Add weekend "Sci Zone" host Bill Boshears and weekend "American Truckin' Network" host Eric "Bubba Bo" Boulanger to the list of former Clear Channel employees. Neither were on the air last night. Reruns of Bill Cunningham's show aired Saturday night, and a repeat of Steve Sommers' truckers show aired early this morning instead of Bubba Bo. So we can add at least three more to the 19 people terminated in late November -- Craig Kopp from WKRC, Boshears and Bubba Bo. (Plus add in the salary savings from firing Andy Furman, and Jerry Thomas retiring.)
Darryl Parks, AM operations manager, called dropping Boshears and Bubba Bo part of a "station restructuring" as the station puts more resources in podcasts, the web and "future platforms for delivery."
The same reasoning was given by Ch 9 GM Bill Fee for the dismissal of weekend co-anchor Brian Patrick
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070107/ENT/701070316/
Fee says Julie O'Neill now anchors solo, so more resources can be put into the web and other platforms of information delivery.
Opening Day for Furman
Andy Furman expects a celebrity-packed first show 4-7 p.m. Monday on WFTK-FM (96.5), the new "SupertalkFM96.5," a live remote from Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse dowtnwon. He expects to hear from Pete Rose, Ken Griffey Jr., Tom Browning, Marty Brennaman, Oscar Robertson, Dave Collins and others.
If you missed my Saturday story on Furman, in which he made it clear he hasn't mellowed by being fired ("I don't know what I did was that bad"), here's the link:
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070106/SPT/701060443/
Sorry to hear about Bubba Bo. Even though I am not a trucker, I do listen to the show on a nightly basis. Bubba had a different set of truckers that listened to him than Steve's normal crew, or abnormal crew, sorry about that Maverick and John.
ReplyDeleteBill Boshears has been skating on the edge for many years. I'm not sure that his group of listeners fit in any demographics.
The cluster is really sinking fast.
ReplyDeleteThe Crosleys would be embarrassed. The Big One isn't as big as it used to be. Anymore downsizing and it will be back to Radio7, like is was in the late 70's and early 80's.
goodbye to any and all local people who work in the local tv and radio. i feel that soon tv will be like radio all newscasts will be produced and sold to stations all over and no more local anything
ReplyDeleteI am not so sure the Crosley's would be embarrassed, since WLW does stand for World's Lowest Wages. Maybe Powell Crosely was ahead of his time or it just took the current batch of sheep (following the corporate banter of Parks pathetic attempt at reasoning of, "station restructuring") a long time to figure it out. Either way, it would be absolutely miserable to work in a place like that. Imagine the morale when wondering who is next on the CC chopping block. Anybody for some management types? The list of firee's seems to be lacking from that part of the company.
ReplyDeleteI have been losing interest in Cincy CC radio for the last year.
ReplyDeleteI'm pissed about Boshears, I always look forward to hearing what new diseases are cured by oil of oregano. He was fun to listen to.
John,
ReplyDeleteI know that this is completely off topic with the post, but I had a question and you're the best person to answer it.
I caught the very end of the Fox 19 10 o'clock news, and I saw that Dan Hoard was back on it. Is he back on there permanently or is it just temporary?
This is a strange time for local radio. It seems to be sinking.
ReplyDeleteTo bad about Bubba Bo. I enjoyed listening to him more than Sommers.
ReplyDeletePlease help me understand.
ReplyDelete50,000 watt, nation station, big one, WLW has now reverted to playing (more)taped reruns on weekends.
ABSOLUTELY PATHETIC!
The Lineup:
Jim Scott (canned program, not allowed to be himself)
Mike McConnell (not local anymore)
Willie (a parttimer, loudmouth who's only agenda is Willie)
Gary Burbank (a waste of air time, hasn't been funny since 1980)
Sportstalk (part time host has two other jobs to make ends meet)
Sloan (a low paid Willie wannabe, who's best talent is putting one to sleep).
Sensible (and TOOTHLESS) Don (can anybody understand a word he says). Back in the day, to be on radio, you had to have the ability to speak clearly.
Where Have You Gone; Jockey Joe, JFPO, The Prof and all the others that once made this station great.
ANON 9:55
ReplyDeleteWhat was wrong with Radio 7. There was a lot of talent around in those days with Joe Kelly, JFPO, Chuck Daugherty, Jim Labarbra.
The newsroom was filled with professionals (Ridenour, Boisseau, London,Keels,Samp etc...)
And everyone made a good living.
Maybe they were getting a little old and stale at the end, but give me that sound anyday, over what's on 700 today.
The clowns running that station now aren't fit to walk the hallowed halls of the once proud nations station. Sad, very sad. Congratulations Clear Channel for ruining one of the few remaining radio icons.
