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Why hasn't Air America Been A Hit in Eugene

M

Magic91derful

Guest
Air America is barely a blip on the radar in Eugene. After chasing Michael
Savage off the air, you would think there was a crying need for the left
to have their own station, so far its a bust. Perhaps Eugene-Springfield
proper is a lot more conservative than the small but active leftists.
 
> Air America is barely a blip on the radar in Eugene. After
> chasing Michael
> Savage off the air, you would think there was a crying need
> for the left
> to have their own station, so far its a bust. Perhaps
> Eugene-Springfield
> proper is a lot more conservative than the small but active
> leftists.
>

I don't know the Eugene market all that well, but I'll hazard a guess based on Air America's performance in Boston, a fellow blue-state bastion (if you will). The radio dial here already has a pretty liberal presence: Three, arguably four significant NPR outlets (WBUR, WGBH, WUMB and sort of WICN)...plus a moderate, perhaps mildly conservative flamethrower AM in WBZ. Toss in the two dozen college stations (four of which are really major signals that cover the metro area and then some) which ALL have a hard-core left-wing bent, several of which air the Pacifica programming.

Add all that up, and there's not really a crying need for a liberal talk outlet here. Sure it's great stuff, but it's damn hard to drag listeners away from their preferred stations when they're already pretty happy with what they got, and what's being offered isn't obviously different to them.

Again, I can't speak much for Eugene, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's all that different.

Granted, Boston's AAR outlet also has significant signal issues: the WKOX/WXKS 1200/1430 AM combo is pretty decent during the day, but at night is another story - and for a third of the year, both AM and PM drive are after dark. At night, WKOX is on a very noisy channel without much wattage, and WXKS nulls so hard that it can't be heard in Boston proper at all. WKOX holds a complicated CP that'll make it a major player in Boston, though...it's been tied up in zoning battles but those finally got cleared a few months ago; with luck they'll get the new towers up this summer. But I'm not sure that'll really help all that much in overcoming the above issues (not to mention Clear Channel owns both WXKS and WKOX with no guarantee they'll keep AAR on their hefty new WKOX signal http://tinyurl.com/hm247 )
 
> Air America is barely a blip on the radar in Eugene. After
> chasing Michael
> Savage off the air, you would think there was a crying need
> for the left
> to have their own station, so far its a bust. Perhaps
> Eugene-Springfield
> proper is a lot more conservative than the small but active
> leftists.
>

It has nothing to do with politics; its just bad/amature radio...
 
> > Air America is barely a blip on the radar in Eugene. After
>
> > chasing Michael
> > Savage off the air, you would think there was a crying
> need
> > for the left
> > to have their own station, so far its a bust. Perhaps
> > Eugene-Springfield
> > proper is a lot more conservative than the small but
> active
> > leftists.
> >
>
> It has nothing to do with politics; its just bad/amature
> radio...
>
I know it is, however that same "bad radio" does pretty damn
well in portland. Eugene for its size, is the most activist
city in the country.
 
There are several issues in Eugene.

Air America got moved to a different frequency several months after it was launched and after a lot of money was spent promoting the original frequency.

The local NPR affiliate is consistently the highest rated station in town 25-54, and is often #1 12+. People who love their NPR News/Talk aren't likely to be pulled away except for things that NPR stations typically do poorly, namely traffic and weather. The AAR station (KOPT) also doesn't do traffic and weather very well, if at all.

For a time KOPT had a conservative-leaning local morning host, which got them some bad publicity, letters to the newspaper editor, etc. That situation has been corrected, but it did hurt them.

AAR does have a full-market signal day and night, but being at 1600 AM there is less likelihood of people stumbling across it.

Eugene is a very liberal town, but across the river, Springfield tends to be more conservative, as is the sizeable unincorporated bedroom community of Santa Clara. Outside of Portland and Eugene, the rest of the state is "red."

It's also notable that the Eugene market is only rated twice a year, so information is slower in coming. The spring book will be very telling and critical to the local AAR station's success or failure.

