FreeFM - The Future of Talk Radio?

[mwebster]

Infinity launched FreeFM on several of its major and large market stations. It is sort of a change of direction for talk radio, but not really new.

I know each station is going to be a little different. But from what I've heard on one - and read about the others - FreeFM seems like Howard lite. In a way, compared to the real Howard, FreeFM is sort of like the expurgated reruns of Sex and The City on TBS compared to the original version on HBO - similar but not the same.

It also seems like they are trying to make a talk radio format out of what FM rock format stations have been doing in the morning with various riffs on Morning Zoos (when they yucked at lot and didn't play much music).

And they've borrowed a page from Air America Radio in hiring mostly people without radio experience.

Apparently the corporate types and consultants that run radio have decided that political talk radio with a Howard Beale ("I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more.") type host doing a three hour daily jeremiad with call in dittos has run its course as a format.

Meanwhile, Clear Channel is toying with possibly pulling their syndicated traditional talk shows (Rush, Beck and Noory) off AM and putting them on FM with the hope of getting better numbers in the money demos. Beck already seems to have pulled back from straight political talk to more emphasis on lifestyle topics and doing bits. Maybe el Rushbo will come in for some re-tooling as well. Rush is credited with saving AM radio 15 years ago. If he defects to FM, he may also get credit for helping to bury it.

What is the next phase of talk radio?
Talk radio as an FM format.
Talk radio as a type of stand-up comedy.

At least, talk radio is remembering it is entertainment and not a political crusade.

 

[ajhenderson]

FreeFM is talk radio, indeed, but not what the average person would think. The reasoning for expanding this brand of talk radio is what the future may hold - thinking outside the box to think of new formats to save audience from dying music formats going to satellite. It's about targeting new people, and the demo for FreeFM has come about as close to the AM band as they have a nail salon.

While there have been stories about hot talk doing well on AM, including in-demo double-digit shares for Leykis in Portland on an AM, this takes a lot of effort and marketing. People have to be conditioned to switch bands. So, just like womens talk, these two formats need to be on FM to grab listeners.

For Clear Channel, I don't see the huge fascination with FM. The cited success story is WPGB/Pittsburgh. For those who have never lived near Pittsburgh, it has to be the worst market for nighttime signals. Only KDKA has a signal worth beans. For CC, to have any impact, had to go to FM. Minneapolis, while not as bad, still has the issue that only WCCO has dependable coverage everywhere in the metro. Nevertheless, CC has huge AM newstalkers in most markets, and where they don't, it's because of bad programming. I don't think the newstalk format has reached young enough yet to force any band changes. However, I think that new kinds of "talk" will evolve as music moves to user-controlled devices and operators seek content they can own.

 

[mwebster]

As I Suspected...

A seismic shift may be underway in talk-based formats, and hardly anybody here cares. Minutia about AAR's finances or Rush's Rx will generate threads half a page long. But here comes what could be the biggest shift in talk radio in a decade and a half (de-emphasize politics, move to FM)and the response here is a big YAWN!

I shouldn't be surprised. When anyone (me included) tries to talk about radio business or programming issues releated to the talk format, a political p*fest breaks out and the original point gets lost.

Over on the Off-The-Air board they are burning up bandwidth over whether R-I should have a Political board. Well, R-I does have a political board and this is it.

Here's the really bad news. Most people - especially most people in radio's money demos - are either (1) turned off to politics or (2) don't care. The type of "Crossfire" free-for-all that keeps breaking out on this board is not much different than how radio and cable talk approach politics and maybe - just maybe - most people are sick of it. Especially since with all the wind and noise made by politicians, talking hosts and talking heads, nothing gets done, nothing changes, nothing improves, and the game continues.

Political talk radio (right or left) may be going the way of radio shrinks and swap shops and other ghosts of talk radio past.

Franken can always try another sitcom (I really liked his last one, too bad nobody else saw it). Rush doesn't need the money, but he can always do Infomercials. Maybe he and Kevin Trudeau can hawk some natural pain reliever or weight loss method.

 

[ajhenderson]

Re: As I Suspected...

> Here's the really bad news. Most people - especially most
> people in radio's money demos - are either (1) turned off to
> politics or (2) don't care. The type of "Crossfire"
> free-for-all that keeps breaking out on this board is not
> much different than how radio and cable talk approach
> politics and maybe - just maybe - most people are sick of
> it. Especially since with all the wind and noise made by
> politicians, talking hosts and talking heads, nothing gets
> done, nothing changes, nothing improves, and the game
> continues.

