Ping: DC Area Radio Listeners (Sports Talk 980)

[Bee]

I just got off the phone with a friend who was telling me that in May, Sports Talk 980 was changing lineups. The only current show coming back would be John Thompson. Steve Czaban would have a morning show replacing Mike and Mike. Then they'd carry Fox Sports Radio while Kornheiser is doing MNF and also Fox Sports Radio would replace Dan Patrick. John Thompson in the afternoon would stay. Has anyone else heard anything like that? I really enjoy Mike and Mike in the morning, so I'd hate to see this come about.

edit: BTW, this is more of a "have you heard anything like this?" post than reporting as fact considering the source has told me things like this in the past that turned out to be either wrong or only partially correct.

[cuervo72]

Well, I usually drive in during Mike & Mike and then catch the JTS on the ride home - but I consider myself lucky if I'm late enough to catch the Sports Reporters at 5:00. I don't much care about the middle of the day, I usually never listen and dont' care for Patrick too much.

Lately, Mike & Mike has been growing old to me. Every time the Marriage Madness crap came on, I changed the channel. Every time a parody song comes on, I change the channel. Every time junk like "Babs on Bonds" comes on, I change the channel. This is happening with an increasing frequency. So I'd probably welcome the change. I can catch M&M on two stations where I'm driving anyway (980, and also 1350 out of York).

[JonInMiddleGA]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/busin...5029-7737r.htm
and
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...040602066.html

It isn't so much that 980 has dumped their existing lineup as it is that a lot of their existing lineup is leaving, as Red Zebra Broadcasting (Dan Synder's new radio group) acquired the rights to ESPN Radio a few months back.

Snyder's new entity has hit the market pretty hard, taking the Redskins off of WJFK, hiring the guy who built WTEM into a powerhouse as his chief executive, who in turn hired a former WTEM program director, and the former Redskins network sales manager is now the sales manager for Snyder's group as well. And just to add insult to injury, Dan Patrick will be on Snyder's stations in spite of the fact that his brother is now overseeing WTEM (well, he's Clear Channel's group boss in DC).

Of course, the problem is that the three stations Synder currently owns in the market don't have enough signal to actually cover DC, so there's a good bit of speculation that he'll either announce another acquisition in the market or possibly lease programming back to WTEM or someone else who has better coverage.

[Samdari]

The John Thompson show is terrible. I really wish they would dump that piece of crap, as I cannot get Sirius in my office at that time of day.

[Toddzilla]

WTEM, IMO, sucks donkey balls. Well now they suck zebra balls, too. Yep, the stations that Dan Snyder owns bought the rights to ESPN Radio, so WTEM has basically nothing left after that and Mr. Tony left.

Irony Alert - Dan Snyder now has this radio network to broadcast the Redskins, but all of the stations are puny and way out in the suburbs, so coverage inside the District is spotty at best. So you know what station he may need to provide him a strong signal for inside the beltway?

EDIT - well shit, JIMGA, steal all of my material, will ya?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Samdari

The John Thompson show is terrible. I really wish they would dump that piece of crap, as I cannot get Sirius in my office at that time of day.

You made me curious, so I went & checked the numbers ...

Thompson actually holds his own versus the rest of the programming on the station right now. His 4p-5p segment puts up about the same numbers as the morning guys and the mid-morning. Interestingly, the real weak link in their lineup is Dan Patrick, who draws only about half the number of M25-54 that all the other shows do.

Heck, after looking at the latest ratings, I might have been willing to pay Snyder to take Patrick off my hands.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

So you know what station he may need to provide him a strong signal for inside the beltway?

Yep. But I suspect it'd be awfully expensive for WTEM to get those rights, frankly, I'm not sure whether they will want them (as a lot of sports p-b-p actually costs stations more than it earns). Case in point, when WSB-AM/Atlanta lost the braves to Clear Channel, their revenues went down like 10% but their profit was up like 20%. The theory is, of course, that Team X draws listeners to the station at other times, but in this case, I'm not sure whether WTEM will be able to hold what they draw anyway, so the point might be moot. They might just decide to tell Snyder to find another sucker (which I believe he would, right back at WJFK quite possibly).

And sorry about the theft

[cuervo72]

I don't consider it a big surprise that JTS does well; you have a locally revered coach - who happens to be black - and a former Redskin - who happens to be black - as part of the team in a city with a large black population (which is passionate basketball and the Redskins). I can also understand why Patrick would be less popular than JTS on those grounds, but also I can understand it from a local standpoint as it focuses on the Skins, Wizards and local NCAA teams (they pretty much ignore the Caps, and the Nats are a work in progress) rather than whatever it is Patrick covers.

