GREAT TO SEE NEW "ALL NEWS" STATIONS

[NewsStud]

It's just fantastic to see radio embrace the all-news format. Again.

Randy Michaels may be having a hard time making it work in Chicago and New York, but seems committed to doing it. Radio One is betting on it in Houston. CBS is daring to go against WTOP in Washington and now Cumulus is pitting KGO against KCBS.

Why take a chance on such an expensive (read: talent/staff-heavy) format? Could it be that they've finally figured out what so many on these boards have argued for so long - that terrestrial radio needs fresh, dynamic and perhaps even *local* content? Such programming is one the thing national/international internet platforms like SiriusXM and Pandora can't or won't do.

I doubt we'll get a mea cupla from the suits, who for so long told us radio newsies that we were not worth money, that we were dinosaurs; that the future of radio was in syndicated, faux-local content; that nobody cared if their local radio station was locally-focused. But actions speak louder than apologies. You can't do a format like this on the cheap and even come in second-place. You have to hire the anchors, the editors, the reporters, the writers, etc. These operations have done it or are doing it.

Heartwarming. I'm actually not disgusted with our industry today.

 

[MC]

KGO was getting long in the tooth. Talk stations with second tier syndicated people, Mike Gallagher, Jerry Doyle, etc. or washed up local hosts, are likely to look at all news. You can get all kinds of sports, business and political content for next to nothing, often with sponsor tie-ins.

I'm in Las Vegas quite a bit, and a couple of talk stations would make good all news stations since they are very low rated in there current format.

 

[jimwalsh2001]

Conservaclone talk radio is played out in a lot of markets - a victim of overexposure. At this point, it's getting so obvious that even the suits are seeing the handwriting on the wall...

 

[radiowizard101]

I'll mention this here too.

My take on this. I think it was the plan all along to gut KGO because of its LIBERAL stance. Cumulus is very conservative and doesn't feel comfortable with the expression of any kind of liberal agenda. Especially, in an election year.

Also, keep in mind that Mitt Romney has a vested interest in Bain Capital, the company that is supporting Clear Channel. I would bet that Bain is very uncomfortable with any of their properties broadcasting a LIBERAL point of view to the masses.

And we can thank DE-REGULATION for this situation. We will not hear Progressive or Liberal talk radio for at least the forseeable future, or until the 2012 election cycle is over. This is what happens when the few control the media. So much for the airwaves being owned by the people (sic). Then again, I may be wrong about this.

Now back to the news...

 

[raccoonradio]

Fear not there are plenty of leftist views on taxpayer-funded NPR. Efforts to cut govt funding fell short.
The day I hear "The Tea Party Show" on NPR is the day we know THEY will be showing a bit of balance.

As for Romney, look at some messageboards like Free Republic: they consider him a "Republican in
Name Only" and are moaning that they will again be defeated like when they nominated Bob Dull
and John McLame...

 

[recto101]

It's just fantastic to see radio embrace the all-news format. Again.

Randy Michaels may be having a hard time making it work in Chicago and New York, but seems committed to doing it. Radio One is betting on it in Houston. CBS is daring to go against WTOP in Washington and now Cumulus is pitting KGO against KCBS.

Why take a chance on such an expensive (read: talent/staff-heavy) format? Could it be that they've finally figured out what so many on these boards have argued for so long - that terrestrial radio needs fresh, dynamic and perhaps even *local* content? Such programming is one the thing national/international internet platforms like SiriusXM and Pandora can't or won't do.

I doubt we'll get a mea cupla from the suits, who for so long told us radio newsies that we were not worth money, that we were dinosaurs; that the future of radio was in syndicated, faux-local content; that nobody cared if their local radio station was locally-focused. But actions speak louder than apologies. You can't do a format like this on the cheap and even come in second-place. You have to hire the anchors, the editors, the reporters, the writers, etc. These operations have done it or are doing it.

Heartwarming. I'm actually not disgusted with our industry today.

