A home for those who love almost everything about The Ticket (1310 AM, 96.7 FM, Dallas-Fort Worth), and who would like to discuss -- respectfully and fondly -- their thoughts on how (and whether) to eliminate the "almost."
Well, it seems like things have settled down in these parts, at least as far as Freak commentary is soncerned.
Either Confessors don't much listen to The Freak, or they've said all there is to say.
Assuming The Freak sticks with its "We Say What We Want" nose-thumbing philosophy, I think we've come to this:
The Freak is not a terrible radio station. It's not a very good one, but it's not terrible. It was hugely oversold and mispromoted and mismanaged in its infancy. But it's still talking with its original cast and structure and claimed reason for being. You can listen to it.
If none of this changes, The Freak will remain a pleasant down-list talker -- not failing, exactly (except, perhaps, in comparison with the format it replaced), but not a serious threat to The Ticket. Listenable talk, nice personalities for the most part. Sounding almost guilty when let off the leash to talk some sports. The occasional self-conscious stunt. Not too funny, but not extremely dull, either. Just kind of babysitting that frequency until, inevitably, some suit wonders what's going on in Dallas. Some books up, some books down. But not must-listen radio pretty much ever.
As I've said before, it's kind of a nostalgia act, easy-listenin' chat. Even the names -- Speakeasy, Downbeat -- hearken back to hipster days, not at all freaky.
Not much more to say. We've all given it a listen, some have given it more of a chance than others. You stick with it or you don't. There will no doubt be some backstage drama there we'd all love to know, but all we've got is what comes through the buds. It's OK.
And let me add: I think most (not all) Confessors will join me in saying that they do not wish career failure or even a temporary humiliation on any of the Mikes, Julie Dobbs, Kevin Turner, Jeff Cavanaugh, Krystina Ray, Danny Balis. I'm sure I'm forgetting someone. Heck, I don't wish ill on the over-reviled Ben and Skin. I'm glad that each of those worthies is drawing a paycheck, and I hope they continue to do so. Dallas radio would be less interesting without them.
And there's genuine talent in that crew. But it's really a shame that the station they launched wasn't better thought-out at the outset and helmed by an honest-to-god, strong program director with experience in talk. They're still reeling from that DOA rolling debut.
There aren't a lot of open slots in radio anywhere for talkers, and especially for talkers who don't talk about something specific that listeners can target. I hope each of these individuals can find a home if the Freak fades.
And finally, a reminder: All of the foregoing assumes that the Freak does not remake itself -- which it could do if it swallowed some of its earlygoing hubris -- and continues just sayin' either what it wants or what a sponsor tells it to say.
Disagree. The Freak is terrible, there is no “there” there, no reason for listeners to tune in. It’s not a sports station, it’s not a news station. It tries to be hot talk, but it’s the most lukewarm takes on the stupidest topics. It’s branding should be “all the ticket with none of the sports segments”. Except the days they do a lot of sports segments because they’re desperate for content. They’re the most poorly conceptualized, poorly imaged, poorly run radio station I’ve heard in 30+ years selling radio. The Eagle was billing millions of dollars (8-12) with lower payroll. The Freak billing is down 25-50% (depending on month) Year to year. With much higher payroll costs. It’s unsustainable. They just showed some slight improvement in the ratings. In a month where the Ticket was the number one station in the market 6 plus. Meaning they got ZERO traction from the “improvement”. The on air staff is mentioning programming meetings, memos, etc. they claim we say what we want, but clearly someone’s putting their nose in. I’ve heard what I think are credible rumors as to contract statuses (Mike and Mike multi year deals, everybody else no contracts or short term (90day) easy-out deals, some iheart suit is going to make a decision soon about the cost of paying out those deals, versus regaining the MILLIONS in lost revenue. If ratings don’t turnaround, it’s different by summer. And like George Zimmer, “I guarantee it”. C
C, I think you're misinterpreting my remarks as a rousing defense of The Freak. There's a pretty low bar for a station that continuously broadcasts in the format, and with the personnel, it starts out with, and The Freak gets over that bar. But it's not unlistenable, it's just kinda . . . there, ya know? "Lukewarm takes on stupid topics" can survive in a major metro market, it's happened all over the country for years.
I really think, in fairness, one can't listen to The Freak all day long and -- IF (and only IF) you didn't know anything about the former greatness of some of the personnel or the ridiculous bombast with which they rolled the thing out -- conclude that, as a LISTEN (NOT as a comparo with the Eagle) it's the catastrophe you're portraying.
I’m not sure I understand you here with the double negative. And the Freak has taken mid teen ratings and turned it into mid twenties ratings. That’s a listener catastrophe. They’re not giving people a reason to listen. People tune in for a reason. Sports, politics, news, the music of the (decade). There’s a very small market for “sports talk failures on a station not talking sports”. And it’s a business. They’re bleeding cash with massively increased costs. It’s unsustainable. C
Remember the rumor that the Hangzone was bound for the Freak as soon as contracts expired. Think that's still in play now that there's 6 months worth of Freak tape?
1. If THZ bolts for TF, then Dan and Jake are f'n morons. 2. 1. is not going to happen because neither or f'n morons. 3. If C's info is correct, then the supposition bandied about here since last September that Sirois IS to TF what Rhyner WAS to The Ticket is more on target than not --- perhaps a bullseye, even. 4. If 3. is true on both accounts and when taken into account Sirois' interesting Ticket exit strategy, then that really says something about him. All of this riding on two "ifs," mind you. 5. TF is not a good listen. Not even decent if you pretend TT never existed and this was your first time to encounter any of these hosts. I think the only host with even a smidge of a something in the bag is Cavavaugh, and that's ONLY when talking Cowboys. And I do mean ONLY when talking Cowboys. 6. I don't like having to say 5. because I'm a fan of Danny's and Rhyner used to be my leader. The latter thing ended the moment he said, and I paraphrase, "we owe the P1 nothing." That was one of those moments when someone reflexively pulls down the mask for a moment and reveals their true nature. 7. Pman nails it regarding the show names. Very mid 90s - mid 00s Swingers/Hi Fidelity/Royal Tannenbaum's/Pulp Fiction hipster. 8. While your counter to C might be correct, Pman, you're throwing in a premise that doesn't reflect reality. So as far as this market goes, it doesn't hold. 9. Unless their books improve in a genuinely meaningful way, there will be a full on flushing of the toilet. If C's contract info is solid then you'll see everyone gone but the Mike's, excepting (maybe) Danny because he's a part of the show and I can see Rhyner personally going to bat for him. But by then Rhyner's input will probably mean jack shit. Might already be there, frankly. Barring that meaningful and sustained ratings bump, I'm expecting a serious makeover no later than July.
C, it's just some schmuck being cryptic, alluding to nothing. Actually reads like one of Sirois's old "So Anonymous" one liners. Though I highly doubt it's him. I mean what, exactly, was never in play? In play as in...? Nonsensical bulsh.
