Ping: JIMGA Re: FreeFM RIP

[Toddzilla]

John,

Looks like FreeFM is blowed up real good in NYC - except O&A keep their morning drive slot - and Philly.

Any insights if the same is going to happen in DC or elsewhere?

[JonInMiddleGA]

{stirs from too short nap after working 28 hours straight on a deadline project}

When I finally closed my eyes this morning Philly hadn't gotten the axe yet, so you're actually a little ahead of me at this point.

There's certainly a sentiment among the unwashed masses in the biz that says that if FM talk can't work (and indeed failed pretty spectacularly) in NYC then it won't work anywhere. I think that's probably true to a large extent but I personally figure it'll be a death a couple of stations at a time rather than anything like a mass purge of the attempt. If I had to guess, I'd say the general format (perhaps rebranded/repositioned in some places) will be around for at least another 18-24 months.

'Course that opinion & a few bucks will get you some overpriced coffee at Starbucks.

Mmm ... coffee.

[wade moore]

Just to think outloud - knowing that D&M's contract is up next year and supposedly Don is retiring after that, seems like that fits right in that 18-24 months... D&M have been slipping, the Junkies have done ok but they're nowhere near what Stern was, their mid-day mess has been iffy at best and they have nothing consistent in the evening...So, I could see them stumbling along until the D&M contract is up and then keeping the Junkies in the morning as a morning zooish show and then rock or whatever later in the day..The one thing about WJFK though is that it has been all talk for so long now, it may have longer legs than some of the other stations that are newer to FM talk...

[wade moore]

Here's what the sometimes questionable hxxp://www.dcrtv.com has to say on the issue..CBS To Pull Plug On Free FM Talker In NYC, Maybe Philly - 5/24 - CBS Radio will discontinue the low-rated talk format at its Free FM outlet in NYC. Maybe in Philadelphia, too. With both stations, WFNY and WYSP respectively, flipping back to rock formats. We hear that Opie and Anthony will remain in morning drive, but former WJFK-FMers Ron and Fez, who did evenings on the Free FMer in NYC, have been given the boot. They're still heard on DC-based XM Satellite Radio. DCRTV hears that there are no plans to scrap the fulltime talk format at DC's Free FMer, WJFK-FM. But, don't be surprised if the Free FM branding gets dropped from 106.7. The NY Daily News has more.....

[DanGarion]

FreeFM seems to be doing good here in LA, at least during the afternoon drive, with the help of Tom Leykis.

[gottimd]

If the Junkies go off the air, I will burn down DC. Then I will burn down Baltimore. To continue my path of destruction, I will burn down Dover, just because its close and I can't stop burning cities down.

[DanGarion]

If the Junkies go off the air, I will burn down DC. Then I will burn down Baltimore. To continue my path of destruction, I will burn down Dover, just because its close and I can't stop burning cities down.

Make sure you make it to Georgia, gotta do it like old times!

[Toddzilla]

the Junkies have done ok but they're nowhere near what Stern wasI'm quite certain that the Junkies, especially in the key demo (Males 18-49?) are crushing Howard Stern's ratings from the last year or two he was on the air. That's why WJFK is so hesitant to bump them to middays for O&A.

[wade moore]

I'm quite certain that the Junkies, especially in the key demo (Males 18-49?) are crushing Howard Stern's ratings from the last year or two he was on the air. That's why WJFK is so hesitant to bump them to middays for O&A.

That's news to me if so... I'm pretty sure that if they were it would be pretty big media news... last I knew they were doing the best of any Stern replacement - by having like 25% of his ratings...

[wade moore]

Dola: And don't get me wrong. .I love the Junkies and podcast them regulary.

[flere-imsaho]

FreeFM appeared to disappear off the radio about a week ago in San Francisco. I only know this because I would sometimes listen to the crazy talk shows (I never listen to talk shows back home in Chicago) after work on my way to pick up dinner, and all of a sudden they stopped.

However, they're still carrying the A's games.

[JonInMiddleGA]

That's news to me if so... I'm pretty sure that if they were it would be pretty big media news... last I knew they were doing the best of any Stern replacement - by having like 25% of his ratings...

Unless they've have had a huge (like 4x) jump in the past couple of books, you're pretty much on the mark AFAIK.

From various snippets at dcrtv.com

From early 2006
We're told that Stern had a 5.5 in November, a 5.4 in December, and that the Junkies had a 2.3 morning drive share in January. In Baltimore, via WHFS, the news for the Junkies was even worse. In the age 25-to-54 demo, Stern's two last months produced a 5.9 and a 7.6. The Junkies had only a 1.8 morning drive share in January.

Since then, they've been hovering between 11th & 13th in the broad 12+ demo, listed as up a bit in their target, but then they've been getting their asses kicked hard by Elliot over on DC101 (they're in the double digits in Men while he's around 5th in the same demo), so there's hardly no way they're putting up anything better than about what half of what Stern was doing at the end.

[wade moore]

Unless they've have had a huge (like 4x) jump in the past couple of books, you're pretty much on the mark AFAIK.

From various snippets at dcrtv.com

From early 2006
We're told that Stern had a 5.5 in November, a 5.4 in December, and that the Junkies had a 2.3 morning drive share in January. In Baltimore, via WHFS, the news for the Junkies was even worse. In the age 25-to-54 demo, Stern's two last months produced a 5.9 and a 7.6. The Junkies had only a 1.8 morning drive share in January.


Since then, they've been hovering between 11th & 13th in the broad 12+ demo, listed as up a bit in their target, but then they've been getting their asses kicked hard by Elliot over on DC101 (they're in the double digits in Men while he's around 5th in the same demo), so there's hardly no way they're putting up anything better than about what half of what Stern was doing at the end.Thanks for looking that up, I just didn't have the chance at the time... to add to that quote from dcrtv, they were completely taken off of the Baltimore station..Again, it's quite possible they've improved, but I'm pretty confidant that they haven't improved enough to get above Stern, let alone crushing him - even if we are talking about a target demo, since that would be Stern's largest audience too..Again, I like the Junkies.. I've listened to them since they were on weekends and they are the only show I've gone to a live appearance for.. but I certainly don't think they are a show with the ratings that will keep an entire format alive.

[Buccaneer]

Jon seems to have pretty good access to radio information to cut and paste...for a seed salesman.

[SackAttack]

Always though Jon was an ad salesman, not seeds, Bucc.

