, no matter how dishonest, sleazy or unscrupulous, no matter how they treat people, no matter how big an SOB they are.
I believe I made my "reservations" about Paley and Taishoff very clear but you don't want to hear it.
Your attitude explains what right-wing ideology found such a comfortable home in the radio business.
Maybe if radio had people with integrity, it wouldn't be in terminal condition.
You still did not answer my question: who are your heroes?
You have a nasty tendency to pick at nits or to obfuscate when one of your posts is proven inaccurate...such as your totally wrong description of the history of CBS. If you think we are such morons that we don't notice, you are wrong.
My criteria are based on achievements. Some people with major faults also make major accomplishments. Maj. Armstrong, despite his "never compromise" attitude that hurt him in many instances, gave broadcasting numerous gifts of genius.
My "top 2" are Tom Rounds, co-creator of AT40 and Todd Storz, creator of Top 40. I had the opportunity to know both, and am the richer for it.
Your criticism of Sol Taishoff is absurd and laugable. He chronicled the industry for more than 50 years and provided the information stations and advertisers needed. Paley, albeit a more controversial individual, gave Sarnoff's Red and Blue webs a real battle. Sarnoff is not on my favorites list, and anyone who kept him in check wins extra points from me.
A few days ago, I posted about the lunatic far right, yet you insist on painting me with the "right wing ideology" brush.
Maybe if it had fewer fruitcakes...
Radio is not terminal. Billing is up by $5 billion to $17 billion annually compared to 2008. New media divisions of radio companies are now reporting around 15% of total radio revenue. The transition to new platforms continues and will sustain radio into the future.
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Radio is anything but terminal. Within five years, radio, as an industry, will surpasss the revenue record achieved in 2004. While this represents a much smaller piece of the overall media market than existed 10 years ago, the fact that revenue is growing indicates the industry is not in the death throes.
I don't know what the motivation is for those that keep pushing that narrative except perhaps that they were fired from the industry and would feel good by its (not occuring) demise.
I don't know what the motivation is for those that keep pushing that narrative except perhaps that they were fired from the industry and would feel good by its (not occuring) demise.
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FredLeonard
Guest
David: I don't engage in "hero worship" as you do but I do find Dr. Armstrong an admirable figure. Let's note that General Sarnoff, drove him to suicide.
"Chronicled" suggests "Broadcasting" (with some variations in title) under Taishoff was a typical trade publication, pandering to its readership with puffery and self-congratulation. It was not true journalism by any means.
AT40 was hardly a creative breakthrough. Local stations had been doing count-down shows for years.
Storz had an insight and a good idea. I don't know enough about him otherwise to declare him of "heroic virtue." If you want to base heroism just on creativity, I'd give more points to the Old Scotsman. There were a lot of Top 40 stations. Limited playlists is fine as an idea but I'd give more points for creativity to the PDs who managed to bring together a bunch of diverse elements (including limited playlists) to create some memorable and compelling radio. A different idea is one thing; brilliant execution is another.
Sorry, I didn't realize you were the official authority on who is right and who is wrong. Maybe you should do a little more homework on the early history of CBS before you make such declarations.
"Chronicled" suggests "Broadcasting" (with some variations in title) under Taishoff was a typical trade publication, pandering to its readership with puffery and self-congratulation. It was not true journalism by any means.
AT40 was hardly a creative breakthrough. Local stations had been doing count-down shows for years.
Storz had an insight and a good idea. I don't know enough about him otherwise to declare him of "heroic virtue." If you want to base heroism just on creativity, I'd give more points to the Old Scotsman. There were a lot of Top 40 stations. Limited playlists is fine as an idea but I'd give more points for creativity to the PDs who managed to bring together a bunch of diverse elements (including limited playlists) to create some memorable and compelling radio. A different idea is one thing; brilliant execution is another.
Sorry, I didn't realize you were the official authority on who is right and who is wrong. Maybe you should do a little more homework on the early history of CBS before you make such declarations.
Actually, his failure to compromise... a necessary trait in all all things... was really the cause of his demise. The troubles with Sarnoff may have been the catalyst but they weren't the only cause.
The term "hero" always contains a measure of hyperbole. I admire people who achieved breakthroughs such as Armstrong, but I don't have his picture in my living room.
Broadcasting was (it has been renamed) a "news magazine" and its job was to report on the happenings of each week (or each fortnight until 1941) and it did precisely that. A review of a sampling of issues from different eras will show that it was not particularly given to any of the qualities you mention.
This shows how little you know about broadcasting in general. AT 40, and Tom Rounds specifically, invented the barter model for radio programming. They sold ads, which were pressed into the vinyl, and stations got the show free or for just minor shipping and administrative costs.
The alliance with a major chart, the creation of a true national show and the unique content provided by a staff of writers and producers was not just a step beyond but a whole floor above local countdowns and in no way comparable with prior Hit Parades which were either network shows without the original artists (Your Hit Parade, radio or TV versions) or local shows that just read a number in "and here's #12 this week..."
The major difference here was that Storz started with a daytimer in Omaha while McLendon already had a decent fulltimer in a very major market, Dallas. And he started to gradually convert KLIF to TTop 40 about 18 months after KOWH in Omaha hit #1 "with a bullet", aided by the hiring of Storz's program director. So McLendon was not a creator of Top 40... he just knew who to hire.
I admire Storz because he created a format that essentially "saved" radio from Television. I also have further admiration for him because he took the time, just prior to his death, to spend an entire evening with me at WQAM giving me his views and hints and even secrets on Top 40 when I was in the process of building my first station which became South America's first station in that very format.
You are batting 1.000 on obfuscation. Who are the radio people you admire, respect (or whatever word you don't find fault with)?
So far, mentioning anyone who brought change to the industry just allows you to open a fresh barrel of nastiness which you proceed to spill on everything and everyone.
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