That title almost contained a bad word.
I write tonight of a Ticket tendency that sent me temporarily into the arms of The Fan. (Very temporarily.)
The Ticket guys like to talk about their favorite TV shows. This is not only fine with me, it's got me on to some great shows I wouldn't otherwise have seen. I 'ppreciate that.
But I can't always watch the shows in real time, and lots of times I start watching the series from the beginning while the real-time broadcasts are already in their second or third season. I'll bet lots of you do the same thing. DVDs, DVR, Netflix, On Demand -- you can watch the stuff in order, catch up. Newfangled technology, amazing. Me, I almost never watch the show when scheduled so Mrs. Plainsman, or your equivalent, gentle Confessor, can watch her network shows.
So when the shows tease that they're going to be talking about a show I'm watching, and that segment comes on, I switch away to avoid spoilers. No problem at all.
A bit ago I was listening to a show and a host I like a lot (which describes all shows and all hosts, come to think of it), and I'll be damned if this guy didn't drop a gigantic spoiler in the tease for the segment. I said another one of those bad words, loudly. I let that go, switched away when the segment came on, switched back later. And then, when the segment was long over and the showgram was wrapping up, the same host dropped another gigantic spoiler for the same show.
These were the absolute worst instances of this, but not the only ones.
Memo to hosts: No goddam frackin' spoilers before you get to the segment, or after it's over.
Your Plainsman, and the audience you influence to watch the shows you like, thanks your asses.
ThePlainsman1310@gmail.com
@Plainsman1310
Valid point,but why won't you mention the host name?
ReplyDeleteBetter yet, why would it drive you into the arms of The FAN? You do realize they copy every single thing The Ticket does. Including tv show segments. Including dropping spoilers. Personally I detest the analyze show x y or z segments. It's worse than sitting through a high school English class discussing Tom Sawyer. You'd think they were trying to figure out the meaning of a Fellini flick or a Chekov play. Nothing worse than the elevation of mindless bulsh into high art. I love my mindless bulsh. Hence I love sports and I love The Ticket. I like to keep my mindless bulsh mindless. That's why I ain't no fan of one Gordon Keith. You're a mimic. Embrace it.
ReplyDeleteI take it this rant is about Breaking Bad? Oh my. What a thought provoking program. Right.
1129, I have not idea one what you are trying to say. However, I do thank you for shopping at My Ticket Confession.
ReplyDeleteI apologize for the vulgarity. Do as I edit, not as I rant.
ReplyDeleteYou don't get my point, dude? Then again you think Twhitt is a good writer. So I'm not surprised.
ReplyDeletePman, I get 1129/1214's point. But I'm not sure why s/he felt it needed to be made. You weren't extolling the genius of some t.v. show, you were only griping about spoilers. I actually agree with some of what 1129 said. However, his point was made in the wrong thread, IMO.
ReplyDeleteNow as far as the 1214 follow up comment goes: idiotic, plain and simple.
Back to your post. Honestly, how can you bitch about this? Are they supposed to be mindful of those who watch recorded shows? Who are playing catch up? That would be silly.
Well, OK, it's your blog. But I thought a nice little conversation was beginning to brew on the last thread. This seems to be a throwaway, little bit of venting--not an actual post worthy issue. Again, it is your blog.
ReplyDeleteI thought some of the things DA was throwing out were interesting. I for one would welcome some of the upper tier national shows to be aired during prime time hours locally. Sometimes I want to hear some hard core sports talk, and that's all. It's a nice change of pace every now and again. Yes there is some of that available, but not enough; and certainly nothing like Lebatard's show. As I'm writing this, THL is bemoaning how "sucky" it is to have to watch an episode of a program in real time. They've devoted basically the entire opening segment to it. Sometimes I wish they could hear themselves. It's segments and sentiments like these that help me to understand why nearly every single buddy of mine who visits (and after repeat visits and exposure) still doesn't get THL. They like D&M; and a few like BaD. But none, zero, can say the same for THL. Which brings me to my other item. I thought ausgang was onto something interesting as well in the previous thread with his take on the Mike is bored front.
