Posted on 08/03/2006 10:03:42 AM PDT by raccoonradio
I don't know exactly when the conventional wisdom changed to create all-conservative talk stations and all-liberal talk stations, but that's the way things are now, for the most part. Maybe it's a sign of the increasing polarization of American political discourse. Or maybe PDs just got tired of hearing complaints from one host's fans about the other host's show. It's kind of a shame, actually.
I was talking about this with a host who lands on the liberal end of the political spectrum who's worked at some conservative stations. And the reaction he got as a left-winger on a right-wing station was surprising: listeners mostly liked him, even when they disagreed with him. Of course, that's not the same as a focus group- it's probably more accurate. (Don't get me started on focus groups. Seriously, I could rant for hours) The listeners took it in stride.
And back when I was a kid and the nation's hosts cowered in fear of the dreaded Fairness Doctrine, you got liberals and conservatives and who-knows-what-else all on the same station, all the time. You'd put on, say, WMCA in New York and you'd hear the ranting conservative Bob Grant and the raging liberal John Sterling (yes, THAT John Sterling, the "Yankees win! Yankees win! Thuh-uh-uh-uh Yankees win!" John Sterling) on the same station, every day. I remember lots of hosts from stations like WMCA, WOR, WCAU, and WWDB, and what I remember is less their political stances than their styles, the entertainment value. And today. some of the best local hosts defy political pigeonholing- just when you think you have 'em pegged as conservatives, they say something you'd call liberal, or vice versa. They're unpredictable from day to day, from topic to topic. Some PDs would be appalled by that; I think it's a good thing.
I can't tell you, actually, whether you should really mix conservative and liberal political talk these days. Perhaps the polarized formats ARE a better idea. After all, you'd tune in WABC or KHJ or WFIL or any other Top 40 station of the 60's and 70's and you'd get the Beatles and Frank Sinatra and Glen Campbell and Marvin Gaye and Cream back-to-back and you can't do that anymore, because someone who wants rock can hear all-rock stations, someone who wants country can tune in the country station, and someone who wants Frank Sinatra can go buy a satellite radio.
Talk's that way, too- you have the conservative station and the other conservative station and the liberal station and the sports station and maybe a weird brokered one that always seems to have fake talk shows about miracle dietary supplements. You don't need to sit through the "song" you don't like to get to the one you do. And I suppose it's better that way. But I kinda miss the days when there were hosts you loved and hosts you loved to hate, all on one station.
Maybe there's room for "Jack-AM: We Say What We Want." Just a thought.
Perry Michael Simon
Justified. It's the un-Fairness Doctrine,and if it comes back, Rush will be replaced by gardening shows.
>>the raging liberal John Sterling (yes, THAT John Sterling, the "Yankees win! Yankees win! Thuh-uh-uh-uh Yankees win!" John Sterling)
Liberal. Why am I not surprised! (am a Red Sox fan of course). What would have happened if Kerry won and he was still doing a talk show? Democrats win! Theeeeeeeeeee Democrats Win! (gag me)
>>what I remember is less their political stances than their styles, the entertainment value.
Conservative hosts have entertainment value. Libs don't. Al Franken? C'mon.
>>I kinda miss the days when there were hosts you loved and hosts you loved to hate, all on one station.
Translation: Bad ratings. "That was Sean Hannity. Stay tuned for Randi Rhodes". Bleccccccch!
Recently I was sent some snippets of old radio, including the famed promo for Jerry Williams on WMEX. (Jingle: "Do you disagree?--I think he's terrible--Or do you agree--Yes he's wonderful. Well whatever you think, be sure to let us know. Just call us...WMEX...the Jerry Williams Show!") It was kinda before my time, but I guess Jerry would come on and talk politics and stuff on the same station that played top 40 rock...He was considered a liberal in the old days but later re-labeled himself a populist, talking about the likes of Dukakis and fees, fines, taxes, hacks, and cronies. As the Democrats moved even further to the left, what was once considered liberal would be called conservative today.
If there was a way to make a buck doing that, it would be on the air.
The market drives the radio business, not nostalgia or feelings or legislation.
That's as it should be.
>>listeners mostly liked him, even when they disagreed with him
Some conservative hosts (Rush, Hannity, Carr) find they do have liberal callers/listeners. They may not agree but they must still find the show entertaining. (I can't say I'd
want to hear Franken, though!) And it's fun to hear them
argue with the host. (John DePetro of WRKO had some real
moonbat conspiracy theorists re: 9/11 this morning...)
"I hate you, but I tune in every day" :)
...I should add that Jerry's days at WMEX was back in the 60s--he had Malcolm X on a few times--when I was just a wee little baby. When I started listening to Jer' was 20 years ago; 1986...soon thereafter, he and Barbara Anderson and
Howie Carr were "The Governors", every Tue. Afternoon.
He'd talk about what a fraud Dukakis was, trying to spread
the word nationwide.
"Unelectable," sang one female caller, to the tune of
"Unforgettable".
Memorable audio cut:
Pee Wee Herman: "Now what's today's secret word?"
Dukakis: "Taxes..."
(sfx: scream)
Pee Wee Herman: "So when you hear the secret word
today...scream real loud!"
(And Howie gave Dukakis the nickname Pee Wee...looking like
Pee Wee Herman in that little suit...)
If Franken could get ratings, WRKO in Boston would be running him instead of Rush. The quote I always use on radio messageboards--when a format gets changed, or people rant about liberal talk not getting ratings, is from the first episode of WKRP in Cincinnatti. Young Andy Travis has changed the format of the sleepy station to raucous rock, and the owner Mrs. Carlson, who has placed her son Arthur as the
general manager, comes down, demanding an explanation.
MRS. CARLSON: "Young man, this radio station is a business.
It is not here for your personal listening pleasure."
ANDY: "Ma'am, I know it's a business, and that's why I
had to change the format."
Yes, they're BOTH right. Radio IS a business, and those
who embrace the likes of Air America are heading straight
to bankruptcy! As the Kinks once put it, "Give the people...what they want!"
If I want liberal radio I'll tune into NPR. Otherwise, don't fiddle with things. I want conservative talk radio, all the time. No 'effin commie pinko libs. Gimme Savage, Rush and Boortz (No Hannity, please!).
Yeah...was into Hannity for awhile (and he was getting
repetitive, etc.) but in Boston now he's up against Howie Carr and I prefer Howie (Sean used to be on another station, tape delayed). In Hannity's former slot
(10-midnight, WTKK): Laura Ingraham. That's better!
When I posted this on a radio board, someone said please do not post material from the racist, Anti-American website
Free Republic. My response:
>>racist/anti-American website such a FreeRepublic.com.
LOL! The piece was from allaccess.com but came as an email newsletter. I then posted it on FR. But it was originally AA.
Racist? We are prohibited from making racist comments (and would get ZOTted if we did). Anti-American?
C'mon!!! Go back to that wonderful Huffington blog...the one that has the pic of Joe Lieberman in blackface.
Or Steve Gilliard's news blog, which said this about black Maryland candidate Michael Steele:
"I's Simple Sambo and I's running
for the Big House" (accompanied by minstrel show picture, later taken down).
Some of the biggest racism comes from the Democrats (Jesse "Hymietown" Jackson, Howard Dean's
comments about black hotel workers, Robert "Grand Kleagle of the KKK" Byrd...)
Its called business. People don't want to change stations
This person knows nothing about business.
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