T Dog's Think Tank: Radio takes another step backward

Today's feedback in Robert Feder's column in today's Sun-Times was about the recent corporate cutbacks at Citadel's WLS-AM and WZZN-FM. Among the universally critical letters of Citadel were three former WLS staffers - one of which (Jake Hartford) was fired Friday.

If the Citadel firings are any indication, the radio business has taken a major step backwards (again) and has given the middle finger to its listeners (again). According to Citadel, someone had to take the fall for the $848 million debacle in last year's fourth quarter earnings report and the company's reckless overspending, and it wasn't going to be the suits.

Despite what you think on how much WLS leans (personally, yours truly finds news/talk radio - whether left or right - quite boring), it still had a hard-working news department (even in the Musicradio 89 heyday), and a reporter dedicated to local politics. And now, Citadel has stripped most of that out and decimated the place in the process.

And then there's sister station WZZN's reluctance to hire local personalities for the True Oldies Channel. While it was understandable when they launched the station in 2005 to start off with a satellite-fed service, it's 2008 - and they haven't shown much improvement in hiring local personalities, aside from hiring Dick Biondi, Greg Brown, and Scott Mackay (and they let one go - John Landecker - last year.) Last Friday, they flipped WJZW-FM in Washington, D.C. from Smooth Jazz to True Oldies, firing the entire airstaff, and added Imus in the mornings, in a Radio & Records story that read more like a press release (really, R&R should know better.)

It's just more proof audience numbers don't matter in this business anymore, but how much money a show rakes in and what Madison Avenue and Wall Street thinks does (and that goes for television too, since CW thinks most of their aging shows can still draw an audience.) Arbitron and Nielsen numbers are starting to come more and more irrelevant with each passing day (and yes, I know about the LPMs and PPMs, so don't go there.) It is harder and harder to tell who the winners and losers are, even among demos. After all, McGee was canned and he was in the top five and often in the top three among adults 18-34.

Radio's cruelness has been on display in recent years - the big, corporate losses. The firings. The bland playlists. Even losing your job because you speak your mind about the state of the business. And much, much, more. And the suits - and even some clueless listeners - still can't grasp what's going on.

And you think the politicians care about this? They are too busy raising our taxes to notice. What does your presidential candidates say about this? Oh yeah - they are too interested in selling us "change", which we all know won't happen. What does John McCain think about this? Oh, that's right. He's for the "free market" - a word people in the corporate boardrooms love to hear. If he becomes the next President, he'll give corporations free reign over radio and television, which gives them the incentive of stripping them of their soul.

So, the mass firings at Citadel Friday were no surprise. Sadly, we've become too numb to this kind of event. And if you think good ratings doesn't matter anymore, neither does localism.

Let's go to Cleveland

Remember when Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane was upset with Fox for airing those episodes of Family Guy that were not approved by him during the recent writer's strike? Well, I guess all is forgiven...

Fox is talks with McFarlane about a possible spin-off of Family Guy featuring Cleveland Brown, the lone African-American character on the show. If you watch the show regularly (like yours truly does), then you know Cleveland (voiced by Mike Henry) is the most level-headed person in Peter's group of friends. If the project is green-lighted, the series could air sometime next season.

Of course, Cleveland Brown is not to be confused with the NFL football team from Cleveland of the same name, only with a "s" at the end of Brown.

Steve Stone signs with White Sox

The former White Sox and Orioles pitcher and Cubs commentator signs on full time with the Chicago White Sox to be their new color analyst, replacing Chris Singleton in the role. Singleton is reportedly heading to ESPN's Baseball Tonight.

White Sox games air over WSCR-AM.

Thankfully, the new contract doesn't call for Stone doing Public Insurance commercials (remember those?)

But welcome back, Steve. You've been missed.

FCC winning war on indecency?

If this article in TV Week is any indication, the major broadcast networks are in for more audience erosion - but read my latest Think Tank and I'll give you even more reasons why they are.

