Imus canned by MSNBC

[Scott Fybush]

Sean Smyth wrote:

> You'd figure CBS would be more proactive in holding onto those
> affiliates and develop some alternative programming to keep cash coming
> in. Then again, is Imus merely barter nowadays?

Not in the bigger markets - my understanding is he lost his slot on WHTK 
1280 here in Rochester because WW1 wanted a big chunk of cash for the 
clearance. Maybe that's changed now...I don't know.

But the syndication piece of Imus is minimal compared to the revenue he 
pulls in on WFAN. With the exception of WTKK, which is easily his most 
successful affiliate outside NYC, he's on a bunch of rimshotters (his 
"LA" clearance is a daytimer on 1050 in Riverside County that gets 
buried by KNX anywhere west of I-605, for those who know the territory) 
and also-ran signals. Losing all of those would have almost no economic 
impact. Losing MSNBC was a blow to Imus, since its national reach in 
some ways negated the need for radio affiliates around the country. And 
for WFAN, losing the revenue Imus brought in would be devastating.

Remember when he used to end the show (and for all I know, he still 
does) with the liner "This concludes the revenue-generating portion of 
our broadcast day"? There was - and is - a lot of truth in that 
statement where WFAN is concerned.

s