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Archives => Radio Shows => Topic started by: mystery-ak on February 25, 2021, 03:53:24 pm
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Rush To The Exits: Affiliates Begin Making Their Next Moves
Lance Venta by Lance Venta
February 25, 2021
Just over a week after Rush Limbaugh’s widow announced the death of one of talk radio’s most formative voices, the industry is just beginning to answer the question of what to do with the midday time slot he dominated from three decades.
On Monday, Berkshire Broadcasting’s News/Talk 800 WLAD/94.1 W231DJ Danbury CT will replace the “best-of†Limbaugh shows now in the noon-3 PM ET slot with Compass Media Networks’ “Markley, VanCamp and Robbins,†based at Alpha Media’s KXL-FM in Portland, where it competes against Limbaugh on iHeart’s KEX. The show had been airing in delay at 6 PM on WLAD, in a move Berkshire CEO/president Irv Goldstein says was part of a long-term plan to prepare for Limbaugh’s eventual exit.
“We’ve been preparing for this eventuality since last April, when we introduced MVR to the market in the evening time period,†Goldstein said. “They’re basically three smart asses who are squarely on the conservative side of things.†In why they made the move now, Goldstein stated, “We are opting instead to talk about today’s news, not yesterday’s.â€
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https://radioinsight.com/headlines/205465/rush-to-the-exits-affiliates-begin-making-their-next-moves/
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Nice to see where the loyalty lies with the corpse still warm.
IF EIB lands a talent on the scale of a Tucker Carlson, or Mark Levin, I hope EIB signs these station's competitiors.
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Nice to see where the loyalty lies with the corpse still warm.
Look, it's not like Limbaugh designated a successor.
Limbaugh's not around to produce new content anymore. If you're going to do news/talk radio, you have to have new content. If iHeart (which owns EIB) isn't going to have a new show ready in that time slot, that's their problem. They've known he was going to die for several months now and should have been prepared. These stations do not owe it to iHeart to continue carrying reruns of a dead man's show when Limbaugh didn't lay out a succession plan. As far as I'm concerned, his rights to the time slot expired when he died.
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In Buffalo: war hero David Bellavia is taking the time slot.
https://buffalonews.com/entertainment/bellavia-and-bauerles-schedules-change-to-fill-limbaughs-time-slot-at-wben-am/article_a53332fe-8d62-11eb-86ba-033e195d6e4a.html
In Pittsburgh: Rose Tennent, Jim Quinn's former co-host, gets the slot.
In Georgia: most stations are also going local.
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/206092/wokv-moves-mark-kaye-into-rush-limbaugh-timeslot/
Bakersfield goes with Dennis Prager.
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/206493/dennis-prager-takes-limbaughs-slot-at-knzr-bakersfield/
And, as another thread pointed out, Cumulus is carrying the Rush reruns until May, then putting Bongino on in Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas and quite a few other big markets.
I would not be surprised if iHeart/Premiere eventually puts the hosted Limbaugh reruns into a weekly pre-recorded show that would air on weekends. That, in my amateur opinion, would be the best long-term fit and would allow them to be more selective in scouring the archive for relevant content (thankfully Biden's been around for decades so there's plenty of that).
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In Buffalo: war hero David Bellavia is taking the time slot.
https://buffalonews.com/entertainment/bellavia-and-bauerles-schedules-change-to-fill-limbaughs-time-slot-at-wben-am/article_a53332fe-8d62-11eb-86ba-033e195d6e4a.html
In Pittsburgh: Rose Tennent, Jim Quinn's former co-host, gets the slot.
In Georgia: most stations are also going local.
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/206092/wokv-moves-mark-kaye-into-rush-limbaugh-timeslot/
Bakersfield goes with Dennis Prager.
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/206493/dennis-prager-takes-limbaughs-slot-at-knzr-bakersfield/
And, as another thread pointed out, Cumulus is carrying the Rush reruns until May, then putting Bongino on in Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas and quite a few other big markets.
