Art Bell

[MikeJ]

LMAO. Good ones! 

You're absolutely right, it's just speculation. I'm perfectly fine with being wrong and hope that I am. I like Art like everyone else and hope the best for him!

Agreed!!

[kingotnw]

LMAO. Good ones! 

You're absolutely right, it's just speculation. I'm perfectly fine with being wrong and hope that I am. I like Art like everyone else and hope the best for him!

Hey look! We agree on something!! 

[GSD]

Stern is getting over $125M per year.  Limbaugh is getting right around 60M a year. Art will be in the middle of those two.

You're smoking crack.

Forget taking your meds, put the crack pipe down.

There isn't a snowball's chance in hell that Art will see that kind of money at his age.

I think you need to hold your thumb up and wait for Riley Martin to beam you up. Say hello to Timothy Leary for me while you're up there!

[bateman]

Re ratings:  Talk show ratings are counted by average weekly listeners.  There was a Time Magazine article from, IIRC, 1997 that gave Art's weekly listeners at 10-million.  Talkers Magazine published talk show ratings in 2012, and Noory's were at 3.5-million.   I think, though I don't know for sure, that both figures are M-F, not weekends.  sNoory talks about how many stations he's on, but, with the demise of music radio, in a number of geographically large markets, talk stations are simulcast on both an AM and an FM station.  The FM station allows folks to listen in office buildings, plus sometimes one transmitter is on one side of the market and the other is on the other side, giving better coverage.  Should Noory count such simulcasts as two stations?  I'm sure he does.

Not only that, but a lot of his affiliates are low-powered top-of-the-dial stations, not the 50,000 watt powerhouses Art was blasted out of. Secondly, Premiere packages the Snooron with Rush, which is the only reason he's got anywhere near the number of affiliates he has. Without the backing of Premiere/ClearChannel, he'd be languishing away in St. Louis, which is exactly where he belongs. This Beverly Hillbilly fell ass backwards into the best gig in radio.

[kingotnw]

You're smoking crack.

Forget taking your meds, put the crack pipe down.

There isn't a snowball's chance in hell that Art will see that kind of money at his age.

I think you need to hold your thumb up and wait for Riley Martin to beam you up. Say hello to Timothy Leary for me while you're up there!

We'll see soon enough. What do you have against older people anyways? Art is considered one of the best talk radio hosts of all time, and he will be getting paid accordingly. I have never once even heard age come up when discussing radio hosts. Why in the world would Limbaugh be getting paid $60M+ a year, and Art doesn't have a "snowball's chance in hell"? Seriously, it seems like your entire basis for your argument is his age. It's kind of offensive.

[midnight]

In my opinion, recent pictures of Art show him looking younger than ever.  He doesn't look as though he's aged a bit.  Some of the most vital people I know are in their 60's and 70's.  The best way to stay young--keep busy doing what you love to do.

I don't care if he comes back for only one show.  It would be worth it to hear him again.  And his website has been really fun.  I'm excited.

[bateman]

For the record, I don't see Art getting Rush/Stern money either, though he'll be very well compensated. The last big radio contract I know of was Imus' renewal with Cumulus, which was worth around $10 mil. If I had to pinpoint a number, I'd put it in the 7 figure range.

[onan]

In my opinion, recent pictures of Art show him looking younger than ever.  He doesn't look as though he's aged a bit.  Some of the most vital people I know are in their 60's and 70's.  The best way to stay young--keep busy doing what you love to do.

I don't care if he comes back for only one show.  It would be worth it to hear him again.  And his website has been really fun.  I'm excited.

Pretty much this.

[bateman]

Pretty much this.

This x2. It's gonna be great to have him back.

[kingotnw]

For the record, I don't see Art getting Rush/Stern money either, though he'll be very well compensated. The last big radio contract I know of was Imus' renewal with Cumulus, which was worth around $10 mil. If I had to pinpoint a number, I'd put it in the 7 figure range.

IF Art were to take something that low for a guarantee (which I See no chance of happening, but for the sake of discussion), it would have to have some very major incentive escalation clauses in there.

For the record... Stern renewed in 2011 for $600 million over five years.

[MikeJ]

For the record, I don't see Art getting Rush/Stern money either, though he'll be very well compensated. The last big radio contract I know of was Imus' renewal with Cumulus, which was worth around $10 mil. If I had to pinpoint a number, I'd put it in the 7 figure range.

