It’s Time To Boycott 1210-AM WPHT
By Wyatt Earp | November 28, 2010
Of course, that’s only what I’m doing. Usually, I think boycotts are less than ineffective. Most times, they don’t work, and don’t affect the person or business being boycotted one iota. That being said, I’m doing this one on principle. (Who knew I even had principles?) I will never, ever, listen to “The Big Talker 1210-AM” again. I gave them a pass when that scumbag Michael Smerconish switched ideologies to boost his national appeal. I haven’t listened to that two-faced piece of detritus since, but I still enjoyed 1210′s other hosts.
However, starting on January 3, 2011, WPHT is going “full moderate,” by dumping Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity to put in some assclown I never heard of and Dom Giordano, who has to literally beg people to call in to his current show. I’m done with them, but if you live in the Philadelphia area, feel free to do what you will:
The Big Talker 1210 AM announced today an enhanced lineup of personality based programs which will begin on Monday, January 3, 2011. Leading off the day will be one of America’s up and coming talk show hosts, Chris Stigall who joins the station from KCMO Talk Radio 710 in Kansas City where he has hosted morning drive since 2006. From 5:30-9:00AM Stigall will discuss local and national policy, the economy, the biggest news stories and issues that affect all Philadelphians, coupled with interviews of the day’s news and decision makers.
Who the frak is Chris Stigall, and why would I care about his idiotic views? The guy doesn’t live here, isn’t from here, and probably cannot pronounce Schuylkill. And WPHT thinks the fact that he “contributes” at CNN is a selling point? Get lost, toolbox.
Speaking of toolboxes . . .
Stigall’s hiring is the result of Michael Smerconish’s decision to discontinue his morning program so he can focus on his popular nationally syndicated midday program. He will continue to be heard on WPHT weekdays from 3:00-700PM with the first hour of the show dedicated exclusively to the Philadelphia audience. Smerconish will debut in his new time period on Monday, January 17, 2011.
Now read this quote in full and tell me this guy is not an a-hole. I dare you.
Smerconish added, “First and foremost, I wanted to remain on our flagship station WPHT, but to put forth the best program I need to refocus my commitments. This move allows me to continue with my other radio and television opportunities, as well as my books and newspaper columns, while at the same time maintaining contact with my loyal fans in Philadelphia who have been with me since the beginning.”
Allow me to translate from the original douchebagese: “I’m throwing WPHT a bone because they made me famous, but to be honest, I wouldn’t cross the street to spit on the average Philadelphian. Of course, I am not a Philadelphian; I am much better than them, because I’m from Doylestown. I appreciate all of the conservative support over the years, but since I’m a whore, I sold myself out to the highest bidder, switched parties, and embraced liberalism. Oh, buy my book!”
The only personality to survive the purge is Rush Limbaugh, because even WPHT isn’t dumb enough to release its ratings meal ticket.
Captain America sent me an e-mail about this yesterday, and my jaw hit the floor. I loved listening to Glenn Beck and Rush, even though Beck goes overboard way too often. The bottom line is that the two are very entertaining, which I thought was the point of radio. Guess not. So, after 10+ years of loyal listening, I am boycotting 1210AM forever. I already changed the pre-set in my car from 1210 to 770WABC (New York), where I can listen to Rush and Hannity if I feel the need. As for Beck, I’ll look for him online.
But hey, thanks, WPHT! Let me know how that new Air America-esque “moderate” radio format works out for ya.
Topics: People I Hate, Philly | 35 Comments »
November 28th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Get XM Satellite radio and start listening to Quinn and Rose.
Trust me.
November 28th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
IS it possible that if the rest of their lineup is so suckful, they can’t afford to license Rush and Hannity anymore?
November 28th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
WHPT? Whipped?
Maybe someone should tell them that “big talker” has a lot of negative connotations to it?
November 28th, 2010 at 4:11 pm
Personally, I wouldn’t miss Beck, Savage or Hannity on my local talkers (freedom of choice, baby!) but I’d resent them being replaced by phony conservatives who keep reassuring us they’re ‘moderates’ between the inane lib talking points they’d be spouting.
