In Detroit, Tony Paul notes Matt Shepard is "preparing for a comeback" on WDFN-AM more than seven months after the "plug was pulled on his longtime, sports-talk radio show." Shepard will "relaunch his show, 'Shep, Shower ‘N’ Shave,' this Monday." It will air weekdays from 6:00-9:00am ET with the goal of eventually getting "on stations all across the state." There are "discussions about a statewide television component." Shepard "began hosting his morning show" on WDFN in '01, before it was "canceled in late April amid a deep round of iHeartMedia budget cuts" (DETROIT NEWS, 11/17). Also in Detroit, Marlowe Alter notes Shepard had been the "tent pole of local sports coverage by WDFN for years." The show’s format will "focus on Michigan's four major professional sports teams," along with Michigan State and the Univ. of Michigan, "as well as the Big Ten, small colleges and prep sports" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 11/17).
THE NO-SO TRIUMVIRATE In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes it is "hard to figure out how or why" WFAN came up with the team of Chris Carlin, Bart Scott and Maggie Gray to replace Mike Francesa outside of "creating a politically correct mix." Carlin is a "good utility man, a hole-plugger," but if he had the "appeal to drive a drive-time show he’d have shown it by now." Scott had a "few good moments in his three years on CBS’s NFL studio show, but last offseason he was jettisoned, deemed expendable." Meanwhile, the move to make Gregg Giannotti the permanent co-host alongside Boomer Esiason on the morning drive show "makes sense" (N.Y. POST, 11/17).
SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO? In Boston, Chad Finn notes the sale of WBZ-FM to Beasley Media Group means that "some personnel who also work" for Entercom-bound WBZ-AM "must decide which company they will work for." Sports anchor Adam Kaufman, who works a morning show on the AM news station and also "hosted a weekend Celtics program on the FM sister station, will go to iHeartMedia." Mike Riley, who also does "work for both stations, is remaining" with WBZ-FM. Sources said that the affected personnel were "allowed to decide whether they would go" with WBZ-FM to Beasley (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/17).
TAKING YOUR SHARE: In Houston, David Barron notes the three all-sports stations in the market that "draw ratings managed a combined" 5.8% audience share among men 25-54, the key advertising demo for sports radio, during the Sept. 14-Oct. 1 ratings period, with KILT-AM leading KBME-AM "by nine-tenths of a point" and KFNC-FM "bringing up the rear." The three stations "finished in that order for each daypart," with middays, 10:00am-3:00pm CT "being the most competitive" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 11/17).
