Acceptable registrations in the queue through March 16 at 11:00a ET have now been activated. Enjoy! -M.W.

Terms of Use have been amended effective October 6, 2019. Make sure you are aware of the new rules! Please visit this thread for details: https://www.mibuzzboard.com/phpBB3/view ... 16&t=48619

WJR News Analysts

Discussion pertaining to Detroit, Ann Arbor, Port Huron, and SW Ontario
User avatar
Colonel Flagg
Posts: 1354
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 3:54 pm

WJR News Analysts

Post by Colonel Flagg » Wed Jul 14, 2021 10:54 am

It's very telling that nobody here has mentioned the changes at WJR. There is this bizarre new practice where newsroom folks chime in on whatever the conversation may be. To me, it sounds awkward, and disjointed. At times, it almost seems that the "news Analysts" as they are called, run out of things to say.

I find the Kevin Dietz Show to be unlistenable. Just like Guy Gordon, Kevin needs a co-host. Neither can carry a show on their own, and occasional participation from off site "news Analysts" isn't going to fix it. I have actually found myself listening to the trainwreck that's WCXI, more than WJR, as difficult as that may be to believe.

One silver lining in all of this is that Frank Beckmann's predictable stable of daily callers appear to be gone for the most part. I would bet Frank is disappointed that his stock broker pal, Chris Alberta, didn't get the midday gig. :rollin

MW, I would enjoy reading your unfiltered opinion on some of these ridiculous changes at WJR. I almost wish I could hear WSPD OTA. They have a much better line-up on Speedy.


"Pretty soon, every kid in America will wish he were me"

User avatar
MWmetalhead
Site Admin
Posts: 11877
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:23 am

Re: WJR News Analysts

Post by MWmetalhead » Wed Jul 14, 2021 6:25 pm

I genuinely appreciate your interest in my opinion, but I haven't listened to 760 in months.



windsorjoe
Posts: 179
Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2021 8:25 pm

Re: WJR News Analysts

Post by windsorjoe » Wed Jul 14, 2021 9:27 pm

The leaning on a newscaster or producer for comments does work if there is chemistry. For example, when you listen to 97.1, they get everyone into the mix. It keeps the shows vibrant. Maybe the personalities are just more personable. I do agree that on WJR is seems forced. When Paul W. Smith would ask Dick Haefner questions, it was good dialogue. But, now with Marie Osborne, it’s more just like “yup yup yup”.

Kevin Dietz has good topics and guests, except he is a boring AF. It doesn’t help he sounds like he is broadcasting from a warehouse.

Guy Gordon is a phone moderator. Basically takes calls, says yup ok thank you. No push back, no argument, just vanilla.

I’m not sure what you mean by WCXI as being a train wreck. I think it does the job. It’s got some good talkers. Not that I agree with everything that is said, it does make you think what people are thinking.



User avatar
WOHO
Posts: 820
Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2004 12:05 am
Location: 2965 Pickle Rd.

Re: WJR News Analysts

Post by WOHO » Thu Jul 15, 2021 10:15 am

Regarding WSPD, I get fairly good mileage using WRVF-HD2 (in stereo too) - although they hide the fact that SPeeDy is there in addition to the underserving 92.9FM, 1370 actually had better range on day pattern than 92.9 covers. The afternoon drive "Scott" show on WSPD is usually pretty decent, Top 5 at 5 and has interesting guests if you can wait 10 minutes for the spots to finish, but I've driven 1/3 the way home by then. A good program for market 105, more like a top 50 market show.



User avatar
Colonel Flagg
Posts: 1354
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 3:54 pm

Re: WJR News Analysts

Post by Colonel Flagg » Thu Jul 15, 2021 10:19 am

windsorjoe wrote:
Wed Jul 14, 2021 9:27 pm
The leaning on a newscaster or producer for comments does work if there is chemistry. For example, when you listen to 97.1, they get everyone into the mix. It keeps the shows vibrant. Maybe the personalities are just more personable. I do agree that on WJR is seems forced. When Paul W. Smith would ask Dick Haefner questions, it was good dialogue. But, now with Marie Osborne, it’s more just like “yup yup yup”.

Kevin Dietz has good topics and guests, except he is a boring AF. It doesn’t help he sounds like he is broadcasting from a warehouse.

