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Howie was playing hardball with WRKO. That is all about to change on 3/2.....
- Thread starter Wimmmex
- Start date
Still could happen; @bostonradio had hinted.I know there's bad blood between Howie and Entercom with his dissing of them. As I have said Howie took control of his show and his orig. affiliates went along with picking it up; now he pockets the affil fees not Entercom, and Ent. saves money by not having him as an employee. He expanded to almost 2 dozen affils but that was necessary as the stations in Lowell, New Bedford, and in NH were needed to make up for the fact that WRKO covered them before but WMEX was weaker. Maybe Howie's operation stole some ad clients from Ent. plus he got new ones (new co-producer Steve Robinson is from Maine and maybe he got the Mathews Bros.
account).
RKO's ratings have dipped tho of course pol talk radio in general has and aft. drive has RKO offering Siegel doing his show from his home studio in Seattle; both may have been
talking about the T's problems but maybe listeners preferred the "local" guy in such matters. Siegel is good but ultra serious, which some people like. Howie is funny and getting VB back was great. As the likes of Jerry W and even Rush proved, you have to be entertaining.Appointment listening, must-hear radio. If you want gangster talk, Max Robins, death pool, VB and Sandy etc, well it's not on RKO anymore. WMEX apparently doesn't subscribe to ratings but Wallis is able to write that check to Blackstrap at least. (I was up in Portland ME in Apr., having lunch at Gritty McDuff's, when I saw @bostonradio broke news that Wallis would be leasing-to-buying 1510 as a "libertarian" talk station starting June 1)
Was noted Howie doesn't refer to WMEX anymore and yesterday he mentioned later sunsets as of next week and how AM signals change direction or power down at sunset...what does that tell you? Yeah he complained about that on RKO...WCRN was added to help. He wanted to get on FM where he wouldn't have that problem. It didn't happen. Both 680 and 1510 will have that problem but maybe less so for 680. (If RKO did sign up for Howie they may grumble CAP is in their territory but may stay on w Howie)
@bostonradio broke stories like the WODS format change. Maybe he knows something, has connections.
Could it be Howie to RKO is not a matter of if, but when?
I also was talking w @bostonradio and noted after the announcement of Tony Garcia's Global Media signing Howie as a national show you didn't hear about Garcia anymore. Instead Howie said Kurt Carberry of WCRN was doing it. Would listeners in other parts of the country care about the T's woes? Then he and I agreed ...maybe Howie realized he's a great regional host and thus is now sticking to New England (tho parts of NY and Canada can get him too). Care about reaching listeners here, not luring affiliates in Penn. or Calif. or Georgia or...
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@bostonradio tweet:
'RKO is also learning cold truth that you can't just stick some guy from Seattle home studio and have him discuss T nightmare @RadioRaccoon
account).
RKO's ratings have dipped tho of course pol talk radio in general has and aft. drive has RKO offering Siegel doing his show from his home studio in Seattle; both may have been
talking about the T's problems but maybe listeners preferred the "local" guy in such matters. Siegel is good but ultra serious, which some people like. Howie is funny and getting VB back was great. As the likes of Jerry W and even Rush proved, you have to be entertaining.Appointment listening, must-hear radio. If you want gangster talk, Max Robins, death pool, VB and Sandy etc, well it's not on RKO anymore. WMEX apparently doesn't subscribe to ratings but Wallis is able to write that check to Blackstrap at least. (I was up in Portland ME in Apr., having lunch at Gritty McDuff's, when I saw @bostonradio broke news that Wallis would be leasing-to-buying 1510 as a "libertarian" talk station starting June 1)
Was noted Howie doesn't refer to WMEX anymore and yesterday he mentioned later sunsets as of next week and how AM signals change direction or power down at sunset...what does that tell you? Yeah he complained about that on RKO...WCRN was added to help. He wanted to get on FM where he wouldn't have that problem. It didn't happen. Both 680 and 1510 will have that problem but maybe less so for 680. (If RKO did sign up for Howie they may grumble CAP is in their territory but may stay on w Howie)
@bostonradio broke stories like the WODS format change. Maybe he knows something, has connections.
