Posted on 04/10/2012 12:55:01 AM PDT by raccoonradio
“The Rush Limbaugh Show” is leaving the dominant conservative talk radio station in Philadelphia, one of the biggest radio markets in the country.
In its place on the station, WPHT, will go “The Michael Smerconish Show,” hosted by Mr. Smerconish, a native of the city.
snip
It is unclear when the change will take place in Philadelphia. The company that syndicates Mr. Limbaugh’s show, Premiere Radio Networks, declined to comment.
But Premiere has indicated that it will be moving Mr. Limbaugh to a new station in Philadelphia. Radio-Info.com reported on Monday that it might be WKDN, a Christian programming station that is expected to be turned into a news-talk station soon.
To the untrained eye, it would appear to be a step down for “The Rush Limbaugh Show.” WKDN, with a 38,000-watt signal, is a smaller station than WPHT, which has a 50,000-watt signal. But WKDN is an FM station, while WPHT is an AM station, and Premiere has shown interest in moving its talk radio shows over to FM stations lately.
The owner of WPHT, CBS Radio, said in a statement on Monday afternoon, “Premiere recently notified WPHT they will be syndicating Rush Limbaugh on a new station in Philadelphia. As a result, we are pleased to be able to now showcase Michael, who is a well-known and acclaimed broadcaster in the market, in this new time period.”
Mr. Smerconish is a relative rarity on radio: a moderate.
(Excerpt) Read more at mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com ...
Ah. I was wondering what was going to happen to Brother Campion’s radio empire. Does this mean 94.5FM in northern NJ will changing over to news/talk as well? It has a very good signal.
Sad though if all the talk hosts leave the 50,000 watt beacon of freedom WABC-AM.
When the Phillies play I get Rush on 770 AM out of NY.
But I absolutely despise Smerconish. Moderate my foot, a liberal Obama supporter as well as in love with himself.
We have one of those idiots here in the DFW area...Mark Davis! Uggh!
Interesting to go into business to lose money...maybe like a "moderates" AirAmerica...!?
That translates directly to WPHT losing HUGE $$$$......also audience, to state the obvious.
a rare “moderate”, eh?
People will really enjoy tuning in to hear a “moderate” discuss the issues?
(in MEdia land, moderate=liberal but without the flying hate spittle)
Actually, he's from one of Philadelphia's most blue-blooded Mainline families, the Smerfs. He has blue skin, a white cone-shaped head and he's red inside.
Smerf perched on Obama's lap when the President graced him with an interview after receiving the talk-show host's endorsement in the 2008 election.
Leni
Thanks for the info. I am often at clients during those three hours and reading on the website later is okay, just not the same as listening.
Note: my real home is Collegedale, TN. I am stuck in NC for right now. Just seeing the names of TN cities makes me homesick.
However, it does seem like an amazing coinkydink that a conservative talk show host is being replaced by a liberal one (and an Obama supporter) a mere seven months before election....and in one of the key battleground states where Obama needs all the help he can get.
Rush's fans may very well follow him from AM to FR, but Smerconish appears to have at least some measure of fans and influence from what I read.
Leni
I hear you on that. Nothing worse than driving along and having Rush bumped by a ball game.
WRKO always did that when I traveled New England. I would pray for rain so I could hear Rush.
Rush has been strategically repositioning himself onto FM signals whenever they are available. The press is trying to spin this as a loss or a setback, whereas I’m sure it is part of a planned strategy.
Yes... I remember the blues.
LLS
I can’t stand Smerconish, from the same law firm as snarlin Arlen. seems like he’s a guest on the show every month. Smerc lost me totally when he went in the tank for 0bama...
Thanks for the tip. Way too many times, Rush’s show gets pre-empted with baseball, so I tune to 770 and bear with the static. I’ll hope the reception is better and the interruptions fewer. And that Smerconish loses to Huckabee.
Orlando powerhouse WDBO AM moved many of their talk shows to 96.5 FM, formerly a great classic rock station with a huge footprint. However, Rush is NOT on 96.5 simply because the better FM signal would have been in direct competition with several AM stations carrying Rush outside of the metro Orlando area (e.g. WMMB in Melbourne).
Rush will do just fine and if the NYT thinks the audience won't follow they haven't got a clue.
Yes and liberals/moderates I know seem to like Smerconish.
In Boston he airs on Greater Media’s WTKK 96.9...the connection is that a woman named Grace Blazer got him started in talk radio at WPHT then she wound up as prog. dir. at WTKK
and she eagerly signed the station up to carry his show.
Or is Smerconish one of those hosts who just agrees with everything every caller says?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.