Monday, April 15, 2013
BREAKING: THE END OF RaGE? or THE END OF RaGE!
Confessors, I'm in the middle of my work day and can't write much. Two comments to prior post have advised that (1) Greggo tweeted that he has been terminated, and (2) Richie/Sybil have been removed from The Fan website.
I have NOT confirmed these items.
Tell us what you know, and your very politely expressed reaction.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Ding Dong RAGE is dead!!!! Something called the K & C Masterpiece is on the fail.
ReplyDeleteGreggo said last week that Ben Rogers will be in his chair soon.
ReplyDeleteI'm not ruling out stunt.
ReplyDeleteWell, Greggo just posted his termination letter on twitter. No stunt I am afraid. Why not wait until Ben and Skin's no-compete is over?
ReplyDeleteThose two items now confirmed. Fan lineup now reported to be:
ReplyDeleteGavin & Chris
Elf & Slater
New School with Shan & RJ
No times listed for these shows.
Possibly timed to coincide to The Hardline being occupied elsewhere with gobs of content to cover in Chicago?
ReplyDeleteNah.
We're talking Hardline here, but our lads do seem to be making an effort via Twitter to show that they are very much doing Chicago-y things.
Ben tweeted that their new show will go on air in early May.
ReplyDeleteAnd 2 days ago Greggo tweeted that Ben would be in his chair soon.
ReplyDelete15 days (actually probably closer to 16-19 days) until B&S take over as the afternoon drive show on the fan
ReplyDeleteSo we're putting B&S up against a MORE popular Ticket show? That seems reasonable...
ReplyDeleteSite is going through the roof today. Please DayConfess responsibly.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine any changes will make a difference.
ReplyDeleteSeems like Greggo and Whitt were taken by surprise by this, which surprises me. You would think they would've seen the writing on the wall these last few months. It might not be the last of the Fan cuts but RAGE was the easiest show to get rid of first. The chemistry was never there between Greggo and the rest of them. Too much treating him like a mascot for the station and other times, it seemed like he never wanted to fully commit to them.
ReplyDeletethere is not a single member of the fan team that should feel comfortable and they should have seen this coming for quite some time.
ReplyDelete@James
ReplyDeleteLol, yeah, Ben and Skin will fail horribly (again) on The Fail. They got their asses kicked by BaDD, who would be crazy enough to think they have a chance against The Hard Line and Grandpa Urine?
I can't believe they thought this was a good idea. At least try to bring in something fresh with some semblance of a chance to compete.
Just to add, I don't like the direction ESPN and The Fan are going. Every "commercial break" show I could tolerate listening to is now gone (RaGE and sometimes Cowherd). I just can't listen to that lunchtime garbage on ESPN and I've heard more than enough of Ben and Skin to know I don't enjoy listening to them.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has commented for a while here (but not much lately) and even posted an article, I am a little "put-off" by the constant mention of moderating comments because of those at the station who may be reading. While I am not in any way, shape, or form, promoting anyone making any personal attack on anyone, it seems as if people who have a negative opinion are either quickly shot down, or reminded to be careful what they say for who is watching.
ReplyDeleteAgain, maybe this is just me, but it seems as if we are too conscious about who may or may not be reading, and it is effecting what is being said.
Is it just me? If so, I will retract my comment.
@Brad
ReplyDeleteFWIW I agree with you and I've said it here a couple times before. Some people are over sensitive. If The Hard Line can do it and get away with it I certainly don't see why an anonymous message board shouldn't be able to. I think over-moderation (not that I think Plainsman necessarily is doing this) is the best way to kill a message board.
Not quite sure what to make of it. I didn't actively root for failure for RaGE but I didn't cheer for them either. I kinda liked RW as the 3rd wheel when he appeared with THL. Maybe he wasn't quite as douchey then or time has allowed that part of his personality to be lost in the fog.
ReplyDeleteNow if they can just unload Slater I might be able to listen to Elf again.
RAGE was my favorite show on the FAN, and I will miss it. Will actively look for where Whitt lands. Greggo was a clown, but it seemed like he knew and accepted his role as comic relief in a sports show.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the rest of their programs, I gotta say they look pretty weak, dunno that I'll be listening to them any longer.
I'm not a Fan fan, but I don't get the idea that "no single member of the fan team that should feel comfortable." If you look at the ratings, the station has overtaken the ESPN for #2 in the ratings.
ReplyDeleteBen and Skin, the best guess to replace RAGE, regularly finished in 3rd behind Elf and Slater.
The Ticket is in no danger of losing to The Fan any time soon (if ever) but ESPN should be worried.
I forgot to add above that RAGE regular came in 3rd which is why they were fired. The other shows on the station are the ones that beat ESPN.
ReplyDeleteI for one am not happy to see RaGE go away. They had their ups and downs but was a welcome alternative when Corby was going into the ditch.
ReplyDelete(Dog scraping his butt is the absolute worse. But maybe someday we can have a segment where readers post AWCM [Absolute Worst Corby Moments]. What do you think, Plainsman?)