[terpkristin]

Always though Jon was an ad salesman, not seeds, Bucc.

I'll go on record and say I've never had a clue as to what Jon does.

But he does seem to know a ton about radio stuff.

/tk

[wade moore]

Always though Jon was an ad salesman, not seeds, Bucc.

Once again, we need the "over the head" smiley for Josh...

[JonInMiddleGA]

Always though Jon was an ad salesman, not seeds, Bucc.

Well, you're both sort of right ;)

I am, as you said, in the advertising business. Since we're an ad agency technically I buy them (for clients) moreso than sell them.

Bucc was being rather clever. Although I'll admit to being surprised that anyone remembered it, he was referring to our largest client to date - Pennington Seed Company (the world's largest producer of grass seed). I mentioned our relationship with them here for the first time about a year ago when we resigned from the account.

And as for the radio stuff, prior to basically marrying into the ad agency side of things, I spent 13 years working for various radio stations in the suburbs/exurbs of Atlanta. Because of that background, I still keep pretty close watch on the comings & goings & subplots in & around the radio business.

[Buccaneer]

I still keep pretty close watch on the comings & goings & subplots in & around the radio business.<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Do you have access to client or business information that is not available on the web?

I still get a chuckle out of the BIG NEWS that the major client was Pennington Seed Company [snicker]. I guess we don't appreciate grass seeds out here in Colorado and even if we did, hearing a commercial on the radio about seeds would not be high on list. I do, however, have a bias in that I hate all radio commercials - way too much noise, stupid sound effects, fast talkers and higher pitches. But radio is big business and popular, it doesn't need to me.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Do you have access to client or business information that is not available on the web?

Not all that much. Other than the detailed ratings that we sometimes buy, I hear a few things from people still on the inside occasionally, but most of the stuff I talk about here is available to anybody that knows where to look & wants to spend a little time sifting through it. I like to think my background & just the amount of attention I try to pay to the subject helps me interpret/analyze things a little better than the average Joe/Jane on the street, but it really isn't rocket science.

I still get a chuckle out of the BIG NEWS that the major client was Pennington Seed Company [snicker]. I guess we don't appreciate grass seeds out here in Colorado and even if we did, hearing a commercial on the radio about seeds would not be high on list.

As far as the grass stuff goes, fescue is where a lot of the money is spent on consumer advertising & you're outside the "fescue belt", so it's perfectly normal that you don't get hit with it much. But from about Texas up through Missouri, across through Ohio all the way to the northeast and then all the way back down about as far south as central Georgia, there's a steady stream of ads from several companies (about 3-4 national brands plus various regional brands) pushing either their seed or the chemical lines (fertilizer, weed stopper, etc) every spring & again in the fall. Scott's is the big Kahuna in the industry, Pennington is #2 in the seed but our (well, their) sales are much closer than the enormous gap in their ad expenditures is. That's something we were always pretty proud of, and is probably one of the things we work harder at than most agencies, trying to get more out of less.

Spending $10 million in advertising is a lot easier than spending $1 million. But trying to find the best use of $100k or $10k segment is where things start to get hard.

[SnDvls]

Free FM got the ax yesterday in Phoenix

is there anywhere it still is going? major markets?

[DanGarion]

Free FM got the ax yesterday in Phoenix

is there anywhere it still is going? major markets?
Los Angeles.

Was Tom Leykis on your FreeFM in Phoenix?

[cthomer5000]

Free FM got the ax yesterday in Phoenix

is there anywhere it still is going? major markets?

I think San Diego is changing as well.

Still going in a number of places... check the wikipedia entry

[Toddzilla]

Free FM got the ax yesterday in Phoenix Oh No! That means Big O & Dukes are probably out of a job again. That stinks - they're really busted their humps to land and keep a gig.

WJFK in DC needs to shitcan Bill O'Rly and the dreck they have on in the evenings and bring back Big O & Dukes, El Hefe and J Dubs, and top it all of with Ron & Fez. Move O&A to morning drive, put the junks in in afternoon drive when Don and Mike disappear, put R&F on afterwards, and then slot the other two in middays and overnight, and you've got a great lineup.

[lcjjdnh]

Free FM got the ax yesterday in Phoenix

is there anywhere it still is going? major markets?

Still exist in Detroit.

[JonInMiddleGA]

... and you've got a great lineup.

But you could also have more in excess salary than you could make up in increased ratings/sales, in other words a losing proposition.

Please note that I'm not saying that's what would happen, I'm just pointing out the possibility of it happening and why it's just as hard to put together any sort of radio "dream team" lineup as it is in most sports.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Free FM got the ax yesterday in Phoenix

is there anywhere it still is going? major markets?

As cthomer pointed out, the wiki listing is probably as good as any.
As of today, here's what's left:
* Baltimore – WHFS 105.7 [2]
* Chicago – WCKG 105.9 [3]
* Dallas – KLLI 105.3 [4]
* Detroit – WKRK 97.1 [5]
* Los Angeles – KLSX 97.1 [6]
* Philadelphia – WYSP 94.1 [7]
* Washington, D.C. – WJFK-FM 106.7 [8]
* Pittsburgh – WTZN 93.7 [9]

The speculation in the industry is that all of them will shift to some other branding (such as "FM Talk") sooner rather than later, possibly in the next month. Actually, at least 4 of the list above (Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, and Pittsburgh) are already identifying themselves on-air/online as something other than "Free FM", although no format changes have taken place in those markets.

[SnDvls]

Los Angeles.

Was Tom Leykis on your FreeFM in Phoenix?

yup

[SnDvls]

Oh No! That means Big O & Dukes are probably out of a job again. That stinks - they're really busted their humps to land and keep a gig.



they are going back east again somewhere.

[cthomer5000]

Oh No! That means Big O & Dukes are probably out of a job again. That stinks - they're really busted their humps to land and keep a gig.

WJFK in DC needs to shitcan Bill O'Rly and the dreck they have on in the evenings and bring back Big O & Dukes, El Hefe and J Dubs, and top it all of with Ron & Fez. Move O&A to morning drive, put the junks in in afternoon drive when Don and Mike disappear, put R&F on afterwards, and then slot the other two in middays and overnight, and you've got a great lineup.

Ron & Fez just didnt' work in DC. Not sure why... they were kicking serious ass in their return here, but alas, the station got dumped. The had tripled the ratings in their daypart in 6 months. I'd be stunned if they end up back there.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Make that 5 of the remaining 8 that have changed on-air identity but not format.

