Sunday, July 11, 1999
SPORTS ON TV-RADIO
Callers want talk shows cleaned up
BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
It was a rout, 105-12. Of the 117 calls I got in reaction to my “Vulgar talk radio absolutely $#@!&” column July 4, 105 thought the local sports talkers, particularly those on WBOB-AM (1160), should clean up their act.
Twelve defended the talkers, especially BOB's Paul Sturgeon and his Raw Fish Show.
But Sturgeon actually should be encouraged by the results. No one complained about the sports talk, just the rough language, woman bashing and sexual innuendo.
Based on the unscientific results of 117 callers, the testosterone talk on BOB repels more listeners than it attracts. Some of the people who called fall into the demographics that BOB isn't interested in — women and anyone 55 or older — but I'd guess two-thirds were males 25-54, the exact demo BOB is shooting for.
Rick from Cherry Grove called in with a pretty typical comment: “I listen to BOB, but it's gotten worse and worse with the sex and the vulgarity. They need to stick to sports. Sturgeon can do it.”
Dave from Norwood is what I would call a typical BOB listener. He's 33 and single. “It's totally vulgar. Childish. There's no place in sports talk for that.”
Dave from Wyoming is a 30-something male, just the audience BOB wants: “They've gone too far. It's important to share sports with your children, but I can't listen to it with my kids.”
Tom from Symmes Township echoes those feelings: “The talk shows have become too raunchy. My 8-year-old loves sports, but I don't let him listen because of the language.”
Mike from Lawrenceburg said what BOB doesn't want to hear: “BOB has gotten so bad that I've started listening to 1360 (HOMER).”
BOB can't afford to lose market share to HOMER-AM (1360). Until Jacor created HOMER 11/2 years ago, BOB had no competition. Now, if listeners are turned off, they can turn the dial. Marc Amazon, who goes head to head with Sturgeon's show, is not squeaky clean. But he rarely gets as Raw as Fish.
Ron from Bridgetown and others called with this advice for BOB: “Drop all the references to the Big One and stick to sports.”
Agreed. BOB is always going to be David, and WLW is always going to be Goliath. No number of promos is going to change that.
A lot of callers were former listeners, such as Paul from Delhi: “I've turned off BOB for those reasons. I won't turn it on again until they clean up their act.”
John from Fort Thomas: “I used to listen to 1160 religiously in the car. But they've gone over the edge. They need to clean it up.”
Several of you pointed out that not everyone on BOB goes too far.
Tim from Anderson: “If it wasn't for the Angry Guys, I wouldn't listen at all. They're great, very funny.”
Jim from Anderson: “I used to listen to BOB all the time. Lance (McAlister) is all right. But I can't listen to Big Dog (Tim Lewis) and Sturgeon.”
Dick from Bellevue: “I listen to 1160 at work with my daughter. But at times we have to turn it off. Why do they have to do that? I really enjoyed Dan Hoard when he filled in.”
Hoard, the Channel 19 weekend anchor, filled in Tuesday. He kept it clean and got guests such as Sean Casey and Ken Griffey's agent, Brian Goldberg.
Ann from Harrison was one of a handful who called in to praise Andy Furman: “He's good. He's informed. The rest of them are disgusting.”
Now, in defense of BOB. Bob from Clifton Heights says it's demographics: “BOB tries to entertain and tries to attract men from 20 to 50. Those men are interested in sex.”
Chris from Hyde Park says to leave BOB be: “It's the ultimate talk show. It's the best I've heard in any town. It's the ultimate male show.”
Craig from North College Hill: “You missed the mark. Sturgeon is very knowledgeable about sports. We don't need mamby-pamby sports. Real men listen to Sturgeon.”
The problem must be that there are too few real men in this town, because BOB was tied for 15th in the last rating book in the 4-6p.m. slot. I'd clean up and see if the ratings turn when you attract some less-real men and a few women.
John Fay covers radio/TV sports for The Enquirer. He can be reached at 768-8445.
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