Stephanie Miller Going After Non-PT Stations

[fred flintstone]

In a feature story in Sunday's Orange County Register, progressive talk show host Stephanie Miller is quoted as saying her program is going after non-progressive talk stations, adding her show has picked up stations in Tucson, AZ and Portland, OR.
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/entertainment/somethingmore/article_1184004.php

In Tucson, Stephanie is heard (on delay) on KJLL-AM (The Jolt) from 10 am to 12 pm in a hodge-podge talk format following Mancow and leading into "Dr." Laura. The station daytime line-up also includes O'Reilly.

No specific announcement yet on which Portland station will take Steph. Portland is the market where progressive talk gets its best numbers and is on the number two talker in the market (fueled by Thom Hartmann local KPOJ show in morning drive). On top of that, Portland supports four other talk stations: Number one talker KEX (with Rush and Dr. Laura). Number three KXL (O'Reilly, Lars Larson and Michael Savage). Number four: KPAM (with Clark Howard and Hannity). And unmeasured KUIK (with Imus and Neal Boortz). Local shows are significant presence on all Portland talk stations. Wherever Steph ends up in Portland, she will be going head to head against established progressive talker KPOJ.

Is it a mistake for Jones Radio to offer Steph to non-format stations? Probably. The track record for progressive talk shows mixed in with conservative talk does not provide much reason for optimism. AAR was right to push for progressive talk as a distinct format (instead of "let's put on one or two liberals for balance"). Jones is probably hoping Steph's show has enough entertainment value to pull this off and attract an audience beyond "the choir." There is no progressive talk in Tucson, but in Portland the choir and much of the congregation is probably already listening to KPOJ.

Stay tuned.

 

[Scribbler]

No specific announcement yet on which Portland station will take Steph. Portland is the market where progressive talk gets its best numbers and is on the number two talker in the market (fueled by Thom Hartmann local KPOJ show in morning drive).

KPOJ was the number one (25-54) or two (12+) talker in Portland before it added Hartmann's show, so it's hardly accurate to say that its rating success has been "fueled" by Thom.

 

[fred flintstone]

KPOJ, a charter progressive talk station, has stronger numbers now than with Unfiltered in AM drive.

And you may have noticed, I included a complimentary reference to AAR.

 

[DaleGriffin]

I get these mailers all the time, along with Ed Schulz (sp?), I honestly can't see the benefit of picking these programs up.

 

[ajhenderson]

KUIK also includes Glenn Beck. Additionally, Salem has a new FM talker with Ingraham & Co. on 93-something, KTRO.

I don't see what's wrong with the Jones PT shows, but I don't see where she fits here. I'd rather see 'POJ make room for her at night to try and get a few younger listeners. Jones doesn't care WHERE she's on in a market... a clearance is a clearance and means money.

As to KJLL/Tucson, it's become a big joke, but again, the other 2.5 talkers wouldn't add her, so she still gets credit for being on in mkt #61.

 

[fred flintstone]

Stephanie Miller to KCMD Portland

All Access:

Stephanie Miller Adds KCMD/Portland
CBS Comedy KCMD-A (SOLID STATE RADIO 970 AM)/PORTLAND adds JONES' STEPHANIE MILLER for mornings, effective MONDAY (6/26). The station repositioned from its prior all-Comedy stance (as "JOHNSON 970") at the end of APRIL.

Well, she might do OK in a comedy format. The line up also include Tom Leykis, money guru Jim Cramer and the soon-to-depart Phil Hendrie.

 

[FreddyE1977]

This girl has no class. I saw the last airing of her TV talk show on Fox, and it was a disgrace! A 60-minute self-pity party with Fyvish Finkel on the couch, while she blasted away with pointed verbal barbs at all of the Fox execs who decided to cancel her show.

She needs to learn how to make a graceful exit and not burn all of her bridges. She has some talent and is not unattractive, but needs to get over herself. You can't just go on-air and deliver a verbal coup-de-grace to your boss' head every time they make a decision with which you disagree.

 

[fred flintstone]

OK, you don't like Stephanie. With all due respect, her Fox TV show is not relevant to her radio show. She has a gig and her show is doing well, so apparently "burning her bridges" hasn't hurt her career. In the opinion of many who post here (me included) she is probably the best thing on progressive talk radio and among the better talents in talk radio overall. The stations which carry her are among the top performers in progressive talk (including her home base in LA).