ReplyDeleteTo Rob:
ReplyDeleteYes, your question about Dan Hoard and Ch 19 is completely off topic, but here's what I know. Hoard remains on the payroll for limited duty, even tho he left in March to do minor league baseball near Boston. He does Bearcats reports for Ch 19 after doing play by play on WLW-AM for UC basketball and football. He's also been available for special reports, when possible. He lives in Boston with his wife and baby.
WLW needs to be totally revamped. Cincinnati is tired of being shouted at by talk show hosts who will take any side on any topic.
ReplyDeleteWLW Lineup:
ReplyDeleteJim Scott. He's great, but I don't listen.
McConnell: He's no longer local and seems to be targeting truckers as callers.
Willie: Willie can still be fun. His show is at least local and live. If you ask me, its WLW's only anchor show.
Gary Burbank: I didn't listen for years but i find myself listening more often now. At least Gary is real. I think the low quality of his competition (Hannity) makes me want to listen to humor again.
Sloan: Ithinktheresreallysomethingwrongwith
thisguy.Imeanisreadingsomethinglikethis anyfun?Whywouldanyonethinkpeopleenjoy listeningtoittoo?
Darryl Parks:
Has Darryl ever considered firing his talk show self? Just a thought.
Sensible Don: I always doubted him. Confirmed when he insisted that it is illegal to get into your car by using the drivers side door when its parked on the street. (He really said that, no exceptions mentioned)
If I'm in the car, I might listen, but won't make a special effort.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of my car radio, I might be the luckiest guy in town.
My radio has a short in it, that is sucking juice out of the battery. If I forget to turn the radio off before the ignition, it runs the battery down. My best option at this point, is to turn off the radio
and not use it.
With today's quality of commercial radio, that's not a bad option. until I decide if I want to go XM.
I will listening to Andy today on Supertalk. He has a HUGE fan following here in town...I'm sure Lance's show is going to take a hit with Furman back in the game.
ReplyDeleteI liked listening to Bubba Bo when I was driving to work on very early mornings.
ReplyDeleteBoshears? Weird, but alway very good listening and he was so nice and appreciative to all callers. WLW is really starting to suck...too bad.
What will WLW do if a snowstorn hits between 9am and noon?
ReplyDeleteThat will be interesting.
I would imagine either pull McConnell off for some kind of local talker, or put McConnell into full time local talk mode. I think this was mentioned when Mike went un-local but I can't recall if it was ever said for sure what the procedure would be.
As I recall, the last weather event WLW just switched over to broadcasting Channel 5's coverage. I wonder if any AM stations will be able to provide local coverage during snow/ice events?
They'll do just like their SORRY news and sports department does when there is a breaking story.
ReplyDeleteLast Friday the sports show host was discussing Bill Cowher's decision to resign as Steelers coach which was announced at 1pm.
At 7pm, WLW ran a "Cincinnati Bengals UPDATE, reporting that Bill Cowher "might" retire from coaching that day.
Every once in a while, you'll hear one of the recorded forecasts that's a day or more old and didn't get erased.
Just more general sloppiness that's becoming pretty comman around WLW. The smaller the staff gets, the more of that you'll hear.
OFF TOPIC POST
ReplyDeleteJohn are they realigning the Enquier cause i just realized that the tvs best bets as well as some of you columns are now in the entertainment section which is where i think they should be
There's a reason I listen to WGN-AM out of Chicago on the Internet. They remember what full-service talk radio is suppose to be. Clear Channel and Jacor before them has destroyed local radio. Thanks to automation and voice tracking, there's hardly any LIVE radio any more. When satellite radio first came out, I swore I would never get it because I wanted to support local radio. Well, there is no local radio to support any more so my new car has XM in it.
ReplyDeleteBurbank is annoying and predictable - I just don't listen to him any more. Hannity is a conservative hack - I'm tired of listening to him whine. Bill O'Reilly and Dave Ramsey have been a breath of fresh air - or at least something different. I've been listening to 1360 also. Anyhting different when I don't have my Sirius receiver in the car.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone noticed the further saturation of radio news in this town. 55-KRC is now running the tired news readers from WLW at the top of the hour. The lovely and talented Darryl Parks must have given another boot to the Channel 12 news team who had been doing the local TOH news for many years on 55-KRC. And it is not even done well. Just an intro of who the is reader is, a couple of retread WLW stories and then cold into a spot, not even a station outcue. How thin can they spread their workers and how much more money are they making for yet more work? My guess....ZERO!
ReplyDeleteYes,
ReplyDeleteNow that most local AM stations are getting more inferior every year, WVXU seems to be what I end up listening to instead.
Interesting content(usually) and no commercials to go buy a Ford-F150 every 10 minutes.
Is there really any radio newsroom here? really?
ReplyDeleteWho is Andy Furman? Some type of animal?