I think that comment means the Hang Zone to the Freak was never in play. And why would it have been? 1- non competes. If Danny had a non compete, surely THZ does. Standard non compete language precludes one from taking ANY job within a specified geographic range (that prevents a jock taking a “sales” job at competitor to get paid before their non compete expires). Rhyner had to wait 6 months before he could start his podcast. Are THZ prepared to sit out 6 months without pay? To go to the Freak? 2- longevity- there’s almost zero host change over at the ticket. As long as ratings are good- and overall #1 6 plus is more than good- THZ can keep that show for years and years. THZ just watched the 3rd sports station in town turn gospel. TF can claim to not be a sports station, but when every single on air talent you have comes from a sports station, that’s a weak argument. Does 50-plus McDowell walk away from the security and stability of TT to go to TF. 3-daypart-,sure they could get a promotion to a drive time, but does either want it? Kemp has kids. Sees them in morning, home for dinner, does he want to trade that for either a 3 or 4 am wake up call, or racing home hoping to see his kids before they’re asleep? Maybe, but quality of life is always an issue. 4- salary-ask yourself how much of a bump do you need to walk away from the Ticket at this stage? Bad radio turned down the Fans offer years ago, what do you think has changed to change THZs minds? The Fan was second, how much more cash or years guaranteed would you demand? And is notoriously cheap Iheart willing to offer a multi year guarantee? They supposedly did to Mike and Mike, and so far that’s seen them drop 10 places in the ratings and 5 million projected lost revenue. I’d put money on it that right now someone’s doing the math”if we go back to Rock and get those advertisers back, that revenue is X millions; if we pay off Both mikes, throw some severance penny’s at the others, that’s 1 million. Do we pay a million to make 3-4-5 million more? To quote Petty Theft “oh my my oh hell yes” C
I'm not disagreeing with the various predictions and speculations C and others have advanced.
I am saying that The Freak, quite aside from any comparison with its predecessor, or with The Ticket, is not the POS that some on this site have opined. It's kind of a dull, predictable, talker -- as I have suggested, even somewhat old-fashioned. It may fail for all of the reasons y'all have suggested, but to suggest that it's "terrible" is an exaggeration. In fact, looks like it's picked up a few listeners in the last quarter, if that's what its slight advancement in the ratings means. Some people listen to it and like it. I'm not one of them, but they're out there. Maybe not enough to save them, but I'm not arguing that The Freak is a success. Only, as I said, that until the suits wise up, it will chug along as a "down-list talker."
Like Oakland, there may be no "there" there (Gertrude Stein), as C describes The Freak, but Oakland's still around.
Disagree, Oman. TF is a POS. The face of the station who's on the flagship/anchor show that's in pm drive is LITERALLY ranking numbers and his fingers. Thiis happened and continues to happen. It's not hyperbole. They ran out of things to discuss the moment the non stop circle j ended, which was sometime around the 3rd week of Oct. My word, Julie admitted on the Mom Game pod that she had to ditch her own dedicated segment a mere 2+ weeks in because she couldn't come up w/anything to talk about. Have you actually listened to the banalities coming out of Sirois' mouth? He genuinely has nothing to say other than to make up pseudo boaty mcboatface named segments. I think Danny and Jeff C are the only ones on the station that have a decently formed opinion on anything. The whole thing is a shambles. It's mot your regular old generic talker pablum that plods along for years until someone at corporate pays attention and finds a better option for the frequency. It's crappiness is singular.
Honestly, like what a coupla months and some change in and even Danny has run out of stuff. When you have to invent things to talk about everyday and not have some central topic to base everything around, I mean, that's pretty impossible. I know Rhyner loves the old Stern show and how he did things, but even back then Stern had a focus on hornyness and basically making fun of everyone. The whole show centered around it. The closest thing any Freak show has like this is Ben and Skin doing a several hours long daily infomercial about their brewpub. But no one cares to hear about that. Maybe what they need to be is a music talk station. What I mean is that every host but Krystina comes from a sports background. But Krystina, Rhyner, Danny, Shoopy, and Ben and Skin all also have varying degrees of a musical background. So why not talk mostly music and music related e-news while also spinning tunes, covering the local music scene (all genres), and whatnot? Get Wilonsky onboard. Get that old EDGE dude that did the Ticket music show onboard. Get someone who intimately knows the metal and punk scene. Poach a few KNON/KXT hosts, and all that. To me, that would make sense. Would it make money? That's above my paygrade. But I know that I'd tune in. It could be really cool and even reengage the old Eagle listener base. Because as is none of them have a thing to say of interest at this point. It's gotten so bad that even when there's a major local or national story they can't even clearly articulate their thoughts. It's a weird deal, man.
there's 5 unauthorized bios/tell alls down the road i can't wait to read.
i. He Claims He's the Smartest Man in the Room: The Mark Cuban Story 11. A People's History of The Ticket iii. The Mask of Mike Rhyner iv. The Freak: How Not To Do Radio or A Classic Case of the Inmates Running the Asylum, AKA, The Way in Which Minor Talents and Bit Players were Adversely Affected During the Dark Age of Social Media and Their Corporate Enablers v. Millionaire Mediocrity: The Daryl "Razor" Reaugh Story
The problem about it being a music type station like mentioned, good idea though, is Sirois I’d imagine. Some mention he lead this and he doesn’t have that background.
Okay Pman, if it’s a dull predictable talker, what are they going to talk about tomorrow? You don’t know, because they don’t know, and that is what makes this a terrible station. You’re a chi-town dude, right? WXRT played whatever they wanted. But you had a rough idea of what they were going to play. They’d throw you for a loop by mixing in some jazz, or blues, or reggae, and plenty of adult alternative, but you knew it was quality music picked by experts. Contrast that with the freak. They literally had Rhyner ranking the numbers 0-9 in a top 10 list. There’s zero quality involved in any of their segments. They’re talking to fill time, with zero strategic thought given as to topics, placement, etc. Yes, if you knew and liked these people from previous jobs you might like it. But they have no overarching philosophy. The ticket and fan have sports.,Krld, wbap, etc are news. WRR is classical. Every other station in town has a reason for being. Being “the station for Ticket listeners who don’t like the current segment” is not a successful philosophy. And while they did have a slight uptick, the Ticket had a massive uptick. They’re making no progress, and losing money. Dull predictable talker is Kevin Mccarthy et al at KLIF doing the same show for a decade or more. This station is dull after 6 months? That’s an indictment itself. C
BTW, a bud who also frequents MTC said he thinks C is Chas from the old Eagle Local Show. If so, right on. If not, well fucc a ducc and fucc me. In that order.
while the ratings have been widely discussed, as C comments, the documented consistent drop off in revenue is the larger issue. ~20% each of the four reported year-to-year months is far less sustainable than whatever the ratings are not doing. that's the big talking point around radio sales circles.
why the gratuitous shot at razor? i always enjoyed him as a guest on lil ticket and id say he probably earns his money as much as any other media personality earns theirs
As far as a music-oriented talk show take a listen to XM channel 103, especially, Eddy Trunk's Trunk Nation in the afternoon. It's a good example of what that might sound like. Cleaning up the language is given and you might have to tweak the format a bit to fit in commercials. If you are familiar with his work, he will be doing a show at the Guitar sanctuary in McKinney soon.
FWIW, this listener has noticed an uptick in sports talk coming out of the Downbeat. It's almost always prefaced with some sort of pseudo-apology for "talking SPORTS," but they're absolutely talking Mavs, Cowboys offseason, etc.
They really shot themselves in the foot by taking an almost "anti-sports" position at launch. Bold strategy, cotton ...
But that creates the cognitive dissonance. The D mag puff piece talked about how they aren’t a sports station. None of their marketing sells them as a sports station. But if you’re talking sports more than the random huge story (championship, blockbuster trade, team sold, famous death, etc) you’re a sports station. Again, part of what makes this station terrible. They don’t know what they are. But their talents core competency is sports, but if they describe themselves as a sports station, sales will suffer because advertisers don’t want to buy a third sports station with horrible ratings. C
You know you're in trouble when one of the hosts of your a.m drive show is reading threads on a Ticket reddit page and actually making smart ass replies to comments.
So you also know damn well he and others are stopping by MTC.
