STERN - Commerical Break Hell!

Chris Dugger · 02-02-2007, 12:39 PM

Has anyone noticed how the Stern show has gone from 4 - 6 minute breaks to now over 10-15 minute breaks???

It is now getting so bad that my drive to work in the morning contains 10 minutes of Stern and 15 minutes of news/commericals....

As much as I know these guys run a show over the 5 hour time frame, it just seems to me that the breaks are getting longer and more excessive....

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bassman99floyd · 02-02-2007, 01:17 PM

Poor, very Rich Stern. It also gets me ticked off, knowing he only works four days a week, and he gets at least 10 weeks vacation. I usually switch channels during his breaks, or if Midget Eric, Elliott O, or any annoying wack packers are on.ii I hadn't notice the length of his breaks lately, because I usually switch channels. Mad Dog is a fun alternative too.

Jeff Gatie · 02-02-2007, 02:13 PM

I heard a rumor that is happening, but since each commercial is a FF click on my S50 and I hadn't noticed any more clicks per break, I decided to test the rumor. I had a few shows recorded from last Jan/Feb and compared them to now. The result: Both shows averaged a little over 6 minutes for the first break's commercials and around 5-6 minutes for those after the first break. The difference is the lead in or lead out. In the earlier shows they didn't have the bit/phone call lead in, then the lead out phony phone call followed by a Fred song. Now they do. They usually only had a bumper or a song. This may be due to not having much to put in those spaces (they didn't have the archives at first, or much new material). However, the commercials are still at around 5-6.5 minutes and the breaks run 10-12 total, depending on when Howard interupts the song. But, contrary to the rumor, there are no more commercial minutes than before and sometimes even less.

Chris Dugger · 02-02-2007, 04:18 PM

OK.... Grant that may be right....

But a fifteen minute break is pushing it....

Certainly if you compare the shows from last year to this year, you can see that certainly these breaks are getting more and more extended....

More breaks... less show......

Dugger

Jeff Gatie · 02-02-2007, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Dugger

OK.... Grant that may be right....

But a fifteen minute break is pushing it....

Certainly if you compare the shows from last year to this year, you can see that certainly these breaks are getting more and more extended....

More breaks... less show......

Dugger

Actually, the breaks have been happening later and later. One day this week, he broke for the first time at 7:30. Besides, I never saw a 15 minute break. Most are 10-12 minutes tops, with the 12 minutes being only when Howard likes Fred's song. Still a lot better than Free FM where they broke for 22 minutes of commercials every hour like clockwork, plus the leadin and leadout song.

mattCR · 02-02-2007, 06:19 PM

I timed 3 episodes this week. Right now, I came up with:

9:30, 10:10; 9:45; 10:08; 8:50; 10:20

So it seems to vary. I'd say that a big part of it is how you define the break. So, in some of these, when he "reads" the commercial and they yak about it, I count that. But when they do a bit or a song coming in/out, I'm not counting that.

But I never came close to 15 minutes. Plus, we're having more periods were we go a long time without a break at all; twice this week, we went 60+ minutes before a break at all.

Is it more then it was? Yes. Is it way less then regular radio? Yep.

Hell, putting aside Stern, you know SIRI has to be loving that ad revenue from Stern continues to increase in value, which is a part of what has helped put them in the black - and nothing wrong with that.

dailW · 02-02-2007, 09:03 PM

havent notice.i've noticed that i do pay more attention to the spots them selves on sat than i did on regular radio.

Brent T · 02-05-2007, 07:47 AM

Well this am (02/05) he didn't take his first break unitl 7:50 +/- a few mins. I have zero complaints being that on old fashion radio half of my drive into work was spent listening to 1-800-mattres Leave the last S off for savings

Jeff Gatie · 02-05-2007, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brent T

Well this am (02/05) he didn't take his first break unitl 7:50 +/- a few mins. I have zero complaints being that on old fashion radio half of my drive into work was spent listening to 1-800-mattres Leave the last S off for savings

Yeah, he asked Fred about a break at around 7:20, saying then they were overdue. I went into the shower and come out and Artie's still yapping about Vegas and there was still no break. Then they got into Sal, JD, etc., playing the transvestites in the Stupid Bowl and losing by a touchdown to guys in dresses and heels. Then the Ferrall conversation. I checked the clock when they finally did break and it was 7:52, almost a full 2 hours without a commercial. The fact that they can roll like this when they want is great. Matter of fact, I was almost want them to break so I can do my morning routine without missing anything.

John_Lee · 02-05-2007, 03:34 PM

I also get the sense that their breaks are more driven by what they need to get done off-air [stuff Artie's gullet, take a poo, talk over the upcoming bit, etc.] than the amount of commercials.
Doesn't bother me, as I don't get up early enough to catch the start of the ECF [5am CST], so I just switch over to 101 to catch up with earlier material.

cosmo7 · 02-20-2007, 02:57 PM

I agree that the breaks seem to be driven by the need to get things done off-air - these people are only human!

And Artie needs a nap!



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