While there is really no substantiation to this rumor, it is an interesting question. This rumor was started on the New York Radio Message Board, which is run by a dentist named Allan Sniffen. So, take that for what it is worth, I guess. At the same time, you could make the case for this. The ratings for David Lee Roth are horrendous AND disastrous. The dudes at CBS are still furious with Howard Stern as evidenced by their $500 million dollar lawsuit against him. It stands to reason that they would be desperate enough to carry a show that is featured on satellite radio even though that might be their biggest threat.
I am going to go through the various players in this scenario and try to weigh the pros and cons for each.
CBS Radio Division
What's in it for them?
Ratings. Say what you want about Opie and Anthony, but they have proven that they run a successful radio show. Their syndication in afternoon drivetime out of WNEW in New York was a success around the country until they were kicked off the air for the Sex for Sam contest. I am not going to rehash the "sex in a church" thing here, so Google it if you must. It might seem counter-intuitive to bring in enemies of Howard to win back his audience to "Free FM" — the CBS name for the medley of Stern's replacements — but good radio is good radio. If you have it, people will listen. (Or not listen in DLR's case.)
What are the risks?
Losing ground to satellite radio is one of the biggest risks that CBS could face by bringing Opie and Anthony to the free airwaves. It would seem to me that they would probably broadcast an edited version of the XM show as opposed to having Opie and Anthony try to do two shows. This will tell listeners that they can get a more complete and unedited show on satellite. It really casts "Free FM" in a negative light because it is just a "watered down version of satellite."
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - David
O&A are already on Direct TV and it has not helped either O&A or DTV. I just read on another forum that DTV is dumping O&A due to complaints from DTV customers.
2 - Rebecca
I work customer service for DirecTV and have not heard anything about O&A being bumped from the lineup. Most intellegent people will call in and have us walk them through blocking the channel if it offends them.
As for O&A going back to terrestrial radio, I hope they stay right where they are. They are free of the fascist fcc's rule and are able to actually do the type of radio that they want to do.
3 - RogerMDillon
"a success around the country"
I've not heard the guys, so I can't speak to their talent, but they never made it to LA, so they must have been lacking something.
I hear Adam Carolla's rating aren't too hot either
I don't see how O&A going back to free radio would get anywhere near the amount of coverage that Howard got leaving.
4 - FilteringCraig
They were syndicated to Vegas and Sacramento. Not sure if they made it to Frisco and LA.
5 - Dan
O and A were huge in NYC, Philly, Boston and 14 other markets but as most know they were fired for the Sex for Sam 3 otherwise they probably would've expanded to more west coast areas.
6 - Cliff
Ummm David, care to post a link to the "article" you read? Or is that more of your leaders "Schlok". Craig-Great article I appriciate the honesty.
7 - Josh
O&A party rock!
They might just play old O&A radio skits from back when they were with WNEW until they can work out some kind of filter for their potty mouths. That's right I said it "potty" mouths. Then again it is only a rumor.
It's time to invoke forced retirement on Howard Stern. "I do not pardon you." BANG
8 - FilteringCraig
I caught yesterday's show and they made it sound like they were trying to work out the logistics, but they didn't want to change their show. Maybe they will just do segments that are clean. I mean there is no reason that they couldn't discuss news teases or American Idol without dropping C-bombs.
9 - sfnlurker
"I just read on another forum that DTV is dumping O&A due to complaints from DTV customers."
Bubba the Love Sponge said that, and now all the Stern forum are reporting iy. Nothing more, nothing less. There are 3 channels between 2 and 879 so Bubba go f himself. OnA re syndication, NOW!!
10 - O&A Party Rock!!!!
O&A have all but confirmed this is true, but they had to do so without getting in to legal trouble. Early in the 3/10 show Opie out of the blue said that he "can not confirm it", but nobody asked him a question.... he was reading an instant message from a fan and ansered it live.
Toward the end of the show a conversation took place where they said what if you were dating this girl and this girl let you be as dirty as you wanted, their little whore. Now this clean girl wants to sleep with you and the whore knows about it, and you want to keep the whore happy, and the clean girl is very demanding due to the strict upbringing and constant oversight she gets.
They then went to say they love the whore, Patrice Oniel asked was it the whore who just gave you the new XM radios you got today (they got new portable units a month before the public did) to which they repsonded they been making noise and the whore was trying to keep them happy with a gift. (confirming without saying so the whore is XM Radio)
They then said the clean girl is making too many demands right now, and that they and their whore aren't happy with all the demands. At which point Anthony told the listners "don't worry" and they may have more details on Monday.