If you have some comments about her radio show, please share them.

 

[tbetz]

This girl has no class. I saw the last airing of her TV talk show on Fox, and it was a disgrace!

She had a Fox talk show? Other than Equal Time with Bay Buchanan, the only one I know about was syndicated by Buena Vista, and that was ten years ago.

How many years are you going to hold a grudge?

 

[ajhenderson]

I like her, but she's still doing it. Claiming to be beating every other midday RW talker (Beck, Boortz, Snow) gets old. Very bitter. Kind of like never being married at age 43.

 

[ajhenderson]

Also, the move in Portland is stupid. They've moved from being a (likely paid) dumping ground for ACR, a couple WW1 shows no one else wanted, and Tom Leykis, perennially cancelled thanks to incompetent programming on his previous four affiliates in the market... Miller may be the best political talker to pick from seeing Portland's progressive proclivities and her humorous focus, but this hodge-format schizo format won't last. Spend a few dollars and get a real hot talk morning show. The guys who left Leykis on the radio driving home the night before won't like her... Leykis has ripped her apart before. Alas, she has had countless national shows cancelled.

Oh yes, her LA ratings are mediocre at best. CC's local sales weasels try to pass her of as "live and local", but I don't think anyone buys it. She's doing about as well as Adam Carolla.

 

[kaufcom]

I'm not a big Stephanie fan, but her show might appeal to some of Hendrie's listeners when he pulls the plug later this week.

 

[dampier]

This girl has no class. I saw the last airing of her TV talk show on Fox, and it was a disgrace! A 60-minute self-pity party with Fyvish Finkel on the couch, while she blasted away with pointed verbal barbs at all of the Fox execs who decided to cancel her show.

Um, you have no idea what you are talking about. Stephanie Miller has never had a TV talk show on Fox. She did Equal Time with Bay Buchanan on CNBC which was dropped when they did a format change/sweep out (as NBC cable channels are famous for doing - just ask their growing number of ex-hosts). Miller -never- takes herself seriously. In fact, she often mentions how much she hated doing Equal Time and far preferred doing radio.

She needs to learn how to make a graceful exit and not burn all of her bridges. She has some talent and is not unattractive, but needs to get over herself. You can't just go on-air and deliver a verbal coup-de-grace to your boss' head every time they make a decision with which you disagree.

Yeah, okay. You obviously are completely clueless here or you are mixing up Miller with someone else. First, who the hell cares what she looks like?!?! I didn't realize the Fox airhead look was the thing to strive for in news-talk, and we're talking in a RADIO forum here. Second, there is no talk show host on the air today that is more self-deprecating than Miller. Compared to people like Limbaugh and his "talent on loan from God" garbage, it's night and day.

If you have actual evidence to the contrary, let's see some of it.

 

[dampier]

Leykis has ripped her apart before. Alas, she has had countless national shows cancelled.

More nonsense. One, Leykis' ratings are hardly stellar. His glory days are long past, probably after his aging frat boy routine got extra tired and his outrageous trashing of women. He was a talk show host made for the "Hot Talk" format which is dead and buried in a lot of markets.

Please name these "countless" national shows.

Oh yes, her LA ratings are mediocre at best.

She's the number one host on her own LA station. She's doing quite well for a show that is heading for a second anniversary and is picking up affiliates more rapidly than a lot of the other libtalk options.

 

[fred flintstone]

Phil, I have to admit, you got me started listening to Stephanie and I agree. She does good radio and she's been getting better all the time. Jerry Springer's show seems to be headed in the opposite direction (I did like it on WCKY's audio stream before AAR picked it up but then something happened).

Now, while I say she does good radio - she also does progressive talk. I think Rush does good radio but that's not enough to get people who don't agree with him as regular listeners. By the same token, I don't know how well she'll play outside the format. She doesn't preach to the choir but she does preach to the congregation. Phil Hendrie did a comedy talk show. It was not inconsistent with progressive talk in the late evening slot but it wasn't progressive talk. Steph has her share comedic moments but it's not basically a comedy show.

Her problem in the West is sooner or later the better performing progressive talk stations will likely go local in morning drive - so she has to find other outlets. For the rest of the country, she's up against Jerry - and it's no contest.

 

[ajhenderson]

Leykis has ripped her apart before. Alas, she has had countless national shows cancelled.

More nonsense. One, Leykis' ratings are hardly stellar. His glory days are long past, probably after his aging frat boy routine got extra tired and his outrageous trashing of women. He was a talk show host made for the "Hot Talk" format which is dead and buried in a lot of markets.

Please name these "countless" national shows.

And you accuse ME of nonsense? That's your opinion, Philip! We all know that's what you're best at, but your hatred for everybody but Miller doesn't mean she's the only talent. She and Leykis both suffer from formats relegated to mostly large markets (yes, there's an occassional small one, but Leykis is on in some as well). You're wrong about her TV shows... she has hosted one or two syndicated late night talk shows that were on network TV; although not a Fox network show, it was likely sold to some Fox affiliates. She tried to compete with Leno/Letterman and failed within a year.

While I enjoy her show, as someone who knows that she's blowing smoke about being so highly rated, it gets a little old and makes her hard to take. Like the other day when Savage claimed to have 10 mil or ("you never know") UPWARDS of 20 mil listeners ("smart people say everyone listens to you, Mike")... this kind of nonsense really detracts from the show when you and I know his number if really closer to 6 mil.

Oh yes, her LA ratings are mediocre at best.

She's the number one host on her own LA station. She's doing quite well for a show that is heading for a second anniversary and is picking up affiliates more rapidly than a lot of the other libtalk options.

[/quote]

I've talked to the guy whose polka show got the best weekend ratings on a now-gone brokered station here in Phoenix. "Best on her station" means nothing. She's on in morning drive for heaven's sake... what, did you think the overnight show would beat her? (BTW, the midnight hour of Coast to Coast on KFI beats the each hour of her show in AQH in LA county... great performance)

Bottom line is she and Leykis, since you made the point of arguing it, are both talented and not doing the typical talk radio schtick, but seeing that Leykis has been doing a national show for 13 straight years and she's been at it for 2 with a lesser syndicator, I'd say she's not as great as you say.

 

[dampier]

Now, while I say she does good radio - she also does progressive talk. I think Rush does good radio but that's not enough to get people who don't agree with him as regular listeners. By the same token, I don't know how well she'll play outside the format. Steph has her share comedic moments but it's not basically a comedy show.

It depends on what hour of her show. Hours one and two are particularly political, but hour three is more entertainment news and skewering Hollywood. I never claimed it wasn't a liberal talk program - it takes itself much less seriously than others, though.

 

[dampier]

And you accuse ME of nonsense? That's your opinion, Philip! We all know that's what you're best at, but your hatred for everybody but Miller doesn't mean she's the only talent. She and Leykis both suffer from formats relegated to mostly large markets (yes, there's an occassional small one, but Leykis is on in some as well). You're wrong about her TV shows... she has hosted one or two syndicated late night talk shows that were on network TV; although not a Fox network show, it was likely sold to some Fox affiliates. She tried to compete with Leno/Letterman and failed within a year.

Your allegation that I hate everyone but Miller is nonsense - I have praised a number of shows on this very board. Randi Rhodes, Lionel, Thom Hartmann, even some respect for the early days of Limbaugh. Just making the accusation doesn't prove it. Next, Miller's stations are actually mostly medium sized markets, not large ones. She is missing from many major markets or covered by rimshotter stations that don't make it throughout the entire listening area. Nothing unusual about that - that is precisely how Rush got started. Decide for yourself - here is the latest affiliate list I could find:

USA & Canada Ch. 146 (Sirius Left) Sirius Satellite Radio
Anchorage, Alaska 1080 AM KUDO
Akron, Ohio 1350 AM WARF
Asheville, North Carolina 880 AM WPEK
Binghamton, New York 1360 AM WYOS
Boston, Massachusetts 1200 AM & 1430 AM WKOX (Framingham, MA) & WXKS
Buffalo, New York 1520 AM WWKB
Burlington, Vermont 1390 AM WVAA
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 1360 AM WCHL-AM
Charlottesville, Virginia 1450 AM WVAX
Chattanooga, Tennessee 1310 AM WDOD
Chicago, Illinois 850 AM WCPT
Columbus, Ohio 1230 AM WTPG
Corpus Christi, Texas 1150 AM KCCT
Davenport, Iowa 1270 AM WKBF
Daytona Beach, Florida 1590 AM WPUL
Eugene, Oregon (Tape delayed to 9pm) 1600 AM KOPT
Eureka, California 1480 AM KGOE
Fresno, California 790 AM KFPT
Ithaca, New York 1470 AM WNYY
Las Vegas, Nevada 970 AM KNUU
Los Angeles, California 1150 AM (flagship station) KTLK
Madison, Wisconsin 92.1 FM WXXM
Miami, Florida 940 AM WINZ
Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota 950 AM KTNF
Monterey, California 540 AM KRXA
New Haven, Connecticut 1300 AM WAVZ
Reno, Nevada 1230 AM KJFK
Rochester, New York 950 AM WROC
Sacramento, California 1240 AM KSAC
San Francisco, California 960 AM (Stream Only) KQKE
Santa Barbara, California 1340 AM KIST
Seattle, Washington 1090 AM KPTK
Springfield, Massachusetts 1450 AM WMAS
Spokane, Washington 1280 AM KPTQ
Traverse City, Michigan 750 AM WWKK
Tucson, Arizona 1330 AM KJLL
Washington, DC 1260 AM WWRC
Wheeling, West Virginia 1370 AM WVLY

Leykis' show was marketed and saw its most growth in the mid-1990s as part of the "Hot Talk" format explosion. It was sold as quasi-political specifically for the 25-54 audience, with heavy call screening to keep people over 50 off their show (Leykis regularly made this publicly known - those over 50 were screened out except for the occasional comedy routine which let on an older caller in order for Leykis to taunt them). But the political side of his show more and more gave way to culture/lifestyle topics designed to help him retain a young male audience. His ratings "couldn't draw flies" in our area, according to the PD of the then-Hot Talk format WHTK (it's now mostly sports talk).

He's the Dr. Laura of the Hot Talk format - his 15 minutes are over.

As far as this TV show you mentioned, I think you are referring to her Hollywood/entertainment interview show which aired four around four weeks in 1995. It was a show with Hollywood celebs who pitched their products and then they had a musical guest on. It wasn't political at all, so that is probably why nobody was considering that.

While I enjoy her show, as someone who knows that she's blowing smoke about being so highly rated, it gets a little old and makes her hard to take. Like the other day when Savage claimed to have 10 mil or ("you never know") UPWARDS of 20 mil listeners ("smart people say everyone listens to you, Mike")... this kind of nonsense really detracts from the show when you and I know his number if really closer to 6 mil.

Michael Savage has nothing to do with Stephanie Miller.

I've talked to the guy whose polka show got the best weekend ratings on a now-gone brokered station here in Phoenix. "Best on her station" means nothing. She's on in morning drive for heaven's sake... what, did you think the overnight show would beat her? (BTW, the midnight hour of Coast to Coast on KFI beats the each hour of her show in AQH in LA county... great performance)

The polka show guy is not a nationally syndicated liberal talk host who is adding stations every month. Ultimately, station execs must know something the talking points crowd who dismiss libtalk don't - there are listeners and Miller's show is an exceptionally bright spot in a field filled with a lot of starter hosts. And these ratings happen whether the show is cleared live or not.

Bottom line is she and Leykis, since you made the point of arguing it, are both talented and not doing the typical talk radio schtick, but seeing that Leykis has been doing a national show for 13 straight years and she's been at it for 2 with a lesser syndicator, I'd say she's not as great as you say.

That's faulty logic if I ever saw it. Because someone came first means they will always be better than those that come after, even as stations drop Leykis' show while others add Miller? And this while fighting against the silly premise some radio execs have that libtalk can never work as a format so why give them a chance? Randi Rhodes beat Rush Limbaugh consistently in her W Palm Beach market book after book, but CC refused to syndicate her because Limbaugh threatened to walk if they did.

 

[ajhenderson]

"Randi Rhodes beat Rush Limbaugh consistently in her W Palm Beach market book after book, but CC refused to syndicate her because Limbaugh threatened to walk if they did."
THAT'S a talking point. She's on in PMD and he's on middays in a liberal market. She's not beating him elsewhere.

