News Radio 740

[thathoustonradiogeek]

Actually, CBS wanted to buy KTRH long before CC came along, even in the 60s and 70s. The network wanted a 50kw AM powerhouse station on the Gulf Coast so bad they could taste it, and KTRH could have been a real jewel in the CBS Radio crown. 

When I worked there in the 70s, I heard stories of CBS execs coming down to personally offer owner John Jones of Rusk Corp a blank check for the stations. Name your price and write it on the check.  Jones just couldn't bring himself to sell it, at any price, but his son Jay Jones had no problem selling it as soon as his father died in the 90s.  By that time CBS Radio wasn't a big player anymore.

Maaaan. Do I wish the elder Jones had caved in.

Did the other radio company that offered all-news (namely Group W Westinghouse) ever show interest in KTRH?

[rip-n-read]

This just in!  Michael Berry is the new operations manager at CC. He is the new Ken Charles.  Yes, city councilman Michael Berry.  Yes, this is true.

[miranda919]

This just in!  Michael Berry is the new operations manager at CC. He is the new Ken Charles.  Yes, city councilman Michael Berry.  Yes, this is true.

Ooooh... someone leaked!!!

Hahaha

[hrhwebmaster]

Actually, CBS wanted to buy KTRH long before CC came along, even in the 60s and 70s. The network wanted a 50kw AM powerhouse station on the Gulf Coast so bad they could taste it, and KTRH could have been a real jewel in the CBS Radio crown. 

When I worked there in the 70s, I heard stories of CBS execs coming down to personally offer owner John Jones of Rusk Corp a blank check for the stations. Name your price and write it on the check.  Jones just couldn't bring himself to sell it, at any price, but his son Jay Jones had no problem selling it as soon as his father died in the 90s.  By that time CBS Radio wasn't a big player anymore.

Maaaan. Do I wish the elder Jones had caved in.

Did the other radio company that offered all-news (namely Group W Westinghouse) ever show interest in KTRH?

When Group W first entered the market (78?) buying KODA-AM/FM, they had to spin off the AM because they were at the ownership limits.  KTRH was discussed as a good fit for the group but that would have meant spinning off one of their heritage AMs, WBZ, WINS, KYW, WOWO, KFWB, WIND, KDKA, and that was not going to happen.  They concentrated on building their FM group which had only 2 stations at the time and they wanted all Beautiful Music outlets.  When ownership limits were expanded I'm sure there were thoughts but I don't know if any overtures were ever made, much less offers.  When Group W did come into Houston again, they bought KILT-AM/FM from Sillerman?, Legacy? because it was available while presumably KTRH was not.  While TRH was seen as a facility with a lot of potential the Group W news and talk people didn't have much respect for the programming; they liked to believe they wrote the book on all-news and NewsTalk, as they called it, probably didn't have much respect for any other operators in the field.  KTRH was derided as Blueberry Stain radio, the type of talk station that had the Home Demonstraton Agent on every Thursday afternoon at 2pm to take calls about how to get blueberry stains out of your tablecloth.  NewsTalk was exclusively focused on talk about the issues of the day, indeed, the issues of the hour.  Whatever was hot in that day's news would be what the hosts wanted to talk about and they'd have experts on, often by phone, within minutes of a breaking issue.  It would have been interesting; with regard to all news, WINS/NYC regularly beat WCBS; 10K directional KFWB/LA regularly beat 50k clear KNX/(CBS)LA.  Group W was a very good operator and they didn't share their secrets with anybody.  You almost never saw Group W people participating in panel discussions at NAB, etc., and when they did, they only gave generic answers.

[kzewdude]

Hadn't listened in awhile, so I tuned in last Friday during the hostage situation at JSC. Figured there'd be good coverage. Instead, the talk host was rehashing whether NBC should have aired the VT gunman videos. He kept saying, "We have a reporter on the way to JSC" and said he was getting e-mails from people who claimed they knew what was going on. Never a payoff in the hour I listened. UNbelievable.

[Disillusioned]

Hadn't listened in awhile, so I tuned in last Friday during the hostage situation at JSC. Figured there'd be good coverage. Instead, the talk host was rehashing whether NBC should have aired the VT gunman videos. He kept saying, "We have a reporter on the way to JSC" and said he was getting e-mails from people who claimed they knew what was going on. Never a payoff in the hour I listened. UNbelievable.

They went wall-to-wall news after that.  Some on the inside thought they were too slow to break format for this story, but when they did it was good coverage. 

[sportzguy]

It may be that 740 has lost cred, but look at the overall state of radio AND TV these days. Prime example: The atrocious report done by Eric James  KTRK CH-13 from the tank truck explosion today. At one point saying "BURNLY BAD" in his report.
This is suppose to be a major media market, not a Hearne , Texas training ground.

Peas Out!
    

[sportzguy]

Even I didn't proof read my post.....misspelled suppose instead of supposed.
I too, am a 21st century media victim.

[FilioScotia]

Last weekend, in a story the gist of which escapes me now, KTRK anchor Stephanie Guadian referred to a Navy Lieutenant Commander as a "Lieutenant Captain".  It was hardly the first time Ms Guadian has said something equally "erroneous".

Good grief!  Doesn't anybody over there have any idea how really dumb some of their anchors sound?

[thathoustonradiogeek]

When Group W first entered the market (78?) buying KODA-AM/FM, they had to spin off the AM because they were at the ownership limits.  KTRH was discussed as a good fit for the group but that would have meant spinning off one of their heritage AMs, WBZ, WINS, KYW, WOWO, KFWB, WIND, KDKA, and that was not going to happen.  They concentrated on building their FM group which had only 2 stations at the time and they wanted all Beautiful Music outlets.  When ownership limits were expanded I'm sure there were thoughts but I don't know if any overtures were ever made, much less offers.  When Group W did come into Houston again, they bought KILT-AM/FM from Sillerman?, Legacy? because it was available while presumably KTRH was not.  While TRH was seen as a facility with a lot of potential the Group W news and talk people didn't have much respect for the programming; they liked to believe they wrote the book on all-news and NewsTalk, as they called it, probably didn't have much respect for any other operators in the field.  KTRH was derided as Blueberry Stain radio, the type of talk station that had the Home Demonstraton Agent on every Thursday afternoon at 2pm to take calls about how to get blueberry stains out of your tablecloth.  NewsTalk was exclusively focused on talk about the issues of the day, indeed, the issues of the hour.  Whatever was hot in that day's news would be what the hosts wanted to talk about and they'd have experts on, often by phone, within minutes of a breaking issue.  It would have been interesting; with regard to all news, WINS/NYC regularly beat WCBS; 10K directional KFWB/LA regularly beat 50k clear KNX/(CBS)LA.  Group W was a very good operator and they didn't share their secrets with anybody.  You almost never saw Group W people participating in panel discussions at NAB, etc., and when they did, they only gave generic answers.

Fascinating. Thanks for the reply