While not a "fan" of Greg W., I always respected what he brought. Richie, on the other hand, always tried to play the opposite opinion way too much. Sybil, neither added or subtracted from the show, IMO. Just some filler.
Galloway and Company is not an choice for me. Can't listen to that crap. I don't think B&S is any better than RaGE but what do I know.
However, if Sybil needs to make a quick $100 she can contact me.
@Brad@Steve
ReplyDeleteI can't recall anyone asking for censorship of comments. I do think that from time to time a gentle reminder of civility is OK. Because there have been a few threads over the past few months where commenters have gotten awfully personal with each other and with some of the hosts.
@Plainsman
Regarding my last comment on the previous thread (the one concerning Jake where you said I was "cold"). I didn't intend the comment as a criticism. If anything it was a compliment. I was only saying that it seems like he's figured out how to tone down some of his socio-political thoughts/ideology. I also threw out 2 other possibilities why that seems to be the case; neither were mean spirited. Maybe I'm overly sensitive to that sort of thing, seeing how I'm in the administrative game (a local university). I've been around lefty-academic speak/thought at work day, every office get together, etc., for over 12 years now. I know it when I hear it. No knock on Jake, but he's done it on many occasions. For the record, my work experiences have turned me off of politics, period. So don't get the impression that I'm on the other side of things. I'm not.
RaGE.
Well, duckandcover, you requested a "posthumous" (because s/he supposedly is no longer a MTCer) tip of the hat if any of your major predictions came true. I'll be damned if you didn't say that by summertime RaGE would be gone. Congrats, I guess.
Boy howdy, I wonder what the trip back down to earth will be like for RW? From what you hear, he made very few friends and pissed off a great many on his way to RaGE and during his "reign." Surely he and GW saw this coming? Surely they knew that the fantasy life they were living was on borrowed time? I swear when I read that RW got engaged to Sybil I thought "you know what, he knows that without his local stardom a chick like Sybil is out of his league; I'll bet he also knows that his local stardom days are imminently numbered; he's smarter than he looks or acts!" So what's next for GW and RW? I've always agreed with those who say GW will move to Colorado. What else can he do around here? Same with RW. I can't imagine there isn't one bridge that guy hasn't burned in town. I can see both of them moving away. Maybe try to sell RaGE to a smaller market? Be big fish in a little pond. Not that their situation is analogous, but it sure seems to be working out for MaSS. Evidently they're kicking ass in Birmingham. My last thoughts on this are (1) that I doubt we've seen the end of changes at The FAN, and (2) I hope B&S have really learned from their experiences at ESPN and The FAN (this will be their second go-around there), and give THL some decent competition. Though, I must admit that there's a little gremlin running around in my head saying "There's more to the story than this. Are we seeing the beginning of something bigger involving the cross-pollenation between The Ticket and The FAN/Cumulus and CBS Sports?"
Overall ESPN is still beating the Fan in m25-54 from 6a-7p. But yeah, RAGE was consistently the worst against ESPN. I absolutely will listen to B&S during commercials or when I tire of the Hardline (which happens a lot these days). I think they have a good shot at beating Galloway.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Sybil can replace Danny when he leaves
ReplyDeleteI'll tell ya'll what's coming next.......The Mavs are moving to The FAN. Which means so will Cooperstein. Which means the FAN/Ticket partnership is gonna not only get cozy, they're gonna basically be the same station. That IS what's going down. There are now more Ticket ex pats over at 105.3 than not. All of them are still very good buds with their ex Ticket comrades. This shit is much bigger than ya'll think. It isn't just about getting rid of deep end Greggo or douche nozzle Richie. It's about restructuring the whole shebang.
ReplyDeleteWhoa whoa WHOA, Brad and Steve.
ReplyDelete(Steve -- are you a fairly recent poster under that name? If so, excuse my manners in this delayed hearty welcome to My Ticket Confession.)
First I get knocked for not deleting enough posts, then I get knocked for reminding people to behave themselves.
Although to delete or not to delete is frequently a borderline call, and always subjective, I would say that ALMOST the only thing I delete is Confessor-on-Confessor vituperation that has nothing whatsoever to do with The Ticket, posters accusing one another of one or another social media gaffe, ignorance, not being a good P1, stuff like that. Almost any Ticket-directed post is going to survive, including some pretty harsh stuff, unless it is dominated by invective and personal attacks.
This site has a lot of new readers. Readership has really expanded since June of last year, and it looks like I'm spiking again with Alexis's departure and RaGE's retirement. (Heading north of 3000 page views today.) A lot of the first-timers stick around. They may not have seen a site that polices (after the fact, unfortunately) some of the flame-y stuff he or she might find elsewhere.
So I'm saying to newcomers -- just think before you post. Criticism, even strong criticism, won't be suppressed here. But if what you write is nothing but angry and mean, it's gonzo every day of the week.
As I and other Confessors have pointed out, there are other sites that will welcome the dyspeptic listener of limited range, and even the troll.
