Rumblings about The Franchise

[kwhey]

The station is on life support as they can't even begin to draw a 1 share. Rumor from inside is that the Franchise is toast at the end of the year and it will be taken over by what is now V103. There is a positive buzz going on about it and thoughts that would work with a stronger signal. What say you?

[zookeeper]

The station is on life support as they can't even begin to draw a 1 share. Rumor from inside is that the Franchise is toast at the end of the year and it will be taken over by what is now V103. There is a positive buzz going on about it and thoughts that would work with a stronger signal. What say you?

I say we go back to the old radio regulations. The broadcasting world is incredibly dysfunctional thanks to all the deregulation.

[Rover]

I say we go back to the old radio regulations. The broadcasting world is incredibly dysfunctional thanks to all the deregulation.

How so? Why do you imply this created the problems in this case?

[Urbanized]

Maybe the government could regulate the telegraph and pay telephone industries back into profitability while they're at it.

[theparkman81]

It will be great if they move V103 to 107.7, heck it would be fine if they move the classic rock back there too, as for the Franchise, I listen to it when it first came on, now I barely listen to it, I wonder what's going to happen to the Franchise 2 on 1560, if the Franchise flips.

[zookeeper]

How so? Why do you imply this created the problems in this case?

I'm speaking of the regulations that had broadcasters owning radio stations. Limits on how long before you could sell a station after purchase. How many stations you could own in a market. It made sure that ownership was truly interested in the well being of the communities, not just a quick flip or another of their thousands of investments. In this case, it is part the constant format changes, signal-swapping, etc. I'm not claiming that things would be perfect under the old rules, just know they would at least be better.

[OKCretro]

The station is on life support as they can't even begin to draw a 1 share. Rumor from inside is that the Franchise is toast at the end of the year and it will be taken over by what is now V103. There is a positive buzz going on about it and thoughts that would work with a stronger signal. What say you?

They do have the OU football and basketball rights, so my guess is if it's gone would be gone after the Ou basketball season

[ou48A]

The Franchises big mistake was hiring way to many stale hosts who have worn out their act in this market on other on air jobs.
They should have hired Toby Rowland who’s decency trumps the 107.7 shock jocks who grow old quick.

[Richard at Remax]

Biggest mistake they made was moving the mid morning mayes show to the afternoon. They killed it in the morning and I used to listen every day. I haven't listened to them once since the switch. Ive tried to give the other hosts a chance but they just don't do it to me. Also the Sports Animal getting Dusty was a huge get as well.

[soonermike81]

Biggest mistake they made was moving the mid morning mayes show to the afternoon. They killed it in the morning and I used to listen every day. I haven't listened to them once since the switch. Ive tried to give the other hosts a chance but they just don't do it to me. Also the Sports Animal getting Dusty was a huge get as well.

I agree 100%. I enjoyed listening to Sam and Colby at the 9-noon slot. Was never a big BBJ fan, so stuck it out with the Franchise. After they got moved to the afternoon, I went back to BBJ. Since I was with BBJ, I thought I'd see how the Morning Animals were as well. They are hilarious, and I havent gone back to Steely since, although I think he's great. Not a huge fan of that new girl they brought in (Jesse, I think).

Then, when Dvoracek teamed up with Mark Rodgers, that sealed it. Their time slot is my favorite sports time slot, by a landslide. Then when Traber comes on with them from 2-3, it's radio gold. So I'm back to the Animal for all my sports radio.

[OKCretro]

yea I cant stand Zac McCrite or whatever his name is that comes on from like 9-12 on the franchise. Actually don't mind Pork.

Traber's show reminds me of the Maury show on tv. Not sure if you have ever watched Maury but its a trainwreck, and its impossible to turn away. Traber's show is just like that.

[okatty]

I agree with you EXCEPT i can turn away! ha I enjoy Mark R and Dusty and will listen to Traber when Trammel is on but other than that it's ESPN national for my sports radio listening. Tried the Franchise when it started out and just couldn't get hooked in to anything. Haven't listened in forever.

[windowphobe]

I'm not claiming that things would be perfect under the old rules, just know they would at least be better.

Owners paid more attention to what was going on locally when they could own only 14 stations instead of 1400.

[okatty]

kind of off topic but the promo WWLS is running about Craig taking over for BBJ is questionable in my view. "when one door closes another opens..." I' m very hesitant to say it's in questionable taste but will say the thought crossed my mind.

[Rixon75]

kind of off topic but the promo WWLS is running about Craig taking over for BBJ is questionable in my view. "when one door closes another opens..." I' m very hesitant to say it's in questionable taste but will say the thought crossed my mind.

What's questionable about it? I don't understand.

...Back on topic, the Franchise could take a step in the right direction by not reading endless Tweets on the air. Also, Sam Mayes has got to cut the "no excuses" schtick to solve every sports problem.

[SoonerDave]

I doubt seriously that anything will happen to The Franchise before football season. If it's truly on its last legs, they'll let the wind of OU football this fall push them to the end of the year; that just makes sense.

