Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk > Archives > 2007 > December > 30 > Entry
12/31: Looking to 2008 in Atlanta radio
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So much turmoil, so little time.
Next year looks to be a fun one for Atlanta radio. Starting next month, three major 100,000 watt signals will introduce new personality-based local morning shows: 92.9/Dave FM’s Zakk Tyler show, Star 94’s Morning Mess and 94.9/The Bull’s Cledus T. Judd show. (The Morning Mess actually had a “soft” opening this morning though the “official” launch isn’t until Wednesday.)
In the meantime, Project 9-6-1’s Giant Brian show is a mere three months old and 99X’s Morning X revival is seeking a replacement for Sean Demery, who abruptly left earlier this month.
Also, WSB-AM introduces its new evening show starring Herman Cain on Jan. 2 and the Zone starts its revamped lineup across the board Jan. 7, including Mike Bell in the late afternoons with Chuck Oliver and the Stews from 1 to 4 instead of 3 to 7 p.m.
Later in the year, Arbitron moves to a new ratings system for advertisers in Atlanta featuring a pager-like device which detects radio signals passively. This is rather different than the current 1950s technology of paper diaries people have to fill out for a week at a time. Based on early ratings numbers in test markets of Houston and Philadelphia, this new People Meter could potentially benefit rock and pop stations but given the preponderance of urban stations here in Atlanta, it’ll be interesting to see whether the shift will hurt powerhouse stations such as V-103 and Kiss 104.1.
Over in satellite radio land, Sirius and XM are attempting to merge because both are still hemorrhaging money. The two companies are still awaiting FCC approval. And that HD radio companies keep touting? The high cost of receivers so far has kept consumers from jumping aboard despite extra channels and higher sound quality. People are fine with either free radio, iPods or satellite so far.
There are also plenty of former radio personalities who may be seeking new homes in 2008. A few have been jobless (at least on air) for awhile including the Regular Guys and Jimmy Baron. Others, such as Spiff Carner and Steve & Vikki, will have to wait out noncompete provisions but will be on the market by midyear.
What are you most looking forward to in Atlanta radio 2008?
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Rodney Headed Ho
December 31, 2007 12:01 PM | Link to this
I’m looking forward to more meaningful content from you!
Is it possible?
By Dano
December 31, 2007 12:27 PM | Link to this
Happy New Year, Rodney! - keep up the good work and ignore the “haters” with too much time on their hands!
Morning Mess is gonna be FUN!
By Thrash
December 31, 2007 1:43 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the blog Rodney, Happy New Year. It should be a fun year of b*** and moaning for us!
By TruthHurts
December 31, 2007 2:06 PM | Link to this
I’m looking forward to more opportunities in 2008 to insult the ghetto trash and nappy headed skeezers that come on this blog. Happy Kwanzaa!
By Listener
December 31, 2007 2:23 PM | Link to this
Listened to the “soft” opening this morning of the Morning Mess. Could they please speak a little slower and maybe try speaking one at a time? We couldn’t tell who or what they were talking about because they were all speaking at once. Hubby and I tried to wait and see how the mornings were going to turn out. Any suggestions on other stations to listen to???
By Stephanie
December 31, 2007 2:33 PM | Link to this
Tomorrow, I will tune into the River just to see if they still call themselves “The NEW 97.1 The River.” It will be their second birthday. Can they spring for some new promos?
By gttim
December 31, 2007 4:05 PM | Link to this
Happy New Year Rodney. Thanks for keeping up with the radio stuff!
By Radio Lover
December 31, 2007 4:28 PM | Link to this
Looking forward to hearing the new Zakk Tyler show and hoping Dave FM moves to rock.
By Kenny
December 31, 2007 4:59 PM | Link to this
Radio Listener Bill Of Rights By : Kenny Of Snellville (The ATM Guy)
Drafted December 30, 2007
Recently an airline passenger bill of rights was passed to insure good airline service for stranded airline passengers. It then dawned on me, when summertime, Christmas time, or any other vacation pops up, radio listeners are sort of left stranded on the runway when their favorite talkshow hosts take leave from the airwaves. As I see it, radio talkshow hosts as public figures are accountable to their listeners. Afterall, without listeners they wouldn’t have a job to make ungodly sums of money for doing little more than BS-ing their listeners. With that in mind, I have proposed a 3 rule bill of rights for talkshow hosts to abide by as a sign of respect to their listeners.
Effective immediately, all recording of talkshows will cease thus insuring the listeners that when they hear a talkshow host’s voice they know it’s LIVE and not “memorex.” This will also insure no more burnout from re-runs and that radio hosts won’t be able to hide behind “best of” shows. Their listeners work for a living and can’t fake work at their jobs with “best of” performances so why should a talkshow host be any different. “Best of” broadcasts are disrespectful to listeners while a radio host goofs off at the expense of listeners.
When hosts go on vacation, they will be required to inform their listeners WHERE they’re vacationing or WHY they’re playing hookie from their job. Most working people need approval and reasons to be away from their jobs so why should a radio talkshow host be any different. These hosts afterall are accountable to their listeners as they wouldn’t have a job without them.
The host will be required at all times to disclose when they are not broadcasting from their flagship station. The practice of not informing listeners of remote broadcasts is deceptive, insincere, and false advertising. As a local entity, the talkshow host’s priority if their LOCAL listeners first from their broadcast city of origin. A host is accountable to their local listeners first.
By following these 3 simple rules, radio talkshow hosts will strengthen the trust from their listeners, gain credibility, and insure that their listeners are getting what they pay for as time is money and listeners are also buying the goods and services advertised on a given radio talkshow. In short, the radio listener bill of rights will keep the talkshow host more accountable to their listener.
