Clear Channel had a bargain drop in its lap when WFNX-FM decided it no longer had a viable radio station.\u00a0 WFNX was operated by a long time publisher of an “Alternative” newspaper [So the FCC rules about cross ownership don’t apply to “alternative” newspapers?]<\/p>\n
I thought I wrote about this, but maybe only to my relative that lives in Boston.\u00a0\u00a0 About two years ago, Clear Channel took a relatively weak AM station (WXKS-AM) that had been running Mexican sombrero music and converted it to News\/Talk taking Rush and Beck and putting them on their own station.\u00a0\u00a0 The ratings have been pretty bad (less than 1% share).\u00a0\u00a0 WXKS has picked up local host Jay Severin who became available.<\/p>\n
It was immediately obvious, looking at the competition in Boston that this station would pick up the FM Talk format, which appears to be what is about to happen.\u00a0\u00a0 Boston already has WTKK-FM, WBZ-AM (CBS) and WRKO-AM, and a strong public radio presence from WGBH-FM.\u00a0 [unrelated, the last of the old timer talk show hosts on WBZ is retiring, probably to be replaced by Jon Grayson’s syndicated show from Saint Louis].\u00a0\u00a0 It’s a crowded market, but also a city with a very large population of very smart people.<\/p>\n
So word arrives that on Friday, the uber progressive AM Talk station “Revolution Boston station (home of Jeff Santos) has dropped the entire Dial Global with no warning (Ed Schultz, Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann) nor explanation.<\/p>\n
There are two logical explanations here – that Dial Global terminated their contract (the most common reason of which would be not getting paid), or that when Clear Channel moves News\/Talk to FM, that WXKS-AM will pick the Progressive talk lineup and not just be an AM\/FM simulcast.<\/p>\n
So there isn’t really a “second tier” of Progressive talk hosts – when you lose Dial Global’s lineup without warning, who can you plug in to fill the time?\u00a0 Polka music probably won’t work.<\/p>\n
Warren Ballentine, Al Sharpton,\u00a0 Democracy Now, 6 hours of Jeff Santos, Norm Goldman, Clear Channel’s Rhandi Rhodes, and no idea what is on from 2am-8am.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If the goal of Revolution Boston was to be revolting, they achieved their goal!<\/p>\n
Also, Laura Ingraham was just dumped from WRKO to make room for another recycled local host.\u00a0 Next year, legend Howie Carr’s contract is up for renewal and he isn’t likely to make the same mistake as last time. \u00a0 Change is in the air.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Clear Channel had a bargain drop in its lap when WFNX-FM decided it no longer had a viable radio station.\u00a0 WFNX was operated by a long time publisher of an “Alternative” newspaper [So the FCC rules about cross ownership don’t … Continue reading