I would not be surprised if iHeart/Premiere eventually puts the hosted Limbaugh reruns into a weekly pre-recorded show that would air on weekends. That, in my amateur opinion, would be the best long-term fit and would allow them to be more selective in scouring the archive for relevant content (thankfully Biden's been around for decades so there's plenty of that).
I've listened when Kathryn Limbaugh has been on and it doesn't sound to me at all that they are going to do away with using bytes from his show any time soon. Lots of material that is still relevant today that they can use. Bongino may be the permanent "guide" for the show, but I believe that the format will remain the same as it is now for quite some time. You just can't 'erase' someone like Limbaugh so soon.
I've listened to a question and answer segment done by Bongino -- IMO he just isn't going to cut it.
Honestly,I believe if they drop referencing Rush or just plan on erasing him, they will lose millions of listeners.
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Rush's network had one product - Rush talking about current events. There is no way to keep that going now that he's gone. Taped shows won't cut it.
The best thing the affiliates can do is to sign whatever talent is available, either nat'l or local, to keep the audience.
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Reagan had a radio show. Just sayin'...
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Rush's network had one product - Rush talking about current events. There is no way to keep that going now that he's gone. Taped shows won't cut it.
The best thing the affiliates can do is to sign whatever talent is available, either nat'l or local, to keep the audience.
Lots of Rush's stuff is still applicable today. He made conservative talk radio and IMO they'd be wise to always remember that.
Bongino is no replacement. No one is going to be able to fill his spot. 3 hours of just Bongino? I just don't see that working out.
Mark Steyn, Ken Matthews ... or others that have actually filled in for him would be a much, much better choice .
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Lots of Rush's stuff is still applicable today. He made conservative talk radio and IMO they'd be wise to always remember that.
Bongino is no replacement. No one is going to be able to fill his spot. 3 hours of just Bongino? I just don't see that working out.
Mark Steyn, Ken Matthews ... or others that have actually filled in for him would be a much, much better choice .
Of course, conventional wisdom is timeless.
I can only speak for myself. I tuned in to Rush because I wanted to hear his reaction to things going on at the time. Listening to what he said in years past is the antithesis of that. IMHO.
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Of course, conventional wisdom is timeless.
I can only speak for myself. I tuned in to Rush because I wanted to hear his reaction to things going on at the time. Listening to what he said in years past is the antithesis of that. IMHO.
I'm with my friend @skeeter. Timely analysis of topical issues, delivered with unapologetic style and humor, was what made Rush Limbaugh unique. His program was inherently optimistic, hence forward-looking. Of course Rush deserves to be long remembered, but a backward-looking memory of him does not befit his legacy nor does it make for an engaging radio program.
Were it up to me to name a single successor, that successor would be Mark Steyn. But the reality is that EIB died with Rush.
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I'm with my friend @skeeter. Timely analysis of topical issues, delivered with unapologetic style and humor, was what made Rush Limbaugh unique. His program was inherently optimistic, hence forward-looking. Of course Rush deserves to be long remembered, but a backward-looking memory of him does not befit his legacy nor does it make for an engaging radio program.
Were it up to me to name a single successor, that successor would be Mark Steyn. But the reality is that EIB died with Rush.
Good post and I agree. It is difficult to lose Rush when we need him the most.
Bongino I don't think is going to draw the audience in. People will tune in out of curiosity at first but he's not going to last!.
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I'm with my friend @skeeter. Timely analysis of topical issues, delivered with unapologetic style and humor, was what made Rush Limbaugh unique. His program was inherently optimistic, hence forward-looking. Of course Rush deserves to be long remembered, but a backward-looking memory of him does not befit his legacy nor does it make for an engaging radio program.
Were it up to me to name a single successor, that successor would be Mark Steyn. But the reality is that EIB died with Rush.
Exactly. And much better put, of course! pointing-up
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Who came up with the idea to carry a three month wake for Rush?
The show is becoming irrelevant --- and a little creepy.
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Whose idea was it to carry a three month wake for Rush?