Meanwhile, the relentless assault on the First Amendment continues from the FCC and PTC groups, though its too bad the government (and the PTC) aren't more concerned about other more pressing issues.

Yeah - go on and celebrate on saving our children, you jerks.

Feder analyzes WLS firings

Robert Feder of the Sun-Times wrote a pretty good article today, analyzing WLS-AM and WZZN-FM's firing spree on Friday, in which fourteen people lost their jobs - a dead-on piece that pretty much sums up the state of the media business today, especially radio.

And that's not all: On top of that, Feder reported that four employees at CBS-owned WBBM-TV were let go; NBC affiliate WSAZ-TV in Charleston-Huntington, West Virginia has cut eight jobs because of expenses due to its transition to digital broadcasting; and the Hollywood Reporter stated that CW has let up to thirty employees go, and shuttered their comedy development division. 

One word we'd better get use to in this business these days: layoff.  

Oprah's Big Give gets big ratings

Oprah Winfrey's new prime-time reality show on ABC was a big hit last night, with the program finishing first in total viewers, adults 18-49, and in households, despite the fact critics ultimately panned the show (so much for that extra promotion - but does the queen of daytime TV really even need them?)

Meanwhile, Fox's The Simpsons scored the highest ratings this calendar year in households and in adults 18-49. The improved ratings and exciting plot last night should shut critics of the series' recent episodes up for a while (You're welcome.) Also, King of the Hill hit a season high in adults 18-49. Keep in mind the numbers are skewed a bit because of a NASCAR overrun.

The new comedy Unhitched didn't get unhitched from its lead-in, retaining much of Family Guy's audience, and Deal or No Deal laid an egg, losing to Oprah's Big Give and Family Guy (and with one contestant obviously losing her mind. In the future DOND, please don't pick contestants who dance...)

CW picks up six shows

If you're a fan of America's Next Top Model, Everybody Hates Chris, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, Smallville, and Supernatural - good news - your show has been picked up for next season, though Top Model and Chris were renewed ahead of time.

Left off the list (for now) are Reaper, The Game, and Aliens in America. Gone are WWE Smackdown, Life Is Wild, and CW Now.

While the pickups give the perception the CW is having some success this year, the reality is these renewals are a reflection of the writer's strike, which has thrown this season's network schedules for a loop, and it now will take another season to fully access things. Ratings for CW are down from last year.

T Dog's Think Tank: Thank you, Jim

Last week, two programs reminded us how much the words "vertical integration" meant to the TV business.

The possible renewals of tired sitcoms According to Jim and Scrubs.

Both come from the same studio (ABC Studios) and both are being considered for pickups by ABC next season, despite the fact both have drawn less and less viewers over the last few years (Jim is averaging only 4 million this season.)

Now, if you have read this blog in its first few months, you know how yours truly feels about According to Jim and Jim Belushi. Not exactly a fan.

The last time I heard, Scrubs was airing on NBC, where its been for seven seasons. Barring any legal action from the Peacock Network (which is likely), Scrubs is headed to the alphabet network this fall.

So, why is ABC is considering picking up Scrubs and According to Jim, despite ratings that should make them more than eligible for cancellation?

Simple. The Walt Disney Co. owns ABC. Disney also owns ABC studios. Disney is also the syndicator of both shows through Disney-ABC Domestic Television. ABC can continue to make money from syndication sales and revenue of both shows. That's what we call in the business "vertical integration".

Never mind the fact According to Jim and Scrubs are nowhere near the ratings and revenue achieved by fellow off-network stalwarts Everybody Loves Raymond, Friends, and Seinfeld, and never will be. Believe me, According to Jim would have long been gone and Scrubs wouldn't be even considered for a pickup had the shows been produced by someone else.

Don't you love this "vertical integration?"

There was something that used to prevent these actions from happening. It was called the Financial Interest and Syndication Rules, or fin-syn, as it was more commonly known. It was a set of rules the FCC imposed on the Big 3 networks in 1970, because they controlled too much of the business.

