With the threat of a well-funded FM competitor with a strong signal coming on the scene, WEEI and the the Boston Globe have apparently buried the hatchet:
WEEI announced today that the station and The Boston Globe have agreed that Globe sports writers will appear as guests on all WEEI talk shows, effective immediately.
“I think this is a great win for WEEI and the Globe,” said VP of Programming Jason Wolfe. “The Globe’s sports department has a deep tradition of exceptional coverage of the Boston sports scene and it is my pleasure to welcome them back to our airwaves. I know our listeners will appreciate their insight and expertise.”
Very interesting, indeed. Coincidence that his happens now? I don’t think so.
Update: Chad Finn posted the following on Twitter:
To clarify WEEI’s press release: Globe writers can be in studio/co-host for D&H, but call-ins only for D&C and The Big Show
Popularity: 11% [?]
They’re terrified.
Yeah they are. That was quick. I can’t wait to hear the sardonic droning of Shank on my drive home. Uggh!
I think bringing in Boston Globe writers and columnists will drive WEEI’s numbers through the roof (roll eyes). If anything, it’ll drive listeners away. There are only a couple at the Globe who would attract listeners: Reiss & Ryan. All others need not apply.
Doesn’t this mean that they’ve been screwing the listeners all along by knowingly filling the airwaves with what they realized was inferior talent?
The Globe didn’t initiate this…they’re not reeling over the arrival of a competitive sports radio station…it was quaking-in-their-boots Entercom that waved the white flag.
As I said, they’ve been screwing the listeners all along.
Methinks there will be a bidding war for the services of some of the Globe’s sportswriters, but who? Massarotti’s already penciled in as Felger’s new co-host, so he’s out.
Ryan? Already has appeared on Felger’s radio and TV shows, so I’m guessing he’ll probably pop up on Felger’s new show as a guest and occasional fill-in co-host.
Shaughnessy? Could easily see him coming back to EEI if the money’s right.
McMullen? She’s pretty much a free agent since she doesn’t appear on too many media outlets, especially radio.
Cafardo? Again would probably go to the highest bidder as he hasn’t done much radio of late.
Reiss? Radio free agent, but given that he already appears on Ch. 4 Pats programming you have to think he’ll align with ‘BZ radio.
The other Globe beat writers are all essentially free agents when it comes to radio, so let the bidding frenzy begin.
….oh golly gee, that’s great……now we get to hear Shank Shaughnessy on WEEI?…..another reason NOT to listen….I can’t stand the guys writing, last thing I want to hear is him flapping his gums…another Media Blowhard who thinks he knows it all…no thank you
Do we know if guest hosts (or fill ins etc) have to sign non-compete agreements? Merloni got an actual empolyment contract with EEI but is somebody like Cafardo going to have to declare one channel or the other? I dont think for example this applies to the Sunday night shows but mabye radio is different.
MacMullen left the Glob fifteen months ago. She does the Sunday night stuff, but nothing else. Benjamin and I think Gasper have already appeared on Toucher & Rich, so they are probably spoken for.
It’s been years since I’ve been able to hear Nick Cafardo mumble and say insightful things on the air such as…”Uh huh…Oh Yeah….No Doubt…You Bet.” His shifts with Eddie on 1510 would cure insomnia.
Perhaps Amalie Benjamin can appear with Dale and Holley and flap her beefy arms off Holley’s bald head. Would make for a very cool sound effect.
I hope Lord Kevin Paul Dupont is available during hockey season. I’ve missed his angst for Joe Thortnon.
Team retarded Steve Silva (aka Dirt Dog) with Mike Adams at night and you would instantly have the worst program in the history of American radio.
You could have a Larry Johnson and Bob Ryan show entitled, Gunts on Sports.
Leave Amalie alone. She’s hot.
And more importantly, she has a brain, and is a good reporter.
I’m just wondering what EEI did to entice the Globe to lift this so-called “ban.” Weird, but certainly makes things interesting. Don’t think EEI is quaking in their boots, but they are certainly aware of this new serious threat.
These moves prove how much we needed another sports talk station to really threaten EEI to make things better.
Good point – in a worst case scenario (where BZ flops horribly), EEI should at least see some improvement. I haven’t listened to it regularly for about a year.
Or if BZ fails they can reinstate the ban adding insult to injury.
Bottom line is if EEI didn’t do this, they would be limited to the Boston Herald and other small local papers, along with national guests (which they don’t have on as often as they should although that may change now).
I do find the part where Globies can only call in to the station’s two most listened-to shows interesting, though. Sounds like the Globe still doesn’t completely *trust* EEI, but they probably don’t want to put all their eggs into the ‘BZ radio basket either…
KPD used to/might still be on an 890 weekly radio show; I wonder if the SportsHub will be interested in picking up that show to supplement its Bruins-related programming.