(scroll to the bottom of today's)
http://www.radio-info.com/newsletter/

"Free" no more: Philly's WYSP. New slogan is "94 Talks." They'd also been using "Talk that rocks", which probably is too close to the "rocks" slogan employed by rival WMMR. GM David Yadgaroff tells the Inquirer they're sticking with talk, and won't return to the rock wars. The CBS station does rock out on its HD2 channel. But "Free FM" is gone on 94.1.

[Toddzilla]

DCRTV reports that Bill O'RLY is likely sacked from WJFK - who are they making room for, buddays?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Todd -- I made a quick circuit of my usual haunts & saw nary a peep about that rumor anywhere. Doesn't mean it's right or wrong, just means I got nothing.

[wade moore]

Ron and Fez maybe? I'm not sure, but certainly some short of show like that would fit MUCH better in that timeslot.

[Toddzilla]

Ron and Fez maybe? I'm not sure, but certainly some short of show like that would fit MUCH better in that timeslot.what are the chances WJFK runs O&A live from 6-9 and then give the Junkies 10-2? It would be interesting to see what wins out, the Junkies' egos or their collective wish to sleep late.

[wade moore]

what are the chances WJFK runs O&A live from 6-9 and then give the Junkies 10-2? It would be interesting to see what wins out, the Junkies' egos or their collective wish to sleep late.

Actually, that seems quite feasible to me... I don't think Junkies would like it, but who has more power? I'd say O&A...

I think it would be potentially disasterous for their ratings though.. they might even be better off in the 7-10 slot and some newcomer locals or something in mid-days...

[cthomer5000]

Ron and Fez maybe? I'm not sure, but certainly some short of show like that would fit MUCH better in that timeslot.

From all i've heard, and this includes face-to-face conversation with people who are in the corporate ranks of CBS radio, I dont think R&F will be going back to the DC market, ever. Im pretty sure R&F weren't nuts about being there, and the feeling was kind of mutual. I think if they could do the show from New York, that might increase the odds they would even be interested. Plus, you factor in that they are already under contract to CBS radio, and it's not a show that costs CBS any additional money. These guys are already getting paid, so it might make sense to use them on-air somewhere.

I don't know enough about Junkies to say whether they would work in middays. Some shows are built to grab you immediately, others are something you need to listen to a while. Plus that seems like it might be a pretty radical lineup change, though I think trying to get O&A live on does make a lot of sense. But i think the Junkies have done middays before, right?

[cthomer5000]

what are the chances WJFK runs O&A live from 6-9 and then give the Junkies 10-2? It would be interesting to see what wins out, the Junkies' egos or their collective wish to sleep late.

what would they do between 9-10am?

[Toddzilla]

But i think the Junkies have done middays before, right?Yep, when WHFS flipped, the Junks went back to WJFK for 10-1 middays right after Howard to be the eventual successor since Howard had recently announced his deal w/ Sirius. IIRC, the Junks were getting upset over having to wait until 10:15, 10:30, sometimes later for Howard's show to end before they could start, so JFK ended the Stern show at 9:58AM sharp so the Junkies could start on time. Howard was pissed, but had no more pimp-hand since he was leaving.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Actually, that seems quite feasible to me... I don't think Junkies would like it, but who has more power? I'd say O&A...


I don't know at this point. Although as whacked out as the radio business is just about anything is possible but to be honest, I've seen/heard a lot more speculation about stations wanted to dump O&A than I have about something like putting them in mornings in DC. Their return has been a disappointment almost everywhere and I just don't think that'll be the direction that JFK goes.

[Toddzilla]

what would they do between 9-10am?D'oh. Meant to say 9-1. But that still leaves the 2 hours before Don and Mike open.

Bring back Big O & Dukes!

[cthomer5000]

FYI, they are also, with 100% certainty, replacing the 7pm-10pm show.

[wade moore]

I don't know at this point. Although as whacked out as the radio business is just about anything is possible but to be honest, I've seen/heard a lot more speculation about stations wanted to dump O&A than I have about something like putting them in mornings in DC. Their return has been a disappointment almost everywhere and I just don't think that'll be the direction that JFK goes.

Fair point.. since I'm not in that market anymore and now I can't even listen during work on the computer, I'm pretty out of touch with what the feel for that style of talk is in the DC Area...

I forgot that the Junks did do mid-day for awhile, now that you mention it I think they were pretty successful there.. they certainly I think would have to do a slightly different show, but not dramatically different - and they've made the adjustment before..

The only thing I think is probably relatively certain at JFK is that D&M won't shift time slots, but I can't be 100% certain of that even..

[DeToxRox]

God damn do I miss the Junkies.

Does Cowboy Todd still call in?

[Toddzilla]

God damn do I miss the Junkies.

Does Cowboy Todd still call in?You can stream them live from 1067freefm.com in the mornings, or download daily podcasts of their shows, donkey. As for Cowboy Todd, he moved to Tennessee or Kentucky to get away from the police - he had one run in after another with the law - and so he calls very rarely. He is still a trainwreck of epic proportions you'll be glad to know.

[Toddzilla]

The only thing I think is probably relatively certain at JFK is that D&M won't shift time slots, but I can't be 100% certain of that even..Not only are they not shifting slots, they are done once their contract is over (at the end of the year?). D&M and WJFK management have been at odds for some time now and I think both parties cannot wait to part ways. The last book had D&M sinking to 10th in the ratings, so I doubt JFK will be sad to see them go. Maybe thats where the Junkies can go, afternoon drive...

[wade moore]

Not only are they not shifting slots, they are done once their contract is over (at the end of the year?). D&M and WJFK management have been at odds for some time now and I think both parties cannot wait to part ways. The last book had D&M sinking to 10th in the ratings, so I doubt JFK will be sad to see them go. Maybe thats where the Junkies can go, afternoon drive...

2008 (end of?) is when their contract is up... I think 10th is actually up from what they were before..

And the only thing for sure I think (according to what they say on the air) is that Don is leaving after their contract is up.. I've heard speculation that Rob and Mike may continue/do a show (which I think would be a train wreck of epic proportions if they did - and I've been a loyal D&M guy since the WAVA days).

[DeToxRox]

You can stream them live from 1067freefm.com in the mornings, or download daily podcasts of their shows, donkey. As for Cowboy Todd, he moved to Tennessee or Kentucky to get away from the police - he had one run in after another with the law - and so he calls very rarely. He is still a trainwreck of epic proportions you'll be glad to know.

