Re: Boston's Newsradio Void

[TVHD@aol.com]

In a message dated Sun, Jun 14, FM radio 1@aol.com writes:
>When I flipped on WBZ at about 8:15 tonight (Saturday) Lovell 
>Diet was anchoring  "storm coverage" with updates, traffic 
>reports, forecasts and even taking calls from listeners to get 
>their perspective.  It's wasn't bad but it wasn't 1010 WINS 
>either.

>I doubt that you'll see a 24/7 news station in Boston, at least 
>in the forseeable future.  The format is simply to expensive 
>to run on a full time basis.  The stations that do it, like WINS 
>& WCBS in New York, KYW in Philadelphia, and WTOP in 
>Washington have been in the format for years and have built 
>up heritage.  You simply do not hear of all news stations being 
>started up anymore, especially all-local outlets.

>People have many sources of getting information nowadays.  
>TV and the internet provide a lot of the up to the minute 
>coverage of breaking events that radio used to at one time.  
>Unless the power is out or you're in your car, most folks will 
>probably turn to TV or the net for information, and it is not 
>cost-effective to put on a format simply to provide coverage 
>during storms.

>WBZ is the number one biller in the market.  It's combination 
>of news, talk and sports have served them well.  Why would 
>they want to dump Brudnoy, Raliegh and the Bruins, double 
>their news staff and run news 24/7?  That would be financial 
>suicide.

First of all, when the City of Boston declared a state of
emergency, a station that regularly declares, "If it's happening
out there, you're hearing it here," should be held to task for its 
promise. I realize, however, such are empty promises that hold 
little or no integrity, and serve only as marketing statements. 
That doesn't make it right or proper. The station was unwilling
to fulfill its self-proclaimed charter and interrupt its regular
programming. At the time of the worst portion of the crisis
(around 5PM) there were only half-hour updates from the ONLY 
"Newsradio" formatted station in town.

By keeping the regularly scheduled Lovell Diet in place for the 
evening, the station once again demonstrated its lack of 
commitment to providing professional services. As wonderful 
a talk show host as Lovell Diet may be, he is not a consummate 
news anchor.

Yes, "unless the power is out or you're in your car", indeed.
What else am I talking about? There are hundreds of thousands
on vehicles on the road that don't have access to TV or 
internet for information. There were thousands of homes that
reportedly lost power. Just the thought of my being in one of 
those homes and frantically searching the dial for emergency
information from the self proclaimed "news leader", and 
finding sports talk, infuriates to me. As a "news leader", WBZ
is the proverbial one-eyed man in the kingdom of the blind.

Certainly WBZ is "the number one biller in the market". That's
because it's the ONLY newsradio in a city dominated by a few
major corporations who own virtually all the media. There is 
naturally no desire to compete against oneself. But look at the
listenership of radio. On today's "Let's Talk About Radio", Bob 
Bittner cited it as having declined to an all-time low of around 
fifteen percent. You think that's because of all the modern 
alternatives? Well I beg to differ. I think it's because of the 
LACK of alternatives within the Radio medium. Radio is selling 
itself down the river. And the financial suicide that you're 
suggesting will come by diverting from the program, I believe
instead is being willfully commited by the profiteering swine 
who crush the creativity, vision and diversity from a 
once-thriving business and art.

- - Henry Dane

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