What's Up With Rush on the Gulf?

[Delphine]

Poof! What's going on? Is it Premier Radio?

WHAT'S GOING ON?




(Apologies for posting the entire message...sort of came as a "package". )

Posted: Wednesday, 26 March 2008 4:14PM

A Message for Rush Fans

Rush fans, THANK YOU for listening to WWL. We’re grateful for all the hours and years you’ve joined us on 870am. To set the record straight, we’re not parting ways with Rush, Rush is parting ways with us. Rush’s parent company chose to end an 18 year relationship with WWL. In January 2007, they chose to reduce Rush's presence in the market by taking him off 105.3 WWL-FM. And, now, as of April 1st, they will remove him from the biggest stage in the Gulf South WWL 870am. WWL reaches 5 states daytime and 30-plus states at night. You can email Premiere Radio Networks and the Rush Show at ElRushbo@eibnet.com.

We will bring you two beloved New Orleans personalities--Garland Robinette from 10am to 1pm and Spud McConnell from 1 to 4pm on both WWL-AM-FM starting April 1st. We’ll explore local topics, but also give you a real chance to sound off about burning national issues.

While it’s sad to lose an 18-year relationship, we’re thrilled we can bring you more live, local programming.

Again, thanks for listening. We’ll see you on the radio…

WWL management

[VOguy]

The first thing that comes to mind is that WWL (owned by Clear Channel), is cutting costs. They may not wish to pay as much as in previous years, hence a parting of the ways.

Second, WWL & WWL-FM are not doing good. In the Fall 07 ratings,

1 - WQUE-FM (Urban Contemporary) had a 14.9, up from 13.1 in Jan 07.

2 - WYLD-FM (Urban Adult Contemporary) had a 10.6 in Jan 07, and dropped a bit to 9.6

3 - WLMG-FM (Adult Contemporary) had a 7.7 in Jan 07, and went up to a 8.1 in the Fall of 07.

4 - WWL-AM (News Talk) a 50,000 watt station, had a 8.0 in Jan 07, and dropped to a 7.6 in Fall 07.

5 - WNOE-FM (Country) was a 6.9 in Jan 07, and is now 6.7 in Fall 07.

6 - WEZB-FM (Pop Contemporary Hit Radio) was 5.6 in Jan 07, and is now a 5.7 in Fall 07.

7 - WKBU-FM (Classic Rock) was 4.5 in Jan 07, and is now 4.8 in Fall 07.

8 - KYRK-FM (Alternative) was 4.6 in Jan 07, and is now 4.5 in Fall 07.

9 - KMEZ-FM (Urban Adult Contemporary) was a 3.7 in Jan 07, and is now 4.4 in Fall 07.

And finally, 10 - WWL-FM (News/Talk) was a 2.6 in Jan 07, and is now 2.7 in Fall 07.

Delphine, WWL-FM's numbers are horrible for a high power FM. Their transmitter is in Kenner, so I "assume" they cover New Orleans and don't have signal issues.

My guess, and I have to rely on your wisdom here, is that people in New Orleans and the surrounding area are sick and tired about hearing people talk. My gut tells me that with all that has happened, people have finally reached the point where they say enough of the bickering and BS, and have made new choices in radio.

Note that the first two stations cater to a black audience, or young hip-hop listeners. There are also three Urban stations listed ahead of WWL-FM, so that might reflect a population that is more black that it was before.

The third is more of your typical 25+, skewed more female, listener. Again, point to me that people are looking for music, and not talk.

Premiere Radio, which is the network that Rush is on, is owned by Clear Channel, but the two are divorced. I think WWL, on the other hand, sees that talk is not working and is trying to find an "out" to shift to something else. They have probably done a few things, as in not clearing programming and promos, which have forced the network to pull the show. Thus, they can say, THEY did it, not WWL.



BTW, all station ratings are on the Arbitron site. On the right, click on Radio Ratings, then use the pull down to select the community. Note, these are very basic results. Actual ratings are broken down in dayparts, sex, age, and formats. It's a 300+ page report that a station buys.

[Delphine]

The first thing that comes to mind is that WWL (owned by Clear Channel), is cutting costs. They may not wish to pay as much as in previous years, hence a parting of the ways.

Thank you, VO. I was hoping for some input, here. I'm surprised that WWL is not doing well. It has always been a "staple." But, things have changed since the mighty "K".

WWL has some good competition for the first time at WIST, the pre-K WTIX. I must admit that I check them first sometimes myself. (Home of Dr. Savage...)

The FM station is also new and, I think, has little loyalty.

More music and less talk???? Could be. (Except for SPORTS ).
RECOVER, RECOVER, RECOVER....ENOUGH ALREADY!!!


Let's hear it for the FLEUR DE BEE... Get it????

BTW....I will now need to stream Rush, if anyone can help out there.

[VOguy]

Is he not still on 640-KTIB, or can you not get KEEL-710 out of Shreveport, LA?

WRNO worldwide is listed as an affiliate, but you have to get a shortwave radio to get it. Being in New Orleans it should come in like greased lightning on 15.420 mhz. But I wonder if they are still there since WRNO Worldwide is now a pay for play religion station,

[Captain Beyond]

Very good assessment VO.

