What is it with Progressive Talk Radio? Why can't we survive?

[jillan]

I don't get it. We are over 50% of the population. Everyone I know listens to it.

Why can't we get funding? Advertisers?

NovaM - home of Randi Rhodes and Mike Malloy just liquidated.:cry:

Why are stations that carry those bigmouth liars flourishing while we can't survive?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123500238535517781.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
(sorry about the link, but they had the best coverage)

Nova M Radio Inc., a competitor to troubled radio network Air America, is filing for bankruptcy liquidation, according to the company's co-founder, amid mounting disarray in the small world of liberal talk radio.

(read the entire article at the link)

I am devastated!

[mzteris]

1. maybe it's 'cause we don't need

to have someone tell us how to think, eh?

[jillan]

7. I learn alot from listening to them - especially Thom Hartmann.

They are not telling me how to think, but in many instances they are educational.

[demmiblue]

2. Signal strength... at least here in MI (probably among other things).

Once the sky turns dark, I can't pick up our local progressive talk station.

[jillan]

3. Same here - I always assumed that it was because they could only afford a weak signal.

[TheMightyFavog]

29. It's probably one of those AM stations whose license requires them to reduce power at night.

Eond of Line.

[derby378]

4. Progressive talk radio needs more Keiths

Many of its hosts could stand to be a bit more pugnacious. Not obnoxious, just aggressive in defending their positions.

[LSparkle]

23. Like Randi Rhodes! Yet look what's happened to her ...

I've been told by a friend (who's also a Dem) that it's
because we "don't like to fight" the way the Repugs do,
to which I say B.S.! We aren't all "civilized," "kum-
ba-ya-singing" NPR listeners! There is a market for
progressive talk, but I'm convinced the station owners
are willing to overlook profits (yes, even in THIS
TERRIBLE ECONOMY) to advance their political philosophy
(and perhaps get their elimination of capital gains taxes
eventually). The Rethug meme "the magic of the market-
place" just doesn't apply when it comes to talk radio;
there's a HUGE audience out there that's not being
served -- INTENTIONALLY.

After all, if it doesn't happen on the teevee or you
don't hear it on the radio, then ... it doesn't exist.
They think if they don't give us a microphone, we'll
all just go away ...

[Sebastian Doyle]

27. I guess your friend never heard of Mike Malloy?

I don't think anyone could accuse him of not liking to fight. :evilgrin:

[LSparkle]

31. Oh no -- he claimed we LISTENERS don't like to fight ...

which I think is B.S. ...

[zazen]

5. we prefer to read more?

Seriously--in Raleigh I can't pick up any progressive talk on regular radio. Sometimes WCHL from Chapel Hill comes in. I get all of my progressive news from the Internet.

But I'm thinking it's the food stamp Republicans-the ones who still don't understand how their party violates their own interests--who often work from trucks and cars and have radios blaring during the day at their jobs. I work from home I have the net and CSPAN. But the only times I hear Rush (since 1995) are when some blue collar worker comes by or I'm anywhere where those folks are working.

[MineralMan]

6. I think it's a lack of radio listeners among liberals.

Seriously. Apparently, we're doing something besides hanging on every word from some radio voice. We're reading, blogging, studying, working in places where blaring radios are just a distraction.

I live in the Twin Cities. My radio is off in my little office. I never listen to talk radio of any kind.

I just don't think there's the same potential audience as there is for the mindless babble on the right. They seem to have lots of people willing to listen to nonsense on the radio. Reading some of the right wing web sites seems to support my belief that right wing radio listeners are not all that bright.

[louis-t]

8. I guess the truth can be kind of boring.

Nothing like made-up stories and wild accusations by a bunch of blow-hards to push up the ratings. :eyes:

[wryter2000]

9. Bear in mind

It's not talk radio, but Faux news lost millions of dollars over years before it turned a profit. You need mega-big funding to make it. You might ask instead, how on Earth has liberal radio survived, given the climate? Did you ever see Left of the Dial? It was a miracle AAR survived.

The other thing is radio is a corporate business like everything else. Several very popular liberal radio stations have been converted to other formats, even though the switch resulted in a loss of ratings. Clearly, the corporations have a separate agenda from making a profit.

[jillan]

13. You make good points. But, you would think or hope that left leaning corporations

would want to invest in progressive talk radio.
Or even investors. It would help their cause. For example - green energy.
What a perfect format to promote that cause.

I just feel like something is missing here.

[Cleita]

10. Five RW companies own most of the radio stations in the country.

Many of them would rather run Rush Limbaugh concurrently on a couple of stations in the same market at the same time or sports programming than vary the programming. They put the liberal talk shows on the weakest powered stations if they have to as well. The monopolies have to be broken up so that there is more competition and a chance for liberal radio to thrive.

[LSparkle]

25. Exactly! It's not the Fairness Doctrine, but it's about ACCESS to signals ...

If there are 5 talk radio stations in, say, Los Angeles
(as blue a city as you're going to find), then why are
4 of them broadcasting RW crap? It's not like there isn't
an audience for more leftwing viewpoints; it's because
the station owners prefer to give the wingnuts the
monopoly of airtime ... on THE PUBLIC AIRWAVES. They
think competition is a good thing, until it comes to
political views.

[CTD]

11. I can't stand talk radio, regardless of the slant

Mostly it's that, while I appreciate "expert" opinions, I really don't care much for the opinions of the typical half-informed, ineloquent talk radio caller.

It's not "elitism". It's just that there is a reason only some people get radio/TV shows or newspaper columns - it's the ability to pull together a reasoned argument in a clear, concise fashion. The typical caller falls so far short on those fronts that I find it maddening.