Yo, KT, grow some thicker skin, son. You also ought to focus solely and I do mean SOLELY on your show. By the way, if you're gonna make comments under different names, at least do your best to try to make them stylistically different. Ya know, so it actually appears like multiple folks are chiming in with their, e.g., "Hey, I love both The Freak and The Ticket. It's really neat and keen that there's two stations providing good and great times radio. I'm really digging The Downbeat, and when The Musers -hoo boy, love me some Musers- go to break, I enjoy what The Speakeasy is throwning down!" Like I said, if you're gonna play that game, step up your game. Pass that along to The SeaCow and all the rest.
Here's the issue with TF going the sports-guy / guy-sports talk path:
While everyone sans Krystina comes from a sports/guy talk background, only 4 have bona fide day in-week in-month in-year in-out hosting experience. And for one of them, the face of the station and pm drive host, Mike Rhyner, sports hasn't been the focal point of his interests in years, much less wanting to talk sports on a daily basis. Cavanaugh's Cowboys talk is more than solid. B&S, when they want to, are good sports talkers. But that's not what they really want to talk about. Julie's sports knowledge is limited and her talk reflects it. Her husband is a hockey expert. She is not. KT knows the local sports market well, but he's milquetoast. Seems like a nice guy, though. Sirois knows golf and that's it. Moreover, sports is not something he either wants primarily to talk about or is even able to do so with any credibility. Danny is pretty much a non-milquetoast KT. But Danny too doesn't want to sit around day in/month in/year in-out chiefly talking sports. So where does that leave it?
In need of a wonder worker PD and/or a purging of some/bringing in new talent. They're in a pickle of their own making.
OMG!!! You mean to tell me that the voice of a generation shouldn’t get weekdays 10-12 when his Freak sabbatical is over?! Do you not have a kick-ass, “where’s the next party?” bone in your body?! J/K… Joe & Donny would make a good pairing. No more retreads
I think “C” is anti-freak. Just a feeling I’m picking up from his numerous, repetitive comments. Haha
In my mind, the problem of TF is that they catered to a super specific audience, the audience that these hosts (specifically Rhynes) themselves is: fans of the early 2000’s ticket. Everything was that-era-ticket centric, from the major announcement of Grubes (for most of the metroplex: “who?”) to reuniting Rhynes and the Hammer. It’s a strategy that only makes sense to isolated good-old-days dwellers. Building a radio station that appeals to folks who were fans of a different station 20 years ago is … niche at best. TF has some on-air talent, it just needs to completely pivot it’s approach to survive
Not anti freak as much as I am anti incompetence. Someone actually thought that putting these people, most of which have zero track record of ratings success, on the air with no real format would work. Who is that incompetent? Want to win me over? 1. Get a format, and use your imaging to explain to me what that format is and why I should listen. 2. Get actual competent air talent experienced in that format. Except for Rhyner and B&S, none of your “talent” had enough talent to headline a show anywhere else that had ratings success. Everyone but the 3 we’re supporting cast, character actors, go out and get me some above the title stars 2a. Consider replacing Ben and Skin. There’s a reason they’ve been on 5 stations in 15 years. They’re the most generic white bread talk show I’ve ever heard. The reason they’ve moved around is because they’ve never had sustained ratings success and they’ve bolted before they got fired because they’re one true talent is reading tea leaves and knowing they’re on their way out. 3. Get better at basic formatics. Heard about 10 minutes of an interview on Friday. Some woman and her husband who run an only fans account talking about the money they make, how they got into it, etc. I’d like to tell you her name but they didn’t reset once the 10+ minutes I listened. And if they didn’t reset their guest, they didn’t reset the station. Not as important with meters as diaries, but part of the formatics is imprinting on the listeners brain what they listen to. And they suck at what should be taught in radio 101. But yeah, this is a station targeted at people who like the old ticket, but thought the sports station talked too much sports. That’s the nichiest of audiences. And clearly much smaller than the audience for mandatory Metallica. Only q in my mind, when do the iheart suits come to the same realization. C
I don't view C as anti-Freak. He's saying some rather obvious stuff but from the perspective of someone who is connected to the business. In fact, he already made your very point. It's a point I agree with. Though I'm not sure if TF genuinely has on air talent. No one has stepped up and showed themselves to be a force. Rhyner hasn't been interesting in well over a decade. KT, Julie, Cavanaugh, and Krystina? Absolutely not. Danny? He has his moments, but they're merely moments. Sirois? Haven't seen a bang to hype ratio that out of whack since the advent of Rocco Pendola. B&S? Are you serious? How many times must they wallow in sub mediocrity before it becomes manifest to all that they haven't the goods?
My point, Cavanaugh was one of a multitude of voices on Gbag nation, right? None of the 2nd tier (all except MR and B&S) have had their names on a weekday show that you can point to and say “look, radio success due to (name)”. Danny was a contributor on the Hardline, but Mike and Corby (or Bob and Corby) filled the big boy chairs. Sirois was 2nd banana to Norm and D. For everyone except the big 3, they’ve never had to sweat “their” ratings being bad and their ass being on the line. And it shows. Cue the guy who says Catman knows talent. The Freak has built a station on talent thst couldn’t break through at other stations in the market. C
I would say in fairness to Sirois and Danny, The Ticket lineup is so solidified and successfull that such a breakthrough on that station is impossible, regardless of talent. But. There's Donnie and Jake. So that argument doesn't really hold. What it does show is that to advance to the Versity squad on The Ticket, you REALLY have to have the goods. I think both Jake and Donnie have shown they do. Closing in on his 6th month as a host, I'd say Sirois has shown decidedly that he's best suited for the role of a producer who chimes in with up for anything quips, comes up with segment names, and likes to party but say he doesn't but then proceeds to regale the room with his latest goodtime. I agree with 935am that Danny has his moments but they're moments and not his m.o..
C is spot on about TF's assertion that they want to cater to the P1 who wants only Halcyon Days bits/guy talk sans the sports. He's also spot on that that's quite a niche audience. Indeed, what's almost comical is that they've based all this on a tiny but vocal minority of social media sycophants who on the whole range from 1-3 generations removed from the hosts and the listeners who actually were tuned in during those Halcyon Days. That and the handful of Petty Theft attendees who were listening during the HDs, calling Rhyner The Godfather.
Ya, I could see Sirois being better at the producer gig. Anyone listening to the downbeat know if Sirois takes off as much as he used to? I always felt like Sirois took off a lot for trips and what not, and didn't think that would help him with being promoted at some point.
They know changes are coming. And they are. As in next after the next book unless they make genuine inroads both on ratings and ad rev. Birdies are chirping. When the birdies begin to chirp, it most always means s*** meets fan in short order. They might be speaking easy and what they want too boot in the a.m., but they sure aren't feeling easy. B&S have the easiest go of it, and even they're sensing the cushion's rising temp. The only person at ease is Rhyner and for obvious reasons. If shitcanned, Danny will go on doing The Danny and'll be just fine doing it. Sirois, who knows. Work for/with Cash. Move back to Fla or search another path for his desired fame. Who knows. I would be prettey surprised if he was hired on by someone else in this market. He didn't exactly make the cleanest, professional of breaks from his last gig. But who knows, maybe they'll turn it around just enough to stave off the s-storm for another 6-8 months or even longer. Though the was it's constructed and ran, there's no way it's around more than 1-1 1/2 year/s from now. It does crack me up how Rhyner and Co. have Ron and Don Show. I swear, everything that dude once railed against, he has become (or always was). Oh well.
