Big rumors on twitter this week about a potential format flip at Greater Media’s 105.1 to sports featuring Drew and Mike.  While I have no direct knowledge of anything going on at Greater Media, I’m not buying it, at all….

I think a flip to sports would be a smart play over the long term, but I don’t see Greater Media pulling the strings on this move for a number of reasons.

1.  Flipping from “Adult Contemporary” music to sports takes GM off the radar with media buyers who purchase media time for female demographics.  Right now, 105.1 gets ad dollars fto reach the female demos with 105.1 and money for the male demos with WRIF and WCSX.  It doesn’t make sense to flip to sports when you are already in good shape in the male demographics.

2. If Drew and Mike were too expensive for WRIF, they are definitely too expensive for a format that will lose money for a while.  When you start a sports station, you can’t afford to dole out HUGE dollars at the beginning, it is a slow build as the station attracts ratings and listeners.  Drew and Mike would have to work for significantly less to make this move.  They are potentially more viable on an established music station.

3.  I think Greater Media is out of the “Drew and Mike” business, otherwise they would have attempted to segue the show to a much more viable WCSX.  It appears they aren’t interested in having Drew and Mike on their team, odd yes, but not entirely unprecedented.

4.  I don’t think GM is ready to invest in a new format right now, they have their hands full fixing the WRIF Morning show and getting WCSX back on track.  It would take a large investment to launch a sports station and they don’t currently have any sports programming talent in the building to oversee a new sports station.

At some point Drew and/or Mike will reappear, but I’m guessing it will be on an established music station that is looking for traction in Morning Drive.  My guess is that it’s on a re-branded 93.1, but I’m not sure Cumulus can spend the money to bring in an established show.

 

 

The firestorm over a radio bit on 790 The Zone in Atlanta has cost 3 Radio Talk Show Host’s their jobs.

Here is the bit:

I’m not even going to try to defend this bit, I don’t know how anybody could defend it.  What I will try to do is explain how this might have happened.

This is a clear case of ignorance, combined with an overzealous need for a cheap laugh.  Sadly, the guys on the show didn’t understand their audience.  This joke may have gone over with a tight group of friend trying to “shock” or “play the dozens” with each other over beers with their crassness, but it certainly isn’t something  you even discuss putting on your show.  Don’t get pious on me either and save the self-righteous BS, WE HAVE ALL made tasteless, crass jokes in the company of our trusted friends.   I can’t explain why, but we do this all the time.  Where do you think “yo momma” jokes came from all those years ago?

Believe me, I’m not one to talk, I’ve had my share of “issues” with my on-air comments, but nobody feels worse than the three Host’s who made the comments.  Sometimes when you are in the middle of the battle you can’t see the forest through the trees, some people lose perspective when they are sitting in the hot seat.

How anybody could lose perspective regarding ALS is beyond me, this was a pre-planned bit not some off the cuff remark.  Why didn’t somebody, anybody stop this bit before it hit the air?  I know all three of the guys who were fired and not one has ever been accused of being this careless on the air, they have never been an overly edgy show.  The whole situation is just unbelievable.

I hate that they got fired, but it likely had to be done.

 

 

 

 

First hand holding and Josh Grobin, NOW Rich Rod has made a promotional video for Arizona football featuring him as an old west Sheriff.  Couldn’t be any more embarrassing.  Why?

For those of you I got to know in Dallas, there is a great blog battle going on in Dallas Radio between Gregg Williams “Greggo” and his former on-air partner on 105.3 The Fan, Richie Whitt.

The show was fired in April, partly due to lack of performance, but it was ultimately William’s off air issues that doomed “RAGE.”  Williams has had personal issues for years that led to his termination from “The Hard Line” on 1310 The Ticket in Dallas as well as an ill fated stint at ESPN.

When Gregg came to 105.3 The Fan, I was Hosting the morning show with Jagger and it was obvious from the beginning that something wasn’t right with Gregg.  He was a liar, he missed a lot of work and he was the consummate bullshit artist.  I never believed a word he said.  I use to tell my wife some of his stories and we would just shake our heads that he actually believed the garbage he spewed.

I’m pretty sure I drove him to pick up drugs once, but I can’t be sure.  One night after the Rangers won the AL West Title, we all went to the studio for an impromptu show to celebrate with the audience.  When it was over, Gregg asked me for a ride home, but first he needed to stop at a friends house to “let their dogs out,” yea right, that was the shortest piss break the “dog” had ever seen.   Not to mention Gregg was nervous and insisted that I wait for him in the car. LOL, he must have thought I was an idiot and wouldn’t know what he was up too.  I told Richie about it and to his credit he was concerned and understood that Greggo was having issues again.

Either way, today Richie Whitt launched a new blog and just hammered “The Hammer” for his lying and drug use!  Check it out here and watch Gregg’s online show today for a response. I’m sure Greggo will do the usually, fall on the sword and ask for your forgivness, it’s an old bit.

If you are a radio fan, grab some popcorn, this is going to get really good!

 

Miss Utah Marissa Powell had a rough time getting through the question and answer section of Sunday night’s Miss USA pageant.

Judge NeNe Leakes asked he 21-year-old Salt Lake City native about income inequality: “A recent report shows that in 40 percent of American families with children, women are the primary earners, yet they continue to earn less than men. What does it say about society?”

 

This is still the greatest pageant answer of all time, such as….