Everything looking shipshape today.
The happiest man in DFW (or Chicago) right now is Mike Rhyner. If you thought his motivation level was low before, now his arch-enemy is off the air.
ReplyDeleteTo the anon that said (I hope jokingly) that Sybil should replace Danny when he leaves--look up bar failure rates in the first three years of their opening. He isn't going anywhere.
It's was a joke, but can you imagine Sybil and Mike working together.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny, if you look at all 3 RaGE hosts the only one who is professional about the thing is Sybil.
ReplyDeleteLook at their Twitter feeds, I mean. Duh.
ReplyDelete@Anon8:27
ReplyDeleteWhat is Richie's and Sybil's twitter handles. What are they saying? Please expound a little.
As the Plainsman asks, pretend that everyone does not have the "at the minute" information you have. Give context.
BBQ: Sorry if I misinterpreted your post. I reread it before I posted and thought I had it parsed right, but if I did not, regrets.
ReplyDeleteI have to wonder how much this will affect the relationship between Richie and Sybil. Maybe not at all.
ReplyDeleteDid the Hardline mention anything about this on their show today?
ReplyDeleteI for one will miss RAGE. I think it was the best show on the station, they just couldn't compete at their time slot. Why not put them in Elf and Slater's slot and bump them? I think they would have done well against Norm and The Herd.
@ETP1
ReplyDelete@Sybil1053 and @richiewhitt
@ Brad and Steve
I don't recall too many comments getting moderated. One a couple of weeks back. All in favor of the banhammer when necessary. Seen more than one forum go down the tubes from constant trolling and bad actors.
RaGE.
ReplyDeleteA good idea. A one-time popular Ticket host who seemed to have cleaned up his act. A media-savvy, well-known sports name from the world of print.
It didn't work not so much because the product wasn't good (more below), but because they pitched it way wrong, and most of that had to do with the treatment of Greg Williams. I wrote about this several times. For the longest time, every other word out of Riche's mouth was "Greggo." He and the shifting cast were constantly throwing him topics, questions, things to react to, instead of just plain talking to one another.
Greggo is not at all dumb, but because he just couldn't have a sharp observation about every item in the barrage of stuff Richie was shooting his way, the poor guy just looked overmatched and undersmart. It was like an old time vaudeville act. Straight man Richie, tossing something to Greggo for a zinger, except Hammer's reserves of bon mots proved rather shallow. Someone here wrote that they treated Greg like a "mascot," and that's a pretty astute description.
Greg Williams: I heard him on several occasions on RaGE when he had some sports point to make and had been given time to stretch out, and he was excellent, really good. I would listen to a show with a Greggo like that. Too often, though, he tried playing the cable-guy provocateur (he actually looks a little like Larry) and it just didn't work. Too bad -- the man has some gifts.
Richie Whitt: He was not a compelling radio presence, but did he come across as a bad guy? I didn't think so. More than one person here has said that he's not well liked in the media community, but I didn't hear the evidence for that on the air. In the past I've written approvingly of his friendship and aid to Greg, even if it wasn't 100% altruistic. But, as I said at one time (maybe more than one time), he had a voice for newsprint. When I would listen to RaGE, unless they on one of their occasional sprints of sharp commentary, my mind would wander and eventually I'd head back home to The Hard Ones.
And I do want to make that point: There were times when RaGE was real good, kept me listening over a few segments. Much of the show was worthwhile. It seemed well-planned out, production values were high (if way too intrusive). I found it to be a credible show, one I might listen to if there were no Hardline. It didn't repel me at all as it seems to have done to some Confessors.
I don't have much to say about Sybil or Armen or any of the other voices I never recognized, except that Sybil is a truly lovely woman and would make a fine helpmate to a weary Plainsman. (One, of course, who did not have a worthy Mrs. Plainsman already at his side.)
As I sit back and close my eyes and try to take a break from my customary overanalysis, I perceive that the reason for RaGE's failure is really simpler than wrong strategies and strangled chemistry:
The show was not funny.
Greggo is a mother wit who just needs a little space of his own now and then to brighten up a show, but on RaGE, everything was forced, everything was grandiose, everything was punctuated with that bombastic production music. Richie himself is not a funny guy, and his Greggo-this and Greggo-that placed demands on Greg that he was not suited to fill. The bits were forced, the bantner was forced.
And it simply was not funny.
If a show like that isn't funny, then it had better be very, very thought-provoking.
And it wasn't that, either.
So, for want of fulfilling the one unavoidable requirement of successful sports radio in this town, it never got out of the basement, never moved the needle. It wasn't funny and it wasn't smart enough often enough.
RaGE, RIP.
Yes, it was alluded to on WTDS. At some point somebody blurted out Greggo's name and Dan asked "Why are you bringing him up?"
ReplyDeleteWill Sybil be changing her Twitter account?
Fwiw, richie made nothing but friends in the cbs building. And for those predicting "something much bigger", hold your conspiracy theories gordo, this was nothing but a product of underperforming ratings.