As an aside, KOPT has a first-rate afternoon host who belongs in a larger market, Danuta Pfeiffer. She's an ex-conservative and an ex-sidekick to Pat Robertson. Every time I tune in to Randi Rhodes I mostly hear whining, complaining and handwringing, while Danuta's show is loaded with information and facts. Danuta can be heard online 3-6pm Pacific at http://www.kopt.com/.
 
> I know it is, however that same "bad radio" does pretty damn
>
> well in portland. Eugene for its size, is the most activist
> city in the country.

Since you're in agreement about "that same "bad radio""; it
certainly says something about Portland tastes, eh?

-Fred Magazine
 
> There are several issues in Eugene.
>
> Air America got moved to a different frequency several
> months after it was launched and after a lot of money was
> spent promoting the original frequency.
>
> The local NPR affiliate is consistently the highest rated
> station in town 25-54, and is often #1 12+. People who love
> their NPR News/Talk aren't likely to be pulled away except
> for things that NPR stations typically do poorly, namely
> traffic and weather. The AAR station (KOPT) also doesn't do
> traffic and weather very well, if at all.
>
> For a time KOPT had a conservative-leaning local morning
> host, which got them some bad publicity, letters to the
> newspaper editor, etc. That situation has been corrected,
> but it did hurt them.
>
> AAR does have a full-market signal day and night, but being
> at 1600 AM there is less likelihood of people stumbling
> across it.
>
> Eugene is a very liberal town, but across the river,
> Springfield tends to be more conservative, as is the
> sizeable unincorporated bedroom community of Santa Clara.
> Outside of Portland and Eugene, the rest of the state is
> "red."
>
> It's also notable that the Eugene market is only rated twice
> a year, so information is slower in coming. The spring book
> will be very telling and critical to the local AAR station's
> success or failure.
>
> As an aside, KOPT has a first-rate afternoon host who
> belongs in a larger market, Danuta Pfeiffer. She's an
> ex-conservative and an ex-sidekick to Pat Robertson. Every
> time I tune in to Randi Rhodes I mostly hear whining,
> complaining and handwringing, while Danuta's show is loaded
> with information and facts. Danuta can be heard online 3-6pm
> Pacific at http://www.kopt.com/.
>
Portland's NPR affiliate is also often #1 rated!
 
> There are several issues in Eugene.
>
> Air America got moved to a different frequency several
> months after it was launched and after a lot of money was
> spent promoting the original frequency.
>
> The local NPR affiliate is consistently the highest rated
> station in town 25-54, and is often #1 12+. People who love
> their NPR News/Talk aren't likely to be pulled away except
> for things that NPR stations typically do poorly, namely
> traffic and weather. The AAR station (KOPT) also doesn't do
> traffic and weather very well, if at all.
>
> For a time KOPT had a conservative-leaning local morning
> host, which got them some bad publicity, letters to the
> newspaper editor, etc. That situation has been corrected,
> but it did hurt them.
>
> AAR does have a full-market signal day and night, but being
> at 1600 AM there is less likelihood of people stumbling
> across it.
>
> Eugene is a very liberal town, but across the river,
> Springfield tends to be more conservative, as is the
> sizeable unincorporated bedroom community of Santa Clara.
> Outside of Portland and Eugene, the rest of the state is
> "red."
>
> It's also notable that the Eugene market is only rated twice
> a year, so information is slower in coming. The spring book
> will be very telling and critical to the local AAR station's
> success or failure.
>
> As an aside, KOPT has a first-rate afternoon host who
> belongs in a larger market, Danuta Pfeiffer. She's an
> ex-conservative and an ex-sidekick to Pat Robertson. Every
> time I tune in to Randi Rhodes I mostly hear whining,
> complaining and handwringing, while Danuta's show is loaded
> with information and facts. Danuta can be heard online 3-6pm
> Pacific at http://www.kopt.com/.