Could it be Howie to RKO is not a matter of if, but when?
I also was talking w @bostonradio and noted after the announcement of Tony Garcia's Global Media signing Howie as a national show you didn't hear about Garcia anymore. Instead Howie said Kurt Carberry of WCRN was doing it. Would listeners in other parts of the country care about the T's woes? Then he and I agreed ...maybe Howie realized he's a great regional host and thus is now sticking to New England (tho parts of NY and Canada can get him too). Care about reaching listeners here, not luring affiliates in Penn. or Calif. or Georgia or...
---
@bostonradio tweet:
'RKO is also learning cold truth that you can't just stick some guy from Seattle home studio and have him discuss T nightmare @RadioRaccoon
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I think it is a little to early for Howie to swallow his pride and go back to RKO. I think he is going to wait to see how is various revenue streams via his new deal works out. We all know that is only a matter of time before Dr. K ends his fantasy radio game in Boston. I think Howie may wait to see if the Herald leases out the entire station,s I know that they have been unable to generate any revenue from Boston Herald Radio and an over the air signal may make the sales effort a little easier. I think most of the BHR shows are pretty amatuer, the one show that is broadcast worthy is the only regualr show that is not on 1510 that's Sports Town
It is also sad how a once great Talk outlet like RKO is a shell of its former self. Kuhner who claims he has the highest rated political morning talk program in New England is unlistenable. I have seen his most recent 25 to 54 and 18 to 49 numbers and they are pathetic. He does OK 55+ Just listen to who they can attract to buy on his show and that will tell you how good his numbers are. Rush is on his last leg, Segal is Ok but not what you would want on your Major Market staion. The rest of the station is filled with infomercials, syndicated shows and when hey can't sell an hour on the weekends they run a very badly edited repeat of Crazy Kuhner. Kuhner is so bush league he'll have the same caller on twice in the same show.
It is also sad how a once great Talk outlet like RKO is a shell of its former self. Kuhner who claims he has the highest rated political morning talk program in New England is unlistenable. I have seen his most recent 25 to 54 and 18 to 49 numbers and they are pathetic. He does OK 55+ Just listen to who they can attract to buy on his show and that will tell you how good his numbers are. Rush is on his last leg, Segal is Ok but not what you would want on your Major Market staion. The rest of the station is filled with infomercials, syndicated shows and when hey can't sell an hour on the weekends they run a very badly edited repeat of Crazy Kuhner. Kuhner is so bush league he'll have the same caller on twice in the same show.
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O
Omnibus
Guest
I would stick with Kurt Carberry. He has an upstanding reputation in the business in which there isn't even honor among thieves... Carberry was a good choice for Howie.
isn't
isn't
Why not? (Outside of the fact that he's sitting in his bathrobe in Seattle.)
Seigal is a major market talent and very capable.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Siegel
I didn't realize he had such local ties....a professor at Emerson College and Fitchburg State. (YOu would never know it, cuz he never mentions anything local.)
http://www.mikesiegel.com/
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Frequently did end of yr fill ins for Jerry Williams and was part of Jerry's now defunct Natl. Assoc. of Radio Talk Show Hosts.
........@bostonradio tweet:
'RKO is also learning cold truth that you can't just stick some guy from Seattle home studio and have him discuss T nightmare @RadioRaccoon........
And Howie is learning the cold truth that his act doesn't play outside of 495 and that he has to deal with Entercom whether he wants to or not.
The following is how it is going to play out, and you can take this to the bank...remember you read it here first....
Howie soon realizes, if he hasn't already, that his current syndication situation is in reality a perpetual vow of poverty.
In a face-saving cover story for Howie, Howie's network announces they have cut an agreement with Entercom making WRKO a "major affiliate" or somesuch hokum, but a deal in essense making Howie a WRKO employee, only for a lot less money. Howie keeps the 'coffee-pots in the boonies' revenue to pay his gym fees and network avails for cutting trade deals for a SUV or a yearly cruise to the Carribean.