ReplyDeleteDamn! Why did they have to get rid of RaGE today?! I would have LOVED to heard Greggo's Boston rants!! Ben & Skin will be the KISS OF DEATH!! Those two bring NOTHING! Give K & C a chance. This was all Richie! He sucked! Maybe Richie & Corby can get a show together...The Suck Brothers!
ReplyDelete@Shaggy
ReplyDeleteNot true about ESPN beating the Fan in the coveted Male 25-54 demographic. Check the ratings book:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/more-sports/headlines/20130226-morning-sports-radio-ratings-how-the-ticket-s-lead-in-dallas-breaks-down.ece
Your points about RAGE are well thought out Plainsman. It wasn't a good product though. Greggo being unreliable to show up to work, and having plenty of issues with his voice sounding terrible during his tenure there. Their sports talk wasn't as generic as what you'll find on satellite radio or ESPN, but it still wasn't good. Also, the background music cranked all the way up during every segment was really annoying. It's a bad show, and i'm surprised they made it this long.
ReplyDeleteYes, true. At least as of Feb '13
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dallasnews.com/sports/more-sports/headlines/20130221-local-sports-radio-ratings-have-the-ticket-on-top-the-fan-on-the-rise.ece
"In home-grown, heavy-hitter weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. among men 25-54 it was The Ticket (7.8), ESPN (3.3), Fan 3.0."
So which host are you?
751: Good points. I had thought about mentioning Greg's unreliability, voice issues, and Twitter misadventures, but in the grand scheme of things I decided that their contribution to RaGE's demise was probably minor, even though his extended absence awhile back and the odd reaction of his colleagues to it remains unexplained.
ReplyDeleteBut you are right -- for all he does well on the radio, he has demonstrated that he cannot be counted on for top-shelf professionalism 100% of the time.
For all those pointing at Barry's articles and calling them "ratings books" please temper yourselves. All barry does is recount about 3 samples of 1 demo, and he's printed the info wrong before. Really all there is to know is we have 3 "sports" stations in DFW that aren't going anywhere, the ticket dominates in morning and afternoon drive and the other two jockey for second place.
ReplyDelete@plainsman
If you don't think Hammer's issues heavily contributed to the show's demise, you're far off. Radio employers are like any others, the only time you can be a crappy employee and keep your job is when your winning by a mile.
911: Deny. Media employers are not like others. They put up with talent who are galaxy-class jerkwads that would have been shown the door long ago in conventional jobs.
ReplyDeleteAnd it would have been a simple matter to have fired Greg and kept the rest of RaGE (perhaps with a name-change) rolling along.
I'm not saying it had nothing to do with RaGE's demise, but I doubt it lost many listeners when Greg was resting his vocal cords at home, inexplicably absent, or sounded like he was gargling with asphalt.
Its contribution to why the show didn't work is not zero, so if that's your point we're in agreement. But I don't think it had much to do with it. It just wasn't an amusing or entertaining listen ever -- at least not with listeners accustomed to the freewheeling Ticket phalanx.
@shaggy
ReplyDeleteFrom that exact same article that you linked:
"In the high-value men 25-54 demographic, which pays most of the bills, it was The Ticket (6.2), Fan (3.6), ESPN (2.9)."
So...
I guess I didn't word my comment well enough, but my problem is not with the moderation. My "concern" is with the reason for the moderation: because of who may be watching. Just seems like there has been more and more points put in to blogs and comments either speaking directly to those on the Ticket, or made in a way to fish out a response from someone at Victory Park. Obviously I am in the minority (with only Steve agreeing), just trying to clarify my point.
ReplyDeleteYou have the worst reading comprehension ever. Read what I effing originally wrote. From 6a-7p, The Fan is 3rd out of 3.
ReplyDeleteWhich of the morning hosts are you?
Gentlemen: Enough on reading the ratings books correctly. You can take this up again with the next book.
ReplyDeleteThe March ratings are already out. Horn just has yet to butcher them.
ReplyDeleteSorry Shaggy, I did a piss poor job of trying to get my point across.
ReplyDeleteI was trying to say that the Fan beats ESPN in the male 25-54 demo every hour from 6a-3p. Rage is what caused them to lose overall from 6a-7p because they did so poorly against Galloway.
I'm Shan btw and I'll stop posting about ratings now.
Curious if that is really Shan or not but if so thanks for your view. Really tells us that the other shows knee that RaGE was bad.
ReplyDeleteWell I told ya my little birdie said RaGE was a goner. My little birdie knows what it speaks of. And it tells me that more changes are on the way, big ones. Ya hear that 1036? Ya better, cause it's true.
ReplyDeleteHInt HInt. Yahoo wasn't the overnight on The Ticket last night/this morning.
Yeah, and uh the anon (who goes by tryintogetin on the DFW-radio board), I don't know if you're K or C or the producer or whoever, but you can keep telling everyone how "pro" that show is and how we ought to give it a chance and how it's "here to stay" you want. It ain't happening, bro. At least not as a day time show. Sorry to put some reality into the sitch for ya. Someone had to.
