Anselmo and WCCO
By Brian Lambert
On either December 1 or December 8, he isn't sure, Mick Anselmo will
take over WCCO-AM, WLTE-FM, and JACK-FM, CBS Radio's three Twin Cities
properties. The former boss of all that is Clear Channel in these parts
toiled in comparative ignominy for Denny Hecker's car rental company
this past year before being summoned from the wilderness to put The Good Neighbor and
its two sisters on some kind of course to relevance.
But can he?
After a week of playing phone tag, I caught Anselmo this afternoon and began by asking what he really has free reign to do.
He in turn began by asking, "Why do you keep writing stuff calling me a bull sh** artist?" (In a previous post, I had let that slip, I guess.)
"Mick," I said, "the exact phrasing was 'world class' and 'gold-standard bullsh*t.' That's high praise."
"Oh yeah, yeah. I suppose those qualifiers mean something."
With that out of the way, the Old Iron Ranger began his usual world-class fan dance. On what he might do at (or to) 'CCO, WLTE, and JACK, Anselmo talked about having, "a lot of work to do to get up to speed on all the properties" and seeing no need "to make any predetermined judgments."
The assumption is that CBS Radio is bringing Anselmo in with some specific objectives in mind (usually improved profitability).
"Yeah, they've got objectives. But I've got some of my own," he said. "But I'm liking where I'm going. I can't wait. I'm chomping at the bit.
"In a soft economy like this one" (Can you spell "world-class understatement?"), "the bigger the brands, the better your chance for riding it out and recovering. We'll probably make some changes early on, other changes we'll make over the course of time, and some things with big heritage broadcasters you just don't change, ever."
Well, that about covers that, doesn't it?
In addition to what I've said before about Anselmo's, uh, "artistry" with sales phraseology, I have to add in fairness that the guy is a radio junkie through and through. Some guys know the ponies. Some guys know dice. Anselmo knows radio. The challenge, at least as I see it, is that traditional radio, particularly music-format radio, is much closer to some kind of point of full transformation than to the glory days that Anselmo honed his wiles on.
Along with that business about changing some things early, others things later, and still others not at all, Anselmo reminded me that he's a, "firm believer in talent and time,, as in hiring right and letting them build an audience, "like we did with [KFAN]."
Somewhere in here he admonished me for being "too emotional" about KTLK (where he once made the mistake of hiring me and where I think Clear Channel missed an opportunity to do something interesting, as opposed to cliched) and asked what I thought of KTLK's "killer ratings" this last ratings period? I told him they looked like 3s and 4s to me, not the 5s and almost-6s of the Limbaugh glory days on AM 1500 in the mid-'90s.
"Well, check out the male demos, man. I'm just telling you. But what the hell do I care now, right?"
He continued, "I don't know where we're going to make changes [at 'CCO]. But the thing is, all traditional media are out on the same plank. They're all dealing with a soft economy and digital convergence, and they're trying to figure out how to scale their companies. I mean, look at the newspapers. My job is to get a read of the room as fast as I can and understand how to re-scale these three stations."
"You must have some ideas what you'd like to do," I asked, having heard a handful of other local radio brain wizards all suggest the same move vis a vis 'CCO.
"I do," said Anselmo, "but I'm not going to tell you."
Where I've accused Anelmo of being wedded to some hidebound concepts of good radio, he sees himself as "an innovator." (At this point, he also objected to my past references to him as "canny." He prefers "creative" instead.)
He wouldn't commit to making a run at country K102 as a big first target. But he did rank WCCO, WLTE, and JACK in the obvious order of stature among the stations he's taking over and confessed to not fully understanding JACK, other than it is "robot radio" and makes money.
He did say he'd love to get either the Vikings or the Twins back on 'CCO, pairing either or both with the Gophers, but sees no point in getting into an "old style" sports rights agreement with either team, i.e. laying out millions in exchange for brokering ad time. "That kind of thing doesn't work anymore." He believes it's possible that the Pohlad family itself will make a move for a station somewhere in the local market prior to Hubbard Broadcasting's deal with the Twins running out after the 2010 season.
