Snap Out Of It!

[psonderman]

As far as the post above, WCOL-AM was still programing some music on November 1
of 1993 when they were owned by Great Trails Broadcasting of Dayton. I said
November 1 of 1994 and that is not correct. The Columbus Dispatch said
Nationwide purchased WCOL-AM-FM from G.T.B. of Dayton in September
of 1993. Another article said WCOL-AM did place Billboards up for Rush's show in 1993.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Reinforcing the points that a) Rightie talk has long legs in the CO market; and 2) Right-wing talkers had significantly more support than the lefties did with WVKO. Therefore, if VKO can pull similar (or better) numbers than rightie talk despite VKO's technical limitations/ faux pas, it lends legitimacy to its format. The very fact that we are having this discussion underscores the right's reservations about VKO's presence. I contend that if it fails, it won't be due to the format's lack of relevance.

 

[KFodor]

I'm not familiar enough with what preceded Rush's entrance into the Columbus market to tell you why he may have garnered a 7 share back then. I'm willing to bet, however, that he was introduced to central Ohio with more fanfare than what ushered in WVKO's debut. I do vaguely recall dozens of billboards...Clear Channel, if memory serves me. He also had a TV show. That didn't last long, though, did it?

When Rush started in Columbus he was on 1230 WCOL at the time they were simulcasting the oldies format of WCOL fm, the stations were owned by Nationwide. it took a while but the finally they built a talk station around Rush. the changed the calls to WFII (1230 FYI) also the show that followed him was John and Ken out of LA. then later Alan Colmes had the afternoon slot. Nationwide never spent anything on promoting the station. later when Clear Channel bought the station they moved rush to WTVN and changed the talk format to sports

You are "kind of" correct with this. We began 1990 simulcasting WCOL AM/FM, but split the AM at one point to a satellite delivered format called "Kool Gold" (a 1955-1963 based format) on the AM. It worked for exactly one rating book, then died. This was all under the ownership of Great Trails Broadcasting. We added Rush Limbaugh because of popular demand. (We were literally getting requests to carry his program). Now, I'm kind of fuzzy about exactly when 1230 went talk fulltime, but I know it was still under Great Trails ownership, not Nationwide.

We did some billboard and bus advertising for Rush (it was part of the affiliation agreement). Frankly, that was about all GTB could afford at the time. But, Rush delievered. In demo, he was pulling 5's and 6's 25-54...and his daypart 12 plus was about 2.5 to a 3 share. I remember we also carried Barry Farber in the afternoon and, maybe it was Bruce Williams at night. Yes, we did later try adding Alan Colmes, but the numbers weren't there.

We flipped to "1230-FYI" under Nationwide's ownership. With their money, we could afford Imus in the morning....and he pulled some decent numbers, considering the signal limitations. But Rush had already left. 'TVN had contracted him...and we were deserted. But, Rush pulled even bigger number for WTVN. 1230-FYI continued with G. Gordon Liddy Middays...we did John & Ken for a little while in afternoons...even had Tom Leykis at night.

Bottom line was: the conservative shows did OK. The liberal shows less so. It just didn't seem like the liberal audience would come in time to replace the conservative audience when the programs and viewpoints changed.

This is why I have ridiculed the argument about liberal programming failing because it's on "bad sticks". If Rush can pull a 5-6 share in demo on a bad stick...what's wrong with the liberal programs? Attention prog-talkers: develop programming that can pull those numbers on a bad stick...and the good sticks will follow.

Remember...it's content...not politics.

I think Colmes was added the same time you added Farber plus a lady that I think was Joy Browne or Lee Mirabal. They are were part of the old Daynet package. It was probably Browne, because I think she left shortly thereafter to join the WOR network.

If I remember correctly, Daynet was the remanants of the old ABC talkradio network and Joy Browne replaced Dr. Susan Forward when the ABC network started to implode. Colmes and Farber replaced ABC hosts Owen Spann and Michael Jackson.

Yeah, I forgot about the bird fed oldies anchored by Zippo in the Morning.

Zippo in the Morning. That's a name I'd forgotten about, but you're right. And it was, sadly, a disaster.

 

[KFodor]

As far as the post above, WCOL-AM was still programing some music on November 1
of 1993 when they were owned by Great Trails Broadcasting of Dayton. I said
November 1 of 1994 and that is not correct. The Columbus Dispatch said
Nationwide purchased WCOL-AM-FM from G.T.B. of Dayton in September
of 1993. Another article said WCOL-AM did place Billboards up for Rush's show in 1993.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Reinforcing the points that a) Rightie talk has long legs in the CO market; and 2) Right-wing talkers had significantly more support than the lefties did with WVKO. Therefore, if VKO can pull similar (or better) numbers than rightie talk despite VKO's technical limitations/ faux pas, it lends legitimacy to its format. The very fact that we are having this discussion underscores the right's reservations about VKO's presence. I contend that if it fails, it won't be due to the format's lack of relevance.