[Still Sensible]

12. I think you'd find the answer if you looked carefully

at the lifestyle demographics of progressive radio listeners and hate radio listeners. I believe Rush's audience is loaded with people whose lifestyle & job afford them the opportunity to casually listen. I see a lot of Limbaugh followers are housewives, truck drivers, delivery people, etc.. Those are all folks that have the opportunity to listen to someone like him. Generally speaking, while I am dismayed that some people I know that listen to Rush are highly educated, most seem to be incurious people (like one of our knocks of GWB) that don't have any desire to understand issues, they just want black & white, right & wrong, us versus them directions. Typically the more educated Rush listeners I know basically only spout the economic portions of Rush's bullshit and ignore the rest (even though a lot of the rest makes them uncomfortable).

[OwnedByFerrets]

Read this post. It explains much.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8206630&mesg_id=8208795

[jillan]

17. I'm certain that's part of it.

[no_hypocrisy]

14. I'm the producer of a progressive radio call-in/talk show.

The host has been on the air for more 10 years now. We invite interesting guests to be interviewed such as Ex-Governor Don Siegelman, and author/advisor, Ted Sorensen to name a couple. We have local politicians interviewed. We hope to have Dennis Kucinich on within 10 days. We even have give-aways of free concert tickets.

Yet nobody calls. We have a tollfree number and nobody calls. I have killed myself to get an audience. Put up fliers in at least 20 towns, solicited businesses, personally invited people to listen. Nobody calls. The topics are provocative, the host is warm, solicitious, friendly, and humerous. Nobody calls. Not even contrarians or freepers. Nobody calls.

I know people are listening. The few calls that developed from winners for the ticket give-aways have been positive like "I love your show!", but that's it. The station doesn't subscribe to Arbitron, so we have no idea how popular (or otherwise) we are.

We try to discuss issues missed by mainstream media, such as the 5,000 children imprisoned by corrupt judges who took bribes from the owners of private juvenile prisons to send them business. Our show is needed but . . . nobody calls.

[jillan]

15. That is really too bad. Where are you at?

[no_hypocrisy]

21. Small independent station (not owned by a corporation) in northern New Jersey.

Affluent suburbs mostly. Bergen and Passaic Counties. Westchester and Rockland Counties in New York, all five boroughs of NYC, and some Connecticut. It's a good demographic. Even a tollfree number for callers. And the show is accessible online.

I don't get it.

[jillan]

24. I don't get it either.

:hug:

[tabbycat31]

28. do you go down to Monmouth County?

cause I would LOVE to listen to your station if it came through around here.

Also give me your call numbers, because I'm from Westchester County, and still have friends and family there that would listen to you (anything to get my dad from listening to Rush)

[no_hypocrisy]

32. Bless your heart. See below

The Sam Greenfield Show

Monday-Friday 7 to 9 a.m. (Eastern time)

1160 on the AM dial. I don't think we make Monmouth County, so read on about online streaming.

Online streaming: http://www.wvnj.com (Click "listen live" in the left margin.)

Toll-Free Number: [phone] (We need callers, no matter where they originate!)

Station's website: http://www.wvnj.com

Sam's Bio: http://www.wvnj.com/staff-sam.html

This is Sam:



Please listen and tell a friend!

Thanks so much, all of you.

[tabbycat31]

34. I'm going to NY at the beginning of the month

one of the first things I will be doing is reprogramming Rush out of my dad's car an replacing it with your station.

I'm not home at the time, but I will listen when I can. Thanks :-).

BTW your station info deserves it's own thread.

[cobalt1999]

16. Less group think

Think about how in sync the conservatives are on each major topic.

Look around here on any one topic. People think and come to their own conclusions and don't give a damn if they disagree with other liberals.

[Blue_Tires]

18. needs to be more widespread...

i've only heard Air America during the time I was living in RI...Everything here in Virginia is pretty much gargage (We do have a station playing "Democracy Now", but I'm never in the car when it is on)...RW regional conglomerates own most of the stations here, so all i'm really left with is nrp and sports talk while in the car

[redirish28]

19. It comes down to money. Most "liberal" businesses are hesitant

to advertise on progressive radio for fear of getting vandalized by sheeple or becoming a target for the Rushs in the world.


Those who have the money to start radio stations are conservative and those who might be liberal are hesitant to put the money in for fear it will become a lost cause.


Also history has shown that those stations that did have progressive stations at one time have basically become sports stations now because the Conservatives who own the stations or bought them out would rather have sports on the network than loose money trying to put a conservative talker in place of a liberal.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

20. Because the

radio station owners are a bunch of rightwingfuckwithairballs.

They have convinced advertisers that people will stop using their service or buying their products if they advertise on a progressive station.

[valerief]

22. The assholes have all the money and want to keep it, so they control the airwaves. nt

[Traveling_Home]

26. Here's another question ....

Why do we care?

We won anyway. Talk Radios days as a leading 'decider' are over. Time to put our energies elsewhere.

[jillan]

30. Because it's informative.

[Kashka-Kat]

33. We do a lot more reading & the more nuanced view isn't always entertaining

The right wingers I think succeed by reducing everything to either-or, us vs them, and make a blood sport out of it which draws a certain type of audience. The idea of Rush L as "entertaining" boggles the mind (I listen and am anything but "entertained") but apparently it is just that to a large number of people

The prog talk shows that are successful like Stephanie Miller & Alan Colmes have figured out a way to be entertaining - the former by her wit and poking fun and the latter by mixing it up with the right wing wackos in an often funny way. Some of the programs that just preach to the choir, although I learn a lot, isn't entertaining enough to draw a big audience.

Thats my theory anyhoo

[Lorien]

35. ....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5090340#5091431