"Your allegation that I hate everyone but Miller is nonsense - I have praised a number of shows on this very board. Randi Rhodes, Lionel, Thom Hartmann"
Basically all liberal hosts.

Your affiliate list is incorrect; she was never on, for example, KNEWS in Las Vegas. Ed Schultz was, and is long gone.

"Leykis' show was marketed and saw its most growth in the mid-1990s as part of the "Hot Talk" format explosion. It was sold as quasi-political specifically for the 25-54 audience, with heavy call screening to keep people over 50 off their show (Leykis regularly made this publicly known - those over 50 were screened out except for the occasional comedy routine which let on an older caller in order for Leykis to taunt them). But the political side of his show more and more gave way to culture/lifestyle topics designed to help him retain a young male audience. His ratings "couldn't draw flies" in our area, according to the PD of the then-Hot Talk format WHTK (it's now mostly sports talk)."
No, it was a hotter political show. The political show was basically cancelled but "The Tom Leykis Show" was retained under a new banner. There are plenty of hosts, LIKE MILLER, who don't talk about political items for every minutes of three hours, but are still political shows.

"Michael Savage has nothing to do with Stephanie Miller."
It does, seeing that I made a point that while I enjoy her show, her blowhardedness (similar to his) gets hard to take, with her saying that she gets better ratings from everyone from Snow to Beck and Hannity. Her national cume is well below all of them and she's not beating them many places. Speaking of call screening, when I called to inform her than Glenn Beck didn't "get canned" in favor of her show in Tucson, I was (surprise) screened out. Call screening, in your opinion, is horrible when it's Tom Leykis screening you out, but Stephanie Miller can lie and screen away. As usual, you're a hypocrite. And I'm sure you'll edit out my praise for her show when you reply, because it's the only way you can win. I don't have anything against her talent, as you do with everyone who doesn't practice Marxism.

"And these ratings happen whether the show is cleared live or not."
My point on George Noory beating her morning drive show in LA was that he can get better ratings at midnight than she can in the highest cumed daypart of the week. It has nothing to do with her being live; if they were both on at midnight, she'd have two listeners and Noory would still have in the mid five digits.

"He's the Dr. Laura of the Hot Talk format - his 15 minutes are over."
I hate to inform you, but both of them are still beating Miller, and in Dr. Laura's case, clobbering her, in terms of national performance. Dr. Laura is #2 12+ in Miller's home market of LA and, like Noory, gets much better ratings from noon-3 than Miller gets in mornings. Talk to some people in SoCal and tell me if Dr. Laura's 15 minutes are over. Just because you live in insignificant upstate New York doesn't mean the rest of the world revolves around what happens in Rochester.

"As far as this TV show you mentioned, I think you are referring to her Hollywood/entertainment interview show which aired four around four weeks in 1995. It was a show with Hollywood celebs who pitched their products and then they had a musical guest on. It wasn't political at all, so that is probably why nobody was considering that."
Well, Tom Leykis' previous failures in different formats seem to be fodder for you, so why the inconsistency? A failed show is a failed show. Mind you, there have been plenty of failed shows that I myself liked, and this is one of them, but she's still no huge success up to now.

Then you said:
"Ultimately, station execs must know something the talking points crowd who dismiss libtalk don't - there are listeners and Miller's show is an exceptionally bright spot in a field filled with a lot of starter hosts."
and you then said
"And this while fighting against the silly premise some radio execs have that libtalk can never work as a format so why give them a chance?"
I'd say they go hand in hand. I've never said libtalk wasn't a good format, and makes the most sense of any talk subformat in a lot of markets. But if you want to dictate how stations are programmed, start saving your money and buy one.

 

[SeanMGilbow]

Cat fight!!!

But seriously....

The non-PT market has apparently been working for Big Eddie.

But if you want an example in the reverse, there's WOR's Lionel, who just joined the Talkers Magazine Top 25 after adding a number of progressive talk stations over the last two years.

He sees himself as neither a liberal talk show host or a conservative talk show host. But he still drives the neocons nuts.

As for Stephanie, Columbus' WTPG was one of three stations carrying her from day one, along with her affiliates in Anchorage and Satan-worshipping Madison, Wisconsin. (Fans of Steph know the running gag on that.) She and Al Franken remain the station's shows with the most listenership.