This deal continues until Entercom doesn't need Carr anymore, or Howie gets to the point where his check from WRKO has been so whittled away by downward renewals that he just retires. At which point Howie will leave badmouthing WRKO's signal and Entercom management, and Raccoonradio will tweet that Howie certainly showed Entercom what they weren't going to push him around !
Regards,
TSB
'RKO is also learning cold truth that you can't just stick some guy from Seattle home studio and have him discuss T nightmare @RadioRaccoon........
And Howie is learning the cold truth that his act doesn't play outside of 495 and that he has to deal with Entercom whether he wants to or not.
The following is how it is going to play out, and you can take this to the bank...remember you read it here first....
Howie soon realizes, if he hasn't already, that his current syndication situation is in reality a perpetual vow of poverty.
In a face-saving cover story for Howie, Howie's network announces they have cut an agreement with Entercom making WRKO a "major affiliate" or somesuch hokum, but a deal in essense making Howie a WRKO employee, only for a lot less money. Howie keeps the 'coffee-pots in the boonies' revenue to pay his gym fees and network avails for cutting trade deals for a SUV or a yearly cruise to the Carribean.
This deal continues until Entercom doesn't need Carr anymore, or Howie gets to the point where his check from WRKO has been so whittled away by downward renewals that he just retires. At which point Howie will leave badmouthing WRKO's signal and Entercom management, and Raccoonradio will tweet that Howie certainly showed Entercom what they weren't going to push him around !
Regards,
TSB
Good points..he compared the folks at Entercom to certain body parts when he started his new show and not too long ago,then dropped it so maybe something is being worked out.He has other income sources and should he retire from radio he could take his gangster talks,etc to rest homes or libraries.
Nice try, but April 1st is still a few weeks away. ;-)
But, let's say he does come crawling back at some point. No way does Entercom give him the same latitude to slam his employer that he apparently had the last time.
I am under the impression that his show is a "plus" for Portland, Burlington, Etc. A "regional" show is a very good choice for those markets. Seems to do OK outside of 495. (but not outside New England.)
It was really the only option he had. Many hosts have taken to the self-syndication or podcast route...mainly because they have no choice...but a potential upside.
What else was he going to do? Re-sign with Entercom for $300k and no control?
In this new world of broadcasting...the "new now"..established hosts such as: Ordway, Dahl, Seigal, Carolla, Ed Shultz, MArc Maron, Anthony Cumia have all decided to "strike out on their own" with some kind of self-enterprise. Why not?
After a cooling off period for both Howie and Entercom...I think Howie RKO will find that taking Howies syndicated show is better for them than running Segal from Seattle in his bathrobe.....and Howie will find that he can do a show without having to bash Entercom every 20 minutes.
RKO would be a win/win for both of them.
But the route Howie took was the only door open to him, and has tremendous potential upside. (Self ownership, control, affilliates paying him -instead of RKO-, doing the show from his home or Florida when he wants, chosing his own substitutes, and with all of the stations out there he has tremendous diversification. If one drops him, it's not all over.)
He has the potential to make more than the $300k that Entercom was offering him....and he might be able to do so while getting back on RKO, on his own terms, owning his own product.
He followed what a lot of hosts have done in the new realities of broadcasting...what else should he have done?
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Show done of course not technically from his home but it's a shorter commute than what he had before; only 4.5 miles from stately Carr Manor. Agreed on above incl. value of a regional show to other New England markets.
But now that he's in control...he could eventually do it from his home...or from anywhere else (Florida?) that he wants to. The point is that he is in control of all the variables now.
Mrs Carr told me that they had an agreement with Newsmax, which she told me HLC was doing some work for, to use their studios in Florida that are not to far from his condo down there.
Don't know if MEX picking up the new Brandmeier show replacing Dennis Miller. I suppose if Howie were to go back to 680, 1510 could run Hannity live
Howie is not going back to WRKO, they broke up under unpleasant terms, they wanted control over the show, including having Holland Cook come in and give him pointers. Howie told me himself that he was not going to take direction from Entercom.
If he goes back to WRKO in any way shape or form, there is no reason to keep many of the little stations (WCAP) that carry him, and those stations may cut their losses and run since they will be competing against Howie's own sales people, and Entercoms. It is like WBOQ paying for the Sox rights on 104.9, while the Flagship WEEI-FM tower is 5 miles away... yes it might have been a great deal when the Sox were on 850, probably not so much now.
