EXCLUSIVE: Key analyst says talk radio’s biggest companies close to pulling the plug

Media Equalizer ^ | 9/8/14 | Brian Maloney

[GulliverSwift]

Cumulus, which merged with Citadel Communications (which itself had absorbed ABC Radio) a few years back, has made peculiar choices searching for “the next Rush Limbaugh”, with an ill-fated push to syndicate moderate Mike Huckabee, which ended up a disaster. From the left, it tried to do the same with Geraldo Rivera, but that fared even worse.

That might not matter if not for the fact that it owns the nation’s biggest news/talkers (WABC, WLS, WBAP, KGO, KSFO, WJR, sad-sack KABC and more), legendary outlets it has seemingly worked tirelessly to run into the ground.

But Hannity and Limbaugh really have little to do with this disturbing trend. Talk would be much worse off without them. Instead, corporate befuddlement at how to program stations combined with a shortsighted refusal to develop promising new talent (they might leave for the competitor!) has led to its potential downfall.

And politics has played a big role, as well: rather than incorporate an overt Fairness Doctrine, the Obama Administration has relied on behind-the-scenes pressure to undermine the format.

It’s similar to what was predicted by longtime industry executive Brian Jennings in his 2009 book Censorship: The Threat To Silence Talk Radio. Jennings maintained that backdoor approaches would accomplish just as much destruction without generating a public backlash.

And that’s exactly what is occurring: undermine it, weaken it further, let it slowly fade. But conservatives have been unsurprisingly asleep at the wheel.

[GulliverSwift]

The left has been trying to target talk radio at the political level but also at the business level. Add that to the radio industry itself collapsing and it's not good for conservative talk.

[a fool in paradise]

There are 4 local stations in Houston all on AM radio each with so-called conservative (not really) hosts.

If one or two were to drop out of such programming, the overall audience shares would rise.

[A CA Guy]

People are more on the computer, but cars still listen to radio more than anything else IMO.

[oh8eleven]

But Hannity and Limbaugh really have little to do with this disturbing trend. Talk would be much worse off without them.
Can't agree - neither has said anything new or provocative since January 2009. It's been all (anti) Øbama, all the time.
No, IIRC, Rush did have a "slut" comment that the Left used to great advantage.
Time for both of them to get out from behind the mikes and run for office.

[Bullish]

I’m about 40 miles from LA. Rush used to come in crystal clear on KFI640. This year he has moved to KEIB-1150 and none of my AM radios can get decent reception from that weak little station. So after listening to Rush for 22 years or so it’s over for me. And no more Hannity either since he follows Rush on that same dumb little station. I guess Rush didn’t care about losing thousands and thousands of listeners.

[jimpick]

I use to listen to talk for 10-14 hours a day. Since they changed format it is less than 2 hours. They moved the morning guy to the afternoon and replaced him with some chick that is boring as hell. When they moved the morning guy to the afternoon they bumped Hanity to late night. I like the morning guy but in the afternoon he shares with another guy that is boring as well. So about 6 hours of crap.

I suspect it had to do with them getting their license renewed. Either have more local crap or no license. The old morning guy was very conservative and just the kind of guy O”Dumby would want to get rid of. Now their listernership is dropping like a stone.

[gleeaikin]

Perhaps, although hard to believe, it’s because Forbes is actually right about the current economy.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamhartung/2014/09/05/obama-outperforms-reagan-on-jobs-growth-and-investing/

[GeronL]

Citadel-Cumulus doing what they can to consolidate and kill conservative talk radio

[Flintlock]

Weekends were a great ‘farm team’ for talk show wannabes. No more. It’s ALL infomercials now.
Shortsighted stupidity I call it.

[GeronL]

I guess Rush didn’t care about losing thousands and thousands of listeners.

Is that a joke? I am pretty sure the owners of KFI booted him.

[COUNTrecount]

Listen to him on your computer.

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/stations

[SamAdams76]

It is excruciating listening to talk radio in the car. There are just too many commercial breaks and sometimes the commercial breaks run 7-8 minutes long. On top of that, you got the canned news and weather at the top of every hour. If I want news and weather, I know where to go for that and it's not some rinky-dink radio station with the operating budget of a Dairy Queen.

Unfortunately the Sirius/XM satellite radio features endless commercials on their talk stations as well. The talk radio format is a dying one.

[SoFloFreeper]

...politics has played a big role, as well: rather than incorporate an overt Fairness Doctrine, the Obama Administration has relied on behind-the-scenes pressure to undermine the format.

Big time.

[fishtank]

KSFO - The Flagship of the Savage Nation!

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Another list to listen to the Savage radio show here!!! - updated 09-Nov-2012

Links to the Savage radio show here!!! - updated 09-Nov-2012

Call the show at 1-855-400-7282.

[iowamark]

It wasn’t Rush’s decision, it was the leftist station owner. Listen on the internet.

[Biggirl]

Everything is going to computer/satilite format.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Interesting that WPGB was mentioned. That station was near the top of the ratings in Steel Town, but the bottom fell out in the last ratings book, months after they dumped Quinn & Rose from their lineup.

FWIW, Quinn & Rose kept that station at the top of the ratings heap in Pittsburgh and were a perfect lead in to Rush Limbaugh.

I don’t think Clear Channel or even Cumulus for that matter, are trying to kill talk radio, I think station program directors are.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Rush doesn’t make decisions for radio stations, that falls squarely in the laps of station general managers and program directors.

[Biggirl]

http://www.marklevinshow.com/

yHello! He's Here In The Non-Descript Building and In The Hidden Bunker! Patriots, grab a comfy seat around the fireplace, warm your bones, grab a copy of The US Constitution, and select from Mark's Books which are on the shelves; help yourself and follow along for the next 3 hours, while we all educate each other and set the call-in libtards straight about their idiocy and treason. Also, help yourself to the Cheeseburger/Fries and Milk Duds 'buffet' and non-alcoholic drinks which Mark's graciously provided. And don't feed Barney any of that stuff!

[blu]

WTCAM AM 580? Sparkles in the morning, and the Good Guy in drive time? I hate the new line-up, except when I’m driving in the afternoon...love the drive time show!