[gottimd]

Originally Posted by Samdari

The John Thompson show is terrible. I really wish they would dump that piece of crap, as I cannot get Sirius in my office at that time of day.

Couldn't agree with you more. Any of these sports shows available for podcasting? Reason I ask is that I podcast the Junkies and ESPN Radio, but need some more sports shows.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

I don't consider it a big surprise that JTS does well; you have a locally revered coach - who happens to be black - and a former Redskin - who happens to be black - as part of the team in a city with a large black population (which is passionate basketball and the Redskins).

And, since you brought it up ...
Thompson's audience is 47% black, 5% Hispanic, 48% white.
Other shows 6a-3p is 23% black, 3% Hispanic, 74% white.
After Thompson 5p-7p is 21% black, 3% Hispanic, 76% white.

[CamEdwards]

I listen to WTEM in the mornings on my way in to work, switching between WTEM and WMAL. I cannot STAND Steve Czaban and the Sports Reporters, so it's usually music for me on the way home.

This is going to blow.

[Bee]

Thanks for the links Jon. Looks like my friend may have been correct.

I listen all day in the office and in the car. My least favorite part of the day is the John Thompson Show and it looks like that's the only thing staying. I can put up with Czaban and Scott Linn in the morning, but would prefer Mike and Mike. I won't miss Dan Patrick. I thought the show was decent when he had Dibble and is occasionally good with Oberman but Patrick himself is a pretty weak personality IMO and can't carry a show by himself.

Hey Jon, since you seem to be in the business...you have any idea what Fox Sports carries from 9am to 3pm?

[Bee]

Nevermind, found it.

The First Team on Fox with Steve Czaban
Monday-Friday 6am-9am, ET
Steve Czaban presides over the quintessential morning show for the male sports fan. It is sports? Of course. But it's also a lot more. Things like female eye candy, gambling, electronics, office politics, random yada yada, pop culture, and "all the news that matters to Czabe." The First Team starts the day, going fearlessly into sports topics few shows dare to explore.

Out of Bounds on Fox with Craig Shemon & James Washington
Monday-Friday 9am-12pm, ET
“The Odd Couple” of sports radio, straight man Craig Shemon is joined by James Washington, probably the wildest member of the great Dallas Cowboy teams that won three Super Bowls in the 1990’s. Washington spent years hitting the town with acclaimed partiers like “The Playmaker.” Michael Irvin, and made one of the most crucial plays in Cowboys history by returning Thurman Thomas’ third quarter fumble for a touchdown in Super Bowl XXVIII. When these two opposites get together, it makes for great radio.

The First Team on Fox ReLOADED
Monday-Friday 12pm-3pm, ET

Oh great...3 hours of repeat programming. And a show with a Cowboy host. That should go over well in DC.

[Toddzilla]

Wow, DC Sports Talk Radio really stinks. Losing Kornheiser is akin to FM radio losing Howard - it's just a wasteland now.

JIMGA - do you think Kornheiser giving up his show now, presumably so he can focus on his Monday Night gig, is really just a pretense so he can re-appear on his employer's station WTWP?

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by CamEdwards

I listen to WTEM in the mornings on my way in to work, switching between WTEM and WMAL. I cannot STAND Steve Czaban and the Sports Reporters, so it's usually music for me on the way home.

This is going to blow.

It might not actually. If one can recieve one or more of the Snyder stations that got the ESPN programming, you may not lose access to the ESPN programming, plus you'd have other options when the ESPN folks are annoying (like the unlistenable Cowherd).

I thought you were busy from 5-7???

Edit: Ugh, just saw the list of replacement programming. Never mind about other viable choices. I will still get Mike and Mike in the car, but will need to seriously sneak onto the roof of my building now to get Sirius reception.

[CamEdwards]

Originally Posted by Samdari

It might not actually. If one can recieve one or more of the Snyder stations that got the ESPN programming, you may not lose access to the ESPN programming, plus you'd have other options when the ESPN folks are annoying (like the unlistenable Cowherd).

I thought you were busy from 5-7???

Edit: Ugh, just saw the list of replacement programming. Never mind about other viable choices. I will still get Mike and Mike in the car, but will need to seriously sneak onto the roof of my building now to get Sirius reception.

