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COMMERCIAL LIBERAL/PROGRESSIVE RADIO IN HOUSTON

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OldChicago

Now that Obama has won more the half of the votes in Harris County and about a third in some surrounding counties, I think it is time for someone to give Progressive radio a try in the Houston area. Although we have KPFT that is not commercial. And KPFT is another reason I think commercial progressive radio will work here. KPFT survives on listener donations, and I hear they do not ever have serious trouble making budget with listener donations. Someone should try it.


Old Chicago
 
You can find 'America Left' on channel 167 of XM radio. You will never hear it on the air in Houston, or most places other than the blue states from the election night map. Last time I looked, the Texas map was bright red.

I'm not saying that this is the right approach to take, I'm just saying that it would be a niche broadcaster that could pull it off if they were satisfied with a small market share and advertising revenue. Maybe an AM station could fill this need.
 
OldChicago said:
Now that Obama has won more the half of the votes in Harris County and about a third in some surrounding counties, I think it is time for someone to give Progressive radio a try in the Houston area.
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Illogical. During the Clinton years, attempts were made nationwide to start such a format, with dismal failure. More recently, Air America has proven there simply isn't a viable audience for such a format.

You're reading into tea leaves that aren't there. Obama's win has more to do with people desiring something different than a national move to the left.

G
 
^ Irrelevant. Point being, lib talk doesn't work.

Now do you wish to discuss, or hijack the thread?

G
 
Maybe if a station like a KGOW decides to change formats and switch to talk radio, they can cherry pick from the progressive shows like Schultz and Miller. And maybe they can clear all three hours of Ramsey live.
 
I wish there was an Air America affilate we could hear on Houston radio. But there's a good reason for the failure of left-wing radio to catch on. I'll get to that in a second.

KCOH, 1430AM, does have some good talk from the left frequently. It wasn't too long ago that Clear Channel's KTRH was carrying Bill Press. But the powers that be in San Antonio decided to hell with it. Let's just go with Rush, Rush and more Rush. The right gets ratings. The left doesn't.

[EDIT]There is a radio market for those on the right.

(Okay, I know I'm going to get some responses to this. But, please, you good guys on the right, argue your points with logic and not just name-calling. Thank you.)


[EDIT-inflammatory]
 
Actually most shock jock types are left wing. Howard Stern's a good example. He was definitely in Obama's camp. But he knows to vary the topics because he knows his listeners aren't there to listen to politics.
 
The primary reason lib radio (i.e. Air America) didn't work was because most of the talkers were entertainers trying to dabble in politics. They were not of the correct political experience to make sense. Others did not have the entertainnment value of a Rush Limbaugh. Lastly, dispite what this country elected on Nov 4th, the political leanings of the country in general are right of center. More people agree with what Rush or Hannity is talking about vs. what Al Franken talked about. People like to listen to what they agree with.

Rush, Hannity, Levin, Savage, Ingraham and the other conservative talkers are likely to do very well under the Obama administration as they pass laws that cost us money (high taxes) and basic freedoms (fairness doctrine). Oh, if they bring back the Fairness Doctrine you'll see the best conservative talkers move to Satellite radio. Congress and Obama can't touch them there, at least for now.

As for Lib radio in Houston. That's like trying to get a tan in Alaska in January.
 
I think one of the sports stations should go all-talk, all-liberal. I just looked at the ratings, and all of them are in the bottom half. The above-mentioned KGOW is not even listed (either too new or simply didn't have enough surveyed listeners to make the cutoff).

As a former radio newscaster in Houston a hundred years ago on KENR (afternoon drive #1, if I say so myself) and KULF, I'd offer my services.

(And on another note, I see I got edited. And I agree. This web site is for us radio people and it's not a political blog. I'll restrain myself in the future.)
 
airwave999 said:
The primary reason lib radio (i.e. Air America) didn't work was because most of the talkers were entertainers trying to dabble in politics. They were not of the correct political experience to make sense. Others did not have the entertainnment value of a Rush Limbaugh. Lastly, dispite what this country elected on Nov 4th, the political leanings of the country in general are right of center. More people agree with what Rush or Hannity is talking about vs. what Al Franken talked about. People like to listen to what they agree with.

Rush, Hannity, Levin, Savage, Ingraham and the other conservative talkers are likely to do very well under the Obama administration as they pass laws that cost us money (high taxes) and basic freedoms (fairness doctrine). Oh, if they bring back the Fairness Doctrine you'll see the best conservative talkers move to Satellite radio. Congress and Obama can't touch them there, at least for now.

As for Lib radio in Houston. That's like trying to get a tan in Alaska in January.
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I don't really see the fairness doctrine back on the table in an Obama administration.

This country has far bigger problems to fix.

Back to the topic: My guess is if you put Press/Miller/Hartmann/Schultz/Maddow on one of the garbage AMs in this town, it would do about as well as KSEV or the Salem conservative talker. Like those stations, you'd have to run it really lean to make a profit and it would pull a .5 to a 1 share. In other words, it would get the same numbers as your typical sports talk station on a garbage frequency, but without the sports talk you wouldn't get all the beer $$$.

