CHRISTIAN TALK SHOWS TO START JAN. 1 (WKAT Radio Commits Ratings Suicide)

Miami Herald ^ | December 25, 2006

[PJ-Comix]

WKAT-AM (1360) will launch a Christian talk and teaching format on Jan. 1 with a lineup of popular ministry programs.

''Since entering Miami in 2005, we have looked for an opportunity to offer South Florida listeners quality Christian talk programming,'' said Joe D. Davis, executive vice president of California-based Salem Communications, corporate owner of WKAT.

Shows will touch on issues such as relationships and family concerns, as well as Biblical faith. Hosts include James Dobson and Pastor Chuck Swindoll.

[PJ-Comix]

I wasn't kidding about Fort Wayne, IN having better talk radio shows than all of South Florida. I noticed a wide variety in the Mid-West. Down here it is almost a wasteland.

[rodguy911]

Salem doesn't get it. Like others have said on here the temptation to go religious or sports talk is always big because it's so easy to sell. Usually stations with no sales dept. do such things.

[rodguy911]

Bingo!

[mkjessup]

I don't even know what Bill O'Reilly is doing on the radio. It sounds like he is only marking time on there. Every time I listen to O'Reilly on the radio it reminds me of that SCTCV sketch of Perry Como lying down on a stage and singing, "Am I Still Alive?"

I like O'Reilly but his moving into radio was a bad move, he thought he was going to shove Rush Limbaugh into early retirement or something but it was more like a sparrow crashing into an oncoming car's windshield. I look for O'Reilly to eventually back out of radio entirely, just like Rush did with his brief segments on TV.

And LMAO about that Perry Como sketch on SCTV, I actually met Perry Como in an Albertson's grocery store in south Florida (where he used to live), he was going down the aisle like any shopper, I saw him and before I could say "hey, aren't you...?" he grins and says (really he said this) "yeah I'm still alive, here in the frozen foods!" - one terrific guy, talked to him for maybe 10 minutes, just like bumping into your neighbor at the store. One of the nicest people, a shame he's not around now.

[smalltownslick]

"I guess,but I can only guess what their numbers will be."

I think it was explained pretty well before - they didn't have the numbers to show up in the ratings, the new format guarantees them income regardless of ratings. If the religious broadcasters pay THEM, why would they hold on to the shows they have to PAY FOR?

[PJ-Comix]

Actually I think that SCTV sketch might have brought Perry Como back into the limelight since he was mostly forgotten back them. BTW, the cancellation of SCTV by NBC was one of the great cultural crimes. NBC picked up SCTV for broadcast and then BETRAYED that show. What they did was broadcast it after midnight on the weekend so there would be few viewers. It turned out they did this to eliminate competition for the inferior SNL.

[Caipirabob]

It really doesn't work that way in Miami, top stations are spanish language, most english broadcasts are targeted northward to broward and palm beach where there are still a few gringos left.

Saw one the other day in my neighborhood. He didn't make it. : (

Jus' funnin'...I'll have to check for these two shows in my area.

[PJ-Comix]

Schnitt isn't even local down here. He broadcasts out of the Tampa area for the South Florida show. PLUS he does a 4 hour show in the morning. By the time he does his afternoon show on WIOD he sounds burnt out. And yet WIOD has kept Schnitt for at least 4 years despite the fact his show sounds like no more than locker room talk.

Glenn Beck in the morning is also boring. He does the same basic shtick day after day putting on a silly voice. Laura Ingraham and Michael Medved are both light years ahead of those two WIOD bozos.

[BenLurkin]

I don't know all the names but many of them are legitimate preachers -- not hucksters.

[mkjessup]

NBC picked up SCTV for broadcast and then BETRAYED that show. What they did was broadcast it after midnight on the weekend so there would be few viewers. It turned out they did this to eliminate competition for the inferior SNL.

SCTV was head and shoulders above SNL, no question of that. Drug abuse notwithstanding, Belushi was (IMHO) one of the premiere talents of SNL, and it was ironic that he would end up paired with Dan Akroyd, a truly premiere Canadian talent in his own right.

And nothing could top that footage of TVs being thrown from the high rise buildings in the opening shots of 'SCTV', LOL!

[rodguy911]

My guess is that before they had a poor sales staff and bad signal, without those two things going for you, time to punt, if you aren't really serious about being a player in the market which they obviously are not.

[rodguy911]

That's the nice thing about the web and sat. radio, we really are not dependent on bad station mgrs. any more.

[ClaireSolt]

I was enjoying Bill Bennett on this station until today. I can't listen to Laura Ingraham very long. Her voice is annoying. Seems lessons would help. I don't see anything on the lineup that interests me. If I want religion, I tune in Mother Angelica.

[rodguy911]

IMHO Beck is better on t.v. than radio, Schnitt should not be syndicated.

[rodguy911]

It takes a while to develop a radio voice,took me almost 20 years, some of the best female voices are on FM rock and roll and smooth jazz.

[billbears]

Somehow I don't know why they couldn't have made room for Ingraham and Medved

Perhaps because Christian talk radio doesn't have hosts with little, if any Christian ties? There's a station like this here in NC that's been around for years up in Black Mountain. They seem to be doing fine. Don't see Dr. Stanley on though there. You could always push to get him on there. Good pastor and rather popular

[rawhide]

However, WKAT radio has just committed ratings suicide by having Christian Talk 24/7

I'm not sure, it looks to be a good lineup to me. Calvary Satellite Network International has many radio stations across the US that have mainly Christian talk shows on each day, and they seem to be doing okay. I'm sure the parent company did some good research on this before they announced the switch. Time will tell.

[PJ-Comix]

I don't know all the names but many of them are legitimate preachers -- not hucksters.

I don't care. It was STUPID of WKAT to toss out two of the great radio talk hosts just to make way for preachers 24/7 just so they can stupidly claim to have one format.

[rodguy911]

With Christian radio you don't need a sales staff devoted to selling just that station. Many major nets like Salem,the old clear channel etc. will sacrifice one station in an area like they are with kat for others that are far more profitable.

[rodguy911]

Not necessarily, most everything with major radio nets,probably same with salem as well, is done by budget. Even a sales staff. If it's not in the budget it doesn't exist.