Limbaugh & Hannity Down Sharply In Minneapolis-St.Paul (Franken Up Sharply)

[Scribbler]

From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune

http://startribune.com/stories/462/5569938.html

"Locally, conservative-talk icon Rush Limbaugh's show has lost 43 percent of its audience among 25- to 54-year-olds in the past year. Sean Hannity's show is down a whopping 63 percent. The shift is serious enough that "we're weighing where these shows fit for us in the future," according to Todd Fisher, general manager at KSTP (1500 AM), which carries both syndicated programs."

The article also notes that Al Franken's 25-54 share has increased by 85 percent in the market in the past year. Franken now gets a slighter greater 25-54 share than Hannity (in a different time slot).

 

[bierkenstock]

An inaccurate summary

Sribbler, don't let the facts stand in the way of making a point.

The article says:

Most political talk radio is down all over the country.

Sports talk and maybe local talk are up. The article says most people (excluding hard core political types) may be getting tired of political talk.

But what the article calls partisan talk is also up. Yes, that includes Franken. It also includes Salem.

This suggests AAR and Salem may be picking up listeners from the political hard core on both sides (which would be a loss of listeners for the more established mainstream blow torch talk stations). Of course, Salem and AAR both still have relatively small numbers. But we could be seeing the first sign of a fragmentation of talk radio more toward the extremes of both sides (and a loss of listeners toward the middle of the spectrum). People have made the observation here that talk hosts preach to the choir. Well, there may be fewer people in the pews, at least until the next election heats up.





> From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune
>
> http://startribune.com/stories/462/5569938.html
>
> "Locally, conservative-talk icon Rush Limbaugh's show has
> lost 43 percent of its audience among 25- to 54-year-olds in
> the past year. Sean Hannity's show is down a whopping 63
> percent. The shift is serious enough that "we're weighing
> where these shows fit for us in the future," according to
> Todd Fisher, general manager at KSTP (1500 AM), which
> carries both syndicated programs."
>
> The article also notes that Al Franken's 25-54 share has
> increased by 85 percent in the market in the past year.
> Franken now gets a slighter greater 25-54 share than Hannity
> (in a different time slot).
>

 

[Scribbler]

An Accurate Summary

> But what the article calls partisan talk is also up. Yes,
> that includes Franken. It also includes Salem.
>
> This suggests AAR and Salem may be picking up listeners from
> the political hard core on both sides (which would be a loss
> of listeners for the more established mainstream blow torch
> talk stations).

Actually, the article says that the AAR and Salem stations were "relatively stable" (that's not news) while Limbaugh and Hannity were way down (that's news) and Franken was way up (and that's also news).

And Franken is probably the least "partisan" host on AAR (he says the U.S. should finish the job in Iraq, while almost all of the other AAR hosts say we should pull out). Many liberals think Franken is far too moderate.

 

[kaufcom]

> From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune
>
> http://startribune.com/stories/462/5569938.html
>
> "Locally, conservative-talk icon Rush Limbaugh's show has
> lost 43 percent of its audience among 25- to 54-year-olds in
> the past year. Sean Hannity's show is down a whopping 63
> percent. The shift is serious enough that "we're weighing
> where these shows fit for us in the future," according to
> Todd Fisher, general manager at KSTP (1500 AM), which
> carries both syndicated programs."
>
> The article also notes that Al Franken's 25-54 share has
> increased by 85 percent in the market in the past year.
> Franken now gets a slighter greater 25-54 share than Hannity
> (in a different time slot).

Politics aside, this article sites a serious problem for top talk show hosts in this market and possibly other blue state markets. You don't lose 43% to 63% of your audience and not get somebody's attention. The fact that a CC exec went on the record for this article shows that this is not something to be taken lightly.

 

[jh]

> Politics aside, this article sites a serious problem for top
> talk show hosts in this market and possibly other blue state
> markets. You don't lose 43% to 63% of your audience and not
> get somebody's attention. The fact that a CC exec went on
> the record for this article shows that this is not something
> to be taken lightly.
>

Actually, CC owns the sports station KFAN in Minneapolis. Limbaugh and Hannity are on KSTP, which is locally owned by Hubbard.

