Opie and Anthony Returning to Terrestrial Radio

WillG · 04-21-2006, 09:39 AM

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RADIO DAZE

OPIE & ANTHONY'S RETURN LEAVES ROTH SPEECHLESS, BUT HAS HOWARD BUZZING

By JOHN MAINELLI

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Opie and Anthony are returning to conventional radio, replacing the beleaguered David Lee Roth.
Photo: Zack Seckler/NY Post
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April 21, 2006 -- DAVID Lee Roth said nothing, Howard Stern said plenty, and details emerged yesterday on how CBS Radio will handle the return of prodigal sons Opie & Anthony.
As The Post reported yesterday, the formerly top-rated radio rebels will return to conventional radio in "weeks" to replace Roth - who replaced Stern - on Free FM (92.3).

CBS and XM Satellite Radio still won't comment, but The Post has learned "O&A" will do 6 to 9 a.m. for both Free FM and XM, which has been their base for the past 18 months after CBS fired them for the infamous "sex in St. Pat's" scandal in 2002.

The three hours will run bleep-free on unregulated XM, but will be digitally sanitized as deemed necessary on FCC-regulated Free FM.

O&A will then do two additional, uncensored hours just for XM. .............

Stern played the Roth tape on his show yesterday, bashed CBS Radio's chairman for dropping the ex-rocker too soon ("Joel [Hollander] panicked - he's the laughingstock of the radio industry"), and tore into longtime enemies Opie & Anthony.

"They desecrated a church [and] to Catholics, this is blasphemous and unforgivable," Stern told Sirius listeners,

Like them or hate them this seems to be pretty huge for them. It's been a big story in the last couple of days and is bound to get them and XM a great deal of exposure.

Incidently, I love the Stern quote. Such wisdom from someone who constantly mocks the religious, especially Christians.

Michael St. Clair · 04-21-2006, 10:32 AM

Wow, this kind of move is made out of fear, not strength. Maybe it'll work out but this really validates that things haven't been going well for them.

WillG · 04-21-2006, 10:45 AM

I guess it's how you choose to look at it. I wouldn't say things aren't going well (and O&A love to mock how O&A haters use every move that they and XM make as "validation" that they are failing). XM had O&A signed to one year contracts, so they did have to option to opt out of keeping them around if things weren't going well. CBS is desparate for talent and O&A were a proven talent for them in the past. I think it's a good deal for XM as, I think part of the deal calls for O&A to be perfectly free to mention XM on CBS, so it's constant publicity. Everybody wins. Of course, we'll never know what the real motivating factors are.

Peter Apruzzese · 04-21-2006, 01:00 PM

This is a huge deal for them. The fact that they could go back there proves just how successful their XM show has been and how terrestrial radio needs actual radio stars back on the air after the DLR fiasco.

Michael St. Clair · 04-21-2006, 01:06 PM

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Originally Posted by Peter Apruzzese

This is a huge deal for them. The fact that they could go back there proves just how successful their XM show has been and how terrestrial radio needs actual radio stars back on the air after the DLR fiasco.

I'd say it shows that they simply are too small potatoes to draw actual subscribers to satellite radio and that there's no money to be made locking them up as an exclusive.

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KyleC · 04-21-2006, 01:18 PM

Their deal with XM was already extended awhile ago. XM gets free advertising and OnA gain a whole new audience. They said this morning their show might be 6 hours now (an idea). So that would be 3 hrs for terrestrial radio and 6 full hours on XM. I don't see how we as XM subs lose out.

This also let's OnA talk to XM subs and regular listeners. Something Stern can never do.

WillG · 04-21-2006, 01:39 PM

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I'd say it shows that they simply are too small potatoes to draw actual subscribers to satellite radio

It's being said that Howard brought only 10% of his terrestrial listeners to Sirius. Some could take that as "Not going well" either. Yes, realistically, things are probably going well for Howard, but that's how some people could see it.

Maybe it is all because it's a good business deal where everybody wins. CBS gets proven talent, XM gets a daily, 3-Hour commercial in, so far, three major markets and O&A get to bring their show back to a much broader audience.

Michael St. Clair · 04-21-2006, 02:27 PM

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that this is a bad deal for XM. The old deal (Opie and Anthony exclusive) didn't make any sense, as meaningful portion of any national demographic really cares about O&A. People don't even know who the hell they are.

This deal makes a lot more sense for XM.

CBS Radio, that I don't know about. They'll get better ratings in the short term (they have nowhere to go but up), but they are basically running a commercial for satellite, and that's not really in their long term interests. Then again, we've seen CBS not making the best decisions of late.

WillG · 04-21-2006, 02:43 PM

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The old deal (Opie and Anthony exclusive) didn't make any sense, as meaningful portion of any national demographic really cares about O&A. People don't even know who the hell they are.

Before they got kicked off of regular radio, they were doing pretty well in some major markets. Getting kicked off the air did hurt them. If that never happened, then, they could have been a big draw for XM, but who's to say that they haven't brought over a good amount of listeners? XM's head of programming, Eric Logan, seems to be pretty happy with them. Also, XM has never been huge on promoting them either (once again, fallout from their little error a while back). But at least now they will get another chance to build a broader audience again. Good Luck, Bros!

Jeff Gatie · 04-21-2006, 02:44 PM

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Incidently, I love the Stern quote. Such wisdom from someone who constantly mocks the religious, especially Christians.

As Howard said at the time, there is a big difference between criticizing religion and openly desecrating a church. Especially when it is due to a bit that requests people to break the law. Sex in public is illegal, after all. Howard has done a lot of things, but he never asked/requested/suggested/hinted that his listeners break the law.