Sorry, I've nothing to say about t.v. show spoilers. Not a fan of the shows that are covered by the hosts.
To All:
ReplyDeleteCumulus also had two big national news items in since Friday which impacts all revenue.
1- Rush will stay with them.
2- Hannity refused a new contract and is blasting the company. Michael Savage will most likely be his replacement.
FWIW, the conservative website, Newsbusters, tries to illustrate how much the audience for their major talk stations have fallen, however WBAP was not listed.
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2013/08/19/sean-hannity-right-cumulus-managing-its-radio-stations-ground
Radish:
ReplyDeleteYes, that is exactly what I am saying -- not that they can identify individual listeners, but they should be mindful that a LOT of listeners don't watch the shows in real time.
How should they know this? BECAUSE MANY IF NOT MOST OF THEIR COLLEAGUES ALSO WATCH THE SHOWS FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER THEIR SCHEDULED BROADCAST. They talk about it on the air, where they are in "catching up," sitting and watching a couple of seasons at a time over a weekend.
It's common courtesy. If you go to a site with participant reviews, like Amazon, reviewers (if they're any good) either take care to avoid spoilers, or begin their reviews with "SPOILER ALERT."
Ah, what a pleasure to have authored a piece with all-correct thinking.
birdie: No problem with continuing the scheduling talk.
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time believing that Cumulus is going to counterprogram The Ticket by pirating its own top-rated show -- even Norm. It makes no sense UNLESS Norm has told them he's all done and he's going to take one for the team by dwelling in the ESPN fever swamp for a short period of time before retirement, and some up/coming Ticket team can start to get established 10-noon.
That sound like Norm to you?
With respect to The Hardline, I can understand why birdie's friends have a hard time developing a taste for The Hardline. If you're coming from traditional sports talk, The Hardline is the furthest of The Ticket programs from that. It's character-driven broadcasting, pure and simple, and if you aren't able to hang in to develop a taste for some fairly spicy personalities who don't spend a whole lot of time talking about sports in a sophisticated way, you're going to think The Hardline sucks for a long time, right up until the moment that you realize that you're missing it when youo're not hearing it.
I tend to tune out when they talk about shows. I haven't watched a series since the Sopranos.
ReplyDeleteGoing a bit off subject here though, does anyone have the weekly radio ratings for the last 2-3 weeks? Curious to see how the whole Kidd thing has affected ratings. Just read a Facebook post (not sure if its just a rumor) that ratings for the Kidd Kraddick show have been going down and the possibility of ending the show is out there.
Wowee, Plainsman. You sound like Norm when he went off on the NCAA and schedules for human beings. You know, where the "Oh Damn Dan, Damn, Everything's A Damn Joke To You, Dan!" drop came from. I think you're asking a bit too much from the fellas. It's not their job to make sure spoiler alerts are given. If they remember to do so, great. If not, that's the way it goes.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember the last time I missed The Hardline. I still listen to it most everyday. Except now I mentally check out most of the time. It's become my afternoon background music. When WTDS comes on, I know I have about an hour and 45 minutes left till I leave the office. It's become more of a marker for me. Not the way it used to be, for sure. I remember when I used to hold my water, no matter how bad I needed to take a leak, just to hang on because the next segment was coming up and I didn't want to take a chance missing one single word. Now not so much. Sorry but I don't need to hear Danny or Corby or Jake repeat damn near verbatim an analysis of Breaking Bad that I read during my lunch break on a website. BaD has taken The Hardline's place in my radio world. Though I have to admit that BaD at its best isn't what The Hardline on a solid day used to be.
One final note. I don't know who told BaD that the game show segment is gold, or even good. Attention boys, it isn't. It's bad, not BaD, radio.
Nope. These guys are professional broadcasters. Spoilers are rude and disrespectful of listeners -- and, I might add, of their own colleagues.
ReplyDeleteSo: It IS their job to make sure spoiler alerts are given.
I don't see the big deal as long as they give a spoiler alert right before the segment starts. It's a groundbreaking show, and it's risky because not everyone is into it, but it's still one of the more popular shows going and it's an easy show to be conversational about.
