Jeff Santos Metastasizes

[Don Juan]

Very cute. But the real problem is that because the conservative owners don't let progressives on the air...

Do you have any idea what the politics of the owners (Blackstrap) of WWZN are? You have no idea, do you?

How about the politics of Jason Wolfe, Khan, or any one else at Entercom?

You keep hanging onto this idea that it's all about ideology. When, it's all about money.

Ideology talkradio fails (Air America, Salem Broadcasting, etc.)

Performance based radio is what works.

 

[raccoonradio]

Santos' operation of the bought-time may be ideology based but station owners do go for
the "money" format of conservative talk, hence WRKO, etc. Though Entercom does run
a prog talker in Buffalo (WWKB) and used to, USED to run prog talk in Memphis on an AM
680 there. Now sports.

Dan: Am thinking more of reaching other parts of New England, not nec. the Boston area
here. As in their boast of being able to reach much of New England. Yes you would think
a 1200 would fare better than a 1510 but the interference and adjacent signals do have to be
taken into account.

 

[DToTheJ]

Entercom does run a prog talker in Buffalo (WWKB) and used to, USED to run prog talk in Memphis on an AM 680 there. Now sports...

Ironically, Entercom's WROC-AM in Rochester, also a longtime progressive talker, is now an ESPN Radio station.

 

[FPB]

Very cute. But the real problem is that because the conservative owners don't let progressives on the air...

Do you have any idea what the politics of the owners (Blackstrap) of WWZN are? You have no idea, do you?

How about the politics of Jason Wolfe, Khan, or any one else at Entercom?

You keep hanging onto this idea that it's all about ideology. When, it's all about money.

Ideology talkradio fails (Air America, Salem Broadcasting, etc.)

Performance based radio is what works.

No, I don't know what those people's politics is. But I do know and have known station owners and programmers, and I've known their politics (I've gotten into discussions with them), and I know those people I've met are/were conservative - absolutely.

 

[Don Juan]

No, I don't know what those people's politics is. But I do know and have known station owners and programmers, and I've known their politics...

Well you need to get out more.

A PD has one job...RATINGS...regardless of the ideology.

A General Manager has one job...PROFITS to make the asset perform for the owner.

The Owner....puts his money into radio...because he wants to make more than the .04% in T-Bills.

All of this happens outside of the circle of ideology.

You need to talk to more people.

 

[FPB]

A PD has one job...RATINGS...regardless of the ideology.
A General Manager has one job...PROFITS to make the asset perform for the owner.
The Owner....puts his money into radio...because he wants to make more than the .04% in T-Bills.
All of this happens outside of the circle of ideology.

Not when you're dealing with politics. As you know the old saying; "Never talk politics or religion when you're in polite company". There's a reason for that. When you're dealing with politics, it's just about impossible to place your personal ideology in the background.

Your persuit of profits and ratings can be impartial when deciding what music you program or how much hard news you'll program - etc. But when considering advocacy politics - which is what all political talk radio is - it's pretty hard to associate yourself with a viewpoint that makes your blood boil, no matter how much gold there might be within it.

And thererin lies the problem, because there really is NO gold in any political talk on the radio. Advertising is a bitch, period. Even if you have nothing but Limbaugh and Hannity there's no promise of winning ratings or sales. If you're going to promote a political talk station and make it profitable, you HAVE TO BELIEVE IN THE PRODUCT -WITH A PASSION.

So, if you're conservative and you're faced with the daunting task of promoting a talk station, you'll go with conservative talk - telling yourself that it's purely business, when in fact it's a gut feeling that you happen to feel more in accordance with.

 

[Don Juan]

Your persuit of profits and ratings can be impartial when deciding what music you program or how much hard news you'll program - etc. But when considering advocacy politics - which is what all political talk radio is - it's pretty hard to associate yourself with a viewpoint that makes your blood boil, no matter how much gold there might be within it.

Well that is the difference between professional radio people....and listeners and hobbyists.

Professional radio people program for results...because thats what keeps them employed.

Professional managers get ratings because that increases his paycheck.

Professional radio owners own stations for results....or else they'd have there money in T-Bills.

I know this is hard for "listeners" to understand. Howver, anyone who makes their living in the buziness knows to not program to their own tastes and biases...they know how to program for people that are not like them.....demographically, ideology, etc.,

So, if you're conservative and you're faced with the daunting task of promoting a talk station, you'll go with conservative talk - telling yourself that it's purely business, when in fact it's a gut feeling that you happen to feel more in accordance with.

Wrong...an owner is not going to let a GM create a station based on a "gut feeling" about his politics. A GM is not going to hire a PD who programs to his own ideology.

It's all about the numbers, track records, research, audience retention and recycling. Data which is void of one's personal politics.

Since this is something you have no clue about...but yet wish to speak more authoritatively on.....maybe you should open your mind and talk to more professionals radio people.

 

[FPB]

>Wrong...an owner is not going to let a GM create a station based on a "gut feeling" about his >politics. A GM is not going to hire a PD who programs to his own ideology.

>Since this is something you have no clue about...but yet wish to speak more authoritatively >on.....maybe you should open your mind and talk to more professionals radio people.

Did I say that a GM or ANYBODY is acting based on their 'gut feeling" about their politics? No. I did not. Nor did I say that a PD programs to "his own ideology".

I'm saying that station managers are often in difficult positions where they have to weigh alot of pros and cons, where numbers, track records and research still don't guarentee a successful outcome (Assuming the numbers, track records and research are actually available to them. Often they are not). Ultimately they often actually don't know for sure and so they go with what feels the most correct. It comes down to a personal choice where, naturally, personal influences come into play.

How about if you try opening your own mind? You might get what people are actually saying.

 

[Don Juan]

I'm saying that station managers are often in difficult positions where they have to weigh alot of pros and cons, where numbers, track records and research still don't guarentee a successful outcome (Assuming the numbers, track records and research are actually available to them. Often they are not). Ultimately they often actually don't know for sure and so they go with what feels the most correct.

A programmer when asked to substantiate a major decision by saying "it felt the most correct" without anything (facts and data) is not going to get far.

You keep making general blanket statements about the industry that you apparently have very little knowledge of.