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Dave Ramsey show an infomercial?

B

Billkex

Guest
Is Dave Ramsey's show an actual talk show like Rush, Prager, Hannity, etc.?.... or is it actually a paid-to-play infomercial?
I hear Ramsey brag that he is the #3 talk show in America. ....Is this true?
 
"No" to your first two questions, and "Yes" to your third. Here's where he ranks #3:

http://www.talkers.com/2019-talkers-heavy-hundred-1-25/

The reason I say "No" to your first question is he doesn't do political talk. The others you mention do. He is a throwback to the old time advice talkers like Bruce Williams. He is, however, obviously very conservative. It's not an infomercial either, because stations don't get paid to air it. At least none that I'm aware of. But he does use the show to market his books and seminars. So I understand why you think it's an infomercial.
 
It's not exactly an infomercial, but it's getting there.

Ramsey's show is a bit like Dr. Oz. That guy made his bones as a very competent surgeon. Does he still perform surgery? I'm guessing the answer is no. His job is to promote his show, his books, and his brand. Is his show an infomercial? No, but it's a mutual moneymaking agreement between his business and the stations that run the program. They get ratings, are able to sell advertising, and everyone benefits.

Ramsey is markedly different from the other hosts on KTAR. Jim, Bruce, and Mac & Cheese aren't selling books by acolytes or promoting people who follow their "system for financial independence."

It's not exactly an infomercial, but it's certainly infotainment, and undoubtedly self-promotion. It sure ain't news.
 
Deus Ex Machiato said:
It's not exactly an infomercial, but it's certainly infotainment, and undoubtedly self-promotion. It sure ain't news.
Click to expand...

Of course it's not news! Dave Ramsey isn't a newsman or journalist. He's a businessman. Just about every talk show host is pushing a book. I can't say they WROTE them, but their names are on books. If you listen to Salem (I can't imagine why you would), they require their talk show hosts write books because the radio company also is in the book publishing business. This isn't restricted to conservatives. Rachel Maddow wrote a book too. There are lots of books. Anyone who tells you the publishing business is in trouble is lying. BTW the other hosts on KTAR aren't syndicated national celebrities. If they were, they too would be writing books and doing book tours.
 
My impression was if you saw a Dave Ramsey billboard on the I-10, it wasn't paid for by KTAR but by Ramsey's company, or maybe a co-op deal.
 
TheBigA said:
Of course it's not news! Dave Ramsey isn't a newsman or journalist. He's a businessman. Just about every talk show host is pushing a book. I can't say they WROTE them, but their names are on books. If you listen to Salem (I can't imagine why you would), they require their talk show hosts write books because the radio company also is in the book publishing business. This isn't restricted to conservatives. Rachel Maddow wrote a book too. There are lots of books. Anyone who tells you the publishing business is in trouble is lying. BTW the other hosts on KTAR aren't syndicated national celebrities. If they were, they too would be writing books and doing book tours.
Click to expand...

This is why it's confusing for listeners because two hours in the middle of the workday, there is an infomercial from Dave Ramsey that has nothing to do with news, even though the station bills itself as "KTAR NEWS." When they billed themselves as "News /Talk 92.3 KTAR," it made more sense. But to peddle yourself as a "News" radio station is deceptive when only four hours out of the day (soon to be five) are you actually giving the news and not opinions.
 
I listen to KTAR.....at least I used to. My folks handed down an old 78 RPM record which contains an interview with my father. He was in the army (ours) and was recuperating in a Hawaiian hospital from severe wounds suffered in the landing at Leyte in December 1945. It is an interesting record because it spins normally but the needle goes from the inside out.

I think that might be the last time I listened to KTAR.
 
asugeorge1 said:
This is why it's confusing for listeners because two hours in the middle of the workday, there is an infomercial from Dave Ramsey that has nothing to do with news, even though the station bills itself as "KTAR NEWS."
Click to expand...

