Talkers and Fall listenship data

[dustintv]

Talkers has realesed the fall data for listenership amongst the top radio shows...

http://www.talkers.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=34

Suprises? I know I've been told to take these numbers with a grain of salt in the past, but...

-Ed Schultz slipping in numbers
-Gallagher, Medved, and Levin rising. Infact Levin is up about 1.5 million listeners since the spring data.
-Dennis Miller being so low on the list. I don't know why, I just thought he would be higher or something.

Actually overall the audiences of at the least the top seven all rose, most likely due to anticipation of the elections.

 

[SeanMGilbow]

Dennis and Stephanie Miller--1.5 million + listeners. And Stephanie has fewer stations. Momma shows she can do more with less.

Attention MSNBC...ever consider Miller and Miller vs. Hannity and Colmes?

 

[cm454]

-Dennis Miller being so low on the list. I don't know why, I just thought he would be higher or something.

Why would you think Miller would be higher? He's terrible on the radio, and not just because of his obscure referencing. He also has that classic TV Guy presence on radio: LAID BACK.

When you're on the radio, you really have to project more than when you're mic'd for TV. This creates much more of an audio presence. TV Guys always sound less covally polished in that regard.

 

[dustintv]

I don't listen to Miller's show enought to critique but I thought Miller's show would be higher with him being a very well established star and unlike Beck, Boortz, Doyle etc. Miller is actually cleared in top markets like NYC. But I also remembered that Miller airs on a lot of second-tier stations most often with O'Reilly as well as a favorite non-Salem show for those 0.8 Salem stations.

 

[brian65]

I don't listen to Miller's show enought to critique but I thought Miller's show would be higher with him being a very well established star and unlike Beck, Boortz, Doyle etc. Miller is actually cleared in top markets like NYC. But I also remembered that Miller airs on a lot of second-tier stations most often with O'Reilly as well as a favorite non-Salem show for those 0.8 Salem stations.

I wish their were some second tier stations here in Cincinnati.

A little variety sure would be nice for a change.

 

[radiotower40]

I was kind of surprised that Dr. Laura was as high as she was. She has not been on WLS in Chicago for about 7 years now, and she was
on a small station in southern Chicago for about a year and was also cancelled there. I believe the only station close to Chicago that she
is on is 250watt WLIP in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and hasn't she been bumped to later time slots on some of the bigger stations like WJR in
Detroit?

I will tell you something that does not surprise me much, that is Dennis Miller. I thought he started off a little slow but, he seemed to
click after about a month or so. Now I am at the point where I really have not tuned him in for a while because he started to get really
boring in my opinion. I could have just caught a couple of bad shows but, it just seems like he is really not into the show anymore.
Which is disappointing because I thought he would be a person who would be more on the comedic side, rather than your run of the
mill political talk show. I do enjoy political talk but I was hoping he would be more of an alternative to that than he is.

 

[gunterm]

How many affiliates does Dennis Miller have? That could explain him being low on the listeners since its a new show.

 

[dustintv]

How many affiliates does Dennis Miller have? That could explain him being low on the listeners since its a new show.

My best estimate would be at least 100+ stations. Unlike others fixtures like Beck and Boortz, Miller has been able to establish clearances in the top markets. Unlike Lou Dobbs' new show, these aren't broom closet operations with rimshot signals either. Miller is on WOR, KRLA, WIND, KNEW, WNTP etc. Granted these aren't ratings winners and he's often delayed, but it's better than nothing. The new show idea is also reasonable as well, didn't Hannity start out at the bottom too?

I guess we'll have to wait to see how Miller does. He'll start improving, or being on lower-rated stations along with the criticism of him being unsuitable for talk radio will hurt him.

I was kind of surprised that Dr. Laura was as high as she was. She has not been on WLS in Chicago for about 7 years now, and she was
on a small station in southern Chicago for about a year and was also cancelled there. I believe the only station close to Chicago that she
is on is 250watt WLIP in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and hasn't she been bumped to later time slots on some of the bigger stations like WJR in
Detroit?

True, she lost a lot of stations when Hannity first appeared on WABC, being relegated to NJ station WWDJ for a NYC clearance. But I think out west she continues to be live on popular stations like KFI, KSFO, and KOGO too. I wouldn't be surprised if the other Laura(Ingraham) surpasses her soon.

 

[del_griffith]

Wish they would show rolling numbers like they do with Arbitron ratings.

 

[jimwalsh2001]

Political talk is big with the listeners for the same reason grass soup is popular in North Korea - it's pretty much all they can get.

The industry doesn't have the courage or the vision to offer anything else. ;D

 

[Don62]

Political talk is big with the listeners for the same reason grass soup is popular in North Korea - it's pretty much all they can get.

The industry doesn't have the courage or the vision to offer anything else. ;D

Dittos.
The same can be said for many other missing radio formats, like real oldies, adult standards, EZ listening, etc.