Excellent. I'll make sure to load up on their podcasts. I remember a little kid from Detroit who'd always call in except he said he was like 20. Ahh, the good old days.

[Toddzilla]

FYI, they are also, with 100% certainty, replacing the 7pm-10pm show.Nice call...

* Bill O'Rly is gone from WJFK effective 7/16, to be replaced by Jim Rome
* Big O & Dukes is taking over the 7-10PM slot, replacing Unzipped whatever that was.

The Junkies announced all of this this morning, and it was also reported on dcrtv.com.

w00t

[wade moore]

Jim Rome?

Seriously, how hard is it to put a show in mid-days that fits with the rest of the talent?

[Toddzilla]

WJFK is starting to skew towards sports - picking up Maryland basketball and football starting this fall - so Jim Rome actually fits pretty well. The Junkies and D&M have always had a sports edge to them (both crews even used to do the Redskins pre-game show, right?).

It's just another step closer to turning WJFK into a full-blown sports-talker.

[wade moore]

WJFK is starting to skew towards sports - picking up Maryland basketball and football starting this fall - so Jim Rome actually fits pretty well. The Junkies and D&M have always had a sports edge to them (both crews even used to do the Redskins pre-game show, right?).

It's just another step closer to turning WJFK into a full-blown sports-talker.

I just don't see that... Light sports, but I don't see full-blown sport-stalker.. there's already an ESPN station (with as crappy a signal as it is, it's still ESPN) and Sportstalk 980.. I don't think they're crazy enough to think the market can support a 3rd sports talker...

That being said, you do make a point.. Rome certainly fits in better than O'rly did... The Junkies have shifted away from sports (hell, taking "Sports Junkies" out of their name), but certainly do lean sports... I think it would be a bit of a stretch to say that D&M lean sports... Mike knows baseball and that's IT.. Buzz knows nothing of sports.. Rob not much better... and Don is a pretty big sports fan.. they talk about it maybe once a week, maybe a little more often during football...

and O&A aren't sports at all really..

Anyway, certainly a better fit than O'Rly...

[DanGarion]

97.1 KLSX has officially stopped calling themselves FreeFM. They are now "The FM Talk" Station.

[DanGarion]

Ok looks to be official here in LA, FreeFM is now dead! KLSX changing formats on Friday at 5:00 PM!!!!

AMP Radio Coming to LA



(February 18, 2009) On Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. Tom Leykis passes the baton from a dozen years as the FM Talk Station, KLSX, to AMP Radio. Playing “All the Hits,” AMP RADIO will kick off a music-intensive 10,000 songs in a row from artists such as Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Rihanna, T.I., Kanye West, Usher, Britney, Pink, Kelly Clarkson, and Katy Perry.



FM Talk Radio with Adam Carolla, Frosty/Heidi & Frank, Tom Leykis, Tim Conway, Jr., and John & Jeff will be airing their last shows in the next 48 hours. Jack Silver, KLSX pd, will be leaving the station with the format change.

[JonInMiddleGA]

And in connection with this flip, the syndicated Adam Carolla morning show ceases syndication effective 2/20, with Best-of shows available to affiliates through the end of the month, meaning stations in about a dozen markets will suddenly be looking for new morning shows.

Being 27th in the 12+ numbers as an FM Talker -- and I can't imagine the number were all that much better in the adult demos -- this can't be a surprise to hardly anyone anywhere. They were the 5th rated news/talk station in the market for crying out loud, even the country station in the market was doubling them up in the ratings.

[lordscarlet]

I just don't see that... Light sports, but I don't see full-blown sport-stalker.. there's already an ESPN station (with as crappy a signal as it is, it's still ESPN) and Sportstalk 980.. I don't think they're crazy enough to think the market can support a 3rd sports talker...

That being said, you do make a point.. Rome certainly fits in better than O'rly did... The Junkies have shifted away from sports (hell, taking "Sports Junkies" out of their name), but certainly do lean sports... I think it would be a bit of a stretch to say that D&M lean sports... Mike knows baseball and that's IT.. Buzz knows nothing of sports.. Rob not much better... and Don is a pretty big sports fan.. they talk about it maybe once a week, maybe a little more often during football...

and O&A aren't sports at all really..

Anyway, certainly a better fit than O'Rly...

Where have you been, Williamsburg? :) 980 is ESPN now.

And Don was big into sports and did the Redskins pre-game. Mike never did. It is now the Mike O'Meara show with a supporting cast that largely doesn't know how many points you get for a field goal.

The Junkies, obviously, have a sports lean -- they started as "The Sports Junkies", but they've gotten away from that to fit in with the rest of the lineup.

[wade moore]

Where have you been, Williamsburg? :) 980 is ESPN now.

Well sure, but it wasn't in July of 2007.



And Don was big into sports and did the Redskins pre-game. Mike never did. It is now the Mike O'Meara show with a supporting cast that largely doesn't know how many points you get for a field goal.

The Junkies, obviously, have a sports lean -- they started as "The Sports Junkies", but they've gotten away from that to fit in with the rest of the lineup.

Which just supports my statement.

[lordscarlet]

Well sure, but it wasn't in July of 2007.

doh. :)

Which just supports my statement.

yes, that's why I wrote it. :)

[wade moore]

So, two different rumors floating around (both on dcrtv, so some may disregard it) ...

Both revolve around an April 1 format flip for WJFK.

More Rumors: JFK To Go Sports With Junks & Maybe Riggo This Spring - 3/11 - http://www.dcrtv.com/wjfk2007.jpgDon't "shoot" the messenger. Just reportin' what we hear. We get this from a very well-connected DC radio source: "Look for the WJFK flip to occur in early April to a sports/talk format which was previously reported on this site. The Junkies will remain intact. Ongoing negotiations for the other drive time slot will most likely include an ex-Redskin Hall Of Fame player. His old jersey number began with a four and ended with a four." John Riggins did an afternoon radio show on the old Triple X sports talker. More soon.....

More: JFK Format Flip Coming - 3/13 - A DCRTVer tells us: Former WJFKers Opie and Anthony "started off their (Sirius XM) show today with Jim Norton saying that WJFK is flipping formats on April 1. All the guys had nice things to say about the talent on the station, even Don (Geronimo), but that the (guy talk) station was flipping to either (contemporary hit) Now or Amp 106.7 on April 1"......


