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KRMG Loses All Credibility

Stan, I love Hiassen -- even recently read his children's book, Scat (my inner hooky player thought it was the bomb). Have you gotten into Randy Wayne White? More Florida craziness and funtime boojie woojie! Will take your recommendation on Ms. Hess. But when you say "our hillbilly cousins across the border," which border? I might be over here with them (us?). :p

Huh? Oh...yeah -- back to the topic. Durkee nailed it in his usual brilliant fashion: The KRMG Monster is bigger than any host or brand. Depend on it!
 
Scooter,

Suddenly we're rolling along on topic, then Lewis Meyer's Bookshelf breaks out...

You got me on the border. Same folks on either side though. Check out Hess's "Maggody Arkansas" series. Try to start at the beginning.

Now back to regular scheduled programming.

KRMG is a monster. Do the folks there now realize that?
 
Even back before they were more mainstream -- we all referred to them as "the radio people's radio station" -- KRMG had that monster feel to it. And through all the permutations, the news and that bigger than life weather coverage has kept them that way. From what I read here a few months ago, it sounded frightfully like Cox might be letting that part slip away. But it seems they've still managed to hang onto it -- as long as they do, all the folderol around it won't matter. Folks will still see bad skies and grab great air.

BTW, funny you should mention Lewis Meyer. Eating at our village coffee shop yesterday, noticed a new ice machine out front; and that reminded me of those goofy sounding spots he used to do for some commercial ice ("Party Ice"?) back in the early '60s. (Grammaw's right: I can't stay on-message.)
 
If I could get this back on topic for a minute, I would like to thank Mr. Durkee for his post.

I know radio is a business and I understand what sells. KRMG is building a loyal following among a select group of conservatives and whether that makes them more money, we'll see...

My issue is an ethical/academic one. I strongly believe KRMG and KFAQ (the station itself) both crossed a very fine line with last week's tea party protests.

KRMG has crossed an ethical line by doing the following:
1.) Using Joe Kelley's facebook page as an RSVP page for the event
2.) Using KRMG's website to suggest to protestors what to place on signs. Here's the link http://krmg.com/features/teapartytulsa.html, now scroll down about halfway down the page to see the sign suggestions.
3.) Blurring the line between a news and opinion show by implying the show is news, when it's really opinion sprinkled with information.
4.) Using a station with large clout to take part in/organize a large scale political protest.

And I'm not the only one who's noticing. This from a 4/15/09 KOTV story about KRMG's LaFortune Park rally.
Radio station KRMG encouraged the rally of people in a political movement galvanized by the election of President Obama and a Democratic congress.

Again, those are KOTV's words about the protest, not mine. See for yourself http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=10185938

These stations can do what they want and those of us who disagree with these tactics can choose not to listen.

As someone who has listened to KRMG for a good chunk of their life, I would hope the station realizes it still has some non-political legacy listeners if you will who rely on the station for news, weather, traffic, and sports.

I don't want to see something so many people have worked so hard to build tarnished by something so small and insignificant.
 
Glenn, I don't want you to think I don't understand where you're coming from. I do. I too long for the days of real talk radio, not the one-sided hateful rhetoric we are subjected to today. In that regard, thank goodness for NPR.

I've been on this planet and in this business long enough to know that radio is cyclical. And despite the successes of national talk monsters like Hannity, Rush, et al, I think the tastes of local radio audiences (in general) are much more centered. I believe that people will some day tire of the continuous hate spewed on a daily basis, and that these national shows (and their assorted ilk) will fall by the wayside. At least I hope so.

I wish that KRMG didn't feel compelled to take this hard right lean, but they do, and the business model shows it is a proven success. Few can argue that KRMG isn't a shell of it's former self. I'm not willing to point the finger at Drew or anyone else running the KRMG ship, but since Cox took over (at least), it's been a steady downhill ride in quality for Radio 74.

Rick Couri, who I like, seems to be along for the ride than an actual contributor to the station. My guess is that he is on staff primarily as a friendly and familiar voice.

I visited the link you provided to KRMG's website concerning the Tea Party event. It certainly looks like a promotion rather than a news story. It also doesn't appear to be an opinion piece by Joe Kelley or anyone else. While I'm tempted to give a website some leaniency, it doesn't look good.

