Thursday, June 7, 2012

June 7, 2012

7:58 a.m. --  A Confessor sends along this link regarding anti-Cumulus anger in San Fran, and a possible rally against management in support of another popular station Cumulus is said to have screwed, KFOG.  Here is a link to a very short reference: 

http://richliebermanreport.blogspot.com/2012/06/breaking-listeners-revolt-against.html

I agree with the commenter to that blog who said that it won't help, and I can't imagine the P1 bestirring itself to do anything similar here.  I do agree with the commenter who said that until the advertisers start leaving, nothing will happen.

8:00 a.m. -- This morning Rich Phillips took over Gordon's Muse/News duties.  He was grumbling about this and stated that "The P1's hate me." 

Is that true?  This site is not the Voice of the P1, but I am actually a fairly stout Rich Phillips fan, after some initial misgivings.  His Tickers are crisp, I like him as a host with Donovan and a Sturm sidekick during Cowboy season.  He's got an acerbic sense of humor, but at least he's got one.  His skills make Race Week listenable for me, who cares nothing about NASCAR.  And he's an absolutely first-rate play-by-play guy for the 'Stangs. 

8:06 a.m. -- Can we get a detailed report on the technical problems yesterday on The Hardline, and Mike's reaction?

8:07 p.m. -- Some miscreant from Ankara, Turkey, just attempted to access this site's gmail account.

47 comments:

  1. That article about the Cumulus protest is interesting in the sense that there's not a complete sentence in the entire thing. Speaks in fragments. Hard to read. Confused and annoyed.

    As for Rich, I don't hate him, but I'm glad he's not forced on us in high doses. For short bursts, he's not bad at all.

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  2. I actually enjoy Rich most of the time (as long as it's not Welcometoraceweek). I don't know why he thinks the P1s hate him.

    Is everyone else having fun with the stream this morning? Still can't find them on iheart so I am using Tunein and towards the end of each segment, they start playing spots over the hosts. Then during the real break, I get spots on top of spots. Makes for a really relaxing and enjoyable listedn.

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  3. JR just mentioned specifically about the spots being played over the hosts. He also tried to tell us to use iheart and George told him to hold off on that. :) It'd be funny if it wasn't so sad.

    Just tried to read that Cumulus protest article. Birq is right. How and why would someone post something that might as well be in 133t speak it is so incoherent.

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  4. Sorta makes you appreciate the pellucid blog prose of certain other local media observers, doesn't it?

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    Replies
    1. I'd much more appreciate it if said media observers stopped trying to type how mike rhyner talks.

      Delete
  5. This link works for listening via a web browser currently: http://player.streamtheworld.com/liveplayer.php?callsign=KTCKAM but it doesnt' solve the spots-on-top-of-stuff problem.

    I like Rich, except the occasions he is exceptionally bitter and angry. That's rare, so I like him most of the time.

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  6. I don't mind Dick Hicks at all. As far as the streaming and station technical issues go it's just becoming comical. I feel for all the guys up there.

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  7. The Hardline had to broadcast from their phones again during WTDS. That was the only thing that was really bad. Someone mentioned they had problems when Brandon Carr was on, but I only noticed a bit of interference perhaps. Nothing major.

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  8. Capatin Augustus McCraeJune 7, 2012 at 12:08 PM

    BACKGROUND MUSIC CAPABILITY DID NOT EXIST FOR SEGMENTS SUCH AS COMMUNITY QUICK HITS OR E NEWS STOP

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  9. @Captain, is there some sort of background to that telegram bit? Pardon my ignorance, but I just don't get it.

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  10. Captain Woodrow F. CallJune 7, 2012 at 12:15 PM

    NO JUST YOUR FRIENDLY TIME TRAVELING DISPLACED TICKET MELTDOWN CORRESPONDENTS OUT OF THE HAT CREEK CATTLE CO STOP

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  11. Thanks, Anonymous...I'm in Houston and been trying to figure out the workaround for the stream!

    I'm back in business!

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  12. I don't mind Rich Phillips. In fact, I'm a little unnerved when I turn on the radio at 5:30 and another voice is delivering the Mother of All Tickers. I think "P-1 hate" is just an on-air personna thing.

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  13. As a D&M P1, I don't have an issue with Rich Phillips. I did get to meet Gordon Keith for the first time, at their remote in Cedar Hill yesterday. Great thrill for me. Even though he was sick, he still took time to talk to me and engage me. All 3 of them are great guys.

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  14. The telegram bit is between Dan and Mike during WTDS. It's his response when Dan asks if he can hear him.

    Stream update: MadiaU no longer works, TuneIn works but sounds HORRIBLE. Nothing yet on iHeart.

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  15. MediaU I meant...no edit option on here:(

    The TuneIn stream sounds like an AM tuner off frequency. It's nails on a chalkboard annoying.

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  16. Last Anomymous:

    www.grubesismyleader.com

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  17. For TuneIn, there are now 4 choices available. WMA 32 and 48 kb/s, and mp3 32 and 48 kb/s. make sure you're connecting to the highest quality available.

    It sounds great for me on 48 kb/s WMA.

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  18. Yeah, I've seen your stock answer before, Plainsman. Not interested in that crap. At least your site has good content, even though I have to fight through your ridiculous mike rhyner wanna-be writing style to get to it.

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  19. So then why keep bitching about it? You know the adage: The definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and yet expect a different result. Do you honestly think Plainsman is going to alter his writing style for you? Are you that self-important?

    Just enjoy the blog or as Norm would say: "Get the Hell off the air-waves!" Because no one is interested in crap, Grumpy Anon/Ticket Employee/etc.. Yeah, we all know it's you, troll.

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    Replies
    1. @anon 6:33 am

      Calm down buddy. Its the first time ive ever commented it. The world is bigger than you realize and the plainsman has more readers than you give him credit for I think.

      Delete
  20. Should have read:

    Because no one is interested in YOUR crap, Grumpy Anon/Ticket Employee/etc.. Yeah, we all know it's you, troll.

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  21. I'm being notified of comments on my gmail account that are not showing up here. May have something to do with Gmail's notification that someone tried to access my email account and my subsequent change of password. Not sure why that would cause comments not to appear, but in any case, something peculiar is going on with this account.

    I have not deleted any comments. Please feel free to re-comment. I apologize for any inconvenience.

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  22. I don't think it's possible to write like Mike R talks.

    But in any event, he seems to do pretty well with it.

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  23. @Shaggy. Thanks. I checked and that's enabled. I don't find a way to manually select. Doubt there is one. Same for me this morning it's showing it's a 32k mp3 stream. It sounds like everyone is slobbering their s's. It's bad. Website stream sounds excellent.

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  24. for me on my iphone, when I go to My Presets, I see The Ticket there. If I touch the Ticket logo and swipe left-to-right, it shows 4 blue ovals with different formats and bitrates. When I touch the oval I want, it selects that as my stream of choice.

    btw, I'm now seeing a 48 kb/s aac stream now too.

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  25. are you on Sprint? Blame them

    http://community.sprint.com/baw/thread/90955?start=0&tstart=0

    http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1688658

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  26. Maybe it's just me, but I still can't see KTCK in iHeartRadio. I even removed it and reinstalled it. Not that I'm dying without it, but the stream no longer works in FStream.

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  27. They're definitely not on iheartradio yet. FStream probably doesn't work because the URL of the stream has changed. I don't think the new URL works with FStream now though.

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  28. Alright, MTC is definitely on the hosts' radar. Just now, Dan speaking about Le Bron, said "this is my Ticket confession" in that wink and nod way that only Dan and Mike R can do. Whatever is being said here by both Plainsman and his commenters is being read by the hosts. And I'll bet same goes with some CTOs (especially Cat, if you count him as a CTO). Of course this means that what's being said here must come close to home on more occasions than not. Else they wouldn't waste their time. I never hear other blogs referenced to on the station.

    Cool stuff, indeed.

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  29. I missed it live so I kind of doubted that what Dan said would have indicated what you said it did. However, I re-listened and I believe you're absolutely right. Here's what he said:

    "I gotta say this...I've gotta make a confession...my ticket confession..."

    there definitely was a hint of an audible smirk after he restated as "my ticket confession".

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    Replies
    1. I honestly think they think this sites kind of a joke, because any time theyve mentioned it, its always accompanied by snark. Doesnt matter what they think though, and im sure they know it can only help their ratings, so they probably appreciate its presence despite not taking it very seriously. Just my honest opinion from what I hear them say. I mean, theyd never mention it at all if they didnt respect it on SOME level.

      Delete
  30. Yeah, there's no way that it wasn't a reference to this blog. LIke you said, Shags, it's the way he put it.

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  31. TINY BOB TALKS RELIGION STOP

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  32. Richie referenced Danny's prediction in this week's Whitt's End. Copy is below.




    *Buddy told me that me last week some wiseacre named Danny on 1310 AM The Ticket predicted that 105.3 The Fan would be off the air within 8 months. I’ll take that bet. He’s probably the same guy who predicted the Fan would never see its 1st birthday. Or its 2nd. Or 3rd. We turn 4 in December. We’ll have a party. He won’t be invited.

