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WDFN semi-resurrected, but with one foot still in the grave
Written by Al Beaton   
Friday, 28 August 2009 19:56

I received a Facebook alert today from the RobInge Hood forums, an enclave for dispossessed WDFN listeners. I had hunch as to what was up, as rumors have been swirling the purged of almost all talent 1130 AM, running nationally syndicated content all but 2 hours a day, would soon go back to a mostly local sports talk format.

Truns out my spider sense was tingling for good reason.

As of September 8th, the late, lamented WDFN will rise from the ashes! But...there's always a "but" when it comes to Cheap Channel...before you get all tingly in your special place, take a look at The Fan's M-F lineup first.

Morning drive: Sean Baligian - 7-10 AM
Mid-days: FOX 2's Ryan Ermanni - 10AM-Noon
Afternoons: ESPN Radio's Colin Cowherd - Noon-2PM
Afternoon drive: Matt Shepard & Drew Sharp - 2PM-6PM

Are you still tingly in your special place?

CC is asking Baligian to do 6 hours of radio a day, as he's already doing afternoon drive on 96.1 ESPN in Grand Rapids. Jebus, that's a ton of sports talk for anyone. Baligian's a good listen, more than capable of doing a solo show and the only choice for pure sports talk in the AM. But dealing with callers of questionable IQ for that many hours a week will turn his brain into mush. It's the equivalent of a do-it-yourself lobotomy, only in slow motion.

All I know of Ermanni is from his WJBK, FOX 2 work. He's local, which is necessary in this market. Otherwise, Ermanni is an unknown entity, to say the very least. All I can say is the last time WDFN asked a TV anchor to carry a 2 hour, full-time radio gig, we ended up with the train wreck that was Van Earl Wright's show.

Colin Cowherd is unlistenable. The last thing this market needs is this know-nothing about Detroit nationally syndicated lout pushing an ESPN agenda (IE: constant prattle over east coast and L.A. teams, while ignoring the teams from flyover states, save for those from Chicago). Say what you will about the annoying Jim Rome, he's a better listen than The Herd. Adding Cowherd to the lineup is a HUGE mistake. No one will listen to The Herd. No one with half a brain or an interest in anything other than the Yankees, Red Sox, Giants, Jets and Patriots, anyway.

Shepard's a professional, but his dry style is better suited for updates and play by play. Sharp is there to do what he does best, stir up controversy, and get a rise out of listeners. It's his job at the Freep, it'll be his job at DFN. Honestly, it seems like an oil and water partnership. It's as far from a Stoney & Wojo pairing as you can get.

In the end, Cheap Channel gutted what had been a mostly profitable and entertaining sports talk station, ditching damn near every single listener in the process, and allowing WXYT to runaway and hide in the ratings race, just to eliminate the salaries of Jamie Samuelsen, Mike Stone and Bob Wojnowski. I'm sure there were other, less expensive, casualties. But those 3 were the most well known, and most listened to, big guns.

Without Samuelsen, Stoney and Wojo, will anyone listen to the new WDFN? Baligian has a fanbase, and little competition for those wanting pure sports talk in the morning (You sure as Hell won't get it from the so-called "man talk" with Jay & Bill on XYT). But what about the rest? Probably not.

An even bigger question is, will anyone listen to a low powered, highly directional, unlistenable at night, done on the cheap AM station when the competition has blowtorch FM signal 24/7 and broadcast rights to all 4 of the pro sports teams?

If WDFN moved to FM, as should have been done years ago, they might have a chance. As things currently stand, The Fan still has one foot in the grave.



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Comments (4)Add Comment
Happy that the fan is back
written by Johnny C., August 31, 2009
I'm happy with the fact at least we get another choice when it comes to local sports talk, granted I could do without "The Herd" because that dude Colin is really annoying. Hopefully once DFN gains back some of its audience CC will allow WDFN to add or bring back(cough Stoney and Wojo)some talent.

All I can say I'm going to spend my 2 to 6 listening to Shep and Drew because after listening to Valenti and Terry for while that act of cool headed guy and screaming douche bag that hates on everyone gets old very quick. And plus it sounds force to me and it becomes apparent when one of them has to host the show on his own.