For corporations like Cox Radio, Clear Channel, Journal, Citadel, etc, radio is a business. For people like Stan Tacker, it's a lifestyle. I commend people like Stan for keeping personality-driven radio alive in Tulsa. He isn't alone, but most of the others are caught in the swirl of big corporations. I also commend people like John Durkee who choose to take the high road, and have been rewarded for it, and people like Bob O'Shea, who decided there was more to life than watching the industry they love get pummeled in front of them.

It is too bad that you can go to a city 300 miles away and hear the same voices on the radio that you hear in your hometown, announcing a different frequency and acting like they are a part of that community. When I was growing up, radio was part of the adventure of taking a road trip. The different voices, sounds, and music made you feel like you were on the other side of the world.

Radio today is a bland, corporate, cookie-cutter industry. Someone sold radio's soul to the devil.

Sorry about the rambling and occasionally non-sensical post, but at least I feel a little better now.
 
Hey...can we take this ENTIRE discussion outside...sometimes, when all that can be said has been said, SOMEONE is still saying it! God bless you, Quag, but the progression reminds me of the old preacher joke...make a strong point, speak softer and look directly at the congregation. Weak point, POUND PULPIT!!

Scoot...you bring up Lewis Meyer...ran into him doing a shoot one day when I was doing weather at Channel 6...grinned that big grin and said he had to share a joke he had just heard...turned out old Lewis had a ribald side to him...I'd write this joke here but you can't even clean that one up for publication! Good guy. Liked him.
 
I apologize if I've been somewhat preachy Coop, I'm just disappointed more than anything.

I sense Ionosphere is probably older than me, but we share the same view of what’s happened to local radio, at least in our neck of the woods.

For all that I've dished out regarding KFAQ and KRMG, some are doing it right, at least in my opinion.

I think KTBZ's afternoon show is topical and relevant. Chris Plank and Jeremie Poplin do a great job. Plank is the only person in the state who gives TU athletics a chance, by devoting a chunk of this Tuesday show to talking about the program.

As much as I wish they'd update their playlist, KMYZ (104.5) is trying. I have a feeling they aren't live 24/7 like the used to. But, I admire their passion for local music and keeping a semi-alt. format alive in Tulsa.

KRVT does a fine job with their format and Cardinals baseball. Solid presentation and commitment to keepin' it real.

And despite some technical issues last year, the Sports Animal (97.1/1550) has made a strong commitment to airing sports broadcasts of regional and local sports teams: Royals, KU Jayhawks, OKC Thunder, and Union Football this fall.

92.1's morning show has certainly changed from the Billy Madison days (BM now in Dallas), but when Billy was on-air in Tulsa that was the best morning radio program (for entertainment sake), this market has ever had.

Radio certainly isn't what it used to be, but I think the Tulsa market still has quality individuals working at still some very good stations.

And as much as I disagree with KFAQ and KRMG over their tactics, I certainly can't say those folks lack passion.
 
I think we're beginning to come to an understanding, so I have to do what I can to widen the gap. ;)

There have almost always been broadcasters with integrity. I suspect most of them get / got fired a lot.

Then there are broadcasters who will do what the boss says because he's the boss, but there are lines even they won't cross. In today's business, I suspect that would define most of us.

Finally, there are those who would sell their mother on the air if it would get them a tenth of a point more ratings or a $5 bonus from the boss. Many arguments surround how many of the conservative talk show hosts fall into this category. The talk show hosts often argue many mainstream media talking heads & article writers fall into this category. :)

As far as owners, there have always been three kinds of them as well:

Owners with integrity, who will broadcast the "right" thing, whether or not "the crowd" agrees. Sometimes they make money; often they are public broadcasters.

Owners who try to cater to what the public wants, but won't program just ANYTHING (like jello wrestling tournaments or preachers offering instant wealth, health & happiness to those who "plant seed gifts"). They can usually make pretty good money.

Finally, owners who will chase the dollar, whatever it takes and whatever the long term damage. These owners aren't looking at their impact on a community, they're looking at their TSL, cume, & how that's translating into dollars. I don't know how these people sleep at night.

My personal opinion is that we have a couple of owners in the 1st category, a handful of owners in the 2nd category, and a whole bunch of owners in the final category.

I think it's important not to confuse employees who would like to keep their jobs in this tough financial time with owners who will throw away long-term success for short term financial gains. These employees, in fact, are often plowed under when the owners decide the wind has changed direction.

