RADIO PLAY BY PLAY CONFLICTS EXPLAINED
On the radio side, we have an interesting schedule puzzle to solve this week, as three local teams all play on Thursday. The Brewers play a key game against St. Louis with coverage starting at 2:35p. The Packers play their final pre-season game against Kansas City starting at 5p (with kickoff at 7p). And the Badgers play UNLV starting at 5p. There's a lot we take into consideration when we schedule games (including game relevance, contractual obligations, fan interest and other business considerations). The good news is that all the games will be heard on big signals, so you won't have any problem finding the game you want to hear.
The Brewers vs. Cardinals game will be heard on Newsradio 620 WTMJ starting at 2:35p.
The Packers vs. Chiefs game will be heard on our FM station, 94.5 Lake FM starting at 5p.
After the Brewers game ends, WTMJ will join the Packers play-by-play, probably around 7 o'clock or so.
The Badgers vs. UNLV football game will air on AM 920 (WOKY).
Nobody gets "demoted" when we have sports conflicts, we just have to find homes for all the great play-by-play we have to offer. This is shaping up to be a very exciting fall for our sports teams and for all of us here at Radio City.
PLAYBOY CLUB E-MAILS KEEP HITTING MY INBOX
I've lost count of how many e-mails I've received from people around the country objecting to NBC's new fall show, "The Playboy Club". I received a new wave of them over the weekend. The count is probably in the thousands by now. As I've written previously, local TV stations have contracts that require them to carry programming from their networks, with very few exceptions. Ultimately, the network will review the ratings of this program and decide whether it survives or not. My view on this controversy? Let the audience decide. Each fall, some shows make it and others don't, based on whether enough people watch. It's possible that the letter-writing campaign may actually increase the interest (and the size of the audience) for "The Playboy Club", thus increasing its chances for success. We'll see.
I ADMIT IT: I EAVESDROP
I get lots of feedback from viewers and listeners, but I must admit that my favorite way to get feedback is when I overhear people talking about our stations when I'm out and about. Sometimes I introduce myself and get more information; sometimes, I just listen. My wife and I were at a restaurant a few weeks ago when a "mini-debate" broke out in the booth next to us. One couple was talking about how much they enjoyed Charlie Sykes and how much they depend on him for his insights into the news of the day. The other couple clearly were not fans of Charlie. The debate finally ended when the entrees arrived. Have you ever been in a restaurant and realized that the person next to you has stopped talking and is listening to your conversation? If you're discussing radio or TV, and that happens to you, it might just be me getting some unofficial audience feedback.
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