Hot Talk On the rimshot Metro Stations....

[CompleteGame]

Can anyone think of a time-tested, advertiser-supported weekday program on community radio that is localized and hard hitting?

I think WDUN-AM has something like this, but I'm wondering if there are others. I'm obviously excluding 640,750, 920,1160 and the Atlanta stations, etc..

Curious as to whether a host can do two hours of Board of Education, County Commission pro/con and not alienate advertisers, politicians, stakeholders so that it's counterproductive. Curious as to whether there's an better local option that carrying a b-list syndicated talker.

 

[upstate29651]

What you just described is not considered "hot talk".

G

 

[Talk_Dude]

Can anyone think of a time-tested, advertiser-supported weekday program on community radio that is localized and hard hitting?

I think WDUN-AM has something like this, but I'm wondering if there are others. I'm obviously excluding 640,750, 920,1160 and the Atlanta stations, etc..

Curious as to whether a host can do two hours of Board of Education, County Commission pro/con and not alienate advertisers, politicians, stakeholders so that it's counterproductive. Curious as to whether there's an better local option that carrying a b-list syndicated talker.

First, upstate29651 is correct, what you describe is not "hot" talk, it's local news/talk. Second, though such a station could work in theory, in actual practice the chances of success are slim and none. It would require a near perfect combination of variable factors all coming together at the same time. There would need to be an incredibly talented host who preferred working on a local station to making the big-bucks in syndication. That's possible, but not likely. There would need to be a station ownership with deep enough pockets to shell out big bucks for publicity and advertising, because such a station wouldn't attract people without lots and lots of advertising. There would have to be several really hot local issues that are generating lots of local interest, which doesn't come along very often. Having one or two of those things happen at the same time would be very, very unlikely. Having all three come together at the same time is up there with hitting the Powerball jackpot. It's possible, but the odds are very, very slim.

 

[jabba17]

I've seen local talk work well in smaller markets, which might explain WDUN. Usually it's part of a full-service format. Oftentimes these smaller locales are small enough to be encompassed by a smaller signal.

In larger metros, it's not attractive to niche-market with a full-power FM signal when there is more money to be made with more common formats, and daytimer AMs aren't attractive, period, due to the issues during drivetime and nights (night coverage is critical for high school sports). It will be interesting to see what happens under the new LPFM rules--maybe someone can make a go with a full-service format that is targeted to just part of a large metro area, such as Gwinnett or Cobb County.

 

[Talk_Dude]

I've seen local talk work well in smaller markets, which might explain WDUN. Usually it's part of a full-service format. Oftentimes these smaller locales are small enough to be encompassed by a smaller signal.

In larger metros, it's not attractive to niche-market with a full-power FM signal when there is more money to be made with more common formats, and daytimer AMs aren't attractive, period, due to the issues during drivetime and nights (night coverage is critical for high school sports). It will be interesting to see what happens under the new LPFM rules--maybe someone can make a go with a full-service format that is targeted to just part of a large metro area, such as Gwinnett or Cobb County.

Have any of those working local talk stations placed major emphasis on things like "Board of Education, County Commission pro/con" and other such local political topics, or were the majority of local talk topics less controversial things more appropriate to the "lifestyle" section of the newspaper rather than the front page? It appears that the key descriptors in the launch post of this thread are "community radio that is localized and hard hitting". I have heard of successful local stations like the ones you describe, but I never heard of one that fit the description "localized and hard hitting".

 

[jabba17]

I've seen local talk work well in smaller markets, which might explain WDUN. Usually it's part of a full-service format. Oftentimes these smaller locales are small enough to be encompassed by a smaller signal.

In larger metros, it's not attractive to niche-market with a full-power FM signal when there is more money to be made with more common formats, and daytimer AMs aren't attractive, period, due to the issues during drivetime and nights (night coverage is critical for high school sports). It will be interesting to see what happens under the new LPFM rules--maybe someone can make a go with a full-service format that is targeted to just part of a large metro area, such as Gwinnett or Cobb County.

Have any of those working local talk stations placed major emphasis on things like "Board of Education, County Commission pro/con" and other such local political topics, or were the majority of local talk topics less controversial things more appropriate to the "lifestyle" section of the newspaper rather than the front page? It appears that the key descriptors in the launch post of this thread are "community radio that is localized and hard hitting". I have heard of successful local stations like the ones you describe, but I never heard of one that fit the description "localized and hard hitting".

That might be a slice of their programming day, but not all or even a sizable portion of it.