ReplyDeleteLook for another TV news to take the place of 12 on KRC. It was 12 that DUMPED 55.
Another 1 that is sorry to see bubba bo gone.Sorry but Steve's show is about as dull as Jim Scott's-with the same 6 callers.Good news on Furman being on 96.5-hope 700 and clear channel enjoy their demise.
ReplyDeleteNice to see the people working at 965 on here. I don't think 700 has anything to worry about. I for one wish Furman good luck.
ReplyDeleteAll of the aforementioned are at $200,000 and above - some considerably above. Some will laugh at this, but I have seen the numbers.
ReplyDeleteI am truly sorry to hear about Bill Boshears dismissal. My wife and I listened to him faithfully since first discovering his show about a year ago. I hope he finds a new home quickly.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck Bill!
DRG & TLG
Bubba Bo was very obviously hoping like crazy for a full-time job at the station, trying to be as edgy and angry as the rest.
ReplyDeleteHow funny that he, who would stray from the trucking theme and take such delight in attacking "the limp-wristed, left-wing, east coast media" got canned by the largest owner of radio stations in the nation: a rabidly conservative company from San Antonio.
Like Bubba Bo-loney, there's reason to believe every one of these WLW "talents" would be liberal or conservative or dress up like chickens or sing opera if they thought it would get them listeners and a 'secure' gig.
WLW looks just as foolish. It's radio: their job is to provide live programming, not repeats of a show that aired in the same time slot 24 hours earlier.
Turn off the radio. It's dying and run by people who are clueless.
What we are seeing is an instant replay of last week at 610WTVN in Columbus. They did the same thing: fired a BELOVED morning weather guy in order to suck the energy out of a TV weather cast. They did, however, pick up Mark Levin, albeit not live.
ReplyDeleteJim Scott is looong past his time. I've gone to Mancow. McConnell is still leaning local, but one gets the feeling that he's Clear Channel's golden boy for the moment.
Willie? I can take him or leave him.
Burbank just doesn't interest me.
When the sun goes down, I go to WABC, KDKA, KMOX, or WBZ.
By the way, what's going on with the sale of Clear Channel?
Does anybody else think that WCPO got rid of the wrong person when they dumped Brian Patrick??
ReplyDeleteThere is something that really bugs me about Julie O'Neill
WHere is Bill Boshear??? I miss him on the weekends. Bill had THE BEST news on - I hope someone brings BILL BOSHEAR back on the radio - he told the truth!!!!
ReplyDeleteat 1/09/2007 8:18 PM Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteDoes anybody else think that WCPO got rid of the wrong person when they dumped Brian Patrick??
There is something that really bugs me about Julie O'Neill
The reason Brian was dumped is easy he was full time and she is part time so the money is very important
Most of the drivers I know like Bubba more than Steve and were hoping that one day they'd dump Steve and put Bubba on.
ReplyDeleteSteve's live shows feel like a rerun every night with the same callers calling in and Steve letting them get up on stage to perform their "comedy" routine. I guess reruns on the weekends won't be much different than the live shows.
No Boshears! Where will I hear about Oregano and chemtrails? What will happen to Larry Nichols? That does suck that Billy and Bubba have been released. CC is destroying a great station. Will they now hire Randy Furman away from 1710am?
ReplyDeleteDon't blame WLW management for all the degrading of programming. BLame the media buyers who are leaving radio and TV to "try" the internet. Advertisers want lower and lower rates to hang on to old media. Station owners are forced to cut expenses. Outside Jim Scott and Gary Burbank's show, the time periods must be bare bones. There's just no money to pay for live and local programming when you make the same money with reruns and out of town shows!!!
ReplyDeleteJULIE O'NEIL ANNOYS THE HECK OUTTA ME.
ReplyDeleteBUBBA BO FANS...HE DOES THE MORNING SHOW ON EAGLE 99.3 OUT OF LAWRENCEBURG. (HIS CO-STAR IS CHELSEY, THE FORMER TRAFFIC GIRL FROM B105)
Chelsey Steigerwald?
ReplyDeleteAny relation to Bud Stagg?
It's almost laugable to me that I am constantly hearing people say "local broadcast radio is dying" yet good ratings continue to come in.
ReplyDeleteJust a quick look at the facts that only took me a few minutes to find:
Even though 700 WLW was down 1.2 share for the Fall of 2006, the FM competion can't even come close to passing up The Nations Station.
Who needs XM or Sirrius when you have MP3 players, CD's and quality radio?
What was WLW thinking with Bill Boshears? (Note that I don't ask "What was Boshears thinking?") And then immediately after he's canned we get two days of Willy talking UFOs. ("What the--?")
ReplyDeleteFor a while there I thought Willy might be taking over Boshears' realm.
