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Syndicated competition to Limbaugh

A

AM_Rocks

Guest
Russ is the granddad of all talk. Love him or hate him, he brings in big numbers and he's tough to beat. And, with a deal to be on Clear Channel stations, what's a competitor to do?
Two questions:
1) Is there any market where someone at a news or talk station is actually beating Rush in his daypart? (local or syndicated.)
2) Is there any syndicated show that is looking promising to getting some numbers despite being on opposite Rush.

Thanks.
 
Bill Cunningham at WLW, but remember he had a several year head start. From what I hear about WGST in Atlanta, probably both the last hour of Boortz and Clark Howard on Wsb are ahead. I don't know of any up and coming personality would handily beat Rush. O'Reilly didn't.
 
gr8oldies said:
From what I hear about WGST in Atlanta, probably both the last hour of Boortz and Clark Howard on Wsb are ahead.
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And that probably has less to do with what Boortz and Howard have to offer, and more to do with GST's weak signal.
 
Not sure why WGST would have a weak signal in the daytime when they're running 50000 watts, just like WSB. Night is a different matter with WGST powering down to 1000 watts.
 
AM_Rocks said:
Is there any syndicated show that is looking promising to getting some numbers despite being on opposite Rush.
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I think Michael Smerconish has a bright future in radio. He could get the torch by default if/when Limbaugh hangs it up.
 
gr8oldies said:
Bill Cunningham at WLW, but remember he had a several year head start. From what I hear about WGST in Atlanta, probably both the last hour of Boortz and Clark Howard on Wsb are ahead. I don't know of any up and coming personality would handily beat Rush. O'Reilly didn't.
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WSB is indeed ahead. Both Boortz and Howard are Atlanta locals and WSB produces their shows, so they've both had a long local history. Clark Howard also does a segment for WSB-TV. It's no surprise both stomp WGST.
 
So if you had a station that was up against a Limbaugh, what would you do?
 
Completely different side of the political spectrum, but I do believe that Ed Schultz has a bright future in radio. He is also on some conservative stations, though I am sure he isn't beating Rush anywhere just yet
 
Baltimore's WBAL does live and local talk opposite WCBM doing Rush. Wilmington Delaware's WDEL also does live and local against WILM's Limbaugh/Hannity lineup.

I've not seen the ratings for specific time slots such as noon-3pm for any of those stations (Wilmington or Baltimore), but I don't remember reading, on these boards or anywhere else, ever that WBAL or WDEL beat out Rush. They may both do OK in spite of Rush being on their respective cross town rivals, but I've never heard WDEL's news director (who does chime in on these boards from time to time) ever bragging about his station beating out WILM during Limbaugh's show. I'm sure if WDEL had beat WILM during Limbaugh's time slot, he'd have put it up on the Delaware Board as the two stations have had a long time rivalry for many years. If he reads this, we may get a real answer. I only offer conjecture.
 
argentarius said:
Completely different side of the political spectrum, but I do believe that Ed Schultz has a bright future in radio. He is also on some conservative stations, though I am sure he isn't beating Rush anywhere just yet
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I'll agree to that, If i had a talk station and couldn't get the big three (Beck, Hannity, Rush), Schultz is one of the first I'd call
 
You could always run the Savage refeed up against Rush, not that it would work. I'm running Prager and getting killed. I wish TRN would pony up Jerry Doyle during Rush. I could make a dent in my market with Doyle. He is just wasting away late when he could be a real answer. My bold prediction; once Savage FINALLY blows a gasket TRN moves Doyle and Doyle explodes within 18 months and we're all talking about him being a real weapon instead of an alternative.

The only other option I can see for me is Laura Ingram's refeed but her voice is about as bad as "My kids Mom".

The whole question of "what opposite Rush" is talk radio's Rubik's cube and I never solved that either.
 
Dr. Laura?

There are lots of other subjects covered by lots of other talk show hosts. But politics (particularly of the right wing variety) seems to energize a large and marketable group of people. It would be nice if things like sex, travel, food, sports, and even financial advice (all of which are covered by syndicated hosts) could energize a group as Rush does. The only other thing is religion, but I couldn't tell you who the players are.
 
AM_Rocks said:
So if you had a station that was up against a Limbaugh, what would you do?
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In the past few years it was easy to counter-program with O'Reilly. Sure the ratings were modest but there was the name-recognition and it probably paid the bills. In 2009 however it's a bit trickier. Sure in the 12PM-3PM ET spot there's Dennis Prager and Jim Sumpter. Both are nice guys but neither of their shows have reached Limbaugh's height. Fred Thompson's took over O'Reilly's spot but so far it's not working.

The other option is to air a 10AM-1PM show like Boortz or Dennis Miller. There's name recognition with both. The problem is finding something to fill between 1-3PM which could air a delayed morning show like Boortz, Miller, Ingraham, and if possible Beck.

Religion? Well there's Dobson and Parshall but both in my opinion are unlistenable programs.
 
It would depend on the local talent. No one is going to switch with the only reason being that someone's butt is in a local chair
 
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