talk radio changes, fill-ins

[Bob Nelson <raccoonradio@yahoo.com>]

More than a few local talk show hosts are taking some
vacation time these days (OK, they're entitled to it,
of course!). On WRKO, Pat Whitley is off, replaced by
the likes of Spencer Hughes and, as I type this, Fox
News' Tony Snow. Howie Carr is
off for a few days (including next Monday, though
he'll be on this Friday) with his former sidekick
V.B. filling in. Giles Threadgold is supposed to
join V.B. today, "unless he forgets to come in",
as V.B. put it.

On WTKK, it seems like Jay Severin has taken a lot
of time off this summer; for a fill-in, they've wound
up picking up the live feed of syndie Sean Hannity
from 3-6 pm, then they've been rebroadcasting that
from 10 pm to 1 am. (Speaking of fill-ins, 
comedian Dennis Miller is in for Hannity
this Friday--a rare Friday off for Hannity).

Laura Ingraham (7-10 pm on WTKK) switched syndicators
and time slots; her new show is supposed to start
Monday from 9 am to noon out of Washington, DC,
I believe; though I've heard that WTKK will tape
delay her and run her 7-10 pm, as before (stations
that delay her until night will get some live tidbits
so that the show doesn't get too "stale"). But rumor
has it (on another board) that _'RKO_ may move
Whitley to mornings, and pick up Ingraham live.

Not sure if that will come true or not, but, if
you were Ingraham's syndicator, would you jump at the
chance to have another station in town (with fairly
good ratings) pick up your show live, or would you
stick with the station you have, which would air it a
full 10 hours later than originally broadcast?
I looked at Ingraham's site and they haven't (as
of yet) put up the list of her affiliates.

With the departure of Ozone, who knows what will
become of 'RKO's morning drive show. Will it be
Blute-and-TBA (Spencer Hughes? Doreen Vigue?
Whitley?)?
Someone else?