What A Week- And It Ain’t Over Yet
by Brian Maloney, January 29th, 2009 at 03:16am
All week, I’ve been struggling to keep up with a non-stop news cycle that’s had talk radio making front page headlines. What time I’ve had for this site has sadly been wasted policing the comments section.
Some thoughts:
— This week, Rush Limbaugh has been elevated to a level far above that of a talk show host, as he’s now serving as America’s de facto opposition leader. The medium’s significance has grown with his popularity.
Not happy about that? Then take your complaints to Barack Obama, who picked a fight with El Rushbo, or to the GOP, where real leadership is in short supply these days.
Pity the major-market talk station that doesn’t carry his program; it’s about to break through new ratings barriers for this still-growing format.
— How can a company that no longer seems to employ more than a handful of people institute a “wage freeze”? WRKO-WEEI owner Entercom’s move does little more than rearrange the Titanic’s deck chairs. I’d be surprised to see it survive 2009.
— Beyond listener complaints and the low quality of out-of-market programming piped into one of America’s largest news/talk stations, WBZ radio management had another incentive to bring back overnight talk: their own hides. A station running on autopilot doesn’t need much local oversight.
— As an alternative to Entercom’s evil ways, I would love to root for rival Greater Media, which runs WTKK in Boston. But they rarely give me a reason to do so.
The latest: the mess in Charlotte, where their takeover of market leader WBT has been a fiasco. After firing afternoon host Jeff Katz (formerly of WRKO), new ratings show he was up strongly in his final survey period.
Sadly, talk radio remains baffling to Greater Media’s suits, but no one has the guts to admit it.
— Today’s Boston Herald coverage of Deval Patrick’s tax hike binge is fantastic, the image they’ve created for the occasion (shown above) is hilarious.
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44 Comments Add your own
1. Circlet Soft | January 29th, 2009 at 7:08 am
I find that Herald mock-up oddly disturbing and racist, Brian. Puts me in mind of the Muffy Healey spots when she ran against Deval. Can’t put my finger on why, but that’s my visceral reaction. Anyone else get that?
Let’s face it: Rush is an entertainer, nothing more. He leads nothing. Gets mega-ratings, perhaps, but that’s only helpful to sell adverts and push products. I occasionally listen to Rush, and I swear he produces the same spiel time after time. So, if you’re the kind of music person who buys the “Best-of” compilation CDs, then you probably love El Rushbo and hang on his every word.
2. subman47 | January 29th, 2009 at 7:39 am
If Rush is just an entertainer then forget the fairness doctrine and just turn of his radio show. Listen to NPR. Any liberal that comes on the radio or TV I exercise my right of freedom of choice and I turn off the program. I don’t ask that they not be allowed to speak or be banned from TV or radio. Why do liberals need government help to get their point across? Tell the people the truth and let the chips fall where they may. But please don’t p&m if the people don’t swallow the bull.
3. bjd | January 29th, 2009 at 8:03 am
The tax hikes that devil wants will never work. Is he planning a tax stamp on lolly pops and twinkies? Imagine what it’s going to cost to enforce that stupid idea. Troopers will be watching not only fireworks stores, but posted at Circle K’s and Dunkin Doughnuts all along the border.
On a side note, I’ll be taking orders for tax free goods from NH. Delivery available 5 days a week to the North Shore. CASH ONLY! End those pesky munchies with TAX FREE goodies from NH.
4. WRKO Staffer | January 29th, 2009 at 8:14 am
Looks like Margery is now speaking out against these tax increases. I wonder why she continues to make the Jim and Margery “Ask the Governor” segment a big softball game? Also, no one will forget Margery’s behavior on the air this summer and early fall. Sorry Margery, there is no turning back no matter how hard you try. Many of your listeners (and readers…of your god awful column) can’t stand you now. You have a long road before anyone remotely trusts anything you say or write again (remember your recent fawning over Caroline?).
5. Larry | January 29th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Marge’s tranformation may have more to do with Rush’s increasing influence in exposing the folly and deceit of the new regime. Even Jim seems to have turned on the enlightened social engineers now in power in Mass and Washington. This is all window dressing as most of their content is still discussing off beat wacko news… The hillbillies that call LeVeille’s show must be thrilled. I wonder if the pompous Steve will try to make the show any better than it was?
6. Circlet Soft | January 29th, 2009 at 9:15 am
Good one, Staffer.
I believe Margery reads everything blogged about her religiously. And, as you said, she’s notoriously thin-skinned. Couple that with being self-conscious about having turned 60 and rocketing down the “hotness” scale - well, that makes for one “rabbit-eared” media personality.
Has anyone figured out my new handle yet?
7. Circlet Soft | January 29th, 2009 at 9:15 am
P.S. Glad you are still among the living, Staffer!!!
8. Mr. Pragmatic | January 29th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Actually, I kind of like the social engineering aspect of this - we have an obese society - why not create a disincentive to sugar and alcohol?
I also think it was a mistake to take the pregnancy prevention money out of the stimulus bill (it clearly has great long term benefit to the economy in a number of ways), but my guess is that Barack left it in so he could pull it out as a “giveback” (though he has not succeeded in bringing over any Republicans anyway) and that program will eventually come around again.
In this economy, failure is generally the safer bet, but having said that, I still think Obama has an endgame in mind with the Limbaugh provocation, and given the campaigns he’s run against Clinton and McCain, I wouldn’t underestimate him here.
9. raccoonradio | January 29th, 2009 at 10:23 am
For racist how about the Boston Phoenix’s Take Back Barack blog which shows a huge -white- hand grabbing a Barack doll forcibly? btw: Thanks to WRKO’s inefficiency, Howie has no intern to help (other than his daughter Carolyn whom he ‘pays’ $2.50 an hour) so we are STILL waiting for the Death Pool (because they need another person in there to take down the phone numbers). And since Happy is gone, you don’t hear all the cool sound effects. Though you WILL hear those sound effects over at the “better place” where Happy has landed: Michelle McPhee’s show on WTKK (just last night the “coughing, wheezing” sound bit was played, and Michelle has said several times Happy is her producer.
10. Circlet Soft | January 29th, 2009 at 10:42 am
Wow. Michele McPhee has Happy now? Plus, she had David Andelman in studio last night.
Brian, what gives with WTKK force-feeding us the Andelman brothers on every stinkin’ show?!
11. Brian Maloney | January 29th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Circlet, Pay-To-Play?
That would explain it.
12. Mr. Pragmatic | January 29th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Circlet:
Anagram for Mongo?
13. Pat Lucci | January 29th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
TKK is jamming the Andelman boys down our throats because, in all probability, they are buying their Saturday air time and selling spots on their own. I really can’t stand the one with the cheese ball Cambridge School of Broadcasting fake Ron Radio voice, but they are apparently doing well with the same formula on radio and TV so you have to respect that.
Circlet,
Margery is 54 not 60. 60 feet however is the circumference of Braude’s ego.
14. raccoonradio | January 29th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
What was really embarrassing for Howie was the day when Chuck Turner did a press conference and his fly was down–a fact noted by Howie’s former sidekick V.B. on the Fox 25
Morning News– and Howie said they invited V.B. to
call in and talk about it, but he didn’t. However,
VB did call in to McPhee’s show (apparently McPhee is a semi-regular on that show). So much for respect for the guy who launched your
career!
So I think Carolyn Carr is doing phone screening while Sandy runs the board and Sandy had trouble finding some sound cuts, etc. Apparently the 15 yr old Ms. Carr isn’t quite ready to handle taking down all the names and phone numbers for the death pool, according to her dad. Some HC regulars actually e-mailed to volunteer their services to help with the death pool. Howie did say they were trying to get someone to help.
The show supposedly was tied for first place in its slot in 25-54s recently. They couldn’t ‘borrow’ someone from WEEI just down the hall (intern, etc.) for 45 minutes or so to do the death pool?
15. raccoonradio | January 29th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
The Charlotte Observer says one conservative station in town, WDYT, actually shut down due to lack of advertising. It may re-emerge but with a new format. I could see an Air America station failing this way (WDYT was 21st in the market)
but not conservative talk..? Now imagine the day when a Fairness Doctrine forces the likes of
Randi Rhodes and Ed Schulz onto WRKO or WTKK…
how that’s gonna help THEM?