The show is becoming irrelevant --- and a little creepy.
It is your herd mentality.
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There's a guy in Houston who used to be excellent (even used to sit in for Levin from time to time), but he either got lazy or decided he wanted to appeal to a less serious crowd. He has good insight, which is one of the main things that set Rush apart from others. He's had experience in the political arena as an office holder, so he knows how the system works. He is (was) able to execute a sustained program of meaningful content for a number of years.
I hardly listen to him anymore, but since he's on same network as EIB, I do catch snippets often. He's still got it, but he likes to mix it in with jabbery stuff. Bores the liver out of me. Likes to talk about music from various eras, where he once ate the best biscuits and gray, and what makes the best hamburger. Should you eat it with mustard or mayonnaise? (The obvious answer is mustard, but that's a subject for a much less weighty show.) A lot of his venue is just small talk, and I can't take that. If he were still on his game, I'd recommend him in a heartbeat.
Whatever they end up doing with the timeslot, I hope it's EIB affiliated. I do want to have Rush's wisdom and insight aired when applicable. A good host could weave it in flawlessly with his/her own comments about present-day events. I'd like someone who has ideas of how to motivate, incentivize, and re-educate Americans. A few guests might be nice, but a VERY few. There's enough of that on cable news. And if they have guests, have long-form interviews. Don't get crunched by the clock. Do enough segments that will yield the most information or ideas.
Mark Steyn, as good as he is, is not the right person. I know too many people who tuned out when they heard that Steyn was guest hosting. And I get it to a certain degree. His voice and repetitive manner of speaking can and does get a bit annoying after a while until you just can't take anymore. Love him, but, seriously, a little of Mark Steyn goes a long way.
One more thing: do NOT be rude to the callers. I can only take the first hour of Levin because he's so caustic to his callers. I would appreciate hearing how someone might convince a liberal to take another look at the things he/she believes. You'll never flip them with insults. If "come let us reason together" is good enough for the Lord, there must be something to it.
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I'm with my friend @skeeter. Timely analysis of topical issues, delivered with unapologetic style and humor, was what made Rush Limbaugh unique. His program was inherently optimistic, hence forward-looking. Of course Rush deserves to be long remembered, but a backward-looking memory of him does not befit his legacy nor does it make for an engaging radio program.
Were it up to me to name a single successor, that successor would be Mark Steyn. But the reality is that EIB died with Rush.
Agree with both of you. I suspect this may actually be the beginning of the end for AM radio. Rush basically rescued it from its deathbed. Now that he's gone, I don't see any of the current crop of hosts being able to sustain his audience.
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There's a guy in Houston who used to be excellent (even used to sit in for Levin from time to time), but he either got lazy or decided he wanted to appeal to a less serious crowd. He has good insight, which is one of the main things that set Rush apart from others. He's had experience in the political arena as an office holder, so he knows how the system works. He is (was) able to execute a sustained program of meaningful content for a number of years.
I hardly listen to him anymore, but since he's on same network as EIB, I do catch snippets often. He's still got it, but he likes to mix it in with jabbery stuff. Bores the liver out of me. Likes to talk about music from various eras, where he once ate the best biscuits and gray, and what makes the best hamburger. Should you eat it with mustard or mayonnaise? (The obvious answer is mustard, but that's a subject for a much less weighty show.) A lot of his venue is just small talk, and I can't take that. If he were still on his game, I'd recommend him in a heartbeat.
Are you thinking of Michael Berry? Your description lines up well with my experience of listening to Berry - when he's good, he's extremely good, but he wastes far too much time on irrelevance and nonsense.
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Are you thinking of Michael Berry? Your description lines up well with my experience of listening to Berry - when he's good, he's extremely good, but he wastes far too much time on irrelevance and nonsense.
@HoustonSam
Yes, he's the one. What do you think caused the change in him? Did he get lazy? When I learned how much time and effort Rush and some of the others devote to preparation, I thought maybe Berry didn't want to take that time away from his family. I guess I can't blame him, but I still miss the Michael Berry of substance.