Also, if this quarter's research discovers there is a market for either neutral or left slanting news / talk, I can promise you there will be at least one & maybe three stations running a variation of that format in the next quarter.

I would say conservative talk wouldn't work in liberal markets back east, but my suspicion is that just like all-Christmas pulls only a 5 share but it is a DEDICATED 5 share, I'm betting a conservative talk station in a liberal market would have a tiny but dedicated audience. This is how so many Christian stations have survived around the nation: maybe you've only got a thousand listeners, but if they all are willing to open their wallets...

I have no explanation for what I'm about to say, but it seems that left-leaning or liberal programming doesn't attract the "dedication" that conservative programming does. Of course the conservative talk show hosts would say it's because there are so many liberal voices, which I don't believe, or that there aren't any entertaining liberal talk show hosts, which I believe a little bit from what I've heard... ::)

If you go with the theory much of Hollywood (actors, writers, producers) are liberal, why do they not produce entertaining liberal radio? If most radio doesn't come out of Hollywood, OK, why not out of NYC? You have many TV networks there, plus Broadway... you can't tell me there's not enough talent!

Do liberals not care as much about their political "club" as conservatives do?

I understand that neutral programming may not "drive" audiences like conservative or liberal programming might; having said that, it seems like the liberal audience, however small in Tulsa, would be VERY passionate about "their" own station. I have heard a number of local liberals lamenting (say 10X fast) the voting record & beliefs of their fellow Oklahomans.

Anybody have any idea why quality liberal-slanting talk radio isn't being done here, or successfully anywhere else (that I'm aware of)? Is it all signal issues? (Seems unlikely, since conserva-talk seems to survive on low-power sticks.)

I would think 1300 would be a prime candidate or such a format.
 
I remember hearing years ago that Nothing Happens Until Somebody Sells Something. And there is a commercial running on TV about the two guys who start a beer company, one says the beer is really good, and the other says, "Yeah, but can you sell it?" So, a format may have a lot of passion behind it and may even have a respectable audience, but it has to be supported with advertising dollars. And promotions are usually listener-driven; The fact that a station may seemingly "support" this or that, is usually driven by the passion of the listener. Listeners first.

Just my two cents worth....
 
A couple of thoughts (& Scoot & Durkee especially, know how scary that can be):
For those who don't "get" why KRMG & KFAQ program to the targets they are programming to, please read the book Ron Palmer & I wrote a couple of years ago on managing the media in a crisis: "And The Incorrect Answer Is...No Comment." Available through Amazon.com or our website: mediacrisisgurus.com. No plug intended. It just simply explains why the media does what it does from the perspective of someone who deals with the media every day (Ron) and the media guy (me). The edited version: its all about the benjiman's.

The elephant in the news room: KWGS. TU's comittment to local news by hiring Durkee is HUGE. Most estimates place KWGS's numbers (if rated by Arbitron) at a 15 share 12 plus. Those numbers will increase as local news programming on the station increases. It should also help KRMG FM's numbers (synergy, baby). It's simple supply & demand. FYI: KWGS is where you will find Tulsa's "liberal population. Liberal talk? Maybe...not quite as "overmodulated" as conservative talk, yep. That's what NPR's base wants...modulated not red meat. Apparently some on this billboard think programmers are making this stuff as they go along. Perhaps 30 years ago. No today.

KRMG is very effectively researched. They know that they cannot compete in that arena without completely changing their already effective and lucrative programming. Why do that? One of the first things Paul Drew taught me about programming is first stroke your base (& no Coop that's not dirty...you naughty boy), appealling to your P1's is programming 101. Whether corporate radio is a blessing or a curse is a moot point. The reality is IT'S REALITY.

Full disclosure: I work weekends for COX. No suck up intended, just fact...they are VERY good to work for and know their business model.

With John running the show, KWGS will being competitive in local news. The battle for the hearts and minds of Tulsa will be engaged. It'll be fun to watch.

By the way, on the "teaparty" issue, please reference The Daily Show with John Stewart in "teabagging" for more info.

Bye, bye.
 
The elephant in the news room: KWGS. TU's comittment to local news by hiring Durkee is HUGE.
Click to expand...