16. the real Barbara | January 29th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
There are no words for that pic of obama lite….
17. BostonVernon | January 29th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Barb - In the words of Mark Parento “bite me” coes to mind;)
18. BostonVernon | January 29th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
comes
19. RosannaDanna | January 29th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
If the Andelmans are paying (which does seem likely), it explains why the 3 laughing hyenas are on the air. One of the worst shows on radio from a long list. I couldn’t understand why they were on. Pay to play didn’t occur to me. Plus, Brian, I’ve heard them give little digs to you. It’s just their insecurity showing, I guess.
20. WRKO Staffer | January 29th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Circlet Soft - Yes, I have a good source who says Margery does read the blog posts of her Herald articles. This person also claims that Margery sometimes gets upset by the posts. Also, she is aware of this site apparently. Although, the person who really reads this site all the time is Jim and their producer (I forget his name). Margery apparently took some of the early posts about her looks and “talent” very harshly. Now this person says that she can handle it a bit better. I personally believe that some of her articles are aimed directly at the Herald bloggers.
Yes, McPhee loves to hang out with the WTKK B-Teamers because she is sort of their leader. Her best Buddy is Joe of the “Joe and Huggy” show (aka Fred Flintstone). She loves big galoot Boston guys like Joe.
21. the real Barbara | January 29th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
BV, good one! LOL!
22. The One Formerly Known As... | January 29th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Nice To See That The Children Have Calmed Down. I Understand Modern Medicine Has Helped Out Here Before. Would Love To Hear/See More News On BZ Etc,Howies Many Loves Etc. Hey Why Not Try Putting Out A News Site/Blog About New Enlgand Radio. Silly Me, You Would Not Have Time What With All The Catty Comments About Wrinkly Ink Stained Wenches
23. piratetoby | January 29th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
WRKO Staffer, You appear to have the “good sources” on Margery and Jim. If I remember correctly, it was you who asked if Margery was “boffing” Jim. Maybe “this person” can answer for you. And if the answer is “yes”, it will explain why she giggles like a 16 year old in heat whenever he says anything even the slightest bit provovative. If the answer is “no”, then there’s no explanation.
24. Cap'n Spackle | January 29th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
Yeah, come on Brian. Can’t you put up a post criticizing Deval (Obama version 0.9) without using a picture of a black guy?
Cadillac’s just taking a page out of the Messiah’s playbook. B.Hussein.O the M.N. thinks that imposing onerous emissions standards on car companies already struggling to stay alive makes sense.
25. piratetoby | January 29th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
I neglected to formerly introduce myself. I have been listening to radio since ‘BCN went from Classical to Rock, when Laquidara first played “Pepper’s Powwow” by Jim Pepper, Maxanne was the coolest female on radio (actually, she was the only female DJ!) and the news was read by the “News Dissector”, Danny Schechter. Prior to that, it was Dale Dorman on WRKO.
Yes, I’m old.
My handle “piratetoby” goes back to the days of underground radio, or “pirate” and “toby” is from a current movie, “Juno”. One of the lyrics to a song in the movie is, “I never met a Toby I didn’t like”.
26. Cap'n Spackle | January 29th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Dude: http://bigmattress.com/audio/WitchiTaiTo.ra
I remember when one version of the song was a big enough hit to be played on “The Big 68″.
27. ChrisNH | January 30th, 2009 at 4:22 am
The synchronized mauling of the M.N. by conservative commentators in the media is richly deserved and so good to see! It is nice being the pit bull instead of the mailman, and I relish the change in roles! But the brilliance in it all is making the M.N.’s first 100 days miserable and making sure that ’spending masked as stimulus’ isn’t allowed to go unchallenged. Wooing Republicans in the House and then being pissed on by them probably caused the M.N. to smoke two packs of Kools rather than one…a trend we can only hope continues. ‘Hoisted by your own petard’ can take many different forms. Bravo! Onward!
