Die hard fans of the Rick Emerson Show, the geekcentric local radio program that recently emigrated to KUFO Rock 101.1 from sister CBS Radio station AM 970 have started a campaign for more talk, less music during the show’s new, prime 5 am-9am time slot.
The sonic kerfuffle started last Monday, May 4, when fans like Seumas Froemke noticed that there was a whole lot more King of Leon and Green Day playing than usual during RES than Emerson’s trademark offbeat rants about obscure rock lore, Portland politics and the unifying power of bacon.
It turns out that the show’s daily mix of talk with a little music in between had been upended by CBS Radio. The new schedule, as of last week, slashed the amount of time Emerson and longtime co-hosts Tim Riley and Sarah X. Dylan spend dissecting the minutiae of the day down to a mere 90 minutes over the course of four hours. That’s down from 140 minutes when the show moved to KUFO in early March. When RES aired on 970 AM, the trio had 190 minutes to jaw. (Note: I appear on RES most Thursdays to talk about WW’s top stories, but was not exactly aware what changes had taken place when I was at the studio last week. I can confirm the existence of a piece of paper printed with a pie chart taped to the wall in the set, noting that the breakdown for each hour of the show is now 24 minutes of music an hour, 22 minutes talk and 14 minutes ads.)
Froemke, a 31 year old former Portlander who now obsessively listens to the show via podcast in Denver, Colorado, noticed the change immediately. And he was not pleased. Here’s a bit from Froemke himself:
Rick, Sarah and Tim have always been the kind of fantastic [show] that brings the geeks and freaks and artists and the creative together in the Portland area… That’s why the show always worked before someone mucked with their formula….The Rick Emerson Show traditionally wasn’t something you listened to. It was something you participated in with your fellow audience members. You contributed content to it. You gave feedback directly to it… It is that sense of belonging and community and appreciation that has always kept the audience not just dedicated to Rick, Tim and Sarah, but to their advertisers. Companies like Viso and Everybody’s Garden Center and Secret Aardvark among many others…. How do you develop that loyalty if you strip a show of everything that makes it great and you reduce it to a bunch of rock records?
So he created “Save the Rick Emerson Show,” a new blog devoted to mobilizing the show’s legion of hardcore fans with the ultimate goal of cajoling CBS to changing RES back to the way it used to be. The blog lists public contact info CBS Radio and KUFO honchos as well as advertiser names and emails for local reporters (RES fans have sent me nearly a dozen heated and/or passionate missives so far). [Update Tuesday, May 12: Seumas Froemke reminded me the group also has a very lively Facebook group called "Rick Emerson Show Bottom Line Brigade." Check it out.]
Why the devotion? Froemke says it’s important to fight for quality, local programming: “I’m a 31 year old successful professional with disposable income that I’m willing to spend. I’m a marketer and program director’s wet dream,” he wrote WW last week. “But after so much noise and a lack of unique content out there, I’ve grown very particular about what I consume. I consider my time and my ears and my mind to be very valuable, so what I stick in them has to be good.” (Apparently that doesn’t include songs like this in KUFO’s current morning rotation.)
It’s not the first time the “Emerson Army” has gone to battle to save what they see as one of the only truly unique, local radio programs out there in a sea of sports commentary, on-air fart jokes and robotic music programming. When Entercom canceled the Rick Emerson Show on Portland’s now defunct MAX 910 in 2005, his fans sent hundreds of coffee cups to the corporate media behemoth’s Portland office with notes that said “I need my daily fix.” Rallies, parties and other RES devotionals also took place around town—more than 1,500 fans showed up one event. The fierce loyalty of the show’s listeners ended up helping RES find a new home with CBS Radio in 2006.
It turns out at least some of the show’s advertisers are fans too: “We’re not thrilled with it either,” says Scott Moritz of Secret Aardvark when asked about RES‘ new more rock, less talk format change. The local hot sauce company has been a longtime RES advertiser. They hadn’t heard of the “Save the Rick Emerson Show” campaign yet. “I like Rick, I’d rather hear him more,” Moritz says. “It’s a talk show. That’s what I signed on to advertise with.”