Furthermore, you have to be careful running too much content that rattles that Powers That Be, not because of any legal repercussions but more of denial of access. For example, it's a rule with small-town newspapers that you never criticize the local police, whether it's speed traps or corruption or poor police work, as small-town papers depend on tips from the police to break stories on local criminal activity and give them their only hope of scooping the Big City Paper. Criticize Hizzoner too much and soon you have no guests for your show.

"Hard-hitting" content usually comes from the state or regional level--imagine the fun a Waycross station could have when the General Assembly is in session--or maybe the local implications of national or state politics--no bashing the local politicians. In short, you still have to cheer for the home team, at least until they are on their way to being ushered out the door.

 

[Talk_Dude]

That might be a slice of their programming day, but not all or even a sizable portion of it.

Furthermore, you have to be careful running too much content that rattles that Powers That Be, not because of any legal repercussions but more of denial of access. For example, it's a rule with small-town newspapers that you never criticize the local police, whether it's speed traps or corruption or poor police work, as small-town papers depend on tips from the police to break stories on local criminal activity and give them their only hope of scooping the Big City Paper. Criticize Hizzoner too much and soon you have no guests for your show.

"Hard-hitting" content usually comes from the state or regional level--imagine the fun a Waycross station could have when the General Assembly is in session--or maybe the local implications of national or state politics--no bashing the local politicians. In short, you still have to cheer for the home team, at least until they are on their way to being ushered out the door.

That's pretty much what I assumed to be the case.

 

[jabba17]

That might be a slice of their programming day, but not all or even a sizable portion of it.

Furthermore, you have to be careful running too much content that rattles that Powers That Be, not because of any legal repercussions but more of denial of access. For example, it's a rule with small-town newspapers that you never criticize the local police, whether it's speed traps or corruption or poor police work, as small-town papers depend on tips from the police to break stories on local criminal activity and give them their only hope of scooping the Big City Paper. Criticize Hizzoner too much and soon you have no guests for your show.

"Hard-hitting" content usually comes from the state or regional level--imagine the fun a Waycross station could have when the General Assembly is in session--or maybe the local implications of national or state politics--no bashing the local politicians. In short, you still have to cheer for the home team, at least until they are on their way to being ushered out the door.

That's pretty much what I assumed to be the case.

One thing that I have seen work is an "equal time", Fairness Doctrine-type format where you have both sides of the issue in a point-counterpoint debate or discussion. That way, the show and the station are still seen as impartial, and both sides get a soapbox and may try to jockey for future appearances to argue their case. This would be done with two representatives or panels, one for each side, and not a call-in show where the audience can gang up on a public figure (unless you have a really good and really strict screener). WSB (among others) used to do this back in the Fairness Doctrine days, when WSB could get away with doing a local Atlanta community affairs show outside of FCC throwaway time.

Letting callers gang up on public figures isn't very sporting, anyway. The moderating required would be similar to that required for a coach's call-in show--serious questions are OK, and lean towards softballs, but some folks will have to be dumped for being impolite.

 

[Talk_Dude]

That might be a slice of their programming day, but not all or even a sizable portion of it.

Furthermore, you have to be careful running too much content that rattles that Powers That Be, not because of any legal repercussions but more of denial of access. For example, it's a rule with small-town newspapers that you never criticize the local police, whether it's speed traps or corruption or poor police work, as small-town papers depend on tips from the police to break stories on local criminal activity and give them their only hope of scooping the Big City Paper. Criticize Hizzoner too much and soon you have no guests for your show.

"Hard-hitting" content usually comes from the state or regional level--imagine the fun a Waycross station could have when the General Assembly is in session--or maybe the local implications of national or state politics--no bashing the local politicians. In short, you still have to cheer for the home team, at least until they are on their way to being ushered out the door.

That's pretty much what I assumed to be the case.

One thing that I have seen work is an "equal time", Fairness Doctrine-type format where you have both sides of the issue in a point-counterpoint debate or discussion. That way, the show and the station are still seen as impartial, and both sides get a soapbox and may try to jockey for future appearances to argue their case. This would be done with two representatives or panels, one for each side, and not a call-in show where the audience can gang up on a public figure (unless you have a really good and really strict screener). WSB (among others) used to do this back in the Fairness Doctrine days, when WSB could get away with doing a local Atlanta community affairs show outside of FCC throwaway time.

Letting callers gang up on public figures isn't very sporting, anyway. The moderating required would be similar to that required for a coach's call-in show--serious questions are OK, and lean towards softballs, but some folks will have to be dumped for being impolite.

I can see that sort of programming attracting a few dozen listeners.