Talk Radio Secrets Revealed

self | 2/27/06 | Bryan Hyde

[joesbucks]

Interesting take on how talk radio programs take callers.

See link for article.

http://www.thespectrum.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060227/OPINION02/602270319/1014

[Paulus Invictus]

Bryan Hyde is a local talk show guy I try to avoid because he cannot make up his mind whether he's a conservative or a libertarian. He leans a bit left in this rightest neighborhood, but now and then he gets it right.

[capt. norm]

This really doesn't tell me anything but that the author is getting desperate for listeners

Could be because KSUB is in Cedar City, Utah and is a small station. He is certainly not qualified to render an expert opinion on the how's and why's of talk radio.

The way talk shows are run on the big stations is almost the same way they've always done it except for computerization and more modern equipment.

The mechanics of a talk show remain the same.

This guy has already turned green for St. Patrick's day, in his envy of Rush, et al. It shows in the way he tries to bring them down to his level.

If that's the way he really thinks it's done, he might as well go ahead and buy a house in Cedar City, because he has already reached the high-water mark in his career.

By the way, Cedar City ain't no city. There's a nice photo of their downtown here at their website:

Cedar City

It does look like a nice little town to live in, but not big enough to sustain a radio career. It is a university town so maybe he's still in school. In any case, here's a guy at a "peanut whistle" radio station analyzing the big boys and offering his advice.

[joesbucks]

Yes, he's in a fly over city, and at a peanut whistle station, but is his analysis wrong, partially right or on the money.

Never mind his motivations. I found in the limited space allotted, he was probably right about 75-85% of the time as to how callers on the national shows are handled. Yes, there are always exceptions to those rules, but to give the details to everyone would miss the point.

[OldFriend]

Ive been on with Rush several times. My comment was germaine to his commentary and I didn't have to wait but a minute or two.

Been on with Bob Grant too. He's a great conversationalist and listens to your points too. He's not multi tasking when he's got a caller.

Sean is on IM with Drudge or Levin, chatting up his screener or sweet baby james who is his bro in law.

Grant really was the best of the best for the longest time.

Got a chance to disagree with a local host too.....and then Rush used by call to Gambling as part of his morning update.

[Calvin Locke]

People should just call Drudge. Drudge will generally let them get whatever their stupid point on the air.

Heck, he even lets E. Frank on, and that other caller that calls only to complain that everybody else has blacklisted him.

Sometimes, Drudge just has the screener line them up without screening.

[Paulus Invictus]

Oh wait! The hay bailing hicks are now selling their land for big homes and condos while becoming instant millionnaires. Worse yet, the growth rate here is #2 in the US (and we hate the whole growth thing!). The radio station is a poor one what with numerous failures of the broadcasting equipment, faux pas galore by the radio "personalities" and on at least three occasions the station has been sold to new guys just to confuse everyone. None get it right to date.

[joesbucks]

I've heard Drudge say (whether true or not) that he's going to randomly select a line without knowing who or what their point is.

Liberal Ed Schultz used to do that, but I believe the last time I listened, he was screening.

[Paulus Invictus]

Err, sorry, Brian is located and broadcasts (and is a columnist for the local Gannett leftist rag) in St. George, not Cedar City. He's looking for a larger station, perhaps. Any takers? Please take him away!

[BigSkyFreeper]

The "local" guy here, Dave Berg, who has a statewide show delivered by satellite is pretty good. He's Conservative, and has spoken to the local Republican dinners here for the last few years. Even though it's one hour in length (statewide), and 2 hours in the Billings, Montana market (where his show originates).

His show has a wide variety of guests, and he likes to consider his show a way for Montanan's to get together in a statewide conversation, if only for one hour every morning for 5 days a week.

Coincidently, Mr. Berg helped Michael Reagan take his show nationally, and he's very good friends with Michael and was a long time friend of his dad.

[capt. norm]

The way they do it in Cedar City and the way they do it in, for example, Chicago (I retired after a number of years doing radio there at what used to be WJJD now WYLL 50,000 watts at 1160) are not even similar and yet he pretends to know what they do and how they do it. It's a whole lot different in the major cities, but it isn't something you fully realize until you get there.

But then again, I was a smart-a$$ when I first got into the business also so I should not be criticizing.

[mysterio]

To tell you the truth, the "call in" portions of the major shows are almost unlistenable, especially Hannity's. Mostly just people calling in to tell them how right they are or how much they like the damned show.

[capt. norm]

in St. George, not Cedar City

My reason for locating it at Cedar City is that the station is licensed by the FCC to Cedar City:

Check this out

[capt. norm]

Here is the correct link:

sorry for the error

[Liberty Valance]

Rush makes no bones about it. He brags that the role of the caller is to make the host look good.

Yep. Thats been his policy since his show began. I foresee a major effort to take him out for the midterms and especially for the 08 Presidential campaigns. He can't be controlled. That Palm Beach County prosecutor has been too quiet lately.

[joesbucks]

Well certainly a station in a major city will have the ability to be more selective with regard to callers. There are simply more of them than in a smaller market. I too have worked in larger, but not as large as Chicago, radio. Yes things are different. But what we don't know is if this writer may have been a producer or some other capacity in a large market and took a step down to a smaller market to become talent. In my market, unless are blacklisted, you get on the air. Some callers are just so far out that the host won't even take the call. (I'm in top 30-40 market). Even our dominant AM will take all callers with the exception of the blacklisted folks or the comment has nothing to do with the topic. In a small market setting, probably the kook makes it to the air.

This guys analysis of the national shows is pretty close. Maybe not 100%, but a good summarization.

[Utah Binger]

Hmmm. Never heard the idiot. I thought the station in St. George was 890 or something. We get 590 KSUB in Mt. Carmel. Those lightweights claim to broadcasting from Cedar.

The Spectrum is trying too hard to be the SL Trib. All will be in the graveyard within twenty years. (or less)

[capt. norm]

If you're ever in Chicago, visit the WGN Radio studios. They are a good example of a top 10 market news-talk station.

Even if you've worked major market radio before, it's a good eye-opener.

I graduated to Chicago from St. Louis and we thought we knew what it was all about in St.Louis.....wrongo!

I started in radio in 1959 and went from Des Moines - Omaha - Kansas City - St. Louis - Chicago. Left radio for TV in 1985 and retired from TV last year. Throughout that time period, WGN has remained essentially the same except for equipment, of course. They used to even build their own transmitters (for themselves and other stations) as they owned Continental....don't know if the still do. Their studios are like "Radio Valhalla".

[joesbucks]

I believe at one time WGN had a street level studio. Although it was back in the early 90's and I don't remember much about it. It may have even been a tv studio, but for some reason I thought it was radio.

Lot's of changes there from the Wally Phillips days.

[joesbucks]

WGN doesn't skywave well into my area, so I don't get to hear it often. However, the times I have, the talk shows I've heard approach radio from an entirely different perspective. It's not hot talk or even emotion driven talk. It's not dry like NPR, but it is really devoid of the gags that one normally hears on other stations.

A few years ago, I was up over the Thanksgiving holiday and they did a replay of the Scopes trial. Absolutely fascinating radio drama.

[Flavius Josephus]

Rush doesn't call people names, unless you consider "liberal" to be an insult, which many do.

One might note that with Savage, bringer down of death and destruction, oftentimes he doesn't have any calls. That's probably perfectly ok with him.