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  33. I swear, Whitt just keeps on asking and asking for it. When The Fail finally does go kaput, the line to dance on the grave of his career will be miles long.

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  34. Funny. Even RW's "buddies" listen to The Ticket rather than his show on The FAIL. Danny said that during RaGE's watch.

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  35. Thanks Shaggy. That worked and I had no clue about that option. Cool!

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  36. There's another way to choose your stream. Touch the little bullet-point icon thingy to the right of the envelope, then "choose stream" and you'll see every available option along with reliability.

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  37. That's cool. On mine(Droid) you have to swipe the "Related" tab to the right of the Hardline pic then related/twitter/presets then when you get to options it's there.

    Thanks

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  38. I saw gary the other night.

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  39. This site actually serves multiple purposes for the KTCK personnel from what I've heard over time:

    - For the up-and-coming guys, they use it for feedback to see how they're doing and how the P1s receive them. Despite the increase in traffic that the Plainsman references, the comments here have remained fairly civil.

    - Some daytime hosts read it from time to time - Dan's certainly one as I believe he's referenced this site before, and Mike Rhyner has as well. It's a good chuckle for them, and I'm fairly certain Rhynes had a good laugh at the commentary following his drunken allusion to his impending retirement.

    - I have a sneaking suspicion that some higher-level suits read the posts and some of the comments on this site as well, but I don't think they take it too seriously as we do like to engage in wild-assed speculation every now and then.

    - I know all current KTCK board-ops read this site as well, but I think it's mostly for interest sake.

    - My personal conspiracy theory is that a few "insiders" also like posting anonymously here from time to time, sometimes to stir the pot, sometimes to send us on wild goose chases, and sometimes to just plain call us idiots.

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    Replies
    1. Id agree with some of that ap. Most of the younger guys like jake and tc have been ticket fans much longer than employees, so itd make perfect sense for them to read this site and participate. But thats completely different than mike ore dan. Im sure theyve skimmed it a few times, but come on, dan barely follows sports, I doubt hes really going thru the trouble to peruse this blog. Mike doesnt strike me as a "blog" reading person. I wouldnt be surprised if everything they know about this site is based off of emails they receive

      Delete
  40. Con't.. I agree with everything else though

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  41. I work at the ticket and i visit the site once a week. Mainly because it's interesting to hear all the cray things that are discussed. However the conspiracy stuff is a bit weird.

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  42. I don't buy that Dan doesn't follow sports. It's a bit. Of course he does. It's the biggest part of his job. I think ap probably has the best idea of how the station views the site. Mike certainly strikes me as someone who reads blogs...and just about everything that pertains to The Ticket and especially himself. Far too many times since Greggo Gate he's issued cryptic little quips that only could've come from reading comboxes on this site, the Observer (back when Whitt had his column), and a few others (Grubes is My Leader, I doubt--no offense). Mike is what I like to call a "don't look at me, LOOK AT ME guy." Though he won't admit it to anyone, he digs his celebrity (probably more than he'd care to admit to himself), but he doesn't wan't you to know it. I'd bet anything that the man reads this site regularly.

    The interesting thing is, is that prior to Greggo Gate, there really wasn't anything to speculate about. The hosts were candid about the backstage manoueverings almost to a fault (nothing, and I mean NOTHING was spared where Rocco was concerned). Hell, I remember when Corby first became the HL yuck monkey I e-mailed Greggo and Rhyner (he was still alive back then) to say that I was concerned with the amount of show time that Corby was taking up (it increased rapidly). From Rhyner I received a reply that basically said "I understand, and we are trying to find the right balance." From Greggo: "Me and Rhyner talk about this a lot, and it is something we worry about." Pretty f'n candid stuff, if you ask me. Now I doubt we'd get anything like that today. Since GGate, there's been a muting of the once touted greatness of disclosure (among the hosts and between the station and the listener). I suspect that since that time, nearly everything station related is lawyered up and now full of repercussions that take on a more serious flavor. No matter, it really hasn't been the same station. From Rhynes' "We don't owe the listener anything" to Tech Gate, everything is secretive, semi-secretive, or alluded to under barely heard utterances. Not the same old station it used to be, for sure.

    Also, I think many of the comments that some think are from insiders/employees are either fraudulent (especially when they claim to be an employee or insider) or from fans of the station who have coherent, well thought out analyses. (Unlike this one!) I believe that the actual employees who do comment leave their names. A la Big Strong, Jake, Grubes, and others.

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  43. I agree that dan plays up the bit about how he doesn't follow sports, but I genuinely find his sports opinions to be really deficient at times, or frankly uneducated. So I do believe the bit has some basis in reality.

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