Posted on 12/08/2005 9:53:02 AM PST by rface
Maryland-based Talkers Magazine figures that Limbaugh reached an average of 13.75 million people each day in fall 2005; Franken only 1.25 million.......
Industry followers say Air America still trails conservative programming - including Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly - in nearly all major markets. But they also note that Air America could slowly build its base.
In New York City, Air America has increased its share of core listeners - young and middle-aged men - by 40 percent. And the network has doubled its number of affiliates since February. They are now on the air in86 markets nationally, spokesman Jaime Horn said.
"I think we're doing better than people thought. We're on the air over two-thirds of the country," Franken noted.
Maryland-based Talkers Magazine, which follows the talk radio industry, figures that Limbaugh reached an average of 13.75 million people each day in fall 2005; Franken only 1.25 million. The two are on the air at nearly the same time in most markets.
While the two factions may not really be competing for the same listeners, Air America still faces a tough time attracting liberal listeners to AM talk radio and away from other options, everything from album rock and National Public Radio to jazz and classical music stations and university radio stations, Horn said.
It might even be hard to get Franken's target audience to listen to the radio. Conservatives, on the other hand, have been tuning in to AM talk radio market for two decades.
Officials for Midwest Communications, which carries Limbaugh's show in Duluth, did not return phone calls regarding the show's popularity here.
Air America and Franken have been on the air in the Twin Ports since Labor Day, when Red Rock Radio changed the format of its 1490 AM station (KQDS-AM) from news and talk to all talk. That's not enough time to gauge how successful the station's new format is with Northland listeners, said Jeff Anderson, senior account manager for Red Rock Radio. But the station is selling ads.
Liberal talk radio shouldn't be too hard a sell in a town that backed John Kerry for president with more than 67 percent of its votes in 2004.
"We think he's (Franken) connecting here," Anderson said. "It's been well received, including by a lot of advertisers that normally wouldn't be (advertising) on commercial radio."
Lynne Maine of Duluth attended Wednesday's show at UMD because she likes Franken's comedy and politics. She's not necessarily a fan of political talk radio.
"I listen to him every day. But I don't listen to the station all day," she said. "All that bashing from the left is almost as bad as listening to the bashing from the right."
Red Rock will find out after the February Arbitron radio ratings are released whether Franken and his Air America cohorts are drawing an audience here. But Wednesday's UMD show might be an indicator.
"We were out of tickets, all 600 or 700 of them, in less than 45 minutes," Anderson said. "So a few people like Al Franken in Duluth."
What they need is a captive audience - one that can't change the channel.
"I listen to him every day. But I don't listen to the station all day," she said. "All that bashing from the left is almost as bad as listening to the bashing from the right."
She'll get sick of him any day now.
D
"But they also note that Air America could slowly build its base.
So could every other radio talk show. They also could fold like a wet burrito. Coulda, shoulda, woulda...this is what passes for journalism.
"In New York City, Air America has increased its share of core listeners - young and middle-aged men - by 40 percent."
They don't mention that in most markets they went into they lost share for the radio station or failed to increase share. They don't mention their overall share of market. Increasing your "share" by 40% in a specific demographic when your total share begins at only .5% is not success in a large media market.
"And the network has doubled its number of affiliates since February. They are now on the air in 86 markets nationally, spokesman Jaime Horn said."
...and failing in every one. I wonder how many of these markets were bought?
"I think we're doing better than people thought. We're on the air over two-thirds of the country," Franken noted."
Being "on the air" doesn't necessarily translate into "listeners". AA and Franken like to talk about the number of stations they're on but not about the number of listeners...because those numbers are pathetic.
"Maryland-based Talkers Magazine, which follows the talk radio industry, figures that Limbaugh reached an average of 13.75 million people each day in fall 2005; Franken only 1.25 million. The two are on the air at nearly the same time in most markets."
They love comparing AA to Limbaugh only, but really need to compare against the sum of conservative talkers in each market. If they did, the numbers would be more like 25 million to Frankens 1.25. Ya, Franken is crushing the competition.
"It's been well received, including by a lot of advertisers that normally wouldn't be (advertising) on commercial radio."
In other words mainstream advertisers won't touch Franken with a ten foot pole but rely on "liberal" advertisers who don't normally buy radio time but do so for ideological reasons in place of business need and because they want to see AA succeed. Check out the types of advertisers AA has. Many of them are liberal non profits who benefit from taxpayer subsidies.
"Red Rock will find out after the February Arbitron radio ratings are released whether Franken and his Air America cohorts are drawing an audience here." AA, the station and all of the radio industry will find out but like past quarterly ratings releases, the public won't because the media won't tell them how bad they are doing, instead focusing on vapid puff pieces like this.
Notice no mention of the NY Boys and Girls Club embezzlement scandal. Nope, no bad news for the champions of liberal talk radio.
I think to them success means one paying advertiser on a station. AA pays one million a year to air in LA and SF.
Funny how the press has nothing but tout this loser over and over again. Trying to get someone to buy into it. Now they're trying to get advertisers to rush in there to keep them afloat with those BS numbers of "increases in listeners".
I got news for you, bucko. If you've got two listeners and add one more that's a whopping 50% increase! Sounds impressive, don't it?
And pigs might fly... Come to think of it, those two things are pretty much the same thing anyway.
You are giving into their terminology. There are no progressives. There are liberals, though, which is an already sotened version of ratbastid commie scumbag.
bump
Have they paid back the Boys and Girls Clubs yet, and if not, then how can they afford Franken's salary?
Air America.... coming in just behind Smog, and Acid Rain!
Did Deluth just get it's first radio station? Is this the first reporter in Deluth from its first newspaper? How long has Deluth been a town/city?
Where did the facts for this articl come from? I can't find substantiation anywhere.
Oh, wait. Al Franken called up a desperate reporter on an otherwise slow news day and "paid" him to publish this "press release."
Now I get it. This is actually just advertising for AA.
Girly "men", no doubt.
They must have contracted American Prisons and shelters to pipe in the broadcast in order to up the number of listeners.
Consequently, this would be abuse in our prison system. I demand a senate investigation to see where these listeners are comming from and if we are abusing prisoners to get ratings!!!
Yeah. We'uns ain't smart enough to go to no yooniversity or kultured enuff to listen to muzik.
The other questions I had were whether Janeane Garagedooropener is still on the network? And if Al runs for Senate, does he have to give equal time, on the air, to his opponent?
My apologies (ah told ye I wuz dum!), but what is PSA?
Public Service Announcement, or was it a prostate test score?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.