Air America crashed and burned in the area (A very red portion of an otherwise blue state) one of the talkers had some insufferable, gloating tool as the token lib talk show on another station which only lasted a few months after Nov. 2008.
But I lost a couple of my favorite talkers last year- Laura Ingraham was bumped for local AM News and traffic and the station that carried Lars Larson had a change of format….
I did manage to find a way around that problem thanks in large part to this site, though. I suspect you can do the same for whatever programs that WPHT saw fit to boycott and you can’t find on WABC.
Also, did you check to see if there’s any radio station carrying the soon-to-be axed programs in like Wilmington or Baltimore?
November 28th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
I’ve been boycotting WPHT except for Phillies for a while now, although I much prefer Dom G. to Smurfconman. When I’m at home, I’ve got WBAP out of Dallas-Fort Worth on the computer (frequent Rush fill-in Mark Davis in Beck’s spot, then Rush, Hannity and Mark Levin). The late night guys on the Midnight Trucking Radio Network are really pretty good… if you’re into late-night DXing (tracking distant signals), 760 AM gets a decent signal here from Detroit; 630 AM not quite as good out of DC.
November 28th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
Stigall’s 710 KCMO station in Kansas City is the also-ran talk radio station to the much more successful 980 KMBZ. 980 features Beck, Limbaugh and Mark Levin’s nationally-syndicated programs, and on the local level the Shanin and Parks Show and Darla Jaye…both of whom are bigger draws than Stigall, never mind Beck and Limbaugh. The other talker AM stations in KC are sports-oriented.
So it’s no wonder that Stigall wants to jump to another market where he might have a chance at getting an audience. Even if he has trouble pronouncing or even spelling Schuylkill. (Is “Skool-kill” how you say it?)
Eh, whatever. Good luck to Stigall. From what I’ve heard of him, he’ll need it.
November 28th, 2010 at 6:10 pm
GroovyVic – Meh, paying for radio is like paying for sex.
Richard – Possibly. Check out the comments at the link, though; not a very popular decision with the locals.
Proof – Dumping the second and third most popular radio programs in the country to center a station around that pantywaist Smerconish is insanity, but hey, it’s their funeral.
Fenway – 990 WNTP had Levin then dumped him for some financial tool. Pissed me off, but at least I can hear Levin out of NY. I’ll try the link, though. Thanks!
Bob – I’m not crazy, right? WPHT is committing suicide?
Wes S. – They don’t want anyone that may be more popular that Smerconish – except Rush, the meal ticket. That’s sad, because people are fleeing the station in droves and the change hasn’t even been made yet.
November 28th, 2010 at 6:42 pm
OT: Too bad I didn’t find these links in time to post them on the Harry Potter copyright thread:
http://www.everydaynodaysoff.com/2010/11/26/harry-potter-realizes-wands-are-for-pansies/
http://www.everydaynodaysoff.com/2010/09/02/emma-watsons-backup-piece-in-harry-potter/
Suppose it’s only a matter of time before Warners’ lawyers come calling…
November 28th, 2010 at 6:46 pm
Err America thought they could stand against the big dogs with counter programming. Other than stealing from orphans and inner city kids, how’d that business plan work out for them?
November 28th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
GroovyVic: Another good listen on XM is Tom Sullivan on Fox Talk, whichever station that is (I let my XM subscription run out). He and Rush are good friends and he has a pretty decent show himself.
November 28th, 2010 at 6:51 pm
…or so you’ve heard!
When someone else comps you, it’s pretty good. The radio, not that other thing! …Or so I’ve heard!
November 28th, 2010 at 7:13 pm
Wyatt, I wouldn’t know. I don’t have to pay for it.
November 28th, 2010 at 10:21 pm
There’s a pattern. Brian Maloney over at the Radio Equalizer and his New England talk radio blog talked about a station in Boston that basically did the same thing (pity I’m too lazy to find the exact links). Dumped conservatives because the top bosses were flaming libs.
November 28th, 2010 at 11:10 pm
Must be a trend. The local guys on the station I listen to here have all started to suck more than I thought possible. They haven’t ditched Beck yet, but I’m just not that into him anymore.
I had to laugh when I liked the subs they had on Friday better than the regular guys. Their “best of” shows for the holidays must be a pig to produce when they constantly suck.
I’m listening to Pandora at work more and more. But don’t tell my IT person.
November 28th, 2010 at 11:43 pm
Wow, you are all so smart. Obviously you’ve never heard Stigall. How about this, he’s as conservative as Beck, Limbaugh or Hannity. Geordano is also a conservative and Rush is still there. Haven’t any of you rocket scientists noticed that you’re listen to the same show for 9 hours? How about you actually listen to whatever their planning before deciding it couldn’t possibly be better than what you can get all over the already?
November 29th, 2010 at 7:47 am
Proof – Hey, WPHT has every right to do what it wants with its programming. And we have every right to never go back. I think it’s a recipe for disaster, and Smerconish’s bitter tears will taste rather sweet.
GroovyVic – I do. Have you seen me? Oh, you meant the satellite radio.
Bob – I guess appeasing Smerconish is worth alienating their listeners. Good luck with that, WPHT!
CM – I never really liked Hannity, and Beck can get on my nerves at times, but I’d much rather listen to them than Dom Freakin’ Giordano – a man regularly pre-empted for Phillies games.
Jeff – Insults with your first sentence here. That gives you instant credibility.
Giordano is a conservative in the mode of Kathleen Parker. He’s is just to the right of Smerconish, which puts him squarely in the middle. Anyone who has Arlene Ackerman and Charles Ramsey as regular guests is not a conservative, chief.
I’ve listened to what they’re planning. Giordano in the midday and Smerconish in the afternoon. I’ve suffered with those two for years. Never heard of Stigall, but the fact that he couldn’t get a job at the number one station in KC speaks volumes. His CNN street cred only takes away from his already unimpressive resume.
Does WPHT sign your checks, because after January 3, they’ll be worthless.
November 29th, 2010 at 9:43 am
Wyatt:
So who’s the mook that CAN’T pronounce SKOOKUL (Schuykill), anyway?
And yes, WPHT looks to become a “zombie” station in Philly w/ the format changes…LOL.
Time for some healthy competition.
November 29th, 2010 at 9:53 am
Thanks for bringing this up! it was really ticking me off.
ALL OF IT is because of Smerconish. He’s been bitching for at least a year about how he couldn’t stand doing a morning show. (Fair enough, we couldn’t stand listening to him!)
Bitch moan bitch moan:
“Oh I can’t adjust, oh I spoke to Cataldi and he said you never do, oh poor me poor me! BTW have you seen my Jag? Sweet, huh?”
So they move him to EXACTLY where he wants. Shifting the ENTIRE rest of the lineup save Rush! Stu. Pid.
Anyways I don’t care anymore. I only listen in the car and so I’ll have to deal with Bill Bennett putting me to sleep on the Schuykill instead . .
November 29th, 2010 at 10:05 am
I agree with GroovyVic, as far as Quinn and Rose are concerned. Living in Pittsburgh, I’m fortunate enough to be in their home network, and have been listening to them for nearly 15 years. You’ll find what he has to say very engaging, and VERY truth-centric. He has a couple oft-used phrases you’ll appreciate, including: “Liberalism always generates the exact opposite of its stated intent.”
When I first moved to Pittsburgh from the Poconos back in 1997/98, I was encouraged by a neighbor up there who has family here in Western PA to find him. Haven’t regretted it!
You’ll appreciate him. If you have any sort of streaming abilities, you can stream news talk 104.7 free, that’s the Pittsburgh station. he’s on in the mornings, followed by Glenn, then Rush, then Hannity, etc.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:07 am
Oh, also, I traveled to Kansas City frequently for work, and even lived there for a while, and I never heard of Stigall. Ever.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:10 am
Wyatt, I have seen you. I think you know where I stand on that….