This combined with some VERY heavy allusions by Big O and Dukes this week that they won't be on the air much longer have me very worried about the future of WJFK.

I'd be upset to see WJFK go away for many reasons. But in the end the biggest thing is - I won't have shit to listen to. My car ride listening is ct & jivin and WJFK podcasts.

ugh.

[lordscarlet]

Not to mention that we have grown up with WJFK talk for.. 15 or 20 years.

[DanGarion]

Got this in my Email today from LARP (LA Radio Personalities).

Adam Carolla goes from canceled to podcast king
Ex-KLSX talker is No. 1 on iTunes

By Derrik J. Lang, LADaily News, 3.28
Sitting inside his palatial Hollywood Hills mansion, Adam Carolla and his talk show host pal Jimmy Kimmel chat candidly — in a frenetic, almost stream-of-consciousness way — about pornography, Siegfried and Roy, the modeling industry, gay rodeos and the children's book "Where the Wild Things Are."

The former hosts of Comedy Central's "The Man Show" are comfortably slouched on brown leather chairs inside Carolla's office upstairs, where a pink box overflowing with childrens' toys sits in the corner. A totally casual affair, it seems — except that each is wearing a bulky headset, making them look as if they're monitoring air traffic or playing "Gears of War" online.

The headsets are, in fact, recording the uncensored conversation for Carolla's daily podcast, an endeavor the 44-year-old radio and TV personality launched last month after his popular syndicated morning radio show was canceled when CBS switched the format of KLSX from talk to pop music.

"They didn't cancel KLSX and my show because we weren't popular," says Carolla. "I didn't feel an ounce of 'I'll show you! I'll go and do a podcast, and you guys will rue the day!' I understood they paid us a lot of money, and if they just play Justin Timberlake and Rihanna, they'll save themselves a few bucks. That's the climate we're living in these days."

If large audience for his long-form rants was what Carolla was after, then not even he is rueing that day.

Since launching Feb. 25, "The Adam Carolla Podcast" has frequently been the No. 1 podcast on iTunes, which doesn't release download numbers but ranks its offerings according to popularity. The show has consistently charted ahead of such staples as NPR's "This American Life," HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher," "The Ricky Gervais Podcast" and President Barack Obama's weekly address.

Carolla was surprised as anyone else by the sudden success of his minimalist venture.

"Last week, we had over 3 million hits, and I don't know exactly how those work, but we have a system that measures your hits, and I've seen them steadily going up," says Carolla. "Whatever it is, it's new. It's exciting. You don't get 'The Tonight Show' kinda numbers or audience or whatever. We're doing well for a podcast. If we were a TV show, I'm sure we'd be pulled off the air."

The bare-bones production is recorded in real time in his home and has no music, commericals, sound effects or editing. Each episode features just one celebrity guest, and thus far has attracted the likes of Tom Arnold, "The Soup" host Joel McHale, "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane and comedians such as David Alan Grier, Dana Gould and Aisha Tyler.

"We haven't missed a day yet," boasts Carolla. "It's like dating. If you like me, I'll like you back. I'll keep growing the show based on other people's commitment to it. If people find the show, like the show and want more of the show, then I'll oblige. If they taper off and don't show an interest anymore, then I'm not going to show an interest in it anymore."

The podcast has been part of an unexpected evolution for the season six "Dancing with the Stars" contestant, a radio veteran best known as the co-host of "Loveline," the syndicated radio show and MTV series featuring Dr. Drew Pinsky, and as the disc jockey who replaced Howard Stern in 12 markets after the shock jock departed for satellite radio in 2006.

Carolla, who is currently working on a CBS comedy pilot, is still mulling how to monetize the production, which he estimates cost him $3,000 a month to produce. He would prefer to charge a subscription fee than woo advertisers, so that he can continue to liberally rant and use whatever explicit language he deems necessary. For now, there's no turning back.

"This feels really good, and it would feel really hard to go back and do terrestrial radio or even satellite radio," says Carolla. "I don't think satellite is in any position to hire new talent these days, and terrestrial radio would feel very limiting after this. My wish, hope and goal is to grow this, so that we have our own show and our own community."

[JonInMiddleGA]

It's just another step closer to turning WJFK into a full-blown sports-talker.

And if the rumors are right, who had about two years from this post in the office pool?

from today's Tom Taylor newsletter (available at radio-info.com)
The D.C. board at Radio-Info.com has been asking "what's taking them so long?" – and now the Washington Post's Paul Farhi says the conversion will happen in July. He has sources "involved in the change" and he supplies the names of two people CBS has chatted with about hosting shows – well-regarded former Redskins linebacker and 3-time Pro Bowler LaVar Arrington, and Washington Post columnist Mike Wise. But a "Fan" or a "Ticket" wouldn't have to worry about mornings. WJFK's current "Junkies" show would fit right in. The guys actually began as "The Sports Junkies" and later broadened their topics. WJFK also has the NHL Capitals and Maryland ACC basketball to build on. A new Fan or Ticket would bump shoulder pads with the only English-language sports radio game in town – all-sports "ESPN 980" WTEM, part of the Red Zebra group controlled by Redskins team owner Daniel Snyder. (Red Zebra also operates Spanish-language "ESPN Deportes 730" WXTR.) Folks have worried about the stranglehold Snyder has on access to his football team, and about his owning the local sports radio franchise. Next month – that changes. In the latest PPMs (April), WTEM had a 1.8 AQH share, ages 6+. WJFK was below that with a 1.6. So unless there's lots of hidden billing there now, blowing up talker WJFK – created as a provocatively-named outlet for Howard Stern – isn't a risky roll of the dice.

[wade moore]

Yeah, been reading about this this morning.

The mid-day show, Big O and Dukes, has quickly become my favorite radio show by a mile. They're in BIG trouble if the show makes a format flip to sports.

The interesting thing is that WJFK has been seeing a pretty good uptick in the PPMs in the may numbers.

[Kodos]

They're no CT & Jivin.

[wade moore]

They're no CT & Jivin.

Yeah, you're right, they actually do shows..

:redface:

[wade moore]

In all seriousness - they have a lot similar to ct&j in their content, etc... part of why I like them..

And also in all seriousness, it's hard for me to list a show as my favorite when it has had like 2 podcasts in the last 2 months. You will not find a bigger ct&j fan than me, but them's the breaks.

[Kodos]

Yeah, I'm hoping they get re-employed soon and that reinvigorates them to get back into the podcast.

