WBAL Baltimore has pre-empted Rush's Show

10/14/03 | GreggthePundit

[The Westerner]

You're right. If Rush chooses such second stringers as Sullivan and Hedgecock who quickly become boring to listen to, then this is going to be the result. There's many other choices in my market at that hour. Rush needs to hire some live wires such as Laura Ingraham or Ann Coulter or Dornan or Drudge or Dennis Miller. I don't even care if he gets a liberal, which he's done in the past. I love Walter Williams. There's a man who doesn't agree with Rush on everything, but he's always interesting.

[Born Conservative]

[Timesink]

WBAL is a Hearst station. If this is a company-wide move, we'll be hearing about it happening on some of their other stations. In most markets, a station owner would give his eye-teeth to get the Rush Limbaugh franchise. It's a proven money-maker, so if one station lets it go, there are others waiting for just that opportunity.

Yes, and those other stations are often Clear Channel stations, owned by the same company that syndicates Rush's show. Do you know if CC owns any talk stations in Baltimore? Because if they do, and WBAL/Hearst hasn't recently signed a long-term distribution deal for the show, then WBAL just signed its own death warrant on that time slot. CC plays hardball, and they will yank their programs from a non-CC station at the slightest provocation (such a 30-day loss of ad revenue in Baltimore) and move them to CC stations the moment the contract is up.

Often, they'll even do it without provocation, which is what they did in my town. One Friday Rush was on a local mom-and-pop station, where it had been for years, and on Monday it was on the local CC station, with the old station having to settle for G. Gordon Liddy. (Though I have to admit the local station was apparently Planet of the Tarleks, as practically EVERY local slot on Rush's show was left empty. (Let me tell you, the Spatula City ads and "The FBI This Week" PSAs are not very entertaining when you hear them nine times in a three-hour period. I don't know how the station ever made a dime running that show. Does Premiere still pay to put shows on in certain markets? I thought almost everything in radio was barter these days, except for O'Reilly, and it was hugely embarrassing to Bill when word got out that they're paying stations to carry his program.) The moment Rush was moved to the CC station, every local slot was filled from the first day. So it was better for Rush and his syndicator to move the show to the better-run station.)

[Looking for Diogenes]

Regarding the sale of commercial time on the show:

A couple of years ago some whiz invented a 'filter' that could compress a talk shows by removing the momentary silences. In an hour long show it could squeeze out an extra minute or so, which could then be sold by the station. Obviously radio stations liked this device. Rush was one of the only hosts with enough clout and chutzpah to complain. He insisted that his pauses were an important part of the show. I don't know if he was able to keep his show from getting the compression treatment.

Stations sells some ad time and hosts also sell some of their own time. It's a mix.

[Lael]

but Roger Hedgecock and Walter Williams (both on later this week) are very worthwhile.

I haven't listened to Rush regularly for about seven years...Time demands, etc.

But I usually make time for his standins...Tony Snow, Roger Hedgecock, Walter Williams, etc., since I find that I learn much from the content and insight they bring.

P.S....I really wish Rush the best...chronic pain, like chronic Insomnia, offer no really good non-habit forming, or non addictive relief.

And there are some 40 million Americans who live with extreme chronic pain.

[_Jim]

Obviously radio stations liked this device. Rush was one of the only hosts with enough clout and chutzpah to complain. He insisted that his pauses were an important part of the show. I don't know if he was able to keep his show from getting the compression treatment.

It's in use in our market; Rush calls it "Cashbox". He even mentioned it in his address before the NAB (was it the NAB he addressed a week or two back in Philly?) ...

[Hildy]

Why isn't being an attorney or a radio host a "REAL JOB?"

[Snidely Whiplash]

Well, FYI, Hedgecock has not been in politics for many years.

Yeah. The funny part is *why* he hasn't been in politics for so long. Frankly, I'm surprised Rush would let someone like Hedgecock sub for him at all. Besides his character issues, the man is just not that bright a star in the talk-radio constellation.

