Why Liberal Talk Isn`t Dead

January 29, 2010
Why Liberal Talk Isn’t Dead
In the wake of last week’s abrupt shut down
of Air America Radio, some ideologues
in the industry have seen that event as a
eulogy for liberal/progressive Talk radio.
But try to tell that to some of the Talk Media
execs we spoke to this week, all with a
strong commitment to both the current and
future success of Talk radio that leans to the left.
“The fact is that the majority of progressive Talk stations air programs
from Dial-Global -- Stephanie Miller, Bill Press, Thom Hartmann
and Ed Schultz -- and Premier Radio Networks’ Randi Rhodes
Show,” says Dial-Global SVP/GM News and Talk Amy Bolton. “The
only Air America show that was gaining any traction was Ron Reagan,
so most progressive Talk stations are relatively unaffected. In fact, those
stations can now finally be rid of a tainted brand that has so restricted
their ability to broaden their listener base.” As to what will drive future
success for liberal talkers Bolton says, “They need to broaden their appeal
by not pushing a political agenda and focusing on delivering great radio
content.” Not above working in a shameless plug for one of her own
network’s shows Bolton adds, “In my opinion, they should add a couple
of centrist viewpoints, or a completely non-political host like Clark
Howard.”
D-G syndicated host Thom Hartmann has a unique perspective on
the issue, having previously worked at Air America during one of the
Issue 130
network’s many lineup incarnations. “When it died, Air America was
offering very, very little programming that got or held an audience,” says
Hartmann. “Liberal talk radio had moved on, beyond Air America. The
two are not synonymous. I’d left, Randi Rhodes left, Al Franken is
in the Senate, Rachel Maddow went to MSNBC, and Mike Malloy
also left. All of us are doing very, very well, and have all done better
since we left Air America, so far as I know.”
And Hartmann’s view of what will bring success to progressive Talk’s
future? “Provide entertaining, interesting, relevant programming that is
advertiser friendly and draws and holds audience,” he says. “Liberal,
Conservative, Advice/Talk, Car/Talk, Sports/Talk - the rules are all the
same. Offer good talent, well produced and executed, that’s consistent
and builds that intimate relationship with the listener that only radio
can do so well. Ideology is way, way down on the list of priorities.
Of course, you don’t want to violate the expectations of the listener,
but a good show is a good show, just like a bad show is a bad show,
regardless of topic or ideology.”
Lessons To Be Learned
Veteran broadcaster, consultant and Fig Media head honcho Bill
Figenshu, who recently helped develop and launch the Compass
Media Networks-syndicated Norman Goldman Show, weighs in
with his take on this week’s topic. “Air America should not be looked
at as the death of liberal/progressive Talk radio any more than the
discontinuation of Pontiac, Oldsmobile or Saturn should be looked
at as the death of the American automobile industry,” says Fig. “But here
(continued on page 3)
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January 29, 2010
NTS MediaOnline Weekly
PERSON-T0-PERSON
WJZ(105.7 The Fan)/Baltimore afternoon co-host Anita Marks
exits the CBS Radio FM Sports/Talker … National Public Radio
President/CEO Vivian Schiller will speak to attendees at American
Women In Radio and Television’s upcoming annual Women’s Media
Forum, March 5-6, in DC … Herb Jepko Scholarship Update: We
recently reported that a new scholarship has been planned to honor the
legendary late night radio host at the University of Utah. Since then
we’ve learned that approximately one-third of the $25,000 required
for a named scholarship has been donated. Nitecaps fans and Jepko
admirers wishing to contribute to the fund can get more info at www.
nitecaps.net … Condolences: To the family and friends of former
KYW/Philadelphia news anchor Ken Matz who died January 23rd
at age 63 …
JUST ANOTHER DAY IN HAITI
EMERGING TALK MEDIA
Online Talk radio portal wsRadio.com teams with the San Diego
Union-Tribune to produce SignOnwsRadio, an extension of the
newspaper’s SignOnSanDiego.com website. wsRadio already
partners with the Washington Times for a similar online radio venture
in DC … GET BREAKING NEWS alerts by following us on
TWITTER, or “friend” us on FACEBOOK. Find one-click links
to both at www.NTSMediaOnline.com.
GIG ALERTS
Experienced sellers are sought to develop new business for a roster
of nationally syndicated talk shows including The Michael Savage
Show, The Laura Ingraham Show, Mancow’s Morning Madhouse and
others. Find out more at www.natadco.com. Got a gig open? Looking
for a new challenge? Just email the details and contact info to
[email protected] and we’ll post it here, free of charge, as a
service to industry professionals.
