Why Does WWLS blow so hard?

[cjohnson.405]

Out of football season they run 13th in arbitrons. 13th! That's barely ahead of mexican radio. During football season its 7th...behind OLDIES!

In many other markets, sports radio is #1 in all seasons because of fan interest. What's wrong with WWLS?

[okclee]

Do you really need to ask, what is wrong with WWLS?

[ljbab728]

I guess they don't survey me in arbitrons. When I'm im my car, that's the only station I ever have on.

[bombermwc]

Because all they do is piss and moan and have fat guys that couldn't climb a stadium tell everyone how they're supposed to play. They're a bunch of blowhards that talk a big game, but don't really know what the crap they are talking about. Waste of electricity.

[rcjunkie]

Because all they do is piss and moan and have fat guys that couldn't climb a stadium tell everyone how they're supposed to play. They're a bunch of blowhards that talk a big game, but don't really know what the crap they are talking about. Waste of electricity.

Reach into your glove box, inside you will find a booklet titled "Owner / Operator's Manuel, turn to the back and you will find the index section, locate the section that instructs you on how to either change the channel or turn off the sound.

[Easy180]

Listen to WWLS on the drive home now since I unloaded XM...Really enjoy Traber and Al...Pretty good stuff

[bombermwc]

rcjunkie - I stopped listening to anything local besides KGOU.....Thank God for XM.

[onthestrip]

Why do they blow so hard? Lets see, where should I start.

Their sports knowledge outside of OU football is awful. How many times has someone called in a queston to Traber and he has to ask his helper to look up some info. They simply dont stay on top of the national sport scene. How hard is it to watch an hour of sportcenter and read a USA Today and Oklahoman sport section each day.
They also dont have command of their own shows. They let boring, annoying callers hijack the show by rambling on about some stupid story. Let them get a question and then answer it. Dont let them drag on.
And how many times do Traber and Al ramble on about stupid stuff (weather, Seinfeld, food).

One listen to Mike and Mike, Cowherd, or Gottlieb on ESPN radio and you will quickly see how lacking the sports animal is.

[cjohnson.405]

I agree that people can change channels but WWLS does have a responsibility to not suck. This is supposed to be THE station for 18-54 year old men in OKC. We need some guy-talk: beer, chicks, cool music, highlighting the fail of others, and some good sports mixed in. We need more pranks and jokes. We need important interviews to get inside the heads of Thunder girls. (this sounds like I'm joking but I'm not)

This 100% focus of blowing hard on sports (limited to OU with occasional OSU thrown in) is boring. And, I don't get the people that defend Eschbach and Traber. Geez, I've never heard guys that are so defensive and their on-air personalities are really off-putting. I would hate to grab a beer with the on-air Traber. What a life suck that would be. I'm sure that off air, these are great guys (giving the benefit of the doubt here). And, these guys are lazy. You can tell there is no off-air prep or planning for interesting segments. Just show up and throw up. It makes for lousy listening.

Talking calls from listeners is boring and it drags the show down paths it doesn't need to go. These guys need more control and show prep because they are not talented enough to make something out of callers....except to blow hard. The formula isn't working. They are #13!

The guy-talk is what guys want and it makes for winning radio. Eschbach is lousy at it. Anyone remember hours of discussion about Freecell? I just moved back from Dallas where I became spoiled by The Ticket which has ratings that blow away every radio competitor. And I was extremely disappointed to come back to OKC and still hear the same year after year sucking of WWLS.

OKC has become so cool in so many ways over the last 5 to 7 years and it is a drag to hear that WWLS still blows hard.

[OKCisOK4me]

rcjunkie - I stopped listening to anything local besides KGOU.....Thank God for XM.

Thank God for Pandora, and bluetooth to pump it through my car!

[rcjunkie]

rcjunkie - I stopped listening to anything local besides KGOU.....Thank God for XM.

Then why do you care about the guys on the animal and what they do or don"t know>>

[cjohnson.405]

Then why do you care about the guys on the animal and what they do or don"t know>>

IMO - They are occupying space they don't deserve. The market needs a GOOD station and we get sub-mediocre and no replacement.

[onthestrip]

And, these guys are lazy. You can tell there is no off-air prep or planning for interesting segments. Just show up and throw up. It makes for lousy listening.

Talking calls from listeners is boring and it drags the show down paths it doesn't need to go. These guys need more control and show prep because they are not talented enough to make something out of callers

Exactly my thoughts

[Jersey Boss]

Traber's obsession with the Bachelor is old and tired as well. There is a lack of insightful guests as well as insightful commentary. Typical of this is Blevins getting on and teasing that he has info that he can't share. If he can't share it, then shut up.

