Reply #29: I Used To Listen To Peter B Back In The 70's [View All]

[KharmaTrain]

He did a late night talk show here in Chicago and I'm familiar with his station in Sacramento. Fortunately he owns the station and has been able to pay the bills...all most of us radio types who go into ownership really care for. Sponsorship for talk radio is also tough as many advertisers want to stay away from anything controversial...and for the past decade that's been poison for any liberal talk radio. The right wing has a far more entrenched and established financial model that enables them to keep going despite poor ratings and limited advertising as they are generally funded through the profits of other formats. An example would be Faux Noise...they're surely the loss leader of the Faux television empire, but it's the moneys made by the other networks that get siphoned to keep that pop-stand afloat. Salem radio props up their hate radio network through "dollar-a-hollar" preachers who buy up lots of airtime on the company's stations as well as loading up the weekends with infomercials. Progressive talk radio really doesn't have this luxuary.

AAR's in terrible shape...and it's a matter of time before the Greens no longer see the value in continuing to throw money into keeping it going. They've lost their two most popular hosts and IMHO have stuck around to help Hillary (the Greens are big supporters)...it'll be interesting to see how things develop there after Senator Clinton drops out.

I have a lot of hopes for Nova-M...I've watched them turn things around in Phoenix, but they're up against a lot of tough sledding as operating a fulltime network involves lots of people...not just behind the microphones, but in areas such as station relations, marketing and sales and the balancing act is to try to build as much as you can and try to get what you can where you can. Hopefully they've learned from the AAR mistakes...by not offering a full slate but growing slowly...and to promote and market their quality talent that will get them on more and bigger stations.

There's a definite market for Progressive Radio, but it has to be on several levels. National is well and good, but radio has and always is the most effective on the local level. Many AAR affiliates just play off the satellite with little local programming or identity and that hurts getting an audience....you can hear what you don't see. There are many good young and eager talents out there who would love to take a shot...there's also many good community stations that are the training ground for those talents. The more voice in more places the better.

My dream is one day to be able to drive anywhere in this country and be able to turn on a Progressive talk station...just like, sadly, is the case with Rushbo and other right wing asshats. It's not easy and from my own experience working with many of these people is like herding cats.

Cheers...