BREAKING BREAKING BREAKING: Not a Meh -- SEE UPDATES

Let me stress that none of my industry-rumble sources have told me anything definite, no names, no details on the announcement, but they are saying that what is likely to go down on The Norm Hitzges Show today is not going to be your typical "big station announcement" that turns out to be someone getting his headphones repaired or the first ever Guy's Night Out in Forney or something like that.

I have heard Greg "the Hammer" "Greggo" Williams mentioned, but NOT, repeat NOT, as a guy who is coming back to The Ticket.   But perhaps to suggest that this may be .  .  .  a co-host-related announcement.

Which we can all guess about and some of you already have.

Let's just say that formal Monday-through-Friday hosting changes don't happen very often, so if you're a Ticket history guy, today might be a day to tune in to Norm.

In the alternative, they may be announcing that George Dunham has finally learned how to pronounce Norm's name.

And, of course -- my C.I. may be blowing radioactive steam up my ass.

But I'll be tuning in.

With ass firmly held on to.

UPDATE:  Junior just reported that Norm would be making the announcement at noon "in conjunction with BaD Radio."  Now that's intriguing.

UPDATE:   Dare we say it?  "NaD."

UPDATE:  Yes, it's "NaD Radio"

Here's the official release:

August 28, 2015

For Immediate Release

Cumulus Media Dallas and The Ticket; Sportsradio 1310 and 96.7 FM announced today that a new show will debut on the station beginning Monday, August 31, 2015 at 10am.

Texas Radio Hall of Famer and long-time Ticket sports talk host Norm Hitzges will be joined by another long time Ticket personality Donovan Lewis, as the two team up as co-hosts of the new show airing weekdays from 10am-12n.

Hitzges and Lewis already have quite a bit of experience working together as the duo has hosted The Ticket’s Cowboys Postgame Show for the past seven seasons. They will continue to co host that program again during this season.

Lewis has been at The Ticket since 2006, the majority of that time as sidekick on the BaD Radio Show with Bob Sturm and Donovan Lewis. He has been with this group of radio stations under various ownership groups since 1993.

Hitzges just celebrated his 40^th anniversary of continuous on air broadcasting in the Dallas Ft Worth market, all in the sports talk format. He has been at The Ticket since 2000.

Sportsradio 1310 & 96.7 FM The Ticket is Dallas Ft Worth’s first all sports radio station, having debuted on air January 24, 1994. It is the current market leader in the format among all male listeners aged 25-54.

 

LIGHTLY BREAKING: Justin and Machine Join Saturday Lineup

I'm way behind the social network curve on this one.  I actually had this tidbit hours ago but was in meetings all day and unable to scoop it, but nevertheless:

"Not a Podcast," starring Justin Montemayor and Mike "The Machine" Marshall will permanently join the Ticket’s Saturday schedule from 10am-12.

I think most Confessors will agree that this has been an excellent pairing.  I'm not a giant Machine pop-on fan, but I have really liked his shows with Justin.  These guys definitely deserve the gig and a chance to hone their on-air skills.

Justin is an interesting case.  Not flashy.  Just likable.  With a dollop of warmth and humor, he'd be a candidate for a Muser-type show, lower-key, salt/earth host type.

Machine's got something going on with his timbre that is hard for Ticket audio technology to digest, but his show-sound is much better than his pop-on sound, and he's got some sportsy chops and some pop-culture stuff happening without the Jake-as-Argumentative-Dylan vibe.

"Machine or Justin, Justin or Machine?  I just can't decide!  I wonder if they have George DiGianni's number."

Something to look forward to on Saturday mornings now after that certain Tee Box.

My Ticket Confession offers hearty congratulations to them both, and to The Ticket for a solid weekend call.

Limited Sample Size

Before I get to a mini-review of today's BaD broadcast, I call to your attention that at least one Ticket on-air personality stops by for a cup of coffee now and then, because he sent me a redhead for your delectation and delight.

Slightly racier than my typical selection, but I thought it was very generous of him, and I thank him for dropping me a line.

*     *     *

My daily chores kept me in the Conestoga during much of BaD Radio today, so I got a good dose.   The lads were coming through loud and clear through the Crosley.

I thought it was very, very good.

