A post at the New York board of http://www.radio-info.com by industry expert Scott Fybush: “Premiere is already doing business with a CC competitor in New York, and that competitor, Cumulus, has all done everything short of taking out a billboard in Times Square to announce that it’s not a guaranteed renewal for Rush at WABC and WLS when the current contract is up, and that it intends to take as much of its business in-house as it possibly can. Since there’s no in-house CC station in NYC to go talk (no, they’re not going to flip Power or KTU or Q!), the prudent thing to do is to line up another outlet in case the need arises. The ratings are a red herring in this case: for a show like Rush where the main income stream is the cash that stations pay for the rights to the show, what matters here is continuing that cash flow and maintaining a clearance in market #1. Merlin’s cash is presumably just as green as anyone else’s in this case.”
The very definition of a squishy RINO. And a Spectre fellator to boot.
Was not able to stomach Smerconish for more than five minutes...he was a great ratings boost...for the other stations!
The Hell with Smerconish...he went in the tank for 0bama and has Snarlin Arlen on every ther show. On top of that, I find his voice like nails on a chalkboard. His work for Dan Faulkner’s family notwithstanding, I will not listen to his show. Ever again.
This does bring up an interesting topic:
Eventually, Rush will no longer be on the air because, at some point, he will retire or he will pass on.
What then? He and everyone know he is the undisputed king of Conservative radio, and a huge moneymaker for everyone involved. How does he pass that mantle on? Or does he simply leave, and create an enormous void in his wake?
The WPHT signal is so horrible it hardly matters. 10 miles away it’s pure noise, and WDEL isn’t much better. I stream it over the net.
Very interesting to note that this story about Michael Smerconish is followed immediately on the FR page by a story about head and body lice infestations.
Coincidence?
I don't see why he would move to FM. I can't imagine that he couldn't get five million internet subscriptions at $30/year. That's $150 mil. And it would frost the liberals because they would have to pay to listen!
ML/NJ
Smerconish runs a decent program as long as he avoids poltics. Unfortunately for Smerconish, the bulk of talk radio listeners tune in for conservative political talk, and that’s not something Smerconish can credibly deliver.(The liberal simpleton voted for the corrupt and incompetent Kenyan communist!)
I enjoy his show from time to time - - he recently did a truly great show where he interviewed the incomparable Jerry Blavat - - but as soon as he swerves into politics, I push the button and go over to music or sports talk or Hannity, or even Medved.
Smerconish is useless. I don’t like him at all. Huckabee is the same. I don’t like Beck, either, or Hannity. Rush is the best by far.
His show, in a nutshell, is "I ... me .... my .... mine .... I ..... I .... I"