Political talk does seem to be down most places, but the reasons can vary, such as interesting local issues on competing stations. But I think much of it is due to boredom. In several midwest markets, country went way up in the last ratings while news/talk dropped. The two formats share a lot of listeners, and it looks like they got bored with the issues and went back to music.

I don't know what the reason is for the liberal talker in Madison WI losing over 60 percent of their audience.

 

[FloridaBear1776]

KSTP is NOT CC

It's owned by Hubbard, as it has been for decades.


> get somebody's attention. The fact that a CC exec went on
> the record for this article shows that this is not something
> to be taken lightly.
>

 

[Oldbones]

>
> Politics aside, this article sites a serious problem for top
> talk show hosts in this market and possibly other blue state
> markets. You don't lose 43% to 63% of your audience and not
> get somebody's attention. The fact that a CC exec went on
> the record for this article shows that this is not something
> to be taken lightly.
>


First of all, it's just one book...all kinds of fluke things can affect a single book...a trend over several books would tell a different story. Despite all the hype liberal talk hasn't exactly caught fire in very many markets. This is not to say that Rush isn't getting stale, but I question those numbers. Franken's gain is far less than Rush's "loss". If anything it's politics burnout...only the hard-core on both ends of the spectrum seem to be interested anymore.

 

[kaufcom]

Re: KSTP is NOT CC

> It's owned by Hubbard, as it has been for decades.
>
>
> > get somebody's attention. The fact that a CC exec went on
>
> > the record for this article shows that this is not
> something
> > to be taken lightly.

The article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune includes a quote from Ken Kohl, CC's vp programming in SF Bay Area. where he states, "We're not sure yet what's really going on. In general, the talk shows that are succeeding are ones that haven't been reliving the election, or constantly harping on the polarization between liberals and conservatives. I don't think a lot of people want to talk or hear about the war at this point."

 

[Jay_F]

> > Politics aside, this article sites a serious problem for
> top
> > talk show hosts in this market and possibly other blue
> state
> > markets. You don't lose 43% to 63% of your audience and
> not
> > get somebody's attention. The fact that a CC exec went on
>
> > the record for this article shows that this is not
> something
> > to be taken lightly.
> >
>
> Actually, CC owns the sports station KFAN in Minneapolis.
> Limbaugh and Hannity are on KSTP, which is locally owned by
> Hubbard.
>
> Political talk does seem to be down most places, but the
> reasons can vary, such as interesting local issues on
> competing stations. But I think much of it is due to
> boredom. In several midwest markets, country went way up in
> the last ratings while news/talk dropped. The two formats
> share a lot of listeners, and it looks like they got bored
> with the issues and went back to music.
>
> I don't know what the reason is for the liberal talker in
> Madison WI losing over 60 percent of their audience.
>



I saw a couple of national summaries that said Country and Jack (and other Variety Hits) are hot. Talk and AC are not. Oldies is also cold, mostly because stations are dumping the format.

Of course all of this runs in cycles. Talk radio needs some more interesting issues or an election to make a comeback, AC needs Christmas,etc.

 

[Gnarlodious]

Franken has a big advantage in that he is funny

Franken has a big advantage in that he is funny and has a slightly whimsical delivery.
Hannity and Limbaugh wouldn't know humor if it bit them in the arse. The same is true of Larsen, Boortz and a few others. The buffonery of Beck and Hendry may keep the audience for a while wondering what the punchline is, but it's rarely funny in the end.

The only conservative talker who is remotely funny, in my opinion, is Michael Savage.<P ID="signature">______________
• K5ZN</P>

 

[Scribbler]

> Of course all of this runs in cycles. Talk radio needs some
> more interesting issues or an election to make a comeback,
> AC needs Christmas,etc.

It seems to me that the main reason that Limbaugh and Hannity are down is that they're still cheerleading for Bush and the Iraq war at a time when Bush's numbers are way down and the war is becoming increasingly unpopular. Most of their listeners aren't going to go to lib-talk, so they're going to other formats. But some may be able to stomach somebody like Franken, who's more moderate than the rest of the Air America talkers and is still saying that the U.S. should stay in Iraq to "clean up the mess," even though (he says)it was a mistake to invade in the first place.

