• “Wish You Were Here” – Pink Floyd
• “Tempted” – Squeeze
• “Black Betty” – Ram Jam
• “Born In the U.S.A.” – Bruce Springsteen
• “What It’s Like” – Everlast
• “Highway to Hell” – AC/DC
• “Beautiful Day” – U2
• “Something To Believe In” – Poison
• “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” – Blue Oyster Cult
• “Selling the Drama” – Live

One thing the entire extended playlist has in common is that the songs are all more than 10 years old. While this is a more varied mix that isn’t likely to repeat songs ad nauseum during the workday (eg. Adele, The Script, Train), these are songs that have been played and played and played and played and played. This isn’t an assault on “Alternative”. It’s an assault on anything remotely creative.

Curtis Media Group also has rebranded the station to “Radio 96.1”. While it isn’t a major shift in format, it is a big enough change to warrant new branding.

What makes no sense…NO SENSE, however is the dismissal of Bob The Blade, a great personality in this market for, what, almost three decades now? If we have to endure “Don’t Fear the Reaper” for the 80,000th time, at least do it with a personality that so many people enjoy like a sibling. He was one of the bright spots in a dismal, embarrassing radio market.

If Curtis Media and Clear Channel controlled the production of food and restaurant menus, we would still be eating Pot Roast, Hamburgers, and Hot Dogs. We are one of the best places to live in America, but it surely isn’t a result of local radio’s work.

It is a very interesting move that says nothing more than 99.9’s coveted afternoon drive-time ratings must have been extremely disappointing. Mark and Mike are pretty knowledgeable about football and hockey, but their talent in the basketball is extremely inappropriate for this market. Adam Gold, on the other hand, is extremely knowledgeable, but is only slightly less annoying than Billy Ray Cyrus.

NOTE: 11/3/2009 – this move was, indeed announced late Monday afternoon. WRDU will carry Glenn Beck at 9am, Rush Limbaugh at Noon, and Sean Hannity at 3pm.

(Please feel free to comment, but spare us pro/anti-Rush rhetoric . The point of the post is the impact on local radio.)

The move means the end of the line for the area leader in sports talk, 850 The Buzz. For me it began back on September 6, 1996, Hurricane Fran had devastated Raleigh, leaving hundreds of thousands without power for days. The next day we were scanning the dial for afternoon discussion about the hurricane damage, and landed on the old KIX signal, 850 am. I didn’t realize that they were doing talk radio at that point, but we couldn’t turn it off. In that era they had The Fabulous Sports Babe, Mark Jackson (sports), and some chick who talked about sex every night. Excellent grammarian Pat Mellon took the afternoon drive time for a while and talked about local issues, especially the struggle to land an NHL team and to get funding to complete the planned arena in West Raleigh.

By a couple of years later, under the direction of programming director Craig Schwalb, 850 had dedicated itself to sports talk and firmly cemented its presence as the local sports talk leader. While 620 had some mumbling curmudgeon each evening mocking the future of the Canes, 850 had a strong local lineup including Mike Solarte, Adam Gold, and Morgan Patrick.

I happened to be the big winner of 850’s trip to eat lunch in NYC with The Fabulous Sportsbabe contest. The station put us up in the Helmsley Park Central, gave us tickets to the BOS/NYR hockey game at The Garden (lame crowd), and tickets to see Saturday Night Live. It will go down as one of my favorite weekends, so 850 The Buzz will always hold a place in my heart.

As the sports talk format grew in America this decade, 850 faced new challengers. The race for the all-important 18-40 male market has been an interesting one. With a coveted place on the FM dial and lots of “capital” behind it, Capital Broadcasting buys a strong station and will reorganize its lineup.

99.9 FM carries the ESPN brand, and has a long-term contract with the radio network, so we are likely to see the national programming on that station staying put. The popular Jim Rome Show will likely shift over to 620 The Bull. According to someone close to the situation, local sports talk will fill the gaps on both stations in order to always bring a national/regional + local one-two punch.

In the end what we are really seeing is a shift of 850 The Buzz over to 620 The Bull, with a few exceptions. ACC expert Dave Glenn will take the 99.9 drive time slot, while it is likely that Mark Packer will be carried on 620 opposite.

