Author Topic: The Fruitful Garden (of right-wing AM radio) is dying  (Read 105 times)

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Offline Michael Hardner

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The Fruitful Garden (of right-wing AM radio) is dying
« on: February 04, 2018, 09:38:08 am »
https://www.salon.com/2018/02/03/iheartmedia-on-the-ropes-limbaugh-hannity-distributor-tries-to-stay-alive/



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Not only are younger Americans less interested in political talk radio, the sector has also been harmed by the rise of ever-more-controversial hosts like Michael Savage and Alex Jones, who frequently promote outlandish conspiracy theories and use foul or abusive language. Their ratings success has forced other, more established hosts like Limbaugh and Hannity to step up their own rhetoric, which in turn has made advertisers retreat. Left-leaning activists have accelerated this process by mobilizing social media campaigns targeting the programs' sponsors.

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iHeart has also forced its high-profile talk hosts to take pay cuts in an effort to save money. In 2016, Limbaugh agreed to a reduced salary, although the terms of the deal were not announced. This was a departure from past years, when information about Limbaugh's contracts was blasted far and wide to boast of his influence and power.

This is the same [natural] reform that occurred with newspapers, although in that case the centre pushed the fringes out.

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Offline kimmy

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Re: The Fruitful Garden (of right-wing AM radio) is dying
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2018, 12:16:45 pm »
I think it's more fundamental than that... I think this is a format that only old people care about, and the audience is literally dying out.

When I lived in Ottawa, an "alternative rock" station switched to a country format basically overnight. An analyst said, basically, that they had lots of listeners... but they were mostly males 25 and under, and there's only so many advertisers trying to reach that market. One suspects that vape shops, bodybuilding supplement shops, and payday lending services just don't have enough advertising dollars to keep a radio station afloat. (although, payday lending services seem to be on the decline. A couple of them have closed their locations here, and I can't recall hearing an ad for one since forever. Is that a sign of the booming economy in Kim City? I digress.)  In regard to AM talk radio, one suspects a similar problem. Funeral homes, will-writing services, and RV dealerships likewise just aren't big enough to support a radio station.

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Offline Michael Hardner

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Re: The Fruitful Garden (of right-wing AM radio) is dying
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2018, 12:27:51 pm »
I think it's more fundamental than that... I think this is a format that only old people care about, and the audience is literally dying out.

Well, it's mentioned even in my excerpt as a factor - maybe you missed it.

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  In regard to AM talk radio, one suspects a similar problem. Funeral homes, will-writing services, and RV dealerships likewise just aren't big enough to support a radio station.

Well, yeah but old people like old media so they are in better shape selling ads than, say, prime time is/was.