It's always fun when Tony posts here.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/tv/256139_radiobeat19.html
Thursday, January 19, 2006
On Radio: KOMO-AM is uniting longtime adversaries as 'The Commentators'
By BILL VIRGIN
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
Dennis Kelly, the program director for Fisher Broadcasting's Seattle AM radio stations, has been a regular witness to the ongoing hallway bantering and insult-swapping between talk-show host John Carlson and television commentator Ken Schram.
But instead of telling the two "Hey, keep it down," he came up with a different idea: Put the two of them on the air together.
Which is what he's done. Starting Jan. 30, Schram and Carlson will host "The Commentators," a mix of news, interviews, analysis and commentary, about the news and about each other, 10 a.m. to noon weekdays on KOMO-AM (1000).
The placement of the show is interesting. While KVI-AM (570) is Fisher's local talk-radio station, KOMO-AM has been built as a 24-hours news-traffic station that is also the radio home of the Seattle Mariners.
But Kelly said the show was placed on KOMO for several reasons. One, it isn't a talk show in the sense of taking phone calls from listeners. KOMO also has an audience more evenly split between Republicans, Democrats and independents than KVI-AM, where Carlson is afternoon drive-time host.
Two, all-news stations around the country are looking at ways to tweak the format, in part because of differences in listening habits during the day, Kelly says.
In midmorning, listeners drop in on KOMO "for traffic and a bit of news," then head off elsewhere, such as the music stations, for entertainment. Kelly figures that a lively show of news, analysis, interviews and exchanges between the hosts might keep some of those listeners around, create "destination listening" and "give us a chance to stretch the time spent listening with our audience."
There's also a market opportunity in the talk format, what with AM rival KIRO-AM (710) currently looking for a permanent host for the 9 a.m.-noon slot.
"There's a golden opportunity for a new kind of radio show," says Kelly, describing "The Commentators" as a cross between "Meet the Press," Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show" and CNN's "Crossfire."
The difference between that last show and "The Commentators" is that Kelly believes the Carlson-Schram pairing won't devolve into a shout-fest. "I don't think I've ever heard them scream at each other," Kelly says. Schram and Carlson share "a magical chemistry you look for in great teams."
Adds Schram, "We have a camaraderie, as vehemently as we disagree."
Both Carlson (who recently signed a new deal with Fisher) and Schram say they were looking for new challenges. Says Schram, who started with KOMO in 1977, "At this point in my career, if I can find something that is fun, challenging and worthwhile, hells bells, I'm going for it."
Carlson and Schram have been teamed before: Carlson as a guest on Schram's long-running public-affairs program "Town Meeting," Schram more recently on Carlson's show.
The rapport and repartee between the two suggests the potential for a show marked by a fast pace and humor. Carlson jokes that he and Schram got the gig only after Dan Lewis and Cindi Rinehart turned it down, and the initial idea was to have the two spin country records until the new station The Wolf beat them to it.
Will there be a serious or straight line in the two hours? "Not if I can help it," Schram says.
Carlson calls the approach "serious with a smile. ... Can you impart serious news and insight while having fun? Of course you can."
Despite the philosophical and political differences between the two, there's always the chance, Kelly says, "they could agree."
"Pigs could fly," Schram says.
To accommodate the new program Carlson will shorten his KVI shift to 3-5 p.m. weekdays. Bryan Suits' show will move to 5-8 p.m. Schram will continue to do his commentaries for KOMO-TV