Libtalk in Alabama?

[clichemoth]

While reading <a href = "http://www.dxing.com/dxr.htm"> Glenn Hauser's Shortwave/DX Report for this week </a>, I came across an interesting letter from Scott Fybush of NERW fame...(Scroll way down until you get to the "USA" sections).

His point is this: Plenty of stations carrying the usual conservative talk programs succeed in markets like New York and San Francisco where conservatives are in the minority and need a place to speak out, so why wouldn't liberal talk do well somewhere like Missoula, Montana (one of the newest AAR cities) or Alabama where the same condition exists in reverse?

810 in Jacksonville tried it for a few years (while owned by the UAW as part of the disposition of an estate) and since Calhoun County numbers aren't made public, I have no idea how well (or unwell) it actually did. There seemed to be plenty of Alabama callers on 810's weekday shows when I listened to it in 2001-02, though.

I think a libtalker could carve out a solid niche in Birmingham or Huntsville with a good signal (preferably on FM) and some local content (plenty of unemployed Dem politicians available for audition). I like AAR, but their hosts may be too "liberal media elite"-ish to really work here, although Malloy, who was on 810, would fit if he toned it down a tad. The Jones/Democracy lineup (Schultz, Hartmann, Lionel, etc.) seem more down-to-earth and generally do better radio.

 

[Nate Wesley]

> His point is this: Plenty of stations carrying the usual
> conservative talk programs succeed in markets like New York
> and San Francisco where conservatives are in the minority
> and need a place to speak out, so why wouldn't liberal talk
> do well somewhere like Missoula, Montana (one of the newest
> AAR cities) or Alabama where the same condition exists in
> reverse?
I agree. I think the one thing that people forget is that there was no built-in audience for 'conservative' talk radio (at least not to make it profitable). Like-minded people still had to turn on the radio and enjoy what they heard in order for them to return to it regularly. So why would anyone expect an instantaneous surge in listenership for news/talk with a progressive/liberal bent? The very people who'd listen largely have learned to stay away from talk radio, so they'll be relative newbies to the format too.

> 810 in Jacksonville tried it for a few years (while owned by
> the UAW as part of the disposition of an estate) and since
> Calhoun County numbers aren't made public, I have no idea
> how well (or unwell) it actually did. There seemed to be
> plenty of Alabama callers on 810's weekday shows when I
> listened to it in 2001-02, though.

I listened to i.e. America through the internet, and remember Thom Hartmann (or another talker) regularly getting calls. Never knew that AM 810 carried that programming until I found the station accidently while still attending UAB.
>
> I think a libtalker could carve out a solid niche in
> Birmingham or Huntsville with a good signal (preferably on
> FM) and some local content (plenty of unemployed Dem
> politicians available for audition). I like AAR, but their
> hosts may be too "liberal media elite"-ish to really work
> here, although Malloy, who was on 810, would fit if he toned
> it down a tad. The Jones/Democracy lineup (Schultz,
> Hartmann, Lionel, etc.) seem more down-to-earth and
> generally do better radio.

I actually would've suggested Birmingham and Montgomery; I'm not familiar enough with the Huntsville area to guess on it. And part of me wonders how Al Franken's radio schtick would go over with a southern-fried audience, though I understand a nice-sized crowd showed up to see him in Birmingham at UAB's Alys Stephens Center (though it wasn't for a radio-related promotion).

I think Thom Hartmann might do a bit better than Franken. I slightly disagree with you about Mike Malloy--I think there are some who'd listen to his madness if they'd only stay up late enough. I've never heard Schultz or Lionel's shows, so I can't comment on them.

Should any more southern libtalkers surface, I'd gladly suggest they take a cue from Memphis' WWTQ 680 and throw a bone towards minority listeners (Leon Gray hosts 680's flagship local show)--especially since Air America, Democracy Radio et. al. are seemingly slow about it (Bev Smith, maybe?)
> <P ID="signature">______________
There's nothing to see here.</P>

 

[clichemoth]

> > His point is this: Plenty of stations carrying the usual
> > conservative talk programs succeed in markets like New
> York
> > and San Francisco where conservatives are in the minority
> > and need a place to speak out, so why wouldn't liberal
> talk
> > do well somewhere like Missoula, Montana (one of the
> newest
> > AAR cities) or Alabama where the same condition exists in
> > reverse?
> I agree. I think the one thing that people forget is that
> there was no built-in audience for 'conservative' talk radio
> (at least not to make it profitable). Like-minded people
> still had to turn on the radio and enjoy what they heard in
> order for them to return to it regularly. So why would
> anyone expect an instantaneous surge in listenership for
> news/talk with a progressive/liberal bent? The very people
> who'd listen largely have learned to stay away from talk
> radio, so they'll be relative newbies to the format too.

Not necessarily. A lot of them would be people who do listen to Rush, Boortz, etc. but are tired of arguing with a brick wall. Or who, like me, agree with the right on some things and the left on others and would just find a change refreshing.

>
> > 810 in Jacksonville tried it for a few years (while owned
> by
> > the UAW as part of the disposition of an estate) and since
>
> > Calhoun County numbers aren't made public, I have no idea
> > how well (or unwell) it actually did. There seemed to be
> > plenty of Alabama callers on 810's weekday shows when I
> > listened to it in 2001-02, though.
>
> I listened to i.e. America through the internet, and
> remember Thom Hartmann (or another talker) regularly getting
> calls. Never knew that AM 810 carried that programming
> until I found the station accidently while still attending
> UAB.

