T Dog’s Six Pack: The winning (radio) spirit

For the first time ever, the three items in the Winner’s circle this week are all radio items – how about that? (of course its summer, and there’s very little TV news to report on. But still….)


Winning Attitude.

John Williams. WGN Radio’s John Williams raised more than $25,000 during his Thursday show for the Animal Welfare League to replace air conditioning units that were stolen last weekend at its shelter in Chicago’s Washington Park neighborhood. Cheers and God Bless to Mr. Williams and his listeners for the donations – this is what local radio is all about. At a time when negative headlines dominate local news  – this is one story that stands out in a positive manner.

Tampa Bay CHR radio fans. Here we go again – 22 years after Randy Michaels and WFLZ-FM flipped from Oldies to contemporary hit radio to take WRBQ-FM, Cox communications’ is borrowing a page from Michaels’ “Power Pig” playbook – by flipping former Retro AC outlet The Point 101.5 (WPOI) to Hot 101.5 to take on FLZ– and attacking FLZ morning personality MJ (Todd Schmitt) and the station on-air and online – is a smart move. However, Hot 101.5 has ALREADY stumbled on the social media front. Removing negative posts about the format flip and banning posters isn’t cool – or professional. Ever heard of free speech?

Steve Dahl. By using social media (Twitter and Facebook) to let fans know where he will end up after his CBS contract expires this weekend, Dahl is creating buzz in Chicago media and has everyone in the industry here talking. As Charlie Sheen would say, that’s “winning”. And smart. He’ll announce what his next gig will be Monday at noon on where else? Twitter.

Losing Attitude.

Chicago baseball. I don’t give a damn about what Crain’s Ed Sherman says in his “winners and losers column” about Chicago baseball – he’s full of shaving cream as usual- with ratings heading south for the Cubs and White Sox, Chicago sports fans are more than clamoring for the NFL lockout to end. The hell with this crap, bring on Comic-Con.

Tribune. With the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court ruling telling the FCC that the 2008 cross-ownership rules should get a do-over, Tribune and other media companies – grandfathered or not –  could be forced to divest their portfolios.
 
Nancy Grace. Okay, you love playing the heel in the media. But how’s that working for you? Are you happy in your life? There’s a difference between playing a heel in front of the cameras and being one off-camera. Skipping out on a syndicated show with your name on it because you managed to scam someone out of being credited for it tells us what little integrity and moral character you have.

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