Fin-syn was supposed to diversify the business, and it did - somewhat - with more and more independent producers popping up on the prime-time landscape. But when the Fox network rose to respectability, and dramatic changes happened to the TV industry, the FCC abolished the rules in 1991, setting them up for their sunset four years later.

In the years since, we've seen the networks enter back into the syndication business by merging with Hollywood studios, notably ABC with Disney, CBS with Paramount and Viacom, and NBC with Universal. The networks started putting their own-produced shows on their schedules in greater numbers, squeezing out the indie producers. Then, the television business fragmented like crazy, thanks to the rapid rise of viewing options in the average household.

After all, you can connect the dots - Republicans (ironically, except for Reagan) hated fin-syn and got rid of it; and judging by the comments on message boards supporting Jim, the show is well-liked by conservatives (and by some brain-dead Cubs fans, of course.) After all, they hate the idea of the government stepping in and running things, right?

Oh yeah. Except in the cases of sex, violence, and profanity on TV and then they want government regulation. Gotcha.

So it seems the demise of fin-syn was intended to keep a no-talent hack like Jim Belushi gainfully employed. After all, he's a hot commodity these days (at least in the eyes of media companies) - he was recently tapped to host WGN-TV's 60th anniversary celebration. After all, they do air According to Jim reruns. And when the Chicago Tribune (whose parent company also owns WGN-TV) wants a "celebrity perspective" on anything regarding Chicago sports, they run to Belushi, because they supposedly think his I.Q. is in the hundreds.

Don't you love this "vertical integration"?

Yes, even Jim Belushi can accomplish this feat. The TV business is so much better for it.

So much better that only 45 percent of prime-time viewers watch the five major networks so far this season, down tremendously from the already low number last year, thanks in part to the writers' strike. Friday and Saturday nights in prime-time these days are virtual wastelands. More and more viewers are fed up with the lackluster quality of network television (more Nickelodeon game show retreads, anyone?) Local TV ratings continue to erode. And so on. And so on.

And what do the major networks do? Rubber-stamp shows for renewal. Piss viewers off by having "countdown clocks" on-screen while a program is on, telling us when the next show begins (all it means to me is a countdown to change the channel.) Put on more and more unwatchable junk, like The Race for the Next Celebrity Bachelor Apprentice, or something.

And you thought industry observers said the demise of fin-syn would lead to better programming.

The networks act like there is nothing wrong with the medium. Why should they? Once again, they have all the power, they make all the money, and they pretend to live in their own little world. Hey louts, there's a signpost up ahead - your next stop - The Trouble Zone. Radio's already there. And look what mess that medium is in.

Of course, the people who run radio are about as clueless as the people who run television and the people who run the deregulation-happy FCC.

But as along they answer to Wall Street and only Wall Street and not the public and the FCC has no problem with it, the quality of both businesses will continue to suffer.

And our reward? More Jim Belushi. Gee, thanks. Thanks a lot.

Me-Too and Me-TV Milwaukee launches today

A reminder: the new WMEU-CA, branded Me-Too is launching today at 5 a.m.

The new channel is a spin-off of Me-TV (WWME-CA), which launched in 2005. WMEU is taking the place of ethnic-programmed WFBT-CA, which is switching to one of WCIU's sub-channels.

WMEU, WFBT, WWME, and WCIU are all owned by Weigel Broadcasting.

Me-Too is available on broadcast analogchannel 48 (good luck picking it up), WCIU digital sub-channel 26.3, and Comcast Cable channel 247 (WFBT will still be available on channel 248.) Me-Too is also available on RCN and WOW cable systems; check your channel lineup for details.

Meanwhile, The Me-TV format will launch today at Weigel's WDJT in Milwaukee on digital channel 58.3, and will also be available on Time Warner and Charter digital cable systems on cable channel 201. However, the digital sub-channel feed (as well as WMLW on 58.2) will be pre-empted to carry NCAA tournament games later next month.

