KUBE Becomes SportsRadio 93-3 KJR-FM

[dxsphere]

KJAQ-HD2 is Alternative, airing the national Alt Radio feed. Not a full powered station though.

 

[notalent]

Progressive talk was a fail, due mainly to a fundamental lack of understanding the medium. Why conservative radio succeeded where liberal prog radio failed comes down to just a few basics. Rush was a broadcaster with conservative views. He already possessed radio skills. Air America mostly hired people with progressive views to try to be broadcasters. Only Ed Shultz had previous broadcast experience and still he couldn't hold the whole network up.

 

[BRNout]

Progressive talk was a fail, due mainly to a fundamental lack of understanding the medium. Why conservative radio succeeded where liberal prog radio failed comes down to just a few basics. Rush was a broadcaster with conservative views. He already possessed radio skills. Air America mostly hired people with progressive views to try to be broadcasters. Only Ed Shultz had previous broadcast experience and still he couldn't hold the whole network up.

That's very true, but there's another factor: there are very few places in the mass media where listeners can get conservative content - basically FOX News and talk radio. If you're a liberal or progressive, you've got every TV network, NPR, every major newspaper/magazine and pretty much every mainstream form of entertainment expressing your views. So, why listen to Air America, which wasn't very compelling anyway?

Look at many liberal cities and they've got an AM conservative talker that does fairly well because it attracts those who don't hear their POV expressed elsewhere. None have a successful liberal talker per se, but most have NPR stations that do very well - and they basically represent the leftist viewpoint on the radio.

 

[TheBigA]

If you're a liberal or progressive, you've got every TV network, NPR, every major newspaper/magazine and pretty much every mainstream form of entertainment expressing your views.

Keep in mind they're not "liberal" in the way conservative radio is conservative. They report the news regardless of the political ramifications. NPR doesn't have an equivalent to Tucker Carlson. Mainstream is mainstream, not liberal or radical left, although conservatives like to portray it that way. Conservative talk stations only report the news that favors their ideology, and supports their narrative, regardless of what else is happening. It gets ratings because all of the people who believe that ideology are 100% believers. People outside that ideology have variations of beliefs. Some are social liberals but financial conservatives. Hard to build a consensus radio format around all of the variations.

 

[Kelly A]

Only Ed Shultz had previous broadcast experience and still he couldn't hold the whole network up.

Stephanie Miller has been doing a left-leaning syndicated morning show for well over fifteen years. She has as much if not more radio experience than Ed Shultz, and tosses in the morning-zoo sound to spice things up to appeal to a younger audience. Most of her listeners/viewers now are via streaming: STEPHANIE MILLER SHOW

Right wing talk has a very loyal audience of 60+ (angry) white males who claim to be conservatives. Except for clearing the remaining iHeart right-wing-talk audience, I don't see why a non-iHeart station would purposely switch to conservative talk. The audience is way too old, and it takes too long to establish an audience who will be listening in a nursing home or dead by the time it caught on. Not exactly playing the long game when it comes to formats.

 

[TheBigA]

Right wing talk has a very loyal audience of 60+ (angry) white males who claim to be conservatives.

To be specific the median age for conservative talk is 62, according to the RAB and Simmons Media. It's also 87% white and 62.02% male.

Sports Talk is even more male (74%), but the median age is 51, with a big 40% chunk between 35 and 45.

This is partly why sports talk is such a popular format with radio.

 

[semoochie]

Keep in mind they're not "liberal" in the way conservative radio is conservative. They report the news regardless of the political ramifications. NPR doesn't have an equivalent to Tucker Carlson. Mainstream is mainstream, not liberal or radical left, although conservatives like to portray it that way. Conservative talk stations only report the news that favors their ideology, and supports their narrative, regardless of what else is happening. It gets ratings because all of the people who believe that ideology are 100% believers. People outside that ideology have variations of beliefs. Some are social liberals but financial conservatives. Hard to build a consensus radio format around all of the variations.

People on the right won't believe you. I've heard this argument for nearly 50 years! They honestly think real news and moderates in general lean to the left! This is how the now authoritarian Republican party has been able to get them to buy into their act hook line and sinker!

I just realized this isn't a political thread. I am so sorry!

 

[BRNout]

Keep in mind they're not "liberal" in the way conservative radio is conservative. They report the news regardless of the political ramifications. NPR doesn't have an equivalent to Tucker Carlson. Mainstream is mainstream, not liberal or radical left, although conservatives like to portray it that way. Conservative talk stations only report the news that favors their ideology, and supports their narrative, regardless of what else is happening. It gets ratings because all of the people who believe that ideology are 100% believers. People outside that ideology have variations of beliefs. Some are social liberals but financial conservatives. Hard to build a consensus radio format around all of the variations.