My opinions withstanding, Anselmo inspires genuine loyalty among people who have worked closest with him. He brought his main money guy, Tom Mooney, with him to Hecker's operation. Mooney still has some time left to spend with the car rental company, said Anselmo, but it's practically a given that Mooney will be brought over to 'CCO as soon as he's available. Likewise, Dan Seeman, currently running FM107 for Hubbard Broadcasting, was Anselmo's second-in-command/shop operator/show runner at Clear Channel. Seeman held the diva hands and kept the trains running while Anselmo kept Clear Channel's brass at bay and worked the biggest clients. Given sufficient incentive, Seeman might be induced to make a move.
However Team Anselmo might play with WLTE or JACK--more personalities, less personalities, more newer classics, more country--the far more absorbing drama is what he/they might do with "City Hall" as 'CCO-AM is often called. The brand still has lustre, but the station's ad-choked and godawful cluttered format makes actual conversation all but impossible and the station itself thereby nearly unlistenable. It badly needs an infusion of reporting talent to compete with MPR. Some existing shows have never worked. Others could use significant re-invigoration.
But no one expects Anselmo to bring anything like big money to any talent negotiation. In an era of "re-scaling," the days of juicy salaries for just above-average on-air talent are pretty well over.
But can he?
After a week of playing phone tag, I caught Anselmo this afternoon and began by asking what he really has free reign to do.
He in turn began by asking, "Why do you keep writing stuff calling me a bull sh** artist?" (In a previous post, I had let that slip, I guess.)
"Mick," I said, "the exact phrasing was 'world class' and 'gold-standard bullsh*t.' That's high praise."
"Oh yeah, yeah. I suppose those qualifiers mean something."
With that out of the way, the Old Iron Ranger began his usual world-class fan dance. On what he might do at (or to) 'CCO, WLTE, and JACK, Anselmo talked about having, "a lot of work to do to get up to speed on all the properties" and seeing no need "to make any predetermined judgments."
The assumption is that CBS Radio is bringing Anselmo in with some specific objectives in mind (usually improved profitability).
"Yeah, they've got objectives. But I've got some of my own," he said. "But I'm liking where I'm going. I can't wait. I'm chomping at the bit.
"In a soft economy like this one" (Can you spell "world-class understatement?"), "the bigger the brands, the better your chance for riding it out and recovering. We'll probably make some changes early on, other changes we'll make over the course of time, and some things with big heritage broadcasters you just don't change, ever."
Well, that about covers that, doesn't it?
In addition to what I've said before about Anselmo's, uh, "artistry" with sales phraseology, I have to add in fairness that the guy is a radio junkie through and through. Some guys know the ponies. Some guys know dice. Anselmo knows radio. The challenge, at least as I see it, is that traditional radio, particularly music-format radio, is much closer to some kind of point of full transformation than to the glory days that Anselmo honed his wiles on.
Along with that business about changing some things early, others things later, and still others not at all, Anselmo reminded me that he's a, "firm believer in talent and time,, as in hiring right and letting them build an audience, "like we did with [KFAN]."
Somewhere in here he admonished me for being "too emotional" about KTLK (where he once made the mistake of hiring me and where I think Clear Channel missed an opportunity to do something interesting, as opposed to cliched) and asked what I thought of KTLK's "killer ratings" this last ratings period? I told him they looked like 3s and 4s to me, not the 5s and almost-6s of the Limbaugh glory days on AM 1500 in the mid-'90s.
"Well, check out the male demos, man. I'm just telling you. But what the hell do I care now, right?"
He continued, "I don't know where we're going to make changes [at 'CCO]. But the thing is, all traditional media are out on the same plank. They're all dealing with a soft economy and digital convergence, and they're trying to figure out how to scale their companies. I mean, look at the newspapers. My job is to get a read of the room as fast as I can and understand how to re-scale these three stations."
"You must have some ideas what you'd like to do," I asked, having heard a handful of other local radio brain wizards all suggest the same move vis a vis 'CCO.
"I do," said Anselmo, "but I'm not going to tell you."
Where I've accused Anelmo of being wedded to some hidebound concepts of good radio, he sees himself as "an innovator." (At this point, he also objected to my past references to him as "canny." He prefers "creative" instead.)
