Tag: "Ike reese"

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

On Any Given Monday.  In a PPM world, holidays such as Labor Day cannot be considered a programming throw away.  In a special feature story written by associate editor Alan Linder, published yesterday, radio execs tell TALKERS that although star hosts are still usually given time off for three and four day weekends, holidays must receive the same level of programming attention as regular weekdays.  This is generally accomplished by upgrading the production value invested in creating “best-of” shows or, in the case of stations using the “live-and-local” element as a signature asset, being sure that the station’s talent bench of fill-in hosts is up to the task of keeping the audience satisfied.  No longer are “best-of” shows just “okay” recent shows kept in the can for repeats on holidays.  They are special montages of outstanding elements culled from a variety of shows supplemented by previously unheard features and interviews prerecorded especially for such occasions.  For the live-and-local stations, careful thought and care is given to the selection and nurturing of fill-ins.  In today’s competitive talk radio, bench and weekend talent (including the emergence of “super part-timers”) are as important to the line-up as designated hitters and relief pitchers are in baseball.  Then there’s the dedicated syndicated morning star who loves what he does so much that he never misses a live show regardless of whether it is a holiday.  Read all about it here.

Today Is the First Official Day on FM for WIP, Philadelphia.  The changeover actually began Friday as rock WYSP-FM, Philadelphia played its last song (“Fade to Black” by Metallica) and flipped to a simulcast of sports WIP.  The station is now positioned as “94 SportsRadio WIP.”  The first day of WIP on FM was also the last day of the regular afternoon program for Philadelphia sports talk legend Howard Eskin.  He signed off his regular program after a 25-year career hosting a sports talk show in Philly.  Eskin remains with the station to host Eagles game day programming and will continue to work with WIP on part-time projects while exploring other media options.   The station’s new schedule premiers today with Angelo Cataldi remaining in AM drive, Comcast SportsNet host Michael Barkann joining Eskin’s former partner Ike Reese for the 10:00 am to 1:00 pm show and Anthony Gargano and Glen Macnow in the 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm time slot.  On Friday, Sirius XM’s Howard Stern appeared on WYSP-FM with Spike Eskin (Howard Eskin’s son who stayed on the air with his dad for his last show) to talk about his love for Philadelphia and bid adieu to the rock station.  WYSP-FM was the first station to pick up Stern’s program as it began its move into syndication from New York’s WXRK-FM.  On a side note, Longport Media’s WBSS, Atlantic City, New Jersey will begin simulcasting WIP soon.  Longport Media president David Coskey tells the Press of Atlantic City Philadelphia sports is an important part of his market’s interest so the move makes sense.  By the way, if you haven’t read TALKERS special features correspondent Mike Kinosian’s excellent piece on CBS Radio’s FM sports talk stations, check it out here.

Emmis Communications Receives Delisting Notice.  Emmis CEO Jeff Smulyan was not surprised by the NASDAQ notice that it has until February 27, 2012 to get its stock price above $1 for 10 consecutive business days or be delisted.  The notice came just a day before Emmis closed on the sale of WWWN-FM and WLUP-FM, Chicago and WEMP-FM, New York to Merlin Media for $120 million.  Emmis is using the influx of cash to pay down debt while retaining an interest in the Merlin properties.

WWL-AM/FM, New Orleans Talk Host Garland Robinette Cited in Bribery Probe.  Robinette’s attorney tells the New Orleans Times-Picayune that his client – the WWL-AM/FM “Think Tank” host – has been told he is not a target of the investigation.  But federal authorities have spoken with Robinette numerous times after the investigation showed Robinette received $250,000 from local landfill owner Fred Heebe.  The issue here is Heebe’s campaign to shut down two other competing landfills in the area, theoretically so that his facility could accept more of the post-Katrina waste needing to be dumped.  Robinette enters the picture due to the money he received and his addressing the landfill issue regularly on his radio program in which he stated he believed the two competing landfills were not safe.  Robinette, through his attorney, states the money he received from his friend Heebe was a personal loan that he expects to pay back.  Meanwhile, Heebe allegedly paid $460,000 in bribes to a former state official to lobby to close one of the competing landfills.

Atlantic Coast Radio Splits WLOB-AM/FM, Portland Talk Simulcast.  WLOB-AM remains news/talk but the FM side picks up the sports programming signal from WPEI-FM and begins simulcasting it.  WLOB-FM is licensed to Topsham, Maine near Brunswick and gives Atlantic Coast coverage for the northern side of the newly expanded metro while WPEI-FM is licensed to Saco, Maine to the south of Portland, thereby covering that side of the market.

Jobs Creation, 2012 GOP Candidates, Post Office Financial Woes and Texas Wildfires Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (9/5).  President Obama’s and Congress’ plans for jobs creation, the 2012 GOP presidential candidates, the looming threat of the USPS shutdown and the wildfires affecting Texas were all among the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday.