GLENN BECK doesn't seem to be scoffing!

[Holland Cooke]

RE "endless rants"

Any wonder Dave Ramsey is on such a roll?

 

[jimwalsh2001]

I know every time I hear Beck I wanna blow away my radio... ;D

 

[Oldbones]

Re: RE "endless rants"

Any wonder Dave Ramsey is on such a roll?

I wasn't aware that he was. No one around where I am carries him.

 

[The Ultimate Warrior]

Re: RE "endless rants"

Any wonder Dave Ramsey is on such a roll?

Ramsey buys billboards for the stations he is on. That has helped his roll.

 

[Holland Cooke]

RE "Ramsey buys billboards for the stations he is on."

In many cases, it's probably the only off-air promotion those stations are doing.

Something else REAL smart Ramsey does: He feeds 24/7, eliminating the technical objections related to timeshifting, and the potential for human or machine error. REAL smart, and not inexpensive.

 

[del_griffith]

Re: RE "Ramsey buys billboards for the stations he is on."

In many cases, it's probably the only off-air promotion those stations are doing.

Something else REAL smart Ramsey does: He feeds 24/7, eliminating the technical objections related to timeshifting, and the potential for human or machine error. REAL smart, and not inexpensive.

Initially, I'm surprised he has done that. Not today with his growth, but in the past. He's pretty sharp in his own house with ROI management.

He owns the bird time 24/7 and and doesn't sub it out. As you noted, that's not a small cost.

 

[The Ultimate Warrior]

Re: RE "Ramsey buys billboards for the stations he is on."

In many cases, it's probably the only off-air promotion those stations are doing.

Something else REAL smart Ramsey does: He feeds 24/7, eliminating the technical objections related to timeshifting, and the potential for human or machine error. REAL smart, and not inexpensive.

Very smart.

 

[Element9]

Former KFBK talk show host Bruce Maiman authored an opinion piece that appeared in today's (11/15/09) Sacramento Bee.

...Radio is a great medium but it's struggling. Music formats face competition from numerous platforms, making the FM dial less relevant. Listeners on the AM side are old and getting older, and none of the partisan rancor dominating the news has brought 18- to 34-year-olds to talk radio. The format is generating fewer new listeners. That is a statistical reality.

People under age 35, the demographic that is radio's future, think talk radio is lunacy. They laugh at Rush. He's "old and nuts." There's no "next generation" of Rush fans on the horizon as far as anyone can see, which doesn't bode well for guys like Glenn Beck or Sean Hannity.

Keith Olbermann? Focus groups in the 18- to 34-year-old demographic think he's a sports geek who does politics "kinda, sorta" in the Jon Stewart mold, but in their eyes, Stewart is the gold standard. They watch him not on TV but on their computers, phones and iPods. And they watch him because – this is key – he doesn't take politics seriously.

Talk radio appeals too much to political junkies and almost always at opposite ends of the spectrum: 15 percent on the far left and 15 percent on the far right. The 70 percent in the middle don't absorb themselves in politics. They're quietly trying to figure it all out and survive as best they can. They don't carry guns to rallies, they don't buy into tea parties. They read more than they react, and they have a shrewd sense of "buyer beware" about talking heads on either side of the political aisle.

Mr. Maiman's salient observations made me think, "I think I've seen this before someplace... hmmmm."

...From what I've observed in the little un-scientific (but probably as reality-based as any other) focus group called kids, nephews and neices who are in the demo, none of this Rush-Beck-Fox vs MSNBC-bruhaha has brought 18-34's (back) to talk radio. People in that demo think the artform is bullsh*t. They laugh at Rush. He's old and nuts. A nephew who did a tour of Iraq once commented, "that guy would sh*t himself about two minutes out on patrol, but he can talk tough." There's no "next generation" of Rush fans on the horizon as far as I can see. Since Rush is the #1 brand in (conservative) talk radio, what does this portend for guys like Beck, Savage and others?

The 18-34's that I've observed think Keith Olbermann is a sports geek who does politics "kinda, sorta" in the Jon Stewart mold, but Stewart is the gold standard of news-talk-opinion in their eyes and they watch him not on TV but their computers, phones and pods.

In each case, the appeal of the right wing-left wing talkers is to the 30% at opposite ends of the spectrum. The 40% in the middle are trying to figure it all out and survive best they can. They don't carry guns to rallies, they don't buy into tea parties. They read more than they react and they have a shrewd sense of buyer beware about the talking heads on either end of the political spectrum.

