Are Latchkey Stations Doomed to Fail in Major Markets?

[fred flintstone]

Now, let's take a look at the other political talk network for latchkey stations: Salem's News-Talk Network.
Their owned and operated station in Chicago is the once-legendary (former Group W) station WIND, at 560 AM with an excellent signal. Despite their good signal, their audience numbers are comparable to rim-shot progressive talker, WCPT. Chicago also has two Class I-A once legendary 50kw blow-torches turned latchkey sports stations with numbers almost as bad: WSCR 670 ("The Score," formerly WMAQ NBC Chicago) and WMVP 1000 (ESPN Radio, once WCFL, The Voice of Labor).

Latchkeys are cheap to operate but you get what you pay for. It also appears that a good signal is necessary but not sufficient to get an audience. Good local programming is still key.

Now Salem is taking a stab at local live talk in morning drive in Chicago (pulling the plug on Bill Bennett):

Salem is going after Big John Howell, veteran morning personality at country WUSN-FM (99.5), and Cisco Cotto, news anchor and reporter at news/talk WLS-AM (890). Frustrated by low ratings for Salem Radio Network's Washington-based morning show hosted by Bill Bennett, bosses of the conservative talk station hope the team of Howell and Cotto will help breathe a little life into WIND + Steve Scott is resigning as news director of WLS to become afternoon news anchor at WCBS-AM in New York (read more - Feder of Chicago)

The pattern is also evident on the liberal side. Progressive talk stations with local programs do better than latchkey stations - consisntently better. It will be interesting to see how this new local morning show works for Salem, and if other markets pick it up. One regular poster appears to believe that Salem corporate dictates local programming decisions and the "network's" interests take precedence. This news appears to indicate that such may not be the case. If it works, other Salem stations may be trying local shows or programs from other syndicators.

 

[Radio_Realist]

Good local programming is still key.

Actually, good local advertising and promotion is the key. It doesn't much matter what you put on the air, you won't get an audience by simply sitting back and hoping they tune in. Regardless of whether you're broadcasting local content, network content, or a bundle of syndicated stuff, if you make an aggressive effort to let the listeners in your area know you're there, you'll get them to tune in. If you sit back and hope they find you by accident, then it doesn't matter what you broadcast, you'll fail.

 

[fred flintstone]

Good local programming is still key.

Actually, good local advertising and promotion is the key. It doesn't much matter what you put on the air, you won't get an audience by simply sitting back and hoping they tune in. Regardless of whether you're broadcasting local content, network content, or a bundle of syndicated stuff, if you make an aggressive effort to let the listeners in your area know you're there, you'll get them to tune in. If you sit back and hope they find you by accident, then it doesn't matter what you broadcast, you'll fail.

Yes - AND - you need to have a product to sell, and a good product to keep people coming back.
But "if you build it, they will come" has never worked in radio.

 

[smedge2006]

WIND's local morning show is a departure for Salem. I wouldn't be surprised if in a year or two they "return to the mean" and go back to syndication. They just took Eric Hogue off their secular talk station and moved him to the Christian-formatted stations in Sacramento and SF. Salem seems to operate under the "nail that sticks up gets hammered down" principle.