I’ve always been a Sirois fan, I think he has been very entertaining for years when paired with a good cohost. The problem on TF is he’s being asked to be an anchor host when he thrives in a yuck monkey type situation. Remember, the formula that makes the Musers so successful is Craig handles formatics with some help from George and Gordo peppers in his few entertaining segments and other pot-shots while being shepherded through. This was the same formula for the best version of Corby, as the Snake doing bits with Mike and Greggo. (I am NOT saying Sirois is on the level of Gordo or even Snake, just saying he would greatly benefit from being able to be a yuck monkey instead of having to drive the ship and try to bring out entertainment in the others on the show). Definitely not an arrangement that puts anyone in a situation to succeed.
I would think Rhyner would be the best to lead the show, and lead it in a big way, with Sirois and Danny providing insight on certain topics and the humor.
Why do you think that? The consensus seems to be that Rhyner mailed it in for some X number of years. Depending on who you believe, from at least the high teens (2016-17-18) back all the way to the Cumulus purchase of 2007, Rhyner has been disengaged, disinterested, allowed others to steer the ship, etc. I’m not sure that’s the guy you want leading the charge. Which reminds me of a conversation I had with a mentor of mine, a retired radio executive. When i told him Rhyner was coming back he just about spit out his drink. His point, valid I believe, is that this is a guy with so little respect for his employer that he walked away with no real notice. Who’s a senior citizen who has made plenty of money, has his legacy, etc, and has absolutely zero to work for. Mentor said Rhyner would be one of his last choices to build a new station around. That as much as youre focused on todays ratings, a good executive isvalso looking 5-10 years down the road. He said no way he’s making Rhyner the face of the franchise when you know he’s not there in 5 or 10 years. C
C, I completely agree. I know that Rhyner won't be the guy to actually command the show but I think he is that the guy that actually COULD command the show. If he wanted to, which I don't think he does. He has the talent, and the persona to do so. He just hasn't in over 10 years, and the new station with him as the big man on campus, he still apparently doesn't want to.
I really would love to know how Rhyner convinced a major market radio station to flip formats to what essentially boils down to podcast-style content. When that story comes out, it will be the only interesting thing about The Freak.
For C who seems to have good insight into radio back office dealings....who would've made that decision...how far would they have had to go up the ladder to sell "a retired sports talk host and some of his buddies talk about....something?"
Tuned in to both B&S twice today. Both times..... wait for it.... they were engaged in lists! Both times, music related.
Also listened to TDB for a seggo. Danny and Sirois talking the latest on Michael Irvin. Rhyner piped up for 5 seconds at the end of it. Pretty obvious he had not heard of or had a take on it if he did. Danny basically sounded like Corby, which makes sense. Sirois took the safe route, which also makes sense. No HOT. IRVIN. OPINIONS. Which, for a we say what we want, rock n rebel, root n toot n, radio station that's one of a kind that plays by no rules.....weeeeeeeeell, ya'd expect something spicier.
For all the "You just hate TF/Don't want __, __, __, and, __ to earn a LIVING WAGE ('member that "imperative"? *as opposed to those who've been championing that very real issue for decades, and for people who actually live below the poverty line in, say, Khartoum or Bangladesh and not Des Moines* ah, the sosh and its causes du jour) and have a meaningful life, Norm needs to die, why don't the hosts give half their salaries away, and all that shit" crowd, let me put it to you this way:
If Rhyner would've come out and said something like, "I'm coming out of retirement or some such to make another go of it. I want to do something different than The Ticket. This is neither The Ticket nor is it in competition with it. No one does sports guy talk better than The Ticket and no one knows this more than me. I love The Ticket. I love my brothers in arms over there. Some of those who know, and everyone at The Ticket knows, will never get a shot at a host job......they're going to join me in this endeavor. Like me, they love The Ticket and everyone there. All I ask is that you give us a chance, man." If he would've done something along those lines and the others would've followed suit, and not did what they did in the way they did it and all the antagonistic b.s. that has ensued......I'm telling you, it could've been so different. But that's never been the Rhyner Way. Unfortunately for those he's this time around convinced, it's not going to pan out.
Jeff- if you listen to the D magazine podcast with Rhyner it explains a lot . The TL/DR (or DL in this case), Rhyner filled in when Skin was out. Had fun, Ben and Skin pitched him on returning. He said might be interested. B&S then pitched iheart on it. Got some local interest, but then had to bring Mike back into discussion to convince iheart upper mgmt to buy into the idea. So definitely suits from the corporate office signed off on it. But accounting suits are watching half the Eagles old billing disappear. Tells me they won’t tolerate this for long. We’re talking losing millions of dollars a year, at a poorly run radio outfit famous for doing stuff on the cheap. After all iheart was rebranding to get away from the “cheap channel” name. How long will those suits who needed to be sold on the idea ride a failing horse? C
calling it Cheap Channel sent me on a google rabbit hole and I came across (nice) this blog post that I found interesting about how/why the big companies rebranded and what their future may look like
Scanned through the article and had a flashback when I saw those KGBS call letters. 1190 AM had those call letters in the early to mid-90s and had folks like Morton Downey Jr. doing shows and Ron Engleman who was neck deep in the Waco standoff and the Davidians. Rush may have started out there before he went to WBAP and of course, Art Bell.
Who knows the verity of anything Mike said in the D Mag pod. In that very interview, he also emphatically claimed that Danny would have no part in TF. There were other claims in that pod that directly conflicted claims he made in the DMN interviews. So it's difficult to say what's what where the genesis of TF narrative is concerned. If you listened carefully to the first week or so of TF, you also heard not so subtle asides by Sirois to the effect that it's his baby. Several asides, at that. Then there'a the myriad of narrative deviations by Julie, Skin, and KT during that time. Not to mention Mike's introducting Danny as TDB's 3rd -- where he said he'd been in on the station since it was an idea. So there's all that.
From the onset, this thing was never gone about the right way, in any way. It shows. And barring the intervention of a strong PD, Rhyner making serious concessions, and basically a makeover/rebrand/reboot, TF and its hosts will most likely pay the price because of it.
I agree with 1:11AM's sentiment. There was no reason for it not to have gone down that way. Including Sirois' sloshy, slurry exit and Julie's incoherent cry to both spend more time with her kids and to be offered more hours, airtime, and pay. At least Danny left like an adult, even if he wasn't totally forthcoming.
Julie never said she was leaving to spend more time with her kids. She said she was making so little at The Ticket that it made no sense financially. They were paying as much or more for child care than she was being paid
Well, it seems like things have settled down in these parts, at least as far as Freak commentary is soncerned.
ReplyDeleteEither Confessors don't much listen to The Freak, or they've said all there is to say.
Assuming The Freak sticks with its "We Say What We Want" nose-thumbing philosophy, I think we've come to this:
The Freak is not a terrible radio station. It's not a very good one, but it's not terrible. It was hugely oversold and mispromoted and mismanaged in its infancy. But it's still talking with its original cast and structure and claimed reason for being. You can listen to it.
If none of this changes, The Freak will remain a pleasant down-list talker -- not failing, exactly (except, perhaps, in comparison with the format it replaced), but not a serious threat to The Ticket. Listenable talk, nice personalities for the most part. Sounding almost guilty when let off the leash to talk some sports. The occasional self-conscious stunt. Not too funny, but not extremely dull, either. Just kind of babysitting that frequency until, inevitably, some suit wonders what's going on in Dallas. Some books up, some books down. But not must-listen radio pretty much ever.
As I've said before, it's kind of a nostalgia act, easy-listenin' chat. Even the names -- Speakeasy, Downbeat -- hearken back to hipster days, not at all freaky.
