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WCRN radio jettisons Hank Stolz for Fox25 simulcast

I understand it's a business, but for WCRN to axe Hank Stolz and their morning drive call-in show in its entirety, with its large contingent of regular, thoughtful, and articulate callers, with a simulcast of TV news demonstrates the station management doesn't understand their AM radio listening audience. If the WCRN radio audience wanted to watch Fox 25 news, they would turn on the TV. Listening to TV simulcast on the radio doesn't jive very well. It's like WBZ simulcasting the CBS Evening News and 60 Minutes, shows designed, edited, and cut for viewing and a lot is missed by a radio audience because the anchors and reporters are reporting the news according to how the video is shown. Even worse, since Cox has taken over Fox 25 from the Fox Network, they have dumbed down their product to the point it is unwatchable in its own right, almost to WHDH levels.

I've been listening to Hank Stolz since he was on 580 WTAG, then followed him to 830 WCRN, where he was paired up with Peter Blute, Sherman Whitman, and most recently Ben White. I have always found him to be a talented and very well prepared host, who does a great job of managing a wide range of individuals who call a morning drive call-in format, and probably one of the most underrated talents in the region.

Yes, 580 WTAG and Boston Herald Radio provide other morning options, (and thanks to the FM translator I can stream the latter in the car from the Herald App), but if I want to tune in to Fox25 news, it won't be on the radio. WCRN already simulcasts Boston Herald Radio from 10am - Noon. If they want to part ways with Stolz and go to a simulcast, why not just go with the Boston Herald Radio programming from 6am through Noon, which would probably serve to retain more existing listeners now fleeing to other stations.
 
I listened in around 9:45 and the Fox 25 News was still on WCRN. Previously Hank’s show ran until 9 and then there were infomercials weekdays at 9.

I listened again around 10:15 and after a commercial block that included a promo for the WCRN Morning News with Hank Stolz (apparently someone forgot to pull it from the rotation), the Financial Focus with Bob Gustafson came on so apparently they moved the infomercials to 10 a.m. and no longer carry Boston Herald Radio.

Their website seems to be down as well, not that it was ever really kept up-to-date.

http://www.wcrnradio.com/
 
The WCRN website is back up. Just as bad as ever. Program schedule is pretty much the same with days/times overlapping, etc. According to their "updated" website, the Fox25 simulcast is on Monday & Friday only from 4 - 10 a.m.

And they have changed their tagline to Full Service Radio. Huh.
 
WFXT must be paying them enough to make it worthwhile. It is hard to believe it would attract many listeners, but perhaps WFXT sees it as an extra benefit for their TV viewers, who may shut off their TV, hop into their car, and listen to WFXT on the way to work...
 
Just looked at their website again. Some of the shows on the program schedule were fixed including the Fox25 news. They have it listed as Monday - Friday now. Boston Herald Radio's simulcast drops back to just an hour from 11 a.m. - Noon. Perhaps someone at the station is lurking on these boards. :)

I listened to a couple of the afternoon newscasts. No mention in the traffic reports about 290 in Worcester which was pretty much a parking lot as far as the eye could see. Maybe their pulling a WAAF. First leave their downtown Worcester studios for Westboro and then shifting the focus to Boston before moving the city of license as well.

They told Hank Stolz when they let him go that were heading in a different direction. Hank is firmly entrenched as a Worcester guy from his days on WTAG to his time at WCRN. If they are planning a Boston "move" they would definitely want to part ways with him. :(
 
Wimmmex said:
My guess is WFXT is getting this for free.
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Do they have the chance to sell a few local ads? If not, and if WFXT is not paying, then they might as well look for brokered time or infomercials, since there is not much added value in the WFXT news audio.
 
They're running quite a few local ads during the Fox 25 simulcast.

On another note, I was listening to the last 15 minutes of WCRNs local show this morning. All of the callers were expressing their dismay at the change.

One of the callers told the hosts they better watch their backs because he heard station management was going to replace the show with a simulcast of the Saturday morning cartoons. :)
 
what other "on air" talent does CRN employ (excluding the paid infomercials) ? Could it be Stoltz was the highest-paid employee there?

Stupid move, if you ask me. Sounds like the station is desperate to cut costs.
 
From a look at the web site, it doesn't appear they have any paid "on air" talent. Everything looks like it is purchased air time.
 
DavidZ said:
This leaves Worcester with only one local talk option in morning drive. I think WCRN made a very poor decision.
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Makes me wonder how long WTAG will continue with a show, now that they don't have that comptetive pressure.

I would think WCRN would be in a better position to continue to produce local shows than debt laden iHeart/WTAG, who are typically always under budget pressures to cut, cut and cut some more

DavidZ said:
I think WCRN made a very poor decision.
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I know this station is owned by the Carter family...who is acting as the GM there? Who made this decision?
 
WTAG already gets 2 for the price of one. iHeartMedia simulcasts the Jim Polito show on both WTAG and WHYN in Springfield. I think they'll always be local in AM drive.

As for afternoon drive, I can see them possibly going with a nationally syndicated show when former mayor Jordan Levy retires or try to take Howie Carr's show from WCRN. I believe WTAG is the only iHeart radio station in New England with a local show.

As for who made the decision, I'm thinking it was a joint call between owner Kurt Carberry and Chris Thompson. I still think this is tied in with their studio move from DT Worcester to Westborough. Hank was closely identified with Worcester and IMHO, the station is leaving behind their city of license to become more Boston centric. Hence Hank "had to go".
 
DavidZ said:
I still think this is tied in with their studio move from DT Worcester to Westborough. Hank was closely identified with Worcester and IMHO, the station is leaving behind their city of license to become more Boston centric. Hence Hank "had to go".
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I fail to understand how having paid infomercials and syndicated / simulcast programming makes the station more "boston-centric".

Maybe if they axed Hank and replaced him with someone else who adopted a "metro-west" focus rather than a "woostah" focus, I could perhaps agree.

But, after this bonehead move axing Hank, I put WCRN on the same level as WMEX.
 
Maybe the TV simulcast is just being used to blow out Hank's former audience before a new local show debuts. I do agree that they have way too many paid infomercials.
 
MarcB said:
I just noticed the infomercial WCRN airs Noon-1PM The Drew Mortgage Show is now airing on The Talk of Connecticut Noon-1PM as well.
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must be a good time to refinance. did you know "rates are at historic lows" ?
 
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