I, for one, am not convinced Tyler is ready to abandon the sports radio market. I think they know that KREF has been successful in spite of the Animal's ongoing dominance (no pun intended), and I think they believe they can enjoy the same kind of niche success if they program it correctly. I think they've made some horrendous missteps; dumping Dave Garrett in the afternoons for Rusty McGrite (sp?) was a monumental error, and obviously the Tony Casillas thing was a calculated risk that failed rather spectacularly.

The Animal realizes they've got the real deal in Dusty Dvoracek, and he's good enough at what he does that I think he may get a chance at a bigger media gig at some point. He's arguably the best interviewer they have right now, and he's one of the most articulate hosts on the air (at least IMHO). The Franchise has *nothing* on that level.

If Tyler wants to hang on, I think they could give it one more shot by rebranding, and not try quite so hard to be purely "not the Sports Animal." The problem is there's just not much out there in the way of name local sports broadcasters that could draw people to a new radio show; cultivating that would mean bringing in someone completely raw and arguably even an outsider to radio in general to put some type of different on-air spin to sports talk. Heck, I might even be available LOL

Maybe I'm dreaming, but I think Tyler won't give up on sports radio even yet. Whatever their plans, it makes sense that we'll hear more about them after football season. By then, all bets are probably off.

[okatty]

What's questionable about it? I don't understand.

...Back on topic, the Franchise could take a step in the right direction by not reading endless Tweets on the air. Also, Sam Mayes has got to cut the "no excuses" schtick to solve every sports problem.

Have you heard it? There were three people in the car when I first heard it and everyone of us thought it was a strange ad. But ... back to the Franchise.

[gopokes88]

I've met Ty Tyler before and he very aware of how long it takes a sports station to get established. Ratings are dipping right now because they moved Sam against Traber and it's not football season. Kelly Gregg and Sam struggle with non football sports.

Whether he's ready to pull the plug I don't know. Dusty is a great host though.

[Rixon75]

The Franchise is now paying a listener $500 to get a celebrity to call into the station. That's dripping with desperation.

Sam Mayes wet his pants on Twitter when Bo Jackson called in. Sad.

[OKCretro]

Yea I turned it on a couple of times and that's all they were talking about, sounds very very desperate. quickly changed the channel

[gopokes88]

The Franchise is now paying a listener $500 to get a celebrity to call into the station. That's dripping with desperation.

Sam Mayes wet his pants on Twitter when Bo Jackson called in. Sad.

While true they did get Russ to call in and he's never gone on the animal.

[Jersey Boss]

kind of off topic but the promo WWLS is running about Craig taking over for BBJ is questionable in my view. "when one door closes another opens..." I' m very hesitant to say it's in questionable taste but will say the thought crossed my mind.

Humphries could wind up being the savior for the Franchise in the 9-12 slot.

[Jersey Boss]

I doubt seriously that anything will happen to The Franchise before football season. If it's truly on its last legs, they'll let the wind of OU football this fall push them to the end of the year; that just makes sense.

I, for one, am not convinced Tyler is ready to abandon the sports radio market. I think they know that KREF has been successful in spite of the Animal's ongoing dominance (no pun intended), and I think they believe they can enjoy the same kind of niche success if they program it correctly. I think they've made some horrendous missteps; dumping Dave Garrett in the afternoons for Rusty McGrite (sp?) was a monumental error, and obviously the Tony Casillas thing was a calculated risk that failed rather spectacularly.

The Animal realizes they've got the real deal in Dusty Dvoracek, and he's good enough at what he does that I think he may get a chance at a bigger media gig at some point. He's arguably the best interviewer they have right now, and he's one of the most articulate hosts on the air (at least IMHO). The Franchise has *nothing* on that level.

If Tyler wants to hang on, I think they could give it one more shot by rebranding, and not try quite so hard to be purely "not the Sports Animal." The problem is there's just not much out there in the way of name local sports broadcasters that could draw people to a new radio show; cultivating that would mean bringing in someone completely raw and arguably even an outsider to radio in general to put some type of different on-air spin to sports talk. Heck, I might even be available LOL

Maybe I'm dreaming, but I think Tyler won't give up on sports radio even yet. Whatever their plans, it makes sense that we'll hear more about them after football season. By then, all bets are probably off.

This right here. I think Dusty with his fresh contacts could very well become the true "dominance" at the Animal. Traber whined on infinitum about not being able to get an interview with Sam Bradford. Dusty got the interview. Most of Trabers contacts are getting older and irrelevant, while Dusty brings fresh air and will not back down to Jim's arrogance. Jim and Al are as stale as week old bread and as relevant as yesterday's newspaper.

[Rixon75]

While true they did get Russ to call in and he's never gone on the animal.

Did they have anything insightful to ask him about the upcoming season or was it a bunch of garbage questions?

[Richard at Remax]

actually between 4 people talking at once you wouldn't even know russ was on for an interview