> > Might WCKG-105.9 become a "mainstream" talk station??
> >
> > They already broadcast Bill O'Reilly (but not live); and
> > WCKG parent Infinity has signed Jay Severin, of Boston's
> > WTKK-96.9 to do a nationally-syndicted talk show starting
> in
> > January.
> >
>
> But Bill is essentially the only mainstream host on WCKG.
> Adding John & Jeff and Loveline were not exactly
> "mainstream" moves. And the day-old Jim Cramer, I don't
> think that anyone knows what their plans are if they want to
> remain talk.
I've been thinking lately that sooner or later, someone will have to start doing mainstream news-talk on FM. Part of the reason that public radio's been having ratings success in drive times, including WBEZ here (which is hard to initially see since Arbitron separates non-com figures), is because they're the only place on FM to get news/weather/traffic in drive at dependable times, if not as frequently as the AM stations. (The funny thing is that I can imagine that for more Stern listeners than you might think, 'BEZ's the button they go to during those infamous 20-minute breaks.) I would think that an FM news-talker that did the traffic and weather frequently and consistently, particularly in drive time, could get an audience, with so many people not even having AM on their radar anymore.