He wouldn't commit to making a run at country K102 as a big first target. But he did rank WCCO, WLTE, and JACK in the obvious order of stature among the stations he's taking over and confessed to not fully understanding JACK, other than it is "robot radio" and makes money.
He did say he'd love to get either the Vikings or the Twins back on 'CCO, pairing either or both with the Gophers, but sees no point in getting into an "old style" sports rights agreement with either team, i.e. laying out millions in exchange for brokering ad time. "That kind of thing doesn't work anymore." He believes it's possible that the Pohlad family itself will make a move for a station somewhere in the local market prior to Hubbard Broadcasting's deal with the Twins running out after the 2010 season.
My opinions withstanding, Anselmo inspires genuine loyalty among people who have worked closest with him. He brought his main money guy, Tom Mooney, with him to Hecker's operation. Mooney still has some time left to spend with the car rental company, said Anselmo, but it's practically a given that Mooney will be brought over to 'CCO as soon as he's available. Likewise, Dan Seeman, currently running FM107 for Hubbard Broadcasting, was Anselmo's second-in-command/shop operator/show runner at Clear Channel. Seeman held the diva hands and kept the trains running while Anselmo kept Clear Channel's brass at bay and worked the biggest clients. Given sufficient incentive, Seeman might be induced to make a move.
However Team Anselmo might play with WLTE or JACK--more personalities, less personalities, more newer classics, more country--the far more absorbing drama is what he/they might do with "City Hall" as 'CCO-AM is often called. The brand still has lustre, but the station's ad-choked and godawful cluttered format makes actual conversation all but impossible and the station itself thereby nearly unlistenable. It badly needs an infusion of reporting talent to compete with MPR. Some existing shows have never worked. Others could use significant re-invigoration.
But no one expects Anselmo to bring anything like big money to any talent negotiation. In an era of "re-scaling," the days of juicy salaries for just above-average on-air talent are pretty well over.
© 2008 MSP Communications, Inc. All rights reserved
You're right, WCCO-AM has a lot of promise, but it's nearly unlistenable right now. I love radio, my first job when I was right out of high school was working at a small town station. But most times, when I listen to CCO, it sounds like something programmed by a mad scientist. Or someone with a severely split personality and an inability to say no to the sales department.
As I've mentioned before, I'd love to see him flip Jack to a younger, more-pop country format. But I think The Current is a bland, mid-tempo loving suckfest. So what do I know?
LAMBERT: The Current is bringing in a new program director. I've petitioned the gods of MPR asking permission to speak to him.
Posted by: Rick Ellis on November 25, 2008 at 2:35 AM
"In an era of "re-scaling" the days of juicy salaries for just above average on-air talent are pretty well over. "
Sounds like Shelby will be in for a big pay cut. Of course, they could just put him in a room with a dead mike and he''d be happy - listening to the sound of hs own voice.
LAMBERT: You'd prefer perhaps a return to the days of The Sweater Girl, Nancy ... something or other?
Posted by: Jed Leyland on November 25, 2008 at 8:14 AM
I'm confused about the mutual flip off to the Current that I sense implied in the comments here. Am I not cool enough to get how lame it is?
LAMBERT: I generally like The Current, although I get the criticism about the playlist. Its notion of adventuresome does seem confined to a lot of singer-songwriters. But I'm not a 24/7 consumer. We'll see what the new guy thinks.
Posted by: Paul Scott on November 25, 2008 at 10:36 AM
I know next to nothing about the inner workings of radio, but I am so happy to hear someone who does say that WCCO is "almost unlistenable." There are times when working in my basement shop that I just want to hear some sports or current events type conversation for a little while, and when dialing up WCCO you are almost always guaranteed to turn them on JUST IN TIME to listen to 15 minutes of commercials and news updates.
So it's true then, I wasn't just imagining that. Thank you!
LAMBERT: 'CCO has trapped itself in a very odd notion of "service".
Posted by: chris on November 25, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Who, Nanci Saper?
WCCO has survivied Saper, Wes Minter, Phil Hendry, and even Koscielak/Cannon It isn't as broken as it used to be, and could probably putter along for years with benign neglect if it had to.
