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Is AM Radio The Culprit?

R

Radio Wreck

From what many sources are saying, the numbers for Beck, Limbaugh, and Hannity are dropping nationwide. But are they dropping because of aging demos? Or is it that conservative talk radio is running its course?

Or could it be because of the increasing amount of static interference due to high-tension wires, computers, and electronically fuel-injected vechicles that fewer people are listening to AM Radio across the board?

Is it possible that when Limbaugh debuts on 106.9 (and on the other FM news/talk stations across the country the are popping up) that listenership for these types of shows will actually start increaing again?
 
I think the answer to the question depends on the market.

In Philadelphia, I'd say moving to FM will not help all that much.

Go to the Washington DC ratings on this website and look up WMAL-FM which airs local AM drive, Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity. Not impressive in the 12+ ratings. Hard to know (as usual) what the demographics look like.

Philadelphia and Washington are liberal-leaning east coast cities. Just as the Philly suburbs are now trending more toward Democrats, northern Virginia, part of the DC market is also. For theses types of markets, I would not see much growth for these traditional conservative radio talk shows.

A move to FM elsewhere in the country (south, Plains states) may produce different results.
 
Two examples of Clear Channel running Limbaugh, Beck, and Hannity on one of their own FMs are Greensboro-Winston-Salem in North Carolina, and, right across Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh.

In the Pittsburgh market of 2-million, WPGB-FM had a 6+ cume in April of 224,000 and an Average Quarter Hour of 5.9.

In G-W-S, which is a market of 1.2-million, Rush Radio had a cume of 97,000 and an AQH of 2.3.

In Las Vegas, Rush and Hannity are on KXNT-FM owned by CBS, in a market of 1.7-million, the FM has a cume of 129,000 and an AQH of 2.9.

In Pittsburgh the station ranks #7 in the 6+ ratings, and reaches about 11-percent of the market during an average week, but that means about 89-percent of the population doesn't hear the station even once a week. In the other two FM examples, the stations aren't doing nearly as well.
 
There are a lot of reasons these shows have lost a step in recent years, though I don't think it's because the nation is that much less conservative. As you suggest, AM radio is even less relevant these days. But I would suggest that's only a symptom of a bigger problem --the shows themselves are less relevant for today's 35-year-old male than they were a few years ago. The most active listeners can get the content they hear on these shows themselves with their smartphones and a quick jump to the Drudge report. They know what Rush or Hannitay is gonna talk about without hearing the show. In that sense, the shows have become too predictable. FOX news channel also covers the same ground. In the old days, these hosts were the only source for the content they offer -- now it's ubiquitous on cable and online.
 
Hannity is the most predictable of the bunch. Rush used to have moe humor. But since the birth control mess he is far too serious and not nearly as entertaining.
 
Rush was actually entertaining back in the Clinton days. He, just like Hannity, and Beck are just ranting "secular" preachers for the GOP. They are so predictable that there's no way Their programs are compelling radio.

What makes Laura Ingraham's show more interesting, for me is her interviews. Unlike Hannity who can't keep his mouth shut when he does have an interview, Laura let's the guest speak without constantly interrupting or talking over, if its a lib guest. Hannity is rude and talks over any lib guest which really makes it hard to listen to.

I also agree that the 35 and under crowd probably is getting the news from Drudge and probably Huffington as well other APPS, so don't need Rush/Beck/Hannity be they on AM or FM.

Also many of the 35 and under male radio audience prefer sports/talk over political/talk. Hey, I'm 61 ( I know the advertisers don't want me nor care if I listen) and there are just some days where I don't want to hear about how Obama is the anti-Christ or that Romney is an evil rich businessman, or the other stuff that seems to go on endlessly via the political talk radio format. I have and do listen to NPR, but some days I'm just not in the mood for NPR either, and find that YES, Sports/Talk is a great change of pace.

