Re: Lydon resigns from WBUR

["Dan Billings" <dib9@gwi.net>]

What Lydon wants is not that unusual for a nationally syndicated host.  I'm
not sure if Imus or Stern own part of their show, Rush did at one time, but
I'm sure Imus and Stern share in the profits of the program.  They don't
continue to draw the same salary as affiliates and revenue grow.  That was
the major part of what Lydon was demanding.

Another issue is that high paid talent for public companies often get stock
options so they share in ownership and profits from the whole company.  That
kind of deal would not work for WBUR so seeking ownership of part of the
show is a reasonable alternative.  It's not unheard of in public
broadcasting: McNeil/Lehrer own the News Hour.

Whether Lydon is worth what he was asking is a question I can not answer.
WBUR apparently thinks not.  Both sides made a business decision.  I have no
complaint with that.  My complaint is with those that are trying to make out
that Lydon's proposal was totally off the wall and unprecedented.

-- Dan Billings, Bowdoinham, Maine


----- Original Message -----
From: "Shawn Mamros" <mamros@MIT.EDU>
To: "Dan Billings" <dib9@gwi.net>
Cc: <boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org>
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2001 5:03 PM
Subject: Re: Lydon resigns from WBUR


>Thing is, would *any* station in town - not just
> 'BUR, but literally any station across the dial, commercial or non-comm -
> be willing (or even able) to give him the sort of deal he wants?
Especially
> when it comes to the notion of him owning all, or even part of, the show?