RW has nothing but friends up at CBS. Really? Is that so? Little birdie says diff. Little birdie knows what it knows and knows it well.
It seems like RaGE demise talk has sort of hit the wall. Unless some new info comes out on the why and the what's next, we're pretty much relegated to "little birdie" talk. (Sorry anon who posts those comments, they are just plain weird sounding.)
ReplyDeleteI know it's only been one day (2 for the Musers), but what does anyone think of the road trips? Obviously the bombings in Boston have affected the tenor of the first shows. But any thoughts overall? For me, so far I give both trips one big "meh." I honestly don't see the purpose of them. If anything they take away, not add from the shows. Sorry, but I don't care to hear about drunk or the insinuation of being drunk tales from/about 2 middle-aged men and one very soon to be senior citizen. The info gleaned from the Wrigley tour, while interesting, was nothing that couldn't have been found via Wikipedia. The Musers' trip is pretty much the same sans the boozing. They're doing a take on the old Texas Country Reporter Show. Except without the visuals. Exactly what are we supposed to get out of their travels? I dunno. To me it's all blah.
Boston coverage: I thought THL did a great job. They were as cautious as they could be considering the way info was coming in and their circumstances. The Musers did a decent job this morning. But Gordo was reporting stories that were no longer true as news. E.g., that poor 8 year old boy who was killed was not waiting for his father to finish, hugged him, and then was killed; his sister losing a leg and his mother in critical condition. He was killed, but he was standing by himself watching the race. I just wish some of these guys (Corby, Gordo, and Danny) would hold off on saying things until a clearer picture comes into view. They bitch and moan about FOX and other media outlets reporting anything to get ratings, and yet while not trying to garner ratings, they do much the same. I'm interested to see how BaD handles it. Norm. It's hard to tell. And quite frankly, who cares. North Korea could launch a nuke at Japan tomorrow and he'd be oblivious to it. After all, the draft is hand.
@ausgang,
ReplyDeleteI think the trips will be a failure because there is no interaction with other hosts. The best thing The Ticket does is combine hosts and I don't think it's done enough. As of now, it happens once a year with the White Elephant shifts. I believe that's why The Compound's and The Campout's in the past were a success, because of said interaction. I, for one, could care less about listening the the Musers or THL any more than I normally would, just because they're building up their road trips.
@T4 You're absolutely right. Because what they're doing is no different from what they do in Dallas. At least with the BaD hockey trips you get a glimpse into a world that is foreign to most of us. They have in depth player interaction. There will be nothing like that between THL and the Rangers. Their access to the Rangers will be nothing like BaD's is with the Stars. Did THL fly out on the Rangers charter? No. Are they staying in the same hotel and traveling with the team to and from games, basically living on the team's schedule? No. They're doing exactly what Danny claims Cat thinks they're going to do on that stupid promo: Have a vacation and party, and mix in bare minimum radio work---which will consist mostly of woo hoo we know how to party talk (and like ausgang said, middle aged men and a senior citizen party talk). As I'm typing this I'm hearing today's Musers promo for tomorrow's show. I'll be damned if you're not right on the money ausgang. They ARE playing at Texas Country Reporter. Okay, now we get to hear Gordon make fun of country rubes right to their faces. Yippeee.
ReplyDeleteI have a different viewpoint. It was a shame that both shows were jacked by the Boston events, but I enjoyed listening to both of them. I thought THL was clearly sensitive to bringing in the local color that they neglected to do during the New York City trip. And I have enjoyed the exploratory aspect of The Musers show, too. I'm not a Texas native and I've found this quite interesting and entertaining.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I would recommend is that they stow the Twitter stuff and save it for the shows.
One unfortunate thing, perhaps unavoidable -- both shows sound awful. The Hardline mics were so hot that every word was overdriven.
And The Musers -- well, it is very regrettable that they seem to have been given The Teebox's Crest Cars hardware. The whole show sounded like they were broadcasting underwater. I'm sure it's difficult to sound good with a mobile unit, but some of The Ticket's hardware for this is better than some other, and The Musers got stuck with a hound.
But painful listening aside, I'm enjoying both roadtrips quite a bit.
Speaking of the Teebox, they got knocked off the air about 4 separate times during their 2 hours last Saturday.
ReplyDelete@Plainsman
ReplyDeleteNo worries. I guess I came off harsh. It wasn't my intention.
I'm with those who say these show road trips are pointless and add nothing. I love it when the entire station does something together. That's when things get interesting.
On the whole I think all the shows have done a solid job where Boston is concerned.
@1217
ReplyDeleteI gauruntee your "little birdie" doesn't know what the hell he's talking about. I'm pretty sure most of you would be SHOCKED if you knew how FEW people really know what goes down behind the scenes in this world. People in and around the buildings like to talk and spread gossip, but SO few KNOW. Less than a handful. And I wouldn't count K&C out just yet...not in the long haul.