Not much more to say. We've all given it a listen, some have given it more of a chance than others. You stick with it or you don't. There will no doubt be some backstage drama there we'd all love to know, but all we've got is what comes through the buds. It's OK.
But it's just OK.
And let me add: I think most (not all) Confessors will join me in saying that they do not wish career failure or even a temporary humiliation on any of the Mikes, Julie Dobbs, Kevin Turner, Jeff Cavanaugh, Krystina Ray, Danny Balis. I'm sure I'm forgetting someone. Heck, I don't wish ill on the over-reviled Ben and Skin. I'm glad that each of those worthies is drawing a paycheck, and I hope they continue to do so. Dallas radio would be less interesting without them.
ReplyDeleteAnd there's genuine talent in that crew. But it's really a shame that the station they launched wasn't better thought-out at the outset and helmed by an honest-to-god, strong program director with experience in talk. They're still reeling from that DOA rolling debut.
There aren't a lot of open slots in radio anywhere for talkers, and especially for talkers who don't talk about something specific that listeners can target. I hope each of these individuals can find a home if the Freak fades.
And finally, a reminder: All of the foregoing assumes that the Freak does not remake itself -- which it could do if it swallowed some of its earlygoing hubris -- and continues just sayin' either what it wants or what a sponsor tells it to say.
Disagree. The Freak is terrible, there is no “there” there, no reason for listeners to tune in. It’s not a sports station, it’s not a news station. It tries to be hot talk, but it’s the most lukewarm takes on the stupidest topics. It’s branding should be “all the ticket with none of the sports segments”. Except the days they do a lot of sports segments because they’re desperate for content. They’re the most poorly conceptualized, poorly imaged, poorly run radio station I’ve heard in 30+ years selling radio. The Eagle was billing millions of dollars (8-12) with lower payroll. The Freak billing is down 25-50% (depending on month) Year to year. With much higher payroll costs. It’s unsustainable. They just showed some slight improvement in the ratings. In a month where the Ticket was the number one station in the market 6 plus. Meaning they got ZERO traction from the “improvement”. The on air staff is mentioning programming meetings, memos, etc. they claim we say what we want, but clearly someone’s putting their nose in. I’ve heard what I think are credible rumors as to contract statuses (Mike and Mike multi year deals, everybody else no contracts or short term (90day) easy-out deals, some iheart suit is going to make a decision soon about the cost of paying out those deals, versus regaining the MILLIONS in lost revenue. If ratings don’t turnaround, it’s different by summer. And like George Zimmer, “I guarantee it”.
ReplyDeleteC
Man, Dan and Jake love talking about noncompete clauses
ReplyDeleteC, I think you're misinterpreting my remarks as a rousing defense of The Freak. There's a pretty low bar for a station that continuously broadcasts in the format, and with the personnel, it starts out with, and The Freak gets over that bar. But it's not unlistenable, it's just kinda . . . there, ya know? "Lukewarm takes on stupid topics" can survive in a major metro market, it's happened all over the country for years.
ReplyDeleteI really think, in fairness, one can't listen to The Freak all day long and -- IF (and only IF) you didn't know anything about the former greatness of some of the personnel or the ridiculous bombast with which they rolled the thing out -- conclude that, as a LISTEN (NOT as a comparo with the Eagle) it's the catastrophe you're portraying.
I’m not sure I understand you here with the double negative. And the Freak has taken mid teen ratings and turned it into mid twenties ratings. That’s a listener catastrophe. They’re not giving people a reason to listen. People tune in for a reason. Sports, politics, news, the music of the (decade). There’s a very small market for “sports talk failures on a station not talking sports”. And it’s a business. They’re bleeding cash with massively increased costs. It’s unsustainable.
DeleteC
Remember the rumor that the Hangzone was bound for the Freak as soon as contracts expired. Think that's still in play now that there's 6 months worth of Freak tape?
ReplyDeleteit was never, ever in play.
Delete1. If THZ bolts for TF, then Dan and Jake are f'n morons.
ReplyDelete2. 1. is not going to happen because neither or f'n morons.
3. If C's info is correct, then the supposition bandied about here since last September that Sirois IS to TF what Rhyner WAS to The Ticket is more on target than not --- perhaps a bullseye, even.
4. If 3. is true on both accounts and when taken into account Sirois' interesting Ticket exit strategy, then that really says something about him. All of this riding on two "ifs," mind you.
5. TF is not a good listen. Not even decent if you pretend TT never existed and this was your first time to encounter any of these hosts. I think the only host with even a smidge of a something in the bag is Cavavaugh, and that's ONLY when talking Cowboys. And I do mean ONLY when talking Cowboys.
6. I don't like having to say 5. because I'm a fan of Danny's and Rhyner used to be my leader. The latter thing ended the moment he said, and I paraphrase, "we owe the P1 nothing." That was one of those moments when someone reflexively pulls down the mask for a moment and reveals their true nature.
7. Pman nails it regarding the show names. Very mid 90s - mid 00s Swingers/Hi Fidelity/Royal Tannenbaum's/Pulp Fiction hipster.
8. While your counter to C might be correct, Pman, you're throwing in a premise that doesn't reflect reality. So as far as this market goes, it doesn't hold.
9. Unless their books improve in a genuinely meaningful way, there will be a full on flushing of the toilet. If C's contract info is solid then you'll see everyone gone but the Mike's, excepting (maybe) Danny because he's a part of the show and I can see Rhyner personally going to bat for him. But by then Rhyner's input will probably mean jack shit. Might already be there, frankly. Barring that meaningful and sustained ratings bump, I'm expecting a serious makeover no later than July.
C, it's just some schmuck being cryptic, alluding to nothing. Actually reads like one of Sirois's old "So Anonymous" one liners. Though I highly doubt it's him. I mean what, exactly, was never in play? In play as in...? Nonsensical bulsh.
ReplyDeleteI think that comment means the Hang Zone to the Freak was never in play. And why would it have been?
ReplyDelete1- non competes. If Danny had a non compete, surely THZ does. Standard non compete language precludes one from taking ANY job within a specified geographic range (that prevents a jock taking a “sales” job at competitor to get paid before their non compete expires). Rhyner had to wait 6 months before he could start his podcast. Are THZ prepared to sit out 6 months without pay? To go to the Freak?
2- longevity- there’s almost zero host change over at the ticket. As long as ratings are good- and overall #1 6 plus is more than good- THZ can keep that show for years and years. THZ just watched the 3rd sports station in town turn gospel. TF can claim to not be a sports station, but when every single on air talent you have comes from a sports station, that’s a weak argument. Does 50-plus McDowell walk away from the security and stability of TT to go to TF.
3-daypart-,sure they could get a promotion to a drive time, but does either want it? Kemp has kids. Sees them in morning, home for dinner, does he want to trade that for either a 3 or 4 am wake up call, or racing home hoping to see his kids before they’re asleep? Maybe, but quality of life is always an issue.
4- salary-ask yourself how much of a bump do you need to walk away from the Ticket at this stage? Bad radio turned down the Fans offer years ago, what do you think has changed to change THZs minds? The Fan was second, how much more cash or years guaranteed would you demand? And is notoriously cheap Iheart willing to offer a multi year guarantee? They supposedly did to Mike and Mike, and so far that’s seen them drop 10 places in the ratings and 5 million projected lost revenue.
I’d put money on it that right now someone’s doing the math”if we go back to Rock and get those advertisers back, that revenue is X millions; if we pay off Both mikes, throw some severance penny’s at the others, that’s 1 million. Do we pay a million to make 3-4-5 million more? To quote Petty Theft “oh my my oh hell yes”
C
C, I think we're talking past each other.