 

[dampier]

Re: Franken has a big advantage in that he is funny

> Franken has a big advantage in that he is funny and has a
> slightly whimsical delivery.

Well, he's got what I call "PBS/NPR Humor." If you find Garrison Keiler funny, you'll love Al Franken. I think his humor skews older. The Daily Show crowd is not going to be rolling on the floor during The Oy Oy Oy Show. I rarely laugh during Franken's show. In fact, most of his staged bits fall flat to the point of cringing. I always thought he winged most of his humor, but watching Sundance to see Franken and Lanpher reading a script makes me even less amused.

For me, nobody can touch Stephanie Miller.

> Hannity and Limbaugh wouldn't know humor if it bit them in
> the arse. The same is true of Larsen, Boortz and a few
> others. The buffonery of Beck and Hendry may keep the
> audience for a while wondering what the punchline is, but
> it's rarely funny in the end.

Most of the humor from this crowd is in name-calling and stereotype reinforcement.

Some of the parody ads do better, but these are often commissioned from third party companies that produce them.

> The only conservative talker who is remotely funny, in my
> opinion, is Michael Savage.

In the same way that Mike Malloy is. I think a lot of people tune these guys in just to see how outraged they are going to get. Unfortunately, if it's always the same thing, the novelty wears off quickly.

 

[Scribbler]

RIP Oy, Oy Show.

> > Franken has a big advantage in that he is funny and has a
> > slightly whimsical delivery.
>
> Well, he's got what I call "PBS/NPR Humor." If you find
> Garrison Keiler funny, you'll love Al Franken. I think his
> humor skews older. The Daily Show crowd is not going to be
> rolling on the floor during The Oy Oy Oy Show.

He's not doing the Oy Oy Show anymore. He said the other day that it's been permanently retired. I, for one, am glad, glad, glad.

 

[k9ez]

Re: Franken has a big advantage in that he is funny

I even find Keilor somewhat funny, but rarely laugh at Franken. He is just not funny. HE sure gets a kick out of himself!

I saw him at a concert a number of years ago at a university. The whole audience just stood there and rarely chuckled.

> > Franken has a big advantage in that he is funny and has a
> > slightly whimsical delivery.
>
> Well, he's got what I call "PBS/NPR Humor." If you find
> Garrison Keiler funny, you'll love Al Franken. I think his
> humor skews older. The Daily Show crowd is not going to be
> rolling on the floor during The Oy Oy Oy Show. I rarely
> laugh during Franken's show. In fact, most of his staged
> bits fall flat to the point of cringing. I always thought
> he winged most of his humor, but watching Sundance to see
> Franken and Lanpher reading a script makes me even less
> amused.
>
> For me, nobody can touch Stephanie Miller.
>
> > Hannity and Limbaugh wouldn't know humor if it bit them in
>
> > the arse. The same is true of Larsen, Boortz and a few
> > others. The buffonery of Beck and Hendry may keep the
> > audience for a while wondering what the punchline is, but
> > it's rarely funny in the end.
>
> Most of the humor from this crowd is in name-calling and
> stereotype reinforcement.
>
> Some of the parody ads do better, but these are often
> commissioned from third party companies that produce them.
>
> > The only conservative talker who is remotely funny, in my
> > opinion, is Michael Savage.
>
> In the same way that Mike Malloy is. I think a lot of
> people tune these guys in just to see how outraged they are
> going to get. Unfortunately, if it's always the same thing,
> the novelty wears off quickly.
>

 

[tbetz]

Re: RIP Oy, Oy Show.

> He's not doing the Oy Oy Show anymore. He said the other
> day that it's been permanently retired.

That was my wife's favorite part of the show!<P ID="signature">______________
also known as tombetz.</P>

 

[doc9464]

Re: RIP Oy, Oy Show.

> > He's not doing the Oy Oy Show anymore. He said the other
> > day that it's been permanently retired.
>
> That was my wife's favorite part of the show!
>

I think this skit may be funnier with an audience.....or with less frequency...or not....i could be wrong...but im not sad he put it to rest