BARB - Big Apple Radio Blog

A public wish for a Happy Thanksgiving to the readers and browsers of this blog. I've received plenty of feedback through this blog, and you never know who might be reading it.

Till next time, be seeing you...

12:45 PM. Midtown Manhattan. A yellow taxi whizzes by - okay, it doesn't necessarily whiz by, but it does pass - and on top of it is a taxitop advertisement that reads, and I quote:

"106.7 Lite FM, Non-Stop Holiday Hits."

Of course, "106.7 Lite FM" is in logo form, and the background was a festive type - I think I saw some holly on it... Anyway, how weird is it that the Christmas format is not yet on 106.7, yet there are already ads promoting it, misguiding the average listener into thinking it's on the radio right now.

It leads one to think that this time around, especially given the surrounding atmosphere, this format could be the most overhyped since... well, Blink.

Ever since WCBS-FM scratched the oldies format, and in effect releasing popular personalities like Bob Shannon and Bill Brown and Mickey Dolenz - okay, maybe not Mickey Dolenz - since the inception of Jack-FM, 101.1 has been consistently getting a bad rap, and the ratings reflect it. The most popular criticism is that the station plays "too much Def Leppard".

So imagine my surprise when this afternoon, Jack started its first themed weekend... "An Excellent 80's Weekend!" Huh? Isn't that kinda like the music selections you play during the week, let alone on the weekend? Gee, Jack, what are you gonna do for an encore next weekend, "The Monsters of Rock Weekend"?

By the way, do you think there can be a pattern emerging: CBS-FM, releases popular personalities, takes a big ratings hit. Lite-FM just let some people go, though not the direct result of a format flip like CBS-FM. Middays - not affected by host changes - are a strong daypart, but the fact is, mornings and evenings were, as well. Will there be a domino effect caving in Lite's listenership? Only time will tell.

There was a website not too long ago that was created in response to the listeners' ire of Delilah. So long ago, in fact, that I think when it was in its popularity, her show was still being syndicated by Jones!

Sadly, the site isn't online anymore - but thanks to good ol' archive.org, it's part of the Time Capsule de los Internets.

Click and enjoy:

The I Hate Delilah Website (Circa 2004)

Clear Channel, on the heels of terminating heritage personalities (e.g. Bill Buchner, J.J. Kennedy, Marc Coppola) and heritage radio stations (e.g. WRNO in New Orleans, which just got blown up the other day; 106.1 RDU now "The Rooster" - which actually doesn't sound too bad, by the way) is about to take another one to the radio graveyard, as 96 Rock is going to be blown up Friday morning in favor of "a new beginning" per the station's website... I'm hearing alternative will be moving from 105.3 to 96.1, with Spanish going on 105.3.
Whatever the case, Clear Channel has registered project961.com on November 9 - and just for good measure, they snapped up project961.net also. But something new and interesting: instead of the usual MarkMonitor service that they've traditionally used to register station websites, they've actually registered these domains through... GoDaddy! Yep, they of the "$2 a holler domains" GoDaddy. Boy, I know Clear Channel has been making drastic cuts, but to now be using GoDaddy for your domain registrations - that's a little pedestrian, don't you think?
Anyway, back to "project961.com" - or, as the station will be known, "Project 9-6-1" - which sounds like the name of a low-budget PBS science show, doesn't it? Anyway, either this will ultimately be the alternative format, or something similar to the stunting they've instilled in Detroit pre-Fox and Milwaukee pre-whatever-the-hell-95.7-is-right-now. When I heard the word "project", I think the latter. So get ready, Peach City, for a very diverse playlist and prompts to "help 96.1" because "you can make a difference".
Or will I be choking on a peach pit eating my words? Find out Friday.
By the way, if the Atlanta Braves - whom I imagine will still air on the new incarnation of 96.1 FM - sign Travis Hafner from the Indians, would the station change its name to "Pronk 96.1"? Just wondering.

UPDATE 11.17.06: At 9 am, the new format was unveiled, apparently an "Everything That Rocks" hybrid. So its on-air moniker is indeed "Project". Still, the name sounds so stunty to me. Can you imagine Chip or Skip Caray uttering the name "Project 96.1" during a Braves broadcast? (Yes, I know they refer only to the Braves Radio Network, but they'll cut some spots, I'm sure.)