I'm off the air at 6, and try to be in my car by ten after so I can get hom to hang with the kids before bedtime. Mark Levin, as nice a guy as he is, just drives me crazy with his voice, so WMAL isn't an option for me.

[Subby]

What's going to happen with the Sports Reporters at 5pm? The lineup they have then (Pollin + Czaban + a rotating guest) has great chemistry - I'd hate for that show to go away.

Czaban had his own evening show for a while and it was okay, but he does much better with a foil...

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by Subby

What's going to happen with the Sports Reporters at 5pm? The lineup they have then (Pollin + Czaban + a rotating guest) has great chemistry - I'd hate for that show to go away.

Czaban had his own evening show for a while and it was okay, but he does much better with a foil...

Well, wasn't that a national show on Fox radio with Scott Linn that essentially got moved to the morning?

I agree with the the Sports Reporters too - Czaban and Pollin do have great chemistry.

The few times I have listened past 5:30, though I did not think it was that great. They seem to run out of interesting material within a half hour or 45 minutes. I would hate to see it go away too, as I usually listen to them on the 5-5:30 drive home.

[Subby]

I didn't realize it was an ongoing show - 980 stopped carrying it and was running Bram Weinstein in the evenings...

[Subby]

dola

This is a great site for goings-ons in the DC and Radio tv market: http://www.dcrtv.com/

[Bee]

Sounds like Brian Mitchell will have a radio show from noon to 3pm instead of the repeat of the morning show.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

JIMGA - do you think Kornheiser giving up his show now, presumably so he can focus on his Monday Night gig, is really just a pretense so he can re-appear on his employer's station WTWP?

It's radio brudda, damn near anything is possible.
(aka "I don't have the slightest what Tony K might do")

[Bee]

I'm guessing the Sports Reporters show will continue as is. Czaban was doing double duty before so I don't see that changing.

So Czaban in the morning, Craig Shemen & James Washington from 9-12, Brian Mitchell from 12-3, John Thompson from 3-5, Sports Reporters after that.

[Subby]

Mike and Mike is getting to be unbearable. If it wasn't for the stuff with the subject matter experts they have, the show would be awful...

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by Subby

Mike and Mike is getting to be unbearable. If it wasn't for the stuff with the subject matter experts they have, the show would be awful...

I don't know, if you did not have Tony K for comparison, it might seem like one of the more entertaining offerings on sports radio.

I am really going to miss that show.

Oh yeah, I really don't think he's going to another station. He keeps saying he is going to come back and do this show again as soon as he's fired from MNF. In reality, I imagine he is barred from doing another local show for XXX months.

[moriarty]

Umm... so what channel will I have to turn to to get ESPN in the future? (what's Danny's channel)?

I agree Mike and Mike is getting a little stale. Between their non-humorous bits and their recent over-dependency on their characters (do we need Mike overplaying his metro-sexuality any more?) it's getting old.

But I'd still rather hear some of the ESPN stuff than that 980 lineup that was posted. Yuck.

[terpkristin]

DAMMIT.
I heard a bit about this on my way home just now. I like Sports Reporters enough, but I do like Mike & Mike, so I'll miss that morning lineup. Guess I might subscribe to INsider or something so I can download the M&M show as a "podcast." Dan Patrick and JTS aren't really losses in my book. I've never been too into the John Thompson show and I loathe the cadence that DP talks with on the radio.

I also heard them say that Tony was going to resume his show after the football season. I like Tony, though I rarely get to listen to him.

/tk

[wade moore]

FWIW, we just got a FSN station here about 2 months ago.. I've listened to it here and there, and personally I choose to listen to Czaban over Mike and Mike personally... But I like the Sports Reporters also..

and I agree, JTS is crap, in DC I would NEVER listen to them as I would choose Don and Mike over JTS 1000 out of 1000 times. I know it's not sports talk, but god JTS is terrible.

[QuikSand]

New lineup, effective Monday, sounds just dreadful. Czaban is far better as the "colorful guy" alongside a straight man than he is carrying his own show -- I'm not optimistic about the morning show. Putting the Sports Reporters show in the late morning is death for most listeners.

With Mr. Tony gone, there wasn't much left to like anyway... but now it might be easier for me to break the stupid habit of turning to that station and getting caught listening to whatever they're selling that day.