McCarthy! Are you calling me fat? I've lost 40 pounds!
 
"McCarthy! Are you calling me fat? I've lost 40 pounds!" (Durkee quote)

Insert Rodney Dangerfield voice here: "I tell ya' he's a big guy. When he sits around the house...he sits around the house." (rimshot) He's was so big that when he got on the scale a card came out saying "one at a time." Hey, I tell ya'... I'm here all week.
 
Why the big outrage? Since when have show hosts and even news people NOT been politically motivated in their stories or comments? So now they are more blatant. There seems to be a bit more honesty in that from my viewpoint. I may not agree with the broadcaster(or may agree) but at least I don't have to guess where they stand and whether or not they deserve my loyalty.
Broadcast stations have ALWAYS reflected the political leanings of the staff and management. Sure, political motivation of the newscaster or host used to be "not-so-cleverly" concealed in the slant of a story more than now, but there was a dishonesty in that (a "weasel factor") and it was never so "cleverly concealed" that the intent went unnoticed.
There only seems to be more outrage now that conservative viewpoints are being expressed. I'm very conservative on some issues...very mid-road on others and very liberal on others so I think everyone should have their own soapbox to preach from as long as they have an audience to preach to. As a radio consumer I'm just damn glad I don't have to guess what a host really thinks anymore.
 
So next time your favorite football team takes the field maybe the referees will go with the opposition since you know they like them more.
Newscasters are like umpires and referees, they're supposed to call it down the middle....NO EXCEPTIONS.
 
jesus. can we please get over this discussion? it's gettin REAAAAALLLLLLLYYYYYYYYY old!
 
bitterlikeyou, you ARE aware you don't have to click on EVERY link on the page... right?
 
It's been interesting watching this debate. Here's my two cents worth...

1. PERCEPTION IS EVERYTHING: The name of the show doesn't matter. Call it 'The KRMG Morning News with John Barry Dinglebutt' if you want. The fact is this isn't television where you can plaster the word 'commentary' in the upper right corner. This is radio, where people tune in and out, often not knowing the topic or whether they're listening to a newscast or infotainment. But the biggest problem with this type of format is that the viewer can't distinguish fact from commentary. One second Joe Kelly is criticizing the President with his own opinion and the next he's interviewing Senator Inhofe as if he's a member of the news department. Is he asking the Senator balanced questions or is he taking one side? Is he probing or is he biased?

Matt Bradley makes the point, "He (Kelly) is separate from the news team." Not as far as the listener is concerned! The word "with" in the title isn't enough to distinguish the difference. KRMG, Cox and every other broadcast juggernaut knows what's going on in the industry at present and it has little to do with separating news from infotainment and opinion. Mr. Bradley also said, "It's news is separate" from the Tea Party event. It might be in your mind, Mr. Bradley but you and I both know the perception among listeners is that when KRMG personalities attend an event, they are representing the station AS A WHOLE. Remember what I said at the top...Perception is everything.

2. SERVING THE PUBLIC VS. $$$$$: No more than 10 years ago, radio stations would NEVER venture to do what KRMG and many other stations are doing today. They were careful to not ruin the image of their news department. Today it's about ratings and money and it appears picking one side or the other (conservative or liberal, Democrat or Republican) is more important to garner ratings, garner advertisers and therefore make money. We've gotten away from the original intent of the FCC licensing radio stations...TO SERVE THE PUBLIC AND INFORM. Last time I checked, this FCC mandate had not been changed from the original language. But we slowly allowed this to be chipped away and reduce the value of serving to public.

Ionosphere wrote, "It seems the only problem you really have is with the name of the show." "The only problem"?! I have the same problem and for good reason. You make it sound as though Mr. Kelly's 'show' is a talk show. If so, call it that! It includes the word 'NEWS'! Don't call it news if it isn't all news! It's the PERCEPTION of the listener that Mr. Kelly's comment ARE the news and they are not. Call it "The Joe Kelley" show just like every other show is branded after it's host on KRMG. I don't see them branding Rush as "The KRMG Midday News with Rush Limbaugh"!!

Glenn Quagmire said it best...KRMG is sacrificing their integrity to keep listeners and make money. Pure and simple. What bothers me even more is that in this day and time certain people (like Joe Kelly and Rick Couri) are willing to sell their integrity and professionalism for a paycheck. When it gets to the point where it is now that they and many others can take home that pay stub and never think twice about it, you know we've entered a new level of broadcasting. It's sad.
 