Stay Hard Pat Summerall! We haven't heard much about you over the years, but you'll be missed.
ReplyDeleteAwwwright, 354. First off, it's guarantee not gaurantee. Second, my little birdie knows what it knows and what it knows it knows well. Third, if you're a part of the KC and the Sunshine Show you ought to be attending to your job and not reading what people are saying about you on a Ticket centric blog. If you're a friend of either K or C or the show, then I'll betcha anything they'd rather you not come to their defense every time someone says something you don't like. If they are the pros you say they are, then they, like all hosts, have big enough big girl britches and thick enough skin to deal with criticism. Besides, no one has said they suck or are d bags or anything like that. Only that there's no way they're ready for a regular full time day time slot, much less the pm drive. Capice, honcho? Is that clear enough for ya, turbo? So take a chill, listen to my birdie because he knows what he knows and he knows it well. Aight? Aight!
ReplyDeleteThat really saddens me to hear that Pat Summerall died. What a voice. What a good man. Man oh man will tomorrow's show be a rough one for Norm.
ReplyDelete@438
ReplyDeleteHow do you know my job isn't to monitor sites like these? I never said anything about k&c being great and I'm not their friend. I'm just saying, you and your (wtf?) "little birdy." and both are wrong.
I'm kinda enjoying the road trips. Liked the interview with the old guy banker/local denizen (loved it when he said he'd better pass on which restaurants he likes best. Good answer sir.) and the radio family head of the household. How'd you like to live next door to work? Not me. Hearing them comment about seeing the stars and bars outside the
ReplyDeleteDublin Citizen made me want to reply, "Yeah, that's Mac. He doesn't particularly give a shit what you think either. Sorry to say, but that is not the only one on 67/377 as you go through town." It isn't like around DFW. I distinctly recall the gathering of Klansmen (very few of them actually) on the same courthouse square that Junior tweeted yesterday. The highway patrol had a bear in the air that day and lots and lots of chainlink fencing to separate the one bunch of protesters from the other. Only place I can recall ever seeing KKK graffiti was in a bathroom in Stephenville. I do know for a fact that one company that had hired a black guy was told by the customers to not bring him back again. The owner had no problem with him, but the customers sure did. It ain't the same out in the hinterlands as it is in the big city. (cue Obviousman drop) Might as well crank back the clock a few decades.
I too miss the collective gathering of hosts, but will take this adventure instead of nothing.
Ok, so help me out with the logic of the other 2 stations. If they don't beat the ticket in ratings then they have to beat the other one? Let's think about the demo again. Grandpa is gonna draw the upper end and the Ticket draws them across the board and what does that leave CBS? Disaffected youth unaware there is another band of radio waves on their dash besides FM? Ok, so up thread somebody is hinting about a collaboration between the Fan and the Ticket, how is that gonna work? Are they gonna try to buy the Ticket away from Dickey? Some sort of communal sharing? Something a little more concrete would be nice.
Brad, not quite sure what your issue might be about comments. Plainsman pretty much let's things fly around here unless you get too far afield with ad hominem attacks on fellow Confessors. shrug.
12:17 Anon- Yahoo sports radio was not on last night due to a technical issue. It should be back tonight.
ReplyDeleteI got a chuckle out of THL discussion on the latest in the Kaufman County killings. I don't remember exactly what Corby said, but we got lectured on not jumping to conclusions. And Danny piped in that these murders was really not the Aryan Brotherhood's style . . . they don't want the media attention . . . etc.
ReplyDeleteI'm with cactusflinthead, I thought the Musers show this morning was a pretty good littl show, pretty good. Love the small town Texas stuff and they are the perfect guys to tell the stories. I just wish it was more campout like. Killer tweeted that George and Gordon have a gig tonight in Alpine. How awesome would that be if it were live, but oh well, hope there is audio tomorrow.
ReplyDelete@4:38 that was brilliant response, slow clap for you sir.
@cactusflinthead
ReplyDeleteWhile the rumors on Cumulus buying CBS Radio, or vice versa, has been out there for months, but the content sharing agreement between Cumulus Sports and the CBS Radio Sports Network came before. In the case that CBS Radio is sold, Sumner Redstone and his National Amusements will have a direct say since they own the majority of the CBS voting stock. Plus, the FCC would have to deal with the end product as the "new" combined company would have to shed stations. Both CC and Cumulus have billions of debt to deal with in the next few years, regardless of any future transactions.
To All: Think about ratings this way. While the individual station (The Ticket) may be doing well, the "cluster" (all DFW Cumulus stations) not so much.
Here is a breakdown of the DFW March 2013 PPM:
http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/117425/research-director-inc-presents-exclusive-march-ppm
Your assumption is partially correct in that 18-34 does not go into listen to The Ticket or AM for that matter, and probably never will.
As I alluded to in either January or February, the news/talk/AM stations are the reason why Cumulus ad sales were down. And the DFW cluster is similar to all major AM stations for every company (CC, Cumulus, CBS, Entercom, Cox).
