Talk Radio used to inform..Now it just alienates

[brian65]

When I started listening decades ago I actually felt that I was learning new things or more about issues.

Sure can't say that now.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

There are days I feel that way.

Then I ask myself: Did I already learn everything talk radio has to say, and I can't enjoy learning the same thing over again?

Do brand new listeners to Talk Radio today feel as good about Talk Radio today and we felt about it those many years ago?

I try to think outside myself this way but when I come back inside myself, I have to say: Talk Radio today has no legs.

 

[Ultimajock]

...contemporary talk radio isn't in the business to inform. It's in the business to reinforce prejudices, whether social, political and/or intellectual. It's there to give you a reason to say, "Yeah, I thought so." Occasionally it will entertain on the side. Information? That's what all those dusty books at the public library are for...

 

[The Beave]

Then I ask myself: Did I already learn everything talk radio has to say, and I can't enjoy learning the same thing over again?

I try to think outside myself this way but when I come back inside myself

Talk radio has changed... I was buried in it for several years... This year esprcially the presidential campaigns have reminded me of a circus - all with the same clowns. As if politics wasn't the ONLY topic that america was interested in...Local shows have my interest more than the national ones, but then again one out of every 5 days I find myself glued to the nationals.

 

[brian65]

Other topics certainly would be interesting.

I'm just sick and tired of every topic being politicized before its even discussed. It makes me think that these syndicated talkers get the ratings they do because they are on the stations they are, at the times they are.

I have to think there is a lot of listener dissatisfaction not evidenced in the ratings simply because theres really nothing else on terrestrial AM to listen to.

 

[ificandream]

Other topics certainly would be interesting.

I'm just sick and tired of every topic being politicized before its even discussed. It makes me think that these syndicated talkers get the ratings they do because they are on the stations they are, at the times they are.

I have to think there is a lot of listener dissatisfaction not evidenced in the ratings simply because theres really nothing else on terrestrial AM to listen to.

More than politicizing ideas, talk radio -- especially the conservative talkers -- are turning their listeners into robots. They parrot everything their favorite hosts say and spout their doctrine automatically.

They don't call them dittoheads for nothing.

 

[ponderosaAZ]

...contemporary talk radio isn't in the business to inform. It's in the business to reinforce prejudices, whether social, political and/or intellectual. It's there to give you a reason to say, "Yeah, I thought so." Occasionally it will entertain on the side.

and for the reasons that you point out, that's why most hosts on air america, salem, and nova-m have low ratings. they attack the political views of listeners with opposing viewpoints, and certainly don't provide much entertainment value, unlike legends in the biz in the old school like bruce williams, jim bohannon, and art bell

 

[cm454]

More than politicizing ideas, talk radio -- especially the conservative talkers -- are turning their listeners into robots. They parrot everything their favorite hosts say and spout their doctrine automatically.

They don't call them dittoheads for nothing.

What's especially pathetic, is when you actually recognize many hosts are just parroting what the more successful hosts are saying. It's a big pyramid of drones.

I have listened to talkradio since I was in my mid-teens back in the mid 1970's, and I do enjoy some political talk---but not CONSTANTLY. Not only is political talk banged away at repeatedly, but it is so predictable and one-sided now that it is often unlistenable---whether you agree with the host or not!

Talkradio still has a lot of listeners, not because of political talk, but in spite of it.

This is all but guaranteeing that younger generations will never even give it a chance, since most people, including many talk listeners like myself, know there's MORE going on in this world besides politics ---much of which would be interesting to talk about.

 

[jaymarvin]

Talk radio used to be fun, and it used to be infused with a heavy dose of show biz like outrageous behavior. Now? It's nothing but politics, politics all the time. Even that wouldn't be so bad if it weren't right-wing politics all the time. AAR has been lost since it started. Instead of going out and getting good radio people they put on people who had never done radio before. There's also to much syndication. Talk radio has no great talent left like Neil Rogers, who is still on the air, but he's about it. Hell, you can't even get into an argument with a caller now, and people get mad. Talk radio used to be like pro wrestling with lots of drama and talk show hosts who were "faces" or "heels." I never check out others hosts on the air when I'm away from the station. If you've heard these folks once you've heard it all because they'll turn around and do the same thing again the next day. :'(

 

[DToTheJ]

AAR has been lost since it started. Instead of going out and getting good radio people they put on people who had never done radio before.