I couldn’t reach Rick Emerson for comment, but I’ll update the post once I hear back from him. He’s probably busy watching reruns of Mystery Science Theater 3000. At least, that’s what I always assume he’s doing when he’s not on the air…
I also left a messages for Dave McDonald, CBS Radio’s General Manager for Portland and KUFO programming director Chris Patyk. [UPDATE: I had to post a whole separate story on McDonald's and Patyk's comments and the tons of reader response to it. You should totally read it.]
Image of Rick Emerson from Vanished Twin Photography courtesy of rickemerson.com.
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Tags: KUFO, media, radio, Rick Emerson Show
Months back I heard that KCMD was fading quickly. Apparently the only shows that had strong listenership were Leykis and RES, and when both those shows were gone they completely redid their talk format. I don’t think CBS will keep 970 for another contract, which plays into why RES moved. It’s just a sad situation.
Well done Kelly. You said what we all feel but with so much more panache. I’ve stayed pretty quiet on this but I’m there with all of you. It’s never a bad thing, at least from Rick’s perspective, to have fans complaining that they’re not getting enough of you. I’m just not sure that the brass at CBS are listening to what we think (or care about it if they are hearing it).
-Mailman Out
I am not ready for all that rock music at 6 a.m. on my drive in to work. I followed RES to KUFO and I want the format returned to it’s former glory which was the Best Show Ever.
Rick said his show would not change.
I just want an explination from rick or an update as to where all this is heading. Leaving people in the dark is the worst thing that the RES could do. We would all understand if rick would just let us know the situation.
But you have to understand why he can’t comment on this. Because he’s a pro, he’s never commented on horror stories of his career involving current employers.
Great article! And a big thanks to Seumas for getting the word out that the listeners have noticed the change in format and are not happy!
I live in Tucson, Arizona, and have been listening to the Rick Emerson Show through various means for over ten years now.
I too am very upset with the way the show has been changed after moving to KUFO. I cannot comprehend why CBS brought the number one local morning talk show to KUFO if they were just going to play music for more than half of the show’s time on air? The addition of so much bland music along with the drastic reduction of show content just doesn’t make any sense. Please instead let Rick, Tim, and Sarah talk and entertain us for the four full hours.
Respectfully,
Carol Richardson
[...] Show listeners have been doing some talking and typing of their own. Since I posted news that KUFO had recently slashed the amount of time Emerson and co-hosts Tim Riley and Sarah X. Dylan spend… and geek-fabulous topics to a paltry 90 minutes over the course of four hours last Monday [...]
Im glad there are fans of his show. Rick does NOT belong on KUFO. I cant stand it. Please take him off. That would be fantastic.
It’s not so much that the RES may not belong on KUFO as anecdotal evidence I unearthed while researching the Arbitron Portable People Meter suggests *TALK* does not mix well with *MUSIC*.
Statements from “professionals” seemed to claim that all-talk stations and all-music stations peform better than stations with mixed content. If we take that claim at face-value, then putting RES on KUFO seems like a move established to make him fail.
I don’t care for the music on KUFO. I like a lot of it, but if I want to hear it I’ll pull up iTunes. Or even Pandora, which let’s me directly influence the music I hear in real time and without commercials or repetition. I don’t begrudge those who want to listen to music and/or KUFO, though. It’s unfortunate that fans of both types of content are being put into a situation where more of one directly correlates to less of the other. It pits fans of two things against each other when they shouldn’t be competing in the first place.
Isn’t that why CBS owns so many different types of stations in the same market to begin with?
Radio stations are rapidly following the path of newspapers and dodo birds. With over 2,000 songs on my iPhone, why would I ever want to have my blissful morning commute interrupted by a Tom Shane commercial or some rock band song I’ve heard over so many times I could play it backwards on a kazoo? The ONLY reason I listen to the radio is to enjoy the fantastically uplifting intercourse of Rick, Sarah and Tim.
The commercials and music are strangling the show – please, please make the bad man stop.
It is time to go empty my cupboard of coffee cups…
CBS could make a brave venture into the world of tomorrow’s media on the internet with a very solid showing that appeals far outside of a 100k watt reach. All they’d have to do is put Rick and all the other local talent they had on KCMD before they killed the shows on the internet and gave them a little advertising to get the word out.
