Re: The Future of WBCN-- Talk????

[LJNF40C@prodigy.com (BUMP MARTIN)]

> Again, if this were the way
> CBS/Infinity wanted to run things, why does WBZ keep Gary
LaPierreemployed? 
> They could, if they wanted to, fire him and at least half of the BZ
news team,
> run CBS radio news as much as possible, and only retain a skeleton
crew to
> cover local news happenings.  I'm certain they'd save a lot of money
that way.
>  Heck, fire Brudnoy and the other local talk hosts while they're at it
, too -
> there's lots of syndicated talk out there, or they could just run more
network
> news.

I *didn't*  say that the purpose of an O&O was to ERADICATE *all* forms
of local programming and replace them with network offerrings.  

What I DID say was that the suits in NY quite often see the local O&O's
"Raison D'etre" as one of simply supporting the national effort...  In
most cases clearing the network offerrings (or at the very least,
clearing the spots).      

What I said about the WBCN situation in partcular, regarding 24/7
network  operation, is that it could concievably work.  If they could
bill the same amount, and at the same time cut all the expense of
producing, programming, researching at the local level....the could
possibly have a winner.   (Only  _they_  know the real number$.)   

> And if Chairman Mel followed that train of thought religiously,
wouldn't WBZ be
> running the CBS radio network news every hour and half-hour by now?

They more than likely will as soon as the ABC contract runs out.  
(Remember, this was a long-standing long-term contract, one that was
signed well before anyone could have imagined the current state of
deregulation and multiple ownerships.)

> As if BCN isn't pulling in decent profits now? 

Nowadays it appears they are *never* happy with whatever they are making
.  It's always striving to make more.  The question is, by making some
changes in the game plan, can they post higher revenues.   (Keep in mind
that after Stern....the station has mediocre, not killer, ratings.)  



BM


  


- -------- REPLY, Original message follows --------

> Date: Wednesday, 19-May-99 09:27 AM
> 
> 
> Subject: Re: The Future of WBCN-- Talk????
> 
> >Keep in mind that the #1 mission of the Network O&O station is to
clear the
> >network offerrings.  The O&O's exist to support the national efforts.
> 
> Back in the days when there was only one network O&O per market, that
sort of
> thinking did apply (and still does on the TV side of the house). But
when
> there's more than one network O&O (how many CBS/Infinity stations are
there in
> Boston now?  I've lost count...), and the network doesn't supply
enough
> programming to cover them all, that argument falls flat on its face.
> 
> And if Chairman Mel followed that train of thought religiously,
wouldn't WBZ be
> running the CBS radio network news every hour and half-hour by now?
> 
> >If they could run extreme radio on WBCN...with very little
operational cost
> >at the local level....they could concievably make more money for than
with
> >local offerings.  (By simply wiping out the local budgets.....
programming
> >department, research, etc. might just be enough to post some decent
profits.
> 
> As if BCN isn't pulling in decent profits now?  Again, if this were
the way
> CBS/Infinity wanted to run things, why does WBZ keep Gary LaPierre
employed? 
> They could, if they wanted to, fire him and at least half of the BZ
news team,
> run CBS radio news as much as possible, and only retain a skeleton
crew to
> cover local news happenings.  I'm certain they'd save a lot of money
that way.
>  Heck, fire Brudnoy and the other local talk hosts while they're at it
, too -
> there's lots of syndicated talk out there, or they could just run more
network
> news.
> 
> No question Chairman Mel is a bottom-liner through and through.  But
even he
> knows better than to mess with success, I think, at least if history
is any
> guide.
> 
> Something else to ponder - Mel's association with BCN goes back a lot
further
> than his association with either the CBS or Westinghouse stations. I
don't
> doubt that he's on a first-name basis with Oedi and the other BCN
higher-ups. 
> Think he's just gonna sack them, when they helped him get where he is
today? 
> If he did, they'd surely find a place to work elsewhere in Boston -
and they'd
> have plenty of incentive to blow Mel's stations out of the water,
whatever it
> takes.
> 
> I have no crystal ball.  Maybe Mel really wouldn't care about making
powerful
> enemies that way.  The only thing I know for sure is that, if BCN does
flip to
> "extreme talk", that'll just free up another preset on my car radio. :
- -)
> 
> -Shawn Mamros
> E-mail to: mamros@mit.edu
> 

- -------- REPLY, End of original message --------

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