After today, two shows to go. I’m starting to feel like Michael Clarke Duncan in “The Green Mile,” waiting to take that final walk.
Posted by pjsauter on December 14, 2005
Posted in Uncategorized | 16 Comments
After today, two shows to go. I’m starting to feel like Michael Clarke Duncan in “The Green Mile,” waiting to take that final walk.
Yoohoo? anybody home? The MS regular blog isn’t open for business…or is it my computer?
Yesterday the last War on Brains, and now the Last Rapture Watch. This really sucks.
Work to ensure a new trial for Mumia Abu-Jamal!
Abolish the Death Penalty!
Got a response back from Drobney to the e-mail I posted here yesterday:
Thanks for your comment. I will inform Danny Goldberg. I have nothing to do with programming, but I would hope that you give us a chance to work
things out. The morning show had the worst ratings and many of the local afiliates were replacing it with their own local shows. Air America Radio
does not receive any revenue in the 6-9 am slot when an afilliate uses its own content. So the show’s demise came from the ratings and lack of support
by the afilliates. If the show was doing well, it never would have been dropped.
Sheldon Drobny
Chairman
Paradigm Group II, LLC
60 Revere Drive
Suite 725
Northbrook, IL 60062
847 562 0700
My answer to that:
You’re welcome.
One thing I might add is that AAR should be looking at something along the line of a capital campaign. They’re done routinely by NPR stations to help fund equipment upgrades, including more powerful transmitters. A limited broadcast radius and poor reception is a huge problem for the AAR station here in Maine, and from my reading of various blog postings, is a problem facing most other affiliates as well. Better reception would help AAR’s ratings considerably.
Getting back to Morning Sedition. The program was hurt by its rocky start. The conflicts between Sue Ellicott and Marc Maron made for difficult listening, and probably drove many people away. The show only came into it’s own after Ellicott’s departure. Better promotion of the show, including possibly repeating some of the comedy bits, like Rapture Watch and War on Brains, in other programs may have helped rebuild the audience lost at the start
I really think lack of promotion – besides being in a tough time slot – is the big problem. Goldberg killed the “anarchist prankster” promotion, and (according to Jonathan Larsen’s blog):
More importantly, why should Sheldon Drobny believe what he’s being told?
Hey Seditionists! It’s depressing listening to the pushover Springer! Here’s my idea…..and it’s for you
I’m creating a new page for my site where you can create your own editorials. Send me an email, with title, name. Write what you want and I’ll post it. I’m trying to create my own online newspaper! Sounds stupid huh…..Maron motivitated me…that’s all I can say…
let me know what you think….
http://theaera.blogspot.com/
the editorial page will be completed over the weekend. I get dibs though. First op-ed is Mourning Morning Sedition by yours truly!
Morning Sedition did not fail Air America Radio. Air America Radio failed Morning Sedition.
JP
You are so right PJ. Yaktreats, my local station added hour three recently. Of course Danny G. didn’t say anything about that. My local station publicizes, Al, Ed S, Stephanie, and Randi. They have never said a word about MS.
I really need the liberal confessional today. Maybe I will write to Marc on his website.
I wrote to Drobney. He did not write back to me. I believe I mentioned how happy we were when we got hour three.
I’ll give 870am here in Portland, ME. They always did a good job promoting Sedition during other programs. They also sold lots of local ads too. I just hope they don’t lose a lot of revenue because of Goldberg.
I would have liked them use comedy bits from Sedition in the other shows like Franken, Randi Rhodes and Majority Report, so listeners to those shows might have been clued into what’s going on in the morning. It may have helped create added pressure on affiliates to pick up Sedition. It would have been a damn sight better that the #%@*! Oy, Oy, Oy Show too.
Tomorrow should be the last Johnny K Street. “Where’s the action, Johnny?” “It’s going to California, baby!”
I always thought there ought to be more cross-promotion between shows. Especially the “big name” hosts, like Franken. But Franken is mostly interested in Franken. Randi is pretty much focused on Randi, too. I guess there’s a lot of ego involved. Oh well, here’s to hoping that Danny G isn’t just blowing smoke to keep Marc from flipping out on-air, and he’s going to have a show. Marc sure sounded like it was an all but done deal. Keep your toes crossed.
Wow! Looky looky. Animated smileys!:doh:
Bob Grant the legendary radio talk-show host from NYC got booted after 30-some years. And he had great ratings. They wanted to go instead with a semifamous TV chef and food talk. Apparently this has more revenue because the marketing is more directed. What we are seeing is the bifurcation of broadcast radio.
Another talk show host in New Hampshire might have gotten canned for bad-mouthing SUV’s. Story here .
In light of this news that response from Drobny is pretty depressing. We are a target audience with refined tastes and no potential ad revenue.
Hey guys, just checkin’ in. I have to go to work soon but I wanted to tell you I wrote up an editorial on my site about Morning Sedition. Check it out and tell me what you think….mourning morning sedition
http://www.theeraopinion.blogspot.com/
I never heard KPOJ in Portland, Oregon air a promo for MS — other than during MS. Real rocket scientists there. Even after ther placed the Tursday and Friday repeats on Saturday and Sundau mornings they still ran no promos on other AAR programs.
With all due respect to Mr. Drobney, who put his money where his mouth was, you sir are being lied to. Not the first time in your life, unfortunately not the last. No print ads in Portland, no radio, no TV, no billboards. Bad ratings? Gee what a surprise.
No, I’m not beating a dead horse — I want the horse theives brought to justice. Or at least have their malfeasance brought to light. (I wonder if folks who contributes bucks to the “Affiliates” have standing in the courts? DG and his toady staff better hope not.)