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Limbaugh to Leave AM Station in Philadelphia
NY Times ^ | 4/9/12 | Brian Stelter

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 ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: cumulus; merlin; rushlimbaugh; smerconish
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To: SWAMPSNIPER
been live streaming for years in Vermont via internet (goggle live streaming for Rush ),should find many stations ...free .... also check out Rush's website for streaming audio or audio video ..join if you can .. Rush one very special American ..
41 posted on 04/10/2012 4:38:02 AM PDT by heavy9
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To: raccoonradio
WOW...that's it for Rush. I can hear Kate Smith warming up in the background. NOT!
42 posted on 04/10/2012 4:42:07 AM PDT by harpu ( "...it's better to be hated for who you are than loved for someone you're not!")
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To: raccoonradio

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.


43 posted on 04/10/2012 4:43:02 AM PDT by Incorrigible (If I lead, follow me; If I pause, push me; If I retreat, kill me.)
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To: denydenydeny

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.


44 posted on 04/10/2012 4:46:33 AM PDT by Williams (Honey Badger Don't Care)
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To: Safetgiver
"Mr. Smerconish is a relative rarity on radio: a moderate....Ahhh!"

We have one of those idiots here in the DFW area...Mark Davis! Uggh!

45 posted on 04/10/2012 4:47:31 AM PDT by harpu ( "...it's better to be hated for who you are than loved for someone you're not!")
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To: raccoonradio
Sooner, rather than later the stations that dropped Rush for Smerconish will be quietly issuing layoff notices. Smerconish was a ratings disaster and gigantic tune-out factor everywhere he was tried a few years ago.

Interesting to go into business to lose money...maybe like a "moderates" AirAmerica...!?

46 posted on 04/10/2012 4:51:18 AM PDT by Prov1322 (Enjoy my wife's incredible artwork at www.watercolorARTwork.com! (This space no longer for rent))
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To: KoRn

That translates directly to WPHT losing HUGE $$$$......also audience, to state the obvious.


47 posted on 04/10/2012 4:56:20 AM PDT by RightOnline (I am Andrew Breitbart!)
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To: Yosemitest

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)


48 posted on 04/10/2012 5:01:55 AM PDT by silverleaf (Funny how all the people who are for abortion are already born)
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To: LibLieSlayer; mickie
"Smerconish? Is that like an enema?"

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

49 posted on 04/10/2012 5:15:25 AM PDT by MinuteGal
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To: AlexW

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.


50 posted on 04/10/2012 5:20:36 AM PDT by Roses0508
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To: raccoonradio
NYC 77 WABC radio range:


51 posted on 04/10/2012 5:22:15 AM PDT by Sooth2222 ("Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of congress. But I repeat myself." M.Twain)
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To: raccoonradio
I'm not familiar with all the layers of ownership of the various major AM and FM radio stations in the large Philly market.

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

52 posted on 04/10/2012 5:27:26 AM PDT by MinuteGal
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To: denydenydeny
I’ll actually be relieved not to have Rush constantly preempted by Phillies games.

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.

53 posted on 04/10/2012 5:35:09 AM PDT by N. Theknow (Kennedys=Can't drive, can't ski, can't fly, can't skipper a boat, but they know what's best for you.)
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To: raccoonradio

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.


54 posted on 04/10/2012 6:12:09 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: denydenydeny
I’ll actually be relieved not to have Rush constantly preempted by Phillies games.

This year the Pirates moved their games to a different station, so we no longer have to deal with this either.
55 posted on 04/10/2012 6:13:21 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: MinuteGal

Yes... I remember the blues.

LLS


56 posted on 04/10/2012 6:16:49 AM PDT by LibLieSlayer (WOLVERINES! (accept only the original))
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To: raccoonradio

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.


57 posted on 04/10/2012 6:22:59 AM PDT by SueRae (Tale of 2 Towers - First, Isengaard (GOP-e), then, the Tower of Sauron on 11.06.2012)
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To: raccoonradio
just out of curiosity, how does that coverage map compare to the map for the current station? The article does say the move is from AM to FM but doesn't inform the reader that the drop in power is not apples to apples.

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.

58 posted on 04/10/2012 6:54:27 AM PDT by NonValueAdded (Steyn: Obama sez: "Nice little Supreme Court you got here. Shame if anything were to happen to it.")
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To: KoRn

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.


59 posted on 04/10/2012 7:03:40 AM PDT by raccoonradio
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To: raccoonradio
Who is set to replace Smerconish after he says something that gets Leftist panties in a twist?

Or is Smerconish one of those hosts who just agrees with everything every caller says?

60 posted on 04/10/2012 7:06:44 AM PDT by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all -- Texas Eagle)
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