Air America Loses Madison, WI Affiliate to Fox Sports Radio

[evnlee]

Then WXXM came along, WTDY tried to compete to be the premier P/L T in the market - WXXM stole Schultz, WTDY lost the battle and tweaked format again to a more "center-middle" format they have now.

this begs a question. We can avoid the whole liberal vs progressive argument, but what do you call a format that is more 'center middle format', if you cant refer to it as P/L Talk?

and what do you label a station that uses hosts from BOTH sides of the political spectrum? P/L/C/C-O-M talk?

 

[bigtalkradiofan]

this begs a question. We can avoid the whole liberal vs progressive argument, but what do you call a format that is more 'center middle format', if you cant refer to it as P/L Talk?

Here's my suggestion:

CMM Political Talk (CMM P/T)- which is short-hand for Center, Middle or Moderate Political Talk

and what do you label a station that uses hosts from BOTH sides of the political spectrum? P/L/C/C-O-M talk?

Political Talk (P/T)

 

[bigtalkradiofan]

http://ltradio.blogspot.com/

http://ltradio.blogspot.com/2006/11/its-not-success-if-they-dont-try.html

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

It can't be a success if they don't try

Ed Schultz read an email on his show yesterday from a devoted listener (mp3). The listener also happens to own a home construction business, and tried to purchase advertising time on one of Schultz' affiliates, a progressive talk station. The station's account executive tried to talk him out of it, and steer him toward advertising on one of the company's other stations. The potential client was furious, and fired off the email to Schultz. ...

[Click link above for the complete blog.]


http://ltradio.blogspot.com/

http://ltradio.blogspot.com/2006/11/mics-lee-rayburn-comments-on-stations.html

Tuesday, November 14, 2006
The Mic's Lee Rayburn comments on station's demise

Here's an email from Lee Rayburn, former morning show host of WXXM-FM in Madison: ...

[Click link above for the complete e-mail.]

 

[bigtalkradiofan]

http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/editorial/index.php?ntid=107460

Editorial: Progressive broadcasting

A Cap Times editorial, Nov. 15, 2006
Published: November 15, 2006

The Mic 92.1, the FM radio station that features a format of liberal talkers such as Al Franken, Stephanie Miller and Ed Schultz, along with some outstanding local programming, was never the sole expression of progressivism on the local radio dial. ...

[Click link above for the complete newspaper editorial.]

 

[bigtalkradiofan]

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/720087508?ltl=1163189571

We, the Undersigned, endorse the following petition:
The Mic 92.1, Madison WI
Target: Jeff Tyler, Vice President / Market Manager, Clear Channel Radio-Madison
Sponsor: Valerie Walasek

* Signatures: 2,473
* Goal: 5,000
* Deadline: Ongoing...

* See Full Petition
* Email this Petition

The Mic 92.1 is changing to a sports station. Sign this petition: show Clear Channel that Madison cares about progressive issues, and that we want to keep the Mic!

*Thank you so much for your support. I want to share the following quote with you on behalf of Clear Channel. I'd also like to request that you please use your real name when you sign the petition, and add a comment if possible. They ARE listening to us, so you can make the most impact by being respectful.*

"We put this station on the air 2 years ago to support intelligent dialogue. We are listening to people and discussing some of the alternative concepts we have to continue to provide these ideas to Madison. The other thing that would be interesting to hear from is perhaps a business that feels they are losing a marketing choice... We are listening." - Jeff Tyler, Clear Channel

 

[ajhenderson]

Enough with the petitions... really. :

WTDY's PD was interviewed yesterday, and said that they plan on keeping with this approach.

He's an idiot. No ones listens to his show that had to be moved out of AMD to middays. They could do a conservative format if they wanted to, seeing that, out of the listenable hosts, 'IBA only has Rush. 1670 could have Hannity if they would run him live and w/o the sports pre-emptions he has to put up with on 1310. And with The Mic gone, they could be syndicated P/T and do very well also. Why they have a bunch of water-cooler talkers that require salaries when they could do better with no overhead is beyond me.

Please, spare us the "local" card. Local radio is great, but if no one listens to it, no one benefits from it.

 

[raccoonradio]

Sports kills another Air America station...in Ann Arbor MI

Perry Simon:
>>Another liberal Talk station bites the dust, this one in ANN ARBOR, where CLEAR CHANNEL jettisons the Talk format of WLBY-A and goes into a stunt starting at 12:01a tomorrow (11/17).

 

[FightingIrish]

Sports kills another Air America station...in Ann Arbor MI

Perry Simon:
>>Another liberal Talk station bites the dust, this one in ANN ARBOR, where CLEAR CHANNEL jettisons the Talk format of WLBY-A and goes into a stunt starting at 12:01a tomorrow (11/17).

Is Cumulus in charge of CC's Ann Arbor cluster yet?

 

[evnlee]

Sports kills another Air America station...in Ann Arbor MI

Perry Simon:
>>Another liberal Talk station bites the dust, this one in ANN ARBOR, where CLEAR CHANNEL jettisons the Talk format of WLBY-A and goes into a stunt starting at 12:01a tomorrow (11/17).

Is Cumulus in charge of CC's Ann Arbor cluster yet?