ReplyDeleteI'm not disagreeing with the various predictions and speculations C and others have advanced.
I am saying that The Freak, quite aside from any comparison with its predecessor, or with The Ticket, is not the POS that some on this site have opined. It's kind of a dull, predictable, talker -- as I have suggested, even somewhat old-fashioned. It may fail for all of the reasons y'all have suggested, but to suggest that it's "terrible" is an exaggeration. In fact, looks like it's picked up a few listeners in the last quarter, if that's what its slight advancement in the ratings means. Some people listen to it and like it. I'm not one of them, but they're out there. Maybe not enough to save them, but I'm not arguing that The Freak is a success. Only, as I said, that until the suits wise up, it will chug along as a "down-list talker."
Like Oakland, there may be no "there" there (Gertrude Stein), as C describes The Freak, but Oakland's still around.
Like Big Bob Wilonsky says, “It’s ter·ri·ble…”
DeleteDisagree, Oman. TF is a POS. The face of the station who's on the flagship/anchor show that's in pm drive is LITERALLY ranking numbers and his fingers. Thiis happened and continues to happen. It's not hyperbole. They ran out of things to discuss the moment the non stop circle j ended, which was sometime around the 3rd week of Oct. My word, Julie admitted on the Mom Game pod that she had to ditch her own dedicated segment a mere 2+ weeks in because she couldn't come up w/anything to talk about. Have you actually listened to the banalities coming out of Sirois' mouth? He genuinely has nothing to say other than to make up pseudo boaty mcboatface named segments. I think Danny and Jeff C are the only ones on the station that have a decently formed opinion on anything. The whole thing is a shambles. It's mot your regular old generic talker pablum that plods along for years until someone at corporate pays attention and finds a better option for the frequency. It's crappiness is singular.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, like what a coupla months and some change in and even Danny has run out of stuff. When you have to invent things to talk about everyday and not have some central topic to base everything around, I mean, that's pretty impossible. I know Rhyner loves the old Stern show and how he did things, but even back then Stern had a focus on hornyness and basically making fun of everyone. The whole show centered around it. The closest thing any Freak show has like this is Ben and Skin doing a several hours long daily infomercial about their brewpub. But no one cares to hear about that. Maybe what they need to be is a music talk station. What I mean is that every host but Krystina comes from a sports background. But Krystina, Rhyner, Danny, Shoopy, and Ben and Skin all also have varying degrees of a musical background. So why not talk mostly music and music related e-news while also spinning tunes, covering the local music scene (all genres), and whatnot? Get Wilonsky onboard. Get that old EDGE dude that did the Ticket music show onboard. Get someone who intimately knows the metal and punk scene. Poach a few KNON/KXT hosts, and all that. To me, that would make sense. Would it make money? That's above my paygrade. But I know that I'd tune in. It could be really cool and even reengage the old Eagle listener base. Because as is none of them have a thing to say of interest at this point. It's gotten so bad that even when there's a major local or national story they can't even clearly articulate their thoughts. It's a weird deal, man.
ReplyDeletethere's 5 unauthorized bios/tell alls down the road i can't wait to read.
ReplyDeletei. He Claims He's the Smartest Man in the Room: The Mark Cuban Story
11. A People's History of The Ticket
iii. The Mask of Mike Rhyner
iv. The Freak: How Not To Do Radio or A Classic Case of the Inmates Running the Asylum, AKA, The Way in Which Minor Talents and Bit Players were Adversely Affected During the Dark Age of Social Media and Their Corporate Enablers
v. Millionaire Mediocrity: The Daryl "Razor" Reaugh Story
The problem about it being a music type station like mentioned, good idea though, is Sirois I’d imagine. Some mention he lead this and he doesn’t have that background.
ReplyDeleteOkay Pman, if it’s a dull predictable talker, what are they going to talk about tomorrow? You don’t know, because they don’t know, and that is what makes this a terrible station. You’re a chi-town dude, right? WXRT played whatever they wanted. But you had a rough idea of what they were going to play. They’d throw you for a loop by mixing in some jazz, or blues, or reggae, and plenty of adult alternative, but you knew it was quality music picked by experts.
ReplyDeleteContrast that with the freak. They literally had Rhyner ranking the numbers 0-9 in a top 10 list. There’s zero quality involved in any of their segments. They’re talking to fill time, with zero strategic thought given as to topics, placement, etc. Yes, if you knew and liked these people from previous jobs you might like it. But they have no overarching philosophy. The ticket and fan have sports.,Krld, wbap, etc are news. WRR is classical. Every other station in town has a reason for being. Being “the station for Ticket listeners who don’t like the current segment” is not a successful philosophy. And while they did have a slight uptick, the Ticket had a massive uptick. They’re making no progress, and losing money. Dull predictable talker is Kevin Mccarthy et al at KLIF doing the same show for a decade or more. This station is dull after 6 months? That’s an indictment itself.
C
^^^^^ HOT. RADIO INDUSTRY. OPINION.
ReplyDeleteFuccin love it. Keep throwing that fastball, C.
BTW, a bud who also frequents MTC said he thinks C is Chas from the old Eagle Local Show. If so, right on. If not, well fucc a ducc and fucc me. In that order.
ReplyDeletewhile the ratings have been widely discussed, as C comments, the documented consistent drop off in revenue is the larger issue. ~20% each of the four reported year-to-year months is far less sustainable than whatever the ratings are not doing. that's the big talking point around radio sales circles.
ReplyDeletewhy the gratuitous shot at razor? i always enjoyed him as a guest on lil ticket and id say he probably earns his money as much as any other media personality earns theirs
ReplyDeleteAs far as a music-oriented talk show take a listen to XM channel 103, especially, Eddy Trunk's Trunk Nation in the afternoon. It's a good example of what that might sound like. Cleaning up the language is given and you might have to tweak the format a bit to fit in commercials.
ReplyDeleteIf you are familiar with his work, he will be doing a show at the Guitar sanctuary in McKinney soon.
No shade. Is that not a title Razor himself would choose?
ReplyDeleteFWIW, this listener has noticed an uptick in sports talk coming out of the Downbeat. It's almost always prefaced with some sort of pseudo-apology for "talking SPORTS," but they're absolutely talking Mavs, Cowboys offseason, etc.
ReplyDeleteThey really shot themselves in the foot by taking an almost "anti-sports" position at launch. Bold strategy, cotton ...
If you are talking Cowboys offseason... you are a sports talk station
ReplyDeleteBut that creates the cognitive dissonance. The D mag puff piece talked about how they aren’t a sports station. None of their marketing sells them as a sports station. But if you’re talking sports more than the random huge story (championship, blockbuster trade, team sold, famous death, etc) you’re a sports station. Again, part of what makes this station terrible. They don’t know what they are. But their talents core competency is sports, but if they describe themselves as a sports station, sales will suffer because advertisers don’t want to buy a third sports station with horrible ratings.
ReplyDeleteC
You know you're in trouble when one of the hosts of your a.m drive show is reading threads on a Ticket reddit page and actually making smart ass replies to comments.
ReplyDeleteSo you also know damn well he and others are stopping by MTC.
Yo, KT, grow some thicker skin, son. You also ought to focus solely and I do mean SOLELY on your show. By the way, if you're gonna make comments under different names, at least do your best to try to make them stylistically different. Ya know, so it actually appears like multiple folks are chiming in with their, e.g., "Hey, I love both The Freak and The Ticket. It's really neat and keen that there's two stations providing good and great times radio. I'm really digging The Downbeat, and when The Musers -hoo boy, love me some Musers- go to break, I enjoy what The Speakeasy is throwning down!" Like I said, if you're gonna play that game, step up your game. Pass that along to The SeaCow and all the rest.