There is indeed a bias in mainstream news, not just how the stories are reported but what is omitted from the reporting. The concept of airing both sides of a political or opinion story is long gone. They take the side of leftist advocacy groups, air their POV and leave it at that. There's your unbiased news. Yes, there is a faction who feels underrepresented and that's who is very loyal to talk radio. There are a number of such stations with very strong ratings in certain markets. And, in others, most of those signals are garnering far better ratings than any other format would. Where would KSFO or WRKO (2 of our most liberal markets) be in the ratings were it not for conservative talk? While they're not at the top by any means, those AM signals would be getting nothing with sports or business talk birdfeed or brokered programming like other AMs.

 

[BRNout]

People on the right won't believe you. I've heard this argument for nearly 50 years! They honestly think real news and moderates in general lean to the left! This is how the now authoritarian Republican party has been able to get them to buy into their act hook line and sinker!

I just realized this isn't a political thread. I am so sorry!

Here's an example of "real unbiased news" in action. One outlet smearing another for reporting the news because it hurts their side (oops, I thought they were unbiased).

NPR Reporter: Fox Covering Gas Prices to Hurt Biden

 

[TheBigA]

There is indeed a bias in mainstream news, not just how the stories are reported but what is omitted from the reporting.

Perhaps, but there's enough variation as you go from one to the other that you can find what you're looking for.

 

[TheBigA]

Here's an example of "real unbiased news" in action. One outlet smearing another for reporting the news because it hurts their side (oops, I thought they were unbiased).

That's not NPR News. That's an NPR TV critic speaking his opinion as a guest on CNN's media show. Very different situation.

CNN’s Brian Stelter had NPR television critic Eric Deggans...

TV critics have opinions. That's what they're hired to do. That's what he's giving. It's not intended to be "unbiased news."

Brian Stelter is a media reporter. He's written a book on Fox News. And Fox regularly jumps on his case too.

 

[Kelly A]

There is indeed a bias in mainstream news,

FOX News

not just how the stories are reported but what is omitted from the reporting.

Or conspiracy theories added to the story. See: FOX News

The concept of airing both sides of a political or opinion story is long gone.

Especially on FOX News.

They take the side of leftist advocacy groups, air their POV and leave it at that.

Many times that's because pundits and politicians won't appear on networks like NPR, because they want to avoid potentially answering for their crazy-town statements.

There's your unbiased news. Yes, there is a faction who feels underrepresented and that's who is very loyal to talk radio.

You mean white males 60+? Oh yes, they're so underrepresented.

There are a number of such stations with very strong ratings in certain markets.

6+ or actually in-demo?

And, in others, most of those signals are garnering far better ratings than any other format would.

As compared to what?

Where would KSFO or WRKO (2 of our most liberal markets) be in the ratings were it not for conservative talk?

Being AM stations, probably religious or brokered programming. But as their audience literally dies-off, there are no new listeners to follow. It doesn't take a crystal ball to predict that outcome.

While they're not at the top by any means, those AM signals would be getting nothing with sports or business talk birdfeed or brokered programming like other AMs.

You don't know that. Sports/Sports talk has been just as successful, if not more, from a revenue perspective over the past ten years than right wing talk. Mainly because of a slightly younger demographic. But, as you're seeing, successful sports stations need to move to a full market FM signal to continue their run. An FM signal matters less to right-wing talk stations, because those listeners are fine with AM.

 

[Todd Mitchell]

Progressive talk was a fail, due mainly to a fundamental lack of understanding the medium. Why conservative radio succeeded where liberal prog radio failed comes down to just a few basics. Rush was a broadcaster with conservative views. He already possessed radio skills. Air America mostly hired people with progressive views to try to be broadcasters. Only Ed Shultz had previous broadcast experience and still he couldn't hold the whole network up.

Ed wasn't on Air America; he was syndicated by Jones.

(I had the fun of introducing Ed on the air as, "the man who singlehandedly put Air America into bankruptcy!" He laughed...but obviously couldn't react in words...)

 

[Todd Mitchell]

Stephanie Miller has been doing a left-leaning syndicated morning show for well over fifteen years. She has as much if not more radio experience than Ed Shultz

Guess again. Ed had way more than fifteen on a legendary regional radio station before going national.

 

[Kelly A]

Guess again. Ed had way more than fifteen on a legendary regional radio station before going national.

Stephanie has been in larger markets than Ed prior to becoming syndicated. Look it up.

 

[notalent]

Given the history of Air America, nobody cares.

 

[Kelly A]

Given the history of Air America, nobody cares.

Especially older white male "conservatives".

 

[notalent]

That sounds rather like an off topic political based insult frowned upon by the mods... If I were an older white male conservative I would be offended. So offended I would probably play Kokomo just because.

 

[davideduardo]

Guess again. Ed had way more than fifteen on a legendary regional radio station before going national.

If you are referring to KFGO as "legendary" you should keep in mind that its signal covers less than a quarter million people in the daytime. WGN covers 11 million and WABC covers 16 million to give you a point of comparison.

But only Ed worked for RT, the Russian owned international propaganda network.

 

[davideduardo]

Stephanie has been in larger markets than Ed prior to becoming syndicated. Look it up.

Many years on a 1kw AM in Ft Lauderdale is pretty much the same as being on a regional station in the Dakotas.