You must have the vision of Pete Gustin. She’s about as hot as Olive Oyl. Poor gal…when I see her on screen next to a hot piece of quim like Heidi Whatney, I almost want to cry. She’d be great on the radio however.
“Perhaps Amalie Benjamin can appear with Dale and Holley and flap her beefy arms off Holley’s bald head. Would make for a very cool sound effect.”
Although I find Amalie bizarrely attractive. I had to explain to my coworkers why I fell on the floor laughing because this statement was simply hysterical.
Does this mean that Chad Finn will appear as a guest on the Big Show?
Doubt it: http://www.bostonsportsmedia.com/2009/02/chad-finn-goes-after-weei
http://www.bostonradiowatch.com says that Globe reporters may appear in person with Dale and Holley, while D&C and Big Show
will have them as callers. No word on Planet Mikey.
“WEEI announced today that the station and The Boston Globe have agreed that Globe sports writers will appear as guests on all WEEI talk shows, effective immediately.”
What part of “ALL WEEI talk shows” didn’t you get?
What part of the fact that “appearing” can mean “in person” or “by phone” didn’t you get?
What is in this for the Globe? By making different rules for Dale and Holley than for D&C and the Big Show, it is clear proof that the Globe is treading lightly on this experiment.
How long will it take before Callahan makes one of his borderline racist or homophobic comments with a Globe writer on the phone lines? A week? A month?
Is a commercial buy in the works that will have Globe.com spots on WEEI in an attempt to steer traffic to their site? Are the woes of the newspaper industry forcing the Globe to lie down with dogs?
Riddle me this Bruceman….
It was the Globe that instituted the ban on WEEI in the first place because the editors did not like the political bent of some of the hosts and the tenor of the talk on the shows. Seems to me this was not a move by WEEI who lived quite well without the Globies but a move by the Globe to hedge their bets. If the new BZ-FM aligns with comcast sportsnet and some herald writers. WEEI is already aligned with herald writers and projo guys because of the Globe ban, and NESN and the Globe have ended their affiliation…isn’t it the Globe who was really in danger of being completely marginalized? They had to come back to WEEI, hat in hand and ask to be back on the airways. They try and save face by saying they will only be in studio with Dale and Holley…that will last 6 months or until Bob Ryan wants to eb on the Big Show again. So my question is… Who panicked at the Globe and what is the inside story?
LTD – Who at the Herald is BZ-FM aligning with? Buckley, McAdam and Callahan are all with EEI. Borges and Bulpett have popped up on EEI once or twice as well. Who’s left at the Herald that BZ-FM would even want? Not sure your theory makes sense.
Felger was who I was thinking about. But I am not sure he is full time with the Herald any more.
He’s totally out of the newspaper biz–just radio, TV and any blogging he does for CSNNE and the new SportsHub.
BTW I don’t think CSN is strictly affiliated with the Herald any longer, as both Herald and Globe writers now appear on the station.
Trying to find new hires for the Globe could tough if they are limited in where those reporters can go on air to get extra cash. Lord knows the Globe doesn’t have the cash.
Shaughnessy can replaced one of the Putt Putt Twins. He might not be a whiny conservative and his golf game is probably awful, but he’s more annoying than the two of them put together. Still, good news for 98.5 and Toucher and Rich. I’d rather make love to the Fabulous Sports Babe than listen to Shaughnessy say anything.
He’ll have to adjust his jogging schedule if he starts calling in to D&C. I occasionally see him sweating in the AM as I drive in to work.
I just had the vision of Shank in running shorts. That’s pretty much insurance that I’ll never be gay.
All I can say is: thank GOD that Borges no longer writes for the Globe.
I simply couldn’t handle that during football season.
This is not a surprise and it is good. It is part of trying to keep WEEI honest. They have to try to find more talent for their shows while possibly getting rid of some weaker talent like Butch Stearns. More competition means more quality for the listener.
Bob Ryan was a call-in on the Big Show today. It was billed as the “end of the border war”.
Maybe Ryan is going to play it both ways, appearing from time to time on both EEI and BZ. I’d assume he’d be able to do that as long he doesn’t appear in the studio of either.
wow
what a turn of events
How can one not just love this! Dying media (newspapers) finally letting their talent negotiate the deal they desire!
Almost as good as a “tabloid war” in NYC!
the globe must be looking for some free buffet food. free food has done wonders for the ‘talent’ at weei. has anyone seen dale arnold lately, it looks like he ate half of brighton and all of alston.