99XWatch.org

Wikiality

Wikipedia has the ability to compare different revisions of a topic.  For example, I can see that the entry:

Saddled with tepid ratings,  [Barnes] parted ways with Dave in September 2006.

Was changed by someone on December 1, 2006 to:

Dave FM decided to go personality free in the morning, so [Barnes] parted ways with Dave in September 2006. He has now been cast as the recurring character "Agent Drucker" on the FOX show "Prison Break".

Jimmy Update

Jimmy Baron now has a blog on the American Jewish Life Magazine website. This is in addition to his blog on MySpace.  While Jimmy often posts the same piece to both of his blogs, the AJL blog tends more about culture, while his MySpace blog tends to be more about what's going on in his life.  I find it amusing that less than a year ago Jimmy claimed to have never read a blog and now he has two. 

There are also a couple of interesting tidbits in a recent post on his MySpace blog.

Also had an interesting dose of reality last night. Was at Dauler's house before he, Jessica, and I went to the movie (Lisa is still in Phoenix) and, like many people, they have a table set aside to display all the holiday cards they've received from friends and family this year.  (We have a similar display...it's called "a pile of cards jammed behind the phone in our kitchen".) Anyway,  Jeff and I share many of the same personal and professional friends, so it was interesting to see which of our friends have apparently removed The Barons from their holiday card list since my leaving 99X.  Very nice.

In my household, we avoid this faux pas, by not sending Christmas cards to anyone.  That way, we treat our friends with the same casual disregard each holiday season, whatever their career trajectory.

I have a few things on the burner that I'm hoping catch traction in the next 6 weeks or so but it's not looking like any of them will involve Atlanta radio. You never know, though.

It's sort of depressing that a market that has lost four morning shows doesn't have a place for a guy with Jimmy's talent and credentials, but I couldn't be happier that things are looking up.

Update 12/28/2006 10:33 PM
Looks like Jimmy developed one of his recent blog posts into an opinion piece for the AJC. 

Is AdolfoWatch.org taken?

According to ToucherAndRich.com, the character Rudolpho on Adult Swim's Assy McGee is based on Adolfo Gonzalez from the Toucher and Rich Show.   

Here's the episode with Rudolpho's debut:

Because there's not much to write about...

MTJ2

I couldn't attend last night's MTJ2 because of my office Christmas party.  So, I'm going to open the comments section to get your(my readers) reviews.

Killers Makeup Concert Announced

This morning, TNMX announced that the Killers makeup concert will be Monday, December 18, 2006.  Details to follow...

The Water Cooler Index

I track visits to 99XWatch.org using Google Analytics.  People come to my site for a variety of reasons.  Certainly, the biggest reason for this is that they are hungry for more information on a given subject.   For example, I received a huge spike in traffic on the first day of the New Morning X.  I also recieve big spikes in traffic when someone gets fired or sued.

On Wednesday, 11/29/2006, I had 611 visitors and 1,071 page views.  On Wednesday, 12/06/2006, I had 1,589 visitors and 3,314 page views.  Now, on that day, I got a referring link from Larry Wachs.  (Rest assured, Wachs linking to me is not a frequent occurrence.)  99XWatch.org got 627 click throughs from RegularGuys.com.  Even if you subtract those 627 click-throughs, you're looking at a 55% increase in visitors Wednesday to Wednesday. 

Several radio insiders believe "The Email" controversy was staged.  That being said, for a long time, a number of radio insiders thought that this site was a stunt by 99X.  (Where's my check, damn it!)    The ideal morning show is one where the environment is conducive to interesting things happening spontaneously, one where the hosts have a good enough ear to to know when to go in a certain, unplanned direction.  That being said, I suspect most would be surprised at the degree to which spontaneity on any show simply an illusion. 

If the "The Email" controversy wasn't staged, it should have been.

Crashing the airwaves

From The Daily News Tribute (a daily community newspaper serving Waltham and Newton, Massachusetts):

If you listen to Crash, and his longtime buddies Fred Toucher and Rich Shertenlieb, it might be hard to believe a man who treats 19-year-old sidekick Adolpho like a frat house pledge, or treats his weekend drinking games and bar crawls like an Olympic event. But there is a soft side to the intimidating looking man who probably is a teddy bear inside.

MTJ, The Email, etc.

I got the chance to go to the Mistle Toe Jam and hang with Rodney Ho, who was kind enough to give me a shout out on his blog (as well as a better summary that I could have written):

I went to the 99X Mistle Toe Jam with Jim Voris of www.99xwatch.org fame. I decided not to really work per se but just hang out which I seldom get to do at concerts. (I didn’t really know the bands on the bill well enough to review them.) So we caught part of AFI and most of Jet, both good arena acts. But obviously, without the Killers (Brandon Flowers has a severe flu), it wasn’t a totally killer concert. Still, about 8,000 to 9,000 people appeared to show up, just based on how filled the arena looked. It was general admission on the floor and the floor was about 2/3 packed. The entire lower level was sold and virtually all of the second level. Very few third-level seats were filled. It was overall a decent sized crowd. The vibe was relaxed. A couple of women doffed their shirts but this was purely PG— they kept their bras on.II

I got to meet a number of 99X folks.  It's interesting to see different insiders' reactions when I introduce myself as the 99XWatch.org guy.  I've been pretty positive about 99X lately, so it's easier for me to show my face at a 99X event than it would have been, in say October.

Another highlight of the concert was a parody of the OK Go video for Here It Goes Again (itself a really good video.)

Several of my emailers as well as some folks on RadioInfo.com, have suggested that Tuesday's Email controversy  was staged.  Rodney and I questioned NMX Producer Mark Owens who stuck to his story that the bit wasn't planned.  While the controversy seemed authentic to me, I have enough respect for the opinions of many of the insiders who are incredulous about it that I'm now a little skeptical as well.  That being said, a rule of thumb is that elaborately staged controversies don't tend to unfold at 9:15am.

Update 12/9/2006, 9:31 am

Changed "8:15am to 9:15am," above.  My point was that listeners peak for a morning show between 7:30 and 8:00.  One usually hears big planned bits around that time. 

Killers Off MTJ Bill, "make good" Show in Works

From 99X.com:

After being diagnosed with a severe flu, The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers has been ordered by his doctor to stay off stage for the 99X Mistle Toe Jam Wednesday, December 6th. This comes on the heels of The Killers missing the nationally televised Billboard Awards and their last European tour date in Ireland.

The 99X Mistle Toe Jam CONTINUES with AFI, Jet, and OK GO.

People who purchased tickets should hold on to the stub as 99X is working on a formal statement regarding the “make good” of the Killers’ show as soon as the details are confirmed.