IS THIS THE END FOR CONSERVATIVE TALK?

[Parttimer]

With the current political landscape, what's the future of conservative talk, especially in 24/7 packages like 104.7?

It pulls a low cume, basically has the same people listening all day, and many of them are 55+. There is virtually no possibility of growing the audience. Increasingly, big corporate money doesn't want to be associated with the message as advertisers (the Pirates couldn't wait to get off of 104.7).

Is this the end of the format as we know it?

 

[secondchoice]

No. There are still plenty of folks with advertising money to spend that want to hear their commercials on stations they listen to.

 

[hypwr]

I agree with Second. Keep in mind that with younger people shunning radio in favor of other sources, broadcasters will take the money where they can get it.

 

[dB]

And its not like Obama won a Reagan-esque landslide. The popular vote is a couple of percentage points difference, and Obama's margin in the Electoral College is significantly less than in 2008.

All the issues that were here Monday are still here. Government-run healthcare, expiration of the Bush tax cuts, what happened in Libya?, will Israel take out the Iranian nuclear program?, etc. And there's the War on Coal and 7.9% unemployment.

The full House and one-third the Senate is up for election in two years, and then there's the Presidential campaign of 2016...

Nope, I don't see conservative talk networks going away any time soon.

 

[Rallen1st]

Is this the end of the format as we know it?

Possibly and IMHO hopefully - but no... Obama's reelection, the Democrats retention of the Senate and seeing just how close and contentious the Presidential election was only adds fuel to the fire and gives the format renewed targets and ammunition... While I don't know how much stations like 104.7 are billing, in the long run that will be the final determiner... Station (company) starts really bleeding $$$$ and yeah bye bye format.

We've got the same thing happening here in DC with Cumulus' WMAL AM/FM what I consider to be a very over the top conservative talker... or as Cumulus head Lew Dickey calls it... one of the company's "10 problem stations." I'll say this... the next two years both on and off the radio are going to be interesting to say the least.

 

[pman44]

No, not at all. Lots of disposable income in that demo and easy to sell to. The motto of the typical 104.7 listener is:

"the only thing we have to fear is everything."

There's always room for a bigger bomb shelter.

 

[Rallen1st]

Keep in mind that with younger people shunning radio in favor of other sources, broadcasters will take the money where they can get it.

Hey hypwr - so in other words, are you saying that radio is possibly doomed to extinction if the audience isn't being refreshed with younger listeners?

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Keep in mind that with younger people shunning radio in favor of other sources, broadcasters will take the money where they can get it.

Hey hypwr - so in other words, are you saying that radio is possibly doomed to extinction if the audience isn't being refreshed with younger listeners?

The "mainstream" of the radio business seems to be the music stations that are now being programmed with the benefits and/or restrictions that the PPM technology provides for fine-tuning formats.

Talk Radio is a specialty niche and the rules and wisdom and business principles that guide what I have dubbed "mainstream radio" may not be applicable.

Understanding Talk Radio (as currently implemented) is a little bit like trying to understand alcoholism or drug addition. To be a loyal and long time listener to talk radio (as currently implemented) involves having a brain that is wired uniquely. While 70, 80 or 90 per cent of young people may find music of certain types to be their driving interest, there will always be a small per centage of the population that have brains wired to become addicted to the siren-song of talk radio. For some people the addiction does not kick in until about age 50... and that may be true for many Talk Radio listeners.

There will always be a flow of Talk Radio listeners.... what we don't know is if there will always be a business model and customer base to make Talk Radio financially attractive to owners.

 

[FreddyE1977]

What other formats would work better on the AM band these days?

The KHB-KFB formula of nearly 100% brokered? (at least it is profitable)
Preachers?
Music of Your Life?
Spanish?
KDKA gobbeldygook?

 

[secondchoice]

CBS is doing quite well with all news on 1010 in NYC.

 

[KeyTimes950]

And its not like Obama won a Reagan-esque landslide. The popular vote is a couple of percentage points difference, and Obama's margin in the Electoral College is significantly less than in 2008.
All the issues that were here Monday are still here. Government-run healthcare, expiration of the Bush tax cuts, what happened in Libya?, will Israel take out the Iranian nuclear program?, etc. And there's the War on Coal and 7.9% unemployment.
The full House and one-third the Senate is up for election in two years, and then there's the Presidential campaign of 2016...
Nope, I don't see conservative talk networks going away any time soon.

The "mainstream" of the radio business seems to be the music stations that are now being programmed with the benefits and/or restrictions that the PPM technology provides for fine-tuning formats.
Talk Radio is a specialty niche and the rules and wisdom and business principles that guide what I have dubbed "mainstream radio" may not be applicable.
Understanding Talk Radio (as currently implemented) is a little bit like trying to understand alcoholism or drug addition. To be a loyal and long time listener to talk radio (as currently implemented) involves having a brain that is wired uniquely. While 70, 80 or 90 per cent of young people may find music of certain types to be their driving interest, there will always be a small percentage of the population that have brains wired to become addicted to the siren-song of talk radio. For some people the addiction does not kick in until about age 50... and that may be true for many Talk Radio listeners.
There will always be a flow of Talk Radio listeners.... what we don't know is if there will always be a business model and customer base to make Talk Radio financially attractive to owners.