The sports/talk people won't bother with the format because they make money selling sports bars and beer ads than if they put any other format on that frequency, regardless of numbers. KSEV and KNTH won't touch liberal shows because it goes against their owner's (or LMA holder's) agenda. The other garbage frequencies are making more money with brokered ethnic or religious programming so they really don't care.

About the only liberal radio show I find entertaining anymore is Stephanie Miller, now that Rachael Maddow has all but completely crossed over to TV. Shrill repetition of talking points doesn't make for good radio, and that goes for right and left. I cringe at both Michael Savage and Mike Malloy.
 
OldChicago said:
Now that Obama has won more the half of the votes in Harris County and about a third in some surrounding counties, I think it is time for someone to give Progressive radio a try in the Houston area. Although we have KPFT that is not commercial. And KPFT is another reason I think commercial progressive radio will work here. KPFT survives on listener donations, and I hear they do not ever have serious trouble making budget with listener donations. Someone should try it.


Old Chicago
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libs dont wanna listen, they wanna feel good. thats why imaging (greek columns at obamas speech, reverb inserted into the p.a. system at small venues, camera angles from below eye level) was so effective in the campaign. radio isnt their thing outside of music and lighthearted stuff.
 
We "libs" do want to listen to commercial AM radio, if only there were something logical and thought-provoking to listen to. Are you saying the DEMS won the election because of Greek columns and reverberated sound?
 
The fact is that all the conservative talkers flourished under the Clinton administration. Rush, Hannity, and others built their evil empires on the back of all the Clinton "scandals". As much as they b!tched and complained about Clinton, they loved him secretly, because he made them rich and famous. A lot of Liberal talkers have done the same with Bush, to a lesser extent. But, before the last eight years, who had heard of Ed Schultz? Stephanie Miller was a failed Late Night TV host, who had an LA Radio show for awhile. Bill Press was looking for work after Crossfire was cancelled and MSNBC let him go. Air America was on the verge of bankruptcy a few years ago, but has really flourished the past few years as Bush's approval ratings have sunk. But now all of them have succesful radio shows, due to Bush's failures. Now that Obama is in charge, look for Conservative talkers to benefit, if Obama is unable to keep the promises he made. If anything, it is entertaining to listen to their whining. No one complains more than Rush and Hannity, for no reason whatsoever. Both are filthy rich for preaching hate and intolerance. They ought to be happy. I guess they think Obama's "socialism" is going to steal their money.

I too, have advocated for a Liberal/Progressive talker. Harris County is basically a 50/50 county (Democrats & Republicans). Just as JohnDavis pointed out, it should do just as well as KSEV does. It's not going to be a ratings barnstormer by any means, but it will make money based on CUME and the key demos that it will serve. As much as I love sports, we do not need FOUR sports stations, it's just insane. We also do not need all these Conservative geared talkers... KTRH, KPRC, KSEV, KNTH... it's overkill. Where is the alternative voice for the rest of us. And yes, you can get America Left on XM167 and Sirius Left on Sirius 146, but I'd like to hear some local programming as well. There is a whole community not being served here in Houston.

And, as I said before, I am not a fan of the Fairness Doctorine. Radio companies should be allowed to broadcast any format they want that will make it money. As I have stated in the past, all we Liberals are asking is for someone to try it.
 
Almost every conservative talker I listen to has had plenty of neg. to say about Bush in the last 4 years, As have most of my conservative friends. I'll admit, he has been a thorn in the side of the rep. party. But is up to "we the people" to engage during the primary's, so we don't end up with another RINO (republican in name only)....

OK, I'll step off my soapbox now........ ;D
 
Henry McClurg said:
We "libs" do want to listen to commercial AM radio, if only there were something logical and thought-provoking to listen to. Are you saying the DEMS won the election because of Greek columns and reverberated sound?
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i'm not saying the dems won because of the imaging mentioned above. i'm saying it was an important part of a well orchestrated campaign.

and you're right - when it comes to liberal talk radio, there's nothing logical or thought provoking out there to listen to. thats why it fails everywhere its tried.
 
johndavis said:
Back to the topic: My guess is if you put Press/Miller/Hartmann/Schultz/Maddow on one of the garbage AMs in this town, it would do about as well as KSEV or the Salem conservative talker. Like those stations, you'd have to run it really lean to make a profit and it would pull a .5 to a 1 share. In other words, it would get the same numbers as your typical sports talk station on a garbage frequency, but without the sports talk you wouldn't get all the beer $$$.

The sports/talk people won't bother with the format because they make money selling sports bars and beer ads than if they put any other format on that frequency, regardless of numbers. KSEV and KNTH won't touch liberal shows because it goes against their owner's (or LMA holder's) agenda. The other garbage frequencies are making more money with brokered ethnic or religious programming so they really don't care.
Click to expand...

I think maybe you should check the latest PPMs for KSEV. That station has done wlel with PPM and has a 1.5 share, mainly due to having popular national host Laura Ingraham and popular local hosts Dan Patrick and Pat Gray.
 
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