INFORMERCIAL BLOCKS ON LIBERAL STATIONS

[ABQTom]

In assessing the programming changes, I came across two progressive stations of record that devote most of the 10A-7P time with infomercials....KKZN 760 in Denver (who just dropped Hartmann), and KTLK in L.A. (who just dropped Ed Schultz)....

Is this why they are getting low 12+ ratings?

Looking at the 1090 and 620 web sites (Seattle, and Portland) I don't see this, and they get better ratings...

Weekends at 760...

http://www.am760.net/pages/weekends.html

Weekends at 1150 (this is incredible)...billed as "the weekend 1150 paid programming 1pm-9pm," with
no indication of what the programs are.

http://2005.progressivetalk1150.com...cast_Schedule.html?feed=119597&article=379167

How about having live appearances with your weekday hosts, with your sponsors on weekends...with a :60 twice every hour, from 9am-1pm, and giveaways of bumper stickers, mugs, t-shirts, and the merchandise that the sponsor him/herself sells?

1090 and 620 look GREAT!

1090 weekends:

http://www.am1090seattle.com/pages/415641.php

620 weekends:

http://www.620kpoj.com/pages/program/index.php

 

[smedge2006]

You'll get posters on this board who say liberal talk radio should do more infomercials on the weekends, which as you point out, drives the ratings even lower, earning ever more scorn from conservatives.

But that's not the reason not to do it. The best reason is that it's bad business.

First of all, you'll never get rates as good as the conservative stations.

Second, you're missing an opportunity to lure in new listeners -- especially conservatives who are disfranchised when their favorite talker goes to colon cleansers and gardening shows. I'd declare Saturday morning "Crossfire Saturday" and only take calls from conservatives. Throw in bashing of the local conservatalker(s) that have prostituted their weekends, make fun of the colon blow stuff, and proclaim yourselves the "no infomercial" station. Bash the listeners a little too ("conservative talk stations run infomercials because conservative listeners are gullible suckers"). THAT should get them calling in!

Talk radio is not a 6 a to 6 p Monday-to-Friday medium, although that's how it's (mis)run as a business -- see Walter Sabo's essay on "Playing Polkas at Night" and Tom Tradup's (heaven forbid I should praise this joker) article on fixing talk radio:

http://www.sabomedia.com/papers.php?id=11

http://www.sabomedia.com/articles.php?id=33

 

[ABQTom]

You'll get posters on this board who say liberal talk radio should do more infomercials on the weekends, which as you point out, drives the ratings even lower, earning ever more scorn from conservatives.

Talk radio is not a 6 a to 6 p Monday-to-Friday medium, although that's how it's (mis)run as a business -- see Walter Sabo's essay on "Playing Polkas at Night" and Tom Tradup's (heaven forbid I should praise this joker) article on fixing talk radio:

http://www.sabomedia.com/papers.php?id=11

http://www.sabomedia.com/articles.php?id=33

Thanks for the links - these are great articles. Sabo is absolutely correct that you'll never know how good your morning show is if you screw up the cume on weekends.

Also, another individual who has addressed this is Brian Jennings, who gave a talk entitled "Don't Throw Weekends Away" or something like that at a TRS R and R seminar a couple of years ago.