[Bostonfan]

Then why do you care about the guys on the animal and what they do or don"t know>>

Maybe because he, like many of us, wants to listen to a great sports radio station. Not WWLS. Pretty simple. What are your thoughts on the topic? Or are you just going to ask stupid questions?

I have to agree with most posters on this. WWLS is just not that good. The guys seem to know very little about sports outside of OU Football. Which is one reason I listen to them in the fall, but turn it off the rest of the year. Even during football season it's tough to listen to at times. And they must have the highest amount of commercials than any radio station around.

[bombermwc]

Exactlly Boston - should I be happy with crap? I don't think so. Rather than turn over and let them continue to dominate the market with their crap, I choose to voice an opinion that they aren't worth their airtime.

[ou48A]

WWLS is like junior high level radio and there isn’t any one more juvenile than Traber.
The majority of sport fans in the OKC market are OU fans.
Traber makes it a point to be insulting to OU fans.
Traber has become such a hypocrite that I avoid doing business wherever Traber does a remote.

[ou48A]

Exactlly Boston - should I be happy with crap? I don't think so. Rather than turn over and let them continue to dominate the market with their crap, I choose to voice an opinion that they aren't worth their airtime.

I agree with this way of thinking.^
The stations management and advertisers are far more likely to take corrective action if they are actively receiving critical feedback about what is wrong.

[ljbab728]

I agree with this way of thinking.^
The stations management and advertisers are far more likely to take corrective action if they are actively receiving critical feedback about what is wrong.

Actually, that may not be correct. Talk radio invites controversy and they like for the on air staff to be controversial. It's unlikely the management would step in.
As for the people who prefer the Dallas sports talk radio, my cousin has lived in Dallas most of his life and says he prefers to listen to WWLS even though it doesn't come in too well part of the time.

[ou48A]

Actually, that may not be correct. Talk radio invites controversy and they like for the on air staff to be controversial. It's unlikely the management would step in.

There is a huge difference between talking about a controversy and being insulting as Traber often does.

[ljbab728]

There is a huge difference between talking about a controversy and being insulting as Traber often does.

Please note that I didn't say talking about controversy. I was talking about being the content of the showing being controversial.

Evidently you must not listen to much talk radio. Being insulting to callers is very common. Again, the management often incourages things like that as long as certain guidelines are followed. A case in point is Don Imus. He went over the line when using racial references about the Rutger's female basketball team and lost his job because of it.

[Spartan]

I probably listen to too much of the Sports Urinal for my sanity, but I guess that means I'm qualified to report in this thread as an expert.

My report is that I think there is something seriously wrong with Al, which is intensified by my dislike for Traber. The morning and lunch guys aren't bad. I like Bob Jr., Berry Tramel, Pat Jones, Mark Rodgers, et al.

When you think about it, it's such a bizarre mix of hosts. I want to shoot myself when Traber and Al are yacking about old timey movies because there is no news and you can only pontificate so much on why OU bball is in the dumps and the OSU coaching search.

[rcjunkie]

I probably listen to too much of the Sports Urinal for my sanity, but I guess that means I'm qualified to report in this thread as an expert.

My report is that I think there is something seriously wrong with Al, which is intensified by my dislike for Traber. The morning and lunch guys aren't bad. I like Bob Jr., Berry Tramel, Pat Jones, Mark Rodgers, et al.

When you think about it, it's such a bizarre mix of hosts. I want to shoot myself when Traber and Al are yacking about old timey movies because there is no news and you can only pontificate so much on why OU bball is in the dumps and the OSU coaching search.

Try this approach, when Al and Traber are on, change to another channel, it works in the same way as music stations, when I hear a song I don't like, I change stations and find something I do like.

[rcjunkie]

WWLS is like junior high level radio and there isn’t any one more juvenile than Traber.
The majority of sport fans in the OKC market are OU fans.
Traber makes it a point to be insulting to OU fans.
Traber has become such a hypocrite that I avoid doing business wherever Traber does a remote.

Just maybe they gear their broadcast to fit the mentality / education level of the listener.

[Bostonfan]

Try this approach, when Al and Traber are on, change to another channel, it works in the same way as music stations, when I hear a song I don't like, I change stations and find something I do like.

You simply don't get it do you? What other local sports station are you going to switch to? 1340 goes in and out all the time. If they'd get a stronger signal, maybe that would be a possibility.