To see the Chicago lineup of Me-TV and Me-Too, click here (PDF reader required.)

To see the Milwaukee lineup of Me-TV, click here.

And remember: To view the channels, you don't need a HDTV set.

WLS-AM, Citadel cut jobs

This occurred as parent company Citadel Broadcasting posted a whopping $848 million loss in the fourth quarter of 2007. The personnel layoffs include:

Jennifer Keiper, news director ; Bill Cameron, city hall reporter; David Jennings, reporter; Christina Filiaggi, traffic reporter; Nate Clay, talk host and Jake Hartford.

Meanwhile, Citadel has laid off two at WABC in New York; WPLJ (also in New York) fired Rocky Allen; In Washington, WMAL fired talk show host Chris Core, and WJZW-FM has dropped its Smooth Jazz format, and replaced it with The True Oldies Channel. There are reports surfacing that Citadel's stations in Los Angeles and San Francisco have also been hit.

And there's more: And there might be more layoffs coming, particularly at WZZN. This is truly a sad day in the local media industry, just another reminder that this is a business first and only first. And with the economy further slumping downward, things are bound to get only worse.

Editor's Note: The title of this post was changed because yours truly found it was insensitive after some thought, particularly after the NIU shootings that recently took place. I apologize if anyone was offended. - T.H.

updated at 11:07 p.m. on 2008-02-29

Bobby Knight to feed hand that bites him

ESPN, whose Jeremy Schaap berated Bobby Knight in an interview several years ago, and made a mockery of him in the made-for TV movie Season On The Brink, which inaccurately portrayed his 1985-86 season at Indiana, has signed the recently-retired basketball coach as analyst for "Championship Week", beginning on March 12, and will appear on all ESPN platforms, including SportsCenter, ESPN Radio, and ESPN News.

I guess its easier to forgive when The Worldwide Leader in B.S. waives a check at you.

Hmmm... I wonder what Deadspin thinks about all this?

Local stations' sweeps numbers hit by writers' strike

Affiliates - who depend on their network's prime-time programs to draw viewers to their late newscasts - suffered ratings declines during the just-concluded February sweeps as the writer's strike forced the networks into reruns and were forced to air less-appealing reality shows.

Judging by the few markets available for review, NBC affiliates seemed to be affected less, thanks to a somewhat-resurgent network lineup thanks to the popularity of Deal or No Deal and American Gladiators, and the success of the Tonight Show With Jay Leno sans writers, while ABC and CBS affiliates were hurt more with their most popular shows in reruns.

As a result, NBC stations held on to their posts in late news, with many stations even showing increases from their network lead-ins.

As noted in a few posts below this one, NBC affiliate WTMJ won the 10 p.m. news race in Milwaukee, while WGN-TV beat all competitors from 5 to 9 a.m. here in Chicago this month, including ABC-owned WLS-TV (keep in mind WLS did tie WGN at 6 a.m.). Bad weather throughout the entire month drew viewers to local news in these markets - though ratings still do not match those of a year ago, as many viewers have a wealth of viewing choices at their disposal.

Here are sweeps results from a few other markets:

Philadelphia: Despite its parent network missing many of its popular shows, ABC-owned WPVI continued to dominate the ratings, doing something sister station WLS in Chicago couldn't even do - sweep all news dayparts. The loser: CBS-owned KYW-TV, which saw its ratings drop after firing controversial anchor Alicia Lane. Fox-owned WTXF also had a good book, with American Idol, Judge Judy, and the station's 10 p.m. newscast doing quite well (the 5 p.m. newscast however, still trails its competitors, tying WPSG-TV's People's Court in the process.)

Boston: NBC affiliate WHDH wins at 11, but ABC affiliate WCVB wins in other time slots. Fox-owned WFXT had a great month with Fox prime-time programming, and its 10 p.m. newscast drawing as many viewers as competing prime-time shows.

Washington, D.C.: NBC-owned WRC-TV bounced back from a so-so November sweeps and beat ABC affiliate WJLA-TV in the nation's capital. WJLA however, saw ratings increases in many of its newscasts. Fox-owned WTTG benefited from Fox's prime-time lineup, with its 10 p.m. news drawing more viewers than the affiliates 11 p.m. newscasts, and drew more viewers than WRC at 5 a.m.

Detroit: The motor city actually bucked the nationwide trend this February, with all three news stations showing increases for the month, thanks to hot local stories and cold, bad weather. NBC affiliate WDIV won at 11 p.m. over ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV, with Fox's WJBK drawing more viewers to its newscasts thanks to - all together now - American Idol and the Super Bowl. WDIV tied WXYZ at 5 p.m. despite no revelant lead-in while WXYZ won total-day household ratings. On the other hand, CBS-owned (and news-less) WWJ-TV finished way behind its other competitors.

Denver: What goes up in Detroit, comes down in Denver (and that includes the Colorado Avalanche.) February was a tough time to be a TV station, as many of Denver's outlets tumbled in the ratings, with the 10 p.m. newscasts on the three network affiliates - and total-day viewing in the market among broadcast stations - hitting a record low share. NBC affiliate KUSA-TV dominated and KMGH was in the Nielsen basement as usual, while Fox affiliate KDVR won prime. Of note is KUSA tying Oprah on CBS-owned KCNC-TV at 4 p.m. with a 12 share.

Orlando: Despite a lack of fresh popular programming at ABC, WFTV continued to dominate news time periods and total-day ratings sans prime, which went to Fox.

WTMJ wins 10 p.m. newscast in February

Thanks to harsh weather in Wisconsin all month long, Journal Broadcasting's WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee won at 10 p.m. in February, beating Hearst-Argyle-owned ABC affiliate WISN-TV.

The NBC affiliate benefited from a resurgent network line-up (albeit filled with second-hand fare), while WISN suffered without popular ABC shows out of episodes due to the writer's strike and alt shows like Dancing With The Stars on the bench for the month.

Of course, the main factor was WTMJ's win was the station's wall-to-wall weather coverage, which it snowed quite a lot in Milwaukee this month.

Ironically, Fox affiliate WITI was the only station at 10 p.m. to gain viewers, maybe in part due to American Idol fueling its 9 p.m. newscast (here in Chicago, viewers turn the channel when Idol is over.)

CBS affiliate WDJT-TV - like CBS-owned WBBM-TV here in Chicago - continues to struggle in the ratings, with the UHFer (Channel 58) a distant fourth.

As for the off-network sitcoms in the time period, WCGV's Simpsons was flat from last year, while WVTV's King of Queens dropped a share point. Both stations are owned by Sinclair Broadcasting.

Seacrest expands his business

He's more than a smarky TV host and a Los Angeles radio personality, but a businessman as well.

Ryan Seacrest's KIIS-FM morning show in Los Angeles is getting syndicated in a three-hour program for midday and afternoon airings in other markets.

Seacrest took over the KIIS morning gig from 22-year veteran Rick Dees in 2004.

The American Idol host is also taking control of his own destiny: In an agreement with Premiere Radio Networks, Seacrest will own and control a portion of the barter time being sold in the show. Seacrest is also selling his own time on American Top 40, the weekly syndicated radio countdown show once hosted by co-creator Casey Kasem and former L.A. radio personality Shadoe Stevens.

The goal is to bring more advertisers to radio and develop closer business relationships with them. Seacrest plans to do what marketers call "product placement", where instead of thirty and sixty-second spots, Seacrest mentions the products in passing on his shows. Seacrest works extensively with Coca-Cola, a prominent advertiser on Idol, and Proctor & Gamble, among others.

Seacrest has also renewed has deals with KIIS and Premiere to host American Top 40 (as well as the Hot AC version of the show.) Seacrest also has a production deal with E! to host E! Daily News, produce the network's Keeping Up With The Kardashians, and also hosts Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve.

He is also planning to launch his own website.

Do we have the next Oprah? Possibly coming soon: RS - The Ryan Seacrest Magazine and Ryan's Book Club, plus a new TV show: Ryan's Big Give.

Thought: Love him or hate him, you have to admire his entrepreneurial spirit. Good for him. And to the haters: He's taking control of his own destiny, unlike other radio and talk personalities who show up for five hours a day, run their mouths, attend a bunch of production meetings, and leave at the end of the day and take a check from The Man. And when they get canned, they whine like little girls.

If you are in the media business - you have to take control of your future. That's what Oprah Winfrey, Kimora Lee, Tom Joyner, Tyra Banks, Byron Allen, Martha Stewart, and other countless celebrities have done. They surely take nothing for granted. These people aren't looking for handouts from media companies - they want to be in business with them. There's a difference. Sadly, there are some people who have more respect for a bombastic radio personality who hops on stage at a political rally and slanders a presidential candidate, then gleefully accepts his six-figure check from The Man and runs back to his mansion in Kentucky while contributing nothing worthwhile.

Scrubs may move from NBC to ABC

Scrubs could be soon in the same company with the likes of Peter Gunn, Let's Make A Deal, Get Smart, Scooby-Doo, Family Matters, JAG, The Hogan Family, Step by Step, The Critic, Diff'rent Strokes, Taxi, and Buffy, The Vampire Slayer: series that has aired on more than one network.

ABC is reportedly picking up Scrubs for next season, which has aired on NBC since 2001, when the show was produced by Touchstone Television, which has been since rechristened ABC Studios.

Both ABC and ABC Studios are owned by The Walt Disney Co.

Throughout television history, more than fifty shows have switched networks. A handful, including The Price Is Right, has aired on as many as three networks (NBC, ABC, and CBS.)

Scrubs has been hurt by the writer's strike - ABC Studios had planned to produce eighteen episodes, but has since been cut down to twelve. The move to ABC would make financial sense for the network since it has already has an audience, and the network needs hit comedies - even if the "hit" is modestly-rated, such as Scrubs.

In other words, chalk one up for vertical integration.

Trivia: Even soap operas aren't immune to the network switcheroo. In late 1975, The Edge of Night became the first soap to change networks by switching from CBS to ABC.

WGN pulls upset in the mornings

The CW may be tanking, but Tribune's WGN-TV is thriving - its morning show ranked number one in the daypart (second item), besting ABC-owned WLS-TV in the recently concluded February book from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. - though it tied WLS at 6 a.m.

Meanwhile, not even the presence of American Idol and the Super Bowl has helped Fox-owned WFLD's Good Day Chicago. Why would the station change the name of the show back to what it was when it launched as a ratings-deprived program in 1993? As a result, those ratings are back in the basement.

Oh Shut Up, Part II

In the "why does this guy have a job department" (a question yours truly asks whenever he comes across a Jay Mariotti-written article), New York Daily News TV Critic and Robert Feder wannabe Richard Huff whines about New York TV News during "sweeps", never mind TV stations in Local People Meter markets (like New York and Chicago) de-emphasized sweeps years ago and you see these type of stories year-around.

Certainly this is an article more targeted to Greensboro, N.C. than to New York City, and treating your readers like they are from Greensboro really doesn't boost circulation, and there's reason No. 235 why newspapers are among "the walking dead".

"WWE Smackdown" bodyslams its way to My Network TV

It's My Smackdown now.

The WWE and News Corp.'s My Network TV have entered into an exclusive agreement to carry the two-hour WWE Smackdown, beginning in September. The program will enter season 10 on the mini-net.

Many former UPN affiliates (including WPWR in Chicago and WCGV in Milwaukee) aired Smackdown but when UPN merged with the WB to form CW in 2006, many of those stations lost the show. But now those same stations will have an opportunity to air Smackdown again.

The move is a boon for My Network TV, which has struggled outside the gate for the last two years with an all-telenovela format that quickly went bust on the onset.

No word on what night Smackdown will air, but it expected to air either Thursday or Friday.

Read the official press release from the WWE

UPDATE: In order for My Network TV to pay for acquiring Smackdown, it is asking affiliates to give back two minutes of adtime back to the network - on top of the two minutes it had already asked to give back. When the network launched in 2006, affiliates got a very generous 5-minute national/9-minute local ad split. Beginning this fall, the split will become more even, at exactly 7/7 with Smackdown having a 9/5 split.

Thought: This is a good move for both parties involved - for the WWE, which returns to many of those same stations it spurned when UPN and the WB merged to form CW. For My Network TV, the network gets a show that is a proven winner, and given the struggles at CW, this is an excellent opportunity for My Network TV to become a very serious contender and pass CW. If that happens, those former UPN affiliates-turned-My Net stations may get the last laugh. Ha.

Updated 6:00 p.m on 2008-02-26

Oscar least watched in 34 years

This year's Academy Awards, hosted by Jon Stewart, scored the lowest ratings ever by attracting only 32 million viewers, and averaging only a 10.7 rating in adults 18-49. The telecast was down 20 percent from last year.

Meanwhile, a native Chicagoan has snared an Oscar for the second straight year. Congratulations to Diablo Cody from southwest suburban Lemont (and no, she does not look like Amy Winehouse), who took home the Oscar for Best Screenplay for the movie Juno. Last year, Chicago native Jennifer Hudson took home an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Dreamgirls.

Our sports teams may suck - but we're winning at the Oscars! All right, you all can wake up now...

Ladies and Gentlemen - the 1,000th post.

The T Dog Media Blog has reached its 1,000th post. And in those one thousand posts, what has we learned? Well...

- Jim Belushi still has no talent whatsoever.

- Chicago celebrities in Hollywood can be just as much as a jerk as anyone else - except the one who won the Oscar last year.

- If you a guy, or if your over the age of 50, advertisers don't care about you - unless you're interested in life insurance or Axe body spray.

- No one thought the FCC could've been run worse than by anyone other than Michael Powell.

- You can jump the shark and become even more popular. Bobby Ewing in every shower, stat!

- You can be the toast of the town by saving a cheerleader one season, and be scorned the next - a familiar scenario to a certain Bears QB.

- If you work and radio, do a good job, and become number one, you can still get fired.

- You can have no talent and still land a syndicated radio show.

- A radio station that is touted as an alternative can turn out to be even worse than the big boys.

- Reality shows can reinforce negative stereotypes against minorities - even if its a show hosted by one.

- Jay Mariotti still sucks.

- Local news - in any market - is a joke.

- You can go on strike - and still command more respect than a certain bunch of political hacks who need to have an opinion on anything and everything (and really need to shut the hell up.)

- You can blow yourself up in a limo and "survive" - while another person in your organization - in real life - can kill himself and his own family a few days later.

- You can pick a show to be number one on a best show list for the year - only to quickly tumble and crash (hey, yours truly can make a mistake once and awhile) by changing the backstory of the series because the writers are completely out of ideas and giving long-time loyal viewers the middle finger in the process.

- Any medical hack can host a talk show - and fail trying (and by the way, we got five of them hosting a show together this fall.)

- You can run a right-wing organization interested in protecting children from the "evils of TV"... but not the evils of gun violence, which kills more children than any TV show. But since those children who are killed or hurt live in predominately black or Hispanic neighborhoods - oh gee whiz, why should they care about that?

- And finally, don't write posts saying they're on the clock. It kills your cred...

- But you know what? This is still a fun business to cover and talk about. For every story about something stupid, there are five that are smart. Here's to another thousand posts!