Hmmm! Hearing rumors that Santos and Progressive Talk may be in Jeopardy!!!

[raccoonradio]

Since they don't own it but lease time, not surprising. Was kind of interesting, the idea of a prog talk
host doing sports talk in one language followed by a ballgame in another.

 

[FPB]

After all of the declarations that this format is what Boston "NEEDS",
it hasn't really panned out that way...

You base that on rumors repeated here (where the writers themselves stress they are only rumors) And the person who started this didn't even have any rumors to repeat himself.

So what exactly hasn't "panned out"? I mean outside of conservatives on this board wishing, hoping and declaring things out of thin air?

 

[WLYNWAZNgm]

I am not taking sides, politically speaking. Aside from the
hard-core political left, who agreed with the premise already,
the format really has not made much of an impact here. At one time,
I used to hear Rush on a daily basis (not by choice...). Though I did
not really agree with his politics, he was fairly entertaining,
at the time. Before 1510 picked up this format, WAZN was all ready
to run with it. I found out late on a Friday night, that it was not
going to start with us on Monday, as previously planned. No big conspiracy
involved - just business. As business goes, the "Progressive Talk"
format has not been a real winner in Boston...so far...

 

[DToTheJ]

I find it weird that a frequency shares two or more formats in this day and age. Kinda reminds me of the old subscription TV stations in the 70's and 80's (in this market, it was the old WSMW/27 in Worcester) that would run regular programming and then switch their signal at night... but as you said above, that's business...

 

[DanStrassberg]

I find it weird that a frequency shares two or more formats in this day and age. Kinda reminds me of the old subscription TV stations in the 70's and 80's (in this market, it was the old WSMW/27 in Worcester) that would run regular programming and then switch their signal at night... but as you said above, that's business...

Having multiple formats--or no particular format--is relatively common among leased-time stations, of which WWZN is one. In fact, having one identifiable format on a leased-time station would probably place such a station among a minority of leased-time stations. Those that carry preaching/teaching are the most likely to do only that. But is it correct to say that WEZE or WROL have consistent formats? Dunno about WEZE; it's been years since I have tuned it in. But one of WROL's consistent money makers is the Irish program. You'd have a tough time lumping that with evangelical Protestant preaching/teaching. (Ever heard of Belfast?)

WRCA and WUNR both do multiple languages and carry programs that target very diverse ethnic groups. Even programs in a single language can target very different ethnic groups. Programs in Spanish that target people of Mexican extraction can target groups of Mexicans from different parts of Mexico. Now, add to that the different nations from which Spanish speakers in metro Boston hail and you have quite a potpourri! Do Salvadorans listen to Norteno? I don't think so. Now add in Haitian Creole (which is based on French) and two very different Portuguese dialects (Brazilian and Cape Verdean), not to mention several Asian languages--oh, and don't forget Yiddish (pretty sure that WUNR still carries a Yiddish-language program)!

You need to open your eyes--or more correctly, your ears! The reason the market can support so many leased-time stations is that nearly all of the different ethnic groups need a coherent radio voice and, within those groups are entrepreneurs who can't afford to buy their own stations, but can afford to lease time on existing stations.

 

[raccoonradio]

Of course college/school stations can shift types of programming from slot to slot especially on weekends.
While my own WMWM usually has mostly alternative rock during weekdays, we also have more than a bit of
Spanish programming (and one slot has pre-recorded progressive talk) and on weekends it can shift from oldies to jazz, blues to local rock, Australian pop
to Spanish."Variety" may be best description (and not "variety hits" a la Mike 93.7) We're not leased time,
we're non commercial, but we do have that variety of shows/formats. Agreed about 950 and the Irish show. At least many of our shows have been in their respective time slots for years so people come to expect
doo wop then oldies on Saturday nights; local rock then blues then jazz on Sundays, etc.

I'm glad these groups are buying time on legit stations and not launching pirates.

 

[FPB]

I am not taking sides, politically speaking. Aside from the
hard-core political left, who agreed with the premise already,
the format really has not made much of an impact here. At one time,
I used to hear Rush on a daily basis (not by choice...). Though I did
not really agree with his politics, he was fairly entertaining,
at the time. Before 1510 picked up this format, WAZN was all ready
to run with it. I found out late on a Friday night, that it was not
going to start with us on Monday, as previously planned. No big conspiracy
involved - just business. As business goes, the "Progressive Talk"
format has not been a real winner in Boston...so far...

It's not that hard to understand. The constant barrage of the right-wing viewpoint has driven left-minded people away from commercial talk radio. It doesn't mean that progresive people are being "entertained"by Limbaugh & Co. And it doesn't mean that one has to be a "hard core Lefty"to be in favor of Santos & Co (in fact a TRUE hardcore Lefty wouldn't be anyway). It means they've figured out that they could find what makes more sense to them through satelite radio, podcasts, etc.


Santos' challenge is to attract people who at this time are not listening to talk radio at all. That's not going to happen over night.

 

[DToTheJ]

Santos' challenge is to attract people who at this time are not listening to talk radio at all. That's not going to happen overnight...

And given what his station is airing during the wee hours of the morning, it most certainly won't be happening overnight.

 

[DanStrassberg]

And given what his station is airing during the wee hours of the morning, it most certainly won't be happening overnight.

Meaning what? Norman Goldman (10P to 1A) is very good. Following Goldman is, I believe, the third hour of Thom Hartmann, which Santos preempts when the satellite feeds it at 5:00PM for his (lame) local programming. Hartmann is arguably the best of the Liberal talkers. There may also be an hour of Stephanie Miller (also preempted for local programming when the satellite feeds it at 9:00AM). Then there is an hour of Leslie Marshall, who isn't great but isn't bad either. Lastly, there is an hour of Doug Stephan (a Republican, though not in the Hannity/Savage mold) at 4:00AM. And after all that, at 5:00AM, Santos begins the day with a repeat of an hour of his own (lame) show from the previous day.

 

[raccoonradio]

During the Red Sox season games (in Spanish on WWZN) often end by 11 pm or so and when they hit the west coast it may end more like 1 or 2 am so expect a few pre-emptions, especially when the Sox hit Anaheim,
Seattle, Oakland etc (they may also be playing some NL west coast teams in interleague play, not sure)

 

[FPB]

Santos' challenge is to attract people who at this time are not listening to talk radio at all. That's not going to happen overnight...

And given what his station is airing during the wee hours of the morning, it most certainly won't be happening overnight.

So, stations typically hang their success on the overnight??????????????????????????????????