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NPR stations show talk doesn't need to be alt-right all-the-time

F

flybynight

Considering how well non-alt-right newstalk does, why are there no commercial stations in Buffalo giving it a try, especially since there is blue as far as the eye can see?

KQED San Francisco #1
WAMU Washington #1 (double digits)
WGBH-FM Boston #7
WBUR Boston #8
KUOW Seattle #2
KNKX Seattle #9 (Jazz and NPR News)
KJZZ Phoenix tie #11
KNOW Minneapolis #5
KPBS San Diego #1
KCFR Denver #11
KUSF Tampa tie #10
KWMU St. Louis #9
KOPB Portland #2

It's GOT to be more sponsor friendly than what Rush & crew are vomiting out daily.
 
flybynight said:
Considering how well non-alt-right newstalk does, why are there no commercial stations in Buffalo giving it a try, especially since there is blue as far as the eye can see?
Click to expand...

If you're going to make this point on the Buffalo board, why not show WBEN vs WBFO? Unless that comparison doesn't make your point.

Because the fact is there are no commercial stations in any of the markets you list where NPR is #1 offering non-political talk.
 
TheBigA said:
If you're going to make this point on the Buffalo board, why not show WBEN vs WBFO? Unless that comparison doesn't make your point.

Because the fact is there are no commercial stations in any of the markets you list where NPR is #1 offering non-political talk.
Click to expand...

First, I don't have the Buffalo numbers.

Second, I never said it had to be non-political. I'm referring to talk that is not alt-fact based. Don't be obtuse.
 
flybynight said:
Don't be obtuse.
Click to expand...

There's nothing "obtuse" with what NPR does. The vast majority of it is not political. The talk they do covers a lot of things, including the arts, travel, and human relations.

So if you want a commercial station to duplicate the NPR model, which is what you're saying, then the focus needs to be non political.
 
flybynight said:
Considering how well non-alt-right newstalk does, why are there no commercial stations in Buffalo giving it a try, especially since there is blue as far as the eye can see?

KQED San Francisco #1
WAMU Washington #1 (double digits)
WGBH-FM Boston #7
WBUR Boston #8
KUOW Seattle #2
KNKX Seattle #9 (Jazz and NPR News)
KJZZ Phoenix tie #11
KNOW Minneapolis #5
KPBS San Diego #1
KCFR Denver #11
KUSF Tampa tie #10
KWMU St. Louis #9
KOPB Portland #2


It's GOT to be more sponsor friendly than what Rush & crew are vomiting out daily.
Click to expand...
http://ratings.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb065

Don't Forget Sacramento KXJZ-FM (Capital Public Radio) has reached the top 5 in the Sacramento Radio Market and its an NPR News/Talk affiliate.
 
Last edited:
RadioPatrol said:
http://ratings.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb037

Apparently WBFO does not appear in this ratings book but WBEN Does and its N/A.
Click to expand...

From the looks of it, that's a trend. The full book won't be out for a few weeks.

And I think we've had a thread with the fall ratings; WBFO and how it did in the ratings was discussed. (Hint: Pretty decently.)
 
WBFO had a very strong Fall book. You don't have to be #1
to be a viable station. NPR beats the commercial News Talk formats
in many markets.

Cumulus and Townsquare aren't likely planning a
News Talk format of any kind in Buffalo. JACK and MIX
appear to be "troubled" formats though.
Big signals with puny ratings...
 
To tbolt's second sentence:

1. Cumulus only has 1 AM station in the market(WHLD/SportsRadio 1270 The Fan), and it's pretty much a non-starter.

2. As for Townsquare, Jack FM is likely at its peak ratings-wise. Keep in mind they did a talk format many years ago which was NOT well-received, ratings wise. As for Mix, who the hell knows what's happening there?
 
ckg279 said:
To tbolt's second sentence:

1. Cumulus only has 1 AM station in the market(WHLD/SportsRadio 1270 The Fan), and it's pretty much a non-starter.

2. As for Townsquare, Jack FM is likely at its peak ratings-wise. Keep in mind they did a talk format many years ago which was NOT well-received, ratings wise. As for Mix, who the hell knows what's happening there?
Click to expand...

92.9 did the oft-tried and oft-failed T&A-all-day format. Stern is successful because of his sharp wit. The T&A stuff was secondary.

A talk station not tied to right wing alternate reality may do well.

You start with Shredd & Reagan in the morning. They do a very good show.
 
flybynight said:
A talk station not tied to right wing alternate reality may do well.

You start with Shredd & Reagan in the morning. They do a very good show.
Click to expand...

Take two things already being done, and put them on yet a third station. What's your budget? It better be big.
 
RadioPatrol said:
http://ratings.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb037

Apparently WBFO does not appear in this ratings book but WBEN Does and its N/A.
Click to expand...

Many stations in continuous measurement diary markets do not subscribe to the trends, just the book. Thus, they are not reported in the trades.
 
WBFO has its core audience, WBEN has theirs. The stations don't have a lot of listeners in common. Progressive talk failed on WWKB. WBFO better served progressive minded people who are interested in a variety of issues and don't buy in to the "shout it out" style of talk radio. WBFO does a good job serving its listener base with a format of NPR-MPR-PRI-BBC produced talk shows that compellingly cover a variety of topics. WBEN gives its core what it wants. It's an expensive format. WBEN and WGR, and to a lesser extent WBFO, have the market cornered. The likelihood of Jack and Mix, or any other FM going full time news-talk or sports-talk at this writing seems slim, although Mix is in the early stages of presenting an afternoon drive music + parent issues + family comedy show that's targeted to 30-45 year old parents, particularly women. I've read the concept has succeeded on select Hot AC stations in a few larger markets like Charlotte, NC.
 
You could certainly buy your way onto the Cumulus Board of Directors for that price, though. Maybe multiple seats, even.
 
flybynight said:
My budget is 10 million dollars. But I might just buy all of Cumulus instead.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind you'd have to also buy the Cumulus debt, which is $2 billion. Ready for that?

When I asked for your budget, I'm talking operating budget. If you're talking about local talk, that's a lot of salaries and benefits to pay for. If you want to hire Shredd & Ragan away from Cumulus, that won't be cheap.

As I said, the format you want is being done. Try to come up with something original.
 
TheBigA said:
Keep in mind you'd have to also buy the Cumulus debt, which is $2 billion. Ready for that?

When I asked for your budget, I'm talking operating budget. If you're talking about local talk, that's a lot of salaries and benefits to pay for. If you want to hire Shredd & Ragan away from Cumulus, that won't be cheap.

As I said, the format you want is being done. Try to come up with something original.
Click to expand...

It's being done? Is there a place normal people can go to listen to rational, entertaining talk?

Not really.

Shredd and Reagan's show ends and music starts.

NPR stations don't do a lot of call-in shows.

It's not being done.
 
flybynight said:
NPR stations don't do a lot of call-in shows.

It's not being done.
Click to expand...

Sure they do. Just not in Buffalo. But there are several call-ins available if the station wants to carry them. Or they could do their own.

My point is if you want "rational, entertaining talk," it's being done. You keep putting your own qualifications on it.
 
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