Posted on 11/10/2005 8:12:32 AM PST by CharlieOK1
XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX THU NOV 10, 2005 10:33:08 ET XXXXX
ABC NEARS SALE OF RADIO NETWORK, STATIONS; FINAL BIDS DUE THIS WEEK
**Exclusive**
DISNEYABC CEO Robert Iger is prepared to sign off on the sale of the network's ABC radio network and ABC radio stations, top sources tell the DRUDGE REPORT.
Negotiations between DISNEY and three major suitors have intensified in recent weeks; contenders were asked by bankers representing ABC to meet via phone to discuss their final questions.
Final bids are due this week, a top source says, with DISNEY then having a 15 day window to accept an offer.
MORE
A sale of ABC RADIO, with the network's sensational constellation of 60+ stations, including WABC in New York, the nation's top-rated talkstation; WLS in Chicago; KGO and KSFO in San Francisco; WBAP in Dallas; influential WMAL in DC; WJR in Detroit, and others, is expected to rock and roil the radio industry.
EMMIS, ENTERCOM and CUMULUS MEDIA each have their hat in the bidding, sources say.
One company is said be approaching Iger's asking price.
MORE
A deal would not include Radio Disney or ESPN radio; it will be a "reverse Morris Trust" transaction, where DISNEY shareholders will hold half of the newly merged radio company.
"This is the biggest shakeup at radio stations in a generation," a top source directly involved in the action said Thursday.
"I think we will know around Thanksgiving if it's happening this round," said a second well-placed insider.
Developing...
How will this affect ol Rushbo and Hannity?
Our talk radio is on the foxnews radio. I believe many clear channel stations, if not all, just recently switched over.
ping
true. KRMG in Tulsa was ABC forever, but recently switched to Foxnews. They still carry Rush and Sean and all the other shows. I had been told in the past that if they carried Fox, they had to carry only Fox commentators?
Memo to Boys and Girls' Clubs: check your wallets.
Well .. what if Rushbo buys it .. I wouldn't be surprised if he did. It would give him more exposure, and he could have a major network involved in educating America on what conservatism really is.
Funny you say that.........was thinking exactly the same thing.
Yea, I think most of the Clear Channel Station are with Fox Radio for the half hour news.
Thank goodness because ABC Radio News is as left and slanted to the Rats as Parvda was to the Soviets in the old USSR.
> How will this affect ol Rushbo and Hannity?
Well, the dissonance is apt to be less jarring on the
local stations, where they break from these two to what
passes for "news" from ABC.
My guess is that unless some sugar daddy picks up the
net, many affiliates will switch to Fox. The only downside
of that is that they might be compelled to pick up
the populist blowhard O'Reilly.
Funny how things turn out. I prayed for the end of ABC news in our area -- so unfair in its broadcasting.
I dunno, but WABC fired Bob Grant (and IIRC Jay Diamond) shortly after the network was acquired by Disney. Listening to Grant was nevr a pleasant experience (especially if you had a headache on the commute home), but I liked Jay. I wonder if they'll hire them back after the sale?
Interestingly enough, ABC-owned Radio Disney and ESPN
Radio are not affected.
There's a crazy quilt of radio networks, radio ownership
groups, syndicators, etc.--I can't get it straight. You might have a network called "Fox Sports Radio" that is actually owned
by Premiere (Rush's syndicator), or is it Westwood One,
and "NBC News Radio" that's actually owned by Westwood One
and not NBC...?!?
Premiere does: Drudge, Rush, Phil Hendrie, Glenn Beck,
and Coast to Coast (Noory/Bell). In Boston, WRKO airs
Drudge, Rush, and Coast to Coast so evidently they're
the Premiere "affiliate". Oh, and Premiere does own
Fox News Radio. That's right. NOT Fox.
And Fox News Radio isn't the same as Fox Sports Radio
or Fox talk radio...I think. I'm so confused :)
http://www.premrad.com/shows/view/Premiere_Fox_News_Radio_Network.html
In Boston Entercom's WRKO runs news from both ABC and
Fox News, while Fox Sports Radio programming runs on its
sister station, WEEI. Greater Media's WTKK has newscasts
from both CNN and "NBC News Radio" and they carry Westwood
One-syndicated shows like Bill O'Reilly, and at least
one ABC-syndicated show, Hannity...There's a station that runs ESPN Sports but is not owned by them, etc.
Let's see, I went to Westwood One's page and find that for news radio networks they own: CBS, CNBC Business Radio,
CNN Headline News, NBC News Radio...for talk they have
Imus, Ron Insana, O'Reilly (all of which are on WTKK), etc.
>>ABC-syndicated show, Hannity
And just to add to the confusion, while Hannity's radio show is put out by ABC, his nightly TV show, with Colmes, is on
Fox News!
>>And Fox News Radio isn't the same as Fox Sports Radio
or Fox talk radio...I think. I'm so confused :)
meaning I don't think Fox News, Fox Sports, and Fox talk shows come from the same company :)
Nonsense. AlGore, Al Franken, and Michael Moore will buy it. (They're so successful.)
Actually, I was thinking Air Amerika.
Idon't understand how ABC radio allows Hannity to plug his FOX show during his radio show.
What does this mean in our NY Metro area? I looked at the station portfolios of the 3 Matt listed. My question is what kind of programing does each one carry. The last, Cumulus, seemed to have more conservative areas covered. I don't want to see my Rush, Sean, Mark Levin, Laura Ingraham (my kids relate to her humor & music) and John Batchelor at night go away. What about Mark Simone?
One thing about WABC in my area, I could listen on the net if need be. That's how I listen to Tony Snow.
I never liked Jay Diamond.
He was a prude, a scold and not very talented, in my estimation.
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