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airtime

G

gordontalk

Guest
I have a few questions about these weekend shows that purchase airtime. I've been listening to Neil Sperry for quite a few years now, but only in the last couple of years: they've played the tag at the beginning of his show indicating that this is paid programming. Has Neil always paid for his airtime on KRLD, or is this something new? Also does the airtime perchaser get all of the revenues from the spots that they sell? Neil Sperry has been on KRLD for over 20 years, so he would have to be making quite a bit of money to continue to purchase airtime? Also does Neil have to pay for the airtime when they do the Christmas is for caring campaign in December? As far back as I can remember, Neil has always been involved in that project.
 
While I can't speak for this specific station, I have worked for several stations that have done programs for years only to suddenly make them paid programming. As an example, I worked at a station that ran a Saturday morning program called "The Garden Spot" for years. The station eventually stopped making money on the program and was going to drop it. However, the hosts enjoyed doing the show, and it brought them a lot of business as they owned a nursery, greenhouse and garden shop. So, they worked out a deal with the station where they paid for the airtime and were able to continue to do the show.
 
Gordon, most weekend shows today are bought by the hosts themselves. Howard Garret, has his own spots(Muenster dog feed, etc) that are his clients. The station will also sell spots as well. At WBAP he got very irritated when the station pretty much "Oversold" the show and he only had 20 min (if that) for show content in a given hour,due to to spots,net news and local news. He also specified that NO "Chemical" fertilizers/psticides be advertised on his program.Well a few times an "Orkin spot appeared and a "Spectracide" spot did as well. He would rail against them on the air. To appease him( and didn't) they appeared in the "content" of the local news portion.

Thus it started his exodus from WBAP.
 
The average weekend show on talk radio in DFW pays X dollars per hour and gets 4 spots per hour that they usually use to promote their business.

Sperry, Ed Wallace, The Dirt Doctor, the Carguy show, etc. pay X dollars per hour and get most or all of the inventory that they sell to sponsors and they keep the revenue.

The money the stations get from selling time for paid programming currently ranges from $1-6 thousand per hour.
 
Neil used to work for KRLD, but then opted to purchase the airtime, as he would stand to make much more money. He recently signed on for another 5 years.
 
Having worked extensively for both commercial and non-profit...er...uh...I mean "listener supported" radio, I can tell you, Gordon, that is completely right. Some of the largest rackets both station genres are in is the ubiquitous weekend radio talk shows. You ever see those dopes on TV, like "Money Matters"? Weekend talk is the same thing with a botched up production.
 
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