Here's the issue with TF going the sports-guy / guy-sports talk path:
ReplyDeleteWhile everyone sans Krystina comes from a sports/guy talk background, only 4 have bona fide day in-week in-month in-year in-out hosting experience. And for one of them, the face of the station and pm drive host, Mike Rhyner, sports hasn't been the focal point of his interests in years, much less wanting to talk sports on a daily basis. Cavanaugh's Cowboys talk is more than solid. B&S, when they want to, are good sports talkers. But that's not what they really want to talk about. Julie's sports knowledge is limited and her talk reflects it. Her husband is a hockey expert. She is not. KT knows the local sports market well, but he's milquetoast. Seems like a nice guy, though. Sirois knows golf and that's it. Moreover, sports is not something he either wants primarily to talk about or is even able to do so with any credibility. Danny is pretty much a non-milquetoast KT. But Danny too doesn't want to sit around day in/month in/year in-out chiefly talking sports. So where does that leave it?
In need of a wonder worker PD and/or a purging of some/bringing in new talent. They're in a pickle of their own making.
Grubes out on the road live w The DB today. He said it was his first ever endorsement.
ReplyDeleteWhat does he/you mean by "endosement"?
ReplyDeleteJoe Trahan was a good fit with Donny this week.
ReplyDeleteDidn’t get to hear it, but he’s a good dude.
ReplyDeleteThe DTrain would be perfect.
ReplyDeleteOMG!!! You mean to tell me that the voice of a generation shouldn’t get weekdays 10-12 when his Freak sabbatical is over?! Do you not have a kick-ass, “where’s the next party?” bone in your body?!
ReplyDeleteJ/K… Joe & Donny would make a good pairing. No more retreads
"No more retreads." Amen, brutha.
ReplyDeleteI think “C” is anti-freak. Just a feeling I’m picking up from his numerous, repetitive comments. Haha
ReplyDeleteIn my mind, the problem of TF is that they catered to a super specific audience, the audience that these hosts (specifically Rhynes) themselves is: fans of the early 2000’s ticket. Everything was that-era-ticket centric, from the major announcement of Grubes (for most of the metroplex: “who?”) to reuniting Rhynes and the Hammer. It’s a strategy that only makes sense to isolated good-old-days dwellers. Building a radio station that appeals to folks who were fans of a different station 20 years ago is … niche at best. TF has some on-air talent, it just needs to completely pivot it’s approach to survive
Yes. As I've suggested, The Freak is a nostalgia act, and a pretty narrow one. Not rebels, no radio revolution, come see some old pals, move along.
ReplyDeleteNot anti freak as much as I am anti incompetence. Someone actually thought that putting these people, most of which have zero track record of ratings success, on the air with no real format would work. Who is that incompetent? Want to win me over?
ReplyDelete1. Get a format, and use your imaging to explain to me what that format is and why I should listen.
2. Get actual competent air talent experienced in that format. Except for Rhyner and B&S, none of your “talent” had enough talent to headline a show anywhere else that had ratings success. Everyone but the 3 we’re supporting cast, character actors, go out and get me some above the title stars
2a. Consider replacing Ben and Skin. There’s a reason they’ve been on 5 stations in 15 years. They’re the most generic white bread talk show I’ve ever heard. The reason they’ve moved around is because they’ve never had sustained ratings success and they’ve bolted before they got fired because they’re one true talent is reading tea leaves and knowing they’re on their way out.
3. Get better at basic formatics. Heard about 10 minutes of an interview on Friday. Some woman and her husband who run an only fans account talking about the money they make, how they got into it, etc. I’d like to tell you her name but they didn’t reset once the 10+ minutes I listened. And if they didn’t reset their guest, they didn’t reset the station. Not as important with meters as diaries, but part of the formatics is imprinting on the listeners brain what they listen to. And they suck at what should be taught in radio 101.
But yeah, this is a station targeted at people who like the old ticket, but thought the sports station talked too much sports. That’s the nichiest of audiences. And clearly much smaller than the audience for mandatory Metallica. Only q in my mind, when do the iheart suits come to the same realization.
C
I don't view C as anti-Freak. He's saying some rather obvious stuff but from the perspective of someone who is connected to the business. In fact, he already made your very point. It's a point I agree with. Though I'm not sure if TF genuinely has on air talent. No one has stepped up and showed themselves to be a force. Rhyner hasn't been interesting in well over a decade. KT, Julie, Cavanaugh, and Krystina? Absolutely not. Danny? He has his moments, but they're merely moments. Sirois? Haven't seen a bang to hype ratio that out of whack since the advent of Rocco Pendola. B&S? Are you serious? How many times must they wallow in sub mediocrity before it becomes manifest to all that they haven't the goods?
ReplyDeleteIt's 4 hosts with real experience, C: Rhyner, B&S, and Jeff Cavanaugh. The latter having by far and away the least amount of experience.
ReplyDeleteMy point, Cavanaugh was one of a multitude of voices on Gbag nation, right? None of the 2nd tier (all except MR and B&S) have had their names on a weekday show that you can point to and say “look, radio success due to (name)”. Danny was a contributor on the Hardline, but Mike and Corby (or Bob and Corby) filled the big boy chairs. Sirois was 2nd banana to Norm and D. For everyone except the big 3, they’ve never had to sweat “their” ratings being bad and their ass being on the line. And it shows. Cue the guy who says Catman knows talent. The Freak has built a station on talent thst couldn’t break through at other stations in the market.
ReplyDeleteC
I would say in fairness to Sirois and Danny, The Ticket lineup is so solidified and successfull that such a breakthrough on that station is impossible, regardless of talent. But. There's Donnie and Jake. So that argument doesn't really hold. What it does show is that to advance to the Versity squad on The Ticket, you REALLY have to have the goods. I think both Jake and Donnie have shown they do. Closing in on his 6th month as a host, I'd say Sirois has shown decidedly that he's best suited for the role of a producer who chimes in with up for anything quips, comes up with segment names, and likes to party but say he doesn't but then proceeds to regale the room with his latest goodtime. I agree with 935am that Danny has his moments but they're moments and not his m.o..
ReplyDeleteC is spot on about TF's assertion that they want to cater to the P1 who wants only Halcyon Days bits/guy talk sans the sports. He's also spot on that that's quite a niche audience. Indeed, what's almost comical is that they've based all this on a tiny but vocal minority of social media sycophants who on the whole range from 1-3 generations removed from the hosts and the listeners who actually were tuned in during those Halcyon Days. That and the handful of Petty Theft attendees who were listening during the HDs, calling Rhyner The Godfather.
Ya, I could see Sirois being better at the producer gig. Anyone listening to the downbeat know if Sirois takes off as much as he used to? I always felt like Sirois took off a lot for trips and what not, and didn't think that would help him with being promoted at some point.
ReplyDeleteThey know changes are coming. And they are. As in next after the next book unless they make genuine inroads both on ratings and ad rev. Birdies are chirping. When the birdies begin to chirp, it most always means s*** meets fan in short order. They might be speaking easy and what they want too boot in the a.m., but they sure aren't feeling easy. B&S have the easiest go of it, and even they're sensing the cushion's rising temp. The only person at ease is Rhyner and for obvious reasons. If shitcanned, Danny will go on doing The Danny and'll be just fine doing it. Sirois, who knows. Work for/with Cash. Move back to Fla or search another path for his desired fame. Who knows. I would be prettey surprised if he was hired on by someone else in this market. He didn't exactly make the cleanest, professional of breaks from his last gig. But who knows, maybe they'll turn it around just enough to stave off the s-storm for another 6-8 months or even longer. Though the was it's constructed and ran, there's no way it's around more than 1-1 1/2 year/s from now. It does crack me up how Rhyner and Co. have Ron and Don Show. I swear, everything that dude once railed against, he has become (or always was). Oh well.