You've neglected to explain what "the same move vis a vis 'CCO" might be, other than a cryptic wish for more reporting. Is that even possible under current margins?
LAMBERT: Check tomorrow's blog.
Posted by: wally on November 25, 2008 at 12:52 PM
I am continually amazed at the complete lack of creativity in radio programming--God forbid a station do anything different than a thousand of its 'competitors' or unique for its own community.
I've muttered under my breath four ideas that would increase listenership, even if they somehow failed (which I'm confident at least two would not), people would be willing to listen merely to hear a station with enough balls to be different.
Do people love The Current because it is head and shoulders musically...I don't think so, I think it is in large part because they are willing to do things differently.
LAMBERT: Check in tomorrow
If Mick does ANYTHING different, and why wouldn't he given what he now has going on, how could he not succeed. And if he is clueless and just blustering...have him track me down and I'll light his cigar for awhile.
Posted by: The Other Mike on November 25, 2008 at 4:27 PM
For some reason the immortal words of WKRP scion, Arthur Carlson come to mind: "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!!!"
LAMBERT: The LTTS Turkey Drop is scheduled for noon Thursday.
Posted by: Jim Leinfelder on November 25, 2008 at 4:38 PM
Considering that creative radio is now who can flip on the Christmas music the earliest, my sights are low. Commercial music radio is pretty much dead thanks to SiriusXM, iPods, and internet radio.
How anyone with a heartbeat can listen to WCCO is beyond me. Commercials and dull personalities (yes that's you Don). Step one is to get some sharp, opinionated moderates to liven the place up. Barriero would have been a solid signing for them.
Posted by: Dave on November 25, 2008 at 4:56 PM
Jim Leinfelder is right about WCCO personalities, at least some of them. I am particularly annoyed by people such as Dave Lee, who is semi-illiterate when it comes to use of the English language. Sid Hartman is beyond repair at this late stage of his life.
Posted by: Hannah on November 25, 2008 at 7:22 PM
Having grown-up here and having worked for the television side for over eight-years (1980's-1990's), I can say the main problem at WCCO is relevance. Without a solid sports team (announcers and commentators) and teams to broadcast and talk about, the station is lost. Too much time to fill with dull and cheap talent who fail to inform or one cares to even listen to. Then, they bring in all these people to do on-air work from the television side who are not seasoned in radio. It takes money and a good management team to find good talent to be on-air. Who is 'CCO going to hire to replace Hartman (it's time for him to throw in the towel) or the past legends? And, yes you are right about taking on NPR with real news and real relevant information. Susie Jones, Ellenor Mondale, Jack Rice, Dark Starr, Steve Thompson (sounds like nails on a chalkboard) etc. are people and time-periods that drive people away. WCCO now calls it's self "Newsradio" and when you listen to them it seems to be mumbo-jumbo-radio. This man has his hands full if he thinks he can turn this station around. If WCCO can be relevant again, if they can bring or find enduring talent, if they can hold much of the sports rights, and settle on some kind of cohesive format, they might make it. But, this station has had many managers come-and-go only to care how to reduce costs, make everything a commercial, and fall to the New York way of operations. I grew up with this station because when things mattered in my life, I could get solid news, sports, weather, laughs, and a chance to break-away from my problems. I use to hit the basement with my parents to listen for an all-clear during a storm warning. I fear those days are over!! The real hope is that Carl and family buy this personality less station so, we can have the "Live and Local" 'CCO. Now, given the current market conditions, 'CCO and Twin Cities listners might only see these tough times as a horrendous vision in our rear-view mirrors!!
LAMBERT: My experience with 'CCO sounds a lot like yours. But my kids couldn't give a rip. The station -- like a lot of traditional media -- has failed to plan well for younger generations. But then, how do you plan programming, when far and away your primary business is building in more advertising to cover debt and unrealistic profit expectations?
Posted by: Tim on November 26, 2008 at 3:20 AM
Dwight Yoakam is God.
That is all, and that will prove prophetic in the coming months.....
LAMBERT: How about an all Lee Greenwood format?
Posted by: bertram jr on December 1, 2008 at 9:56 AM