Say what you will about Sarah Palin.
Evidently, there are decision makers and broadcasters that see and hear something saleable, marketable, and influential in her.
So what if trigger happy Sarah hates - even despises the media?
Rather than get mad - I predict she’ll get even with media by becoming a card-carrying member of it.
See, this works both ways. The very thing that saves you can destroy you, too and the very thing tries to destroy you can also save you.
Consider the alternative. Had Palin not resigned as Alaska’s governor she would’ve ended up as the bottom stem of the public consciousness that feeds off of cable talk, E! and Entertainment Tonight before permanently fading away into that limbo of loser VP candidates.How many former news media targets – as diverse as Al Sharpton and G. Gordon Liddy - have been reinvented as media all-stars?
Rush Limbaugh’s stint as a top forty jock in the seventies and a promotion director for the Kansas City Royals in the early eighties fine-tuned his pitch, which he applied to conservative politics at a Sacramento, Calif. talker. From there, image-makers and talent coaches groomed him to go national. He can deliver any line scripted for him and his flock will believe that it came from his own black heart.
Rush is still, for all practical purposes, the de factor leader of the Republican Party. Quick. Name the real one. See? The only thing the official GOP leader has over Rush is a better generic radio name – Michael Steele.
There’s no lack of image consultants and groomers. Even those negative Palin nicknames - Sarah Barracuda and Caribou Barbie – can be transformed into terms of endearment.A cleaned-up, sexy-but-not-too-sexy librarian, ready-for-media Sarah could easily pull off a one-two – radio and television. I could see her doing a daily syndicated radio show for whatever’s left of Clear Channel’s impending restructuring and syndication and as a commentator for one of the cable news channels.
The dead giveaway was the couldn’t-keep-a-secret piece in the Clear Channel owned and operated radio industry gossip daily Inside Radio, which hinted of a probable radio deal. Inside Radio is to Clear Channel what Pravda was to the old Soviet Union. Just like Clear Channel is an advocate for great radio the same way hunters are advocates for deer.
Here’s the formula. Extract Palin from the provincial politics of the Alaskan State House to a national stage –a Washington or New York backdrop. If she can stick to a script and sell it like Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, she’ll be a conservative media shoo-in –and draw much-needed women and younger demos into the GOP fold that those long-in-the-tooth talkers can’t reach.Timing is crucial. How are we going to miss Sarah unless she goes away? Let Letterman and Vanity Fair fade away. Come on, if there were real Sarah scandals they would’ve been unearthed by now.
We’ve had – what – at least three GOP pols in three weeks caught with their pants down around their ankles with women who weren’t their wives? They’re popping up faster than ducks in a shooting gallery. With all those frisky, fun lovin’ Republican fornicators partyin’ down – a has-been ex-Alaskan governor with a formerly knocked-up unwed daughter can’t match their boldface cache.
Here’s my take on the timetable.We won’t see or hear much from Sarah Palin until her book comes out next spring.
While her memoirs are being rewritten – she’ll be remade and remodeled into Sarah Palin, media princess by the industry’s best image consultants and talent coaches (sorry, I’m not available for this one).
The new, improved Sarah will reemerge to make the publicity rounds to pitch her memoirs. If her handlers pull off the remake/remodel, she’ll parlay her appearances into a daily full-time radio talk show for Clear - or whatever they're called by then – and as a commentator on - come on, what else - Fox News.
Sarah Barracuda and her brass ovaries will be the antithesis of all those Ivy League twits the GOP talkers will advance-position President Barack Obama’s team as.From there, who knows?
This is America. Richard M. Nixon came back from the dead more times than Dracula – and became our thirty-seventh President.
Can Sarah pull it off? You betcha!
SURVIVOR: CLEAR CHANNEL
ge" to those terminated up to July 30, 2009. As of today, that's history. For more info and the recap- click here. Coming soon to a Clear Channel cluster near you - Musical chairs for middle management.