We go from project... to projectile vomiting.
If the mere rumor of it made you a little nauseous seven years ago, reading the news on AllAccess.com or Radio and Records probably hit you like a bird flu.
The part about PD Jim Ryan "customizing" her show for New York (as has been hinted in a past Daily News story) has been confirmed. But there's another angle of this story that seems to be coming out of left field: They're apparently keeping the "Lite at Night" name that J.J. Kennedy had made popular over the last couple decades, and rebranding the show as - get ready to cringe - "Delilah's Lite at Night". Yecch!
The following quotes are from the Radio & Records article (click here) :
What Jim Ryan says: "I've spent time with Delilah and her team since they became a part of Premiere. I have the greatest respect for how well the show relates to the audience and it is going to be great to have a superstar like Delilah on the WLTW air staff in New York."
What Jim Ryan actually means: "It's going to be quite interesting hearing Delilah talking to an emotional caller segueing into "You Should Be Dancing" - which is in hot rotation! This will clearly give Casey Kasem's famous "dead dog dedication" a run for the money!"
Nah, I can't be one to put words in Jim Ryan's mouth. So allow me to speak for Delilah:
What Delilah says: “I couldn’t be more excited about talking to people in one of my favorite cities in the world, New York. I know the connection between Lite FM and its listeners is profound and I consider it a real honor to be a part of that relationship. I can’t wait to laugh and cry with my new listeners and share in their lives.”
What Delilah actually means: "Despite the fact that I have never lived in New York, or most of my callers have probably never spent more than a single week in New York, it really strokes my ego that I put a legendary jock out to pasture just so I can be heard in the greatest city in the world - which, I wouldn't know for sure, since I'm here in Seattle, where the suicide rate's as high as the Empire State Building! Hey, I just made a New York reference - was that good? Anyway, Delilah is now on in New York, so start spreading the news - oooh, another sly New York reference - damn, I'm good - actually, I know I am, because I'm now on in Market Number One... and I'm looking forward to being on in New York for years to come."
What Delilah actually means (alternate version) : "Cha-ching!"
Now, perhaps I'm speaking a little outside the lines here, since I, a blue collar 30-year-old straight male isn't in her target demographic. But trust me, if you observed the radio business like I observe the radio business... you'd be saying the same thing, too.

Clear Channel NYC Cuts/Consolidations: Week 2

So far today:

"Overnight jocks? We don't need no overnight jocks... We don't have to hire no stinkin' overnight jocks!"

Apparently, that was not necessarily the president of Clear Channel New York this morning, but I'm sure that's how everyone feels after this decision. I am aware Charlie Burger is out at WKTU. I am sure Lite overnighter Victor Sosa is going to remain with Lite, as he should, he's a bright young talent - I know, but if it isn't at the expense of Bernstein or Smaldone, then where? Let's hope those two big dominoes stay in place for awhile. Q104 overnights I'll get to in a moment, and truthfully, I have no clue who the overnight jocks are at Z and Power...

In other news: WKTU loses Lil Cee and Speedy...

But most of the damage was done at Q104.3. A few shocking transactions: A voice is as New York as they come, Marc Coppola exits - or according to All Access, "no longer in a full-time capacity". Which might explain the departure of weekender and WNEW alum Pat St. John. Also, morning show producer Eric Margolis, who withstood the morning show changing from "The Rock & Roll Morning Show with Bob Buchmann" to "Leslie Gold & Bob Buchmann" to "The Radio Chick Show" to currently "The Jim Kerr Morning Show", is also sent packing.

And while this next transaction may be a surprise to some, given the names and long careers of the jocks they've previously let go, I do have to give Clear Channel a little respect for doing so: The aforementioned Coppola's evening slot was given to... former overnighter Carol Miller. Like the now-departed Pat St. John, a WNEW alum. You've read my blog last week basically pleading to Clear Channel to spare her the ax during this time. And while I'm not certain that it persuaded them to make that decision, I'm sure my request didn't fall on deaf ears. I mean, I'm shocked that it came at the expense of "the Cope" - but then again, he isn't the first big name to get their walking papers from CC this month. At any rate, now Carol is back in the evening slot, just like years ago during the final years at WNEW-FM, "where rock lived". I can only hope that, in this not-so-rock town, CC can continue with this format for years to come - in other words, it won't be deja vu all over again. And I also applaud them with not easily outsourcing the evening slot altogether to Alice Cooper or another syndicated show.