I would tend to agree, but not because of his age, but because he is starting essentially a new venture after a 10-year hiatus.  (I know he was on more recently than that but not on a stand-alone basis).

[FightTheFuture]

I`m not saying Art is physically incapable of conducting a nightly radio show. After all, at its most rudimentary level, we`re talking about switching some buttons and speaking into a microphone. However, when he`s tired, uninterested, or bored, it`s going to be very obvious.

Art Bell -- God love him -- had impeccable timing (the 90`s). I love listening to the old shows. Does anybody really believe he can rekindle the conditions that produced those magical shows...night after night? Sorry, it`s just not realistic.

I wish the best for Art. I want him to enjoy the fruits of his labor. I was a fan as early as the late 80`s, and he`s earned all the accolades and wealth that has come his way. A weekend gig may work for him, but full-time, after listening to the last year or two of his shows... maybe not so much.

Then again, maybe the Master will prove me wrong. We shall see.

[GSD]

We'll see soon enough. What do you have against older people anyways? Art is considered one of the best talk radio hosts of all time, and he will be getting paid accordingly. I have never once even heard age come up when discussing radio hosts. Why in the world would Limbaugh be getting paid $60M+ a year, and Art doesn't have a "snowball's chance in hell"? Seriously, it seems like your entire basis for your argument is his age. It's kind of offensive.

I have nothing against age.

However, I can tell you that Art will never see anywhere close to that kind of cash at ANY age. The risks are far too great to sign anyone for that kind of money at nearly 70 years old.

[MikeJ]

I have nothing against age.

However, I can tell you that Art will never see anywhere close to that kind of cash at ANY age. The risks are far too great to sign anyone for that kind of money at nearly 70 years old.

2 words: Larry King

[kingotnw]

I`m not saying Art is physically incapable of conducting a nightly radio show. After all, at its most rudimentary level, we`re talking about switching some buttons and speaking into a microphone. However, when he`s tired, uninterested, or bored, it`s going to be very obvious.

Art Bell -- God love him -- had impeccable timing (the 90`s). I love listening to the old shows. Does anybody really believe he can rekindle the conditions that produced those magical shows...night after night? Sorry, it`s just not realistic.

I wish the best for Art. I want him to enjoy the fruits of his labor. I was a fan as early as the late 80`s, and he`s earned all the accolades and wealth that has come his way. A weekend gig may work for him, but full-time, after listening to the last year or two of his shows... maybe not so much.

Then again, maybe the Master will prove me wrong. We shall see.

I can't show you documentation, but I know for a fact that what was going on with the subpar shows at the end were the contract, direction, and control disputes with Premiere. He just got beaten down, and took the pay off to get out of it. IF he hadn't literally been looking for a new show the day his NCC was up I may have agreed with you in part, but he has been working on this from the first morning he was able to. He's into it, at least for now. 

[onan]

I`m not saying Art is physically incapable of conducting a nightly radio show. After all, at its most rudimentary level, we`re talking about switching some buttons and speaking into a microphone. However, when he`s tired, uninterested, or bored, it`s going to be very obvious.

Art Bell -- God love him -- had impeccable timing (the 90`s). I love listening to the old shows. Does anybody really believe he can rekindle the conditions that produced those magical shows...night after night? Sorry, it`s just not realistic.

I wish the best for Art. I want him to enjoy the fruits of his labor. I was a fan as early as the late 80`s, and he`s earned all the accolades and wealth that has come his way. A weekend gig may work for him, but full-time, after listening to the last year or two of his shows... maybe not so much.

Then again, maybe the Master will prove me wrong. We shall see.

Your points make sense. I hope you are proven wrong on this. I am hoping his disdain during his last days were from the management.

Sometimes making the wise statements brings nothing but grief.

[kingotnw]

I have nothing against age.

However, I can tell you that Art will never see anywhere close to that kind of cash at ANY age. The risks are far too great to sign anyone for that kind of money at nearly 70 years old.

You are aware that if someone dies, like you seem to think is going to happen, they don't get paid... Right?

[GSD]

2 words: Larry King

Art's not in Larry King's league or Howard Stern's!!

Is he smarter than either? Yes. Is he more entertaining than King? Yes. Is he more entertaining than Stern? To me yes, to most people no.

You're talking about household names, Art Bell, despite his talents IS NOT a household name.

[MikeJ]

You are aware that if someone dies, like you seem to think is going to happen, they don't get paid... Right?

