Beardown wrote:
Over at the Score, Shuester is another dull knife that really offers nothing.
Why is it that being the beat guy for a newspaper is considered a prestigious position. One where their bosses expect them to break stories or at least provide good content. Yet, it's not considered that way for the radio guys. Radio bosses give these gigs to idiots and expect nothing from them other than getting a sound bites from press conferences or gang bang interviews.
Why can't a radio beat guy be like a Brad Biggs even if it's not required? Why don't any want to be more than just the "Get the sound bite" guy?
Anybody have an answer to this?
Because at some point after the new ratings measurements were perfected the realization set in that there was no need to do anything more to capture an already impressive market segment, and that in fact they could do less and still maintain the market. Why have experts when you can slap an "expert" title on just about anybody?
Newspaper guys are a dying breed which has a lingering legitimacy. Guys like Biggs are paid to cover a team and interact with others, from other teams, who are paid to do the same. Time was they were competitors, or loose associates. Now they are a shrinking number of survivors who are trying to find just about anything to cling on to keep their heads above the water and their voices heard.
What's most unfortunate for the listener/consumer is that the big boys make so much money that anyone looking to venture onto their turf needs big enough pockets to withstand the established market share and capital reserves to destroy them. Rod Zimmerman sits on over $100 in annual revenue, if the time comes that any newcomer makes a dent in the market share, CBS will open the coffers and raise the price of doing business.
I'd like to believe WGN could be up to the task but I don't believe, or more importantly doubt I'll listen, in what they have to offer. Except for McNeil, and that is simply for the sake of listening to McNeil.