Life After Paul Harvey

[OhioMediaWatch]

Pretty much as I expected in the message right above this:

My guess is that those segments will be offered once a day for each man, and neither will mount anything close to PH's schedule.

I think ABC Radio/Citadel's biggest problem is that since there basically will be no direct replacement of Mr. Harvey, they feel like they have to come up with a wide enough menu to keep as many of Harvey's former affiliates as possible.

What appears to be happening is that Huckabee is being considered as the "default" option...and aside from conservative talkers which may have already considered/carried Huckabee's segments, it's being rejected.  The breadth and depth of the PH affiliate base is shrinking, rapidly...so ABC is basically throwing out new options hoping to get some of those stations back.

[KyDXIn]

Pretty much as I expected in the message right above this:

My guess is that those segments will be offered once a day for each man, and neither will mount anything close to PH's schedule.

I think ABC Radio/Citadel's biggest problem is that since there basically will be no direct replacement of Mr. Harvey, they feel like they have to come up with a wide enough menu to keep as many of Harvey's former affiliates as possible.

What appears to be happening is that Huckabee is being considered as the "default" option...and aside from conservative talkers which may have already considered/carried Huckabee's segments, it's being rejected.  The breadth and depth of the PH affiliate base is shrinking, rapidly...so ABC is basically throwing out new options hoping to get some of those stations back.

How can Huckabee's 3 minute midday comment replace PH's 15 minute "news and comment" program?  Are there any others available with comment shows to fill the void?

[vchimpanzee]

I've listened to a few of the Huckabee programs, and they are OK as a "commentary" but not at all suitable as replacement for Paul Harvey.  ABC should have at least continued a "news and comment" for morning drive.  Gil Gross or Doug Limerick or Ron Chapman would be fine.

We decided not the run the Huckabee programs:  too much commentary and not enough news, and didn't like the idea of running a partisan politician three times a day.  And when our ABC affiliation come up for renewal, we will look at other networks.

I liked Gil Gross and Doug Limerick I thought two of those type reports a day might be too much, though there seems to be enough news for both. My preference would have been reruns of "The Rest of the Story" by Mr. Harvey Sr. in its old slot.

Ron Chapman did a great job on Saturday at noon, and I was hoping he could continue the same format. Mostly dumb crook stories and that sort of thing. And Mr. Harvey Sr.  doing "What is a father?" or his Christmas program when appropriate. Even Gil Gross had a good show with his four long commentaries, one in each segment.

[vchimpanzee]

ABC's "a la carte menu", as someone here so aptly put it, will now apparently include WLS/Chicago host Roe Conn, and may even offer segments by both Gil Gross and Doug Limerick.  (This is per an AllAccess report a few days ago.)

It appears for now, Huckabee will be the "default" option on the former PH network, and it sounds like Paul Jr. may be able to return with "Rest of the Story" when he decides if he wants to return to radio.

I think a big part of this problem is simply put:  No one wants to be The Guy Who Replaced Paul Harvey.  There's clearly SOME interest for the Gross/Limerick segments, but I don't think either man wants to be PH's replacement.  My guess is that those segments will be offered once a day for each man, and neither will mount anything close to PH's schedule.

Huckabee is just such a bad fit for what Used to Be, particularly non-conservative talkers. Of our four former PH affiliates here, it appears none - even the two talkers - are interested in Huckabee.

Is there a reliable source for any of this? I updated the appropriate Wikipedia articles and was reverted in all cases except Mike Huckabee's article because the source wasn't considered reliable. It's not right having all these articles ending the story with inaccurate information just because the sources don't meet their high standards.

[OhioMediaWatch]

Is there a reliable source for any of this? I updated the appropriate Wikipedia articles and was reverted in all cases except Mike Huckabee's article because the source wasn't considered reliable. It's not right having all these articles ending the story with inaccurate information just because the sources don't meet their high standards.

AllAccess had the information about Roe Conn, and about the potential new Gross/Limerick segments.  I don't think ABC/Citadel has announced it yet.

[vchimpanzee]

Is there a reliable source for any of this? I updated the appropriate Wikipedia articles and was reverted in all cases except Mike Huckabee's article because the source wasn't considered reliable. It's not right having all these articles ending the story with inaccurate information just because the sources don't meet their high standards.

AllAccess had the information about Roe Conn, and about the potential new Gross/Limerick segments.  I don't think ABC/Citadel has announced it yet.

Where would I find the information? Is it up to Wikipedia's high standards?

Ironically, most of what I put there about radio stations is just stuff I heard here but I don't use this site as a source because it's not allowed. And nothing happens.

[OhioMediaWatch]

Roe Conn's website now mentions the feature, in something that appears to have just been added to the bottom of the front page:

About The Roe Report

The Roe Report is a daily two minute news and commentary feature produced by ABC News Radio and distributed by The ABC Radio Networks. It can be heard on Chicago’s WLS-AM, KABC-AM in Los Angeles and WABC-AM New York.

There is a link to a "Roe Report" site that only says "Coming soon" now.

http://roeconn.com/report

Two minutes...I don't know if that includes network spot inventory or not.

As for the PH 15 minute midday show...yes, Huckabee's segment doesn't match it time wise, nor do any of the others mentioned so far.

I find it hard to believe that even PH's former affiliates are clamoring for a direct 15 minute replacement for the "Midday Visit".  And I don't expect ABC to ever "fill" that full slot.

[AmFmGm]

IMHO - The various offerings dicussed within this thread don't seem to be worthy of utterance in the context of "Paul Harvey replacements" - they are all just something else.  If Paul Harvey Jr. chose to continue in any form (News or Rest Of The Story), then that would constitute a legacy.  As the writer of the Rest Of The Story, at least the words would be the same even though the voice is not.  It seems odd that the revolving door continues to spin without any word of PH Jr. - I predict that next ABC will offer any and all former Presidential candidates as potential "replacements" - Wonder where Ross Perot is these days?? He sounds kind of "down home country" like Paul Harvey - bet he will work!  Sheeesh!

[vchimpanzee]

Mike Huckabee did "The Rest of the Story" today--sort of.

He didn't do it quite like Mr. Harvey. Certainly there wasn't that mystery that was solved at the end. But he did teach us something we might not have known. There were three stories about the American Revolution, for the Fourth. You can hear them online at mikehuckabee.com.