Good points in the former case, interesting in Goat Rodeo Cowboy's case.

To digress, I also found the comment about WMAL in Washington DC interesting. In the nation's capital, right now, if you want news or talk I believe there are a dozen choices on FM, including C-Span, the NPR station at American University, WMAL, WTOP, CBS Radio's outlet and a few others, some FM simulcasts of AM signals and some FM-only.

In a nation that is divided just about 50-50 between those who would re-elect Mr. Obama and those who would have preferred someone else (not necessarily Mr. Romney), there really is a need for outlets for the rants of the true believers, regardless of which candidate they preferred.

I actually am curious about the fact that liberal talk radio for all intents and purposes bombed in Pittsburgh. Several shows made their way to local airwaves but all now have died off, not including Lynn Cullen's online show fed by Steel City Media.

 

[StageFright]

To reinforce HYPWR's assertion, I have a 24 year old step son, he and his friends never turn a radio on. They get their music from other sources and their news from Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

 

[hypwr]

Keep in mind that with younger people shunning radio in favor of other sources, broadcasters will take the money where they can get it.

Hey hypwr - so in other words, are you saying that radio is possibly doomed to extinction if the audience isn't being refreshed with younger listeners?

yes

 

[KeyTimes950]

From today's Tom Taylor email ...

Talk radio and the second Obama Administration – what are some experts saying?
For starters, here’s an Election Night Facebook posting by Clear Channel VP Talk Radio Darryl Parks – “This is directed to my associates in talk radio. Life as you know it changed tonight. If you continue with the shrill act and constantly talk politics, focusing on an ever shrinking ultra partisan audience, choosing to exclude instead of include, your future in the medium is bleak.”

Consultant Gabe Hobbs has this analogy – “To say that who wins an election should fundamentally affect the entertainment and talk radio business is to say that who wins the Super Bowl affects sports radio. Or that who is elected Mayor of St. Petersburg, Florida will affect the on-field performance of the Tampa Bay Rays. That being said, our best protection is diversification and broader appeal. What is the other 95% of the population talking about? Perhaps we should think about engaging them.”

Consultant Bill McMahon has two answers – “#1, Does the election change conservative political talk radio? I don't think it does. Its success depends on two things. First, a significant segment of potential radio listeners that is conservative and interested in politics. Exit polls from this election tell us that 35% of voters consider themselves conservative. Second, as long as our political system has two or more parties and they disagree about the role of government and how to govern, there will be a need and desire for political talk radio to discuss and debate the politics of the moment. #2, The bigger question is, what is the future of traditional broadcast talk radio? Talk radio is currently defined by its two primary formats - conservative politics and sports. Talk radio's audience is limited (surprise, surprise): it's primarily men. The real question about the future of traditional broadcast talk radio is, will the industry expand the definition and appeal of talk radio by developing new formats of interest to more and different segments of the current and potential audience for broadcast radio - like women, and younger men who aren't interested in sports talk radio? I think not. I don't see much appetite for innovation in the traditional broadcast radio industry." Got your own opinion about talk radio and politics? Email [email protected].

 

[raccoonradio]

In Boston people have bemoaned the lack of liberal talk. CC had it on 1200 and 1430 from 04 to 06
and later Jeff Santos got in on brokered WWZN (now WUFC) 1510 but the owners of that station have taken it to NBC (and yahoo) Sports Radio and squeezed him out. As a result he has one little AM broadcasting it at 6 am the next day for an hour, and the 50kW WCRN in Worc. doing one hour at 2 pm. The syndie shows like Steph. Miller, Thom Hartmann, and Ed Schulz aren't around though some prob listen via Net, XM, etc. CC did take 1200 to conservative talk for 2 and a half years but then
pulled the plug and went to comedy.

The idea being some people would graze in and out, hear some brick-wall routines, and then maybe hear a few ads. Boston has cons. talk on WRKO and moderate and conservative on WTKK (FM)
and the powerful WBZ has conservative Dan Rea at night. Some religious stations run
shows like Jay Sekulow Live which can get into politics.

Some left points of view may be heard on NPR or college radio (Dem Now! on the latter) The black talk format on WILD is gone, replaced by brokered China Radio International.

It has been debated that talk radio could do:
"Left, Right, and Whatever We Want"--remember WWWT 1500 in DC? How long did that last?

or
Mostly conservative stations vs mostly liberal stations

or
anything from lifestyle, easygoing talk to Hot Talk to Guy Talk.
Sports Talk in Boston is all over the place: 850 all ESPN, 93.7 WEEI, 98.5 Sports Hub,
and 1510 NBC/Yahoo/some local. Ent. (850/93.7) and CBS (98.5) do well and also have
play by play of course.