In truth, Rush's absence brings into sharp relief just how inept and uninteresting much of the competition is. It's pretty scary, really.

Snidely

[DanTheAdmin]

Exactly. It's a good station and I don't think what they're doing is worth a thread on FR. This is not some conspiracy against Rush, it’s a business decision. Both Chip and Ron are very good local hosts. In fact Chip has been one of Rush’s biggest defenders on local media. Chip started out a little middle of the road but he’s come around. Ron is a very intelligent man who commands a very large audience. As for me, I lose interest when Rush has a guest host and BAL has promised to put Rush back on the minute he returns to the air. If you go to the WBAL web site you can listen to both Chip and Ron and judge for yourself.

[DanTheAdmin]

There're still running all of Rush's commercials...

[ladtx]

Why hasn't he? Those of us outside of CA have no idea what you're talking about.

[1Old Pro]

To bad, Rush's guests are very good. Where else can you listen to 3 hours of Walter Williams and conversations with thomas Sowell.

[tertiary01]

I have found out that if you listen to Tom Sullivasn regularly you will find out more about the internal working of Cal. State politics than any other talk show host.
He was ranting about the billions in the budget shortfall a year before Davis ran a second time and correctly predicted the shortfall as 32 billion rather than close to 12 billion that Davis admitted to when he ran the second time. It was too bad no one listened to him at that time. We could have a Governor Simon as we speak!

[tertiary01]

I have found out that if you listen to Tom Sullivan regularly you will find out more about the internal working of Cal. State politics than any other talk show host.
He was ranting about the billions in the budget shortfall a year before Davis ran a second time and correctly predicted the shortfall as 32 billion rather than close to 12 billion that Davis admitted to when he ran the second time. It was too bad no one listened to him at that time. We could have a Governor Simon as we speak!

[CdMGuy]

Well, considering the fact that you live in Nebraska, I suspect you have never had the opportunity to listen to the Roger Hedgecock show which is broadcast in San Diego every weekday.

As to the reason that Hedgecock is no longer in politics, he makes no secret that he was charged and found guilty due to his involvement in the J. David case. Since you know about that, you presumably know that the charges were trumped up and that on appeal, the verdict was reversed.

The net result to Roger was that his political career was cut short, and he had to re-build his reputation. Today, he is a highly successful businessman and radio talk show host.

Your comment that he is, "not a bright star in the talk radio constellation" is ludricous. He has a large audience in San Diego, Orange, and LA Counties. Any one of those counties has a larger audience than the entire state of Nebraska.

As to Limbaugh's show, if Roger was not drawing an audience, Rush would not have him do the show.

[thegreatbeast]

That'll be news to WABC.

[thegreatbeast]

Listen, you all are dreaming if you think Rush Limbaugh is just going to be allowed to come back as if nothing ever happened. There is blood in the water now and Rush's enemies hunger after all his blood! They hate him as much as Newt, and as much as most of us hate Hillary. They will stop at nothing in their bloodlust for Rush.

[staytrue]

Ron Smith is probably as conservative and entertaining as Rush. He would be a great replacement for rush. This is not a bash the conservative move.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

I agree with Roger Hedgecock but Walter Williams is boring. The same thing over and over and over. I wouldn't go out of my way to hear either of them. When Rush is back he will be bigger than ever, because every one will want to know how a maid got him in trouble.

[lepton]

WBAL will be airing Dr Williams on Friday due to audience request.

Too bad conservatives hate black people, and can't stomach thoughtful commentary from those whose skin-color is not like their own. Why do they accuse blacks of marching in lock-step?

What? He's black? And Dr. Sowell too? Well they don't think like us, so they aren't really black. Conservatives are so small-minded, and can't appreciate those who aren't in lock-step with them.

What? Dr. Williams and Dr. Sowell are libertarians?

Ummm. Arnold's dad was a Nazi.