Posted on 08/13/2012 7:50:30 AM PDT by raccoonradio
MONDAY MORNING UPDATE:Clear Channel may be exiting talk in Boston – but it’s entering the arena in a big way in New York City, where it’s buying WOR (710) from Buckley Broadcasting a year after the death of Rick Buckley.
The sale was announced to WOR employees in a meeting this morning, with terms yet to be announced. It’s a big shakeup for the world of New York talk: a Clear Channel-run WOR is almost certain to become the new home of Clear Channel’s Premiere Radio Networks talent, most notably Rush Limbaugh. And Limbaugh, of course, is the staple personality just up the dial at Cumulus’ WABC (770). Big changes ahead…and we’ll be on top of them right here at fybush.com, and on our Facebook and Twitter feeds.
*Clear Channel had big hopes for WXKS (1200 Newton) when it launched the station as eastern MASSACHUSETTS‘ newest big-ticket talker back in 2010. By pulling Rush Limbaugh over from Entercom’s WRKO (680 Boston) and building a new “Rush Radio” around him, Clear Channel would take its Premiere Radio Networks talent in-house in a top-ten market, carving a hole out of the talk landscape that it hoped would drive either WRKO or Greater Media’s WTKK (96.9) out of the crowded format.
But despite the “expert” predictions at the time that WRKO would suffer a “a slow and painful demise” without Limbaugh, Entercom’s talker just kept on going, locking disgruntled afternoon host Howie Carr into a series of contract renewals and somehow surviving questionable hires like former state House speaker Tom Finneran. And by hanging on, WRKO has now thwarted Clear Channel’s plans for 1200, forcing the newcomer out of the talk format and apparently into a comedy format beginning this morning. The story played out in installments all last week, beginning with the news that Limbaugh’s show would be returning to WRKO along with Premiere’s “Coast to Coast AM,” followed by the news that the local staff at WXKS – morning man Jeff Katz, afternoon host Jay Severin and PD Paula O’Connor – was history.
With Katz and Severin off the schedule, “Talk 1200″ (which had dropped the “Rush Radio” name after it failed to catch fire in the market) briefly rolled out an interim lineup of third-tier syndicated talent, but that turned out to be a smokescreen for a bigger change: on Friday, 1200 began stunting as “Gaffe 1200,” playing a ten-minute loop of political mishaps. And that turns out to be a prelude to a truly new format launching this morning on the 1200 signal: “Comedy 1200″ is the result of Clear Channel’s taking control of the “24/7 Comedy” network, which has achieved surprising ratings success as a niche format in markets such as Norfolk and Kansas City.
Back to WRKO, I guess...although, Escape on SiriusXM is a nice way to commute.
Back to WRKO, I guess...although, Escape on SiriusXM is a nice way to commute.
That explained the incoherent radio I heard on 1200 this AM drive time.
As I recall, Rush moved to another station in Boston because WRKO started to broadcast the Red Sox games, which should have been broadcast on a sports, not a talk, station. It didn’t last long.
I listened to talk 1200 for one reason: Rush!
Although I did enjoy Jeff Katz in the morning, Beck was boring and Severin got on my nerves with his constant, every day Romney pushing during the primaries.
Glad Rush is back to WRKO so I don’t have to bother changing the radio station.
Any chance Dennis Miller hits the market (aside from the watered-down versions on Sundays)?
Yes Clear Channel had trouble getting ratings and ad money from AM 1200. They decided to let WRKO get Rush and Coast 2 Coast again. Katz and Severin laid off, temp. Gaffe 1200 format and now comedy. For all we know it could be sports in a couple months (Fox_)
Yes, well for awhile WRKO was Red Sox flagship but later they moved (most) games to WEEI. And WEEI started to simulcast on FM 93.7
Clear Channel decided to start talk on 1200 with Rush, Hannity, and some locals but it didn’t work out.
also via Kevin V on Facebook
>> LMA (limited marketing agreement) to begin on Wednesday, Radio-Info.com is told. No terms or price announced for the deal that makes 50,000-watt WOR the first AM in New York City for Clear Channel. The company owns five FMs in the Big Apple, including CHR “Z100” WHTZ. The Buckley family, which lost patriarch Rick Buckley last year, has owned the station for more than 23 years. Clear Channel did not announce its own plans for the heritage talk station, which includes a syndication operation.
Don’t know. For now only all talk stations are WRKO 680 and
WTKK 96.9. WBZ has talk at night only. 1510 WWZN had been running liberal talk but may be NBC sports radio soon. I don’t know if another talk station would sign up.
Does WTKK have room for Dennis?
RKO? Prob not other than the delayed Sun stuff
We’ll see.
http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/69551/wor-new-york-sold-to-clear-channel/
>>Clear Channel has agreed to purchase News/Talk 710 WOR New York from Buckley Broadcasting for an undisclosed price. It will begin operating the station via LMA on Wednesday, August 15 until the sale closes.
The sale gives Clear Channel its first AM in New York to pair with its five FM’s in the market.
“WOR is an iconic New York City brand with a rich history and an exciting future,” said John Hogan, Chairman and CEO of Clear Channel Media and Entertainment. “Clear Channel is excited to add WOR as a powerful, high potential complement to our New York brands. We believe WOR makes our already incredible platform even more interesting for listeners, advertisers, and strategic partners and we look forward to the tremendous potential WOR adds to Clear Channel Media and Entertainment New York.”
>>
“For more than 23 years, Buckley Radio has been the steward of one of the most legendary radio stations in broadcasting history and I would like to sincerely thank all of the wonderful people who devoted their time, energy and efforts over the years to WOR Radio,” said Joseph Bilotta, President & CEO, Buckley Radio. “By passing the baton to Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, WOR listeners, advertisers and employees will gain access to the unparalleled resources of a worldwide, multi-dimensional media and entertainment company. We have had a great run with WOR and could not be more confident that it is poised for another great run as part of the Clear Channel Media and Entertainment team.”
INSTANT INSIGHT: WOR has struggled in recent years with the combination of low ratings and skewing old. There are two directions Clear Channel can go with the station to help revitalize it.
1) The direction most will expect to see is Clear Channel pulling some of their syndicated hosts off of Cumulus’ 770 WABC. Pulling the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity would prop up WOR at WABC’s expense while the rest of the station could be retooled.
2) The other option, but one that could be more beneficial in the long run would be rebuild the station along the lines of KFI Los Angeles. KFI has become a top 3 performer in the market with a lineup that is all local from 5am to 10pm daily outside of Rush Limbaugh. While WOR is currently local in both drive times, WABC runs all national syndication on weekdays. Getting away from a dependency on syndication and differentiating themselves as the only local talk station in the market would do wonders for WOR and give it a viable niche in New York.
WOR is *not* local both drive times!
Gov Peterson’s show focuses primarily on national politics!
call him Hannity #2, only diff is Hannity is on 400 station and Peterson is on 1.
Thats not local.
Curtis and Cuby was a real local show.
I listen Miller daily on 1170am WDIS out of Norwell but I can barely get it on my car radio. I use my iPhone to listen. He’d be great on WRKO.
They need to replace Michele McPhee who is not listenable - Jay, Jeff and Dennis would do quite well.
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