For a guy who's been out of radio a while and reads and posts here just to stay in touch, I'm kind of flattered that my prose left an impression on at least one reader. BTW Bruce, if ever you get back into talk radio, I'm available for show-prep and sound bites at a reasonable price. But no barter or trade outs. -9-

 

[yugoidar]

Hmmm! Remarkable similarity between parts of Mr. Maiman's article and Mr. 9's post back in November. As I recall, that's grounds for dismissal at the NY Times.

 

[Signal_Faded]

Re: RE "Ramsey buys billboards for the stations he is on."

In many cases, it's probably the only off-air promotion those stations are doing.

The stations love it and there is effectiveness for Ramsey as well since he has other products outside the radio show. I am sure that the Fox Business people and his book publisher are happy anytime a board goes up too. It's all about growing awareness and the brand.

 

[Holland Cooke]

"are you just all talk?"

Moi?
I'm spinning-the-hits RIGHT NOW, and 24/7/365: http://getonthenet.com/listen.html

RE: "Holland you should start getting this dangerous brand of talk off the stations you consult."

Given some-of-the-things-being-said, a licensee would be prudent to keep-an-ear-on some of the national longform shows that management has treated as plug-N-play. When, as he often does, many times deliberately, Rush Limbaugh says something particularly rude, the first time management hears about it is in media coverage blowback. Autopilot is a less risky game for music stations.

 

[One Who Knows]

As far as Rush and 18-34's, I don't think he cares. His audience is boomers, much as Jon Stewart's is Gen X.

Which will eventually cause talk radio to implode because its demos are too old, just as the nostalgia format came and went. That almost happened to talk radio in the 80's but it reinvented itself with dozens of hot talk hosts around the country, with different ideological points of view or in some cases no ideology (David Paul in Atlanta was a good example of the latter). But that was the Alex P. Keaton generation. There are few "Rush babies", despite his insistence to the contrary, so when does this demographic crisis hit talk radio full force? Hint: FM will only delay the problem.

Unfortunately for your "take" on demos, some talk stations are doing quite well 25-54. For instance, WHIO AM/FM in Dayton ..has been #1 in men 25-54 and 35-64 as well...

 

[The Ultimate Warrior]

Re: "are you just all talk?"

Moi?
I'm spinning-the-hits RIGHT NOW, and 24/7/365: http://getonthenet.com/listen.html

RE: "Holland you should start getting this dangerous brand of talk off the stations you consult."

Given some-of-the-things-being-said, a licensee would be prudent to keep-an-ear-on some of the national longform shows that management has treated as plug-N-play. When, as he often does, many times deliberately, Rush Limbaugh says something particularly rude, the first time management hears about it is in media coverage blowback. Autopilot is a less risky game for music stations.

I realize what you do Holland, the point I am making is you talk about the problems with talk radio but you know what works and continue pushing talkers that you call dangerous and irresponsible.You are a hypocrite and seem fine with being one.

Rush says rude things? So what. So do music station DJs/morning shows.

How many license challenges(legit ones)/fines have talk stations had? How about telling us how many fines Rush/Hannity/any syndicated talker have brought on their sstations? Who cares about blowback from people that don't like his content and views.

Two things matter and you are aware of it:

1. Revenue

Whoops that is one thing.

When Rush and others start costing their stations money your advice may make sense, but as of right now if Rush comes available in a market you consult, you will consult your station to grab it.

 

[Holland Cooke]

Maybe even a year ago, I would've.

Two things matter and you are aware of it:

1. Revenue

Whoops that is one thing.

When Rush and others start costing their stations money your advice may make sense, but as of right now if Rush comes available in a market you consult, you will consult your station to grab it.

Wrong.
Revenue is topline.
That other-thing-that-matters?
The one bankers want to hear about?
The Bottom Line.

Maybe even a year ago, I sure WOULD have rather-played-with-him-than-against-him, as a radio-info.com search would demonstrate.

Now, it's not a lock.
What-stations-pay-to-play is likely more-than-it'd-cost to hire a solid local host.
And there are more of THEM available than even a year ago.

And all-of-the-above is over-and-above the maturity of Limbaugh's act and the occasionally-embarrassing things he does to try to retain attention.