Exactly. I was listening to Savage on (yet another) vacation today, with Rick Roberts filling in... zzzzzzzzzzzzzz. There I am, thinking to myself, "this has gotten out of control". The excitement of talk radio that has kept me focused almost exclusively on that particular format through all these years is dead. The same talentless nobodies reciting the same nonsense; I'm listening to callers recite talking points about Iraq from two years ago. Whether I agree with them or not, it's bad radio. Why do I need lifeless angry white male callers to re-emphasize the same points made by the alleged professional host? At least when I listen to Tom Leykis' callers re-emphasize how pretending to be a CEO at bars gets them sex, it's entertaining. It seems as if we've moved from the era of "civil" talk radio to a new era of polarized gripefests where talentless hosts (Rick Roberts is on in TWO markets... he shouldn't be on in anything bigger than Flagstaff) say the same thing as part of a 24/7 recitation. Seriously, if that's what we're reducing the medium to, we might as well fire Roberts and have a computer host a show. These hosts that gloat about "it's my job to read 100 papers and keep you informed" are morons; we all know where to find the news, and most of the people listening to talk radio are smart enough to figure out their own opinion, thank you. Entertain us!

I don't think it's over quite yet, though. Every time I talk to a select few PDs who run #1-rated political talk stations my neck of the woods, they talk about how listeners are complaining about weekend fluff shows, and demanding more politicized, Bush-loving talk on the weekends, too. While most people don't want this, you can bet on 3-6% in every market listening to the Rush/Hannity/Savage types, and another 3-6% listening to the slightly less polarized heritage-type talk. The rest of the stations have to find a niche; if AAR would go away, progressive talk would be a good niche if marketed as just another talk station rather than "Socialist Parking Only, All Others Towed". And lifestyle talk is going to be big too; fact is, many of us would have to admit that we already prefer lifestyle talk over political talk, whether it be Savage talking about meatballs or Glenn Beck doing More-On trivia or a Flap Jackson morning show bit. Apparently Mr. Hannity has yet to get the memo.

 

[OldAkronite]

Re: As I Suspected...

> These hosts that gloat about "it's my job to
> read 100 papers and keep you informed" are morons; we all
> know where to find the news, and most of the people
> listening to talk radio are smart enough to figure out their
> own opinion, thank you. Entertain us!

Ten points to you, sir.

All the hosts who follow Rush's schtick like lemmings should go off the air and sell used cars. (And this is not a political comment aimed solely at conservative talk - some left-leaning hosts are in that category, too!)

And Rick Roberts is in TWO markets? What naked pictures does he have?

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>

 

[clichemoth]

Re: As I Suspected...

> A seismic shift may be underway in talk-based formats, and
> hardly anybody here cares. Minutia about AAR's finances or
> Rush's Rx will generate threads half a page long. But here
> comes what could be the biggest shift in talk radio in a
> decade and a half (de-emphasize politics, move to FM)and the
> response here is a big YAWN!

1) Many of us are in markets that won't be affected. The closest thing to hot talk Birmingham will ever see is ESPN.

2) IMO, Infinity is putting the cart before the horse. The shift from general entertainment talk a la Larry King, etc. to heavy politics occurred because hosts around the country were generating attention with political shows. The shift from politics to hot talk, while logical, doesn't have that buzz. Aside from the hosts who are already on or about to be on satellite, there isn't anyone receiving much attention yet.

>
> I shouldn't be surprised. When anyone (me included) tries
> to talk about radio business or programming issues releated
> to the talk format, a political p*fest breaks out and the
> original point gets lost.
>
> Over on the Off-The-Air board they are burning up bandwidth
> over whether R-I should have a Political board. Well, R-I
> does have a political board and this is it.

Yes, and that's not what this board is supposed to be, which is why a Political board wouldn't be a bad idea.
>

> Here's the really bad news. Most people - especially most
> people in radio's money demos - are either (1) turned off to
> politics or (2) don't care. The type of "Crossfire"
> free-for-all that keeps breaking out on this board is not
> much different than how radio and cable talk approach
> politics and maybe - just maybe - most people are sick of
> it. Especially since with all the wind and noise made by
> politicians, talking hosts and talking heads, nothing gets
> done, nothing changes, nothing improves, and the game
> continues.

Agreed. Most people see through all the spin and just don't want to hear anymore.

>
> Political talk radio (right or left) may be going the way of
> radio shrinks and swap shops and other ghosts of talk radio
> past.

Tradio's still alive and well in Alabama. Every small-town hometown AM station (plus a few on FM) do it. Sure, it's not exactly sparkling entertainment, but people listen and call in.

>
> Franken can always try another sitcom (I really liked his
> last one, too bad nobody else saw it).

Well, he could always veer away from politics and do a more general show. If he didn't have to fit every topic into the progressive pigeonhole, he'd sound much better than he does now.

Rush doesn't need
> the money, but he can always do Infomercials. Maybe he and
> Kevin Trudeau can hawk some natural pain reliever or weight
> loss method.

Actually, I could see Rush focusing more on being funny (even when I don't agree with him, I find a lot of his parody bits hilarious) than being political as well.

Hosts who are just straight-up political hacks (Sean Hannity, Joe Scarborough, Ed Schultz, Mike Malloy, etc) would have a very hard time in an apolitical talk climate.



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