Sports Radio 850 the Buzz and 620 the Bull, the area AM stations owned by Billy McClatchey, are dropping ESPN Radio programming, in large part so that 620 the Bull can again carry "Imus In The Morning," Don Imus' sometimes controversial morning program from 6-10 a.m.
The switch, which will occur about Dec. 1, also will allow the local stations to offer more local programming, says McClatchey, who notes that a new local show will be added to the lineup.
ESPN's demands that affiliates carry a certain amount of network programming also became a source of disagreement with the local stations.
"We've been down this road a number of times with ESPN," McClatchey says, though he adds that the chance to bring back Imus is the bigger factor in the decision.
Between the two stations, 620 the Bull has carried more ESPN programming than 850 the Buzz lately, with "Mike & Mike In The Morning" from 6-10 a.m., featuring Mike Greenburg and Mike Golic, and Mike Tirico and Scott Van Pelt at 1 p.m. "The Herd" at 10 a.m., with Colin Cowherd, was aired on 850 the Buzz.
For 11 years, the Raleigh station carried Imus' show until it went off the air in 2007 when Imus was fired for making a racially and sexually disparaging remark about the Rutgers women's basketball team.
Imus has since returned to the air, and Triangle fans have been asking McClatchey whether the local stations would bring him back, too.
McClatchey says he is sensitive to the possibility that some local listeners might object to Imus' show.
"We're always concerned about the feelings of our audience," he says, "but over the past year and a half, it's been clear that our audience has wanted to have Imus back on the air."
Tell us what you think: Good move for sports fans? Bad news?
Comments
The Don Imus show will break
Tue, 11/04/2008 - 15:55 — Anonymous (not verified)The Don Imus show will break up a day where most callers phone in the morning and afternoon.It is just a bit to much.I love sports but not 24 hrs a day.
I thought I misunderstood
Tue, 10/28/2008 - 11:50 — Anonymous (not verified)I figured that 620 would grab Imus so that people could listen to 850 from 6 until noon, but to drop two of the premiere sports talk shows (Mike and Mike & Cowherd) in the nation is just shocking. I had to look it up online to believe that someone would be myopic enough to replace Mike and Mike with Imus. I'm glad that people posted 99.9 on this page, because it looks like I will be listening to them starting Dec. 1
This is dreadful.....!!!!
Thu, 10/23/2008 - 18:26 — alfan (not verified)You have got to be kidding to pull all ESPN programming to give it back to that RACIST Don Imus!!! And then pull out of ESPN programming altogether. What a bunch of idiots the local attempts at programming around here is brutal!!!! Please stop it...Morgan Patrick, Bohmai Jones, Adam Gold will make you pull your hair out of your head. Terrible choices to move a major player out of the market. Maybe the dopes @ 99.9 will pick up ESPN and move their awful programming as well to ESPN. I am going back to XM/Sirrus anyway as a XMass gift to myself on Dec 1 so to get input from the national perspective I will have to go full tilt satilite. Their is more to sports than hearing some boring local droid....repeat ACC points 1000times!!!! No thanks.
perspective
Sat, 10/18/2008 - 08:17 — Anonymous (not verified)This move will allow the Buzz/Bull combo to focus more on their core local audience and advertisers with more locally-originated programming on their 850 flagship... Highly likely Goodman and the Fan will get maried to ESPN now that it will be available..but seriously..if anyone has attempted to listen to their PM drive goons... It would be less painful to take a 3/4" drill bit and insert it in your eye socket...those idiots re-define the word "brutal" when it comes to describing their level of sports radio awfulness .. The Fan will almost be compelled to replace them with one of ESPN's national guys if they want to have ANY shot at competing with the eloquence and knowledge of DG in that PM drive slot...
I'm an old guy and love
Fri, 10/17/2008 - 16:20 — Anonymous (not verified)I'm an old guy and love IMUS. I have money and you don't. I hope some one pays attention to me cause your station is dying
Disappointing...
Wed, 10/15/2008 - 18:23 — Anonymous (not verified)I agree with one of the previous comments above. Morning radio (maybe all radio) in Raleigh is awful. The only programs I listen to are Mike and Mike on my way to work and David Glenn on my way home. I use to listen to Adam Gold before he moved to the mornings.
I guess I will need to get that iPod hookup in my car.
Idiotic
Wed, 10/15/2008 - 14:00 — tijo (not verified)999 is jumping for joy. They already have better sound quality and now if they get ESPN radio, they will destroy 850thebuzz. It's not even funny. If I needed to advertise, there's no question where I would go.
If they go with Mike and Mike until 10, Dan Patrick until 1pm (one hour delay), Tirico/VanPelt until 3, and then the Insiders until 7, you have a winning lineup. If it's too national, you can replace Dan Patrick or Mike and Mike for the Fanatics guys.
Imus
Wed, 10/15/2008 - 10:22 — Anonymous (not verified)I'm glad he's back . . . he never should have been fired anyway
Dumb, dumb, dumb
Wed, 10/15/2008 - 10:15 — Anonymous (not verified)It's a good thing...I enjoyed listening to The Fan more anyway. I think that will be a great mix of local and ESPN programming. Good try to The Buzz trying to "spin" this as they let ESPN go...yeah, RIGHT. What sports radio station wouldn't want to carry that moniker?