[lordscarlet]

Yeah, you're right, they actually do shows..

:redface:

Someone call the burn unit...

[wade moore]

It's generally not a good sign when the host of a show on the radio station is making a twitter post that points you to a twitter account called "SaveWJFK".

[wade moore]

Bad, Bad, Bad day for my radio/podcasting enjoyment. The last standing "Guy Talker" is dead.

http://www.dcrtv.com/pr.html

7/14/09 - WASHINGTON, D.C.’S FM SPORTS STATION, SPORTSRADIO 106.7 THE FAN, LAUNCHES ON MONDAY, JULY 20... D.C.’s Newest FM Sports Station To Feature Established Morning Drive Talent, The Sports Junkies, In Addition To Washington Post Columnist Mike Wise, Sports Connoisseur Bill Rohland, Former Washington Redskins Linebacker Lavar Arrington And WJFK’s Chad Dukes... Sportsradio 106.7 To Serve As The Flagship Station Of The Washington Wizards... On Monday, July 20 at 6:00AM, WJFK-FM will become “Sportsradio 106.7 The Fan,” D.C.’s newest home for local sports talk and play-by-play coverage. The FM sports station, available on-air at 106.7, online at CBSSports.com Sports News, Fantasy Scores, Sports Video (www.1067thefandc.com) and through a variety of mobile outlets including the iPhone, iPod Touch and select Blackberry devices, features a number of the area’s favorite personalities, athletes and analysts. WJFK favorites, The Sports Junkies, will remain in morning drive, and will add to the local sports coverage provided by talent such as Washington Post columnist Mike Wise, local sports expert Bill Rohland, former Washington Redskins linebacker Lavar Arrington and WJFK mainstay Chad Dukes. Besides offering the biggest names in D.C. sports, Sportsradio 106.7 The Fan will also serve as the flagship station for the NBA’s Washington Wizards. The station will air all regular, pre- and post-season games, as well as pre- and post-game shows. Dave Johnson will be the broadcast voice for the team’s play-by-play, while Glenn Consor will provide analysis. The station will also broadcast Westwood One’s NFL play-by-play coverage, including Thursday night, Sunday afternoon, Sunday night and Monday Night Football, the NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl XLIV. Additionally, Sportsradio 106.7 will provide D.C. sports fans with the most comprehensive online local sports coverage, powered by CBSSports.com (www.cbssports.com). This extensive sports destination will feature an array of local content including blogs from the station’s personalities, sports videos, scores, polls, message boards, community groups and the most up-to-date sports news, as well as on-air schedules, team schedules and talent information. Sportsradio 106.7 will also cater to and engage its audience of Washington based sports fans through the implementation and use of social networking sites such as Twitter (Twitter / ? (www.twitter.com/1067thefandc)), Facebook and Myspace (www.myspace.com/1067thefandc). Through these multiple avenues and platforms, fans will be able to listen to Sportsradio 106.7 from virtually anywhere and connect with its hosts, fans and fellow listeners for a new kind of interactive radio experience. “It is an honor to bring fans in the D.C. area a new outlet to discuss, analyze and listen to their favorite teams, as well as the best in local sports. With CBS RADIO’s recent success in the FM sports arena, along with the Company’s world renowned AM sports stations, Sportsradio 106.7 The Fan is poised to be the next generation of sports programming for our area,” said Sam Rogers, Senior Vice President and Market Manager of CBS RADIO Washington, D.C. The weekday programming schedule on Sportsradio 106.7 The Fan is as follows: 5:00-10:00AM: The Sports Junkies... 10:00AM-2:00PM: Mike Wise and Bill Rohland... 2:00-6:00PM: The Lavar Arrington Show with Chad Dukes... The Sports Junkies: The four biggest sports fans in D.C. have ruled the area airwaves since debuting at night on WJFK over a decade ago. EB, JP, Lurch, and Cakes are childhood friends who started a radio show in 1996. They have since dominated the ratings in multiple dayparts, and will continue their successful run in mornings on WJFK, where they have been heard since January 2006. The Mike Wise Show: Washington Post columnist Mike Wise brings his unique take on D.C. sports to the airwaves. Wise is joined by George Mason University basketball play-by-play man and radio vet Bill Rohland for their new show, weekdays 10:00AM-2:00PM. The Lavar Arrington Show with Chad Dukes: Lavar Arrington was one of the most outspoken Washington Redskins in the last decade. Now D.C. sports fans can hear what he has to say every afternoon from 2:00-6:00PM. Arrington is joined by Chad Dukes, a lifelong D.C. sports fan who most recently hosted middays at WJFK. About WJFK-FM: WJFK-FM is owned and operated by CBS RADIO, one of the largest major-market radio operators in the United States. A division of CBS Corporation, CBS RADIO operates 134 radio stations, the majority of which are in the nation's top 50 markets. In addition to WJFK, CBS RADIO owns and operates WTGB-FM, WLZL-FM, WHFS-AM and WPGC-FM in Washington, D.C.

I had recently become a very big fan of the mid-day show (Big O and Dukes).

Chad Dukes will stay on with Lavar, but that feels like a train wreck of a show waiting to happen.

[Logan]

Why can't PR people appreciate line breaks?

[wade moore]

I thought about cleaning it up, but decided I didn't care enough ;).

[Subby]

Very happy about this switch - having more than one sportstalker is a great thing.

And I think this is still going to be guy talk - particularly the Junkies.

[Subby]

I thought about cleaning it up, but decided I didn't care enough ;).
You are like Count Dooku to BEL's Sith Lord.

[wade moore]

Very happy about this switch - having more than one sportstalker is a great thing.

And I think this is still going to be guy talk - particularly the Junkies.

I imagine the Junkies will change very little. However, I had started to stray from them more and more. So, I imagine I'll listen to them more again.

I can't see the WaPo guy being very guy-talk heavy.

Lavar and Dukes I suppose COULD be. I'm actually not sure how that works. Having heard Lavar in the past as a guest on the Thompson show, he seems like a very poor fit for the easily excitable, vulgar, over the top Dukes imo. But, it may work.

[lordscarlet]

Very happy about this switch - having more than one sportstalker is a great thing.

And I think this is still going to be guy talk - particularly the Junkies.

No one listens to the current sportstalker, though. What good will two do? Perhaps they'll do better because they're on FM, and perhaps some carryover fans of the guy talker. But outside of the Junkies it will not be the same shows.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I had recently become a very big fan of the mid-day show (Big O and Dukes). Chad Dukes will stay on with Lavar, but that feels like a train wreck of a show waiting to happen.