NBC attempted to do an all news station in the 1970's on KNAI 99.7 in San Francisco but that was run over by KCBS and Group W tried KPIX 95.7 FM but the CBS merger killed 95.7 and KCBS was the better performing CBS station over KPIX-FM. Merlin Media in Chicago or NYC that is questionable. CBS in DC I say that is plausable for them to run over WTOP-AM since CBS does well in All- News formats.

 

[semoochie]

Are you talking about NIS, NBC's All News Network? As I understand it, they didn't commit any O&O AM stations to it, keeping it on their FMs and that was probably why it failed.

 

[recto101]

Are you talking about NIS, NBC's All News Network? As I understand it, they didn't commit any O&O AM stations to it, keeping it on their FMs and that was probably why it failed.

Was NBC's all news network supposed to be national news only or were they supposed to operate like Merlin, or Group W?

 

[FreddyE1977]

My take on this. I think it was the plan all along to gut KGO because of its LIBERAL stance. Cumulus is very conservative and doesn't feel comfortable with the expression of any kind of liberal agenda. Especially, in an election year.

Hard to believe they would not take a stab at ANY format that stands a chance of being
successful and increasing their profits.

That being said, progressive talk was never tried here in Pittsburgh, for reasons that elude me.
Just in talking with people I am convinced there would have been a decent sized audience for that.

 

[semoochie]

I believe that NIS(News & Information Service)was intended to support a local All News format. Many stations switched to the format and when the network ceased operation, some dropped it but there were others that kept going, on their own. KYXI Portland lasted for several years.

 

[listener-in]

Fear not there are plenty of leftist views on taxpayer-funded NPR. Efforts to cut govt funding fell short.
The day I hear "The Tea Party Show" on NPR is the day we know THEY will be showing a bit of balance.

Nonsense. As an unapologetic lefty (i.e., what the Democratic Party used to be before it migrated to the right-of-center), I can assure you that NPR is so nervous about being labelled left that it leans over backwards to give the right more than its fair share of airtime in opinion programming. The main reason I'm a member of my local station is not its politics but its unsurpassed straight news reporting. What other broadcaster (or newspaper for that matter) can call on such a world-wide network of reporters - in-house, freelance and from other broadcasters? CNN and BBC, perhaps, but not too many others, and CNN reserves its best reporting to CNN International. Americans are already plenty ignorant about what goes on around the world. Without NPR they would be even more so.

 

[FreddyE1977]

From a right-of-center point of view, I do not contribute to public radio stations because
I get the distinct sense that my opinions and I are unwelcome there.

If I offered my local NPR stations a sizeable contribution, and then pitched them on a
show reflecting my viewpoints, I am pretty sure I know what their reaction would be.
This despite the fact that I have absolutely no issue with their airing programming from
a left-of-center point of view.

The last time I listened to NPR regularly was in the early 90's. I particularly remember their
coverage of the whole Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill controversy. Far from being an objective
news source, they were virtually a bolt-on piece of Anita Hill's PR machine.

 

[MC]

In the Bay Area KQED, a NPR "affiliate" gets really great ratings, #1. The conservative station is way down the list (KSFO), and KGO, a "moderate" station is not doing so well anymore.

See for yourself:

http://www.radio-info.com/markets/san-francisco

The talking points about right wing stations and left wing station that people like Rush and O'Reilly put out do not show the complexity of the situation. O'Reilly? he doesn't do radio anymore does he?

 

[Gregg]

RadioWizard101 thinks there was a conspiracy in turning KGO from a left-of-center Talk station to a Mostly-News station. But we've pieced together the logic. David Eduardo says KGO had fallen to #20 in the 25-54 ratings, even though it was still #7 overall.

Meanwhile, another poster said KGO's morning News Block is rated at #14 in AM Drive. So there's your answer. KGO was apparently doing better with its News Blocks than with its Talk programs. And Talk hosts get bigger paychecks than News Anchors.