If that is true, then I called this one ages ago. Told ya so!

 

[raccoonradio]

>>Sports kills another Air America station...in Ann Arbor MI

Stunt before the format change: "...marching band tunes, "Michigan Memories" clips, and sports updates, coinciding with the Saturday's big game against Ohio State, one of the most famous rivalries in all of college football." Now the death of U-Mich's legendary coach Bo Schembeckler has lent even more
attention to the game today.

http://www.1290wlby.com/main.html simply says "All Hail To The Victors All The Time" for now

 

[bigtalkradiofan]

http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/tct/2006/11/22/0611220294.php

The Mic' Listeners Won't Let Go

The Capital Times :: BUSINESS :: D10
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
By Kevin Lynch The Capital Times

"The Mic" may be on the verge of being unplugged but its fans and local advertisers are hanging onto the cord in a tug of war with over who owns the airwaves.

Already more than 3,600 citizens have signed an online petition to keep the progressive political talk format of WXXM/FM 92.1. Clear Channel Radio-Madison has announced it will switch the format to local and college sports coverage from Fox Sports on Jan. 1. ...

Now the organizer of the petition is holding a rally that will speak to the radio operators on the issue close to their pockets: advertising dollars.

Val Walasek, a longtime Madison resident, created the online effort at www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/720087508.

A rally geared to local businesses in support of "The Mic" will be held today at 7 p.m. at the High Noon Saloon, 701 E. Washington Ave.

"Clear Channel needs to know that people and businesses support the station and that it's a good outlet for discussing issues that are really important to us," Walasek said.

[Click link above for the complete newspaper article.]


http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/tct/2006/11/28/0611280390.php

Readers Turn Up Volume Of Opinion On 'the Mic'

The Capital Times :: LIFESTYLE :: B1
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
By Bill Dunn The Capital Times

[Click link above for the complete newspaper article.]


http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/tct/2006/11/17/0611170228.php

How Much Would Mic's Demise Hurt?

The Capital Times :: LIFESTYLE :: C2
Friday, November 17, 2006

[Click link above for the complete newspaper article.]


http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/wsj/2006/11/23/0611220444.php

Air America's Demise

Are Market Forces At Work, Or Is It Part Of A Political Conspiracy To Silence The Left?

Wisconsin State Journal :: SPECTRUM :: E1
Thursday, November 23, 2006

[Click link above for the complete newspaper article.]

 

[ajhenderson]

These type of people have plenty of time to waste, so let them waste it

 

[kaufcom]

The well-organized and intense response to CC's decision to drop Lib Talk in Madision is very interesting. The issue appears to be whether a station owner can switch out political talk in the same way that they switch out a standards or oldies station. Remember, CC had to switch out many stations as they rolled out Lib Talk in over 25 markets (mostly the oldies format ) I don't think that they ever encountered the kind opposition that they are now encountering in Madison. I guess that political listeners are more intense that music listeners.

 

[Radio_Realist]

I guess that political listeners are more intense that music listeners.

Then your guess would be slightly off the mark. The real reason is that liberal political listeners are far better organized and accustomed to participating in mass protests. Engaging in organized protests is what activist liberals do.

Bowlers bowl. Golfers golf. Musicians play music. Liberal activists protest. No surprises in any of those statements.

 

[ajhenderson]

Basically, liberal listeners. Politically active liberals have so much free time on their hands that they do crap like this. Everytime a station flips from libtalk its a giant conspiracy to silence their voice. While I don't know why 1670 doesn't go straight libtalk (and not with The Great Ratingless Sly), CC has no agenda that is trying to "silence" liberal viewpoints.

 

[evnlee]

The well-organized and intense response to CC's decision to drop Lib Talk in Madision is very interesting. The issue appears to be whether a station owner can switch out political talk in the same way that they switch out a standards or oldies station. Remember, CC had to switch out many stations as they rolled out Lib Talk in over 25 markets (mostly the oldies format ) I don't think that they ever encountered the kind opposition that they are now encountering in Madison. I guess that political listeners are more intense that music listeners.

when has a 'petition' ever changed CC management's positions? :

at least in Phoenix they put the $$ down. Gonna be lotsa mad Madisonites. Buh bye ;D

 

[Radio_Realist]

when has a 'petition' ever changed CC management's positions?

Let he hazard a guess. Could it have been when the petition was stapled to a whopping big airtime purchase contract? If an advertiser was to offer CC a significant airtime purchase deal if CC would change a station's format, would CC change the format?

 

[kaufcom]

Engaging in organized protests is what activist liberals do.

And right-wingers to. However, they prefer advertiser boycotts.

 

[kaufcom]

CC has no agenda that is trying to "silence" liberal viewpoints.

No agenda? You've gotta be kidding. How about

• 95% of political donations going to Republicans
• Ownership of largest radio syndicatior -- Premier -- which distributes Limbaugh's show
• Or how about this one. When Richard Lewis CC's regional VP was asked if it was fair to drop lib talk in New Orleans and keep conservative talk going he said Hannity was a “very balanced voice” and “not much of an ideologue,” and Rush is "successful because he resonates with a large population."

 

[kaufcom]

when has a 'petition' ever changed CC management's positions? :

We'll see.

Remember the Dixie Chicks fiasco