From the WaPo media blogger (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2009/07/08/DI2009070801758.html), they're also rumored to be trying to hire John Riggins to add some more fuel to the anti-Snyder or at least alterna-Synder flames.

From a Q&A on that same blog, Oscar Santana (aka Big O) "has been offered a job at one of the other local CBS stations (which include WPGC, WLZL and "Fresh94.7"). Not sure which station or what job, however."

Also seems pretty sure thing that Mike O'Meara (of Don & Mike fame) is pretty much done at least with any CBS station and perhaps in the market altogether at least for the foreseeable future.

[wade moore]

From the WaPo media blogger (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2009/07/08/DI2009070801758.html), they're also rumored to be trying to hire John Riggins to add some more fuel to the anti-Snyder or at least alterna-Synder flames.
He wasn't popular on other stations, not sure why he'd magically be popular now.


From a Q&A on that same blog, Oscar Santana (aka Big O) "has been offered a job at one of the other local CBS stations (which include WPGC, WLZL and "Fresh94.7"). Not sure which station or what job, however."

Hope he gets a gig. I felt he was a solid straight-man DJ.


Also seems pretty sure thing that Mike O'Meara (of Don & Mike fame) is pretty much done at least with any CBS station and perhaps in the market altogether.

According to dcrtv.com, Westwood One has put out a note to affiliates that there will be 30 days of "best of" and then the show discontinued. No big loss there imo, the MOM show was awful in my opinion and I loved D&M.

[Subby]

O'Meara has a non-compete so he won't be heard from for a while, I am guessing.

[wade moore]

O'Meara has a non-compete so he won't be heard from for a while, I am guessing.

I think it depends. If it is of similar language to Don Geronimo's, he may go that route - go to a market without CBS in it. I wouldn't be COMPLETELY shocked to see Mike join Don, but I doubt it.

[JonInMiddleGA]

He wasn't popular on other stations, not sure why he'd magically be popular now.

That strikes me as more about adding another piece to the station image (assuming Riggo would be unkind to Snyder having recently been fired) instead of generating ratings directly.

As a poster at the end of that blog Q&A mentioned, this really isn't a move about setting the woods on fire, it's a move about improving station profitability (and/or potential for profit). And what they were doing clearly didn't work in that regard, at least this incarnation hasn't officially failed yet. I thought that poster there put it pretty well, basically that this isn't about a great option, it's about the least bad option.

[wade moore]

That strikes me as more about adding another piece to the station image (assuming Riggo would be unkind to Snyder having recently been fired) instead of generating ratings directly.

As a poster at the end of that blog Q&A mentioned, this really isn't a move about setting the woods on fire, it's a move about improving station profitability (and/or potential for profit). And what they were doing clearly didn't work in that regard, at least this incarnation hasn't officially failed yet. I thought that poster there put it pretty well, basically that this isn't about a great option, it's about the least bad option.

You'd know about that better than me, but WTEM was consistently running in line with WJFK in the PPM's. On top of that, it seemed (and I'm biased) like the listening audience for WJFK was pretty darned active rather than passive.

Just seems like not much of a potential net gain to me, especially since now they'll actually have direct competition for their format.

[JonInMiddleGA]

You'd know about that better than me, but WTEM was consistently running in line with WJFK in the PPM's. On top of that, it seemed (and I'm biased) like the listening audience for WJFK was pretty darned active rather than passive. Just seems like not much of a potential net gain to me, especially since now they'll actually have direct competition for their format.

They've had problems more than once over the years with fully capitalizing on their ratings as I recall.

I know for certain that the perception of a sports talk audience is better than the perception of the audience for guy talk (perceived as more affluent, more mature, more substantial, etc) and that can make the difference in being included in a spot buy or not as well as the what portion of that buy you end up getting. This change will definitely open more doors for their sales reps, doors that were closed to them previously.

[wade moore]

They've had problems more than once over the years with fully capitalizing on their ratings as I recall.

I know for certain that the perception of a sports talk audience is better than the perception of the audience for guy talk (perceived as more affluent, more mature, more substantial, etc) and that can make the difference in being included in a spot buy or not as well as the what portion of that buy you end up getting. This change will definitely open more doors for their sales reps, doors that were closed to them previously.

That makes sense. I definitely realize that not all "ratings" are created equal here. So potential any amount gained from having "active" listeners is lost by what their core audience is.

[JonInMiddleGA]

That makes sense. I definitely realize that not all "ratings" are created equal here. So potential any amount gained from having "active" listeners is lost by what their core audience is.

Pretty much, and the difference in dollars in a major market can be substantial. With media spending tighter than it's been in more than 60 years, you really don't want to be eliminating yourself from opportunities before you even get to have a conversation.

Here's last week's national radio top tens (and a number of these national campaigns have local market supplemental budgets as well, especially in the larger markets)
http://www.mediamonitors.com/content/20090713/TRC-radio.gif

The majority of those are male centric or at least 50-50 in gender targeting & while young actives would indeed be of interest for most, they're nearly all sports talk format regulars too. That's almost a guaranteed slot for at least one station in a local market, so if they can position themselves better on a CPM basis they can not only get the money but deny it to Snyder as well.

[cuervo72]

Safelite Repair, Safelite Replace!

[wade moore]

Always appreciate your insight on these things Jon. I'm a bit of a radiophile, but I certainly don't have your insight.

Time to hunt for other podcasts. I'm sure I'll do the Junkies some, but...

[SirFozzie]

Swap in Boston:

The Rock station in the area, WBCN, is gone.. Mix 98.5 will move up the dial to 104.1, and 98.5 will now become Boston's first FM all-Sports Talk channel (they have patriots and bruins rights going forward)

[DanGarion]

Full circle for Tom Leykis.

In 2010 he launched his own online music destination (http://www.newnormalmusic.com/) along with his former engineer from his talk radio show here in LA. 10 days from today Leykis will be back on the air in online format (April 2nd at 3:00 PM Pacific). Each show will be played live and available for 24 hours (with limited commercials). Access to previous shows will be available for subscription.

THE TOM LEYKIS SHOW 
DEBUTS ONLINE 4/2/2012 at 3PM PACIFIC / 6PM EASTERN (http://blowmeuptom.com/Leykis/The_Tom_Leykis_Show.html)

He's been off-air for 3 years due to the contract with his previous broadcaster.