ReplyDeleteJust give the spoiler alert and they should be in the clear. I think it's ridiculous to say they shouldn't do segments like that though. They can do what they want. I'm sure there was a time when they balanced whether or not it was a good idea to do that segment or not.
As for the gameshows, get the hell out of here those are golden gold.
If you are a P1, you really don't need to watch Breaking Bad. You will know everything that happened.
ReplyDeleteOh my, Plainsman, don't we live in rarified air.
ReplyDeleteWhat a spoiled brat. Oh, I had my silly, gratuitously violent, unrealistic soap opera that offers up asinine and puerile game theory-esque moral dilemmas ruined for me by those uncaring, unfeeling Hardliners. Those Hardliners, with their wanton disregard for my television viewing habits. How dare they!
ReplyDeleteWhat a society we live in today. Sheesh.
Once something has aired on television, it is no longer a "spoiler". You're just behind and/or lazy. It's no one else's responsibility to shield you from things that have already happened.
ReplyDeleteThe commenters on this blog are completely ridiculous sometimes.
ReplyDeleteAmen, Taco.
ReplyDeleteNot since the Josh might have ALS has the proprietor of this site been so off the farm.
You're right, 834. So please try your hand at a bit of self-editing next time you make a comment.
ReplyDeleteSo: Visitors aren't actually reading the posts. Innarestin.
ReplyDeleteBack to Norm:
ReplyDeleteIf we are just speculating with no facts (which is what I am about to do), I could see the benefit of Norm moving to ESPN for 6month-1 year before he retires. This would allow him to retire as an ESN radio personality, which would help him in his post-radio career, i.e. gust time as an ESPN expert on subjects like Horse Racing, etc.
Just a thought. At the end of the day, it makes more sense for ESPN to go all-national here and let the Ticket go all-local. Why would you compete against your own product with the same-type shows?
I'm so tired of hearing about Breaking Bad. I feel like it's mentioned in one way or another on every Hardline segment. Have a recap segment of it on Mondays. Fine. But every e-news, every day is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteBut it's still not as bad as the PSA spots on the streaming side of things. The one with the hispanic chick learning to use Skype is murder-inducing.
I wish they would give spoiler alerts when talking about last night's game. Not all of us have had an opportunity to watch it yet, and it just downright disrespectful to give me the score if I'm not ready for it.
ReplyDeleteSpot-on, 134. And while they're at it, I wish THL would stop teasing what's coming up in the E-News and Community Quick Hits segments. Sometimes I'd rather find out on my own, and at my leisure. Come to think of it, every show ought to be recorded and then posted for all to listen to at their convenience. No live shows, period. That way we can truly make everything about ourselves and our needs, wants, aspirations, fulfillment......
ReplyDeleteHoly mackerel, Plainsman! You sure are getting your nuts kicked in, a la Richie Whitt Observer/DFWSportatorium style over your bitching and moaning about spoilers. Not sure exactly as to why you are. Sure it's a bit First World Problem of you, but then again, so are any of our complaints about The Ticket. So c'mon MTCers, let's move on to something else.
ReplyDeleteDA. Love your stuff, man. It's taken me some time to see what you've been getting at over the last year, but I think I'm finally catching on (I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer). Seems to me that a lot of people who think they know the lay of the land. Who think there's no way you break what isn't broken (what's far from being broken in this case). Are going to be shocked if what is very likely coming down the pike does indeed occur. Am I correct?
Why is the Hardline discussing Sean Lee's new contract when they could be burning another segment on Breaking Bad?
ReplyDeleteOh sweet Danny Bar Owner, why are you now making Corby like statements? Johnny Manziel is the biggest name in sports in the whole world right now? Not so much, Deep Dish. Not even close. No one except the rare NCAAF fan outside of the US has any idea who the idiot is.
ReplyDeleteAh, myopic Hardline. I thought Danny was immune to such things. Now even he has disappointed me.