LOL

[popple]

Georgie .... hiding behind the couch, shitting his pants ..... again.

Tommy just cleaned the carpet!

[GSD]

You are aware that if someone dies, like you seem to think is going to happen, they don't get paid... Right?

Not true.

His family receives the cash and the network is screwed.

Works both ways.

[kingotnw]

Art's not in Larry King's league or Howard Stern's!!

Is he smarter than either? Yes. Is he more entertaining than King? Yes. Is he more entertaining than Stern? To me yes, to most people no.

You're talking about household names, Art Bell, despite his talents IS NOT a household name.

LOL!! Howard Stern used to always get pissed because the only DJ that  had higher ratings than him was... You guessed it... Art Bell. Not a household name? Are you kidding? Art is THE guy when it comes to this topic, which is now more popular than it has ever been in the past. He has been off for a while, but nobody has forgotten Art Bell. Nobody.

[Morgus]

My prediction is that Art will simply be taking over Coast to Coast AM from George Noory.

I think most people have forgotten that George Noory signed a 10 year deal to host C2C effective 2003 until 2013. Since it's now 2013, Noory's contract is up and since Art is ready and willing to host again, Noory's contract simply won't be renewed.

So, I'm almost positive Art will become the full time C2C host again taking back HIS show.

Fingers crossed.

uh, you must have missed last week that Noory made his big announcement (posted also at the c2cam website) that he has signed a new long, long term contract with PremRat that he claims will keep him hosting c2cam until beyond when men land on Mars, essentially a lifetime contract... 

[MikeJ]

Not true.

His family receives the cash and the network is screwed.

Works both ways.

Not to get too technical, but I am an attorney, and I have some familiarity with employment contracts.  You can put anything in a contract, but generally, when someone dies, all obligations on both sides cease.

[onan]

Art's not in Larry King's league or Howard Stern's!!

Is he smarter than either? Yes. Is he more entertaining than King? Yes. Is he more entertaining than Stern? To me yes, to most people no.

You're talking about household names, Art Bell, despite his talents IS NOT a household name.

Art's numbers always surpassed King. King is hard to explain. He was one of the first if not the first big name late night talk radio guys. King on television didn't have huge numbers but he was and is a helluva self promoter. Art has put himself into a specialty niche of radio but he is better than King any day of the week.

[Morgus]

You would know that the two top djs are both comparable in age to Art (Stern and Limbaugh) and also do full time gigs.

Howard Stern is nearly 10 years younger than Art Bell and Stern has reduced his onair time significantly in recent years, he doesn't do a full five days a week anymore.

[kingotnw]

Not true.

His family receives the cash and the network is screwed.

Works both ways.

Rofl.. That's not even close to true... I have to say man... It seems like you are just making stuff up to prove a point. I am friends with people with these kind of contracts, and nobody's family gets paid the remainder of the contract. If the radio host dies, the only reason any money would go to the family is if it was worked into the contract, which it never is. The contract with the person. One of the requirements for getting paid a guarantee, for pretty much any contract, is showing up to do the work. A dead person cannot show up to do the work, therefore they do not need to be paid for it, no matter if there is a guarantee or not.

EDIT: and right above me an attorney just told you the same thing.

[kingotnw]

Howard Stern is nearly 10 years younger than Art Bell and Stern has reduced his onair time significantly in recent years, he doesn't do a full five days a week anymore.

Stern reduced his on air time because of AGT, and he STILL just signed a $600million + contract.

[GeorgieForPresident2216]

....Aren't those numbers cumulative - the total number of listeners over 5 days (or even 7 days for C2C), which would make it something like 2.5 - 3 million per night?  And that includes anyone that tunes in for just the first hour or just a segment or even just a few minutes? ....

This affiliate of Coast to Coast claims three million.  I've also seen that estimate in a number of other places.

http://www.waamradio.com/shows/weekdays/coast-to-coast

[bateman]

Rofl.. That's not even close to true... I have to say man... It seems like you are just making stuff up to prove a point. I am friends with people with these kind of contracts, and nobody's family gets paid the remainder of the contract. If the radio host dies, the only reason any money would go to the family is if it was worked into the contract, which it never is. The contract with the person. One of the requirements for getting paid a guarantee, for pretty much any contract, is showing up to do the work. A dead person cannot show up to do the work, therefore they do not need to be paid for it, no matter if there is a guarantee or not.

Not true! Don Imus has been doing it for years. They just pull him out of the freezer & dust the coke off his face every morning.