[wade moore]

For DC Area folks...

I've been listening to the Mike O'meara Podcast for the past two years, not sure if anyone else has.

But they announced yesterday that Buzz Burbank is leaving the show to pursue some news ventures on his own.

I'm surprisingly non-plussed about it.

[Grover]

Reading this thread has brought me back. I listened to Don & Mike religiously when I got out of school every day all through high school.

[wade moore]

Reading this thread has brought me back. I listened to Don & Mike religiously when I got out of school every day all through high school.
FWIW - Don Geronimo is on a station in Sacremento and it goes up on podcast. I listened to it some, but, tbh - with podcasts I prefer something more compressed than the 3 hours his show takes up, so I stopped.

Then, as I said, TMOS has been podcasting for over 2 years now. It has Mike, Rob, Buzz (for two more weeks), and Oscar Santana from Big O and Dukes.

[DanGarion]

This is from an interview that Tom Leykis (https://www.facebook.com/tomleykisshow) did recently (I don't know where it is, it's just the transcript he provided on his Facebook stream.

***What has it been like going from hosting a radio show on FM radio to online? Has there been a transition involved?

Technically, and from a production standpoint, we have strived to make the show sound as much like our previous radio show as possible. After seven weeks, the biggest difference is in which topics draw an audience and which ones generate phone response. One major difference is that we know the exact number of listeners at any moment, and so we can adjust what we do on the fly. We found that serious news topics, which generally get less phone response, actually draw a large audience when we do them. Silly topics, such as an hour of unscreened calls, get the most phone response.

And, when you do a show for the internet, you are doing it hand-in-glove with social networking if you want to succeed in today's digital world. Radio has a lot to learn in this area.

**Do you miss being on FM radio? Why or why not?

The only thing that FM radio has that I would like to have is a large, built-in base of users who know how to find their content. We have to spend a lot of time and effort to explain all the ways people can hear us. In actuality, we can be found in many more ways and on many more devices than most radio stations. We can never be so arrogant as to believe that most people know that. Yet.

We don't miss being regulated by the government or being told what to do.


**What are the benefits to being on online radio? The benefits of terrestrial?

One benefit of being online is that we now have total flexibility. There was a time when, if something happened in the news at 8 in the morning, we had to wait until 3 in the afternoon to have our say. Nowadays, our show appears 24/7 (through continuous replays) and so we can go on at any time if something interesting is going on. We have no limits as to what topics we discuss, how long we discuss a topic, or what guests we can have on. We are not slaves to the clock, which means we can bail from a topic easily if we're not happy with the response. We can end a show early or we can stay late. We know immediately how many listeners we have and whether or not people are digging what we're doing in any given hour. We give the audience the show they want and actively vote for, rather than the show that is dictated by a corporate headquarters or a political party that is two or three thousand miles away.

The main benefit of being on terrestrial radio is that radio is an old school appliance that everyone knows how to use.


**What have you found to be the greatest differences between the two?

The audience online is 20 years younger than the average radio audience. We spend our time doing our show for the most passionate P1 fans as opposed to radio's constant obsession with trying to appeal to P2s and P3s. There are less people tuning in by accident now. There is no scan button for internet radio. Someone has to invite a listener to get them into the fold.


**Do you think terrestrial radio will ever go away? Why or why not?

No medium ever completely goes away. The old media become the province of the older user, the technologically challenged, or the economically disadvantaged. The US Mail is still there, but those who use it are more likely to be grandmothers who like to send greeting cards than to be younger or more economically lucrative users.

AM radio is the province of older males and listeners who are deficient in speaking English. Old-school talk radio is now moving to FM, which has the oldest listeners it's ever had, and they will continue to get older. Some people still play vinyl records on turntables, but I wouldn't try to build a business based on that user base.


**What do you think will be radio’s future?

Let me say first that I am not happy about what I'm about to say. Radio is my oldest friend. We've had so much fun together for so many years. When I was a little kid, it kept me company when it was dark and I was afraid. It brought me an amazing music revolution. It was the center of my world, and one that I wanted very much to be a part of. And I have lived my dream. Now, however, my old friend is very, very sick. In fact, I miss radio as I would miss a very sick or even a dying friend. Years of private equity consolidation and draconian budget cuts have left radio weak and increasingly irrelevant.

Today's broadcasting companies love to quote big numbers about how much revenue they still bring in, but a quick look under the hood will show that the biggest companies are so overleveraged, they can't make a profit, even with revenues in the billions. In the most recent fiscal quarter, Clear Channel, Cumulus and CBS Radio made zero profit. At the same time, thousands of talented people have been put out of work, young people are listening less than ever, and as a result, young people don't think of radio as a future profession any longer.

I believe that radio will continue a long, slow decline, ultimately culminating in billions of dollars of destroyed equity and, in the way that TV went to digital broadcasting and handed back its analog spectrum allocations, I do believe that a day will come when radio content ultimately does en masse what we have just done and moves to IP delivery.

Then, when everyone is on an equal playing field, the best content will win. Some of that may come from the remaining big companies. And some of it definitely won't.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Question is, how long until Leykis goes bust.

[DanGarion]

Question is, how long until Leykis goes bust.

Dunno, but the internet/podcasting gig has worked for others, I don't see why it won't for him.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Dunno, but the internet/podcasting gig has worked for others, I don't see why it won't for him.

Not all that many making a living from it. No clue about his personal finances, for all I know he's invested well or hit a lottery or something.
Worth noting here I suppose, it's pretty tough to criticize the format switch in LA. When they killed off Free FM they were ranked 27th in the market (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/02/klsx-going-top.html) in total audience. Today they're #7 (http://www.radio-info.com/markets/los-angeles).

[wade moore]

Not all that many making a living from it. No clue about his personal finances, for all I know he's invested well or hit a lottery or something.
Worth noting here I suppose, it's pretty tough to criticize the format switch in LA. When they killed off Free FM they were ranked 27th in the market (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/02/klsx-going-top.html) in total audience. Today they're #7 (http://www.radio-info.com/markets/los-angeles).

Hard to really know who's making money off of podcasting.

I do suspect it's a very small amount. Even The Mike O'meara show that I listen to, where it's his fulltime gig... but I suspect that doesn't happen if he hadn't made millions when he was on the air.

Anyway. I suspect Adam Carolla, The Nerdist, and.............

Are making enough money that they could "live on".