Finally, All Access posted an interesting blurb a few moments ago: "Despite denials today by [PD] Jim Ryan, ALL ACCESS hears that a deal is thisclose to being announced that DELILAH will take over nights at WLTW." They also provide a link to a Daily News article in which he entertains the "possibility" of that taking place - but that he would program the music. But can he program the callers? Read the story from last week. My hunch is that her show will usher in the all-Christmas format over at Lite.

Humbug.

Robin Taylor is spinning in her grave.

Today, Clear Channel turned out the "Lite" on not only longtime evening personality J.J. Kennedy, but longtime morning man Bill Buchner. This on the heels of WLTW releasing other household names over the past several months, like Steven E. Roy and Rick Sommers - whom both, if I'm not mistaken, have found new opportunities on the dial, and it wouldn't surprise me if Bill and J.J. returned to the air in some form.

Clearly, one can't help if the move was being made not by Jim Ryan, but by Clear Channel corporate. They've been known to call plenty of shots that resulted in the termination of a legendary presence on the radio (most recently, putting the 22-year-old rock format on WRDU Raleigh-Durham out to pasture). Some are speculating that it was a money decision to let Bill and J.J. go. (A possible sale of the percentage of CC shares to Google is said to be the motivator for all the recent bloodletting, errr, housecleaning in recent months.) Now, I realize the radio business isn't all chutes and ladders, but hell, if you're a valued employee of at least 20 years, you should be given the opportunity to take a pay cut to stay *on* the air!

Unless, of course, that's another hidden factor of the Lite cuts today. It's interesting if what some people are saying is true about wanting to take the station in a younger direction, with jocks that don't sound old. If that's the case, explain then why WAXQ recently resigned morning man Jim Kerr to a contract extension? Hey, I respect Jim Kerr, and do occassionally listen to portions of his show. He's still got it. But didn't they hire Leslie Gold & Co. - who would eventually be replaced by Kerr - in a desperate attempt to skew younger?

I again refer to the aforementioned flipping of WRDU here. Is there some kind of magic formula that can market classic rock to a younger demographic? Because if it doesn't exist, if age is part of the reason why Bill and J.J. left Lite, I can't imagine how many heads will roll at Q104.3. And I certainly don't wish that, nor is it the time to speculate on who will get the boot - hey, I have a job myself that I enjoy; I certainly wouldn't want outsiders telling me when I get the boot. But with all that said, you've got to say a prayer for the airstaff at the Q - whom, mind you, has been running promos telling the listeners "You made us Number One!" (in some unspecified demographic). Bob Buchmann has years of success programming the format, and shouldn't be asked not to continue his two-hour Monday-Thursday show. Ever. Don't throw out the baby with the bath water. And please spare the rest of the airstaff, from Maria Milito all the way down to Carol Miller, who was not fired, but the victim of a format change at the legendary WNEW in 1999. I'll never forget the conclusion of her final airshift, then weeknights 7 to 10 pm after Opie & Anthony - those were the days, huh? - and her voice cracking over the intro to Billy Joel's "Miami 2017 (I've Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)". Memo to Clear Channel management: Take a page from the WNEW scrapbook - and not the Scott Muni/Dave Herman chapter. These personalities are dedicated to the format, and should leave on their own terms. Given the business climate of radio these days, it may be a little too much to ask, but don't screw the Q like you did Lite in many listeners' eyes.

And to any concerned Q listeners reading this blog, fear not: I know of no such impending dismissals at the station. None. Luckily, I just have a tendency of jumping to conclusions, and sometimes making these predictions - but no, no news here.

I can confirm one tidbit of information, however:

According to colleague Matt Craig, he has confirmed - through J.J. herself - that her airshift is being replaced by Delilah, whose show is syndicated by - anyone? Bueller? - yep, Clear Channel's Premiere Radio Networks wing. I tell ya, how times change. Remember back in 1999, and a little internet rumor sprouted on Lance Venta's old Mid-Atlantic Radio Board, and spread to Allan Sniffen's board - or vice versa, I don't remember - that suggested the Delilah program - which at the time was catching like wildfire, and at the same time, heard on several suburban stations in the New York metro area - was going to replace J.J.'s popular "Lite At Night" all-request program? It didn't take long before Allan confirmed straight from the horse's mouth - Jim Ryan - that there are no such plans to instill Delilah anywhere on the WLTW schedule. Remember, this was 1999. Delilah was syndicated through Jones Radio at the time. Boy, how times change. You may recall back in July, the aforementioned Lance broke a story (see "Delilah Coming To 10X.X FM", 7.26.06) regarding a "pending New York City clearance" of her show. Was this really in the works for three months? Was there any reason to leave Marianne "J.J. Kennedy" Roque twisting in the wind for over a quarter of a year? Such is the radio business, I guess. That's the thanks you get for all your years of service.