To have rating success you don't have appeal to a total majority of
a market. The key is to build cume, and focus in on P-1's, who
will drive the TSL. The metro certainly contains a sizable target
audience, in spite of the conservative nature of Springfield. True,
NPR does very well in Eugene, however I would describe their format
as more music based, than spoken word. Beyond, Morning Edition &
All Things Considered, KLCC is primarily a type of Triple A music
station, with blues, jazz and other speciality programming. The
majority of what they do is irrelevant in the talk batttle.

Everybody else has to use Arbitron, sure twice a year is not ideal
but its the game we all play. You mention this Danuta being full of
"fact and information", that's nice but people listen to talk radio
for entertainment and reinforcment of their own opinions. Not purely
for facts, Rush Limbaugh and Hannity have made a fortune making
conservatives feel better about themselves and their opinions.
As someone already mentioned its bad radio, but KOPT to fail
in that market would be hilarious. Its a lovely city, but a
city full of people with too much time on their hands, they
love to be politically active, and wear their politics on
their sleeve. If AA can win here, its done.
 
Maybe THIS Is The Answer

Maybe the difference is that KPOJ in Portland carries almost the full Air America lineup, while KOPT carries only ONE Air America show (Al Franken) between 6am and 6pm and only two Air America shows (Franken and Randi Rhodes) between 6am and Midnight. And therefore it's more than a little misleading to say that "Air America" hasn't been a hit in Eugene. You might as well say that Jones (Schultz and Miller) hasn't been a hit, or that KOPT's local am and pm drive shows haven't been hits.


> > I know it is, however that same "bad radio" does pretty
> damn
> >
> > well in portland. Eugene for its size, is the most
> activist
> > city in the country.
>
> Since you're in agreement about "that same "bad radio""; it
> certainly says something about Portland tastes, eh?
>
> -Fred Magazine
>
 
Re: Maybe THIS Is The Answer

Actually in most AA markets, Miller and especially Schultz
out perform the AA shows, that's why they are now on so
many formerly pure AA stations.

Maybe the difference is that KPOJ in Portland carries almost
> the full Air America lineup, while KOPT carries only ONE Air
> America show (Al Franken) between 6am and 6pm and only two
> Air America shows (Franken and Randi Rhodes) between 6am and
> Midnight. And therefore it's more than a little misleading
> to say that "Air America" hasn't been a hit in Eugene. You
> might as well say that Jones (Schultz and Miller) hasn't
> been a hit, or that KOPT's local am and pm drive shows
> haven't been hits.
>
>
> > > I know it is, however that same "bad radio" does pretty
> > damn
> > >
> > > well in portland. Eugene for its size, is the most
> > activist
> > > city in the country.
> >
> > Since you're in agreement about "that same "bad radio"";
> it
> > certainly says something about Portland tastes, eh?
> >
> > -Fred Magazine
> >
>
 
Re: Maybe THIS Is The Answer

Not true. Miller was added to a few libtalk statons when AAR carried Unfiltered, (which was AAR's weakest show) and some libtalk statons have opted to carry Miller instead of Jerry Springer (who replaced Unfiltered and is also a weak show), but Miller has not gotten decent ratings anywhere. KPOJ is by far the most successful libtalk station in the country and has never carried Miller.

KPOJ has carried Schultz since the very beginning of its switch to libtalk, so it was never a "formerly pure AA station." And Clear Channel has opted to carry Schultz every time it switched a station to libtalk, so it was never a question of putting him on a "formerly pure AA station."

So where are these "many formerly pure AA stations" that have added Schultz and Miller? I don't know of ANY, much less "many."


> Actually in most AA markets, Miller and especially Schultz
> out perform the AA shows, that's why they are now on so
> many formerly pure AA stations.
>
> Maybe the difference is that KPOJ in Portland carries
> almost
> > the full Air America lineup, while KOPT carries only ONE
> Air
> > America show (Al Franken) between 6am and 6pm and only two
>
> > Air America shows (Franken and Randi Rhodes) between 6am
> and
> > Midnight. And therefore it's more than a little misleading
>
> > to say that "Air America" hasn't been a hit in Eugene.
> You
> > might as well say that Jones (Schultz and Miller) hasn't
> > been a hit, or that KOPT's local am and pm drive shows
> > haven't been hits.
> >
> >
> > > > I know it is, however that same "bad radio" does
> pretty
> > > damn
> > > >
> > > > well in portland. Eugene for its size, is the most
> > > activist
> > > > city in the country.
> > >
> > > Since you're in agreement about "that same "bad radio"";
>
> > it
> > > certainly says something about Portland tastes, eh?
> > >
> > > -Fred Magazine
> > >
> >
>
 
>Its a lovely city, but a
> city full of people with too much time on their hands, they
> love to be politically active, and wear their politics on
> their sleeve. If AA can win here, its done.

Huh? Assuming that you mean, "If AA CAN'T win here, it's done," I ask what are you talking about? "AA," or more properly, AAR, isn't really represented in Eugene, since there is only one AAR program on KOPT from 6 am to 6 pm and only two AAR programs from 6 am to Midnight. I haven't been in Eugene since KOPT went (supposedly) libtalk, but it sounds as if at least one of the local talkers isn't even a liberal -- and I don't consider Ed Schultz to be a liberal either. KPOJ has a strong local morning show with Air America's Thom Hartmann and a strong PM drive show with Air America's Randi Rhodes. The only non-Air America show on KPOJ is Schultz, and he's on in early afternoons, not PM drive. Put the same lineup that KPOJ is using in Portland on KOPT and you'd get better results, despite the terrible dial position.
 
Re: Maybe THIS Is The Answer

> Not true. Miller was added to a few libtalk statons when AAR
> carried Unfiltered, (which was AAR's weakest show) and some
> libtalk statons have opted to carry Miller instead of Jerry
> Springer (who replaced Unfiltered and is also a weak show),
> but Miller has not gotten decent ratings anywhere. KPOJ is
> by far the most successful libtalk station in the country
> and has never carried Miller.
>
> KPOJ has carried Schultz since the very beginning of its
> switch to libtalk, so it was never a "formerly pure AA
> station." And Clear Channel has opted to carry Schultz every
> time it switched a station to libtalk, so it was never a
> question of putting him on a "formerly pure AA station."
>
> So where are these "many formerly pure AA stations" that
> have added Schultz and Miller? I don't know of ANY, much
> less "many."
>
>
> > Actually in most AA markets, Miller and especially Schultz
>
> > out perform the AA shows, that's why they are now on so
> > many formerly pure AA stations.
> >
> > Maybe the difference is that KPOJ in Portland carries
> > almost
> > > the full Air America lineup, while KOPT carries only ONE
>
> > Air
> > > America show (Al Franken) between 6am and 6pm and only
> two
> >
> > > Air America shows (Franken and Randi Rhodes) between 6am
>
> > and
> > > Midnight. And therefore it's more than a little
> misleading
> >
> > > to say that "Air America" hasn't been a hit in Eugene.
> > You
> > > might as well say that Jones (Schultz and Miller) hasn't
>
> > > been a hit, or that KOPT's local am and pm drive shows
> > > haven't been hits.
> > >
> > >
> > > > > I know it is, however that same "bad radio" does
> > pretty
> > > > damn
> > > > >
> > > > > well in portland. Eugene for its size, is the most
> > > > activist
> > > > > city in the country.
> > > >
> > > > Since you're in agreement about "that same "bad
> radio"";
> >
> > > it
> > > > certainly says something about Portland tastes, eh?
> > > >
> > > > -Fred Magazine
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
My point is, Mister nit picky is AA doesn't work on its own. Without
Jones Radio's products--it would be even in sadder shape.
 
Outside of Portland and Eugene, the rest of the state is "red."

Salem has become more blue in recent times, which has surprised this former
resident...

Stephanie Miller does quite well in the Seattle market..
 
air america did poorly in san Francisco too....
and california is blue just about everywhere..... and San Francisco is the bluest part of the state... so, i dont think that has much to do with it....most hard core liberals already know what the people on air america are talking about and want to argue those points with someone they might be changing the minds of.... rather than preach to the choir.
 
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