[VOguy]

Interesting headline in the trades ....


Limbaugh won't face charges in Ohio.

Rush Limbaugh has outraged Democrats for his "Operation Chaos," which urges listeners to vote for Hillary Clinton, who he thinks will lose in November's election.

In Ohio there were calls to charge Limbaugh with voter fraud. But the Democratic attorney general's office says "We have no intention of prosecuting Rush Limbaugh because lying through your teeth and being stupid isn't a crime."\

Limbaugh has now taken his efforts to Pennsylvania.

[Delphine]

Is he not still on 640-KTIB, or can you not get KEEL-710 out of Shreveport, LA?

It looks like I can stream KEEL...Shreveport is too far away to pick up on the radio. I'll have to check to see if they stream Rush.

KTIB is Thibideaux. I know I can't pick it up and they want to charge for internet listening.

WRNO worldwide is listed as an affiliate, but you have to get a shortwave radio to get it. Being in New Orleans it should come in like greased lightning on 15.420 mhz. But I wonder if they are still there since WRNO Worldwide is now a pay for play religion station,

HUH?

[blackeyes]

My theory, people are starting to wake up. The right is losing ratings because they yak and yak about nothing that is important. Left wing radio doesn't spend most of the broadcast trying to make the right look bad but concentrates on the concerns at hand. As people become more aware of the lies and deception. The diversion of right wing praise of government actions. Listeners are more prone to lean towards the truth.

Other radio hosts on the way out:

Bill O'Reilly
John Gibson and
Brian Killme

They defend lies and rarely can they prove anything they say.

[Mcnowhere]

BE, how do you know that Billo and those others are on the way out? Have you heard or read something? Oh, do tell!

[Mcnowhere]

My theory, people are starting to wake up. The right is losing ratings because they yak and yak about nothing that is important. Left wing radio doesn't spend most of the broadcast trying to make the right look bad but concentrates on the concerns at hand. As people become more aware of the lies and deception. The diversion of right wing praise of government actions. Listeners are more prone to lean towards the truth.

Other radio hosts on the way out:

Bill O'Reilly
John Gibson and
Brian Killme

They defend lies and rarely can they prove anything they say.

I would agree you BE, until these primaries started. Now it looks to me like a big feeding frenzie on both sides of the fence and none of them are reporting in a responsible, unbiased manner. The Bush regime in itself was extraordinary, the current candidates are extraordinary, and both sides of the media have become even more extraordinary. I'll just be happy to see the back side of Bush/Cheney come January 2009.

[VOguy]

WRNO worldwide is listed as an affiliate, but you have to get a shortwave radio to get it. Being in New Orleans it should come in like greased lightning on 15.420 mhz. But I wonder if they are still there since WRNO Worldwide is now a pay for play religion station,

HUH?

There are many radio stations on Shortwave. The bulk of them are government stations, such as VOA/America, RCI/Canada, RTE/Ireland, etc.

There are private broadcasters such as KNLS-(Anchor Point, AK), KTBN-(Trinity Broadcasting in Salt Lake City, UT), KVOH-(Rancho Simi, CA), KWHR-(Naalehu, HI), WBCQ-(Monticello, ME), WBOH "Fundamental Broadcasting"-(Newport, NC), WEWN-(Irondale, AL), and many more.

Most of these broadcast "paid" religion shows. And you can buy an hour of time to voice your views, and sell your stuff, for as little as $50.00 and hour.

But in New Orleans, there was a station started by Joe Costello called WRNO Worldwide. This international SW station gained a lot of interests in the late 80s when he took the programming of WRNO-FM in New Orleans and also broadcasted it on SW. People in the USSR and Asian countries listened because it was the first time they heard American pop music.

But digressing to the original thread, according to the Rush site, WRNO still carries the show.

You would be surprised at the choices on shortwave, and the oddly alternative views of what is heard on commercial news services in the United States.

[VOguy]

I would agree you BE, until these primaries started. Now it looks to me like a big feeding frenzie on both sides of the fence and none of them are reporting in a responsible, unbiased manner. The Bush regime in itself was extraordinary, the current candidates are extraordinary, and both sides of the media have become even more extraordinary. I'll just be happy to see the back side of Bush/Cheney come January 2009.

I think that a lot of the loss of listenership of radio is due in part to people being sick and tired of all the arguing, unsubstantiated opinion, and lies. There are far too many in radio that have an ultimate opinion than those who present the facts and interviews in front of us and let the chips fall where they may.

The biggest problem with guys Franken, Limbaugh, and others, is that their show is built on the fact that if you don't believe unconditionally, then you are some kind of low life boob that doesn't deserve to be a member of the country, and are treated as such on the radio when you call.

[Delphine]

Many thanks, as usual, VO.

Are you all familiar with www.ontheradio.net?????

The biggest problem with guys Franken, Limbaugh, and others, is that their show is built on the fact that if you don't believe unconditionally, then you are some kind of low life boob that doesn't deserve to be a member of the country, and are treated as such on the radio when you call.

Hah! Good point......