Conservative Talk Radio on the Wane in California (Los Angeles Times Hit Piece)

[4UH8SIMBKAGN]

If talk radio is doing so well, why would a top broadcaster like Lars Larson be dumped so like day old swedish rye bread? It is the beginning of the end for talk radio. It is going to bust like the car and housing sector.

After you see KFI's upcoming February PPM ratings, get back to us. Then tell us if talkradio is over. Talkradio is growing stronger.

Lars Larson is Portand, Oregon not Los Angeles. Who cares. He'll have a new syndicator by next week.

Why don't you mention all the Air America hosts that have been dumped or for that matter, all the liberal talk stations that have been disappearing?

 

[nmoore6676]

Saul Levine has already stated that he is continuing with Lars Larson.

As I had said previously there has only been a local loss only on the Progressive side. If Progressive talkers could be as interesting and compelling as Conservatives then they would have more stations and audience. I don't care for Limbaugh, Savage, and Levin because I prefer reasoned commentary but you can not deny that their rants get listeners. John and Ken with all the shouting and phoniness still attract audience and in the end that is what it is all about. Nothing is comparable on the liberal side except Stephanie Miller in entertainment value.

 

[radioman148]

Saul Levine has already stated that he is continuing with Lars Larson.

As I had said previously there has only been a local loss only on the Progressive side. If Progressive talkers could be as interesting and compelling as Conservatives then they would have more stations and audience. I don't care for Limbaugh, Savage, and Levin because I prefer reasoned commentary but you can not deny that their rants get listeners. John and Ken with all the shouting and phoniness still attract audience and in the end that is what it is all about. Nothing is comparable on the liberal side except Stephanie Miller in entertainment value.

Why has air America always had money problems? It's the conservative hosts that get the lions share of audience in almost every market.

 

[The Ultimate Warrior]

I guess that's why companies that are heavily invested in talk radio: Citadel, Clear Channel, etc. are doing so well and laying off so many people? since they expanded so much last year? I bet those dittoheads in Ohio just whip or the credit card to buy something they here advertised on talk radio.

This is a common intentional misrepresentation, Talk Radio is one of many formats and it is clear talk radio is faring better financially than other formats.

The layoffs are because of radio in general not talk radio.

Heavily invested?

Tell me the percentage of CC or Citadel stations that are Talk and Hot A/C.

You don't know, which is why your statement is BS.

 

[flakunkel]

Why has air America always had money problems? It's the conservative hosts that get the lions share of audience in almost every market.

Air America has always had problems because it is a badly mismanaged business run by non-broadcasters who don't understand the medium. It is the paradigm for what happens when non-radio-professionals start doing radio because they think it is easy and anyone can do it. Such folks also believe that if something is on the air, people MUST listen to it.

 

[radioman148]

Why has air America always had money problems? It's the conservative hosts that get the lions share of audience in almost every market.

Air America has always had problems because it is a badly mismanaged business run by non-broadcasters who don't understand the medium. It is the paradigm for what happens when non-radio-professionals start doing radio because they think it is easy and anyone can do it. Such folks also believe that if something is on the air, people MUST listen to it.

No wonder it doesn't work.

 

[smedge2006]

Not so pleasant when the shoe's on the other foot, eh?

We have seen years of bashing of liberal talk radio formats on this board -- yet the reason used to attack progressive formats and stations can be used to attack conservative stations now:

Liberal talk radio is a bad business run by people who don't know what they're doing. Now that Citadel and Salem are penny stocks, can anyone say their operators know what they're doing? You can't blame Salem's troubles on music formats -- most of their stations are talk or teaching (which usually also has a conservative bent inside its Christian worldview).

This is a common intentional misrepresentation, Talk Radio is one of many formats and it is clear talk radio is faring better financially than other formats.

The layoffs are because of radio in general not talk radio.

Then why lay off talk hosts (who presumably are making you money) instead of DJ's (who presumably aren't)? Judging from all the quack-remedy and prostate-pill ads, talk radio isn't making too much $ either these days. Conservative talk is coming down with Oldsmobile syndrome -- your father's medium -- and according to former WABC PD John Mainelli, there is no such thing as a Rush baby -- his audience is aging along with him.

 

[davideduardo]

Conservative talk is coming down with Oldsmobile syndrome -- your father's medium -- and according to former WABC PD John Mainelli, there is no such thing as a Rush baby -- his audience is aging along with him.

Actually, it is AM listeners who are ageing. When Rush and talk in general is put on FM, such as the Clear Channel FM in Pittsburgh or Minneapolis, they get excellent 35-54 growth and significant numbers. The audience is there, but not for AM.

 

[davideduardo]

After you see KFI's upcoming February PPM ratings, get back to us. Then tell us if talkradio is over. Talkradio is growing stronger.

Yes, KFI looks like it will be at a 3.3 and enter the top 10 25-54 based on the first three weeklies of February. That is about half a share above its PPM average fro the preceeding 6 books.

That's a strong showing for talk and a strong showing for AM talk as well. If they were on FM, they would likely have a 5 share 25-54.

 

[radioman148]

Conservative talk is coming down with Oldsmobile syndrome -- your father's medium -- and according to former WABC PD John Mainelli, there is no such thing as a Rush baby -- his audience is aging along with him.

Actually, it is AM listeners who are ageing. When Rush and talk in general is put on FM, such as the Clear Channel FM in Pittsburgh or Minneapolis, they get excellent 35-54 growth and significant numbers. The audience is there, but not for AM.

David--

If they move talk and news to FM, which seems more & more likely over time, what do you think will happen to AM? It can't be all infomercials all the time can it?

 

[davideduardo]

David--

If they move talk and news to FM, which seems more & more likely over time, what do you think will happen to AM? It can't be all infomercials all the time can it?

Religion, narrow ethnic programming, "I wanna be ont he radio" brokered stations, etc. Some will not make it, particularly in smaller markets where there is not enough demand for the niche offerings.

 

[mred]

LA times is about as financially healthy as radio businesses that concentrate on conservative talk. Why is Lars Larson off the air in most markets now? He was conservative..this is the beginning of the end for talk radio, people who bought GM pickups, and leveraged into a suburban houses they couldn't afford are the dittoheademographic. PD Jack Swanson, who started one of the first conservative themed stations: KSFO, said such stations have peaked. It's just like the people who thought the value of their house wouldn't go down, some people don't know that "da nile" an't just a river in Egypt.

 

[davideduardo]

LA times is about as financially healthy as radio businesses that concentrate on conservative talk. Why is Lars Larson off the air in most markets now? He was conservative..this is the beginning of the end for talk radio, people who bought GM pickups, and leveraged into a suburban houses they couldn't afford are the dittoheademographic. PD Jack Swanson, who started one of the first conservative themed stations: KSFO, said such stations have peaked. It's just like the people who thought the value of their house wouldn't go down, some people don't know that "da nile" an't just a river in Egypt.

All I can say to someone who is so oblivious of the facts is that the ratings, albeit 12+, for nearly every market are on this site under "ratings" and you can look at the trending of news talk stations across the nation.

The trade magazines have commented to no end the success of the talk format in the last year. A Coleman study shows that the PPM shows talk stations even better than the diary. And about 98% of all talkers are conservative or right of center.

I follow talk closely; I was PD of a leading LA talk station for a number of years. I have no idea who Lars Larson is; using a single lesser known host as proof of some point is disingenuous. You will find that conservative talk gains under a Democratic administration while liberal talk, which seems to find itself at a loss for any entertainment value, does not gain under any administration.

One parting shot... the folks who are, unfortunately and sadly, losing homes are predominantly minorities and working class people, not conservative Republicans. You really need to keep your facts straight.

 

[radioman148]

David--

If they move talk and news to FM, which seems more & more likely over time, what do you think will happen to AM? It can't be all infomercials all the time can it?

Religion, narrow ethnic programming, "I wanna be ont he radio" brokered stations, etc. Some will not make it, particularly in smaller markets where there is not enough demand for the niche offerings.

What about all the stations in the major markets including the ones in the surrounding suburbs?
In some cases there's already too much ethnic programming for some markets.

 

[davideduardo]

What about all the stations in the major markets including the ones in the surrounding suburbs?
In some cases there's already too much ethnic programming for some markets.

Keep in mind that most AMs do not cover their own markets fully. A noted authority and appraiser says that there are, on the average, only about 2.2 viable AMs per market in the top 100 metros. The rest have seen the markets outgrow their signals or never were sufficient. Many will die.

 

[radioman148]

What about all the stations in the major markets including the ones in the surrounding suburbs?
In some cases there's already too much ethnic programming for some markets.

Keep in mind that most AMs do not cover their own markets fully. A noted authority and appraiser says that there are, on the average, only about 2.2 viable AMs per market in the top 100 metros. The rest have seen the markets outgrow their signals or never were sufficient. Many will die.

I agree the strongest signals in most cases will last & many others will wither away.

 

[XRQKFM]

Re: Conservative Talk Radio on the Wane in California (Los Angeles Times Hit Pie

I have no idea who Lars Larson is;

Lars Larson is probably better known in the Northwest, where he hails from. He was on in Reno when I did time there seven years ago; he has also made several appearances on Fox News. Lars Larson is just not a good fit for the L.A. Market; To many host already saying the same thing; kind of a low budget Rush.
Lars Larson's problem may stem from poor syndication, the fact David, and many PD's around the country have never herd of him speaks to poor marketing on his behalf.

Keep in mind that most AMs do not cover their own markets fully. A noted authority and appraiser says that there are, on the average, only about 2.2 viable AMs per market in the top 100 metros.

That is proven true in Bakersfield; the top dog KNZR has 25,000 watts non direction days, forcing the former top dog KERN to swap its 1000 watt signal with its 50,000 watt sister station. The rest of the AM stations are barely noticed.

I agree the strongest signals in most cases will last & many others will wither away.

EMI & RFI in todays homes makes it nearly impossible to hear even the strongest AM signals inside a home; Just try listening to an AM station with a dimmer switch, cell phone, computer screen or television near by.
Even I won't put up with it anymore; I was able to set up a mini AM to FM translator on my property, where the AM radio is placed in a barn and the signal broadcast to the FM radio next to the PC and televisions in the house. KFI is now static free without EMI or RFI interference on all the radios in the house. I'm the exception, not everyone has the land or equipment to pull it off.

For MRED, to suggest talk radio days are numbered, is pure wishful thinking. Like David, said; When Democrats have been in power, conservative talk gains. Can you imagine the growth now that the socialist are in charge?

Talk Radio is going to have a field day! The Los Angeles Times will be a part of our history.


Steve
www.radiobrandy.com

 

[radioman148]

>>Lars Larson is probably better known in the Northwest, where he hails from. He was on in Reno when I did time there seven years ago; he has also made several appearances on Fox News. Lars Larson is just not a good fit for the L.A. Market; To many host already saying the same thing; kind of a low budget Rush.
Lars Larson's problem may stem from poor syndication, the fact David, and many PD's around the country have never herd of him speaks to poor marketing on his behalf.>>

The only time I ever heard him was in Hawaii. He sounded like a pretty angry guy.

 

[ChannelFlipper]

LA times is about as financially healthy as radio businesses that concentrate on conservative talk. Why is Lars Larson off the air in most markets now? He was conservative..this is the beginning of the end for talk radio, people who bought GM pickups, and leveraged into a suburban houses they couldn't afford are the dittoheademographic. PD Jack Swanson, who started one of the first conservative themed stations: KSFO, said such stations have peaked. It's just like the people who thought the value of their house wouldn't go down, some people don't know that "da nile" an't just a river in Egypt.

All I can say to someone who is so oblivious of the facts is that the ratings, albeit 12+, for nearly every market are on this site under "ratings" and you can look at the trending of news talk stations across the nation.

The trade magazines have commented to no end the success of the talk format in the last year. A Coleman study shows that the PPM shows talk stations even better than the diary. And about 98% of all talkers are conservative or right of center.

I follow talk closely; I was PD of a leading LA talk station for a number of years. I have no idea who Lars Larson is; using a single lesser known host as proof of some point is disingenuous. You will find that conservative talk gains under a Democratic administration while liberal talk, which seems to find itself at a loss for any entertainment value, does not gain under any administration.

One parting shot... the folks who are, unfortunately and sadly, losing homes are predominantly minorities and working class people, not conservative Republicans. You really need to keep your facts straight.

The Whittier Daily News is onto the hottest story in LA radio right now, which is somehow eluding mred in whatever bubble or barn he is in these days.

http://www.whittierdailynews.com/news/ci_11968009

 

[4UH8SIMBKAGN]

Some market ratings for Rush Limbaugh (including KFI): http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brent-...s-ratings-surge-coincides-white-house-attacks