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Will WJR Soon Drop Talk For All News?

Discussion pertaining to Detroit, Ann Arbor, Port Huron, and SW Ontario
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Ben Zonia
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Will WJR Soon Drop Talk For All News?

Post by Ben Zonia » Thu Jan 14, 2021 12:27 pm

This is not a rumor-Cumulus is getting out of Talk formats in smaller markets. With the retirement and possible imminent loss of other Talk show hosts, reported memo restrictions on content by its Talk show hosts, and a new Fairness Doctrine, will WJR go to all News? With its better signal than WWJ in all directions (WJR has about 2 to 1 field strength advantage in 48202), especially to the West and South (East also but Canada doesn't count in ratings) in the US, it would stand to gain listeners at WWJ's expense. With the loss of revenue from Sports programming due to the virus limiting contact play, and with really no certain long term vaccine or cure or end in sight, could this also force WWJ to simulcast on 97.1 as the new WWJ-FM, to gather listeners to the South and West especially, potentially lost to WJR?

You may opine that Cumulus wouldn't spend the money to put together an effective format, but what else can they do, run "I agree with both sides" boring local Talkers? Even if it just cuts into WWJ's ratings, it might be a good alternative. Maybe they could lure some good semi retired or laid off Newspeople from Detroit and other markets. How limiting are the WWJ noncompete clauses?


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Re: Will WJR Soon Drop Talk For All News?

Post by Deleted User 14896 » Thu Jan 14, 2021 1:02 pm

Ben Zonia wrote:
Thu Jan 14, 2021 12:27 pm
.... Maybe they could lure some good semi retired or laid off Newspeople from Detroit and other markets. How limiting are the WWJ noncompete clauses?
If they're looking for people to talk, maybe a few of the current and former folks from The Ticket and The Fan. The ones that seem to talk more non-sports than sports. They honestly just may be a good fit.



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Ben Zonia
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Re: Will WJR Soon Drop Talk For All News?

Post by Ben Zonia » Thu Jan 14, 2021 1:11 pm

Given the present climate, Talk may soon not be viable. No one wants to listen to Milquetoast Talk. Say no to ex High School jocks who do Sports on WXYT.


"I had a job for a while as an announcer at WWV but I finally quit, because I couldn't stand the hours."

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WOHO
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Re: Will WJR Soon Drop Talk For All News?

Post by WOHO » Thu Jan 14, 2021 2:07 pm

Sean Beligian?



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ZenithCKLW
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Re: Will WJR Soon Drop Talk For All News?

Post by ZenithCKLW » Thu Jan 14, 2021 2:09 pm

Talk, news, politics, sports, music, etc etc etc. Same tired formats. Radio hasn't seen new programming concepts since television knocked it to a new purpose. I'd like to see radio evolve and recapture growing audiences with new programming concepts, rather than the continuously-recycled, cost-effective, stale formats over and over.



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Re: Will WJR Soon Drop Talk For All News?

Post by Mega Hertz » Thu Jan 14, 2021 7:42 pm

ZenithCKLW wrote:
Thu Jan 14, 2021 2:09 pm
Talk, news, politics, sports, music, etc etc etc. Same tired formats. Radio hasn't seen new programming concepts since television knocked it to a new purpose. I'd like to see radio evolve and recapture growing audiences with new programming concepts, rather than the continuously-recycled, cost-effective, stale formats over and over.
You can laugh, but my "All Queen/GNR/Def Leppard" format is gonna make ALL the money.


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TC doesn't Talk
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Re: Will WJR Soon Drop Talk For All News?

Post by TC doesn't Talk » Thu Jan 14, 2021 7:57 pm

:lol :lol: :lol



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Colonel Flagg
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Re: Will WJR Soon Drop Talk For All News?

Post by Colonel Flagg » Thu Jan 14, 2021 9:35 pm

The Cumulus "All News" experiment in Atlanta flamed out badly. I can't see all news coming from Cumulus. Something similar to 99.7 in Nashville, would be an improvement over what WJR is now...a stodgy, tired old station that makes most of it's money on infomercials.


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Turkeytop
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Re: Will WJR Soon Drop Talk For All News?

Post by Turkeytop » Thu Jan 14, 2021 10:39 pm

I like All News. I often listen to WCBS and KYW.

Not crazy about Talk Radio. It usually means right wing political wacko radio.


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Robert Faygo
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Re: Will WJR Soon Drop Talk For All News?

Post by Robert Faygo » Thu Jan 14, 2021 11:32 pm

Best way to make an all-newser work would be with a partnership with either Ch 4 or 7 to save costs and increase listener / viewer familiarity. I didn't mention Ch 2, 50, or 62 as they already have ties to WWJ.

There's been talk for years that people at both WJR and WWJ hate how similar their calls are - but neither has been dumb enough to drop their legacies. Imagine the confusion there'd be among casual listeners with both running an all-news format.


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Ben Zonia
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Re: Will WJR Soon Drop Talk For All News?

Post by Ben Zonia » Thu Jan 14, 2021 11:36 pm

With topic restrictions and another imminent Fairness Doctrine, the WWTN model may not work for long. The hosts already got the memo and you can hear some changes already.

WJR is in a unique position to challenge WWJ, and with the right people, could beat it.

Speaking of the Fairness Doctrine, it would be really funny to see how WCPT Chicago would handle it. Live by the sword, die by the sword.


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Re: Will WJR Soon Drop Talk For All News?

Post by Deleted User 14896 » Fri Jan 15, 2021 8:47 am

Ben Zonia wrote:
Thu Jan 14, 2021 1:11 pm
.... Say no to ex High School jocks who do Sports on WXYT.
You think some of those guys actually threw a ball or slapped a puck? Although I have no idea, I've always assumed they were cub reporters since junior high. Heavy on the nerd facts and statistics. Light on the theory and mechanics. I may be wrong.



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Ben Zonia
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Re: Will WJR Soon Drop Talk For All News?

Post by Ben Zonia » Fri Jan 15, 2021 9:24 am

Mike Oxlong wrote:
Fri Jan 15, 2021 8:47 am
Ben Zonia wrote:
Thu Jan 14, 2021 1:11 pm
.... Say no to ex High School jocks who do Sports on WXYT.
You think some of those guys actually threw a ball or slapped a puck? Although I have no idea, I've always assumed they were cub reporters since junior high. Heavy on the nerd facts and statistics. Light on the theory and mechanics. I may be wrong.
Maybe they were bench warmer wannabes in High School? Just tried out mainly to impress chicks.


"I had a job for a while as an announcer at WWV but I finally quit, because I couldn't stand the hours."

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Ben Zonia
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Re: Will WJR Soon Drop Talk For All News?

Post by Ben Zonia » Fri Jan 15, 2021 9:31 am

Mega Hertz wrote:
Thu Jan 14, 2021 7:42 pm
You can laugh, but my "All Queen/GNR/Def Leppard" format is gonna make ALL the money.
Cumulus tried that kind of thing with Z Rock in 1989. It was even rumored that ABC was going to put the format on Sister Station WLS in Chicago. It was a big flop. Only a few stations stayed with the format more than a year or two.


"I had a job for a while as an announcer at WWV but I finally quit, because I couldn't stand the hours."

-Author Unknown

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WOHO
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Re: Will WJR Soon Drop Talk For All News?

Post by WOHO » Fri Jan 15, 2021 10:39 am

Drove thru Saginaw area back in 1989, and my Delco radio cranked out AM Stereo rock tunes from a station up there- audio quality was smokin as were the tunes; it was quite a nice surprise near Frankenmuth.



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