Bill Handel now states that Dr. Laura was forced out of KFI...

[Shoot From Hip]

Regardless of what you may think of her, Dr. Laura gets the last laugh. She walks out of KFI with the highest shares she's seen all year in all the key demos. If you don't believe me, check the facts. The numbers are right there in black and white. One company's loss is another company's gain.

You don't actually know whether this is a loss for KFI or not. They reclaim 3 hours of formerly syndicated programming and all the local avails they forfeited. If they are even close in ratings, my guess is they will far exceed the revenue generated from those hours. And if they were paying Dr. Laura on top of giving up barter, they say that as well.

 

[livingfruitvirus]

Regardless of what you may think of her, Dr. Laura gets the last laugh. She walks out of KFI with the highest shares she's seen all year in all the key demos. If you don't believe me, check the facts. The numbers are right there in black and white. One company's loss is another company's gain.

You don't actually know whether this is a loss for KFI or not. They reclaim 3 hours of formerly syndicated programming and all the local avails they forfeited. If they are even close in ratings, my guess is they will far exceed the revenue generated from those hours. And if they were paying Dr. Laura on top of giving up barter, they say that as well.

Did they forfeit any? A lot of these syndication flagships get to cover the net spots. Handel on the Law's 6:00 nets per hour are all covered by KFI. 570 KLAC covers up every net spot for every one of its shows. KAVL, the FSR affiliate out in the Antelope Valley, also covers up FSR's nets.

 

[jonbruce]

I remember Dr. Laura from her early days as a caller to the Bill Balance show on KGBS talking about sex. She languished for decades in the back alleys of L.A. radio on such powerhouses as KWIZ and KWNK. The Frazier episode with a Dr. Nora sums up Dr. Laura best. Her time in the sun has come and gone.

 

[Loampounder]

Anyone know where this rumor started that Premiere/CC may syndicate Handel in weekday afternoons? I read it on T-R-I today. The only correlation to create such a rumor is Dr. Laura is leaving Premiere to go to Talk Radio Network.

I remember Bill Handel talking about Dr. Laura's leaving, and he attributed it to purely ratings. I believe, on that same show, Bill announced that they were going to try to syndicate part of his show.

 

[Bob_Hudson]

I cannot listen to Dr. Laura - my wife - a senior vice president in business - loves the show, but me I just wonder how come there's always a steady flow of women who will line up to have Dr. L yell at them?

But, it is even more amazing to wonder all of the bitter souls who have line up to attack her and have been predicting her demise for several years. As the Los Angeles Times noted in the article about her move to KFWB: she "has the third-largest national audience in talk radio." She also certainly makes more money than any other woman in radio ever has and probably makes more money than anyone one else on terrestrial radio (Stern is rich but irrelevant on his little satellite channel) except perhaps Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity (who are numbers one and two in national audience talk radio audience) and I wouldn't be surprised if she made more than Hannity and when Schlessinger sold her ownership of her show to Jacor for $71 million she pocketed more than Hannity ever will from radio.

You can hate her and her show, but she has been and continues to be a huge success in radio and she'll probably do wonders for KFWB ratings. After 9/11 talk radio became much more political where closed a lot of doors to shows such as Schlessinger, but she has continued to demonstrate their an audience for a woman-oriented show such as hers and you have to wonder how KFI is going to improve by over-exposing their ranting and raving "issues" hosts?

 

[nmoore6676]

I cannot listen to Dr. Laura - my wife - a senior vice president in business - loves the show, but me I just wonder how come there's always a steady flow of women who will line up to have Dr. L yell at them?

But, it is even more amazing to wonder all of the bitter souls who have line up to attack her and have been predicting her demise for several years. As the Los Angeles Times noted in the article about her move to KFWB: she "has the third-largest national audience in talk radio." She also certainly makes more money than any other woman in radio ever has and probably makes more money than anyone one else on terrestrial radio (Stern is rich but irrelevant on his little satellite channel) except perhaps Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity (who are numbers one and two in national audience talk radio audience) and I wouldn't be surprised if she made more than Hannity and when Schlessinger sold her ownership of her show to Jacor for $71 million she pocketed more than Hannity ever will from radio.

You can hate her and her show, but she has been and continues to be a huge success in radio and she'll probably do wonders for KFWB ratings. After 9/11 talk radio became much more political where closed a lot of doors to shows such as Schlessinger, but she has continued to demonstrate their an audience for a woman-oriented show such as hers and you have to wonder how KFI is going to improve by over-exposing their ranting and raving "issues" hosts?

One question. Michael Savage, now departed from KGIL, claims he is number three and so does Glenn Beck and now you say that Dr. Laura is #3. There seem to be nearly as many number threes in national radio as Al Quaida has number twos (remember how many that Bush claimed to have taken out).

So who is the third most listened to?