And again, while I'm not predicting anyone's dismissal at Clear Channel New York, with such a one-two punch like this - and by the way, don't be stupid and ax Valerie Smaldone, Al Bernstein or Victor Sosa, either - it makes me wonder if they're going to voicetrack overnights? I believe there was some union contract clause that prohibits voicetracking overnight in the top 3 radio markets, so there really shouldn't be a problem. And Victor Sosa, currently holding down the overnights, is good at what he does, and it wouldn't surprise me if he did move up to another daypart, but especially after what's happened today, don't make it at Al Bernstein's expense. Or Valerie Smaldone's. Like the Q104.3 staff, they should be given the choice to leave on their own terms. The fact that now over half of the household names that made "106.7 Lite FM" what it is today - a billing monster, according to BIAFN - have not had that opportunity, has the entire New York City radio community, including myself, up in arms.

Look, Clear Channel has already made several cuts this year at its other New York stations - remember WKTU's Bill Lee, and Baltazar, and (the eventually hired back for afternoons) Goumba Johnny? (In fact today, All Access.com reports that longtime production director Valerie Palma has left WKTU.) Power 105.1 let people go this year - okay, so perhaps Star and Buc Wild don't really count in this instance. But when WLTW is consistently your money maker, you continue to shake it. Not shake it up.

If it ain't broke, bring in a traffic reporter to co-host the show with the longtime morning guy.

If it ain't broke, fire said morning guy.

If it ain't broke, replace the evening queen with one piped in from Seattle.

I know that in an era where we saw WCBS-FM "The Golden 101" get Jack-ed, the "Z Morning Zoo" being outsourced to Miami, and the place "Where Rock Lives" lose their lease to the likes of Tom Leykis, such drastic moves shouldn't surprise us radio listeners. Perhaps it's the connection we felt to these personalities, and the fact that they won't be heard on the radio again (at least on that frequency, in some cases) is just hard to accept. It's times like these where, if you're in the position, you have to thank your lucky stars that you're just a casual radio listener - or a half-assed observer like me - and not in the radio business itself.

In closing: Lite Mornings. Well, we know that Delilah is replacing J.J. and "the Lite at Night" (and if they start calling it "The Lite at Night with Delilah", they will really disgrace J.J.'s reputation). But whither mornings? Is Christine Nagy going to fly solo? Or is what some are speculating true that she will be effectively babysitting Whoopi, currently on WKTU? Okay, I know we're all a little loopy from today's transactions, but let's put this into perspective here: To launch Whoopi's show on WKTU, and less than four months later, bring it over to WLTW - not only will it confuse whatever audience it already has, but it'll really sully Lite's format, and by that, I mean the presentation that we've all come to know, listen to, and love over the past 20 years. When you have Whoopi and Cubby yukking it up, going into a Billy Joel song, coming back with more chit-chat, and then the Lite work day kicks off, you know what that sounds like? That sounds like Lite FM in Charlotte, maybe. That doesn't sound like New York's Lite FM. Also, where are Lite's listeners going to go if they don't want to hear Christmas music? They clearly don't want all them bah-humbuggers to go outside their cluster to PLJ. They've groomed KTU's playlist so that it might hold them over during that period. What's more, keep in mind that WKTU, as I stated earlier, just recently brought back Goumba Johnny and reunited him with Hollywood Hamilton for afternoon drive, so I don't think WKTU - in this incarnation, anyway - is going anywhere for a while. And when it does, the format wheel will land on Spanish, and rival WNEW - because it has to be a follower, not a leader - will compete with their own Spanish format.

Let me ask you: are the chances of WNEW picking up all these free agents and starting their own station to compete with Lite FM really that great? Smart move, sure, but as much as I'd like to see that happen, and all these WLTW castoffs get another opportunity, if the motivation didn't exist for WNEW to compete with 106.7 before, it shouldn't make any difference to them now. In fact, I'd venture to guess country would return to FM radio in New York before WNEW competes with Lite FM.

But I sincerely hope the same can be said for Bill and Marianne.

Oh yeah... Merry Christmas. I'm assuming you two will be looking elsewhere for your holiday hits.