Finally, keep in mind that iIf you have an Android phone, most of your phone's have had a FM tuner in it, but US carriers (ATT, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile) do not activate them. Every HTC One phone has a tuner for sure.
Emmis Comminucations, now a smaller radio/media company, led the industry's charge to have phones to have a local FM tuner signal activated and Sprint will be the first. That illustrates some of the desperation within radio with lowering ad sales and listener traffic.
@Jer, thanks for the input. And don't tell me Bob was on again. That might be too much to bear. I got lucky and heard the recap, but that was greatradiogold.
ReplyDelete@DA, ok how much of that downturn in AM can be attributed to blowback on Rush and die-off of old, white angry guys? Are you saying that KPLX and KSCS numbers are down too? Are they veering to the range and the ranch?
ReplyDeleteThe business side sounds really muddy. Throwing the FCC and sell-offs in the mix and it doesn't sound stable in the least.
Richie throws Greggo under the bus me thinks...
ReplyDeleteEric Summers@EricSummers7515 Apr
@richiewhitt @1053rage I'm so pissed about this. Seems you and Sybil were just innocent bystanders.
Richie Whitt@richiewhitt20m
@EricSummers75 You are very perceptive. Thanks for your support.
Really shows how much he is into himself. I'm so happy he is gone.
@cactusflinthead
ReplyDeleteThe AM downturn has been happening for over a decade, hence why the FCC had a session last week at the NAB Convention on how to save it. AM station values are WAY down. In 2001, Disney bought 1050AM in New York for $70M as a lesser signal to compete with 660 AM WFAN. 1050AM is now ESPN Desportes and WOR, a stronger signal (a nighttime clear-channel station) was sold last year for $30M.
One could just run a random survey of those under 24 and ask if they ever listen to AM radio, regardless of a particular station. Most likely, the last AM station they would remember is Radio Disney.
While Rush is with Cum, most for of 2012 Jim Rome was making $25M from CC and keeping their rates down.
I am telling you that it not the particular station which is the issue, but the "cluster" could be. The Cumulus staff was just in SF on Friday to "observe" the cluster.
To All: For a greater understanding of the Arbitron ratings, read the following link:
http://www.rrconline.org/help_desk/pdf/tips/Ratings%20Terms%20You%20Need%20To%20Know%20FINAL%20030509.pdf
Perhaps one of The FAN employees who seem to post here with ever more frequency (and anonymously) might be so kind as to give us the skinny on what went down? Or at least what they think went down and why.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Richie is gonna use his little billboard space at 635 & Preston to post "I Need a Job!"
ReplyDeleteI find it both comical and bizarre that Richie and Greggo continue to tweet about being confused and shocked at being let go. Richie especially is making it seem like there's some big story to tell. Just check the ratings dudes.
ReplyDeleteI have gotten DMs from Greggo and he really seems to believe he is a victim. Not sure why but it is consistent with his past issues.
ReplyDeleteIt's also funny that in an industry where you are to press people for answers how much he doesn't like questions that are pinned
RAGE: Who DIDN'T see this coming? I mean, come on. For 4 years + straight they've been in 3rd. And for most of that time usually by a significant amount of ratings points. Couple that with all the money thrown at the show, and BAM, it eventually goes dark. The only thing I'm surprised at is that it took this long. Then again, when you throw that much dough at something, you want to make sure it's really a dud before you pull the plug. I'll say this, Whitt milked it for all it was worth. How he's going to fare, at least locally, after all his braggadocio and bridge burning, who knows. But as far as getting all he could out a situation, he did it in spades. Greggo, on the other hand, did just the opposite. Sadly, it was the same movie, part 3. No need to rehash that flick. Indeed, it's rather stale. I can imagine Whitt and Sybil landing a job somewhere. Probably in a smaller market. I'll guarantee you Whitt sure hopes so. I think the reason is fairly obvious. Greggo. There's probably some station out there somewhere, desperate for that Ticket magic, that will take a chance on him. If not, then I agree with those who say that he'll move to Colorado.
ReplyDeleteRoad Trips: The Musers are doing a great job. They embody the essence of why The Ticket became the juggernaut that it is. They are genuine. The Hardline are doing the exact thing I thought they would. Yes they are going out of there way to interview people. Yet it comes off more of a "see, we're working" than anything thought out. Far too much name dropping scene dropping going on. The Hardline is more like TMZ than the old "let's mosh," "hazed, greyed, and under way" greatness that it once was.
I found Norm's segment on Pat Summerall moving. Norm can annoy me to no end. Today is one of those days I 'preciate him, pal.
@1056
ReplyDeleteThe "skinny" is that the show had been underperforming since the end of 2011. No dramatic story to be told...a few tidbits here an there, but nothing that wouldn't have been swept under the rug if the show had stayed in the top 10.
You mean since 2009.