Howie is all about Howie, and the money. He would rather see WRKO go to dolla a holla than to go back and save their bacon.
Entercom knew for a looong time (7 years!) that this situation would happen, and they either did nothing to prepare, or Seigel is their plan.
They tried designating McScreech as his designated fill in, and I assumed they were grooming her as his replacement as she caters to the same crowd.. and has the same journalistic ethics ( facts?? what facts?) ... well for one reason or another McScrech got a gig with ABC TV and her radio days are over.
Chances are Seigel is working for reasonable money, and the can sell him.... he may not be bringing in huge numbers, but I bet the bottom line isn't bad.
WRKO has other issues to deal with, one being that Limbaugh is toxic, many stations/groups are dropping him or moving him or moving him to lesser stations in their cluster. I don't think there is anyone who will say his star is rising.
I think Entercom has decided to run with what they have for the moment, and that plan does not include the triumphant return of Howie Carr.
If he goes back to WRKO in any way shape or form, there is no reason to keep many of the little stations (WCAP) that carry him, and those stations may cut their losses and run since they will be competing against Howie's own sales people, and Entercoms. It is like WBOQ paying for the Sox rights on 104.9, while the Flagship WEEI-FM tower is 5 miles away... yes it might have been a great deal when the Sox were on 850, probably not so much now.
Howie is all about Howie, and the money. He would rather see WRKO go to dolla a holla than to go back and save their bacon.
Entercom knew for a looong time (7 years!) that this situation would happen, and they either did nothing to prepare, or Seigel is their plan.
They tried designating McScreech as his designated fill in, and I assumed they were grooming her as his replacement as she caters to the same crowd.. and has the same journalistic ethics ( facts?? what facts?) ... well for one reason or another McScrech got a gig with ABC TV and her radio days are over.
Chances are Seigel is working for reasonable money, and the can sell him.... he may not be bringing in huge numbers, but I bet the bottom line isn't bad.
WRKO has other issues to deal with, one being that Limbaugh is toxic, many stations/groups are dropping him or moving him or moving him to lesser stations in their cluster. I don't think there is anyone who will say his star is rising.
I think Entercom has decided to run with what they have for the moment, and that plan does not include the triumphant return of Howie Carr.
I think they will take him back and if so affils like WCAP in RKO territory might lose the show,
Nothing is forever, and if both sides decide there is more money to be made by kissing and making up...believe me, they will do so...and make nice. Both sides are motivated by dollars.
Entercom might discover that they take many other shows without having "control" over them. THey take Bohannon, Savage, Levin, C2C...and they only control they have over those shows is to take them...or not take them. WRKO might find that they can live without total control. And if there is a chance to make more money by doing so they will do so.
If this self-syndication effort leads him down the road of more work and more poverty (a combination that is intolerable to Howie), he will find that taking some direction from WRKO is worth his while. Even if the "control" is only a clause that they can cancel at any time.
Yeah, he won't do it to save THEIR bacon...he might do it to save his own bacon.
ANd Howie has decided to run with what he has for the moment. nothing is permanent, things change, and the ability for both sides to make more money will change everything if necessary.
Heard something about Ordway filling in for Dennis. Wonder if another ex Entercom employee might be heard soon on a sister station.
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Another indication that the Talk Radio format as presently constructed is about to run its course. Sort of the way American Idol has run its course. It fills the air but has little value and even less impact. Clearly, the anti-intellectual bent of talk radio severely limits the field. They are now in the 'narrow-casting' mode much like religious formated radio. There is no attempt to grow the audience [ don't tell their advertisers] but only to keep their limited like minded.
As much as you would like to frame this in terms of ideology, it has more to do with the change in methodology in the ratings.
The PPM changed a lot of things on the radio scene....and some formats were hit harder than others...talk is one, urban, classical, specialty shows, etc....all have gotten hit with the arrival of the PPM. It has nothing to do with "anti-intellectual"...or "growing their formats". It has to do with the limitations of the PPM.
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