YOKOYOLO: Yeah, well, if a blogger can't take some criticism, puerile and ill-reasoned though it may be, it's time to get out of the biz. Some people cruise through here who just flat don't like me or the site, and not much can be done about those benighted souls.
ReplyDeletePopped in the remote at the oddly plural "Scruffy Duffies" in Frisco. Some Navy guys were washing cars for a charitable cause for disable persons, including veterans -- or, when I cruised through, waiting for some cars to wash.
ReplyDeleteNot a great place for a remote. Hard to hear. Broadcast table in darkness. Service spotty. Been there on non-remote occasions. Sometimes OK, prompt and friendly; sometimes not, surly and invisible.
Coupla Ticket Chicks. Not sure what they're told to do. Mostly hung around the T-shirt table. Saw them posing with some listeners for a cellphone shot. Guess maybe that's it.
Couple people went up to shake Mike's hand, say thanks, and move along. Other than that, as usual, no one much interacted with them. No one, but no one, was listening to the show (including me, this time).
Which is interesting, because sponsors must want these remotes to bring people in, but once they get there, they do not derive any additional pleasure from the presence of the showgrams. Which means, I guess, that people go to these things mainly just to hang out with The Boys. The sponsors like it, the Ticket likes it, and, quite obviously, the attendees get out of it what they want.
That being said, if the comment sections turn into anything resembling RW's site, I'll read your posts and skip the comments. Hopefully it won't come down to that. Anyway, glad your skin is thick.
ReplyDeleteAnyone know why BaD is taking another vacation this week? Didn't they have one not too long ago, or am I mistaken? I'm a fan of Donnie and Rich, but not B&Q. It's torturous. It's a poor pairing. Neither can carry a show. Both are good #3 guys, not main hosts. Raceweek doesn't count. It's taped and it's about a specific topic and it's one hour in length. Same goes with Cowboys postgame duties. It might be longer, but its Norm and caller driven and its about a specific topic, as well. If my ears heard correctly, IG will be in tomorrow and Friday. I hope that's right. If so, I'm looking forward to it.
@YOKOYOLO,
ReplyDeleteAs I read and re-read your question, I think I can answer; yes.
Yes for both The Ticket itself, as well as to the Cumulus DFW cluster and the company itself.
IMHO, it is mostly broken. Here is a sports TV analogy which should help out. FOX Sports 1 launched on Saturday and ESPN did not stand still. They took a look at the competitor and signed Jason Whitlock away from FOX to start a "black version of Grantland", signed Jorge Sedano (Cuban) and Pablo Torre (Filipino) fulltime , signed Nate Silver from the NYT, and added Olbermann as well. They are trying to improve themselves overall and that means taking risks.
Since I have listened to The Ticket starting in 1999, The Ticket's 7a-7p format has really not changed and while profitable, it is extremely predictable/comfortable. Even with the addition of ESPN and CBS backed stations in the market, The Ticket acts as if they do not exist and that, "We can do what they can do, but they cannot do what we do" mantra reigns supreme. That means little today in the internet age when during that 10-12 minute ad break from WTDS to the THL as I will listen to a podcast, Sirius/XM Radio, or another station possible in another market.
As for the station, their key demo, which they continue to drill to the listener and themselves is still getting older (and whiter) by the day and they don't seem to worried about that. There is also the signal issue with the AM band and management needs to be careful with the hours of programming on 103.3 since the LMA with ESPN limits the hours of Cumulus programming which can be aired on that signal.
As for both Clear Channel and Cumulus, September bring another loss of ad revenue amidst flat revenue growth (~1.1%):
iTunes Radio.
http://adage.com/article/digital/big-marketers-sign-apple-s-itunes-radio/243734/
It will begin with music only, but talk will soon come into the fold.
As for your comment on vacation for BaD Radio, many sports radio talents are on vacation this week and next to return either before NCAA and the NFL or after Labor Day. LeBartard is out until September, Kornheiser's contract runs from Labor Day to July 1, and Gary Radnich (KNBR) is out this week. Hell, Jim Rome is off this week too.
Am I the only one that thinks Farrell sounds exactly like Krusty the Klown?
ReplyDelete@DA Yeah, sorry about the odd way of putting it. I realized after the fact that I didn't use complete sentences. Oooof.
ReplyDeleteThe demo aspect of what you're saying, to me, is the key. My nephew is 17 and he tells me that only a few of his friends and acquaintances listen to The Ticket. Most are sort of aware that it exists, and the few who do listen rarely do. Mostly when they're in the car with their dads...and in my nephew's case, both his uncle and his dad. I think the days of The Ticket Listening Club at HP High are over or at the very least the club isn't exactly what it once was, in both mission and in action. I've been to a few remotes and a few Summer Bashes and the rest. They've gone from mostly middle aged dudes with a few younger guys (back then, that meant me) to almost equal parts old and young, to the recent Summer Bash that definitely leaned toward the old days (no pun intended). My nephew and his contemporaries and I have to think most people in their 20s, have their own highly personalized soundtrack they create and listen to. The ones that do listen to radio usually do so by way of podcasts and/or satellite.
So what I'm thinking is that no matter how successful The Ticket formula has been and still is, it's soon, if not already, not enough for The Powers That Be. Because this is so, things are going to change in the not so distant future. Like within the next 3-5 years. This is due to the way in which radio and all entertainment is being and will be even more so accessed in the very near future. Also the prized demo group seems to be trending lower. This will also account for changes to what once seemed untouchable. Which all means The Ticket, and the entire radio-tv medium will not look like it does now.
Am I on the right track?
@YOKOYOLO,
ReplyDeleteRemember I am just a 39 year old, Ticket listener "of color" who last lived in the Metroplex in 2006 and visited quarterly until 2009. I am also not in the broadcast media, but look at business news, media blogs, and the like. As is, The Ticket is apparently successful/profitable, but the Cumulus DFW cluster is not. It is like DeMarcus Ware or Sean Lee having a great season individually, but the Cowboys still are 8-8 or 9-7 and fail to make the playoffs.
Example #1: Ticket Fight night is next Thursday. I don't know who goes to that event nor do I care, but I realized early that the college football season starts next Thursday as well, and the thought of the old Toughman contest does not tempt me to leave my home or a watering hole to see that. Poor planning for an idea whose time has long passed.
The demographic issue is one which you have observed and now see as an issue.
Example #2: A kid born in 1997, who can drive now, most likely only heard AM radio as a child listening to Radio Disney. Soon after, satellite radio and the ability to use an iPod in a car took over. As I have said before, AM is dead and the FCC knows it to the point they are using federal funds to revive it.
Changes will just be that...changes, but who really knows.
Example #3" Earlier this year, FOX threatened to move its free terrestrial network to cable only due to Barry Diller's Aereo venture.
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-04-11/fox-tv-network-may-move-to-cable-as-news-corp-dot-fights-aereo
Now, FOX wants to buy more local stations, specifically those in the markets within their NFL NFC contract.
http://variety.com/2013/tv/news/fox-steps-up-its-pursuit-of-station-acquisitions-in-nfl-markets-1200579687/
As much as your "Powers That Be" seem to be Cumulus and the CTO, it is also the listening audience. Honestly, I like Black and Quack since it is different for The Ticket. They also tend to talk the most ridiculous item, rasslin'.
However, any show with Rhadigan as he relies too much on things from Metro Detroit and I lived there at the same time and he is still brutal.
DA, I don't know if your media interest extends to the teevee, but I'm wondering whether you have any info on where the CBS/Time-Warner discussions (if any) stand. I don't care so much about it -- the only thing I would miss is the Cowboys games and I can find those at a local bar -- but Mrs. Plainsman is absolutely wearing me out, demanding to know when her crime shows and 60 Minutes and The Good Wife are coming back.
ReplyDeleteI've read recent articles that seem to think this is going to go up to at least the beginning of Niffle Season, and then resolve.
What are your sources telling you?
I do not live in a Time Warner Cable area, so I have little interest in the CBS/TWC issue.
