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All Access: WRKO wants talk host

Seems that way; in 07 he tried to jump to 96.9 with a start date of 10/1, and even appeared on Ch 4 news about it; last show (what he thought) for RKO was 9/19/07. Two months to the day later, after Todd Feinburg fill ins, he was back. Renewed again in 2012 after the 5 yr deal...He has signed with syndicator Global Media and I heard rumblings that both he and Nancy Shack were seen entering the Money Matters building. Does RKO want a new morning host and shift Kuhner to afternoon, offering that to Howie affiliates (who may prefer Howie?)
 
WRKO might do better with White Noise than its current line up.

There aren't enough "no nothings", narrow minded, gingoistic bigots in WRKO's very limited signal to make the station profitable anymore.

In general, talk radio has become boring and predictable. Turn on WRKO any day and you would hear the vocally impared Kuhner or the phoning it in Carr repeat the same message: ' the "Democrat" party is bad and the republican party is good. Obama is bad and any republican is good...' Add to that a strong anti-intellectual bent and you get the average and daily WRKO audience. Differing views are not welcome, cut off or insulted. How can you build an audience with that limited view on life. By the way, the same thing doomed the liberal side of this type of programming - Air America.
Most American's are not extremists of either bent. Until WRKO or like talk radio formats can attract and hold that middle ground it is eventually doomed to failure
 
Howie does let on some contrarian callers
and has a bit of fun with. One seems almost
like a put on, Bill from E Hartford who supposedly
hasn't worked in decades and delights in getting
free stuff. "I want, I want, I want, gimme gimme gimme"
is a sound clip they play of him. One time he sounded
like he was taking pills and it sounded like he was
acting..probably not a genuine caller.

It is true about the extremes but that could be the most
dedicated callers/listeners.Sometimes Howie can
be moderate/pragmatic and defend candidates like Scott
Brown, a mod. Republican; those on far right call
him Repub in Name Only and he says to those in NH,
you don't like him but would you rather have Shaheen?

Some stations tried 'left, right, and whatever we want" but
gave up on it.
Dan Rea on WBZ is conservative and smart etc
a la the late libertarian Brudnoy and that will
continue. Howie is funny (for those who agree
with him) and probably preaching to converted but if he's
gone from RKO who do we get in his slot...are
we goingk to be tuningk into the Kuhner-man?
 
Some good thoughts. Sadly, don't think anything can save WRKO but a fire sale.
Perhaps, all is forgiven and General Tire and Rubber Company can come back and buy "RKO...;-) As a late and not lamented former general manager of that hellhole once said, ' General Tire has more money than GOD..." But then again God doesn't need radio waves to communicate...as far as we know...
raccoonradio said:
Howie does let on some contrarian callers
and has a bit of fun with. One seems almost
like a put on, Bill from E Hartford who supposedly
hasn't worked in decades and delights in getting
free stuff. "I want, I want, I want, gimme gimme gimme"
is a sound clip they play of him. One time he sounded
like he was taking pills and it sounded like he was
acting..probably not a genuine caller.

It is true about the extremes but that could be the most
dedicated callers/listeners.Sometimes Howie can
be moderate/pragmatic and defend candidates like Scott
Brown, a mod. Republican; those on far right call
him Repub in Name Only and he says to those in NH,
you don't like him but would you rather have Shaheen?

Some stations tried 'left, right, and whatever we want" but
gave up on it.
Dan Rea on WBZ is conservative and smart etc
a la the late libertarian Brudnoy and that will
continue. Howie is funny (for those who agree
with him) and probably preaching to converted but if he's
gone from RKO who do we get in his slot...are
we goingk to be tuningk into the Kuhner-man?
Click to expand...
 
am talk

We all know the difficulties of the talk scene, particularly on AM. It's over. So it's somewhat pointless to pick on the content and those that send it to the airwaves. Young people who are talk-oriented are probably tuning in to sports talk (that's also a bit of everything).

I'd be embarrassed to say I listen to the standard fare. Not because of the politics --though that's not appreciated either-- but more the demo. I'm not "waiting to die."
 
Someone on Facebook said Kuhner is
killing them in ratings and there is
talk Kuhner may try to go national (huh?)
so RKO may wind up losing both, or maybe
only signing up new Howie show for short
term...? Not sure..
 
Kuhners ratings

I have Kuhners spring book and July ratings for all demos in front of me and I can assure you he is not killing in any demo. Even with men 55 plus he has a .2. His ratings are pathetic in every demo. But as I have said before you don t need to look at numbers just listen to the type of advertisers who buy his show
 
Air America went away mainly because its "talk show hosts" were standup comedians, who could not carry several hours of daily, insightful talk, as opposed to a 15 minute comedy bit. And they were under funded.
 
Often "radio people", journalists etc do better with talk radio instead of comedians. There are some out there, stand-ups
who went into talk: Dennis Miller, Jay Mohr, Stephanie Miller, etc. Michael Graham down in Atlanta is another.
 
WLYNWAZNgm said:
Air America went away mainly because its "talk show hosts" were standup comedians, who could not carry several hours of daily, insightful talk, as opposed to a 15 minute comedy bit. And they were under funded.
Click to expand...

I'd imagine it's tough to sell major corporate advertisers on talk that often takes an anti-corporate turn, too.
 
Omnibus said:
Some good thoughts. Sadly, don't think anything can save WRKO but a fire sale.
Perhaps, all is forgiven and General Tire and Rubber Company can come back and buy "RKO...;-) As a late and not lamented former general manager of that hellhole once said, ' General Tire has more money than GOD..." But then again God doesn't need radio waves to communicate...as far as we know...
Click to expand...

Another example of your radio knowledge that seemed to stop about 30 years ago?
 
Please stop with the personal attacks. Moderator please take notice of this individuals repeated personal attacks on those with whom he/she disagrees .
wimmmex said:
another example of your radio knowledge that seemed to stop about 30 years ago?
Click to expand...
 
Omnibus said:
Please stop with the personal attacks. Moderator please take notice of this individuals repeated personal attacks on those with whom he/she disagrees .
Click to expand...

Not a personal attack, just pointing out that your "solutions" to "fixing radio" are all 30+ years old.
 
Just think about what you have written. I think the Moderator would have another view.
Wimmmex said:
Not a personal attack, just pointing out that your "solutions" to "fixing radio" are all 30+ years old.
Click to expand...
 
raccoonradio said:
Someone on Facebook said Kuhner is
killing them in ratings and there is
talk Kuhner may try to go national (huh?)
so RKO may wind up losing both, or maybe
only signing up new Howie show for short
term...? Not sure..
Click to expand...

Even thought Entercom is probably going to retain Howie in some capacity, they have to be prepared in case there is no Howie on board at the end of next month.

They have the option of moving Kuhner (a known entity) to afternoons and bring in a new morning show.

Or bring in a new afternoon host.

In any event, it's wise for them to have some resumes/tapes on hand to review.
 
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