ReplyDeleteI’ve always been a Sirois fan, I think he has been very entertaining for years when paired with a good cohost. The problem on TF is he’s being asked to be an anchor host when he thrives in a yuck monkey type situation. Remember, the formula that makes the Musers so successful is Craig handles formatics with some help from George and Gordo peppers in his few entertaining segments and other pot-shots while being shepherded through. This was the same formula for the best version of Corby, as the Snake doing bits with Mike and Greggo. (I am NOT saying Sirois is on the level of Gordo or even Snake, just saying he would greatly benefit from being able to be a yuck monkey instead of having to drive the ship and try to bring out entertainment in the others on the show). Definitely not an arrangement that puts anyone in a situation to succeed.
ReplyDeleteI would think Rhyner would be the best to lead the show, and lead it in a big way, with Sirois and Danny providing insight on certain topics and the humor.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think that? The consensus seems to be that Rhyner mailed it in for some X number of years. Depending on who you believe, from at least the high teens (2016-17-18) back all the way to the Cumulus purchase of 2007, Rhyner has been disengaged, disinterested, allowed others to steer the ship, etc. I’m not sure that’s the guy you want leading the charge. Which reminds me of a conversation I had with a mentor of mine, a retired radio executive. When i told him Rhyner was coming back he just about spit out his drink. His point, valid I believe, is that this is a guy with so little respect for his employer that he walked away with no real notice. Who’s a senior citizen who has made plenty of money, has his legacy, etc, and has absolutely zero to work for. Mentor said Rhyner would be one of his last choices to build a new station around. That as much as youre focused on todays ratings, a good executive isvalso looking 5-10 years down the road. He said no way he’s making Rhyner the face of the franchise when you know he’s not there in 5 or 10 years.
ReplyDeleteC
C, I completely agree. I know that Rhyner won't be the guy to actually command the show but I think he is that the guy that actually COULD command the show. If he wanted to, which I don't think he does. He has the talent, and the persona to do so. He just hasn't in over 10 years, and the new station with him as the big man on campus, he still apparently doesn't want to.
ReplyDeleteI really would love to know how Rhyner convinced a major market radio station to flip formats to what essentially boils down to podcast-style content. When that story comes out, it will be the only interesting thing about The Freak.
ReplyDeleteFor C who seems to have good insight into radio back office dealings....who would've made that decision...how far would they have had to go up the ladder to sell "a retired sports talk host and some of his buddies talk about....something?"
Tuned in to both B&S twice today. Both times..... wait for it.... they were engaged in lists! Both times, music related.
ReplyDeleteAlso listened to TDB for a seggo. Danny and Sirois talking the latest on Michael Irvin. Rhyner piped up for 5 seconds at the end of it. Pretty obvious he had not heard of or had a take on it if he did. Danny basically sounded like Corby, which makes sense. Sirois took the safe route, which also makes sense. No HOT. IRVIN. OPINIONS. Which, for a we say what we want, rock n rebel, root n toot n, radio station that's one of a kind that plays by no rules.....weeeeeeeeell, ya'd expect something spicier.
Wordle is fun
ReplyDeleteOh, f off, Surly. Both times, at that.
ReplyDeleteFor all the "You just hate TF/Don't want __, __, __, and, __ to earn a LIVING WAGE ('member that "imperative"? *as opposed to those who've been championing that very real issue for decades, and for people who actually live below the poverty line in, say, Khartoum or Bangladesh and not Des Moines* ah, the sosh and its causes du jour) and have a meaningful life, Norm needs to die, why don't the hosts give half their salaries away, and all that shit" crowd, let me put it to you this way:
ReplyDeleteIf Rhyner would've come out and said something like, "I'm coming out of retirement or some such to make another go of it. I want to do something different than The Ticket. This is neither The Ticket nor is it in competition with it. No one does sports guy talk better than The Ticket and no one knows this more than me. I love The Ticket. I love my brothers in arms over there. Some of those who know, and everyone at The Ticket knows, will never get a shot at a host job......they're going to join me in this endeavor. Like me, they love The Ticket and everyone there. All I ask is that you give us a chance, man." If he would've done something along those lines and the others would've followed suit, and not did what they did in the way they did it and all the antagonistic b.s. that has ensued......I'm telling you, it could've been so different. But that's never been the Rhyner Way. Unfortunately for those he's this time around convinced, it's not going to pan out.
Jeff- if you listen to the D magazine podcast with Rhyner it explains a lot . The TL/DR (or DL in this case), Rhyner filled in when Skin was out. Had fun, Ben and Skin pitched him on returning. He said might be interested. B&S then pitched iheart on it. Got some local interest, but then had to bring Mike back into discussion to convince iheart upper mgmt to buy into the idea.
ReplyDeleteSo definitely suits from the corporate office signed off on it. But accounting suits are watching half the Eagles old billing disappear. Tells me they won’t tolerate this for long. We’re talking losing millions of dollars a year, at a poorly run radio outfit famous for doing stuff on the cheap. After all iheart was rebranding to get away from the “cheap channel” name. How long will those suits who needed to be sold on the idea ride a failing horse?
C
calling it Cheap Channel sent me on a google rabbit hole and I came across (nice) this blog post that I found interesting about how/why the big companies rebranded and what their future may look like
ReplyDeletehttps://ayodaradio.blogspot.com/2021/03/some-thoughs-about-new-audacy.html
Scanned through the article and had a flashback when I saw those KGBS call letters. 1190 AM had those call letters in the early to mid-90s and had folks like Morton Downey Jr. doing shows and Ron Engleman who was neck deep in the Waco standoff and the Davidians. Rush may have started out there before he went to WBAP and of course, Art Bell.
ReplyDeleteWho knows the verity of anything Mike said in the D Mag pod. In that very interview, he also emphatically claimed that Danny would have no part in TF. There were other claims in that pod that directly conflicted claims he made in the DMN interviews. So it's difficult to say what's what where the genesis of TF narrative is concerned. If you listened carefully to the first week or so of TF, you also heard not so subtle asides by Sirois to the effect that it's his baby. Several asides, at that. Then there'a the myriad of narrative deviations by Julie, Skin, and KT during that time. Not to mention Mike's introducting Danny as TDB's 3rd -- where he said he'd been in on the station since it was an idea. So there's all that.
ReplyDeleteFrom the onset, this thing was never gone about the right way, in any way. It shows. And barring the intervention of a strong PD, Rhyner making serious concessions, and basically a makeover/rebrand/reboot, TF and its hosts will most likely pay the price because of it.
I agree with 1:11AM's sentiment. There was no reason for it not to have gone down that way. Including Sirois' sloshy, slurry exit and Julie's incoherent cry to both spend more time with her kids and to be offered more hours, airtime, and pay. At least Danny left like an adult, even if he wasn't totally forthcoming.
New red and essay.
ReplyDeleteCheck it out before I delete it, which I'm already thinking of doing.
There's built-in unfairness in anonymous blogging, and from time to time I feel unclean engaging in it. This is one of those times.
Julie never said she was leaving to spend more time with her kids. She said she was making so little at The Ticket that it made no sense financially. They were paying as much or more for child care than she was being paid
ReplyDeleteYes she did, Surly. Check out the Mom Game around that time.
ReplyDelete