November 29th, 2010 at 10:20 am
Bob G. – WNTP (990AM) isn’t bad. They have Bennett, Prager, Medved, then Hewitt. They’ll get a lot more traffic soon enough.
Orchid – It’s gonna bite them in the arse, and I can’t wait to see it happen. Bill Bennett is good on certain days, mostly when he has guests like Andrew McCarthy on. Yeah, his voice puts you to sleep, but I’d still rather listen to him that Smerconish – who reportedly said today that the TSA protests are “much ado about nothing.” My partner told me he also likened the protests to racism, because they are just complaints about Obama, and not the TSA.
Boyd – I’ll look it up online. Has to be better than what we’re saddled with at WPHT.
GroovyVic – That’s why you wear sunglasses. My photo made you blind.
November 29th, 2010 at 10:34 am
I was about to recommend WNTP 990, but since you just did I’ll second it.
November 29th, 2010 at 11:08 am
EC – Thanks, sir.
November 29th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
I always thought Smerconish’s work on behalf of Maureen Faulkner was outstanding, but over the last couple years I’ve wondered if even that isn’t just part of his ceaseless self-promotion — just like his backing of the 9/11 security agent who stopped the 20th hijacker. I’d like to think he has some principles….but it’s doubtful. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day, etc.
November 29th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Jim – He always makes a big deal about not accepting proceeds from his book about Mumia, but the man is a lawyer and gets paid a ton of money from the radio gig. So he doesn’t get the proceeds? What a trooper.
Mrs. Crankipants worked as a waitress in a Center City restaurant that celebs regularly attended. She has stories about Smerconish, and they’re about what you’d expect from this tool.
November 29th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
I have never listened to this station nor it’s programs and I never will.
That’s as close to joining the boycott as I am able.
November 29th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
JT – Good enough for me.
November 29th, 2010 at 2:19 pm
Oh there is no question Smerconish is a complete and total tool.
I wonder why Pat Croce (good guy) hangs with him – well, I think it’s more “allows him to hang with Pat.”
Pat is too nice. WAY too nice!
Smerco on the national stage – gah. Am so proud. First we foist Chris Matthews on everyone, now this! We so suck.
November 29th, 2010 at 8:13 pm
Proof — Don’t forget all the minority-programming radio stations lily white Air America ran off the air when it took their stations.
November 29th, 2010 at 8:19 pm
Remember, Richard: Liberals ask not to be judged by their results, but by their intentions!
November 29th, 2010 at 8:28 pm
Orchid – Oh, we’re not good, that’s for sure.
Richard – Just like lily-white MSNBC.
Proof – Well, I intended to listed to WPHT, but there’s no way in hell that I will carry that one out.
November 30th, 2010 at 11:01 pm
Hi. I’m a Kansas City native, and I just want to urge you to give Stigall a chance. He’s definitely going to be missed here. He’s one of the best hosts I have listened to; local or national. I don’t think you all in Philly will be disappointed. We’re losing an awesome host, and I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
December 1st, 2010 at 11:02 pm
I switched to Bill Bennett the day after Snarkisonofabitch threw every Phila Republican under the bus by endorsing The Obamessiah in 08 and I haven’t looked back. That Quisling is being pulled from his morning drive because Bill Bennett, a TRUE conservative (and cerebral guy) is pulling more and more of his audience away to 990. Its a shame 990 doesn’t act on this more,….
December 8th, 2010 at 7:17 am
Maybe 1210 can go back to the glory days of Philly Talk Radio like it was under WWDB. Philly talk radio is pretty much a joke now. I won’t miss Beck or Hannity, I prefer local hosts. Air America proved liberal talk radio is completely worthless so I don’t think they’ll go that route.
Smerconish is an egotistical little sell out and I don’t like his show either. He was okay before he tried going national and threw his principles in the trash. I hope he enjoys obscurity after Obama is thrown out of office.