Ed,

You said:

to keep listeners and make money

That's nothing new. That's always been the goal of radio. It may have not been your goal as a broadcaster, but your owner felt otherwise, I guarantee it.

The difference today is, while the listeners in the past would have have stampeded to another station with "integrity," today not enough people care to make the meter move.

They can call it "The Absolute Gospel Truth With Joe Kelly, Spokesperson For God" and he can tell lies and spread hate (not saying he's doing EITHER right now, this is hypothtical), & as long as the listeners & advertisers stay, Cox couldn't care less.

And it's ALWAYS been that way. "If it bleeds, it leads." "If they're dead, we're live." These are radio news mantras going back to the 50s at the least.

Newspaper did it before us; I have a book on my bookshelf just a few feet from here with headlines proclaiming "ALL LIVES SAVED ON TITANIC!!!" and others warning "ALL SOULS LOST ON TITANIC!!!" Both done in order to sell newspapers, not out of any sense of integrity. It was what people wanted, they printed it, people bought it, everybody wins.

In fact, if I REALLY wanted to play devil's advocate, I could draw a comparison between newspaper accuracy & cautiousness going up & circulation going down... but I won't. ;)

As I mentioned, radio sold its soul early on, too... look at the burning of the Hindenburg in 1937, where the newscast was RECORDED. They knew the tragedy on that disc, & rather than respecting the dead & holding onto their "integrity," they played the disc of the reporter watching 35 passengers & crew burning to death. Why? People want to hear. Same reason you can't turn away from a train wreck.

TV's so famous for losing all "integrity," Don Henley wrote "Dirty Laundry" about it, in the 80s. ("Is the head dead yet? You know the boys in the newsroom got a running bet / get the widow on the set...")

What KRMG & KFAQ & multiple stations across the country are doing is only new because it wouldn't sell in the past but will sell now. Conservatives especially (gross stereotyping ahead) see everything & everyone as having an agenda... against that backdrop, if the newsroom DOESN'T have a conservative slant, they MUST be liberal.

Therefore, follow me on the math here, if you target the conservative audience, you do all you can to swing your news department conservative as well.

Is there a "too far" point on the pendulum? Sure there is? Have we reached it yet? Based on last quarter's ratings, apparently not.

When that point is reached, KRMG / KFAQ & the other stations will swing back, not because of "integrity" but because that's where the money will be.

Proof? O.K.

Washington D.C., arguable balanced between liberal & democrat, some would argue tilted liberal... even better for proving my point.

Only able to look at 12+ numbers, there IS a conservative station in town, WMAL... they're EIGHTH in the market, only pulling about a 3-share.

WTOP, a station you would likely love because they look pretty darn balanced & news-focused and opinion-free, is #1 or #2 depending on the book you look at. One book it looks like they pulled a 6.6... yeah, more than DOUBLE what the local conservative talker does.

If Tulsa's audience was like D.C.'s audience, I would bet you KRMG would look like WTOP while their currernt lineup would be hanging out on... I dunno, 1300, or 1530 or something.

As conservative talk show hosts love to say: FOLLOW THE MONEY. It's (almost) always been that way, it likely always will be. It will only not be about money when there's no money to make, like it was in the very early years, and like internet radio is now but will not continue to be.

BTW, this is true in every industry, not just radio. Manufacturers try to balance material quality vs price customers will pay, to use the cheapest materials consumers will let them get away with while charging the most they can get the customer to pay for it.

Supply & demand, it makes the world go 'round...
 
NightAire - couldn't have said it better myself.

Adults know how they feel politically. All it takes is about 3 or 4 minutes of listening to KRMG to realize whether you agree with them or not. If you like it, you'll listen. If not, turn the dial. Problem solved.

KRMG doesn't bill itself as a News station...they are News/Talk...says it in their name.

I like what 1430 used to do when DelGiorno was over there...their slogan was "We are the talk station that does news". That's exactly what KRMG is.

I don't listen to KRMG much because the talk feels very biased and political. I want straight-ahead stuff, so I usually go to KWGS for that. But when the skies get scary, I'll be at 102.3 in a heartbeat. Listeners know what they get from KRMG. They're not stupid.
 
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