Right wing talk had more support than the left did with WVKO?

Let me reinforce - when Rush was on WCOL-AM, we were barely surviving, financially-speaking. (I was probably the lowest paid mid-day jock ever in the history of 92.3 for comparable success in the Columbus radio market when I started under Great Trails ownership. I would be embarrassed to tell you the salary I started for there. I even had to fight the company to get my $100 a month parking fee comped. Had I not disputed that, I would have been taking a salary cut from Dayton for the "privelege" of working in a bigger market. Of course, I took the gig because had I not, I would have been "elminated" from my job in Dayton. The salary issue did change, thankfully, late in GTB's ownership and after Nationwide purchased the station.) The fact that GTB did billboards and bus cards for Rush was a miracle. We had so little money then. Yet, Rush got 5's and 6's in demo. That's why I say, it's not the "stick", but the "schtick".

Anyone who is considering buying or leasing a radio station needs to have the upfront capital to do it right. Going in on a shoestring is doable...but a major, major obstacle. That's why I've been as charitable as I could be with WVKO. I know some of the parties involved and I know what they face. I know they are trying...whether it will fly in the end is the question.

But, don't think WTVN is losing any sleep over WVKO. Most on the right want prog-talk to succeed. It should be a viable format. The problem, as I've stated before seems to be the messenger, not the message. Progressive talk has a couple of budding superstars, but there are some doing the format who have no business trying. They're not broadcasters, and don't understand...it's about content, not politics or ideology.

The ones who "get that" are the more successful ones.

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

...it's about content, not politics or ideology.

The ones who "get that" are the more successful ones.

Does anyone really believe Rush Limbuagh would have found such great success without being able to tap into a large body of people thirsting to hear someone "finally" bellow out "their" opinions on politics and ideology, in no uncertain terms? I absolutely agree that entertainment and STIMULATION are necessary to turn politics and ideology into a successful show. But for talkshows that are politically-oriented, entertainment ALONE won't do it -- any more than a fabulous ad campaign alone will sell a lousy consumer product, or one that doesn't fulfill a need (real or perceived). The "enertainment, entertainment, entertainment" mantra is too simplistic here. Would American Rutabaga be a big success on TV even with Simon Cowell spewing his venom on poor mis-shapen or pock-marked rutabagas and their growers? Ok, that's a stretch, but you get the idea.

 

[psonderman]

Many rightie talkers weren't "broadcasters". Content is indeed important, but so is ideology. Talkers must be able to entertain. As mean-spirited as is Rush, as bigoted as is Bennett, as self-righteous as is North, Kasich and Liddy, they nevertheless entertain. And you'll note that several mentioned here didn't begin as "broadcasters". Those who trained in broadcasting act at times like they have some sort of claim to the airwaves. The fact is, audiences ultimately dictate what the corporations air, and if it means ex-pro athletes are favored to do play-by play over trained professional "broadcasters," if that's what the audience responds to, that's what advertisers will support and corporations will air.

The mass palette is pedestrian. Lowest common denominator rules. Is McDonald's popular because their food is the best or because it's fast, cheap and in most cases, doesn't give you diarrhea?

Righty talkers engage listeners at gut level. They seek the sensational and we lap it up like rabid dogs. As the media landscape becomes ever louder, ever more confrontational, ever more obsessed with personality and scandal, the battle for audience attention continues to reward those who appeal to the more "voyeuristic" tendencies of our nature. If lefties pursue a similar course, it will undoubtedly reward them as well. My hope is that they buck that trend and seek higher ground. I f they do and in turn, fail to reshape public preference, they'll fail.

Public tastes are fickle. What's worked for the right may fall from favor. Those who bet on change may be rewarded. It's a crap shoot. Even so, conventional wisdom can prove to be anything but. If lefties learn how to entertain while clearly speaking to issues, they stand a fighting chance of gaining market share. A lot of moderates and certainly lefties simply don't listen to talk radio, since it's long been dominated by the right. They represent an untapped resource that may support an alternative.

Once liberal talk is established, as talkers stand opposed to one another, it should actually help right wingers. This undoubtedly will lead to a degree of cross promotion. A t this point, I feel it premature to dismiss or minimize the potential viability of liberal talk.

 

[Al Timiter]

An interesting note: Randi Rhodes has mentioned several times that at one station in Florida, she's sandwiched in-between Rush and Hannity. Anybody know which one? And how do they promote themselves as being left and right? Well, I guess they could have fun with the word play in promos.....

 

[SeanMGilbow]

An interesting note: Randi Rhodes has mentioned several times that at one station in Florida, she's sandwiched in-between Rush and Hannity. Anybody know which one? And how do they promote themselves as being left and right? Well, I guess they could have fun with the word play in promos.....

Her home base, WJNO in West Palm Beach.