Is Progressive talk radio dead? No, but close.
Initial Phase:
During the Bush years and leading up to the 2004 Election Progressives finally began to understand that we didn’t have nearly the infrastructure that the Radical Conservative Right possessed.
After high level talks with the Power Brokers on the Left with Progressive funders, the Clinton Camp, Labor and other groups a plan was devised to counter Conservative influence. Out of these talks came organizations such as Media Matters, The Center for American Progressive and Air America Radio. Some organizations were connected while others followed as they heard the news of these organizations and the need for a ‘Vast Left-wing Conspiracy’ was forming.
Air America Radio:
Air America Radio was an underfunded radio syndication and LMA radio network. Meaning, they created a 24x7 radio content stream to air on stations they leased (LMA) and provided the feed at no cost (as is how radio syndication typically works) to affiliates including 26 stations owned by Clear Channel Radio.
Could Air America Radio have been successful? Yes, absolutely. There are two broad yet simple ways Air America Radio could have succeeded, first better management and second, more funding. If I had been running Air America Radio I would have used a slightly different strategy. Station ownership would have been key. Ownership would prevent becoming out-bid on leased time (LMA) or becoming knocked off prematurely due to low ratings. I would never only operate Progressive talk radio stations, it would be the same as Clear Channel or Cumulus saying “We are only going to operate Country or Top 40 radio stations”. Multiple formats in the same market helps to cross promote Progressive talk with other stations, increases overall market penetration and the larger audience helps to sell local advertising.
Last year as part of a franchise co-op we pooled our regional advertising budget of $100,000 to buy radio and the ad firm we used provided an excellent strategy of “meet with the top three radio groups in the market, tell them our budget and let them bid as an all-or-nothing/winner-takes-all.” In the end we received advertising worth six times our investment. If a locally owned or national network of Progressive talk radio stations only had Progressive talk stations they would not have been able to bid on our advertising budget, if they owned a Top 40, Country and Hip Hop station in the same market with solid ratings, they would have been invited to bid.
Marketing:
Have you ever seen a billboard or television ad for a Progressive Talk Radio station? I believe some stations have done advertising but overall it’s fairly empty. In the Boston market, the Progressive talk station founded by Jeff Santos aired TV ads running up to election season on msnbc. Ads on msnbc (directly targeting Progressive listeners) is a good strategy but there were a couple ways to have improved their marketing budget. First, the ads were poorly produced. Creating a spot with each (or a few) hosts simply speaking their values would have been much more effective. Think to msnbc’s advertising campaign where the hosts spoke about a particular issue they were passionate about. Imagine how effective Ed Schultz could have been discussing a value important to him (i.e. income inequality) and airing that ad on msnbc during his show promoting a local Progressive talk stations with the whole “Tune in to AM 1440 weekdays 12-3”.
On a $20,000 budget I would have skipped the TV ads for billboard ads. A daily reminder while actually in your car should yield the best results to increasing ratings. If a larger marketing budget were available adding Every Door Direct Mail from the USPS would be another good marketing channel.
Current Progressive Talk Stations:
Albuquerque, NM – AM 1350 KABQ – Owned by Clear Channel – 1 Rating (steady)
Ashville, NC – AM 880 WPEK – Owned by Clear Channel – 1 Rating (increased from a 0.6 rating)
Madison, WI – FM 92.1 WXXM – Owned by Clear Channel – 2.5 Rating (steady) - #9 in market!
Palm Springs, CA – AM 1450 KPTR – R&R Radio – 0.9 to 0.5 rating
Worcester, MA – AM 1400/1240/FM 96.9 WHMP – Saga Communications
Bellingham, WA – AM 930 KBAI – Saga Communications
Ithaca, NY – AM 1470 WNYY – Saga Communications
Santa Fe, NM – AM 1260 KTRC – Hutton Broadcasting
Chicago, IL – WCPT - Newsweb Corp (previous ratings as high as 0.9 share – no longer reported)
Phoenix, AZ – AM 1480 KPHX – Same owners who founded Air America Radio
Portland, OR – 91.1 FM KXRY – Non-profit (not yet rated)
(Please add any I’ve missed in the comments).
Progressive Talk Shows/Hosts:
The Ed Shultz Show – 3m+ (2008 study) Talkers Magazine #8
The Thom Hartmann Program – 2.75 million weekly listeners – Talkers Magazine #10 (Talkers Magazine claims 1.75m+ weekly listeners)
The Jeff Santos Show
Ring of Fire Radio
Joe Madison Talkers Magazine #9
Stephanie Miller – Talkers Magazine #22 – 1.5m+ weekly listeners
Randi Rhodes – Talkers Magazine #63 (no longer on-air)
The Bill Press Show
The David Pakman Show
The Alan Colmes Show – Talkers Magazine #21 – 1.5m+ weekly listeners
Mike Malloy
Leslie Marshall – Talkers Magazine #83
Rev. Al Sharpton – Talkers Magazine #87 – 750,000 weekly listeners
http://www.talkers.com/...
Cluster Strategy:
Hutton Broadcasting is a prime example of the station cluster strategy. Hutton Broadcasting is a local radio station company with six radio stations in the Santa Fe, NM market, including an ESPN affiliate and a Spanish music station. They also own and operate SantaFe.com and VisitSantaFe.com.
Clear Channel:
Did Clear Channel setup Progressive talk radio to fail? No. Clear Channel launched Air America on 26 stations around the U.S. In the coming months and years they began to flip those formats to other formats. They certainly could have done more. After 1200 AM in Boston flipped from Progressive Talk to ‘Rush Radio 1200’ they increased the station’s power and advertised the station on other Clear Channel stations including Kiss 108 and Jam’n 94.5 (which was not done for Boston’s Progressive Talk).