First of all, as we said, it's NOT AN INFOMERCIAL. It's a personal advice show. KFI in Los Angeles has a legal advice show in the middle of the day. Same thing. It's a break.

Someone is obviously listening. If they weren't, he'd be gone.
 
TheBigA said:
First of all, as we said, it's NOT AN INFOMERCIAL. It's a personal advice show. KFI in Los Angeles has a legal advice show in the middle of the day. Same thing. It's a break.

Someone is obviously listening. If they weren't, he'd be gone.
Click to expand...

What muddies the waters is that Ramsey does sell financial advice seminars/speaking engagements and pays to advertise them in the markets where the show airs.

But it's true, he does not pay for clearing his show in any market. I'm told that's why he left all the Salem stations a few years back.
 
Thanks!

How about some of the other locally aired shows like:

Rosie on the house
Whitfill Nursery
Mark Salem
Word on Wealth
Jan D'Atri
Bumper to Bumper
Doug Hopkins
Kim Komando
Beer/brew show on KFYI

and all the different Financial planners & other real estate shows.

Are all these paid airtime shows?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
TheBigA said:
First of all, as we said, it's NOT AN INFOMERCIAL. It's a personal advice show. KFI in Los Angeles has a legal advice show in the middle of the day. Same thing. It's a break.

Someone is obviously listening. If they weren't, he'd be gone.
Click to expand...

Could have fooled me! With all the times he’s barking his “Financial Peace University,” his books and road show, it sounds a lot like an infomercial. While he may not fit the technical definition of an infomercial, it sounds like one and I don’t know why “KTAR NEWS” (keyword is NEWS) throws his show on in the middle of the day. There is no “NEWS” coming from Dave Ramsey. Relegate him to late nights or change your station moniker back to “NEWS/TALK 92.3 KTAR.”
 
asugeorge1 said:
Could have fooled me! With all the times he’s barking his “Financial Peace University,” his books and road show, it sounds a lot like an infomercial. While he may not fit the technical definition of an infomercial, it sounds like one and I don’t know why “KTAR NEWS” (keyword is NEWS) throws his show on in the middle of the day. There is no “NEWS” coming from Dave Ramsey. Relegate him to late nights or change your station moniker back to “NEWS/TALK 92.3 KTAR.”
Click to expand...

I agree - and the original rationale for then-620 going to 92.3 was because 620 could be sports and 92.3 could be news, and something about KTAR being "live and local." (Never mind that Crummey wasn't local.) The more and more unlistenable 92.3 gets - the more they should consider that you can in fact get good numbers with "live and local." The fact of the matter is people - generally speaking "people" - tune in to 92.3 for NEWS - not to hear infomercials directed at high-net-worth demo who need to be told to buy their new Tesla with cash and not finance it when they're paying their help with 30% APR credit cards.
 
His show is the same every day, the hillbilly bible financial show.

Pure dreck.
 
indieradioguy said:
The fact of the matter is people - generally speaking "people" - tune in to 92.3 for NEWS - not to hear infomercials directed at high-net-worth demo who need to be told to buy their new Tesla with cash and not finance it when they're paying their help with 30% APR credit cards.
Click to expand...

Not at noon. MOST people are at work. Those who don't work are interested in personal finance. Ramsey does talk radio the way it was done in the 60s and 70s, and the news/talk demo obviously loves it. If the station replaced him, there would be protests and complaints.
 
RadioBill said:
Really? I think most Ramsey listeners are no-net-worth individuals with financial problems, looking for a way out.
Click to expand...

You may be right. A B-I-L with zero financial sense and consequently not all _that_ many dollars loves the guy and the show, and repeats the mantra constantly while either mis-applying or completely ignoring the principles and the point.

For me, if you’ve heard any one Dave Ramsey show EVER, you’ve heard everything of substance he has to say. It’s neither news nor advice, to me. More like one of the myriad quasi-courtroom slam-fests. Does that plus the constant shilling make it an infomercial? I’m not sure.
 
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