My formerly favorite favorite local radio station, KTRH in Houston, used to be all news and instructional talk (gardening, home repair, consumer affairs), but recently has drifted into the all-right-wing-all-the-time format, except for a brief period of news in the morning and the welcome respite of Astros baseball games. This development appears to have come on the heels of the acquisition of KTRH by Clear Channel Communications. No one I know even listens to KTRH any more, so I am wondering what commercial calculations are driving the conversion of a once-valuable radio station into a one-sided propaganda machine.
2007-09-03 02:04:33 · 9 answers · asked by Yupon Bachi-Bazouk 2 in News & Events ➔ Media & