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NOW??? Now the long-awaited FM Talk tsunami?

H

Holland Cooke

“Artists deserve to be compensated for their work and rewarded for their contributions to our economy and our culture.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, signaling support for recording industry efforts to make stations pay-to-play music

Radio people I spoke with at the NAB convention in Las Vegas seem resigned that it’s more a matter of when than if. And I’m hearing from nervous music FM owners and GMs who are newly curious about “what’s still available in our market” in terms of syndicated longform Talk programming and network news assets.

After recent conspicuous CBS O&O format changes put SPORTS-Talk-on-FM en vogue, there’s new buzz about flipping to Talk, and renewed curiosity about apolitical fare like Dave Ramsey, Clark Howard, Dr. Laura, Dr. Joy Browne, and others who have found success by being not-angry, not-self-centered, not-foul-mouthed, and engaging listeners with what I have recommended imaging as “Survival Information for the way things are now.” ™

I am EVEN (grab the arm rest) being asked about acquiring and coaching (ready?) LOCAL TALENT!

Stay tuned...

HC
www.HollandCooke.com
 
Hooray! If they are smart, they'll be first in their market to make the flip to talk on FM, before someone else does. My affiliate in Charleston, WV, WVTS, flipped one of their music FM's to simulcast their AM and all of a sudden we started getting a noticeable increase in callers, which likely means they have a lot more people listening now.

One night we had a female caller to FTL who listens on FM in Charleston tell us they just got us in the market, we responded that we'd been on AM there for a couple of years and she said,
"Nobody ever listens to AM here (laughs), I'll be honest! (more laughter)"

Meaning of course, that nobody in her circle of friends and associates ever listens to AM. It doesn't exist in her world. She sounded like she was in her mid-thirties. Here's the 24 second clip:
http://freetalklive.com/files/TalkOnFM.mp3

SHE is the reason talk should be on FM. It's listeners like her that AM talkers have been missing out on all these years. She'd listen if your station were on her radar, but AM is a laughing matter for her, and not even an option. Clearly there is still money to be made on AM, but to relegate talk to AM is robbing the format of reaching its full listener and revenue potential.

Plugola: To all the GMs and PDs considering flipping to talk on FM, please consider Free Talk Live! We're the antidote to Michael Savage's hatemongering, and now on over 70 stations. See the link in my signature for more.

8)
 
Good clip Ian and the point is well demonstrated. The problem is that you reply 'yeah right' when she says that no one listens to the AM. There are some AM programmers who would disagree.

While this may be a 'boondoggle' for spoken word I fear that it may dilute the programming so much that Duke and The Doctor will end up being cleared in every market!

Good news on clients looking ahead and thinking about local talent. Smart owners/programmers know that to be really successful there must remain a strong local commitment. A good mix of talented local and strong syndicated will win for many of these stations.
 
The "yeah right" was more of an empathetic response on my part. It was an acknowledgment that I "get" how people in a certain age range are disinclined to explore the AM band. I understand though, how it could be interpreted as though I was in agreement.

Hopefully it's clear to those AM programmers who would protest that she's certainly not speaking for everyone, but only from her experience in life. That said, according to her perspective, to her and everyone in her world, AM doesn't exist. That's what those programmers should be paying attention to, in my humble opinion.
 
Guess who? And guess WHERE?

Topic @ 640PM ET on MSNBC's "The Ed Show:" Will the looming threat of music royalty payments drive FMs to Talk?

SERENDIPITOUSLY, I'll be appearing live from...Cleveland, The Home of Rock & Roll.

HC
www.HollandCooke.com
 
Is WVTS actually moving the Arbitron needle on FM?

One problem with the concept of FM-talk-that-doesn't-yell is that stations are at the mercy of syndicators. You can't stitch together a whole lineup of friendly advice shows. Syndicators have an oversupply of conservative talk but they're determined to market that product, and none but the biggest owners can effectively tell the marketplace to give them something else.
 
Holland Cooke said:
“Artists deserve to be compensated for their work and rewarded for their contributions to our economy and our culture.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, signaling support for recording industry efforts to make stations pay-to-play music
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure free advertising counts a great deal as 'compensation' for artists (as well as labels).

If free (or "affordable") airplay is not available to music radio where will the artists go to advertise their products? Waiting for their late night rotation on Leno or Letterman isn't going to cut it and American Bandstand and Lloyd Thaxton are long gone.
 
smedge2006 said:
Is WVTS actually moving the Arbitron needle on FM?
Click to expand...

No idea yet. Last book there was Fall '09 and they flipped in Winter. I can say for sure it's made our call volume increase.
 
I should be a consultant. As soon as I read that royalty rates were going to rise for recording artists, I predicted to radio friends that you were going to see more owners consider flipping their music outlets to talk (syndicated). It doesn't mean its good for radio, or for the talk formats. More than anything else, it will be second rate syndicated talk product cluttering the airwaves.
 
RE "I should be a consultant."

BEFORE YOU SAY THAT, watch "Up In The Air."
That George Clooney character finds out that there's more to life than hitting Platinum...

Slant said:
More than anything else, it will be second rate syndicated talk product cluttering the airwaves.
Click to expand...

In lots of markets, there's another-station's-worth-of first-rate syndicated stuff still available...although simply cobbling-together a best-of-the-rest doesn't ensure success, even on FM.

That said, there's some first-rate stuff already clearing on AM that's only-playing-to listeners-who-listen-to-AM. With some 80% of TSL on FM, FM clearance would certainly grow Talk Radio shares overall.
 
Slant said:
I should be a consultant. As soon as I read that royalty rates were going to rise for recording artists, I predicted to radio friends that you were going to see more owners consider flipping their music outlets to talk (syndicated). It doesn't mean its good for radio, or for the talk formats. More than anything else, it will be second rate syndicated talk product cluttering the airwaves.
Click to expand...
Wilmington Delaware has a good local talk station in WDEL 1150. It's mostly local with Laura Ingraham and Jerry Doyle in the evening. :)

I can see a station like this moving to FM, especially since 1150 barely reaches Dover while 93.7 covers the state quite well and is considered a Philly station. :D

All IMHO, YMMV. ;)
 
Maybe I'm a bit naive, or maybe I'm thinking ahead too much, but I see a place for these "second rate" shows. Perhaps they're only second rate because they haven't had a good enough chance. Many of the AM stations that carry shows like Clark Howard, Dave Ramsey, Dr. Laura, etc. do so on tape delay. So there's plenty of syndicated programming for more stations. Pair that with a fresh crop of younger talent that get a chance to actually hone their talent, and maybe we could have something going here?

The retirement of Bruce Williams had me thinking about this. I really think there is an opening for shows like his. People who have life experiences, and knowledge about a broad variety of stuff. People that can give advice, teach listeners about how the world works. There really is a place for the old-fashioned talk format. As much as I like the political talkers, there are enough of those guys. We need less Rush Limbaughs and more Bruce Williams(es?)

Do this with a bit of humor, maybe blend in some tech advice or talk about pop culture, and maybe it could pull in a younger crowd? It would be all over the place, but not more so than the listener could follow. I really think if done right, it would work.
 
RE "I really think if done right, it would work."

Don C said:
Do this with a bit of humor, maybe blend in some tech advice or talk about pop culture, and maybe it could pull in a younger crowd? It would be all over the place, but not more so than the listener could follow. I really think if done right, it would work.
Click to expand...

As Sarah Palin would chirp, "You betcha!"
 
Re: And YOUR comments please.

Holland Cooke said:
I'm show-prepping.

YOUR thoughts?
Click to expand...

I always enjoy your commentary, Holland. I even get a kick out of your status as the-guy-who-hyphenates-more-than-anyone-I've-ever-seen. But it works for you.

There's one little thing that drives me absolutely crazy though: You have this notion that talk show hosts should be more like telephone operators, as they are a mere obstacle for the all-important, oh-so-entertaining and irrepressibly interesting caller.

Your de-emphasis of the talk talent as professional and experienced entertainers is troubling.

There are certain shows I listen to and certainly ones I do not. It has never had ANYTHING to do with the kind of callers they get. I tune in for the host. I listen to that host because of the way they handle themselves, for the particulat style and temperment they possess, for the way they tell anecdotes, for the way that host deals with callers and for their type of humor. Basically, for their personality! And if the phones malfunction, it shouldn't interfere too much with the entertainment value of a show.

I have never once, nor do I know anybody who ever has, said "Hey, that guy on middays, his callers are great!"

Callers can NEVER be counted on. NEVER. If you have a show whose entertainment value so heavily depends on amateurs in their cars or kitchens, then your host's show is on some pretty shaky ground.
 
Rich Little, imitating Ronald Reagan: "Whell...there you go again..."

jerry367 said:
You have this notion that talk show hosts should be more like telephone operators, as they are a mere obstacle for the all-important, oh-so-entertaining and irrepressibly interesting caller.
Click to expand...

Although your over-statement distorts direction I HAVE offered on THAT topic, it's a real important conversation-to-have alrighty.

Possibly one-of-the-fewer MORE-important conversations Talk radio should be having right now is THIS one, the topic-at-hand in this thread.

So, to spare radio-info.com moderators the-need-to scold us for changing-the-subject, here's what-I-REALLY-said, and links to some pertinent research, and your opportunity to listen-in-on what-turned-into a REAL fun on-hour hour...including callers...on this topic:

http://hollandcookemedia.wordpress.com/on-air/

Also there: Your chance to win a FREE one-year subscription to the meaty monthly HC newsletter.
Second prize: a TWO-year subscription.

But seriously: It's a serious issue, and we shouldn't change-the-subject here.

Fair enough?

Good morning from Detroit airport,
HC
www.HollandCooke.com
 
What's in it for the government? Remember when the wealthy stopped buying boats and coats, and rings and things? Just a matter of the performing artists never getting a forum. If they don't get a forum they don't get sales. It's a simple plan. Or will the old gal whip the Congress into mandating that we buy the crap? I, for one, will be taking names.
 
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