Thankfully being able to pick up most of the FM stations in Philly at work I've got two decent choices for sports talk:, 94.1 WIP-FM and 97.5 WPEN-FM, plus Fox Sport Talk on our local AM 1290 WWTX. When the Phillies have a day game, I can also listen to the game on 94.1 (our local AM Phillies affiliate I can't get at work, but the FM from Philly sure sounds great).

So part of the problem in terms of the big 3 is they now also have more competition on the radio dial too (AM and FM), not just other national political talkers including Salem's folks, but also live and local political talk shows, sports, sports talk shows, plus NPR spoken word programming (which gets good ratings at least in Northeastern Metro areas). There's just a lot more spoken word programming to choose from on the radio these days. I haven't listened to Rush/Beck/Hannity in months (Hannity its been well over a year) and frankly don't miss any of them. Listening to those guys is like listening to a music station that plays the same 100 songs over and over again, day in and day out. Laura Ingramham I listen to online at work as our local station airs her show at night IF the Phillies aren't playing.
 
Beck was dropped from several of his major market affiliates because, while he was still on Fox, his show suffered from an obvious lack of prep. You cannot do a 3 hour daily show without considerable show prep and a good research staff. He simply did a poor show.

Mike, like you, I find myself listening more to sports talk. But I am still sticking to the AM's, 610 and 1290. I try 950 once in awhile, but I really can't get into it.

Rush did vary a little Thursday and Friday. But many days I know what he is going to say before he says it.

There is one problem Rush has displayed in the past that is reappearing. When he is married, his show goes downhill. I don't know what the connection is, but I have noticed it in his many previous marriages. The show suffers. He gets divorced, the show improves! He becomes funny again.
 
One thing I've noticed with ALL talk hosts is the sheer amount of plugging they do for every product on the planet. There is less and less show ans more and more adverts every hour. Plus, they like to insert ads in the talk portion of the show too. I think they've become more an advertising mouthpiece than talk show host.

Lifelock, 1-800-flowers, and about 4 or five other companies have their spots 3 times an hour or more. That can't be helping things.
 
Also those national talkers drive me crazy with their non-stop self promoting.

jhguthlac, I'd have listened to 610 and 950, but can't get them at work, so when those stations went to FM, that made their programming available to me during the workday. So now I've gotten used to thinking 94.1 WIP rather than 610 WIP, and 97.5 for WPEN rather than 950 WPEN. Even in the car they just don't come in that well as 94.1 or 97.5 so their FM station's get my ear. However, I'll bet there are parts of the Philly market where 610 and 950 have the edge where folks might not be able to get the FM sister stations, especially 97.5. Anyhow, I like the Fanatic, but depending on what's being discussed will decide whether or not I stay on 94.1 or 97.5, I go back and forth and also to 1290 WWTX when in a sports/talk mood.

You bring up an interesting point. You say Rush loses his sense of humor when he's married. That's an interesting observation. Have you noticed if he's cut down on referring to the feminist's as Feminazi's since marrying wife #4? Maybe the fourth Mrs. elRushbo, as possibly the other 3 former Mrs. elRushbo's, have had some thoughts about what's funny causing Rush to mind his P's and Q's, in what he's saying on air. Good observation.
 
The Feminazi remarks are few. When NOW protested at his DC affiliate a few weeks ago (all 7 of them) he did bring back the reference to "NAG's" but that has been it. Most days he just does not seem like his old self.
 
The other thing that may be causing this, is he probably has lost advertisers, both national that affects his wallet, and the local avails around the nation that affects the local stations that are paying those hefty fees to air his show. So between wife #4, the NOW gang, AND the lose of spot revenue both national and local, maybe ole Rush isn't feeling like the king of the hill anymore.
 
The ad revenue has to be having an effect. The spot load was so heavy tht he was running ads outside of the normal stop-sets. The last half hour was nearly all advertising, with Rush giving up to 2-minute spots for selected advertisers. That is where I have seen the biggest drop. The stop-sets, both local and national, seem to be fine. But he lost those sponsors who were getting premium ads during what should have been program-content time.
 
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