ReplyDelete1142
ReplyDeleteSo you're saying that RW and GW are in such a fantasy land fog they can't figure out why they were fired? If you look at their Twitter feeds, it seems like they are absolutely shocked and at a loss as to why they would've been canned. Sybil on the other hand is taking it like a pro. She's all "no hard feelings" "it's a part of being in the business" about it. In other words she knows how not to come off as a small time hack. She knows how to be able to get another plum gig. Meanwhile RW is talking about being interviewed by a fan of his for a job. I guess he really is the same on and off the air.
I'm just a guy with a radio, but it's human nature to form opinions about the people you hear on the air. Richie and Sybil seems like such an unlikely hook-up to me. I'm trying to figure out a scenario where this was just a pre-emptive strike on their part. Something they could parlay into another gig when RAGE crashed and burned. Like I said, I'm just a casual observer without any inside scoop. Probably overthinking the whole thing.
ReplyDeleteWhitt is really trying to fish for the sympathy tweets from his fans...what a cornball!
ReplyDelete@1145
ReplyDeleteNo, I mean since 2011, when they were firmly ahead of GAC and in the conversation with THL for the majority of the year.
@1156
I'm not saying they're in a fantasy land, but it shouldn't have been a surprise. This was a ratings play, and they were well aware of their ratings.
In the conversation with THL for the majority of the year. You sir or madam are flat out speaking from your backside. They have never even sniffed THL. Furthermore, they never bested GAC. Better show the proof or shush it. The majority of the commenters and readers around these parts are too ratings savvy to make such blatantly (and insultingly) wrong claims.
ReplyDeleteI've been beaten by road trip stories for a least a decade.
ReplyDeleteThere was a time, when Hammer was part of the scene, the trip stories were usually pretty funny. But now, it's about killing 4 hours. I catch about an hour of THL these days, and thats enough. Corby's bits are the worst. That guy could put Times Square New Years Eve to sleep! I know one thing, if Fan brings in B & S, I'll be catching more Hardline, a lot more!
ReplyDeleteI thot Greggos beaver bit was pretty funny last week. Flashes of the old Ticket greatness there.
ReplyDeleteGreggo also tried to play the Fat Joe gag last week. But it came out "Fat Joe left Capital."
ReplyDeleteWow, I turn my head for a few days and the comments have aspoloded around here.
ReplyDeleteOn the positive side of RaGE getting canned, as far as we know it wasn't the direct result of a drug-induced Greggo meltdown, so there's that. The times I tried to give them a listen they were just horrible, so I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did. STAY HARD, RaGE!
As far as the two shows' road trips go, I'm on board with Anon April 17, 2013 at 11:28 AM in that I love what the Musers bring, but THL seems to be more about getting wasted after the show.
@519
ReplyDeleteGo check the books from 2011 son. You're wrong, The Fan was on a major uptick the whole year, even ole Barry admitted The Fan had over taken ESPN. Josh and Elf were regularly beating BAD/Norm at that time as well. If "ratings savvy" means you read Barry Horn's article, then you aren't up to my level. Let me know after you actually check into arbitron.
1045, YOKOYOLO (at 515) is clearly talking about RaGE, not the station as a whole. Your comment does not address his.
ReplyDeleteALL FURTHER COMMENTARY RE RATINGS ON THIS THREAD WILL BE DELETED, EVEN FROM OUR FINED NAMED CONFESSORS AND LEGACY POSTERS.
Thank you for posting about something else.
That should have read "YOKOYOLO (at 519).
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI thought The Musers were great this morning. It was by far the most interesting day of the road trip. What interested me most was their discussion on what town they would most like to live in, and could they actually make a go of it. Some candid and perhaps even foreshadowing comments made by all three Musers. From what they were saying, was today's the last road show?
ReplyDeleteAs for THL, the inclement weather up in Chicago has most likely played right into their hands. Now they can party party fun fun without being dragged down by having to attend ball games. Maybe I'm being too hard on THL. I guess I've pretty much had my fill of them. Once again, time for a break, I guess. I find myself taking more frequent breaks from THL over the last few years. This one will be the 4th this year alone. Is it just me? Are others out there finding themselves in the same situation, and often?
I couldn't agree more about THL. The show is predictable and mundane. I find myself changing stations as soon as I hear the unmistakeable Hardline intro.
ReplyDeleteWhy can't we talk about ratings? What else is there to discuss in a thread about the end of RAGE? Or the end of RAGE!
ReplyDeleteSo we're burning 2 segments about an old dude who painted a picture of Sarah Palin and cusses a lot?
ReplyDeleteActually, I am now on day 7 of my self imposed exile of THL. Makes me really appreciate the morning commute with the Musers. Now I arrive home each evening not bent out of shape over something Corby said. I tried the other 2 stations to see if they offer anything better...nope, nothing changed...still unlistenable. I could really get used to this THL embargo.
ReplyDeleteSince I stopped listening to THL on the way home, I arrive home in such a better mood.
ReplyDeleteNo radio for the ride home, just music from my phone...no talking heads, no wild speculation about anything.
I have found this works well for me. Not for everyone I am sure.