 

[stationi]

I cannot listen to Dr. Laura - my wife - a senior vice president in business - loves the show, but me I just wonder how come there's always a steady flow of women who will line up to have Dr. L yell at them?

But, it is even more amazing to wonder all of the bitter souls who have line up to attack her and have been predicting her demise for several years. As the Los Angeles Times noted in the article about her move to KFWB: she "has the third-largest national audience in talk radio." She also certainly makes more money than any other woman in radio ever has and probably makes more money than anyone one else on terrestrial radio (Stern is rich but irrelevant on his little satellite channel) except perhaps Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity (who are numbers one and two in national audience talk radio audience) and I wouldn't be surprised if she made more than Hannity and when Schlessinger sold her ownership of her show to Jacor for $71 million she pocketed more than Hannity ever will from radio.

You can hate her and her show, but she has been and continues to be a huge success in radio and she'll probably do wonders for KFWB ratings. After 9/11 talk radio became much more political where closed a lot of doors to shows such as Schlessinger, but she has continued to demonstrate their an audience for a woman-oriented show such as hers and you have to wonder how KFI is going to improve by over-exposing their ranting and raving "issues" hosts?

One question. Michael Savage, now departed from KGIL, claims he is number three and so does Glenn Beck and now you say that Dr. Laura is #3. There seem to be nearly as many number threes in national radio as Al Quaida has number twos (remember how many that Bush claimed to have taken out).

So who is the third most listened to?

Talkers Magazine says they are all in a three way tie for third...

http://talkers.com/online/?p=71

 

[nmoore6676]

I cannot listen to Dr. Laura - my wife - a senior vice president in business - loves the show, but me I just wonder how come there's always a steady flow of women who will line up to have Dr. L yell at them?

But, it is even more amazing to wonder all of the bitter souls who have line up to attack her and have been predicting her demise for several years. As the Los Angeles Times noted in the article about her move to KFWB: she "has the third-largest national audience in talk radio." She also certainly makes more money than any other woman in radio ever has and probably makes more money than anyone one else on terrestrial radio (Stern is rich but irrelevant on his little satellite channel) except perhaps Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity (who are numbers one and two in national audience talk radio audience) and I wouldn't be surprised if she made more than Hannity and when Schlessinger sold her ownership of her show to Jacor for $71 million she pocketed more than Hannity ever will from radio.

You can hate her and her show, but she has been and continues to be a huge success in radio and she'll probably do wonders for KFWB ratings. After 9/11 talk radio became much more political where closed a lot of doors to shows such as Schlessinger, but she has continued to demonstrate their an audience for a woman-oriented show such as hers and you have to wonder how KFI is going to improve by over-exposing their ranting and raving "issues" hosts?

One question. Michael Savage, now departed from KGIL, claims he is number three and so does Glenn Beck and now you say that Dr. Laura is #3. There seem to be nearly as many number threes in national radio as Al Quaida has number twos (remember how many that Bush claimed to have taken out).

So who is the third most listened to?

Thanks, ask and you shall receive. Now is there a magazine for Al Quaida that lists their rankings?

 

[wejomerv]

I liked Dr. Laura's show before she became a born again type. Then I could only take her in small amounts.

But this move and moving Hoffman to take over the Sunday morning spot on KFI (from I think it was Jillian Michaels?) may overexpose the Bill Handel show and crew and I like the Bill Handel Show.

 

[mr_arbitron]

All I know is a couple of years ago or so, San Diego's KOGO dropped Laura and put in local show. It
floundered because everybody went to KFI to listen to her. Handel has a poor attendance record
and he obviously will have to give up his daytime job. This show will flounder. He'll give up his weekend law
show. Too much time at the station

 

[davideduardo]

All I know is a couple of years ago or so, San Diego's KOGO dropped Laura and put in local show. It
floundered because everybody went to KFI to listen to her. Handel has a poor attendance record

Handel is #1 12+in LA in mornings; he is off quite a few days a year because he got that put in his contract. Yet the numbers stay high even in 25-54 where he was averaging between 3rd and 7th this year.

Dr Laura, on the other hand, was significantly underperfroming the station as a whole.

 

[mr_arbitron]

Nothing burns me out more than a poor attendance record. If your'e gonna try to develop a new
program, you better show everyday for 6 months straight. Handel can't do it.

 

[blowfish]

Handel was always there when he needed to be. He stays over when asked and does really well on serious unexpected issues. And no I am not a member of management or his wife.

 

[Fresno Roast]

Handel was always there when he needed to be. He stays over when asked and does really well on serious unexpected issues. And no I am not a member of management or his wife.

One listener's opinion, but I find the show doesn't really lose a beat, and in fact, can be more tolerable when Bill is on vacation. Gary Hoffman and Wayne Resnick do a very good job at fill-in. I find Handel can be very interesting but also very annoying to the point I have to turn him off or skip (on podcast).