The way they were talking, they are not leaving XM.... Possibly regular Radio will replay their XM show edited and maybe some live time or doing two shows. I'd lean toward a replay, edited. The Boys do easily 3:45 on the air a day. A 4 hour show on regular radio might be 2:40 on on air time (20 minutes of commericals an hour) so even if an entire segment is too much for radio they still have enough to replay.
11 - O&A Party Rock!!!!
oh... after the conversation a producer walked in and started to write a note at which point Anothony asked who called, is it the lawyers; it wasn't.
David, DTV is helping O&A and XM, they mentioned more than once that they are getting tons of emails and meeting people who say they listen on DTV but haven't got an XM yet but hope to soon. Opie said he is surprised at how often someone says that to him when thye meet on the street of at an event.
12 - Chesta
XM and DTV have an agreement that will not allow DTV to dump the O and A channel.
Stern will have an aneurism if O and A take over for DLR.
13 - PkJ
This is the funniest thing I've ever heard. There are so many flaw... in the argument for putting XM show on CBS. First, how can you be sure that they're gonna be successful? Shouldn't first question before making that huge assumption be: Can they get well syndicated to be successful? Personally, I don't see that happening. It's because 1) they need to be able to provide a certain length of their show to get advertisers. But with all the words' censoring and concepts' censoring, how can anyone be sure about that? 2) How many advertisers will be willing to advertise on that show, after the whole "sex-in-church" fiasco? 3) What will be the sales-pitch from CBS? Are they well reviewed or do they even have enough of listeners to have a show that matters? There are so many details that need to be ironed out before that happens, and again before making that huge assumption in which they'll be successful in "free radio". And that dubious assumption which the whole article is based on is totally mind-boggling.
14 - FilteringCraig
They were nationally syndicated and a huge success when they were on WNEW. Sure companies like McDonalds may not advertise, but to think that there are some kind of overall morals in advertising is pretty silly, don't you think?
15 - PkJ
Of course, advertising rationale from companies like McDonalds and its like is totally wacked out. We will never understand their rationale. It's pointless. But it is true that advertising is the bread and butter for the "free" radio, right? So why the no-questions asked approach is used for factors that matter?
"Nationally syndicated" or is it on mostly some east coast states? Ok fine... we will throw in California and Nevada for Sacramento and Vegas stations... sigh. I guess people can argue all day on what does "nationally syndicated" really mean. Nevertheless, I think all this is irrelevant, because my point is it's hilarious and ridiculous to base a whole article on one shaky assumption. It's like we assuming there is enough oil from Alaska, declaring ourselves oil independence, and writing an article about it. It just gets us nowhere.
16 - FilteringCraig
Less silly than CBS assuming that David Lee Roth wasn't going to lose 90% of Howard's audience in his first quarter on the air.
17 - MJS IV
O & A confirmed this today, they are just working on the details. They made it clear that it will not comprimise the show, and that is the main point. They won't be censoring themselves (so they say).
18 - Bookem Danno
The one thing that's for sure is that Roth is toast. No one loses 90% of the audience and plummets the station from #1 to #18 without heading for the door. What were they thinking?
19 - tommyd
CBS can't blame David Lee Roth for the decline in ratings. That's unfair being that CBS also drastically changed the format of 92.3FM from alternative/hard rock to completely talk radio. THAT's what lost all the listeners, not DLR.
I actually think that DLR's show is pretty friggin' good. Diversified and intelligent.
In any case, the state of "free" radio on FM stations is so, so bad. These free-for-all-formats now are absolutely unlistenable. They can't go from a Foo Fighters song to a Melissa Etheridge song and expect their format to sell.
Are FM radion station owners purposely driving FM radio into the ground so that people get fed up with these awful formats and buy satellite radio instead?(which FM station owners surely have shares in, I'm sure.)
20 - Mark Saleski
They can't go from a Foo Fighters song to a Melissa Etheridge song and expect their format to sell
a sad but true statement. too bad fm radio kept compressing itself into such tight formats.
radio was great back when you wouldn't have been surprised to hear music from completely unrelated genres played back-to-back.
maybe nobody would listen to that nowadays anyway...
