OK, now what?

[DashRiprock]

In the heat of the moment I got mad at the RG firing and swore off all Clear Channel stations… OK, so now what the heck am I going to listen to?

For morning drive I’m screwed. There is nothing there. I’m not a twenty something female who wants to hear the latest gossip about “Dancing with the Stars” or a hip dude rattling two square blocks with my subwoofer.

Daytime is no better. All sports starts to get old after a while and all business gets old even quicker. My choices are WSB, GKA or the MLB “eclectic” mix of opera, punk rock and Al Franken.

Afternoons? See morning drive.

I like talk, news/commentary with attitude, traffic, and the occasional fart joke. What’s out there for me and the rest of my 2.8 share associates? 

[fussbudget]

XM? Sirius? Ipod? MP3's? CD's?

[DashRiprock]

XM? Sirius? Ipod? MP3's? CD's?

I’ve always been fundamentally opposed to paying for radio, but I guess it’s time to give in. Are there any other RG type shows out there or is it just Howard vs. O&A?

[RTibbs]

I know I will be ripped by some for this one but Mayhem in the AM gives you a lot of that same guys hanging out cutting on each other without Larry's huge ego to control everything. Sports might be the slant but they don't go that heavy on the sports where they lose you.

Of course the OTP's like myself usually have to write them off for the winter because it is at least 7:30 before you can get the signal.

[InstrumentofTRUTH]

I’ve always been fundamentally opposed to paying for radio, but I guess it’s time to give in.

Mere proof that in EVERY case, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.  The concept of "free" radio means suffering with piss-poor programming.  This is what we are suffering under today with these radio stations that are run from central offices MILES AWAY from the markets the stations are in.  However, don't "bet the mortgage" on satellite radio being the absolute answer--they hire terrestrial radio people--usually those who do the same piss-poor programming decisions that terrestrial radio do now.  The only way the LISTENER will win in the arena of radio entertainment is if the "powers that be" start new and innovative hiring decisions (in programming).  Instead of requiring unreasonable amounts of experience, they need to hire someone with the PASSION, TALENT, and DESIRE to put on quality programming that the LISTENERS are interested in.

For example, it doesn't take 10 years of "programming experience" to realize that:

1. A 100-song playlist DOES NOT APPEAL to the listening public
2. Talk radio consisting solely on the "Rush light" "liberal vs. conservative" debate is boring.
3. You don't have to be a 46-year old white man to host a successful talk show.
4. You don't have to be ignorant as hell, and slavishly entrenched on the liberal, socialist, Democrat plantation in order to be a "black" talk show host.
5. You don't have to be "in the gutter" in order to be entertaining.
6. Big markets (like Atlanta) are big enough to have highly rated, LOCALLY-based programming.

I have virtually no programming experience (officially), but I know I can program a station better than 90% of those that are RIGHT NOW...

[DashRiprock]

I know I will be ripped by some for this one but Mayhem in the AM gives you a lot of that same guys hanging out cutting on each other without Larry's huge ego to control everything. Sports might be the slant but they don't go that heavy on the sports where they lose you.

Of course the OTP's like myself usually have to write them off for the winter because it is at least 7:30 before you can get the signal.

Ripped? On this board? No....

I have never listened to 'em, but it's worth a try.

[fussbudget]

I’ve always been fundamentally opposed to paying for radio, but I guess it’s time to give in. Are there any other RG type shows out there or is it just Howard vs. O&A?
[/quote]

It is pretty much Howard vs O &A for now, but there is potential for more.

[sharky]

I, too, had been opposed to paying for radio, but a couple of friends kept telling me how I had to get satellite.  This past summer, I got a nice gift card for Best Buy that I used to get Sirius.  I can honestly say that I have not tuned in to terrestrial radio ever since. 

I've continued to keep up with the news in Atlanta radio, and have followed the turmoil in Atlanta through this board.  I had been a listener of the Regular Guys pre-porn-firing and tried to give them a listen after they were rehired.  I was an old listener of the morning x back when it was Barnes Leslie and Jimmy, and I did enjoy some aspects of Toucher's go-round.  I truly want there to be strong local morning shows that pull me back to the local dial. 

However, there is simply no comparison to satellite radio.  Local radio is a dinosaur.  The weak play lists, weak personalities (made so the politics of radio), heavy commercialization...they all become glaringly noticable when you listen to satellite.  When I got satellite, it was like I was a kid again.  I got that same feeling I used to get when I listened to 98 Rock out of Baltimore on my beside clock radio after my parents sent me off to bed.  Now, I'll actually go drive around the neighborhood in the evenings to decompress because I know I have access to a huge variety of good music and good personalities to choose from.  There's not a chance I'd do that if I only had Atlanta-based radio to choose from. 

Local radio is a dying medium.  It will need to make some serious evolutionary changes to stay competitive.  To me, that means compelling personalities and a strong connection to the city.  On the music side, I just don't see how terrestrial radio can win. 

[radionut925]

Local radio is a dying medium.  It will need to make some serious evolutionary changes to stay competitive.  To me, that means compelling personalities and a strong connection to the city.  On the music side, I just don't see how terrestrial radio can win. 

Agreed.  Thanks to consolidation, true local radio has all but disappeared.  Like it or not, terrestrial radio either must change with the times, or be forgotten and left behind for a long, long time.

[livingfruitvirus]

I’ve always been fundamentally opposed to paying for radio, but I guess it’s time to give in. Are there any other RG type shows out there or is it just Howard vs. O&A?

Yes! Come to space with the rest of us!

I've only heard probably 3 weeks worth of Regular Guys' shows in my lifetime. I was never too big on them. I have XM, so I can't form an opinion on Sirius. There's plenty of talk in the morning on XM (music channels don't have talk) as well as other times. When it comes to the hot talk genre, XM hasn't embraced it nearly as much as Sirius has. In that genre, it's pretty much Opie and Anthony (XM202), Ron and Fez (XM202), The Monsters in the Morning (XM152, from WTKS-FM Orlando), Lex and Terry (XM152, syndicated on AM/FM), and The Philips Phile (XM152, from WTKS-FM Orlando). The Monsters and Philips are local Orlando shows, but Clear Channel programs 152 and they don't have a lot of syndicated hot talk shows, so those are on XM.