WBAI's Opportunity to Become More Relevant

[Barry]

New York is among the more politically progressive cities in the U.S. But it has 3 Conservative talk stations, and no similar outlets for the large portion of people in the region with more leftward political leanings.
With the election pushing the Democratic Party and political progressives off to the sidelines, there may be increased demand for an outlet for progressive political discussion. Radio America was tried years ago, and failed to bring in sufficient revenue. But a listener supported non-profit radio station may work better.
WBAI is of course in that category, and has always leaned left. Though there are some solid political shows that are on daily, much of the broadcast day is a hodgepodge of narrow interest/esoteric shows.
The station could possibly enjoy a larger, more engaged audience if it brought in additional political talk shows that air on a daily basis. More like a left leaning WABC. The niche and music shows could air evenings/nights/weekends.
I realize this is unlikely to happen, with all the infighting that goes on at the station. But it may be worthwhile for WBAI to consider a more cohesive approach.

 

[CTListener]

Die-hard Democrat here. I know what I believe and analyze new developments on my own. Screw echo chamber radio. I'll never be a ditto head.

 

[luperm]

There are a lot of things WBAI could do. However, WBAI is not capable of doing anything remotely coherent.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

WBAI puts a disjointed set of niche-focused shows on the air that should be podcasts. They don't seem to have any understanding about how people use radio.

 

[Ed Nielson]

New York is among the more politically progressive cities in the U.S. But it has 3 Conservative talk stations, and no similar outlets for the large portion of people in the region with more leftward political leanings.

It always comes down to one thing... money. There is no liberal talk radio (or very little) because there is no demand for it. As you mentioned, Air America failed.

 

[TheBigA]

Keep in mind that Pacifica isn't liberal or left leaning. They are out and out anarchists. That's to the left of the left.

They do what they do. They're individualists. As a result they do the opposite of what a radio station typically does.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

It always comes down to one thing... money. There is no liberal talk radio (or very little) because there is no demand for it. As you mentioned, Air America failed.

The demand is mostly satisfied by NPR stations which offer the type of intelligent news and content that liberals desire.

Most if not all NPR shows present both sides of political issues, same as other media outlets that appeal to a liberal audience such as the New York Times. Air America failed to do this. Instead, they served up an overtly left wing version of the rightwing talk show model where hosts offered one-sided political opinions telling the audience what to think. That doesn't work with many liberals who feel they want to be fully informed from all sides and make up their own minds about issues.

Let me speculate that another reason NPR succeeds with liberals where Air America failed is that -- I don't know if you noticed -- radio spots, especially on network shows, range from notoriously lowbrow to outright scams and that sort of thing is like kryptonite to a liberal audience. I suspect most of them would rather put up with an all-day pledge drive than sit through the incessant barrage of intelligence-insulting credit repair, tax relief, herbal supplements and Kars for Kids come-ons.

 

[davideduardo]

Let me speculate that another reason NPR succeeds with liberals where Air America failed is that -- I don't know if you noticed -- radio spots, especially on network shows, range from notoriously lowbrow to outright scams and that sort of thing is like kryptonite to a liberal audience. I suspect most of them would rather put up with an all-day pledge drive than sit through the incessant barrage of intelligence-insulting credit repair, tax relief, herbal supplements and Kars for Kids come-ons.

NPR is not an ad supported operation. It uses underwriting, which has different rules on what can be said in messages from underwriters.

Conservative talk radio is ad supported. It has the same kind of ads that other commercial stations have, particularly those that lean towards 45 and over listeners.

 

[Miss Tuned]

It always comes down to one thing... money. There is no liberal talk radio (or very little) because there is no demand for it. As you mentioned, Air America failed.

I think "Air America failed" is losing its relevancy as an argument. Air America was one network with its own issues (financial and programming) that failed almost fifteen years ago. I don't have a dog in this political fight, but the idea that because one liberal talk radio network failed 15 years ago, no liberal talk radio network will ever again be viable is disingenuous.

For what it's worth, I don't think there's a market for a liberal/progressive talk radio station - people of that persuasion are very wedded to their podcasts, I work in a very liberal university and it's all podcasts and Spotify. I just don't think "one thing failed so there's no possibility that anyone could ever try that thing again" is a great argument.