[cuervo72]

91.5, Quik. Nice relaxing drive.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Interesting rumor at dcrtv.com

Changes At CC AMers - 4/27 - A couple of line-up changes at Clear Channel's DC area AMers. At SportsTalk 980, WTEM, we hear that former Redskin Brian Mitchell will do the noon to 3 PM shift now that ESPN programming, including Dan Patrick, is going to Redskins owner Dan Snyder's still-unveiled sports talk outlet. The show will be co-hosted by Braum Weinstien. And, over at sister talker WTNT, the word is that Phil Hendrie is hanging up his mic to pursue an acting career. No word yet on who'll fill the overnight slot on AM 570.....

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

91.5, Quik. Nice relaxing drive.

Not a prayer. I need to hear people yakking.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

Not a prayer. I need to hear people yakking.

Oh, but Judith Krummeck has a lovely voice (and accent)...

[Bee]

So with the Sports Reporters moving to the 9-12 slot, does that mean Czaban will be on from 6am to noon?

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Bee

So with the Sports Reporters moving to the 9-12 slot, does that mean Czaban will be on from 6am to noon?

Yup. This move may be somewhat to make his life easier?

The plus for me is I'll get to listen to the sports reporters more in my current situation, but if i was in DC I wouldn't like this move...

[Bee]

and the John Thompson show goes until 6pm now.

This pretty much sucks for me. I'm not a Redskins fan and now it's all local sports talk, which in DC means Redskins Radio.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Bee

and the John Thompson show goes until 6pm now.

This pretty much sucks for me. I'm not a Redskins fan and now it's all local sports talk, which in DC means Redskins Radio.

Time to jump on the bandwagon ...

The morning Czaban show is not local radio FWIW...

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Bee

and the John Thompson show goes until 6pm now.

This pretty much sucks for me. I'm not a Redskins fan and now it's all local sports talk, which in DC means Redskins Radio.

I thought they announced at the beginning of TSR yesterday that JTS was going from 3-7.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

I thought they announced at the beginning of TSR yesterday that JTS was going from 3-7.

That would be a travesty.

The show is listenable when JT is not there, but when he's there it is just completely impossible to listen to.

[Subby]

Oh that just fucking sucks. JTS on until 6 is just horrid.

JTS doesn't even bother me as much Rick "Doc" Walker. No one in the history of radio has used so many words to say so little.

[JPhillips]

In listening to Kornhieser's last show (for now) they gave a little more detail on the 9-12 schedule. From 9 - 9:20 it will be Andy giving an extended news break.They also said that 10 - 12 is going to be the Sports Reporters just like it has been. I have no idea what is going on from 9:20 - 10.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by wade moore

That would be a travesty.

The show is listenable when JT is not there, but when he's there it is just completely impossible to listen to.

Actually, I think all three are equally bad. The three worst personalities I've ever heard on sports talk radio, and they're all together on one show! Now four hours a day.

[wade moore]

I'm going to tune into B-Mitch for a little while at noon to see just how bad it is...

Bram Weinstein is with him, and I'm look warm to Bram... so, that's not a good sign...

[wade moore]

My 10 minute reaction: Not as bad as I thought it would be after 10 minutes.

[Bee]

Mike and Mike was on this morning, which was a pleasant surprise for me.

The Sports Reporters was pretty mediocre. Andy was spinning this lineup change like a merry-go-round though.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Bee

Mike and Mike was on this morning, which was a pleasant surprise for me.

The Sports Reporters was pretty mediocre. Andy was spinning this lineup change like a merry-go-round though.

I forgot about TSR until about 11:45, so I did not catch much...

So far Bram is doing most of the talking, which would make sense as B-Mitch gets comfortable.

[Bee]

Originally Posted by wade moore

I forgot about TSR until about 11:45, so I did not catch much...

So far Bram is doing most of the talking, which would make sense as B-Mitch gets comfortable.

Yep. Brian Mitchell doesn't have a very good radio voice either.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Bee

Yep. Brian Mitchell doesn't have a very good radio voice either.

No, you're right, but neither does Tony K ...

omg..

He just said "we talkin' with Eddie Jordan"...

[Bee]

Originally Posted by wade moore

No, you're right, but neither does Tony K ...

omg..

He just said "we talkin' with Eddie Jordan"...

I don't mind the words he uses, but he mumbles a little bit and his voice is pretty monotone so he's hard to understand. Doc Walker for example uses similar wording at times, but is easy to understand because of the tone of his voice and he speaks clearly without mumbling.

[Samdari]

Tony K has a good radio voice - he's no Rush Limbaugh, but I can clearly understand what he is trying to communicate.

Not so much with Mr Mitchell.

Woe that I cannot seem to get Sirius in my office. Anyone know a way I can test an XM reviever for reception without activating the service.