Is Boston's Rush Radio Showing Conservative Talks Achille's Heel?

[del_griffith]

Station has the power line up of Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity and Levin. Yet despite the power names, the station is floarting at less than a 1 share.

Yes, there are other conservative talkers in the market. But these are the national top shelf guys on Rush Radio. Tier 1. The can't live without talent to make it in the marketplace.

Does this sort of prove the signals sucked theory could have been at least in part a major reason for the demise of Talk America and the struggle for the remaining "sucessful" shows when the top shelf guys in conservative talk perform like third tier players?

 

[radiophiler]

I'm not disputing Del's theory, but how a slightly different take on it: If you're going to launch a new talk station, conservative, liberal, mixed, these days it's difficult to get people to listen to a "new" AM station. When you launch a talk station on FM, you're more likely (but still not guaranteed) to be able to build an audience.

AM stations that have been around for years with Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity, etc. will continue to hold listeners. If CC moves these conservative shows from another company's AM to its own, they may have a tough time.

 

[Dighton Rockhead]

Isn't the jury still out on this one?

The format only launched toward the end of March, and is also going up against two long established talkers, one of which is on FM.

It may take a while for the Beck / Rush / Hannity faithful to figure out where thier favorites have gone....and then make the switch.

 

[del_griffith]

Isn't the jury still out on this one?

The format only launched toward the end of March, and is also going up against two long established talkers, one of which is on FM.

It may take a while for the Beck / Rush / Hannity faithful to figure out where thier favorites have gone....and then make the switch.

Wouldn't people who follow those shows attempt to find them?

How long do you give them? Til the end of September if the end of March was the start up date? That's 6 months. The end of the year?

It's difficult to tell because the audience is so small, but the trend line is going in the wrong direction.

 

[Dighton Rockhead]

Wouldn't people who follow those shows attempt to find them?

How long do you give them? Til the end of September if the end of March was the start up date? That's 6 months. The end of the year?

It's difficult to tell because the audience is so small, but the trend line is going in the wrong direction.

Your questions are more than fair. If I had the answers to them...I'd be in Vegas, making the big bucks...LOL.

But....somewhere in the math that Clear Channel did....they must have come to the conclusion that the time, trouble, and expense of doing the signal upgrade of 1200-WXKS from 10KW to 50KW, plus yanking Rush off a long-established competitor in Boston.....must somehow be worth it.

Time is going to tell the story on this one......

 

[Holland Cooke]

So which is it?

Does this sort of prove the signals sucked theory could have been at least in part a major reason for the demise of Talk America and the struggle for the remaining "successful" shows when the top shelf guys in conservative talk perform like third tier players?

Begs the question: Are they ["name" righties] there [on big sticks in most markets] because they're good?

Or good-because-they're-there?

 

[Talk_Dude]

Re: So which is it?

Does this sort of prove the signals sucked theory could have been at least in part a major reason for the demise of Talk America and the struggle for the remaining "successful" shows when the top shelf guys in conservative talk perform like third tier players?

Begs the question: Are they ["name" righties] there [on big sticks in most markets] because they're good?

Or good-because-they're-there?

Yes, and no. It's complicated.

 

[del_griffith]

Re: So which is it?

Does this sort of prove the signals sucked theory could have been at least in part a major reason for the demise of Talk America and the struggle for the remaining "successful" shows when the top shelf guys in conservative talk perform like third tier players?

Begs the question: Are they ["name" righties] there [on big sticks in most markets] because they're good?

Or good-because-they're-there?

I agree it's a bit more complicated.


But it does appear that tow huge key ingredients are they need legacy and a big stick to thrive.

 

[raccoonradio]

Signal not bad in many areas but tough for some, and when winter rolls around it will be problematic. Signal is improved from the Boston Prog Talk days, and more advertising plus some big names. Now:

--Jeff Katz: morning show launched in April. A local alternative to local Eagan and Braude on TKK and
Finneran and Feinburg on WRKO. May have some listeners, give it time
--Glenn Beck: was on RKO weekends only, now on daily in Bos. for first time. His visibility on TV may attract some. On opposite Laura Ingraham (big following) on RKO and E&B/Graham on TKK

--Rush. Prob getting fairly good ratings at his new home
--Hannity: back to a Boston station daily (had been on WRKO, WTKK, also 1150, 890). How many people
would prefer him to Howie or Severin? Probably benefits when either host is on vacation.

Then Jason Lewis and Mark Levin--not sure how well they're doing. The competition is McPhee
then Batchelor on TKK, and Dan Rea (after 8 ), local on WBZ. Rea probably winning...?

And then coast to coast.
Clr Chnl probably making some money from ad buys, getting their shows/ads cleared. Lackluster ratings for now (though maybe better in 25-64?) due to competition, signal issues, etc. Doing better than prog talk or Spanish did. If they were Rush Radio 94.5 it would do better but they have no plans
to change the FMs

 

[del_griffith]

How did progressive talk do. I thought in the 12+ beauty parade, the numbers were about the same.

 

[del_griffith]

Re: So which is it?

Does this sort of prove the signals sucked theory could have been at least in part a major reason for the demise of Talk America and the struggle for the remaining "successful" shows when the top shelf guys in conservative talk perform like third tier players?

Begs the question: Are they ["name" righties] there [on big sticks in most markets] because they're good?

Or good-because-they're-there?

Let's try this again.

I agree it's a bit more complicated.


But it does appear that two huge key ingredients are important. It appears they need both legacy and a big stick to thrive on AM. For now, the people in Boston appear to be sticking with the heritage talkers. Change over time? Maybe. But there currently seems to be no "Rush" to seek and find the hosts.

 

[DToTheJ]

Re: So which is it?

... it does appear that two huge key ingredients are important. It appears they need both legacy and a big stick to thrive on AM. For now, the people in Boston appear to be sticking with the heritage talkers. Change over time? Maybe. But there currently seems to be no "Rush" to seek and find the hosts.

I wonder how many calls Jeff Katz takes on his (local) morning show. That should give you an idea of how many listeners the station is receiving, at least in that daypart.

 

[del_griffith]

Re: So which is it?

... it does appear that two huge key ingredients are important. It appears they need both legacy and a big stick to thrive on AM. For now, the people in Boston appear to be sticking with the heritage talkers. Change over time? Maybe. But there currently seems to be no "Rush" to seek and find the hosts.

I wonder how many calls Jeff Katz takes on his (local) morning show. That should give you an idea of how many listeners the station is receiving, at least in that daypart.

Sometimes, but not always, calls does not equal listeners.

We have a daytime christian teach and preach that often doesn't even show in the numbers. They do have an afternoon talk show and the host has a steady stream of callers and often jammed lines. They have three inbound lines. I know. Not many. But the host usually goes from caller to caller without having to often beg for calls. Again, they don't show in the ratings.

A very highly rated Saturday morning open phones show can go for periods of time with the host throwing out chum to get callers. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't.