Jay Severin, Jimmy Severino, CBS Radio, Boston

THAT WAS FAST!

Severin Loses Syndicated Show, "Returns" To Boston






After barely a year as a nationally- syndicated host, radio talker Jay Severin (real name: Jimmy Severino) has apparently lost his show and will "return home" to Boston to rejoin WTKK- FM in afternoon drive.

Boy, was that fast! We've never seen a national show bomb this quickly.

Details are still sketchy, including the exact fate of his CBS Radio talk show, but Severin's apologists were busy spinning the latest screw- up by the self- described "libertarian - libertine" (including insane assertions by his agent in the Boston Globe today that Severin had "50 stations" and that CBS Radio didn't want to let him go).

Ratings, however, were said to be at rock- bottom and few stations ever really picked up the program.

On the flip side, Boston's media outlets, especially the papers, will rejoice at the idea of their favorite punching bag returning to local airwaves.


Normally, we're sympathetic to a talker's career setbacks, but Severin's creepy, sleazy and downright dishonest background has set him apart.

Between apparently suspect behavior as Tucker Carlson's short- lived MSNBC panelist / sidekick, to lying about winning a Pulitzer prize and many other past transgressions, Jay's credibility level is below zero.

He's also had a long association with crusty morning curmudgeon Don Imus, who frequently had Severin on his show at one point.

For years, he had listeners believe he lived in Boston, until he was outed by the Boston Globe as a full- time resident of Sag Harbor, New York. Station officials swear he will move to the area this time, but it's hard to believe he will give up his spread in the Empire State.


From a ratings standpoint, however, it's hard to fault WTKK for rehiring Severin: at one point, he was beating Howie Carr in the afternoon drive period. But station staffers may need to be decontaminated whenever they get within 10 feet of the guy.

In fact, Boston remains his only career success story. But he is badly damaged after these scandals and Carr regained a lot of momentum this year with a successful book release and his 60 Minutes interview.

Severin's afternoon exit also revealed major weaknesses in WTKK's overall lineup, with a troubled ratings picture and increasingly- forgotten local hosts. Initially a strong FM talker, it seems to have peaked some time ago.

Overall, it has relied too heavily on newspaper columnists and TV anchors, who often don't fit the news / talk hosting mold. The idea was to use people with "names" in the market, but an entertaining no- namer will beat marquee value any day of the week (just ask boring Al Franken).

Whether Severin regains his position as top afternoon drive talker won't be clear for some time, but until then, let's see if he can manage to stay out of trouble.

ALSO: Here's Media Nation's take on the situation.


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