39 comments:
Not so fast John. If Sarah Palin is going to pull this off the way the party and CC Execs. expect (and need) her to, she will HAVE TO stick to a/the script. And we saw how quickly that evaporated in the '08 Presidential campaign. She is far more entertaining off the cuff than Say-It-Ain't-So-Joe Biden.
The Dems have to be giddy in the hope of a Sarah Palin radio/TV show. It is like Stephen Colbert mocking the Republicans and the GOP taking him in as one of their own. Only with Palin, once she goes off script you never know what the F she is going to say and the repercussions of those utterances.
I have Dem. friends that would gladly contribute to her Presidential campaign in the hopes she would be the candidate. Could you imagine a Palin / Obama debate? Unfortunately, I think she would end up looking like that turkey in the background of the interview she gave after she "pardened" a turkey before Thanksgiving last November. Scary.
The radio business must be in terrible shape if they think Sarah Palin will bring listeners to it. Nothing that Premiere/Clear Channel does would surprise me. It will come down to whether or not Sarah Palin is trainable to be a controlled personality. It will take the right talent coaches and directors and there is no guarantee she can pull it off for the long run. I hope you are right. If nothing else it will be fun to watch and no one will take it seriously even her side.
Vlad the Impailer vs. ImPalin? What's the diff? Both are bloodsucking & self centered.
It's really hard to tell how well she'd do until she actually does it.
John, John, John... Yes, there's only one thing you hate more than talk radio and that's any breathing thinking conservative, but please get your facts straight.
When you write of Limbaugh, "...image-makers and talent coaches groomed him to go national. He can deliver any line scripted for him and his flock will believe that it came from his own black heart," you infer that he has no true beliefs, that it's all schtick. You don't do what he has done for over twenty years if it were all a lie. (And all with greater success than you or anyone else who pays this blog mind.)
Further more, Limbaugh's mentor in the business was Edward F. McLaughlin, the former head of ABC Radio and not exactly some hack consultant you're always raving about. And he's in the BIG Radio Hall of Fame, not the little one in Cleveland you boast about.
As for the GOP pols caught with their pants down - well, at least Mark Sanford didn't have to pay for it like his ex-NY counterpart.
He's still a Big, Fat Idiot!
You don't have to agree with Rush even .1% of the time to recognize what a gifted broadcaster and communicator he is. Before you "call me out" as a conservative let me stop you. I am. But, as much as I respect Limbaugh's talent and lean right of center I am also am a regular viewer of Bill Maher. Despite disagreeing with Maher 99% of the time I respect his comedic talents, enjoy his show, and watch every week. For all the troubles the radio industry has, Rush is not one of those troubles. He is responsible for breathing life into many failing radio stations.
Today is 7/31, the last day Clear Channel is compelled to pay severance. Do you think there will be any firings today? The exit goon squad is taking the day off and won't be in until Monday.
O'Reilly and his kind aren't appealing to the young and women. Sarah if groomed and reconditioned could pull it off. I remember Rush as a CHR DJ in Pittsburgh. He was not the best but over a brief time developed strong communications skills. Almost unique. Someone had to discover him, coach him and turn him into starpower. The right person can do it for Sarah too. I would not write her off either. Depends on her coaching and handlers.
I could see this happening. Palin was thrown out to the media unprepared. Enough people did like her where a complete make over and media coaching could reinvent her as a radio and TV personality. It is that kind of image and visibility that could make her viable. Don't kid yourself. The radio and TV industry is filled with reinvented political hacks and has beens. I want to see how this plays out.
Love Rush's CONSERVATIVE views concerning marriage & drug use! I'm sure he would have LOVED not having health insurance when he almost went deaf! Take away his millons and let's see how conservative he is then! And with his constant Obama-bashing, let's throw-in racism while we're at it! Just a real PRINCE of a guy...
Clear Channel will pay big bucks to get Sarah Palin and cover the costs by voice-tracking more dayparts on other stations. Did anyone ever put a pen to paper or use a calculator to figure out that the cost of the last round of firings at Clear Channel equalled almost exactly to the same amount the company pays Rush Limbaugh a year? A special place in hell awaits John Hogan.