I wish the new WDFN luck.
The return of Seany B!
written by KirchInTheD, September 01, 2009
Excellent news for morning sports. So glad to find out Sean will be returning in the AM; I agree with you, Al - Shep's pretty dry and even though I may try the afternoon shift on occasion, I don't see it clicking all that well.

But Johnny C. above is right ... it is an alternative to Valenti's blowhard act, which has become like nails on a chalkboard. Perhaps that's faint praise though, with Mr. Drew "I Want To See Everything Fail" Sharp along for the ride with Shep ... guess afternoon sports is going to be "the evil of two lessers", at least for a while.

Maybe CC is testing the waters to see who will still listen? I'm in for the mornings; jury's out on afternoons, and yeah, not really excited about the rest of the day (don't know Ermanni and despise anything ESPN-oriented these days). Rome, with his faults, was worth a listen on occasion (at times I found myself enjoying him more when he was bagging on non-sports related topics) ... he might be missed in some quarters.

Guess we'll take the return of Seany B as start! Like Dreyfuss told Bill Murray in "What About Bob?" ... "baby steps"
...
written by mustanggt12382, September 09, 2009
I couldn't be any happier that WDFN is back, first off the format at 97.1 is horrible, the open line calls really get annoying, it came to a point where I would just sit back and laugh at how dumb a lot of these calls were then that got old. Second are they a sports station or what? Why does every show they throw out a pop culture or political topic, also you don't wanna mix politics on a so called sports network because by them doing that they really made there shows ever harder listen to. Third why do they not interview any players or coaches? Shep and Sharp had Matthew Stafford on today, Ryan Ermanni had Larry Foote, that's awesome I miss that. I am guessing heres why 97.1 doesn't put any players or coaches on because they are all a bunch of blowhards and they don't want someone bigger then them appearing on there show. All the reasons above, WDFN even scaled back should be successful, if people want real sports talk your gonna get at WDFN, 97.1 is a joke, I love what Ryan Ermanni said today, that this is a sports how, they aren't going to talk about Barrack Obama, cash for clunkers or the economy, THANK YOU its about damn time, so many times I had to hear all that crap when I was just trying to hear some Tigers talk, it was painful to listen to and many times I had to lower the sound at work because I couldn't take it anymore. And anyone that listens to Valenti and Foster or Shep and Sharp must hate Detroit, I know Drew Sharp can get on peoples nerves, at least he has credibility and is from here. Valenti that guy is such a douche bag, his phony tough guy New York talk doesn't fly with me, he rips on all our teams except the Red Wings which even he isn't that dumb enough to do but give him time. I don't want to hear radio host act like homers, but this negative nancy takes it to far. I hope he enjoys his bowl of crow when the Tigers win the A. L Central, this dick wanted to sell all there players at the trade deadline. Anyways I am very happy again that WDFN is back I just hope they stick around and people realize this is the only place to get real sports talk, I am so passionate about this that I been spreading the word about the revival to everyone I know, hoping they change the station.
WDFN
written by Johnny C, September 12, 2009
RE: mustanggt12382
From what I heard it's cheaper to have the wide open format than having each team insider on the air not sure if that's true but it could explain why the Ticket don't have any of the teams beat writers on anymore.

As for WDFN I hope they start running some ads telling people they're back because the only way I found out that they were bringing back local programming was when I watched Rob Parker's clubhouse confidential on local four like two Sundays ago. I believe a lot of people only switch to the Ticket because they became the only option for local sports talk. Not saying the Ticket is awful but what would you rather hear Chris Myers waxing on about the Yankees or the Sox or would you rather hear Mike Valenti hating on your favorite local college or pro team? You going to want to hear Mike Valenti because he's talking about our teams.

I agree with your take on Drew Sharp and Mike Valenti while they may have the same act of everyone stinks at least Drew has some creditability when he talks about things, Valenti on the other hand sounds more of an act to counter Terry Foster everything isn't that bad act.

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