Cumulus Dropping Coast To Coast AM In Multiple Markets

[Alpha]

What do you all think about this?

Cumulus Dropping Coast To Coast AM In Multiple Markets


February 23, 2012




Update 2/28: Coast To Coast has been picked up by 980/98.1 KMBZ in Kansas City following its drop by KCMO.


Original Report 2/23: Cumulus Media has dropped Coast To Coast AM with George Noory from multiple markets and replaced it with its own Red Eye Radio.


Among the stations that have dropped the program are 770 KKOB & 1050 KTBL Albuquerque, 1290 WNBF Binghamton, 890 WLS Chicago, 710 KCMO Kansas City, 630 WPRO/99.7 WEAN Providence, 980 WAAV Wilmington NC, and 630/105.9 WMAL Washington DC. In two of the markets, the program has already found a new home as it is picked up by Clear Channel’s 920 WHJJ Providence and Sea-Comm’s “Big Talker” 93.7 WNTB/106.3 WLTT Wilmington NC.
For now Coast To Coast remains on a few Cumulus stations including 560 KSFO San Francisco and 570 KLIF Dallas, although the latter is no longer listed on the show’s affiliate page.

Article

[Dark Skies]

A minor change in the radio landscape but it shows Coast isn't as bulletproof as George makes it out to be.

[Dera]

Imaginative Worlds could serve as a good microcosm of why interest in Coast to Coast appears to be dwindling. Many long-term members don't listen to numerous shows for several reasons such as show topics are not "paranormal" as expected, George Noory doesn't seem prepared or knowledgeable about the topics, guests are--well,--boring, and sometimes their speech is unintelligible. This comment was exemplified by last night's guest (3-28-12) who droned on for two hours while listeners missed several words of his every sentence as sometimes his "English" couldn't be understood. The current rigid format of chopped up and split shows sometimes leaves good (entertaining) guests cut off.


I have raised this question before: Doesn't anyone ever interview potential guests before they are put directly on the air? Just because a person "wrote a book" does not automatically translate into their being a good interviewee.



G. Noory's setting of goals and encouraging listeners to sponsor a needy child was commendable. The current push for more "paying Insiders" to sign on is off-putting and, frankly, greedy sounding on the part of the show and all involved in it.



Seasoned listeners understand why they are losing interest in C2C; it just isn't worth their time anymore! With today's readily available technology, many would rather occupy themselves by playing video games, watching a movie, reading a book, or getting a good night's sleep, or other pleasant diversions. Just staying with the program regardless for "old times' sake" while mourning the loss of a once dynamic "go for a ride" experience isn't a satisfactory choice nowadays.



That's is the way I see it, anyhow, for what it is worth.

[pyrite]

im thankful for John B Wells, and George Knapp...their shows are informative

[Dera]

I agree that Geo. Knapp is great. My little personal jury is waiting for additional evidence that John B. has more to offer than a wonderfully deep voice and his "ship" gimmick. He seems prepared for interviews and knowledgeable of the topics so far. He is a welcome change and addition to the program in my opinion and I hope he stands the test of time.

[Alpha]

A minor change in the radio landscape but it shows Coast isn't as bulletproof as George makes it out to be.

I agree and I am sure they are worried about this. They have lost a huge percentage of their long time listeners and are loosing more, as reflected here.

I guess the question is whether they are acquiring enough new listeners and interest to sustain the market they have

[Alpha]

Imaginative Worlds could serve as a good microcosm of why interest in Coast to Coast appears to be dwindling. Many long-term members don't listen to numerous shows for several reasons such as show topics are not "paranormal" as expected, George Noory doesn't seem prepared or knowledgeable about the topics, guests are--well,--boring, and sometimes their speech is unintelligible. This comment was exemplified by last night's guest (3-28-12) who droned on for two hours while listeners missed several words of his every sentence as sometimes his "English" couldn't be understood. The current rigid format of chopped up and split shows sometimes leaves good (entertaining) guests cut off.


I have raised this question before: Doesn't anyone ever interview potential guests before they are put directly on the air? Just because a person "wrote a book" does not automatically translate into their being a good interviewee.



G. Noory's setting of goals and encouraging listeners to sponsor a needy child was commendable. The current push for more "paying Insiders" to sign on is off-putting and, frankly, greedy sounding on the part of the show and all involved in it.



Seasoned listeners understand why they are losing interest in C2C; it just isn't worth their time anymore! With today's readily available technology, many would rather occupy themselves by playing video games, watching a movie, reading a book, or getting a good night's sleep, or other pleasant diversions. Just staying with the program regardless for "old times' sake" while mourning the loss of a once dynamic "go for a ride" experience isn't a satisfactory choice nowadays.



That's is the way I see it, anyhow, for what it is worth.

More than well said Dera

I couldn't agree more.

As you write, even the handful of diehard late nighters we have here, who have hung in with the changes in host, style, format etc., are starting to wane.

Personally my pet peeve is the seeming lack of preparedness for guest and topic. I think this also results in the split format programs, because how can one talk about something, interview if one has little knowledge of what the guest in bringing to the table or has no direction to where to take the show. A good example of preparedness and planning was last Sunday's show with George Knapp. He knew exactly what he wanted out of the interview, how he was going to set the stage for the topic, had read the guests book etc. It was one of the best 4 hours of radio that I have heard in a very long time and reminded me of what Coast used to be.

I'm with you though. It's difficult sometimes to let go of something once cherished as much as it is, just to hang on for "old times sake".

Time is precious for all of us. I will also no longer hang on for 4 hours, when a show goes no-where, when the host is not prepared, when the topic is not interesting/night time material for me or when sufficient time is not given to the topic at hand.

I hope the folks at Premiere start listening to their customers and make the necessary changes to return this program to some greatness. We probably will never have what we had before, however with the right changes, this could still be a really good program and once in a while, they still hit it out of the park. Knapp just showed us last Sunday and hopefully John B will bring it as well this Saturday with John Lear.

[Judee]

Dera what you say is very true.

Coast loosing listeners is just another symptom of the changes we are seeing in society as a whole, due to the new technology. Not many people really want to read, talk, or listen 'in-depth' anymore. They communicate in shorthand 'snippets' via their phone gadgets, and spend a lot of time 'sharing' highlights of their lives, (again in 'snippets') on Facebook. People's attention spans are not very long these days, and so shows like Coast do not amuse or satisfy people's need for instant and quick discourse. There are threads right here on IW verifying these facts. People's brains are literally being changed by technology.

[Topper]

Perhaps what is needed is a revamping for C2C programming. I'd suggest they stick with more timely topics
for me I love a good conspiracy and there's plenty of those happen as I type.

More Bob Fletcher
More Clark McClelland with Greg Evensen

I'd suggest dropping the split formats

[Alpha]

im thankful for John B Wells, and George Knapp...their shows are informative

I agree with you py. The subject matter may not suit all, however they do bring subjects to the table that are usually ignored and they do a masterful job just doing that IMO.

To be fair to George Noory though, he has too, over the years and I give him huge kudos for that. It is his seeming lack of control, direction and preparedness over most interviews and not listening to what his guests say or have said, that I have issue with. His seeming continual failure to capitalize on both the guests and the callers is what I find is a huge turn off for me many nights

[Topper]

I have a hunch this might be an April Fools thing

oh and by the way I'd suggest another guest for C2C
Scott and Suzanne Ramsey who have a new book release coming out on April, 16th
titled "The Aztec Incident Recovery at Hart Canyon"