Great article!
It makes me sad to hear what the Rick Emerson Show has become. The organic genius of the well developed conversations from the show of the past are what made me a devoted listener for the past 7 years. Now it seems that it’s ‘hurry up and get to the next segment, oh and here’s more Red Hot Chili Peppers!’
Rick (and by Rick, I mean Tim and Sarah) is the only reason I would ever turn on KUFO, but they are not endearing themselves to me by forcing Rick to be the embarrassing morning guy he never wanted to be.
Bring back the genius!
Rick and crew signed on to do a TALK SHOW. That is why I listen! The music just does not mix well with the format. GIVE us back the REAL Rick Emerson Show!!!!!!! I miss the calls, the banter and the best show ever. This is the most abbreviated show ever.
Once more I have become the victim of my age. Television, movies and radio have for decades thought that certain demographic groups were worth more that others, and have made programming appealing to those demographic groups.
When The Rick Emerson show moved to KUFO the audience was told that this wold not change the show in any way. This was told to fans who were involved in the Coffee Cup Brigade. We were promised “no change in the show” and that promise was not delivered. Now we are being told that “integrating” a talk show into morning drive time is taking some time. Howard Stern did not play music and his show was successful, Mark and Brian had this pulled on them some years ago where they were required to play TWO songs per HOUR, the fans complained loudly and vociferously, and the idea was quietly abandoned. We have a unique opportunity here–a potential of having a locally produced radio show with the potential to have a national reach due to its unique content and talents. But with this continued denying of what makes the Rick Emerson show worth listening too, this opportunity is being lost in the name of ratings and revenue.
As a listener I have no idea of the economics of radio stations, nor how they are produced and what kind of work it involves. But I do think I have a sense that Rick Emerson and his crew have a great passion for what they do, and cannot imagine doing anything else. I once heard that Rick’s producer, Sarah Dylan was considering taking a second job, not quitting to find a better paying job, getting a second job. Why would she do this? I like to think that the job on the radio is more satisfying that the pay she gets for it.
I do not think the listeners are being unreasonable here. We support this show in any way we can, and continue to do so. This listener is heartbroken over the changes that have been made. It is a tragedy that this fine talent here in our fair city has been reduced to a few radio bits from his old show, and is introducing the next set of music, which has less than zero appeal to me. I want to listen to Tim Reilly give me the news, with all the hilarious mis-pronunciations, I want to hear the way out of left field rants from the esteemed host, I long to hear the banter between the CNN reporters and Rick. I am not getting this any longer like I am used to. And if KUFO is going to insist that this listener is not the listener KUFO is looking for, then I guess I will listen to the old podcasts, and bask in the memories of the old days when the Rick Emerson show I so enjoyed, repaid my loyalty be being entertaining, informative, live, and local. It was relatable to me then. Why can’t it be relatable to me now?
I know this is the older article and all, but I do want to comment on Patrick’s comment part of it at least.
Not only has Sarah Dylan talked about taking a second job but she has had second job. And at one point, a third job. Even though she has been the producer of a very popular daily talk show for many years. Like writing, radio just doesn’t pay very well unless you’re one of the very few lucky ones. So clearly people do it for love of the gig.
And though she was once the traffic girl on KOIN, most of her second and third jobs are nothing glorious. I believe they are barbacking, working retail at a clothing store, etc. Keep in mind, she has a job as a popular on air personality 20+ hours a week for years AND has a college degree. And on top of THAT she has a second show, on KUFO, every sunday night.
It is so clearly a love of the job and that is one reason we love them. Yes they’re paid to entertain us and be nice to us, but there is nod doubt in my mind that they’d respect their audience exactly the same even if they were the ones paying to get to do their job.
KUFO knew exactly what they were getting when the transfer over from AM970 happened – don’t forget that both stations are owned by CBS and there was a great deal of cross-polination going on between RES and KUFO. And what was certainly known at the time was that RES was very unique in current radio.
It sounds like someone’s no longer willing to stick their neck out to support “unique”, and it’s possible that “unique” has a much smaller but more passionate following than some thought it would. How sad on both parts.
