CC: Lex & Terry in, Bob & Tom out?

[upstate29650]

Seems to me that with CC's latest morning show acquisition, Lex & Terry, they're trying to position them as possibly their next big rock/talk-based morning show. The other two in CC's stable are Bob & Tom and John Boy & Billy.

JB&B seem to have more versatility in that they can play on rock, country, even oldies morning shows. Bob & Tom seem trite, tired, and ready to be put out to pasture.

So along come L&T. New, fresh, more controversial. What say you: You think B&T affiliates will sign on with Lex & Terry? Frankly, I'm surprised CC rock properties WEND/Charlotte & WBZT/Greenville haven't already signed on L&T.

Thoughts?

G

 

[SaltyDog]

> So along come L&T. New, fresh, more controversial.

New? New to Clear Channel maybe. They are controversial in the sense that the word sounds better than saying they are dirty.<P ID="signature">______________
"He who looks under the bed once hid there himself." - Proverb of unknown origin</P>

 

[upstate29650]

> > So along come L&T. New, fresh, more controversial.
>
> New? New to Clear Channel maybe. They are controversial in
> the sense that the word sounds better than saying they are
> dirty.
>

Now SD, keep in mind that to potential listeners outside of the Southeast (their core syndication base), L&T would be new. And yes, they are dirty.

My thought though is that they're being groomed at Bob & Tom's replacement.

G

 

[livingfruitvirus]

> So along come L&T. New, fresh, more controversial. What
> say you: You think B&T affiliates will sign on with Lex &
> Terry? Frankly, I'm surprised CC rock properties
> WEND/Charlotte & WBZT/Greenville haven't already signed on
> L&T.
>
> Thoughts?

It sounds like Clear Channel does have plans for Lex and Terry. Personally, I think The Bob and Tom Show is the most overrated morning show on the air. They brag about having 150 affiliates. Talk about quantity over quality, because their largest market is St. Louis. They were on in Atlanta for about a year, but failed miserably.

One show that I think Clear Channel missed the boat with is Monsters in the Morning out of Orlando. When they took over for Howard Stern in the market they improved the slot, and began beating his show on another affiliate. They've gotten a lot of fans thanks to their XM simulcast, so they've proven themselves on a national platform. I so hope that show jumps ship because they could use a new employer. They've lost all their syndicated FM affiliates, including their Jacksonville one which was needed for Lex and Terry.

 

[uh_clem]

Re: CC: Bob & Tom on TV

> My thought though is that they're being groomed at Bob &
> Tom's replacement.

Meanwhile, from today's Indianapolis Star, a picture of B & T with the caption:
An appearance on the "Bob & Tom Show" creates an opportunity for Rodney to
travel to Afghanistan to perform for the troops. "Rodney" airs at 8:30 p.m.
on WRTV 6. (ABC)

 

[OldiesCat]

Lex & Terry in, Bob & Tom out?

Say what you want about Bob & Tom, but their percentage of successful markets is high. So what, they're not Atlanta- neither are JB&B. And, really, as JB&B are more "southern" in vein, B&T lean more midwest, so it makes sense they weren't huge in Atlanta (though how many syndicated shows, other than Joyner, are big in major markets?).

In most cases, though, where they are on they do very well.

(and you're right about Monsters in Orlando. Too late now, from what I hear it's not near the same show it was 2 years ago. Many personnel changes).
>
> It sounds like Clear Channel does have plans for Lex and
> Terry. Personally, I think The Bob and Tom Show is the most
> overrated morning show on the air. They brag about having
> 150 affiliates. Talk about quantity over quality, because
> their largest market is St. Louis. They were on in Atlanta
> for about a year, but failed miserably.
>
> One show that I think Clear Channel missed the boat with is
> Monsters in the Morning out of Orlando. When they took over
> for Howard Stern in the market they improved the slot, and
> began beating his show on another affiliate. They've gotten
> a lot of fans thanks to their XM simulcast, so they've
> proven themselves on a national platform. I so hope that
> show jumps ship because they could use a new employer.
> They've lost all their syndicated FM affiliates, including
> their Jacksonville one which was needed for Lex and Terry.
>

 

[MrClean]

The Monsters?????? Are you smoking crack???? Have you checked the ratings? They're not all that powerful down in O-Town. I would have agreed with you two years ago, but that show is struggling. With major players leaving that show over the past year because of differences, and throwing in new members who really have nothing to bring to the table, I would think they need to concentrate on dominating their market before adding more outlets.





> > So along come L&T. New, fresh, more controversial. What
> > say you: You think B&T affiliates will sign on with Lex &
> > Terry? Frankly, I'm surprised CC rock properties
> > WEND/Charlotte & WBZT/Greenville haven't already signed on
>
> > L&T.
> >
> > Thoughts?
>
> It sounds like Clear Channel does have plans for Lex and
> Terry. Personally, I think The Bob and Tom Show is the most
> overrated morning show on the air. They brag about having
> 150 affiliates. Talk about quantity over quality, because
> their largest market is St. Louis. They were on in Atlanta
> for about a year, but failed miserably.
>
> One show that I think Clear Channel missed the boat with is
> Monsters in the Morning out of Orlando. When they took over
> for Howard Stern in the market they improved the slot, and
> began beating his show on another affiliate. They've gotten
> a lot of fans thanks to their XM simulcast, so they've
> proven themselves on a national platform. I so hope that
> show jumps ship because they could use a new employer.
> They've lost all their syndicated FM affiliates, including
> their Jacksonville one which was needed for Lex and Terry.
>

 

[LouPickney]

> Seems to me that with CC's latest morning show acquisition,
> Lex & Terry, they're trying to position them as possibly
> their next big rock/talk-based morning show. The other two
> in CC's stable are Bob & Tom and John Boy & Billy.
>
> JB&B seem to have more versatility in that they can play on
> rock, country, even oldies morning shows. Bob & Tom seem
> trite, tired, and ready to be put out to pasture.
>
> So along come L&T. New, fresh, more controversial. What
> say you: You think B&T affiliates will sign on with Lex &
> Terry? Frankly, I'm surprised CC rock properties
> WEND/Charlotte & WBZT/Greenville haven't already signed on
> L&T.
>
> Thoughts?

I know that when I talked with the people at WEND and WBZT, respectively, in 2003, they were both happy with Bob & Tom. I'm not sure how it is now, but my experience in the world of syndication with Bubba The Love Sponge (2003-2004) was that most PDs were happy with what they got from Bob & Tom. The PDs who weren't happy were at stations that, almost across the board, have now dropped the show (places like the old KMOM/Colorado Springs come to mind.) Premiere runs a pretty tight ship. Lex & Terry were once on in Charlotte, so it's not impossible that they would return at some point, but unless things have changed at WEND, it's going to be tough for them to unseat Bob & Tom.

Bob & Tom have had trouble drawing ratings in the northeast (and in large markets), and they didn't last in Alaska, but besides that they've been pretty strong. Vanilla enough to not upset GMs or GSMs, but compelling enough to draw ratings.

Lex & Terry have been put on in Oklahoma City and Dallas by Clear Channel relatively recently, though Bob & Tom were on a non-CC station in OKC and B&T had failed before in Dallas. It's a tough game to play, especially in this FCC fine-crazy environment, and with other players like Mancow and Rover out there in the mix (plus the likes of Carolla, Kevin & Bean, etc. on the west coast.) Plus some PDs/OMs/GMs actually want local shows, and there are entire companies that dabble very little, if at all, into syndicated morning shows (think Cox on that one.)

LouPickney.com