The talk demo esp. conservative does trend older though there are attempts to make get slightly younger hosts (Jeff Kuhner of WRKO is about 43--as opposed to some hosts in their 60s), rockin bumper music, etc. And it is true that the election was closer in pop. vote than a real landslide, etc. though in Boston things are very one sided with the Dem-control. You would think talk
listeners would say "I've had it" after the last election (losing Brown, etc.). But what spurs
talk? Opposition...and the conservatives and moderates in Boston tune in because they are
the "other side" who are upset with how things are going and want to talk about it. "I'm as mad as Hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!"--Network)

But there are so many sources for talk. Net. Radio. XM/Sirius. etc...a glut though some cons.
talk and yes liberal talk stations are changing to something else. 1200, yuk yuk comedy.
1510, sports.

Sports radio and conservative talk radio has listeners who complain/vent about things...former
Celtics coach Rick Pitino called them the Fellowship of the Miserable.

 

[promixcuous]

In Boston people have bemoaned the lack of liberal talk. CC had it on 1200 and 1430 from 04 to 06
and later Jeff Santos got in on brokered WWZN (now WUFC) 1510 but the owners of that station have taken it to NBC (and yahoo) Sports Radio and squeezed him out. As a result he has one little AM broadcasting it at 6 am the next day for an hour, and the 50kW WCRN in Worc. doing one hour at 2 pm. The syndie shows like Steph. Miller, Thom Hartmann, and Ed Schulz aren't around though some prob listen via Net, XM, etc. CC did take 1200 to conservative talk for 2 and a half years but then
pulled the plug and went to comedy.

The idea being some people would graze in and out, hear some brick-wall routines, and then maybe hear a few ads. Boston has cons. talk on WRKO and moderate and conservative on WTKK (FM)
and the powerful WBZ has conservative Dan Rea at night. Some religious stations run
shows like Jay Sekulow Live which can get into politics.

Some left points of view may be heard on NPR or college radio (Dem Now! on the latter) The black talk format on WILD is gone, replaced by brokered China Radio International.

It has been debated that talk radio could do:
"Left, Right, and Whatever We Want"--remember WWWT 1500 in DC? How long did that last?

or
Mostly conservative stations vs mostly liberal stations

or
anything from lifestyle, easygoing talk to Hot Talk to Guy Talk.
Sports Talk in Boston is all over the place: 850 all ESPN, 93.7 WEEI, 98.5 Sports Hub,
and 1510 NBC/Yahoo/some local. Ent. (850/93.7) and CBS (98.5) do well and also have
play by play of course.

The talk demo esp. conservative does trend older though there are attempts to make get slightly younger hosts (Jeff Kuhner of WRKO is about 43--as opposed to some hosts in their 60s), rockin bumper music, etc. And it is true that the election was closer in pop. vote than a real landslide, etc. though in Boston things are very one sided with the Dem-control. You would think talk
listeners would say "I've had it" after the last election (losing Brown, etc.). But what spurs
talk? Opposition...and the conservatives and moderates in Boston tune in because they are
the "other side" who are upset with how things are going and want to talk about it. "I'm as mad as Hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!"--Network)

But there are so many sources for talk. Net. Radio. XM/Sirius. etc...a glut though some cons.
talk and yes liberal talk stations are changing to something else. 1200, yuk yuk comedy.
1510, sports.

Sports radio and conservative talk radio has listeners who complain/vent about things...former
Celtics coach Rick Pitino called them the Fellowship of the Miserable.

Conservative talk has been dying in Boston for years. We have an FM talker WTKK and an AM talker WRKO, both with ratings in the 1s and 2s. WRKO has particularly sunk. As you mentioned, Clear Channel completely gave up on AM1200.

 

[doowopvault]

Everything has ebbs and tides...one moment they're popular.....then they wane. If Obama does a half decent job, Liberal talk will pick up, if he bombs...this will give momentum to Conservative talk. And as far as liberal talk bombing in Pitts, you have to take into consideration the quality of the program and host.

 

[pman44]

The essential roadblock to liberal talk radio is that liberals/progressives usually have better things to do with their lives than to sit around and listen to talk radio.

We typically would rather actually be out and about living and enjoying our lives, playing air guitar, doing the gangnam style dance, eating dorito tacos at taco bell, bitching about the Pirates, etc, etc.

The conservatives have too much paranoia to do that, and conservative talk is the perfect diet to feed that beast. So many things to fear, so little time.

 

[kaysguy]

To reinforce HYPWR's assertion, I have a 24 year old step son, he and his friends never turn a radio on. They get their music from other sources and their news from Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

they get their news from comedians?

 

[Parttimer]

To reinforce HYPWR's assertion, I have a 24 year old step son, he and his friends never turn a radio on. They get their music from other sources and their news from Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

they get their news from comedians?

Yes. Sad but true.