Good news first: I can confirm at least one station is very interested in bringing fired AM1500 host T.D. Mischke aboard.

There may be issues with Tommy's non-compete clause — how can you insist on enforcing that if you fire him? — and money obviously is an object. But yes, he's very much wanted in the marketplace.

Now the bad news: All of you who love the dude (like me) haven't necessarily been listening lately. Here are Mischke's ratings among adults 25-54 for the last five quarterly "books":

3.0 — Summer 2007
3.4 — Fall 2007
2.6 — Winter 2008
2.3 — Spring 2008
2.1 — Summer 2008

That's roughly 13th in the market; not awesome, and may help explain why KSTP did what they did.

Of course, it's not all Mischke's fault. He was the odd man out of evenings when the AM1500 secured the Twins, and I agree with everyone that nighttime is the right time for "The Mischke Broadcast."

But also: Check out these falling-off-the-table numbers for his lead-in, Bob Davis:

2.1 — Summer '07
2.1 — Fall '07
2.3 — Winter '08
1.5 — Spring '08
0.9 — Summer '08

Good enough for 17th in the market!

Meanwhile, AM1500 stalwart Joe Soucheray is holding steady, albeit at a number below his once-double-digit peak:

6.1 — Summer '07
5.8 — Fall '07
6.5 — Winter '08
5.6 — Spring '08
6.2 — Summer '08

Again, it's worth remembering that Mischke's value is higher than his numbers due to his long-standing relationships with major KSTP advertisers. The rumor is floating around that R.F. Moeller Jewelers has canceled its KSTP ads in the wake of the firing; I'm awaiting a callback from Bob Moeller, so we'll see.