WEMP Hires New VP Programming & News

[Barry]

AllAccess and other trades are reporting that the FM news station is bringing in Mark Austin Thomas. Thomas has experience with news/talk stations in the Los Angeles area.
It will be interesting whether this leads to yet another shakeup in WEMP's news programming, or even a move towards a news/talk format.
There have also been reports that a considerable amount of the programming that airs on sister Merlin news station WIQI in Chicago is originating from WEMP. That station also recently laid off another three staff members. It seems clear that Merlin is still tinkering with the programming on both stations.

[TimeIsTight]

The original sense I got of Merlin's programming plan, was that it wanted to maximize its advertising revenue streams by becoming the all-news station for the next generation on FM in major markets.  It could offer advertisers a foreground format, and younger demos, while being able to pile more spots into each all-news hour.  Smart thinking, but so far the execution of the plan has failed to draw the needed audience to news in NYC and Chicago.

Merlin's recent decision to fill its new Philadelphia FM with syndicated talk programming that usually attracts older demos may signal a significant shift in the company's strategy.  It may no longer be trying to build a national major-market news brand, both on FM and the Internet, and, instead, may just want to own major market radio stations with whatever format works best financially at the moment.

Mark Austin Thomas is an interesting choice to head programming, since he has a background in news on talk stations.  So, he has the background in both areas.  There is no doubt that Merlin has had to scale its original all-news plans way back.  It started out in New York with ambitious plans for a number of suburban bureaus, and a much larger local news staff.   The sharing of news content between Merlin news stations in different markets was probably part of the original plan, but they probably didn't expect to have to share content to fill air time because there wasn't enough local staff to adequately do that.

Mark Austin Thomas will have some interesting decisions to make in the months ahead.  The situation is going to be interesting to watch.

[MusicRadioUSA]

If WEMP would go in the direction of talk radio, what type of talk might we expect to hear on FM ?

[DToTheJ]

AllAccess and other trades are reporting that the FM news station is bringing in Mark Austin Thomas. Thomas has experience with news/talk stations...

Book it. They'll be going after Rush if WABC lets him loose.

[recto101]

If WEMP would go in the direction of talk radio, what type of talk might we expect to hear on FM ?

I hope they go News/Talk to resemble KFWB or KGO.

[Nick]

If WEMP would go in the direction of talk radio, what type of talk might we expect to hear on FM ?

Probably the same type of talk that will air on 106.9 in Philly, conservative talk.

[radioguy39nj]

If WEMP would go in the direction of talk radio, what type of talk might we expect to hear on FM ?

I hope they go News/Talk to resemble KFWB or KGO.

WEMP had the chance to go like classic KGO, long form news blocks AM Drive, Midday, PM Drive.  Mostly or all-local talk.  They chose all-news.  No way will they go like classic KGO, not with Rush & Sean possibly available.  The void for local talk in New York will likely remain, sorry to say.  

[reelyreal]

If WEMP would go in the direction of talk radio, what type of talk might we expect to hear on FM ?

I hope they go News/Talk to resemble KFWB or KGO.

WEMP had the chance to go like classic KGO, long form news blocks AM Drive, Midday, PM Drive.  Mostly or all-local talk.  They chose all-news.  No way will they go like classic KGO, not with Rush & Sean possibly available.  The void for local talk in New York will likely remain, sorry to say.  

Maybe someone can help me out here... in the most melting-pot-resembling city in the melting-pot country, what would "local" talk sound like?  Do the majority of Manhattan talk radio listeners care about what the city council's up to?  Does ANYONE in the suburbs care?

[recto101]

If WEMP would go in the direction of talk radio, what type of talk might we expect to hear on FM ?

I hope they go News/Talk to resemble KFWB or KGO.

WEMP had the chance to go like classic KGO, long form news blocks AM Drive, Midday, PM Drive.  Mostly or all-local talk.  They chose all-news.  No way will they go like classic KGO, not with Rush & Sean possibly available.  The void for local talk in New York will likely remain, sorry to say.  

Maybe someone can help me out here... in the most melting-pot-resembling city in the melting-pot country, what would "local" talk sound like?  Do the majority of Manhattan talk radio listeners care about what the city council's up to?  Does ANYONE in the suburbs care?

I think if you care about NYC City Hall or NYC suburbs City Hall or Board of Supervisiors you would go to WINS or WCBS 880 to get that info. Or WEMP and Merlin O&O's can get a contract from TRN to run America's radio Network News for hourly update for National politics and automate themselves with the ARNN for the entire day if no Local talent wants to go to any Merlin O&O. How about WEMP does a local show like KCBS on Sunday Mornings called "in Depth" if they are serious in staying in Business.

[radioguy39nj]

If WEMP would go in the direction of talk radio, what type of talk might we expect to hear on FM ?

I hope they go News/Talk to resemble KFWB or KGO.

WEMP had the chance to go like classic KGO, long form news blocks AM Drive, Midday, PM Drive.  Mostly or all-local talk.  They chose all-news.  No way will they go like classic KGO, not with Rush & Sean possibly available.  The void for local talk in New York will likely remain, sorry to say.  

Maybe someone can help me out here... in the most melting-pot-resembling city in the melting-pot country, what would "local" talk sound like?  Do the majority of Manhattan talk radio listeners care about what the city council's up to?  Does ANYONE in the suburbs care?

You have mostly local talk on KFI LA, market #2 and another melting pot market.  Despite demo issues, WGN Chicago remains all-local and has high ratings.  WLS-AM (a Cumulus station) airs more local programming than flagship WABC, a New York station by ID only.

New York is a melting pot, but there are more than enough English-speaking listeners in the tri-state region to do a successful local or mostly local talk format.