21 - Jimi Z
As a subscriber to both Sirius and XM, it floors me to see all of the entangled issues intertwining with each other. Between Howard Stern's lawsuit with CBS, Les Moonves' irresponsibility on running the new CBS Radio, Howard's hate of O&A and finally DLR/Adam Carolla/Rover's ratings tanking, this is quite amazing theatre to watch (especially if you're fans of Howard and O&A like me). O&A need to really keep their uncensored satelite show pure and not compromise the quality of what they've been doing the last two years. They're loyal following that has paid for them will feel screwed if the uncensored satelite show suffers because of a terrestrial censored version. Did anybody think about the FCC in all this? There is a tremendous risk, even with a number of dump buttons if CBS lets out questionable content accidentally leaving my radio pals O&A to potentially get raked over the coal by the FCC. O&A say that they're working out the logistics, but anything can happen with the right wing conservatives at the FCC in the future. O&A are quality broadcasters and appeal to an older male audience mostly with many females as well. Their content is highly intellectual at times. Just because they're on satelite radio doesn't mean that their material is based on F Bombs and C words. I'm sure that O&A will find a way to make it work for XM and CBS Free FM. It's like a TBS version of a movie instead of the uncut HBO version. As far as Howard Stern is concerned,what a frigging betrayal. The nerve of Les Moonves to sue Howard after 20 plus years of great service and dedication. CBS should be ashamed of themselves how they treated Howard. I support Howard Stern and O&A in their careers. If CBS picks up O&A and fires Roth, I'll continue to listen the XM version of their show and be sure to not support the CBS version by listening to the many commercials they'll put on. If you're a sponsor and are reading this, put your ad revenue somewhere else other than CBS. After what they did to Howard will only snowball more as they string along Rover, Roth and Carolla. As they secretly strategize an O&A replacement of the above new crop of "stars", they are really showing their true colors by zinging it to Howard even one more time by hiring O&A who are both a nemesis to Stern. That's what this whole mess is all about. It's such a vendetta against Howard. If O&A go to terrestial radio, listen to the satelite version folks. It's worth it. You'll get a pure show that's not chopped up like swiss cheese. The bottom line is: Don't listen to CBS'commercials and don't support their advetisers. I am in the entertainment industry and and I wouldn't put a cent in CBS radio advertising on Free FM. The only regret is that CBS News affiliates may suffer the backlash of the Free FM/Jack formats. CBS Radio News is a fine organization. It would be a shame if the CBS Radio News Division suffers from all of this. Back in the early 80's NBC Radio News was totally dismantled. If that happens to CBS Radio News, it would be horrible. A correct outcome is obvious. A judge will throw out the Stern case. Stern's countersuit will enable him to get back his taped shows and bits from CBS and pay his legal bills. O&A will stay on XM uncensored where they belong. If the O&A show goes to CBS censored and succeeds, the war between Howard and O&A will continue regretfully in a higher profile. FYI, Bubba the Lovesponge, also on Stern's channel 101, is at war with O&A as well. If O&A's CBS show fails, O&A will stay on XM regardless. If O&A goes to CBS, just watch out for the new people at the FCC to go nuts on them. With Howard on Sirius, O&A will probably turn to O&A as their new whipping boys on decency and censorship. It's going to be a VERY interesting future for radio. As far as Les Moonves is concerned: This is all of his fault(along with Joel Hollander at his side). All he had to do was let Stern go off on his way and leave him alone. Unfortunately that didn't happen. He's basically using the Stern lawsuit to cover up the shortcomings of his floundering radio division. It's mindblowing how Julie Chen, an amazing news talent and host of Big Brother, has survived a relationship with this slimy piece of garbage. I would be amazed if she stays with him and their relationship lasts. What a crazy and rocky road we've seen the last two years as well as what's ahead in the next two years as this all untangles.
22 - juan
Jimi Z,
o&a have never paid a cent in fines to the FCC.
they've never had a problem with the FCC, just sponsors, religious groups, unwed mothers, minorites, midgets, clowns, trannies, and other humorous groups.
23 - Kenzo Joe
I live in Philly,and just have regular radio.I miss O&A greatly.As well as Stern.I hope this happens..even though I know that O&A are going to get get blitzed by the FCC.All I have is the Kidd Chris Show,and that has been watered down greatly since Stern's departure to Sirius.
I honestly think that O&A are the only ones that can save CBS Radio.
24 - mike
It would be good for o&a to go to cbs because regular radio is horrible now and since cbs lost all there liseners it would be good for cbs. it would also be good because of o&a hatred of howard. to go on there rivial old station i think they would do it just for that
25 - JamRock
There are a couple of extremely popular podcasters out of NYC who would be perfect for Roth's spot. They go by the name "Keith and the Girl". Their show is kind of a cross between Stern and Lucy and Ricky. They are both professional entertainers. He's a comic and she's a singer. Like many podcasts, it's adult language but they could easily dial it back. They are doing an hour daily now so they should be able to handle the CBS gig.
Might take more vision and imagination than the suits at CBS have but would be better than something stale as repackaged O&A.