There's a lot of formats and interesting radio to be had out there, but not under the reins of today's narrow sighted owners.
[size=10pt]
"We can miss out on school. Won't that be cool. Why go to hear the wisdom of fools."

"And as the elders of our time choose to remain blind, Let us rejoice and let us sing and dance and ring in the new . . .
Hail Atlantis!"[/size]

 

[jimwalsh2001]

"And as the elders of our time choose to remain blind, Let us rejoice and let us sing and dance and ring in the new . . .
Hail Atlantis!"

Way dooooooooooooowwwwwwwn, below the ooooooocean... ;D

 

[ajhenderson]

I agree with basically everything CM said. For Dennis Miller, when the majority of your clears in markets of significance are (allegedly, since this is a litigious society) brokered time on bad Salem stations, mostly at night, with marginal signals, you can't expect to do well.

Dr. Laura's number does seem a little high. The world doesn't revolve around Chicago; she is on a dog station in NYC and owns KFI. Pretty decent on KSFO, as well. But I think you're right.

Since Sean loves Stephanie Miller so much, I'll add that I was pleased to see Glenn Beck finally overtake Laura Ingrahan and make it as high as he did. Although does anyone share my sentiments that the show feels different now that it did 5 years ago when, despite huge numbers on my local affiliate at the time, people would say "Glenn who?"?

 

[Don62]

"And as the elders of our time choose to remain blind, Let us rejoice and let us sing and dance and ring in the new . . .
Hail Atlantis!"

Way dooooooooooooowwwwwwwn, below the ooooooocean... ;D

Good catch.

Kind of describes the state of today's radio owners. Deaf, dumb and blind (their eyes are only open to $$$. Creativity and listeners interests get thrown out the door.)

No one caught on to the first verse?

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

He also has that classic TV Guy presence on radio: LAID BACK.

When you're on the radio, you really have to project more than when you're mic'd for TV.

Really? Maybe you could pick up a few extra bucks consulting for NPR. They apparently have not stumbled into this bit of wisdom.

 

[radiotower40]

I agree with basically everything CM said. For Dennis Miller, when the majority of your clears in markets of significance are (allegedly, since this is a litigious society) brokered time on bad Salem stations, mostly at night, with marginal signals, you can't expect to do well.

Dr. Laura's number does seem a little high. The world doesn't revolve around Chicago; she is on a dog station in NYC and owns KFI. Pretty decent on KSFO, as well. But I think you're right.

Since Sean loves Stephanie Miller so much, I'll add that I was pleased to see Glenn Beck finally overtake Laura Ingrahan and make it as high as he did. Although does anyone share my sentiments that the show feels different now that it did 5 years ago when, despite huge numbers on my local affiliate at the time, people would say "Glenn who?"?

KCJB, I'm with you on Glenn Beck, he is not on the radio here anymore because WCKG our FM talk station was blown up to
bring in the FRESH format. I was really starting to like the show, he seemed to be a lot more entertaining than he was when I first
listened to him a couple of years back. I have to agree with you on my last post I "OVERCHICAGOED" it just a wee bit

 

[jimwalsh2001]

No one caught on to the first verse?

"We can miss out on school. Won't that be cool. Why go to hear the wisdom of fools."

Steely Dan? ???

 

[newhampshiredude]

Dennis Miller did seem a little low for me also, but he has been picked up by many more stations since then (I say that as someone who can't stand his show).

I'm a Laura Ingraham fan, but I think Glenn's increased listenership and overtake of her happend because Laura is a niche that just isn't filled by anyone else (Mark Levin is probably the closest) in talk radio, whereas Glenn is more the put-it-in-your-face conservative talker that appeals to the men 25-54 demo, which is very important for talk radio. Laura will still continue to rise in listenership, as will Glenn, but with his inabilty to score big-market affiliations, I think Laura and him will still stay in competition.

 

[Signal_Faded]

Okay...I know we all debate this list every time it comes out. The lefties wonder why Schultz is so low and the righties wonder why he is so high.

My question, however, revolves around the numbers of Rush and Sean. Talkers has Rush at 14+ million and Sean at 13+ million. I see ratings in many different markets and notice a significant drop when Hannity takes over for Rush. In some cases I am seeing a 40-50% drop. Most times the drop is 15-30%. So who is not getting the proper credit? Rush at 14+ or Sean at 13+? I've heard some arguments that Rush is pushing 20 million listeners. If he is then I would not be shocked to see Sean near 13-14 million.

Thoughts?

 

[ajhenderson]

What do you mean "takes over"? You mean when Rush moves elsewhere and Hannity is left on his own with no lead-in? Both shows have suffered over the past few years in some markets. You'll recall KSTP/Minneapolis was more than happy to get rid of both when CC's KTLK-FM came along.