Bob seemed relaxed and he made his points crisply and amusingly.  He didn't drone on or qualify every statement with something that sounded like he was trying to avoid committing to his point.  The guy is hard to beat on anything having to do with pro football.  I especially enjoyed his ripostes with Jake on football v. baseball.   I wonder if his co-hosting with Jake -- at least, that's how I interpreted what was going on -- who is pretty well-informed on things sportsy, whether or not you agree with him, sharpened up Bob's game.  All the flab seemed to have been trimmed from his remarks; he was sharp and seemed to be having a good time.

Jake's usually somewhat different viewpoints were expressed in an entertaining way, not smarty-pants or know-it-all.  I understand the point those who find too much Dylan-the-Argumentative-Teen in his presentation, but personally, I don't see it.  I can do without the politics, but I feel the same way about all the hosts on all the shows, so that doesn't distinguish him in a negative way.  I really liked his discussion of Adrian Beltre when they were discussing current fan favorites in Cool Metro.  

T.C.'s Tickers were crisp and error-free, and I can only recall once that he popped on, and even then he may have been invited to do so.  I didn't hear the whole show, but what I heard would never make me think that T.C. was some kind of ratings cancer as some Confessors maintain.

These impressions are not an implied knock on Dan.  I haven't heard big chunks of BaD in quite a long time.  Only saying that I thought the show was a refreshing change for me today, and made me want to try to find more opportunities to drop in again.

As I said, a pretty limited slice of a show that's on for 3.5 hours every day.  Just saying I liked it today.

*     *     *

 I let some comments through last time that, on reflection, I wish I hadn't.  I do a lot of comment review on my Note while on the run, so sometimes I'm not as reflective as I should be.  

Perhaps time to click through to the Rules of the Confessional for a refresher.  Remember, you can have a great comment but if it wraps up with a gratuitous shot, your journalistic efforts may be for naught.  

Thanks to all for your civil conduct on this site.

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The Song of the P1 Yout'

The following item was offered as a comment to the last thread.  I thought it was worth highlighting as a post because it is indeed reaching the point where the successive midday ratings books may well be characterized as illustrating a trend.

It's a little stream-of-unconscious but I think the essential points are hard to miss.  And reflect what we hear from other younger P1s from time to time.

Thanks to Anonymous for his or her thoughts.  They follow the asterisks.

*     *     *

How about those ratings!

No need to worry, Cat "has this," Just ask him. Oh wait, we did.

I'm 23 years old. I can tell you exactly why The Ticket is losing listeners and why The FAN is gaining them. Nothing to do with the Cowboys or Rangers. They've had the Cowboys for several years, and the ratings weren't an issue in the past. The Cowboys being good has nothing to do with it either. They kill in the ratings no matter how they play. Always have, always will.

It's a connection thing with listeners. Thing is, me and my friends listen to both stations. Sorry ESPN, you don't cut it and the ratings show it. Basically it comes down the hosts on The Ticket that are in my demo are too cool and the supposed anchor show is trying to be the too cool younger personalities. It doesn't work, anyway you slice it.

The overwhelming majority of us younger listeners do not listen to or really know about all the hip, cool and only the tastiest of tasteful people music and festivals and have all the right political and social views and all that. The stuff we like is nothing but made fun of and shitted upon. That means we are made fun of and shitted upon. From what I understand, it used to be for everyday dudes by everyday dudes. Now it's Dallas Observer radio. Don't get me wrong, a little hipness is cool. But the guys who I'm supposed to relate to, Jake, Machine, and I guess Sean Bass, are totally cliquish. The Hardline is a joke to most of us. My grandpa and 2 uncles acting like their my age. Are you kidding me? If that's the way Mike, Corby and Danny really are, then holy s, someone kill me when I'm their age if I think I'm still my age now.

Obviously I wasn't around back in the day but from what I hear it was all about connecting with listener. Seems like The Ticket only wants a certain kind of listener. Fact is, there's a lot more of us un cool kids who like all the music and things in life that so many hosts on The Ticket go out of their way to put down, and put down harshly, than there are cool kids. When they do that, they're also putting us down.

Sure Chris Arnold is [unflattering descriptor omitted] who tries way too hard. Sure Gavin and some of the other hosts and board ops and others can be douchey at times. But they never go out of their way to slam everything that doesn't meet their standard of coolness. You want to feel like you belong. Not like you can't get in the club. The FAN is way more inclusive. I admit that it's awfully flawed. Still. I'd rather hang out where I'm not constantly taking it in the nuts for so much of what I think, like and believe. Trust me. I'm not alone. The ratings show it.