Stay classy, everyone. Stay loud, Rick Emerson Army. Stay gutsy, KUFO upper management.
Right and if the RES audience is so small and insignificant why was KUFO always sending their on-air talent over to the RES on AM to promote their stuff? (Which we listeners did NOT mind by the way, because Cort and Fatboy and Lisa Wood are completely awesome).
This just shows how CBS Radio is out of touch with their local markets or maybe it’s a consultant.
I listened to KCMD all day long five days a week from 11AM to about 7PM. (Attention CBS Radio I am the target demographic & I support the advertisers.)
RES moved to KUFO and I listened for about a month. I couldn’t take it anymore. My favorite thing to do all day was now riddled with twenty min of commercials and twenty five min of music every hour.
Who was the idiot who thought “Wow this guy has a great show for four hours. I bet if we add three hours worth of music and spots it will get better?” Sounds like CBS is letting the wrong people go. Scotty J. could run this place better than these douche bags.
CBS change KUFO and make it a real rock music station. Music sets should be longer than commercial breaks.
CBS save Rick Emerson, Sarah and Tim and put them were they need to be. Back where the Glorious Bastards can feed on their voices for hours. Bring back Solid State Radio where it was the “Best Show Ever.”
I have been listening to Rick since day one in PDX. While I am not up to hear his new show, I am surprised that they have forced music into the show. While I have no problem with the occasional song or two, the stuff that KUFO plays is just horrible.
Do I really need to hear the same grunge rock songs that they have been spinning daily since 1995? And the “new rock” stuff of theirs is awful. I am sure if it was done more tastefully, like say a classic heavy metal tune weaved in every hour or so it would not be that bad.
I loved Rick and the gang on the old program. Now I don’t feel the love and don’t want to listen to the god awful music that they play. So I no longer tune in, I suspect many others are doing the same.
I’ve listened to the RES for years and have followed the ups and downs accordingly. I am not the ‘geek-loving’ male demographic, I’m a 40 something married, professional, female, mother of two teenage boys with ALOT of disposible income. Ror some reason unknown reason, I really relate to Rick, Sarah and Tim and what they talk about. That’s right, TALK about. Over the years I have patronized many of their sponsors, which is exactly in line with the radio business model. Now, I only listen to podcasts of the RES because of the format change. Guess what? Now I can’t patronize the sponsors…’cause I don’t hear their ads. CBS, you are really making a mistake.
I have been listening to the RES for ten years. It is by far the best talk show I have ever encountered on any radio station, anywhere. I want to join with the voices raised in protest against reducing the talk time for Rick, Sarah, and Tim — cutting it in half no less. I understand that some format change might be necessary because of the morning drive time slot and the fact that the RES is now on a primarily rock music station, but cutting the Rick-Sarah-Tim time in half is far too drastic. Like other listeners, I am well-educated (if Stanford counts), have disposable income and I support the RES advertisers. We want more Rick, more Tim, and more Sara-with-an-h.
I too have been listen for about ten years, the RES is the best local show ever. At first I was excited about the switch to KUFO they were finally getting their due. However it seems to be watered down now and to corporate, I am starting to miss the old days. Anyway my main complaint is the music take out the music and give the RES more air time. After all this is a morning TALK show. Here is a history lesson on KUFO mornings, lets review. Howard…TALK, Corolla…TALK, RES…MUSIC??? What the hell, how does that make sense? Think about it.
Yes, the music does suck and I want to hear more of Rick, Sarah, and Tim. Since they’ve made this change I find myself changing stations to avoid the music, then getting angry when I either change back too soon or too late! I just want to hear Rick and the gang. I’ll tolerate commercials, but not the equivalent of six to ten minutes of ‘dead air’ — you can play your music during other slots…
I don’t know how the ratings game works in radio, but I’m a prime demographic for advertisers and will spend money on products. If the music makes me change the station to listen to Nelson and Terry (or their music) any time the music starts then I’m not listening to KUFO’s advertisers…
I have been a huge Rick Emerson fan for years and was pumped when he moved to KUFO…but the constant interruption of music really turns me off.
I really don’t know what CBS Radio management is thinking, but they need to correct their error in judgment.
More talk, less (butt)rock