Friday, March 10, 2006

EXCLUSIVE: No More Jerry...Jerry...Jerry

UPDATE: While in line at the grocery store listening on our portable AM radio, OMW heard WTAM news anchor Darren Toms confirm this report during his 4 PM newscast. Today was indeed Springer's last day on WTAM, and a "variety of local hosts" will air in the 9-11:30 AM weekday slot until a permanent local host is named.

Here's radio trade site AllAccess' confirmation of the item below, which you read first right here on OMW...

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ALL ACCESS has confirmed a story first reported by OHIO MEDIA WATCH this morning, the dropping of JERRY SPRINGER's syndicated show from CLEAR CHANNEL Talk WTAM-A/CLEVELAND.

The station is replacing SPRINGER with a "checkerboard" of local fill-in talent while a permanent local replacement is sought; SPRINGER, whose CLEAR CHANNEL show has been offered alongside AIR AMERICA RADIO programs as well as independently, will continue the show for the rest of his affiliates. SPRINGER's show has been airing on WTAM for about a year in the 9-11:45a slot.

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As we write this item, there is just under an hour left in the Jerry Springer era on Clear Channel talk WTAM/1100 Cleveland.

OMW hears that WTAM is about to cut the Cincinnati-based liberal talk radio host loose. In fact, his program airing right now on Northeast Ohio's version of "The Big One" will be Springer's last on the powerhouse Cleveland talk radio station.

We also hear that WTAM will be definitely going "live and local" in the 9-11:30 AM slot for the first time in ages. We don't have the exact date when WTAM last aired a local program in the late morning hours, but we do know it's been years. Preceding Springer in the slot was Premiere's Glenn Beck (now on Clear Channel Akron talk WHLO/640 and Elyria's WEOL/930) and Premiere/Take On The Day host Dr. Laura Schlessinger (now pretty much in obscurity, with an afternoon clearance on Canton talk/religion WCER/900).

Who will host the show on a regular basis?

OMW hears from all over the place that it hasn't been decided, but we understand you'll hear the voice of Clear Channel talk WSPD/1370 Toledo evening host Bob Frantz first up out of the box next week, starting Monday. (You might recall that back when everyone was wondering what we were talking about, we mentioned this possibility right here in Your Mighty Blog of Fun[tm].)

Frantz has a previous sports stint at WTAM under his belt, and has since moved to general issues talk. He did mornings at WSPD until being moved to the evening "Eye On Toledo" last year. There will be others behind the microphone next week, but we hear Frantz will open up the Local Mid-Morning Talk Era on WTAM on Monday.

In our "musings" section - we believe the move to go local is good move for 'TAM. We have been listening on occasion to the station's "big brother" down in Cincinnati, the original "Big One"...WLW/700. The station was recently added to the XM Satellite Radio lineup.

The more you listen to WLW, the more you hear WTAM as a nearly direct clone of that hugely successful talk radio station. One thing 'TAM lacked in comparison was a heavy local presence. Unlike WTAM, WLW is "live and local" 24 hours a day.

Now, we know that Rush Limbaugh's show isn't (and shouldn't) be going anywhere. But aside from now-former weekender Rick Gilmour, WTAM has had no local issues talk show for a long, long time. (Afternoon motormouth Mike Trivisonno's occasional forays into supporting casino gambling or making fun of whoever Cleveland's mayor is this week barely count.)

If the new local WTAM host - whoever it is - is GOOD, this could open a new era for 1100. The fun begins on Monday...

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

It was "Lock-and-load" Rich Micheals who last hosted a local late-morning show on WTAM. He was let go in June of 1997, shortly after Jacor assumed control of 1100 and WLTF/WMVX.

- Nathan Obral

Anonymous said...

Rick Gilmore would be a great local choice in the morning. And Rush? Please. He's intolerable. Time for a fresh lineup all the way around. Move the pompous Triv to midnights, since he's further "out there" than Art Bell. His producer, Marty Allen, sounds like he's on drugs or helium, and the fat-dancer is good for his Modell parodies, nothing further.

Anonymous said...

The success of a local mid-morning show will depend on the host. Here in Atlanta, former WSPD host Denny Shaffer is bombing big time on CC's WGST. True, he is up against long time host Neal Boortz on WSB, but Denny does not have that large market sound, and we're stuck with him for another two and a half years. To this day, it still amazes me that CC has not gutted WLW like they did for the other 1,200 stations they own.

Anonymous said...

Does this mean we will be having a "Cleveland Idol" competition, similar to what "Kaiser Bill" had at WNIR? If so I urge OMW to go to the auditions.

Anonymous said...

I think it's high time somebody gave Cleveland a good locally produced daytime general talk show. Triv's show is great, but limited most of the time, and the national shows don't have the local feel, obviously. Besides, every syndicated show is all politics all the time, and that gets old.

I used to listen to Franz back in the day and he did a lot more than just sports at night, that was before they called it "sportsline". I think its a good move bringing him in.

Anonymous said...

allow me to outline for ease of comprehension

1. bob franz is a boring hack

2. wnir "akron idol" was a sham
no one's vote counted, except mg't

what they ended up getting is a horribly boring show and a loss of credibility

note to self:
hard hitting, but accurate comments

Anonymous said...

I miss Rich Micheals.

Anonymous said...

Lid-dy!

Lid-dy!

Lid-dy!


~Jimm

Anonymous said...

Thanks Cleveland for taking BOB off our hands.

There are dozens of dead horses that will be spared further beatings.

His morning show was intolerable at times, hence why the new PD dumped him to evenings regurlarly preempted by ANYTHING.

Anonymous said...

I caught Bob's show today and it was just what radio needs, another right wing talk show spewing the same old GOP talking points. Please spare us. I don't think we have to worry, he won't last long.

Anonymous said...

This posting is dated today, February 19, 2007.
Where is Rick Gilmore?
Searched his name and found this site.
Rick was my listening pleasure on sunday evenings.
Smart, funny and damn sexy too.
We miss you Rick!

Ohio Media Watch said...

On the off chance our recent visitor shows back up here:

Rick hasn't been associated with WTAM for some time.

The last we heard his name, he was supposedly in the wings to do a fill-in on this very shift, but WTAM hired Bob Frantz the day before Rick was supposed to fill in...and Rick never got on the air.

Now, that's bad timing.

-The Management

Anonymous said...

Any news cocncerning Rick Gilmore? I haven't listened to 'TAM since Franz became Triv Junior.

rick gilmour said...

hey,Gilmour here. Am still in cleve and a writer now. Have a book coming out soon.Might go back to some radio if everything works well. A different kind of show like I used to do before 'TAM. Freeform and I have total control over content. Email me @ ubermaus@yahoo.com. Thanx Rick Gilmour

Unknown said...

Good to hear that you're still out there Rick. I live in MO and used to listen to you on 1100am on Sunday nights while at work when I was in the St. Louis area. That was 7 to 10 years ago. Every once in a while something triggers me to think of your old show.