Confidant with confidence

With just more than a year remaining on his contract, WSCR-AM morning man Mike North is bringing in an old friend to help him secure a new deal.

Jeff Schwartz, the ultimate Chicago radio insider who last worked here as WMVP-AM's program director, will facilitate the discussions.

"Agent is not the right word," Schwartz said. "Mike is his own agent. I'm his confidant."

The interesting twist is Schwartz will sit across the table from, among others, Mitch Rosen, the Score's program director. Rosen is a former agent.

Schwartz said he would be "shocked" if North doesn't remain at WSCR for another three to five years.

"He is the mantelpiece for that radio station, whether you love him or hate him," he said. "I can never imagine turning on '60 Minutes' and not seeing Andy Rooney."

Schwartz also doesn't expect North to have to take a cut from his yearly salary, which is a little south of $1.5 million.

North routinely gets beat in the ratings by WMVP-AM's ESPN Radio national team of Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg, but Schwartz said North carries a lot of weight with Score advertisers.

Plus, North's spring book, which will be released Tuesday, is expected to be strong because of the buzz generated by his on-air skirmish with Ozzie Guillen and North's visit to New York, where he sat in Don Imus' old chair.

Double-duty David?

Comcast SportsNet is talking to WGN-AM's David Kaplan about hosting "Chicago Tribune Live" when Dan Jiggetts steps down from the post in August, according to industry sources.

The move would make sense on several levels. Kaplan could host "CTL" from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and still arrive at WGN studios in time for his "Sports Central" show at 7 p.m. There would also be cross-promotional possibilities with WGN and CSN. WGN is owned by Tribune Co., which is a partner in CSN via the Cubs.

Kaplan is familiar with CSN executives, having called college basketball games for the network. Jiggetts, meanwhile, is expected to stay at CSN to cover football.

schwartz has been dippin in some good weed if he thinks north won't get a pay cut

I know Jeff seems to be universally liked in the industry but he seems like a first class stroke. He attention whores his way onto the radio at every station, even though he is in administration. He leaves every time the going gets tough at the workplace. Maybe one of the insiders can give us some insight on what makes Jeff a beloved figure.

So Fast Eddie is out? what about Bebe the super agent? Now it is 'Spaceball'

yeah, not so sure on the $1.5 either

_________________
"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

It's like he's a hired gun in the industry but somehow does this with a complete lack of ammunition.

Wasn't Fast Eddie hired before the recent change in Score management when it was rumored that North was going to be bought out? Pappy's job seems pretty safe these days (unless his $$ demand are as large as his ego).

Someone I know who knows Jeff Schwartz very well described him to me once. Basically, he is liked because he is personable with everybody he works with. He treats them with respect. A lot of radio execs treat those underneath them like crap and BS. Schwartz is said to be honest. Another , example, he may ask someone to do him an extra favor, and at the same time, will personally give that person maybe $50 for dinner with a significant other or something. The last thing I remember, this person said that if Schwartz said to walk into a ring of fire, he'd trust him.

I figure some of that is true, but his ESPN 1000 stint made him look bad. Still don't know whether it was Jim Pastor or Schwartz who made the move on bringing Sean and Steve into town, but whoever did it, obviously made a huge mistake. Spaceball supposedly left because he couldn't stand Jim Pastor (and Feder first took his shots at Pastor after Spaceball left).

From a similar relationship- someone who has dealt with Jeff - is that Spaceball does not deal well with people who are suppossedly smarter ( big school degrees) or have a greater base of experience. He cannot deal with the network types, or the New York guys, because he does the local wheelling and dealing - he likes the glad handing of local deals, not the insecurity of national and the agency types associated with those agreements. The national guys - from my personal conversations - see him as a retail guy and don't respect him to do anything more than Chicago.

Having said that, he is perfect for Mike - a local guy dealing with a local contract - and someone local to help protect all of their interests ( and if you don't think Jeff isn't part of all of Mikes little deals across town, I have a bridge in Calumet to sell you).

How is he gonna help Pappy. I mean, who is bidding against the Score. Who the hell wants Pappy?

WLS - No

WMVP - No (plus you guys said Pappy doesn't want to go there.)

WGN - Hell no

WCKG - It's the same company.

Those are the only stations in town with money that do talk shows people listen too.

Look. If the Score wants him back they can have him at their price. Pappy has no options. I hope to hell they just give up on him and his horrible show.

Pappy - I want 5 years at 2 million per year.

Score - No

Pappy - OK. Five years at da same money.

Score - No

Pappy - 5 million for 5 years?

Score - No

Pappy - 800k per year for 5. But dats as low as I'm goin.

Score - Good luck Pappy. Thanks for all the years.

I would find it shocking if Mike didn't take a pay cut from where he's at now. He has no other options, and has continued to be beaten in the ratings. He may have a lot of advertisers support, but how far can that go when they see their target market listening to a similar show down the dial ? More power to him if he gets a similar deal, but I need to see to believe.

The advertisors. Won't advertisors be there if someboday else gets his ratings? Won't they be higher rates if the next guy does better?

Isn't that common sense.

Plus, let's say the Score gets a new guy. I don't know who. They give that guy 300k. Well hell, that's 1.2 million they save on salary that they are not paying Pappy. Even if the new guys ratings are a little worse won't that still produce a better profit for the Score?

Plus if you hire a good talent he'll do better then Pappy and you'll have him for cheap for a couple years with good advertising rates.

It sounds simple to me.

Everything I've read here about Spaceball is true, including the fact that most people don't really love him or hate him but we "like" him. He's like our old absent-minded ADD uncle - he's amusing & harmless. (Except when he puts himself on the air too much - just like Drew Hays!)

Spaceball is the Reuben Kincaid of radio. He just wants 'the radio family' to get along, remain popular and profitable - and market the hell out of it along the way. Whether that's via Disco Demolition or via Feder's column - it doesn't matter. Just trumpet the cause.



I've got no problem with Schwartzy whatsoever. One of the nicest radio management types you'll ever meet.

I guess it's so logical that it doesn't make sense to management - imagine that!

Why wouldn't WLS take North? I am sure Northy can sweet talk some idiot program director that is not used to his bullshit yet.

Some little dweeb that North sells the idea that he can have the biggest radio show in Chicago if they just let him assemble his team and do what he wants to do, just not sports.

Then some radio geek who prior to this date, has had the biggest moment of their life as the chance to sign Garry Meier, decides that he is going to make the move and sign North and make his big splash and show everyone how he can pick talent.

Then 2 years later, Northys ratings have gone up, just not enough to pay the North Team and the PD is feeling pressure from ownerhsip and at the same time North is making fun of the guy on the air for not letting him have ads on Buses, and thats the reason he is not a huge deal.

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""I am now done at the Score."
Mike North, June 24, 2008

Why would they? They already have big ratings and no slot that the slug would improve. He doesn't have nor ever will have a big appeal other than in a niche market.

What about the outlet that is looking to syndicate Dan Patrick. I think they would be interested in a guy like Mike because he is tireless in promoting his product. It also sounded like a situation where there is no guaranteed salary. Income is derived from the number of markets they can get him on. It would really be an ideal setup for Mike.

Exactly, what time slot would he work ? There isn't one availabe in the daytime as I'm pretty sure all 3 of their main shows (Don/Roma, Rush, and their afternoon show.