WGBH announces that among the contributors to a new "Open Mic" segment on its "Boston Public Radio" midday show will be Christopher Lydon, anchor of the station's 10 o'clock TV news who later got famously fired in a contract dispute over at WBUR.
Emily Rooney, Rev. Eugene Rivers, Charlie Baker and Brian McGrory will also contribute to the 1 p.m. segment on Jim Braude's and Margery Eagan's new show. Lydon is slotted for Thursdays.
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Comments
Brian McGrory?
By Brian Riccio
Wed, 02/27/2013 - 3:06pm
Oh, boy! Now I can find out Boston's best burger straight from the horses mouth! Hopefully he'll be bringing the Andelmans with him!
Eugene Rivers call-in show?
By anon
Wed, 02/27/2013 - 3:12pm
Call in to get advice on how to run your non-profit into bankruptcy and best methods for chairing an ineffective laptop school committee.
I suspect that rotating
By NotWhitey
Wed, 02/27/2013 - 3:50pm
I suspect that rotating through people who aren't good enough on their own to have their own show won't be a winner. Radio relies on the personality of the host. People tune in because they know what to expect. In this case, diversity is not good.
The connection was a good show
By HenryAlan
Wed, 02/27/2013 - 4:22pm
but Lydon got too big for his britches, believing he was worth more to WBUR than they were willing to pay. I agree with you on the others, though, and expect Lydon to eventually take on a few more days as the also rans get dropped.
Big heads all around - but Lydon's was somewhat more deserved
By Jeff F
Wed, 02/27/2013 - 5:45pm
Let's not rewrite history here - yes, Lydon and McGrath (his producer) were getting big bucks (well for public radio - not really for successful talk radio in general). And yes, on top of that they were asking for a slice of the syndication revenue. But honestly, they and their crew made [u]The Connection[/u] into a serious moneymaker for WBUR, and were becoming real powers not just in boston-area talk radio, but nationwide as well. In it's last year with Lydon, the show allegedly brought in about $2M/year (just through rights sales - not counting subscriber revenue) - that's 10% of the WBUR budget. And at the time, WBUR was claiming that it was poised to break nationally in a huge way and quadruple that amount in the next several years - That's would have increased WBUR's revenue by a third!
I can see why Lydon&Co felt they were due a piece of that action. Otoh, I can see why the mgmt was paranoid after letting [u]Car Talk[/u] "get way", and WBUR General Mgr Jane Christo had a rep as a strong hand. She and Lydon at loggerheads was a recipe for disaster from the start.
Unfortunately, although [u]On Point[/u] is a decent show, it's not as consistently excellent as [u]The Connection[/u]. And Christo, whatever her former successes, didn't leave WBUR better than she found it.
Chris Lydon may be legitimately accused of being self-aggrandizing, but you'll note that when he left, a bunch of people left with him. When Christo left, she left alone.
I don't listen to radio any
By NotWhitey
Wed, 02/27/2013 - 6:08pm
I don't listen to radio any more - is On Pwant still on?
The Connection
By joehp
Thu, 02/28/2013 - 7:25am
was a great show and Christoher Lydon was great on it. It will be good to have him back on radio.
I was a regular Connection listener....
By Sarcastic Sam
Thu, 02/28/2013 - 10:25am
...and when Lydon left during that contract dispute I immediately thought "wow...this guy is going to immediately cash in HUGE on for-profit talk radio."
but he um, didn't. Still not sure why; almost everyone I knew in Boston listened to that show.
Christopher Lydon
By Roxie
Thu, 02/28/2013 - 5:08pm
Jeff,
I agree. Mary McGrath and Chris Lydon were a brilliant team. My husband and I still miss that incarnation of The Connection. Lydon's intellectual versatility, his curious mind, and the incredible audience/community he created were really something! Great to hear him on the radio today -- along with the now famous Amber!
WBUR doing it from the press releases fails.
By theszak
Thu, 02/28/2013 - 10:46am
WBUR could get a someone more knowledgeable and get rid of the other guy who does the call in shows http://onpoint.wbur.org/ merely from press releases without much of his own knowledge on a topic.
More channels are available from local broadcasters with the new Hybrid Digital HD radios like at
http://www.insigniaproducts.com/products/portable-...
See also
http://ibiquity.com/
http://www.hdradio.com/
http://www.hdradioalliance.com/
Christopher Lydon
By irene
Sun, 03/03/2013 - 7:48pm
When Ch. Lydon left and The Connection stopped, I felt as if I had lost my best friend. I was new in the country, alone at home with 2 little kids, and while I was doing my tedious housework , this wonderful world of ideas and intelligent conversations flodded in through the radio. Just hearing his voice was thrilling.
And the huge amount of things that I learned listening to The Connection, and the sensitive way Ch.L. tuned in to his guests, and still got his own opinions in.....his program was my daily treat! So: Welcome back Christopher Lydon!
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