Clear channel recently purchased 101.7 FM in the Boston Market. They have gone through no less than three format changes in less than a year. It would appear they have certain metrics as far as ratings that must be met within a limited time-frame, otherwise they switch the format.
They also cancelled Rush Radio 1200 and flipped to a comedy channel and now to Bloomberg 1200 (business news radio) in a relatively short time.
Call-in Numbers:
The Jeff Santos Show - 1-877-489-9421
The Ed Shultz Show - 1-877-WE-GOT-ED (1-877-934-6833)
The Thom Hartmann Program 1-866-987-THOM (8466)
Stephanie Miller – 1-800-STEPH-1-2 (1-800-783-7412)
The Bill Press Show – 1-866-55-PRESS (1-866-557-7377)
The Alan Colmes Show – 1-877-FOR-ALAN
Mike Malloy – 1-877-99-MALLOY (1-877-996-2556)
Call in, ratings are partially gauged by number of callers.
Stations for Sale:
Prescott, AZ – FM - $285,000 – Seller will consider financing
Phoenix, AZ – FM - $5 million – Seller will consider financing
Phoenix, AZ – AM - $3.3 million
Flagstaff, AZ – FM (Construction Permit) - $395,000 – Seller will finance
Tucson, AZ – AM - $1.7 million
Eagle County, CO – FM - $95,000 – Seller will consider financing
Pueblo, CO – FM - $80,000 – Seller will consider financing
Lakeland, FL – AM - $250,000 – Seller will finance
Daytona Beach, FL – AM - $495,000 – Seller will consider financing
Orlando, FL – AM - $1.5 million – Seller will consider financing
Central, FL – 2 FM 3 AM - $1.5 million – Seller will consider financing
Chicago, IL – AM - $1.4m
Northern, MI – 2 AM group - $1.1m – Seller will finance
Mississippi – 2 FM’s - $1.5 million – Positive cash flow – Seller will finance
Las Vegas, NV – FM - $2.5 million – Seller will finance
Las Vegas, NV – FM - $3.25 million – Seller will finance
Las Vegas, NV – FM - $2.9 million
New Hampshire – FM - $300,000
Albuquerque, NM – AM - $1.6m – Seller will consider financing
New Mexico (smaller market) – Cluster of stations - $675,000 – Seller will finance
Buffalo, NY – AM - $1.5 million
Rose Hill, NC – AM (reached Wilmington to Raleigh) - $200,000 – Seller will consider financing
Greenville, NC – AM - $350,000 – Seller will finance
Raleigh/Durham, NC – AM - $250,000 – Seller will consider financing
Wilmington, NC – AM - $99,500 – Seller will finance
Cincinnati, OH – AM - $725,000
Southern, OH – 2 FM 1 AM Radio Group - $595,000 – Seller will finance
Southwest, OK – FM (Construction Permit) - $45,000 – Seller will finance
West of OK City, OK – FM (Construction Permit) - $95,000 – Seller will consider financing
Columbia, SC – AM - $595,000
Greenville, SC – AM - $300,000
TN – AM/FM radio group - $895,000 (solid ad revenue) – Seller will consider financing
Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX – AM - $995,000
Dallas, TX – AM - $880,000 – Seller will consider financing
Lubbock, TX – FM - $1 million – Seller will finance
Salt Lake City, UT – FM - $2.5 million
Provo, UT – FM (Construction Permit) - $530,000 – Seller will finance
VT – Small college market – AM - $300,000 – Seller will consider financing
Norfolk, VA – AM - $695,000 – Seller will consider financing
Seattle-Tacoma, WA - $7 million - Seller will finance
Seattle (Rated Market) - FM - $650,000
Cheyenne, WY – FM (Construction Permit) - $75,000 – Seller will consider financing
Cheyenne, WY – FM - $25,000 – Seller will consider financing – (cover 13.86% of the state’s population)
LPTV:
Although the legal status of Low Power Television is in limbo due to the FCC not stating if they will force LPTV stations off the air if they move a Class A TV channel in relation to the digital transition. Buying an LPTV station in a market where Cozi TV, MeTV or even MyNetworkTV is not currently aired would be key to getting cable companies to carry the channel in their lineup. Owning an LPTV station airing Cozi TV and cross promoting radio stations and the TV channel would build up the market penetration of Progressive media.
As a Cozi TV affiliate there would be content available at no cost 24x7, Meredith Vieira is launching a show and you are allowed to air your own news programs (perhaps a Sunday news show not made up of old Conservative white men).
Advertisers:
Research Registered Democrats and to a greater extent Democratic Donors who also own businesses. Offer FREE ads during the station’s startup to establish the relationship.
In addition to selling advertising space you can use Bid4Spots.com (if your station is rated) to bid on radio advertising budgets. You can also air Per-Inquiry advertising where you will be paid a flat fee for each time people dial a unique phone number in an ad you would air for free (Get a free bottle of Colon Clense by calling 1-877-….)
Build relationships with key advertisers – Auto dealerships, banks, insurance agencies, etc.
Research:
Station Ratings & Market Size
Radio Stations for Sale – RadioTVDeals.com
Station Lookup – Radio-Locator.com
Keys to Success:
Have an outside revenue stream to pay the operating costs of the station.
Own the station(s).
Own multiple stations in the same market to cross promote, improve ad sales & reduce costs.
Hire professional consultants who have successfully run radio stations.
Regularly advertise & promote your radio station(s).
Keep your costs as low as possible until revenue will help you improve content.