WMLB 1690

[jabba17]

I never understood why Joe Weber sold WGKA-AM 1190 to Salem before moving his diversified format to 1160 and then to 1690. He should have kept it on 1190. Back when WGKA was classical, the station identified itself as "The Voice of the arts." Weber kept that ID.

I think that liberals do not listen to talk radio because they get bored hearing the same thing over and over. In contrast, conservatives can listen to the same thing repeatedly and never get bored, as long as it gets their blood to boil. I work with a conservative who talks about the same things over and over every time he enters my office. Despite my efforts, I can never change the topic. Listening to Boortz or Limbaugh is like listening to a stuck LP. I found them interesting when I first heard them, but they bore me now.

I could say something equally trite about liberals but I will refrain from doing so.

1190's biggest problem is that it is a daytimer, with a power-down during critical hours.

 

[tcsnrayp]

>>>Feel free to discuss and disagree<<<

I disagree and disgust. ;-)

 

[smedge2006]

I think that liberals do not listen to talk radio because they get bored hearing the same thing over and over. In contrast, conservatives can listen to the same thing repeatedly and never get bored, as long as it gets their blood to boil.

It is this kind of ill-informed speculation -- along with the usual triumphalist "Air America Failed! Ha Ha!" (never mind that Citadel went through bankruptcy and Salem has never been a ratings success) that substitutes for actual evidence as far as whether a liberal talk radio format would work.

As for the poster mentioning Mike Malloy, he was on at night, and with rare exceptions, three hours a night can never define a station. Program director groupthink (a documented reality in corporate talk radio) doomed any shot he might have had. Consolidation has expanded that groupthink to mega-proportions.

The facts are, 1690 as Air Atlanta made the ratings. 1690 as Weber's toy doesn't.

Somehow, little Asheville, North Carolina manages to have a liberal talk station.

In many other markets, the liberal talker was on the weakest, most crippled signal available. When on a competitive AM or FM -- such as in Portland, Madison, Wisconsin and other places -- success is possible.

 

[taylorengineer]

Weber apparently just got tired of radio and wanted to be on his yacht or whatever people with his kind of wealth do. So he sold 1190. Yes, in retrospect, he should have kept it. Then a few years later, he got the radio itch and purchased 1160. Mike Rose is the real expert on all this.

I was the 1190 engineer back in those days.
Joe bought 1190 for a little over 2 million dollars. Most of us felt he overpaid at that price - he was starting to think so too.
When Salem came along and offered over 8 million he just couldn't resist. To multiply your investment by 4 in the course of two years is not a bad deal!
Between 1690 and 1160 Joe has almost 25 million invested. Anyone think he will sell 'em for 4X??