Surprised no one suggested a CONSPIRACY! John, if you interview Boshears, you will probably get an earful of that. You know: his "We're going to blow the lid off it next week!" was scaring the Trilaterial Commission and the Elders of Zion. (Be sure to ask him about his faith-healing days in the early 1970s.)
Hm ... okay, Bring in Stan Matlock, Alan Browning, Ted McKay. Keep Burbank (but tone down the gross jokes). Keep McConnell and Jim Scott.
Darryl Parks needs more air time. Let's see ... sports from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, Darryl from 8:00 to 10:00 PM.
ReplyDeleteFill in the 10 to Midnight slot with?
Im most sorry to hear that WLW has dropped the radio show by Bill Boshears. I was a faithful listner to his weekend program. Please someone let us know where he lands so we can continue listing to him.
ReplyDeleteDG / Muncie, IN
I ALSO LISTEN TO BILL BOSHEARS FAITHLY AN MISS HIM VERY MUCH GUESS I WILL GO TO ANOTHER STATION AN HOPE TO FINE HIM SOON.ALSO I MISS LISTENING TO BUBBA BO HE IS MORE ENTERTAING THEN STEVE,TIRED RERUNS COME ON GUYS TRUCKERS DONT WANT TO HEAR IT EITHER. WLW LOST THIS LOYAL LISTENER.
ReplyDeleteWHERE can I find Bill Boshears, I have been listening to him for YEARS!!! Good-BYE 700 WLW
ReplyDeleteCincinnati, Ohio is so messed up. We are classified as either prudes whom won't alow smoking or gambling, or crazy murderers whom roam the city. What was wrong with some off the wall humor from Bill Boshears? I found it terribly entertaining and weird, and actually something to peak your imagination. Whats the matter was he too correct politicaly and the station was under pressure to sheild the TRUTH!!!!!!??????
ReplyDeleteJust another faithful Bill Boshears Listener, who is missing him on the weekends. About the only time I had to tune in to
ReplyDeleteWLW. I guess he was letting too many cats out of the bag and the powers that be said "He's got to go".
I heard Bubba Bo back on WLW this weekend. He said he was live. Did they rethink?
ReplyDeleteI do miss Bill Boshears. I did get tired of his two guests over and over again and I knew that WLW was the home of the Reds and Bengals.
ReplyDeletewlw has screwed the pooch this time furman is awesome on 96.5.and i loved listening to bubba bo he was far better than steve summers,maybe 96.5 will start a trucker show late night and give bubba bo a chance and they will win over more wlw listers
ReplyDeleteSorry to here about Bill Boshears show was taking off the air. Who wants more of Willie? Let me guess no one. Bring Bill Boshears back WLW if you got the guts , but you can't handel the truth!
ReplyDeleteBill Boshears also has fans in the Washington, DC area. Shame on cowardly WLW!
ReplyDeleteWHERE AND THE HELL IS BILLY BOSHEARS??! I MISS HIS SHOW TERRIBLY! i PERSONNALY CAN NOT STAND WILLIE CUNNINGHAM AND PURPOSEFULLY AVOID LISTENING TO HIM DURING THE WEEK... OF COURSE IT SUCKS TO HAVE TO HEAR HIS ANNOYING VOICE ON WEEKEND NIGHTS!! PLEASE FIND BOSHEARS BEFORE THE REST OF US DIE OF "CONSERVALITIS". GOOD RIDDANCE WLW!!
ReplyDeleteHey if there is anybody out there that knows the radio location of Boshears, let me know. I was a pure joy listening to him. You may not agreed with all his opinions but at least he made you think. PLEASE BRING BO BACK.
ReplyDeleteI miss Bill Boshears. Always looked forward to the weekends
ReplyDeleteThe Sci Zone was the best program on WLW. Can't stand Daryl Parks and his co host. I am getting my radio on the net from all over the United States. Hope Boshears finds new station.
BRING BACK BILL BOSHEARS. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE PEOPLE AT WLW?
ReplyDeleteClear Channel Sucks! Tonite (2/11/07)
ReplyDeletethey kissed up to Tony Snow and almost kissed him! Republican
Propagandists! Shame On you!
WLW used to be a great station IO would listen in regulary. No more.
The BS they peddle is stinky!
Boshears was great! Hope he lands on another gig that is wide and clear across US or simucast and archived om the internet.
He was better than Art Bell, approaches Noory and if I can find
him and listen in, I will!
Yes, Boshears great,
ReplyDeleteWLW now bad very bad!
So, whatever happend to BB? Anybody know?
ReplyDeleteI was wondering where the hell Bill Boshears went! I was a loyal listener and just loved to hear his show every weekend! Always looked forward to his wit and humor please if he lands somewhere else let his family of listeners know where!
ReplyDeleteAnderson,In.