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from the Suntimes
Mike North & Dan Jiggetts: Morning monsters
CSN takes big chance looking for bigger payoff with North, Jiggetts
December 12, 2008
BY LEWIS LAZARE Sun-Times Columnist
Call it a joint venture. Or a new way of doing business in the broadcasting industry. But any way you slice it, Mike North, Dan Jiggetts and Comcast SportsNet are taking a big risk in launching "Monsters in the Morning."
The daily, all-sports morning talk show doesn't debut on CSN until Jan. 12, but North -- who's the first to tell you that he and co-host Jiggetts are the "greatest radio team of all time," and takes full credit for masterminding this new concept in Chicago morning shows -- is anxious to talk about it.
Whatever CSN's "Monsters In the Morning," a live, three-hour affair, proves to be from a content perspective, the business deal behind it is something of a departure for both North and CSN.
CSN President James Corno said he and North started talking about a show last winter -- long before North walked away from WSCR AM-670 in June and, according to North, snubbed an $800,000 contract, which amounted to a $200,000 pay cut.
Ironically, North's being paid no salary at all for "Monsters." Rather, Licorice, the production company North formed to do "Monsters," is getting an undisclosed fee to cover all costs for talent and content that North and Jiggetts put into the show.
The two hosts, who write a column in the Sun-Times, will have to take whatever salary they feel comfortable with out of that fee, according to Corno.
Which brings us to the interesting matter of how CSN is going to pay for its fees and studio costs involved in presenting three hours of live television every weekday.
Corno and CSN Senior Director of Programming Greg Bowman said their cable channel will be on the hook for about 10 production people involved in the show.
Two of that crew, Producer Ryan McGuffey and Director Matthew Ellis, will be full time at CSN.
CSNC hopes to cover all its costs -- and show a profit eventually -- the old-fashioned way: selling ad time.
Doesn't sound like a sound plan in this environment, where all advertising revenue is down?
To hear North tell it, he's doing a smashing job of helping in the ad sales arena.
"We've already sold $700,000 worth of advertising," he insists.
North's Licorice and CSN are putting all advertising revenue each entity sells into a single pot. If and when all the new morning show's fees and production costs are covered, Licorice and CSN will divvy up any profits according to terms of their agreement.
Corno said it could take at least a year to determine if "Monsters in the Morning" will fly. And North is taking an aggressive tack to winning over advertisers.
He signed up Next Step Medical Staffing as his new show's presenting sponsor, and he's apparently promising product placement opportunities to other advertisers.
"If we get a coffee sponsor, Dan and I are gonna be drinking their coffee on air," said North.
North may have a knack for luring advertisers, but it remains to be seen if he can behave on television, where he can't be quite as freewheeling as he was on radio.
Corno said he expected North to be "fair" and "present both sides of stories."
No problem, North said.
Besides, North said Jerry Reinsdorf, who owns the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls and is a part owner of CSN, told him "to just be myself."
And that is something Mike North has never had a problem doing. Just ask him.
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