Posted on 09/15/2006 2:24:28 AM PDT by pookie18
With One High Profile Name Leading The Way, A Significant Post-Merger Exodus Looks Increasingly Likely At ABC Radio.
As you may know, the rumor mill has been in overdrive for months. And now, it appears there is substance behind the chatter. Radio's story of the year, what will happen when Citadel finally merges its operations with that of ABC Radio, seems at last to be taking shape.
And right out of the gate, we have an earthquake: news that Sean Hannity is extremely likely to leave ABC Radio Networks, as soon as it is contractually possible.
That means Hannity, one of the country's most important talk show hosts, would be free of the combined operation as soon as one year from its completion date. Or, by mutual agreement, it could happen even earlier.
Either way, it's a near certainty that the conservative talker and FOX News Channel television host will be moving his base of radio operations somewhere else.
In addition, there are strong indications that a number of additional hosts and managers may also depart Citadel's ABC operation, some by choice and others due to the company's change of direction. Since contractual dates and terms differ, however, exits could be spread out gradually, rather than as one sudden exodus.
One outside source sympathetic to the plight of ABC's staffers told me they have a right to be paranoid: "...there have been many unhappy faces around the ABC watercooler, fearing that Citadel will make the kind of changes that will thwart their efforts of making good radio. Most industry personnel would be nervous at the thought of a takeover, but the ABC staffers, most of whom have been there for many years, have valid concerns," according to the observer.
Which side?
According to insiders with knowledge of the situation, the issue apparently isn't one of unhappiness by Hannity, the indications of dissatisfaction are instead coming from Citadel's side of the fence.
What are they and why is Hannity one of the first to potentially depart? One issue could be ratings: Sean's have been a mixed bag across the country this year, strong in some places, weak in others.
But the same could be said about Rush and almost every other syndicated political talker. Clearly, the market is saturated with far too many of them. Many firms have signed up talent seemingly without regard for audience demand and there simply aren’t enough stations for all of them.
With hot election year contests now underway, however, the fall book should show gains almost across the board. Already, we've seen some unusually heated primary battles in key races, which gave talkers an early dose of excitement to pick apart.
But there's simply no denying that talk radio, particularly on the syndicated side, is in a slump. Beyond the low-hanging fruit that emerges when big things happen, picking compelling topics the rest of the time is a challenge. Increasingly, creativity has gone out the window, making way for news event- driven talk. That approach makes generating consistent ratings growth difficult.
Another theory behind Hannity’s departure is that it could simply represent a philosophy shift by ABC's incoming owners. Another source has told me that Citadel is likely to favor more local talk on ABC's stations than has been the case recently, particularly on stations as large as WABC in New York City.
An obvious way to increase local programming would be to add it during the afternoon drive timeslot, a place Sean occupies on the East Coast. That means that Hannity may not just be looking for a new syndicator, but also new affiliates in some or all of ABC's markets.
Also, the mixed track record of ABC's owned-and-operated news/talk stations can't be ignored. While some continue to dominate their local ratings, others have been troubled for years, seemingly without much attention paid by the company. Why did they allow KABC in Los Angeles to slowly deteriorate over time? As hard as it may be to remember now, at one time there was actually a horse race between KFI and KABC, but the latter lost the fight long ago.
Lastly, the elephant in the room is painted green. It could NOT be said that Citadel has a history of paying top-dollar for air talent, in fact the situation has been quite the opposite, compared to other firms. It's very possible that some of ABC's talkers (and managers) are simply making more than Citadel is willing to accept, particularly with a declining ratings and revenue picture.
We'll be keeping track of every merger development here at Inside Radio
I like that because Fox News radio is on XM.
Hey! Sean can add a whole new chapter to his next book! Did you know Sean has a book?
Sean's a good man, great family man and a true Reagan conservative, and a very successfully talk show host. I know Sean being successful and the fact that he makes money in a free market system ticks off the extreme minority of Sean Hannity bashers here at FR who are just plain jealous of successful people in our country.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to bring back Steve Malszberg too, (at a decent hour)
no, that is hannity's standard line......he is stale and highly predictable....
oh god..........are you the spelling and punctuation police today? ;)
like your tag line.........i was brain washed by the fair tax folks until i really dug into it....and you are correct on that one.
That was Mark Steyn. He would be great. But I love his columns so much, I would hate to see him go to radio.
Check out Steyn Online. Lots of great stuff from The One Man Global Content Provider
That is him. He writes for NR doesn't he???
Sean, Rush, Levin, Coulter, Ingraham, etc. are all great friends and excellent talk show hosts. The Hannity bashers can try taking their lame arguments against Sean to one of those other hosts and watch how quick you get slapped down and rightfully so.
Yeah, the promises sound great, it is the reality that stinks. And if you question any aspect of the plan, then you must have evil motives. Glad you escaped the cult brainwashing...
Mark Steyn writes for everybody. He's very prolific.
He sure does. I just checked the site you gave me. I now have it in my favorites. Thank you
If Savage isn't on that evening, I'll switch over to wabc and listen live, too. Otherwise I catch him on delay.
Works for me in PA too!
Bob should never ever have been fired. He has been blacklisted by ABC and his departure was a great loss to the communities who loved the man.
Can anyone tell me what the station call letters are in the NY Metro area. Thanks, Jan
This is getting interesting.
Ah, Mark Levin - I should have mentioned him. He is very good, as well. Exceptionally well-informed, brilliant, and worth hearing for the quality of his commentary. However, I find his "schtick" -- the 'thank me' and the 'women's underwear' song and the insulting language toward libs (e.g. "ya big dope" and that sort of thing) -- wearing. It's funny once or twice, but not constantly. I listen to him driving home often, and I'm starting to turn him off when he gets going. I don't mind his sharp debating and scarcasm, but the pure insults don't make him look good, and sometimes the rants are just too much.
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