By Kenny
December 31, 2007 5:00 PM | Link to this
Radio Listener Bill Of Rights By : Kenny Of Snellville (The ATM Guy)
Drafted December 30, 2007
Recently an airline passenger bill of rights was passed to insure good airline service for stranded airline passengers. It then dawned on me, when summertime, Christmas time, or any other vacation pops up, radio listeners are sort of left stranded on the runway when their favorite talkshow hosts take leave from the airwaves. As I see it, radio talkshow hosts as public figures are accountable to their listeners. Afterall, without listeners they wouldn’t have a job to make ungodly sums of money for doing little more than BS-ing their listeners. With that in mind, I have proposed a 3 rule bill of rights for talkshow hosts to abide by as a sign of respect to their listeners.
Effective immediately, all recording of talkshows will cease thus insuring the listeners that when they hear a talkshow host’s voice they know it’s LIVE and not “memorex.” This will also insure no more burnout from re-runs and that radio hosts won’t be able to hide behind “best of” shows. Their listeners work for a living and can’t fake work at their jobs with “best of” performances so why should a talkshow host be any different. “Best of” broadcasts are disrespectful to listeners while a radio host goofs off at the expense of listeners.
When hosts go on vacation, they will be required to inform their listeners WHERE they’re vacationing or WHY they’re playing hookie from their job. Most working people need approval and reasons to be away from their jobs so why should a radio talkshow host be any different. These hosts afterall are accountable to their listeners as they wouldn’t have a job without them.
The host will be required at all times to disclose when they are not broadcasting from their flagship station. The practice of not informing listeners of remote broadcasts is deceptive, insincere, and false advertising. As a local entity, the talkshow host’s priority if their LOCAL listeners first from their broadcast city of origin. A host is accountable to their local listeners first.
By following these 3 simple rules, radio talkshow hosts will strengthen the trust from their listeners, gain credibility, and insure that their listeners are getting what they pay for as time is money and listeners are also buying the goods and services advertised on a given radio talkshow. In short, the radio listener bill of rights will keep the talkshow host more accountable to their listener.
By TalkRadio Fan
December 31, 2007 7:01 PM | Link to this
Kenny,
How many WEEKS did it take you to compose that mindless drivel?
Wouldn’t you rather hear a GOOD best-of Boortz rather than a mediocre and amateurish Ted Clark or Mark Arum?
And who cares if Rush is in New York or West Palm Beach? Or if Clark Howard is in the WSB studios or in the middle of a book tour in suburban Poughkeepsie, NY?
Focus on the IMPORTANT stuff, and quit whining about unimportant things, okay?
Happy New Year anyway!
By Scotto
January 2, 2008 9:14 AM | Link to this
Kenny,
Add this one to your listener bill of rights:
No more radio commercials with the announcer repeating the phone number over and over and over again - extremely irritating! In addition, no more fast talking legalese mumbo jumbo at the end of the commercial. Simply state the following during the commercial: “for contact information and restrictions check us out on the web”. If a company has enough $$ to advertise on the radio, then odds are they have a fully functioning web site. Practically every listener has access to a computer and we all know how to Google something. If a listener is actually interested in finding out more about the product, it will take them all of five seconds to obtain the necessary information on the web. Please advertisers RETHINK your strategy and stop irritating the heck out of us with all your noise!
By Rodney Headed Ho
January 2, 2008 9:48 AM | Link to this
BREAKING NEWS!!!!!
Atlanta radio will still suck in 2008.
By Erik from Atlanta
January 2, 2008 4:20 PM | Link to this
Prediction for Atlanta Radio 2008: Atlanta Radio Stations will continue to p** off listeners by playing same songs off limited playlists.
This will only cause the listeners to go to MP3 players,I-Pods,Sirius,XM, & internet only radio stations.
I also predict these listeners will not return to Atlanta Radio Stations
By Erik from Atlanta
January 2, 2008 4:21 PM | Link to this
Prediction for Atlanta Radio 2008: Atlanta Radio Stations will continue to p** off listeners by playing same songs off limited playlists.
This will only cause the listeners to go to MP3 players,I-Pods,Sirius,XM, & internet only radio stations.
I also predict these listeners will not return to Atlanta Radio Stations
By xfan
January 3, 2008 9:16 AM | Link to this
i love the hd stations. no commercials! i know what you’ll say - satellite doesn’t have commercials either - but that’s not true, many of the satellite stations run commercials now because sirius and xm are indeed hemorrhaging money. also, satellite subscription = not free. hd bonus stations = free. good variety of music, and sounds great, too.
By emmitt kelly
January 4, 2008 2:26 PM | Link to this
Lets get wsb a.m. on either sirus or xm they truly would cover the area..we have Cincinnati and nashville already. it would seem there advertising rate would increase..i hear sales for car dealers in cincinnati and I am in dallas! don’t be the last to get on the bandwagon.
By RealRadioWorld
January 6, 2008 12:16 AM | Link to this
“Inform Listeners Of Where A Host Is Vacationing Or What Other Reason They Are Off The Air When hosts go on vacation, they will be required to inform their listeners WHERE they’re vacationing or WHY they’re playing hookie from their job. Most working people need approval and reasons to be away from their jobs so why should a radio talkshow host be any different. These hosts afterall are accountable to their listeners as they wouldn’t have a job without them.”
Are you serious with this?? First of all, why do you care where they are vacationing? Or why they are away from work? None of your business! Most employers don’t even have that information about their talent. They’re allowed a certain amount of privacy! And correction, they wouldn’t have a job without the advertisers who spend the money. Sorry to burst your bubble. There are honestly more important things in life.