Re: WSMN Nashua - No more Bargain Box ??

["Bill O'Neill" <billo@erols.com>]

John writes:  >Talks shows that I have heard over the last two days between
9am and 6pm
>have definately all been local / originating at WSMN. The syndication
>appears to be from 6PM until 6 AM. Although I have not heard it, WSMN is
>promoting a syndicated overnight talk show.

Sounds like a decent way to balance an interest to serve community, keep the
carrier up all night.
In terms of "local service," which is more local, a live national talk show
that the locals can call and get on to on their local station or a typical
music format consisting of recorded music and a passable (God bless 'em)
jock who provides no local contact with listeners?  If a network show and
station as a whole is packaged creatively (and the shows aren't dogs) it can
be advantageous.

Conversely, local station owners see a last chance/hope at keeping their
plates on by canning the music talent, connecting to barter talk, potting up
and leaving the room until it's time to mop the floors.  If the same energy
needed to keep a 'local' format happy is applied to local/sat. talk mixes,
then the overall results can be success.  WRKO, credit where it's due, does
well by Dr. Laura, 19 hours tape-delayed(!) and live Rush.  WTAG Worcester
similarly does well (or better) with Rush by maintaining top and bottom
local news feeds.  It amounts to spending money on either a local creative
prod. voice or on a T1 connected to one that keeps the overall sound linked
to time sensitive stuff, not museum piece liners that actually detract.

Bill O'Neill

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