NETWORK /SYNDICATION NOTES
While the telethons featuring big Hollywood Stars are over, and the
earthquake in Haiti has moved off the front page of most newspapers,
CBS News correspondent Stephan Kaufman offers a stark reminder
of the ongoing devastation there with this photo taken at a temporary
camp for ‘quake veterans.
Page 2
KPTK/Seattle adds Premiere Radio Networks Randi Rhodes Show
in the progressive talker’s 6-9pm slot … ABC News Radio kicks off a
30-part series focused on the upcoming tax season. Anchored by ABCNR
correspondents Betsy Stark and Richard Davies, 2010 Tax Tips
begins on Monday, February 8th … Dial-Global’s Bill Press Show
returns to the 6-9am slot on WNYY/Ithaca … Stephan Multimedia
launches Good Day Supermarket Guru, a new addition to the Good Day
Weekend lineup, co-hosted by Doug Stephan and NBC Today show
food trends expert Phil Lempert … Independently syndicated Animal
Radio reports it has sent a cease and desist order to San Francisco-based
Pandora Media charging infringement of the weekly talk show’s Animal
Radio trademark on one of Pandora’s recently added user channels …
WLEC/Sandusky, OH adds the Watchdog On Wall Street Money
Minute daily feature … Envision Radio Networks’ SmartSite Systems
adds HotCopy, a new service that allows users to access thousands of
pre-written ad copy scripts in more than 300 categories … Westwood
One will have Marv Albert, Boomer Esiason, Mark Malone, James
Lofton, Jim Gray and Scott Graham in the broadcast booth for the
network’s play-by-play coverage of Super Bowl XLIV, live from
Miami on February 7th. WW One reports the game is scheduled to air
on more than 600 radio stations across the U.S. and worldwide via the
American Forces Radio Network.
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January 29 , 2010
NTS MediaOnline Weekly
Page 3
(continued from page 1)
are two things that should be learned from AAR’s demise: 1) Listeners
will never accept a show based solely on ideology. Every show must be
entertaining as well as informative. 2) Left-leaning formats require the
same attention to quality as any other Talk or music station. Any station,
no matter the format, that simply throws a satellite switch and expects to
get high ratings is not being realistic.”
Fig also says those stations seeking future success with progressive Talk
will need to find and develop “exciting, smart, topical personalities who
light up a listeners imagination, as well as their inspiration” and cautions,
“If it sounds like C-Span on radio, it will fail. It’s time to develop new
hosts who love radio and consider it a career, not a day job between other
projects.” Fig also thinks radio operators need to re-think the industry’s
current model if progressive Talk -- or any Talk format -- is to succeed in
the future. “No successful Talk station, left or right, can be administered
by an overworked PD who is also doing five music formatted stations,
sold by an underpaid sales manager responsible for revenue on six other
stations, and managed by a GM who has more things on his/her plate than
a $9.95 all-you-can-eat Las Vegas buffet!”
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THENEWS
Had Air America
offered great entertainment,
who knows how it might
have gone differently?
’’
Veteran Talk personality Jack Ellery -- a self-described liberal for his
entire broadcast career -- says part of Air America’s problem was that they
never thought big enough. “Hey, Conan O’Brien became available, Air
America should’ve grabbed him,” joked Ellery. “You’ve got to think big!
The problem with Air America is that they wanted to promote a political
agenda, not entertainers.” Ellery says he has personal experience with
working for a couple of networks that folded during the course of his
long broadcasting career. “Unlike Air America, the networks I worked
for didn’t have a political agenda,” he says. “But, like Air America they
fizzled because of cash problems. Like I used to tell the students of a
broadcasting school I once owned, ‘The purpose of radio is not to entertain,
not to distribute the news, not to provide sports, music, or anything like
that. The purpose of radio is to make money.” In the end, Ellery says
the failure of Air America, and the future of progressive/liberal Talk
radio, rests pretty much on that fact. “Advertisers didn’t buy spots, so Air
America was doomed,” he says. But he also thinks progressive talk can
succeed in the years ahead, if its practitioners get better at understanding
the art of entertaining. “I think America needs the loyal opposition,” he
says. “Had Air America offered great entertainment, who knows how it
might have gone differently?”
CONTACT NTS MEDIAONLINE
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858-486-7559
[email protected]
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512-218-8228
[email protected]
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