It's a good format that can be fufilled by anyone with some talent - an hour of miscellany and listener involvement, 1.5 hrs split on news of the day, and long segments on single subject matter. I'd listen even more if Hoffman replaced Handel. Adding Eric Leonard to the crew would be a plus too.

 

[DoctorWu]

Back to the topic of this thread I think that anything Handel says should be taken with several industrial-sized grains of rock salt. Even HE says you shouldn't believe him. Stirring the pot is what it's all about for Bill, and he's made a good deal out of it.

Dr. Laura will survive and prosper. There are no shortage of messed-up people out there who need to be told what to do, and no shortage of people who want to hear about the messes other people have gotten into so that they can feel comparatively good about themselves.

-- Doc

 

[LKellerIII]

Back to the topic of this thread I think that anything Handel says should be taken with several industrial-sized grains of rock salt. Even HE says you shouldn't believe him. Stirring the pot is what it's all about for Bill, and he's made a good deal out of it.

Dr. Laura will survive and prosper. There are no shortage of messed-up people out there who need to be told what to do, and no shortage of people who want to hear about the messes other people have gotten into so that they can feel comparatively good about themselves.

-- Doc

That's partially why people listen to Dr. Laura, but I think the secret to her success is that she talks tough to her callers. The listeners not only want to feel better about themselves, but also want to hear the callers verbally taken down a peg or two. But I wonder if her act is wearing thin. She's not even the first to do the tough act. The first I remember was Dr. Toni Grant on KABC in the 70s, and on ABC's Talk Radio network in the 80s.

All Laura really did was copy Toni Grant's formula, then treat callers even tougher, adding a conservative moralistic element. In fact, Grant apparently started in broadcasting as a guest on Bill Ballance's Feminine Forum radio show in 1972, so there's only ONE 'degree or separation' between Toni and Laura...given that Schlessinger was Bill's main squeeze for a short time.

Others used the same basic formula - Dr. David Viscott, as well as Dr. Phil on TV.

In San Francisco, KSFO has run Dr. Laura's show for years, but recently moved it to nights (8:00 - 10:00 PM) pre-recorded, and is only running 2 hours of the show. They moved Sean Hannity into her Noon - 3:00 PM time-slot so his show could be heard live.

Hannity is hot - Laura is not.

 

[calguy]

I don't see it as a tough act. I personally feel that she's rude more than anything else. If you spoke to people that way in public you'd be labeled as a nasty bi&%h. That’s a term that many who worked with or around her would describe her as in her off air life. I’ve worked around both Toni Grant and Laura Schlesinger and they’re very alike in many ways. I found them both to be hypocrites. You can be tough on people without being a jerk. A great example would be Dr. Drew. He’s much more compassionate than Grant or Schlesinger ever have been. By the way, you needn’t worry about Laura; she’s got more money than most people even dream about. She’ll likely fade away like most air talent do over time. I think that she’s definitely peaked but still doing better than 95% of those on the air.

 

[oaktree]

I was somewhat surprised, and yet, impressed, watching the KTLA News at 1 today, and hearing Frank Buckley moan at the fact that Dr. Laura is on 18 hours straight on KFWB today.

He then came back and sternly mentioned twice that how a city like LA can get by with non-local and syndicated fare for so long with the amount of talent in this town.

I think that took guts, since Dr. Laura is, essentially "local" -- but her show is a syndication, so, it's not local. He nailed it. Will be interesting who or what fills out the rest of the schedule on News / Talk 980.

 

[pjc1961]

I was somewhat surprised, and yet, impressed, watching the KTLA News at 1 today, and hearing Frank Buckley moan at the fact that Dr. Laura is on 18 hours straight on KFWB today.

He then came back and sternly mentioned twice that how a city like LA can get by with non-local and syndicated fare for so long with the amount of talent in this town.

I think that took guts, since Dr. Laura is, essentially "local" -- but her show is a syndication, so, it's not local. He nailed it. Will be interesting who or what fills out the rest of the schedule on News / Talk 980.

From the news page of www.radio-info.com on Wed. 9/9/09:

L.A.'s KFWB (980), transitioning from all-news to mostly talk, adds Roger Hedgecock

The CBS station is polishing off its 18-hour Dr. Laura marathon at 6am local time, highlighting her addition to the noon-3pm shift at KFWB. Market manager Ed Krampf announces that last week’s speculation was correct: Roger Hedgecock will assume the “local” 3-6pm slot, beween Dr. Laura and Michael Smerconish. Also added to the KFWB lineup: Dave Ramsey, 9pm to midnight. Then Todd Schnitt for midnight to 3am.

 

[oaktree]

The KTLA 1 p.m. anchor will need bedrest after hearing this news.