Re: Boston Radio Watch 05-22-1998

["Shel Swartz" <shel@lotsofun.com>]

>Boston is _not_ like any other market of its size in America.  Its quirky
>nature is both part of its charm as well as the reason it is a tough nut to
>crack if you 'work out of a manual.'  (Outsiders and/or newbies beware!)
It
>strikes me as ironic that with all of the "local" talk RKO has programmed,
>the station still lacks that 'local feel' it once had.  Perhaps Boston
being
>such a political town and no political talk must be the a big part of
WRKO's
>growing problem.
>
>Bill O'Neill

Perfectly-said!  Even the late "Tip" O'Neill said it (while he was living):
"All politics is local."

A.  The more stations pursue syndicated shows, the less they become local
stations
B.  Politics have always been Boston's byword.  Without lots and lots of it
on radio, you may as well be running syndication, and be willing to suffer
teh loss of listeners (and revenue) for it.

I grew up in Boston's talkradio beginnings, with WEEI and Paul Benzaquin and
company.  Jerry Williams was doing 10P-1A on WMEX.  They were the days of
Louise Day Hicks, Kevin White Francis X. Bellotti, Chub Peabody, and
city-wide political scams which were likely the blueprint fot the assorted
"Watergates" of later years.  Lots of excitement, which radio was able to
reflect in its own inimitable way.

:) shel (observing, alas, from afar)

Shel Swartz

WRKO/The Big 68 Remembered!
Give us a hit!
http://www.lotsofun.com/wrko

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