Ater a eternity of not posting, I'm back baby!! With very exciting news:
CBS Radio has found a clever solution to its morning problem: that is, the low-rated David Lee Roth, who in January succeeded Howard Stern on seven stations.
I hear that CBS is about to bring in - actually rehire - the XM satellite bad-boy team of Opie & Anthony to do a morning show in three or four markets, including Philly's "Free FM" station, WYSP (94.1).
XM and CBS right now are dotting the i's on a bold, hitherto unthinkable partnership of pay radio and free radio. Opie & Anthony, now heard on XM from 7 to 11 a.m., will continue on XM Channel 202. Times for the syndicated CBS show have not been set. It may start as soon as May 1.
Reps for the media companies wouldn't talk about it yesterday in advance of an announcement. Perhaps they're choosing to distance the news further from Holy Week. Remember that CBS - then known as Infinity - fired O&A in 2002 after their show described a couple having sex in St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. O&A at the time was doing monstrous ratings. XM hired them two years later. In January, Stern started on Sirius in the mornings.
Details of a two-year agreement are being worked out at the top between CBS's Joel Hollander and XM's Hugh Panero. One point is said to be certain: It will not be a simulcast. An FCC-wary CBS wants to keep its hand on the hot button, while XM can carry whatever it wants.
Under the scenario I hear, CBS will get O&A in Philly, New York, Boston and possibly Washington. (CBS's Free FM station in D.C. now airs a show called The Junkies.) It was not clear yesterday how CBS would cover mornings in Roth's other cities: Dallas, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and West Palm Beach.
The desired effect: XM, with about double the subscribers of Sirius, would gain additional revenue and exposure. CBS would get an established show in several large markets.
By all measures - ratings and ad billings - Diamond Dave's show is a lump of coal. In fairness, any radio rookie who succeeded Stern was pretty much destined to be toast.
This is huge news. O & A are back on regular radio... If you remember them from back on 94.1 WYSP they are SOOOOOOOOO funny... This is very exciting and fantastic...
LONG LIVE O&A and XM
XM RULES!!!!