Guy Gordon is a phone moderator. Basically takes calls, says yup ok thank you. No push back, no argument, just vanilla.

I’m not sure what you mean by WCXI as being a train wreck. I think it does the job. It’s got some good talkers. Not that I agree with everything that is said, it does make you think what people are thinking.
That's a fairly accurate description. I still believe Chris Renwick is a better host than Kevin, by far. I don't see any of this working, or attracting more desirable demographics.

As to WCXI, technically, it's a mess. There are no station liners, other than the TOH I.D, which isn't even done correctly. The audio has too much high end. Commercial breaks are often left unfilled. These are all things that could be fixed in about a day, by any recent Spec's grad.

It's awfully funny to think that Rush's replacement show ended up on WCXI. Technical issues aside, it's good to have another option for talk, aside from the effeminate sounding dudes on WJR.


"Pretty soon, every kid in America will wish he were me"

User avatar
FredLeonard
Posts: 57
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2010 5:02 am

Re: WJR News Analysts

Post by FredLeonard » Fri Jul 16, 2021 10:23 am

WJR holds the world record for the longest time spent circling the bowl. Yes, it's worse than five years ago and five years ago was worse than 10 years ago. The decline started even before J.P. died, although it sped up after that. Each owner after Cap Cities has tried to put its own nail in the coffin... ABC, Disney, Citadel, Cumulus. Of course, much the same is true of all the other AM 1A full service stations. Many had the good sense to flip to something else but 'JR chose to wither. Probably WJR's fall from any claim to being a class operation came when they put Rush on (returning to their hate speech origins with G.A. Richards and Father Coughlin).



User avatar
WOHO
Posts: 820
Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2004 12:05 am
Location: 2965 Pickle Rd.

Re: WJR News Analysts

Post by WOHO » Fri Jul 16, 2021 1:35 pm

What's the outside chance of WJR pulling-off a Detroit version of WSM? Could they stockpile the station with enough talent to run a Top-5 country station in market #14? Full-service Country with news every 30 minutes and simulcast the Grand Ole Opry on the same nights? I know they're flipping/firing-up a 50KW AM in California to be a 60s-70s oldies station, so maybe niche music is where these 50KW blowrtorches can gain some extended life?



User avatar
MWmetalhead
Site Admin
Posts: 11877
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:23 am

Re: WJR News Analysts

Post by MWmetalhead » Fri Jul 16, 2021 3:25 pm

Zero.



User avatar
Colonel Flagg
Posts: 1354
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 3:54 pm

Re: WJR News Analysts

Post by Colonel Flagg » Sat Jul 17, 2021 2:58 pm

MWmetalhead wrote:
Fri Jul 16, 2021 3:25 pm
Zero.
It's incredible that WSM still exists at this point in time.

WJR's overdependence on crappy infomercials for revenue is what blows my mind. Seriously, if an infomercial is all you can sell in the 7PM hour, then your problem is with upper management, and the PD. SportsWrap should be put back in the 7PM hour. Many here probably don't remember, but for quite a number of years, SportsWrap ran 7PM to Midnight. An hour of sports talk would be much better than Ezmerelda the lady doctor, "Women Who Lead" (one of my former Fisher Building colleagues referred to it as "the p***y shaver show) reruns of the awful Rich Paul Show, or Greening of the Great Lakes, all of which currently alternate to pollute the 7PM hour on any given weeknight.

WTAM 1100 Cleveland is a far better full service AM than WJR. 700 WLW in Cincinnati is in a downward spiral, but still beats WJR when it comes to compelling programming.


"Pretty soon, every kid in America will wish he were me"

User avatar
MWmetalhead
Site Admin
Posts: 11877
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:23 am

Re: WJR News Analysts

Post by MWmetalhead » Sat Jul 17, 2021 5:44 pm

For me, the archetypal full service AM station is KMOX St. Louis.