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One more thing: do NOT be rude to the callers. I can only take the first hour of Levin because he's so caustic to his callers. I would appreciate hearing how someone might convince a liberal to take another look at the things he/she believes. You'll never flip them with insults. If "come let us reason together" is good enough for the Lord, there must be something to it.
Levin has always been rude to his fans. He was a real POS on FR. His handle: "Holdonnow."
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Levin has always been rude to his fans. He was a real POS on FR. His handle: "Holdonnow."
Another area where Rush excelled - he was always polite to his callers. Even ones with crackpot theories, he would take the time to listen and make sure he was understanding their point.
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Levin has always been rude to his fans. He was a real POS on FR. His handle: "Holdonnow."
I haven't listened to Levin in several years, but felt he did an excellent job pointing out issues pertaining to the Constitution. I listened to him at his time slot at night and rarely did he have rude callers.
There are times when I believe rude callers deserve a rude response.
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I haven't listened to Levin in several years, but felt he did an excellent job pointing out issues pertaining to the Constitution. I listened to him at his time slot at night and rarely did he have rude callers.
There are times when I believe rude callers deserve a rude response.
He always gave polite posters rude replies. I can't stand to watch his TeeBee show because I remember what a pr*ck he is.
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He always gave polite posters rude replies. I can't stand to watch his TeeBee show because I remember what a pr*ck he is.
You have to understand that Levin and Hannity come from the Bob Grant school of talk radio. Grant was one of the first guys to make it big in New York City as a conservative talker. He was abrasive, had a thick accent, and was unabashedly of the East Coast style. Limbaugh, on the other hand, was a midwesterner: until he went national, he never went east of Pittsburgh.
The midwest style has typically been more appealing to listeners. That's why a lot of early radio and TV stars came from the midwest and Great Plains: neutral accents, calm demeanor, and clear speech. The East Coast style has some novelty to it, but it's grating in the long run (hence why Grant never caught on nationally the way Rush did).
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He always gave polite posters rude replies. I can't stand to watch his TeeBee show because I remember what a pr*ck he is.
Totally agree, @Cyber Liberty
Mark Levin blew his wad when he decided to become 'different' than other talk radio hosts by purposefully turning from 'Mr. Walker' into 'Mr. Wheeler'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUTWDhWrnDU&t=2s
His rudeness shtick drove off more listeners than he added. And his FOX program is a huge yawner.
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Totally agree, @Cyber Liberty
Mark Levin blew his wad when he decided to become 'different' than other talk radio hosts by purposefully turning from 'Mr. Walker' into 'Mr. Wheeler'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUTWDhWrnDU&t=2s
His rudeness shtick drove off more listeners than he added. And his FOX program is a huge yawner.
@DCPatriot
I disagree with that last part. I like the long-form interview format. There's always a little more intellectual or informational meat to chew on. There may be a guest here or there who isn't as interesting as others, but I consider "Life, Liberty & Levin" to be must-watch TV.
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@DCPatriot
I disagree with that last part. I like the long-form interview format. There's always a little more intellectual or informational meat to chew on. There may be a guest here or there who isn't as interesting as others, but I consider "Life, Liberty & Levin" to be must-watch TV.
@AllThatJazzZ
IMHO... if it were "must-watch TV"...it wouldn't be 'buried' on a evening weekend.
I agree that it's more intellectual and informational than the standard formula show, but like the saying goes...
His show is the proverbial 'tree' falling in the forest not making any sound.
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More:
In St. Louis, a local trio will take over the time slot. (This is the second Audacy/Entercom station to go local in Rush's slot, as they also own Buffalo's Rush affiliate.)
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/207454/kmox-adds-three-person-st-louis-talks-in-limbaugh-timeslot/
Meanwhile, a new syndicated offering "Markley, Van Camp and Robbins" (from Compass, which has a few offerings but is a distant player in the market) will see if it will play in Peoria.
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/207443/wmbd-moves-markley-van-camp-adds-craig-collins-for-afternoons/