KGO will likely be spending LESS money on doing Mostly-News than it did on Talk. Almost all the local Talk hosts are gone. And KGO apparently has only hired one new news anchor, or rather they moved him over from co-owned KFOG. They were already doing news blocks 5-9am, Noon-1pm and 4-7pm. The stories are already written, the reporters are already in the field. They simply have to get their field reporters to record their stories once they've covered the City Council meeting or the Occupy protest. They simply have to freshen up the written copy with a new lead. Existing anchors can do 1-4pm and 7pm-Midnight with little additional outlay.

No conspiracy here.


Gregg
[email protected]

 

[radiowizard101]

No conspiracy here, just reality. Bain Capital has a major influence on the economy of Clear Channel. That's Mitt Romney's company. Just as the election cycle begins, Green Radio in San Francisco is blown up. Just as Cumulus takes over Citadel, KGO gets blown up.

Try to find anything Progressive on the AM band in San Francisco. It's not there. It most likely will not be there until after the November 2012 election is over, if ever.

I don't think this is a conspiracy. It's what happens when the industry is in the hands of the few. Too bad. Thank goodness for internet radio.

 

[Open Source]

Thank goodness for internet radio.

The Internet isn't radio.

 

[KFodor]

I'll mention this here too.

My take on this. I think it was the plan all along to gut KGO because of its LIBERAL stance. Cumulus is very conservative and doesn't feel comfortable with the expression of any kind of liberal agenda. Especially, in an election year.

Also, keep in mind that Mitt Romney has a vested interest in Bain Capital, the company that is supporting Clear Channel. I would bet that Bain is very uncomfortable with any of their properties broadcasting a LIBERAL point of view to the masses.

And we can thank DE-REGULATION for this situation. We will not hear Progressive or Liberal talk radio for at least the forseeable future, or until the 2012 election cycle is over. This is what happens when the few control the media. So much for the airwaves being owned by the people (sic). Then again, I may be wrong about this.

Now back to the news...

I would respectfully suggest Liberal or Progressive Talk won't come back until some people try it on FM, not AM (where the audience is over 55 and least likely to be majority-progressive politically) and until those who want to do it learn how to be entertaining, not just ideologically pure...

 

[recto101]

No conspiracy here, just reality. Bain Capital has a major influence on the economy of Clear Channel. That's Mitt Romney's company. Just as the election cycle begins, Green Radio in San Francisco is blown up. Just as Cumulus takes over Citadel, KGO gets blown up.

Try to find anything Progressive on the AM band in San Francisco. It's not there. It most likely will not be there until after the November 2012 election is over, if ever.

I don't think this is a conspiracy. It's what happens when the industry is in the hands of the few. Too bad. Thank goodness for internet radio.

Well FM has progressive talk by KPFA. But I have no proof that Pacifica has an AM outlet.

 

[Rusty Muck]

Are you talking about NIS, NBC's All News Network? As I understand it, they didn't commit any O&O AM stations to it, keeping it on their FMs and that was probably why it failed.

Actually, NBC cleared NIS on one AM O&O: WRC/980 in Washington. WRC's Top 40 format was to move to their FM sister station under the new name of WKYS/93.9 "Kiss FM". But two weeks after the fact, WKYS flipped from Top 40 to Disco.

Another AM station of note cleared NIS: KQV/1410 in Pittsburgh. After NIS shut down, KQV repopulated the all-news format with local talent.

Was NBC's all news network supposed to be national news only or were they supposed to operate like Merlin, or Group W?

Mostly from the national feed, IIRC... there were obviously points where affiliates could drop off for local content.

 

[kc1ih]

From a right-of-center point of view, I do not contribute to public radio stations because
I get the distinct sense that my opinions and I are unwelcome there.

If I offered my local NPR stations a sizeable contribution, and then pitched them on a
show reflecting my viewpoints, I am pretty sure I know what their reaction would be.

You are right on that. No public radio station that I know of does or should give air time to large contributors. They are not brokered stations, and I’m sure if anyone of any political persuasion wanted air time in exchange for a contribution to a pubic radio station they would be rejected in no uncertain terms.