Was Hartmann on i.e. as anything more than a substitute? I thought Doug Stephan, Peter Werbe (does he have a show anywhere now? I always enjoyed his stance on a wide variety of things, it was more than just a political show), and Mike Malloy were the primary lineup.

> >
> > I think a libtalker could carve out a solid niche in
> > Birmingham or Huntsville with a good signal (preferably on
>
> > FM) and some local content (plenty of unemployed Dem
> > politicians available for audition). I like AAR, but
> their
> > hosts may be too "liberal media elite"-ish to really work
> > here, although Malloy, who was on 810, would fit if he
> toned
> > it down a tad. The Jones/Democracy lineup (Schultz,
> > Hartmann, Lionel, etc.) seem more down-to-earth and
> > generally do better radio.
>
> I actually would've suggested Birmingham and Montgomery; I'm
> not familiar enough with the Huntsville area to guess on it.
> And part of me wonders how Al Franken's radio schtick would
> go over with a southern-fried audience, though I understand
> a nice-sized crowd showed up to see him in Birmingham at
> UAB's Alys Stephens Center (though it wasn't for a
> radio-related promotion).

He'd probably do well here if his show was actually all that good. I love his books, I dug him on SNL, I even kinda like that awful movie he was in, but radio just isn't his bag.

>
> I think Thom Hartmann might do a bit better than Franken. I
> slightly disagree with you about Mike Malloy--I think there
> are some who'd listen to his madness if they'd only stay up
> late enough. I've never heard Schultz or Lionel's shows, so
> I can't comment on them.
>
> Should any more southern libtalkers surface, I'd gladly
> suggest they take a cue from Memphis' WWTQ 680 and throw a
> bone towards minority listeners (Leon Gray hosts 680's
> flagship local show)--especially since Air America,
> Democracy Radio et. al. are seemingly slow about it (Bev
> Smith, maybe?)
> >
>
I was thinking about WWTQ, but I couldn't remember the host's name. They seem to do more local stuff than most other progtalkers I've heard, which would be key here as well, as well as far more of an African-American presence (which says little, since the vast majority of stations have none at all).

 

[Nate Wesley]

> Was Hartmann on i.e. as anything more than a substitute? I
> thought Doug Stephan, Peter Werbe (does he have a show
> anywhere now? I always enjoyed his stance on a wide variety
> of things, it was more than just a political show), and Mike
> Malloy were the primary lineup.

No, Hartmann's show was regularly scheduled by the network, though I think it was also produced and available separately from i.e. America's other shows (similar to Jerry Springer's deal with Clear Channel & Air America).

Looking up Peter Werbe, he has a Sunday night show on 101 WRIF in Detroit, 11PM-2AM ET. His website ( http://www.peterwerbe.com/ontheair.html ) says you can listen online at WRIF.com or RadioPower.org.
> > >
> > > I think a libtalker could carve out a solid niche in
> > > Birmingham or Huntsville with a good signal (preferably
> on
> >
> > > FM) and some local content (plenty of unemployed Dem
> > > politicians available for audition). I like AAR, but
> > their
> > > hosts may be too "liberal media elite"-ish to really
> work
> > > here, although Malloy, who was on 810, would fit if he
> > toned
> > > it down a tad. The Jones/Democracy lineup (Schultz,
> > > Hartmann, Lionel, etc.) seem more down-to-earth and
> > > generally do better radio.
> >
> > I actually would've suggested Birmingham and Montgomery;
> I'm
> > not familiar enough with the Huntsville area to guess on
> it.
> > And part of me wonders how Al Franken's radio schtick
> would
> > go over with a southern-fried audience, though I
> understand
> > a nice-sized crowd showed up to see him in Birmingham at
> > UAB's Alys Stephens Center (though it wasn't for a
> > radio-related promotion).
>
> He'd probably do well here if his show was actually all that
> good. I love his books, I dug him on SNL, I even kinda like
> that awful movie he was in, but radio just isn't his bag.

Semi-agreed...it often sounds like a show amongst himself and Kathy Lanpher and not one intended for a large listening audience.

> I was thinking about WWTQ, but I couldn't remember the
> host's name. They seem to do more local stuff than most
> other progtalkers I've heard, which would be key here as
> well, as well as far more of an African-American presence
> (which says little, since the vast majority of stations have
> none at all).

If they only streamed...
> <P ID="signature">______________
There's nothing to see here.</P>

 

[clichemoth]

> Looking up Peter Werbe, he has a Sunday night show on 101
> WRIF in Detroit, 11PM-2AM ET. His website (
> http://www.peterwerbe.com/ontheair.html ) says you can
> listen online at WRIF.com or RadioPower.org.

I'll have to check him out tonight. A late-night show seems perfect for his style of radio.

> > I was thinking about WWTQ, but I couldn't remember the
> > host's name. They seem to do more local stuff than most
> > other progtalkers I've heard, which would be key here as
> > well, as well as far more of an African-American presence
> > (which says little, since the vast majority of stations
> have
> > none at all).
>
> If they only streamed...
> >
>

They're really easy to DX from Alabama. Clear as a bell every night on my tiny portable . . .