Exhibit A: Jeanine (sp! I know) Garofalo
Exhibit B: Chuck D
Exhibit C: WHOOPI (ok, so she was on music stations, but still...)

I think the only host out there that infuses both politics and fun is Stephanie Miller.

 

[ificandream]

AAR has been lost since it started. Instead of going out and getting good radio people they put on people who had never done radio before.

Exhibit A: Jeanine (sp! I know) Garofalo
Exhibit B: Chuck D
Exhibit C: WHOOPI (ok, so she was on music stations, but still...)

I think the only host out there that infuses both politics and fun is Stephanie Miller.

I find Thom Hartmann's program very intelligent and listenable, too. I recently started listening to Randi Rhodes again. She's strictly for entertainment when I get pissed off about right-wing idiots and I need to hear someone say how stupid they are.

 

[WTUX]

While working at a News/Talk station in the 1990's, the PD would refer to AM N/T as the old AM Top 40 format without the music. In the old Top 40 days, an energenic dj offered patter between the same 20 or so songs played every 2 hours. At least every couple of weeks, new songs replaced those falling off the charts.

Talk radio is the host (dj) offering up the same ten topics daily during a 3-hour shift. (Or these days, its like the charts in early 1964-ten songs an hour by the same artist-The Beatles! Today it is ten "topics" about Obama). The trouble is, with an election cycle lasting two years, the same "topics" aren't falling off "the charts". That is why Rush offers "Open Line Friday." If the listener wants to talk abouot something else, its put on the table. On other days, he'll talk about sex, getting massages, football, Economics 101, etc. Hannity needs to do more of that.

As to the second and third tier of talk hosts copying the first tier, it is no different today than it was during the Top 40 days. Us new dj's tried to copy the big guys we grew up listening to. We wanted to be the next generation of THEM. Talk hosts today are doing the same thing we did back then: copy the big guys. Those who will be success are the ones who copy for awhile, but then develop their own style, just like the successful dj's of the past.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Thank you for a very interesting perspective, WTUX.

There have always been rewards for innovators in all industries. Current history focuses on those who changed things because of their unique personality.... J C Penney, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, etc. None of these people were the products of think tanks, MBA programs, etc. Most broadcast innovators have been one-of-a-kind personalities.

The business world today however has learned to structure and develop a lot of things through internal disciplines that work. (I know, business delivers a lot of trash and lemons, too, when the wrong people are running the structure and development.)

So how does radio find the discipline to nurture and develop new formats, new concepts? Are big companies like CC, Cumulus, etc eventually the answer... they just haven't learned how to dance gracefully yet? Are small groups run by one entrepreneur the answer?

If Harlow Goldenrod sitting in some obscure station somewhere can become the next Rush or the next Imus or the next Paul Harvey or the next Arthur Godfrey.... as soon as he flops and flounders around for awhile and works out his persona.... then we know the business still works the same way as always.

Companies like 3M, Kodak, Eli Lilly, GE, and others have built a mechanism that recruits young talent, gives it a place to play, identifies those with genius and gives them a bigger place to play, and we have companies built not around ONE genius, but a team system and a farm system.

Is that happening anywhere in radio? Could it be "made to happen" or are serendipity and brute force always going to be our methodology?

 

[ponderosaAZ]

AAR has been lost since it started. Instead of going out and getting good radio people they put on people who had never done radio before.

Exhibit A: Jeanine (sp! I know) Garofalo
Exhibit B: Chuck D
Exhibit C: WHOOPI (ok, so she was on music stations, but still...)