Many, many questions remain to be answered, though. There is no word on what will happen to other local talent such as Morgan Patrick, Bomani Jones, Amnon Nissan, Scott Jackson, Mark Thomas, and Mike Maniscalco. Who will carry Imus In the Morning? What will happen to the Dan Patrick Show?

The transition date has not been set. In fact we don’t know that it will happen before year’s end. In the meantime, enjoy the “strong” signal on 850 the Buzz while you can, and enjoy some of these local talent people I mentioned…while you can.

8/11 Note: This bit of info comes from the TBJ story:

"In addition, Curtis Media is forming a new sports network, which will syndicate radio shows hosted by 850 The Buzz mainstay David Glenn and WPTF sports anchor Taylor Zarzour. Capitol has agreed to broadcast Zarzour on WDNC weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon, while Glenn’s program will air from noon to 3 p.m. on 99.9 The Fan."

Presumably the concept here is to take these two, especially Glenn, and syndicate them to smaller markets in the region. It is perfectly reasonable to see his show, for instance, being carried in markets like Wilmington, Greensboro, Fayetteville, and smaller towns. Perhaps, though, it would be interesting to people in Asheville, Richmond, and beyond given Glenn’s expertise of ACC issues.

News reporter Kelcey Carlson will take Loveland’s seat on the WRAL TV morning news. Valonda Calloway will join Bill Leslie at noon.

Any thoughts (beyond Madison) who might fill the spot? My bet is on WRAL finding talent outside the market.

The show is synicated in around 125 North American cities, however is not carried in Seacrest’s hometown of Atlanta. I have not heard his radio show yet, however if it is as good as his work filling in for Larry King, this will be a positive move for the station.

• WRAL (101.5)
• WFXC (107.1)
• WQDR (94.7)
• WQOK (97.5)
• WYMY (96.9)
• WBBB (96.1)
• WNNL (103.9)
• WDCG (105.1)
• WRVA (100.7)
• WRDU (106.1)
• WWMY (102.9)
• WKSL (93.9)
• WZTK (101.1)
• WKRR (92.3)
• WJMH
• WQMG (97.1)
• WNCT (107.9)

The special show is part of the station’s year-long 10th anniversary celebration. In April the station welcomed back The Fabulous Sports Babe for one show. No word yet on whether Kayla will be returning for a show

NORTH CAROLINA… mid size market near Raliegh,NC. 10,000 watts day, some small power at night. Doing new talk format. Doing GREAT business. Very nice equipment. New owner will have to relocate tower site. Owner wants to retire, asking $500,000 cash and you move tower, or $600,000 and the present owner will move tower. Call Ted Gray for more information (336) 570-9133. This is a very good market with lots of potential. If you are looking for a good radio station to buy, this would be one to consider.

We’re NewsTalk 680 WPTF, and we’re seeking our next great morning host. If you love local radio, prepare like crazy, immerse yourself in the community and are a selfless team player, this could be your last job. Morning zoos and in-your-face instigators need not apply; this a fast-paced, news-intensive, politically-neutral show with a contributing cast of six.

Unfortunately Jack Boston was diagnosed with a leukemia recurrence right after he took the job a year and a half ago. I can only assume that Boston and/or Curtis decided that it wouldn’t work out. Hang in there, Jack!!!

I won 850′s big trip to eat lunch with the Fabulous Sports Babe in 1999. The programming manager at the time, Craig Schwalb, and his girlfriend flew my fiance and me up to NYC. We stayed at the Helmsley Park Central hotel for three nights, watched Babe do her show, and ate together at the All-Star Cafe. The station also supplied us with tickets for both the Rangers/Bruins hockey game and Saturday Night Live (Ray Romano/The Corrs). On Friday night Craig and Michelle ate at Windows on the World and got engaged, so 9/11 was difficult for them in a unique way. It was a trip for the ages for everyone involved, and we made lifelong friends in the Schwalbs.

Our trip had to be postponed three months because Babe was diagnosed with cancer. Soon after my trip she moved to Tampa and did her show from down there. ESPN radio dropped her and while she did find another syndicator, stations did not follow, and The Babe faded into the “I hope she’s doing well” category. To this day her website still reads “Gone Fishing”.

It will be great to hear her again. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to thank her for sending my fiance and me the Kiss of the Babe-ino on our wedding day. Nine years later, The Kiss works like a charm!