ReplyDeleteOn the macro side, I have more interest in the upcoming ESPN/DISH issue since both parties have been to court regarding numerous issues for years and just has a ruling in favor of DISH in February. Remember, DISH and amc had a tussle too.
http://variety.com/2013/biz/news/next-big-tv-fight-looms-would-dish-drop-espn-and-abc-1200576375/
Nice to see another blogger get his nuts kicked in. Welcome to the club Plainsman!
ReplyDeleteAnother blow to radio will come later this afternoon....
ReplyDeleteQ2 earnings from Pandora.
http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/pandora-media-earnings-your-sneak-peek-to-the-big-announcement.html/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+WallStCheatSheetCore+%28Wall+St.+Cheat+Sheet%29
Do the suits in Sales care that I am now punching out whenever a Progressive commercial comes on?
ReplyDeleteI'm with you PMan, and I don't even watch the show. I have small kids and I'm lucky to watch a sporting event live or on dvr before the next day.
ReplyDeleteI don't really worry about it, there are shows that I caught well after they came on, most recently Deadwood. I remember all the shows talking about it when it was on, but didn't get into it until recently. It's nice to be able to watch every episode at my leisure, so I'm sure I'll get into Breaking Bad here in the next year or so.
@1129
ReplyDeleteI hate the sentiment that b/c the ticket does something, anyone else that does it is copying. Newsflash, the ticket was not the first to do TV show segments. For the most part, The Fan is more creative with their segment ideas, they're just not as compelling personalities as the ticket's.
Last week, the ticket literally talked about soap for 15 minutes and it was compelling. You can tell me they're great, you can tell me they're better than everyone else, just don't tell me they invented the wheel.
I hate the sentiment that b/c someone else does something The Ticket does and even has the balls to pretty much call it the same name, just re-worded, and conduct it in the same manner doesn't mean it's ripping The Ticket off. Do you see how that works, Turbo? Refutation by analogy. Who did tv segments prior to The Ticket, Turbo? Remember Ticket TV?It was the first of its kind in these parts. You like or even prefer The FAN, fine. I think 99% of those who comment and those just stop by prefer The Ticket. Because you say The FAN's segments are more creative doesn't mean squat. In fact nothing you said is very cogent except for the fact that you admit Ticket hosts have better personalities. Uh, gee, Turbo, isn't that the whole shooting match in a nutshell? Now go give an atta boy to RW's and Greggo's sites. Tell them you came over here and really whipped us up, but good. Go do it, Turbo.
ReplyDeleteWhy can't people with TWC just plug in rabbit ears to watch CBS?
ReplyDeleteThose of us with rabbit ear antennas are laughing at the rest of you who spend money for cable/dish/u-verse. I'm saving lots of money AND I can watch CBS!
ReplyDeleteFart talk this morning had me laughing harder than I've laughed in a long time, yes, fart talk.
ReplyDeleteI'll second that on the fart talk. Also, Intentional Grounding has run it's course, imo. I think I like those guys personally but anything more than a show every once in a while is brutal. It's like a sleeping pill. And when it tries to get funny, it makes me wish they would just stick with the sleeping pill option.
ReplyDeleteI was just coming to post that the station can go silent now after the fart talk segment this morning. Yeah, I was giggling all the way to work this morning. Funny stuff. I really like it when they get going and there are some really genuine and honest belly laughs.
ReplyDeleteJunior's test fart is what George Carlin referred to as the one cheek sneak.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the Chaz P. (however you spell it) interview was great.
Well James, enjoy watching your one Rangers game a week.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletePlainsman, I'm with you. I know of the show you are talking about, I have watched every season until this one. I'm not listening to the show that I think you are talking about because they talk about the show that I think you are talking about. I also noticed they The Ticket put that segment in their podcasts. I had to avoid the podcast as well because I haven't watched any of this season yet. I agree that they should only announce that they are going to talk about a show, talk about it, and then not mention it again for several months. Give listeners time to see the show. I agree that it's a good way to lose listeners.
ReplyDeletePlainsman, I think it serves you right for spoiling the fact that Josh Hamilton has ALS.
ReplyDelete