28. Circlet Soft | January 30th, 2009 at 5:59 am
No Finneran this morning. The guy has more vaca than anyone not named Jimmy Severino III.
29. Celtic Frost | January 30th, 2009 at 7:46 am
What, my man Barry is black so he has to smoke Kools? Tsk, tsk, chummer Chris — that is rube-ish, even for you. Plus, we all know that Barack only has the occasional butt (not a pack a day), kinda like Margery Eagan.
BTW, I applaud you on your 4:22am post time!
And how’s that Jeanne Shaheen working out for you instead of “Junior” in the US Senate, BTW?! Why, I remember when NH was a true red state. Now, it’s pretty much an extension of MA, but with more hunters (and a much smaller state budget).
30. Circlet Soft | January 30th, 2009 at 7:47 am
Oops, my bad — that last post should have been Circlet Soft - not Celtic Frost.
31. Circlet Soft | January 30th, 2009 at 7:53 am
Oh, and Bri-guy, you just can’t let this Peter Blute / MassPort ad story slide without commenting. You, too, Staffer and Pat Lucci… so ironic.
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/2009_01_30_Peter_Blute__Massport_clear_air:_Ex-congressman_promoting_Worcester_airport_on_radio_show/srvc=home&position=4
32. the real Barbara | January 30th, 2009 at 8:30 am
Anyone want to tell me why rko is still using reese’s spot for the MWRA?
33. Circlet Soft | January 30th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Hello? Is this thing on?
34. Christopher Van Veen | January 30th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Ahhhh…the chum continues to work. What fun it is to lob volleys that draw responses. The ‘100-Day Plan’ is in full swing. The 2-packs-per day plus the sheer terror of knowing that he’s failing will cause The One to go VERY prematurely gray. That will be fun to see!
35. Jim | January 30th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Hey, sincere question: Is Howie Carr’s producer like 14 years old??
36. raccoonradio | January 30th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
His producer, Sandy, isn’t but his call screener is–well, close: Howie’s
daughter Carolyn who just turned 15. He pays her $10 for a 4 hour shift. Today allegedly intern
“Horshack” is due to drop by, if he doesn’t forget again, to do the death pool (4 pm hour)
37. Circlet Soft | January 30th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Staffer, you okay, man — I am worried you got into some kinds scrape or jam?
38. Jim | January 30th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Raccoon, thanks. I spoke with her last week and I really thought I was talking to a 14-year old. Well, you confirm–I was right on the money. Rather unusual. Not what I expected when I called in.
39. piratetoby | January 30th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Dude: If we are both old enough to remember that version of Wichi Tai To, then we’re way too old to call each other “dude”, Dude.
Anyway thanks for the link. The recording is poor, but still gives me goose bumps. Just happens to be one of those songs that really did it for me, and still does. And it was one of the last 3 songs Laquidara played before he “signed off” 10+ years ago.
Sorry everyone for going all nostalgic on your asses. Got a little carried away.
40. WRKO Staffer | January 30th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Circlet Soft - I’m ok…just gearing myself up for the big “Joe and Huggy” show for tomorrow. I know people are excited.
41. medford jim | January 31st, 2009 at 3:22 am
easy solution. exit 1 salem, nh. tax-free shopping.
42. raccoonradio | February 1st, 2009 at 11:29 pm
>>. Well, you confirm–I was right on the money
yup and he says right on the air he’s paying her $2.50 an hour for four hours every day.
43. ChrisNH | February 3rd, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Practically every single person that Oh-bomba has picked for his cabinet is a TAX CHEAT! This, from the party that says it’s our ‘patriotic duty’ to pay taxes…and then more of them. The 100-Day War is ON!…the war to make Oh-Bomba’s first 100 days an utter DISASTER. I say things are working out splendidly for those who relish attacking The One.
44. Stophate | February 28th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Jeff Katz was fired from WBT because he a racist, bigoted homophobe . He was poison to the advertisers because he offended so many different segments of the population. He also had a bad habit of being rude to even loyal listeners and cutting them off then making fun of them. There is a difference from being a conservative and just being a rude a-hole.
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