Thus -- looping-back-to the-topic-at-hand -- the grimace you've seen El Rushbo stifle when, as they do lately, interviewers ask Rush if he's looking-over-his-shoulder at Beck, whose unglued flailing so often steals the spotlight.

 

[The Ultimate Warrior]

Re: Maybe even a year ago, I would've.

Two things matter and you are aware of it:

1. Revenue

Whoops that is one thing.

When Rush and others start costing their stations money your advice may make sense, but as of right now if Rush comes available in a market you consult, you will consult your station to grab it.

Wrong.
Revenue is topline.
That other-thing-that-matters?
The one bankers want to hear about?
The Bottom Line.

Maybe even a year ago, I sure WOULD have rather-played-with-him-than-against-him, as a radio-info.com search would demonstrate.

Now, it's not a lock.
What-stations-pay-to-play is likely more-than-it'd-cost to hire a solid local host.
And there are more of THEM available than even a year ago.

And all-of-the-above is over-and-above the maturity of Limbaugh's act and the occasionally-embarrassing things he does to try to retain attention.

Thus -- looping-back-to the-topic-at-hand -- the grimace you've seen El Rushbo stifle when, as they do lately, interviewers ask Rush if he's looking-over-his-shoulder at Beck, whose unglued flailing so often steals the spotlight.

I look forward to your links to articles and stories from you where you advised dropping this dangerous, stale, embarassing and predictable talk. EMPHASIS: I am talking about stations that drop it, not have it taken away.

 

[Holland Cooke]

Tell 'em! We did NOT rehearse this!

Honest!
Ultimate Warrior and I did NOT rehearse this.

I look forward to your links to articles and stories from you where you advised dropping this dangerous, stale, embarassing and predictable talk.

This was not a set-up.
REALLY.

LOAD UP THE PRINTER.
Here -- for radio-info.com denizens ONLY -- is an early stocking stuffer:
http://getonthenet.com/radio-info.pdf

For the historical references you invite, see page 12.

HC
www.HollandCooke.com

PS: BONUS for Santa: Hear HC's report on recently-released CEA research on holiday shopping and new media trends, at www.HollandCooke.com.

 

[The Ultimate Warrior]

Re: Tell 'em! We did NOT rehearse this!

Honest!
Ultimate Warrior and I did NOT rehearse this.

I look forward to your links to articles and stories from you where you advised dropping this dangerous, stale, embarassing and predictable talk.

This was not a set-up.
REALLY.

LOAD UP THE PRINTER.
Here -- for radio-info.com denizens ONLY -- is an early stocking stuffer:
http://getonthenet.com/radio-info.pdf

For the historical references you invite, see page 12.

HC
www.HollandCooke.com

PS: BONUS for Santa: Hear HC's report on recently-released CEA research on holiday shopping and new media trends, at www.HollandCooke.com.

Clearly this wasn't rehearsed because you DID NOT give me what I asked for... a situtation where you had one of your stations yank Limbaugh off and put something that is not a ticking time bomb on.

 

[Holland Cooke]

"yank Limbaugh off?"

BE CAREFUL.
Talk like that'll get us banished to Take It Outside...

Given how-promptly-you-retorted, and the-length-of the meaty document you-were-so-quick-to-download, it's clear you've skimmed-rather-than-read. You SHOULD be busy launching multiple new threads to explain how every...single...thing...on every...single...page of http://getonthenet.com/radio-info.pdf is wrong.

Clearly, you haven't made it to page 12 yet.

And, for the record, what-you'll-read @ http://getonthenet.com/radio-info.pdf DOES pertain to the topic of this thread.

 

[The Ultimate Warrior]

BE CAREFUL.
Talk like that'll get us banished to Take It Outside...

Given how-promptly-you-retorted, and the-length-of the meaty document you-were-so-quick-to-download, it's clear you've skimmed-rather-than-read. You SHOULD be busy launching multiple new threads to explain how every...single...thing...on every...single...page of http://getonthenet.com/radio-info.pdf is wrong.

And, for the record, what-you'll-read @ http://getonthenet.com/radio-info.pdf DOES pertain to the topic of this thread.

The whole thing is not wrong, just the part I pointed out to you.

 

[Holland Cooke]

"The whole thing is not wrong, just the part I pointed out to you."

To which page (of http://getonthenet.com/radio-info.pdf) do you refer?