[BC] Bob Grant Returning To WABC

[Rich Wood]

------ At 08:10 AM 1/14/2006, Tom Dimeo wrote: -------

>This morning I heard that Bob Grant will be returning to WABC
>with Sean Hannity.  Anyone know anything more about this?

I'd find that hard to believe. Bob is Much smarter than Hannity and 
would make him look like a novice. ABC fired Bob for alleged bigotry 
that is far outdistanced by Hannity's.  Bob has been talking about 
retiring for years now. This time I think it's for real. When I was 
Director of the WOR Radio Network I had to deal with threats of 
retirement and of running for public office. Affiliates got squeamish 
about possibly having to take him off the air. Remember Pat Buchannan 
left to run for office. Stations are concerned that Al Franken might 
run. Stations promote these guys and make them part of their "team" 
only to find they leave for other things.

In order to pair them up Hannity's network stations would have to 
agree or drop the show. On the WOR Radio Network Bob didn't do well 
with his New Jersey focus. We took his show off the network a number 
of years ago because it was "Too New York." In the hinterlands New 
Jersey is a territory of New York. I believe the addition of a 
smarter host than Hannity (even Gary Coleman) would violate the 
affiliation contracts and, even worse, upset Hannity.

WABC's best bet would be to let Grant fade away. They no longer have 
serious competition and no need to make serious changes. I don't 
think Bob would do well with a co-host. Especially one as vapid as 
Hannity. Bob is a character. Hannity is vanilla.

Of course, I've seen dumber things happen.

Rich