Seriously, who wants to
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 21:39 — stategrad (not verified)Seriously, who wants to listen to Don Imus?!?! I want sports! I love Cowherd.
Imus had a bit where he is making fun of the very people who are listening to him.
Just ugh, terrible decision. I'm guessing 99.9 will get ESPN radio and I'll be listening to them -- except for when Bomani is on. Yall should give that man a raise before he leaves for greener pastures.
DUMB MOVE Buzz and Bull
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 17:12 — Stephen Smith (not verified)99.9 has Dan Patrick now, so that's what I'll listen to. The ESPN programs were the only ones worth listening to, these days. Next, they'll fire Dave Glenn and stop carrying PrimeTime with the Pack-Man and give Bomani Jones his own 3-hour show... oh wait!
DG is da man!
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 17:02 — FloydTurboDave Glenn in the PM and Colin Cowherd in the AM is all I ever cared to listen to. I will miss "The Herd".
Dave Glenn IS "The Buzz" ..... except for Amy - BuzzBabe II .... Whatever happened to "Amy" ?
the Don is Dead
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 16:49 — john of sparta (not verified)Imus is 666 years old.
his format is dead.
local sports radio is something
that ESPN and Imus don't have.
if your signal reaches 80 miles.....
concentrate on those 80 miles.
No more ESPN
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 16:44 — Bruce (not verified)Just another reason why I am glad I subscribe to XM radio.
Imus sucks
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 16:32 — sean (not verified)Seriously, who the f*ck listens to Imus? I'll bet that until a year ago less than 1% of the population could pick him out of a lineup, and if you did know which one he was you'd want him shot for being that ugly. This is retarded. ESPN is the worldwide leader in sports for a reason: people tune in. Imus isn't informative, original, intelligent, or entertaining. I would rather watch Billy Packer announce another basketball game than have to endure Imus' radio show, and now I can't listen to Mike & Mike or the Herd for this? I'm sorry, but the sports pig just isn't gonna cut it.
ESPN radio is avail.
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 16:30 — UNCAlumnusOn the internet and via Sirius and XM (or Siriuxm). I subscribe to the sattelite radio, and find it has much more coverage. It is all on a national level, though. Local radio is best for local coverage. By introducing another local show, 850 and 620 will increase local coverage. That is a good thing. As far as morning programming, ESPN's shows are on the TV, internet, and subscription radio. Mike and Mike is on ESPN2, The Herd is on ESPNU. I'm just not sure what impact it will have. I think if they could put Dave Glenn on all the time, the numbers would explode.
I was an Imus listener the
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 16:30 — Anonymous (not verified)I was an Imus listener the first time around. Mostly because Raleigh music stations are awful, I still listen to 850 in the morning on my way to work. Colin Cowherd is a waste of airtime and I can listen to Tirico on my PC. The issue is going to be how they fill up the dead air after their local programming goes off the air at 8:00 at night and what to do on weekends.
They moved Chris Clark out for the unlistenable Bomani Jones and now they're going to add a new local show? The best thing The Buzz can do is get rid of Morgan Patrick.
the only reason people
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 16:18 — Anonymous (not verified)the only reason people listen to 850 and 620 is for ESPN radio
Bad move. How does a sports
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 16:17 — Anonymous (not verified)Bad move. How does a sports radio station air morning talk. They could at least change to another sports talk show. They are just gave me reason to switch to XM radio.
So they dropped several
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 16:06 — Anonymous (not verified)So they dropped several popular programs to bring back a bigot? Wow....if I were an advertiser I'd sure be looking towards them to bring in the sales....Red Wiggler, the Cadillac of Worms...
Bad Move
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 15:47 — Anonymous (not verified)I listen to these two stations a lot as I am a traveling salesman and other than Adam Gold and Joe Ovies in the morning, I only listen to the ESPN shows. I'm sure 99.9 The Fan will take advantage of this bumbling, Matt Millen like move by Billy McClatchey. Fire McClatchey signs will be popping up around the studios off Six Forks soon...
I've missed Imus... Glad
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 15:32 — Anonymous (not verified)I've missed Imus... Glad McClatchey is bringing him back!
Thanks 620!
They don't have to have
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 15:29 — Anonymous (not verified)They don't have to have ESPN, but I won't listen to Imus.
Not that I'm gonna miss the
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 15:24 — Anonymous (not verified)Not that I'm gonna miss the Herd, but really? I really rather listen to sports than Don Imus in the morning. Mike and Mike were good for a laugh on occasion. And then we lose Tirico and Van Pelt as part of that? Gah. Sure Tirico was dry but it worked with Van Pelt...
But whatever. I'll be skipping Imus to keep listening to the Morning show with Adam, Joe, and Tony anyway.
They just lost all 4 listeners
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 15:21 — fredwombleDon Imus's show is unlistenable now. Checked it out when he came back and then after Tim Russert died. It is a sorry reproduction of the former fun, informative program it was (I listened for more than 10 years on 850). Dropping ESPN Radio for Don Imus is dumb, dumb, dumb.