Don't Prog Talk Backers Think The Format Can Make Money?

[fred flintstone]

RadioDailyNews.com:

Air America owners are looking for local investors for a "Green Bay Packer community model" of joint ownership in a Milwaukee radio station. They've been rebuffed by Packers Hall of Famer Willie Davis, owner of talk station WMCS-AM (1290)READ MORE - Milwaukee Biz Journalhttp://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2006/05/22/story5.html?f=et167&hbx=e_vert

The article refers to Sheldon and Anita Drobny as AAR's "owners." They are often credited as founders and backers. I have not seen an authoritative source report they have a controlling equity interest in Piquant LLC, although that is entirely possible.Reportedly, the Drobnys also started NovaM to purchase or lease stations to carry progressive talk programming, in general, and AAR programming, in particular. They are already operating stations in Phoenix and Little Rock. Previous reports suggested that NovaM would use its own money (although a fund raising drive was held in Phoenix by local host Mike Newcomb to get AAR back on the air). This article suggests the Dobnys are seeking community investors (large and small - as small as $10) following the example of the Green Bay Packers football team, to lease or purchase station.In the "Not at 100 yet" thread, "Barooosk" observed:

In any case, what remains to be seen is what AAR (and lib radio in general) will they do next. Over the past six months, lib radio has seen virtually no growth and ratings have just grown slightly. Unless something is done to jump start the format, it might just die on the vine.

Good point. The growth of the progressive talk format has slowed somewhat. Clear Channel - it's biggest station owner - has not been flipping stations to progressive talk in new markets as they were last year. Maybe station owners are in a "wait and see" mode. Maybe they want to see if AAR is in it for the long-haul. (All the more reason for AAR to focus on strong and potentially strong affiliates which can demonstrate a track record of success.)It looks like the Drobnys don't want to wait for the format to grow and develop (IMHO). The Drobnys do know something about making money but they act like don't think progressive talk radio is a money maker. This Packer model also sounds to me somewhat desperate. It's better thought out than the $50 bumper stickers plan but it's still more crusade than business model.I think progressive talk can be a profitable format if programmed and managed well. Maybe not everybody agrees. ???

 

[Arbitorn]

I agree that Lib-Talk could work, but you'd have to find a different kind of animal to program it. The formula that works so well for the conservatives could work for the libs, too.In the early days of AM talk, we had to stage calls to get real ones. I haven't heard nearly enough of the real ones, let alone the fake ones. If I want to hear someone preach to me, I'll go to church. I tune in hoping to hear some dialogue, some debate. I get raw emotion and ranting and when they take a call at all, God help the person who disagrees with them. I believe that many in the liberal target have never set the AM buttons in their cars and wouldn't admit it if they had. When they listen to the radio at all, it's to NPR. I know liberal people in the radio business and in advertising who understand and believe in the effectiveness of radio, who preach the liberal gospel and who hope for the success of AAR and progressive talk. They don't listen. If they don't listen, why would anyone else? Why would they expect anyone else to listen and thereby support the sponsors?I am betting the first really successful Lib-Talk station will be run by a conservative programmer whose passion will be for the ratings, not the philosophy.

 

[jcolletta275]

I am betting the first really successful Lib-Talk station will be run by a conservative programmer whose passion will be for the ratings, not the philosophy.

Hey, why not? Liberals have been successful in programming conservative stations for years! In fact, the owner/manager of my local news/talker leans hard left... and the station is raking in the listeners and advertising dollars pretty well. It doesn't take the philosophy of a conservative to run a conservative station, so I don't see any reason why it would require the philosophy of a liberal to run a liberal station.