I think the only host out there that infuses both politics and fun is Stephanie Miller.

good point - combining politics and fun is important for ratings

also Bill Handel, Alan Colmes, Allan Prell, Ernie Brown, Bryan Styble, Turi Ryder, Jim Villanucci, and Jay Diamond with Jay's imitations

if I was PD I would have all of them on my station because they are funny - colmes' radio graffitti is terrific

tom clendening formerly of the formerly mighty KIRO knows how to hire a great lineup of entertaining hosts

 

[ponderosaAZ]

quote author=Goat Rodeo Cowboy
There have always been rewards for innovators in all industries. Current history focuses on those who changed things because of their unique personality.... J C Penney, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, etc. None of these people were the products of think tanks, MBA programs, etc. Most broadcast innovators have been one-of-a-kind personalities.

agree - brian jennings, phil boyce, love them or hate them, have been a success, jennings beginning in seattle at KVI

quote author Goat Radio Coyote Also Says:
So how does radio find the discipline to nurture and develop new formats, new concepts? Are big companies like CC, Cumulus, etc eventually the answer... they just haven't learned how to dance gracefully yet? Are small groups run by one entrepreneur the answer?


yes, and since the big companies have taken over the AM dial of talking points, it's up to entrepreneurs and the New Low Power AM "movement" (part 15, unlicensed, legal, 100mW)

 

[The Beave]

quote author=Goat Rodeo Cowboy
There have always been rewards for innovators in all industries. Current history focuses on those who changed things because of their unique personality.... J C Penney, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, etc. None of these people were the products of think tanks, MBA programs, etc. Most broadcast innovators have been one-of-a-kind personalities.

agree - brian jennings, phil boyce, love them or hate them, have been a success, jennings beginning in seattle at KVI

quote author Goat Radio Coyote Also Says:
So how does radio find the discipline to nurture and develop new formats, new concepts? Are big companies like CC, Cumulus, etc eventually the answer... they just haven't learned how to dance gracefully yet? Are small groups run by one entrepreneur the answer?


yes, and since the big companies have taken over the AM dial of talking points, it's up to entrepreneurs and the New Low Power AM "movement" (part 15, unlicensed, legal, 100mW)

PonderosaAZ please PM me with the part 15 details... I am about put in a bid for a CP in Minnesota.

Save me the frustration...

 

[ponderosaAZ]

search under LPAM and Rangemaster Transmitters

http://lpam.info/

http://www.lpam.info/index.php?page=regulations

http://www.am1000rangemaster.com/


and there are rules at the fcc web site on LPAM

 

[cm454]

AAR has been lost since it started. Instead of going out and getting good radio people they put on people who had never done radio before.

Exhibit A: Jeanine (sp! I know) Garofalo
Exhibit B: Chuck D
Exhibit C: WHOOPI (ok, so she was on music stations, but still...)

I think the only host out there that infuses both politics and fun is Stephanie Miller.

good point - combining politics and fun is important for ratings

also Bill Handel, Alan Colmes, Allan Prell, Ernie Brown, Bryan Styble, Turi Ryder, Jim Villanucci, and Jay Diamond with Jay's imitations

if I was PD I would have all of them on my station because they are funny - colmes' radio graffitti is terrific

Unfortunately, all of the names you just threw out, including Miller, are agenda-driven, one-trick ponies themselves.

How about some entertaining talent that actually THINKS for themselves and doesn't have a political agenda they need to tie themselves to!

Doesn't anybody have the COURAGE to be reasonable anymore?

 

[The Beave]

I'll back Jim Villanucci - I used to work with the guy...Purely a great listen.

On another point... Neal Boortz had a good rant today on radio industry localism...

Try to get a copy and listen. It might ruffle a few feathers.

 

[ponderosaAZ]

cm454wrote
Unfortunately, all of the names you just threw out, including Miller, are agenda-driven, one-trick ponies themselves.

How about some entertaining talent that actually THINKS for themselves and doesn't have a political agenda they need to tie themselves to!

Doesn't anybody have the COURAGE to be reasonable anymore?
[/quote]



it seems that just about everyone has an agenda, but what counts is that the show is entertaining, like the names I mentioned (Villanucci, Colmes, Miller, Bill Handel, Karel, Ed Schultz, etc)

you can talk about relative degrees of agenda-drivenness - Air America, NOVA-M, TRN, and Salem are too much agenda driven and lacking in humor.

in my experience, these networks are also overly sensitive to constructive criticism from others in the industry, because they think their overly simplistic, highly emotionally charged viewpoints are the only correct solution to today's societal problems and that all other opinions are wrong.

so, cm454, in that case, what would you think about fair and balanced hosts who don't take sides, like Dave Ross, Ronn Owens, Jim Bohannon, and Charlie Jaco ?