 

[b-turner]

I keep saying this but nobody sees the connection, it seems. Conservative radio is based on common morals versus politics. Conservatives tend to have common moral values (not that liberals don't) that Conservative radio utilizes to gain an audience aside from simply being an air personality that people choose to check in with each day. Conservatives tend to be more unified on these 'morals'. Your Conservative views can be all over the map but your values tend not to be so you unite around issues that challenge those 'morals'. These morals tend to align with Christian values.

Liberals lack the commonality of most conservatives. This is to say Liberals tend to be pretty much all over the map on what they think on certain issues (as do conservatives) but there isn't a common teaching to unite most. This is not to say Liberals lack in anything the Conservative have but rather that the room holding Liberals is big enough for virtually all views. Thus, a common umbrella that is not political to unite under does not exist for Liberal Talk. This meant Liberal Talk became a political thing.

I contend Conservative Radio is based on common values. If you'll listen, it is about how this politician or that is threatening 'our values'. It's using politics as a 'reason' the values the Conservative holds deal are being threatened.

 

[PTBoardOp93]

I think "Air America failed" is losing its relevancy as an argument. Air America was one network with its own issues (financial and programming) that failed almost fifteen years ago. I don't have a dog in this political fight, but the idea that because one liberal talk radio network failed 15 years ago, no liberal talk radio network will ever again be viable is disingenuous.

Not 15 years -- longer. Air America launched in 2004 and filed bankruptcy in 2006. It existed in a withering form for a few years after the bankruptcy, but it had clearly failed by 2005 or 2006.

I generally agree. There's no reason a liberal talk format shouldn't be more viable than being the 3rd or 4th conservative talker in a market like New York or Los Angeles.

But I remain confident Pacifica won't be the one to do it.

 

[RMarino]

With the incoming administration, you’ll see less left-leaning programming, not more. Just look at what happened with MSNBC this week. So, no, I don’t think that’s a good idea for WBAI.

I’d love to see talk radio with shows of different viewpoints on one station like we had 30-40 years ago, but I know that’s not coming back any time soon.

 

[TheBigA]

With the incoming administration, you’ll see less left-leaning programming, not more. Just look at what happened with MSNBC this week. So, no, I don’t think that’s a good idea for WBAI.

FYI, the spinoff of MSNBC has nothing to do with the election and was in the works for a long time.

 

[RMarino]

FYI, the spinoff of MSNBC has nothing to do with the election and was in the works for a long time.

I’m talking about the Morning Joe incident, not the spin-off.

 

[Ed Nielson]

Not 15 years -- longer. Air America launched in 2004 and filed bankruptcy in 2006. It existed in a withering form for a few years after the bankruptcy, but it had clearly failed by 2005 or 2006.

I generally agree. There's no reason a liberal talk format shouldn't be more viable than being the 3rd or 4th conservative talker in a market like New York or Los Angeles.

But I remain confident Pacifica won't be the one to do it.

But in 15 years, no one has stepped in to fill the void.

 

[TheBigA]

But in 15 years, no one has stepped in to fill the void.

Because there's no money. Most advertisers stay away from any partisan political programming. They specifically ask that their spots not run in or near any controversial programming. The only reason there's money in conservative programming is some advertisers specifically CHOOSE to support it. That doesn't happen for the other side. Even though some conservatives think it does.

 

[CTListener]

Going in circles here ....

 

[RoddyFreeman]

FYI, the spinoff of MSNBC has nothing to do with the election and was in the works for a long time.

It isn't just a spinoff of MSNBC. It's a spinoff of all the Comcast-owned cable networks: USA, MSNBC, CNBC, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel into a separate company.

 

[radiodx10]

Keep in mind that Pacifica isn't liberal or left leaning. They are out and out anarchists. That's to the left of the left.

Pacifica are not anarchists. They're just not. Take it from me, the furthest left person on here (I guarantee it) that Pacifica are not far-left and are not anarchist (nor am I one, either).

 

[TheBigA]

Pacifica are not anarchists. They're just not. Take it from me, the furthest left person on here (I guarantee it) that Pacifica are not far-left and are not anarchist (nor am I one, either).

Not necessarily political anarchists in terms of wanting to end the government, but behavioral anarchists in how they refuse to co-operate or follow authority, specifically the Foundation. The way the entire thing is set up is completely antithetical to any other company I know of. Because it's not a company. I've known a lot of people who worked there over the years, and even they tell me it gets tiring after a while. They're not bad people. They just do things differently than other radio people.