WTMJ in Milwaukee ain't bad, either.



innate-in-you
Posts: 684
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2018 8:54 am

Re: WJR News Analysts

Post by innate-in-you » Fri Jul 23, 2021 11:10 am

WOHO wrote:
Fri Jul 16, 2021 1:35 pm
What's the outside chance of WJR pulling-off a Detroit version of WSM? Could they stockpile the station with enough talent to run a Top-5 country station in market #14? Full-service Country with news every 30 minutes and simulcast the Grand Ole Opry on the same nights? I know they're flipping/firing-up a 50KW AM in California to be a 60s-70s oldies station, so maybe niche music is where these 50KW blowrtorches can gain some extended life?
How about WJR going to a medium-to-soft AC musical format, with a few oldies mixed in, with news on the hour, and getting an FM translator for the local area.

The AM would cover the Detroit market quite well, along with surrounding areas.

Yes, I know that the last frequencies for a translator has been taken, but every station could be bought if the price were right.

Q: which station in California is flipping?



User avatar
ZenithCKLW
Posts: 833
Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2004 11:21 am
Location: Livonia, MI

Re: WJR News Analysts

Post by ZenithCKLW » Fri Jul 23, 2021 11:27 am

innate-in-you wrote:
Fri Jul 23, 2021 11:10 am
Q: which station in California is flipping?
KYNO in Fresno changed frequencies and increased power. Moved from 1430 to 940.



Deleted User 9015

Re: WJR News Analysts

Post by Deleted User 9015 » Wed Jul 28, 2021 11:11 am

Colonel Flagg wrote:
Wed Jul 14, 2021 10:54 am
It's very telling that nobody here has mentioned the changes at WJR. There is this bizarre new practice where newsroom folks chime in on whatever the conversation may be. To me, it sounds awkward, and disjointed. At times, it almost seems that the "news Analysts" as they are called, run out of things to say.

I find the Kevin Dietz Show to be unlistenable. Just like Guy Gordon, Kevin needs a co-host. Neither can carry a show on their own, and occasional participation from off site "news Analysts" isn't going to fix it. I have actually found myself listening to the trainwreck that's WCXI, more than WJR, as difficult as that may be to believe.

One silver lining in all of this is that Frank Beckmann's predictable stable of daily callers appear to be gone for the most part. I would bet Frank is disappointed that his stock broker pal, Chris Alberta, didn't get the midday gig. :rollin

MW, I would enjoy reading your unfiltered opinion on some of these ridiculous changes at WJR. I almost wish I could hear WSPD OTA. They have a much better line-up on Speedy.
What your deal with Guy Gordon?



windsorjoe
Posts: 179
Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2021 8:25 pm

Re: WJR News Analysts

Post by windsorjoe » Wed Aug 04, 2021 9:06 pm

The lack of local newscasts is very disappointing. They are missing a lot of stories.



User avatar
Colonel Flagg
Posts: 1354
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 3:54 pm

Re: WJR News Analysts

Post by Colonel Flagg » Thu Aug 05, 2021 9:20 am

Neckbeard wrote:
Wed Jul 28, 2021 11:11 am
Colonel Flagg wrote:
Wed Jul 14, 2021 10:54 am
It's very telling that nobody here has mentioned the changes at WJR. There is this bizarre new practice where newsroom folks chime in on whatever the conversation may be. To me, it sounds awkward, and disjointed. At times, it almost seems that the "news Analysts" as they are called, run out of things to say.

I find the Kevin Dietz Show to be unlistenable. Just like Guy Gordon, Kevin needs a co-host. Neither can carry a show on their own, and occasional participation from off site "news Analysts" isn't going to fix it. I have actually found myself listening to the trainwreck that's WCXI, more than WJR, as difficult as that may be to believe.

One silver lining in all of this is that Frank Beckmann's predictable stable of daily callers appear to be gone for the most part. I would bet Frank is disappointed that his stock broker pal, Chris Alberta, didn't get the midday gig. :rollin

MW, I would enjoy reading your unfiltered opinion on some of these ridiculous changes at WJR. I almost wish I could hear WSPD OTA. They have a much better line-up on Speedy.
What your deal with Guy Gordon?
Boring. Frequently ripped on by his callers on-air, and seems easily frazzled. Tries to be neutral on issues and fails. Comes off as pretentious and condescending at times "Have a great day in uh... Redford" Perhaps a co-host would help, but I am not so sure about that at this point. I listen mostly because it's trainwreck radio.


"Pretty soon, every kid in America will wish he were me"

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic