In the October 10th issue of Radio Ink magazine, Merlin Media CEO Randy Michaels is our cover story. In the issue we also speak to Merlin Chief Operating Officer Walter Sabo who tells Radio Ink he was very happy about the minute-by-minute coverage the radio trades and Chicago press gave the new company. "It underlines how little innovation has been in radio for the past decade, how few people are doing anything new. How little showmanship and craftsmanship there is."
Sabo also says Merlin is starting to bring that innovation back. "We are waking up the show business and competitive instincts of the radio industry. We are in show business. We are here to make a show. Our purpose is to get attention. That's why radio is here. Our purpose is to get attention, serve and audience, entertain an audience, inform an audience, and draw a crowd. I guess we are good barkers.
Sabo also says despite CBS's decision to simulcast its Chicago news station on FM, he expects his listeners will come from another source. "It has been my experience with the FM Spoken-Word stations that I have put on, like Real Radio in Orlando or New Jersey 101.5, we share almost nothing with the traditional AM talk stations. We are in a very different format, targeting a very different audience. You look at Real Radio in Orlando or New Jersey 101.5, less than 5% of that audience, less than 5% of the cume, is shared with the AM talk stations. In Orlando, it came from XL, MMO and the Classic Rock station. In New Jersey it was with the AC stations. I expect, because we are on FM, where the audience is, I expect the vast, vast majority of the share and the audience will come from music stations."
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