If I were programming a station that was struggling, I'd give her a try. But I wouldn't slide her into a slot that was already making good money.
My take: Women typically don't do well in Rush/Beck/O'Reilly type of show. Not sure why. Either it's because the right one hasn't come along, in which case Sarah Palin could change that. Or it has more to do with audience expectations (which I suspect is the case). If so, she's going to be done quickly. If I were her agent, I'd be looking for as much money up front as possible because I personally don’t think a woman can succeed with the righty talker audience.
But I have to say a buddy of mine is more gung ho. He looks at Rachel Maddow and believes there is a similar role for Palin. He may be right. He's younger and more in touch with the business today than I am. But at the very tail end of my radio career, I sold time for a station that carried Rush, and I think Palin will be toast with his demo. They won't say it publicly, but I believe they'll switch off.
Funny. Comparing Palin...now...to Rush Limbaugh as a jock/p-r guy for the Royals and others in their early days is a stretch. Rush had to be able to communicate to be a jock, especially extemporaneously. Al Sharpton has always had the gift of gab. He has just been repackaged as a media star. Heck, he's a reverend! I hope he could talk in the past in the pulpit.
Palin needs MAJOR work. Her farewell speech was horrendous. Her resignation speech was just as bad. She won't be able to fill three hours daily with "you betchas", "say it ain't so, Joes," "drill, baby, drill," "government/politics as usual," "hockey mom", "Putin rearing his head," "pallin' around with terrorists," bad sports references, and all of her other familiar talking points phrases and folksy charm.
This idea of her being a "marketable" commodity is based on her appeal and hockey mom-ish personality. There couldn't be a more true definition of the phrase "style over substance."
I am faced with a problem where the buyers want younger demos and the old line conservative talkers are not delivering them. I think that if Sarah Palin could be successfully groomed by the right people she would have a fighting chance. In her case she could parlay it as a stepping stone back into politics though she may be more influential and make far more money by being a young female conservative talker. I have to agree with Gorman on the Nixon analogy. He did come back from the dead more times that Dracula!
John, thank you for mentioning and noting the Clear Channel end date for the SEC-demanded severance. You are probably aware that some CC employees are still fighting to get theirs which CC denied on technicalities. CC left it up to market managers to decide who deserves severance but lawyers have to deal with San Antonio. It becomes an expensive no win situation for employees who cannot afford the retainer. You should check into this, too. You are right about middle management being the next to go at CC. The chessboard being set up to do just that. I also heard from a CC market manager that all contracts and extensions are being reviewed and in most cases those on contract extensions or making over a certain amount will be terminated in the next few weeks. I expect that to mean some higher paid morning show hosts.
John, Pravda I mean Inside Radio carried this today:
Friday, July 31, 2009
Why Sarah Palin Should Be On Radio
by Stacey Cohen
You can put lipstick on a pig - but you don't need it for radio.
Heck you could do your show in a pair of hunting boots and flannel nightgown and nobody would care. All listeners care about is what comes out of their speakers.
I got so ignited when I heard the possibility that Sarah Palin was possibly thinking of participating in the realm of radio from her backyard, or Russia or wherever.
She has all the attributes of what could make a great host. Her name evokes a reaction one way or the other. I don’t know anyone who has a “take her or leave her” reaction. They always have an opinion of her.
You don't have to like someone to listen. In fact sometimes the more you dislike someone the more you listen. I can't stand many hosts but I respect them because they are good at what they do. I don't have to agree with them, but I listen to them.
The former Governor wouldn't be the kind of host who could just do a one-minute feature like ex-Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. She has too much to say. How do you get your phones to ring? You have someone on the air with strong beliefs and opinions full of passion. That's her! Again like it or not this is a woman who won't back down -- ahh one more attribute of great hosts. They don't back down. They may listen to what you have to say but it's not very easy to change their mind.
She has the three things that make a good on-air personality.
1. Experience.
A good host has plenty of life experience. Most on-air types were C students because they were creative, out-of-the box type kids. They would rather live life then read about it. Palin has used her passport now and has a basketball team worth of kids. That in itself qualifies for life experience. I am not talking about being president, but I am talking about being a good radio host. She also has a child with developmental issues. Nothing gives you more life experience then learning through a disabled child. So again I think we can put a checkmark in the life experience category.
2. Can work a crowd.
You want a host who knows how to get a crowd riled up in case your station does a remote. I think she could handle that. She did okay at the Republican convention. It was arguably her finest moment.
3. Advertisers.
We know Smith & Wesson and the NRA would probably jump onboard. Without jesting I think there are many supporters of Palin that would be happy to have her voice out there. She might need a vocal coach though just to drop it a few octaves. We can do that. Hormones or something, but we could make it happen.
I'd have her as a host and make her first guest Katie Couric! We all know without the help of Katie's producers she would have never known any of those questions and answers she asked Sarah in her famous interview. I think she would tear Katie to shreds if it was her show. But what would be great is to get them on the air as moms. They wouldn’t discuss politics but would talk about their kids and challenges of being a successful female. That would be comfortable ground for both of them and I as a female would love to hear it. In my opinion, Palin has the "It" for radio.
Some syndicator should do it! Aim and shoot go get her!
I think Sarah Palin could pull it off. She survived the media circus that came with her VP announcement and actually turned her "You betchas" and winks into trademarks that Tina Fey picked up on. McCain was dead in the water looking like an old man about to keel over and die before Palin showed up at his side. She also took a fair amount of crap and survived. She may be exactly what the GOP needs to court women and the young. I will not write her off. A little grooming and coaching can go a long way.
Please stop giving this woman ANY sort of publicity, let alone discussing a media career. She's simply NOT compelling. If the Inside Radio writer of the story had ANY dignity, she would hand in her resignation today. What a bunch of horse manure.
How about Joe the Plumber as her sidekick?
This may be a little of the subject but you should check out copycat Fred "Xerox" Jacobs's blog today. He must be losing his clients. Now he is defending radio CEOs!!!!!!!!!! They are the poor ones caught in the middle. Is Dan Mason is threatening to cancel. Has Peter Smythe realized that Jacobs has nothing to do with the success of his stations and his been falling for his bs for years? Emmis got wise that Jacobs cost him millions in the Chicago market with Q101 and the Loop? WWill Fred Jacobs send John Hogan a boquet of flowers? This guy is so transparent. I wonder if he will pitch Sarah Palin? Maybe he thinks she will make a good classic rock jock?
Nothing is impossible. I see your point. I agree that considering her limited advance time she did the best she could under a grueling situation. I know young people that disliked McCain but liked Sarah which goes along with what you said. It depends on how well she can be groomed. I rememebr when LeBron James could not speak well to media and look at him now. Talent coaches can do wonders.
Gorman you are giving the righties too many good ideas.
I hate to admit it. Palin with Joe the Plumber as a sidekick sounds like a hit show to me.
Maybe you are on to something. You are trying to create a new comedy show for liberals.
John Gorman is right about this. Do you remember the first year Michael Jordan joined the NBA. He was a brash, arrogant punk. He dressed like a pimp, smoked and had a surly attitude. By season two he was reinvented and became one of the hottest endorsement celebrities. People have short memories. I will tell you something else. I was critiqued and coached by John Gorman. He was the best trainer I ever had. I listened to airchecks before and after. If it were not for him I would still be in a small market. Talent coaches can work wonders. I do not think Sarah Palin was all that bad. She had her wink, her gotchas and betchas and that Northern Exposure/Men in Trees attitude. She won over a lot of young people and a large number of on the fence women liked her. I would not rule out Sarah Palin as a radio and TV host at all.
I think Clear Channel or whatever it morphs into will sign her. They always find a way to make room and find money in the budget for a new conservative voice. Just fire a few more jocks, add more voice tracking and apply the savings to Palin's salary. She stands to make some major dollars esp. if Fox grabs her too.
I think Clear Channel or whatever it morphs into will sign her. They always find a way to make room and find money in the budget for a new conservative voice. Just fire a few more jocks, add more voice tracking and apply the savings to Palin's salary. She stands to make some major dollars esp. if Fox grabs her too.
Hey all you Sarah Palin fans out there in radioland.
Wear her proudly:
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=106859049486&h=at_6B&u=V-oJQ&ref=nf
I don't think a bidding war will erupt but I don't think that Clear Channel would be the only logical place for Sarah Palin. The only problem is with her kid getting preggers minus the ring Salem cannot get into the running. It would be best for CC to lock up Palin because they can play with Rush rights to push the issue. One problem there, though. Rush has peaked. He is too expensive and some stations have dropped him for that reason. Not enough return on the investment. This will be an interesting chain of events to watch.
Wow...as much as the right wants to make the case that Sarah Palin would make a good talk show host, the right still cannot defend her not being able to come up with a newspaper or magazine title that she reads, not being able to name one Supreme Court case outside of Roe v. Wade, not being able to list major legislation sponsored by McCain, not knowing what the Bush Doctrine is, or mistaking Africa for a country and instead of a continent. These are simple political issues that don't require prep work...or Katie Couric's producers. She is so unprepared for the national stage and yet, the GOP base was excited that she was a vp nominee????
Yes, she does evoke strong reactions. That's for sure.
Being a liberal, I do listen to Rush and others because I think it helps to listen to the other side, no matter how out there the other side may be. Before anyone jumps on that statement, I don't remember a time where Al Franken or any liberal commentator said they wished Bush and his policies would fail.
Palin can work a crowd? Wow, I didn't know reciting "Joe the Plumber", "politics as usual," and "palling around with terrorists" at every stop was working a crowd.
Dave wrote, "Being a liberal... I don't remember a time where Al Franken or any liberal commentator said they wished Bush and his policies would fail."
No, it was worse. On Air America, talk show host Randi Rhodes recommended doing to Bush what Michael Corleone, in The Godfather, Part II does to his brother.
"Like Fredo," she said, "somebody ought to take him out fishing and phuw!" -- then imitated the sound of a gunshot.
Yeah, you classy liberals...
You BETCHA, Asshole!
Sarah Palin = Spiro Agnew
I can see unwed mothers from my backyard!
I can see bastards from the front!
I am a conservative, I generally agree with what comes out of Sarah Palin's mouth. I think people are trying to paint her as a bible thumper because she dared not abort her child, but if you to her closely she actually is more of a liberatarian/economic opportunity conservative, which I consider myself to be. If anything, she goes a little lighter on God-loving and bible-thumping than most politicians, but that doesn't stop libs from slinging mud her way.
That said, talent-wise I think she comes across as being exactly what she is: A small-market TV sports reporter. That's not to say she couldn't become someone more compelling to listen to, but she just doesn't have the natural polish of a Rush Limbaugh and kind of an annoying voice. Maybe she should take up cigar smoking?
John Gorman, I heard you on with BIll White on WBT today. You were very good. I had my doubts. You made some valid points. When you mentioned that Time Magazine article I found it an hour later in my doctor's office and read it. You are right. I now agree that she is about to be groomed for media. Good job. Just found your blog on WBT and plan to read through it tonight. Im a former radio guy. Got out eight years ago when things started to cave in. Happier where I am now in sales - no radio.
John, Good job on WBT today. You were good, they were good. I expected a partisan fight. Never happened. Everyone kept their cool. I disagreed with your blog but after hearing you on the radio I now see your point.
I wonder what Gorman thinks of his buddy Obama's approval rating dropping quicker than the ratings in afternoon drive after Lou Santini took over at WMMS? Spare us your liberal rants and just report on the state of radio.
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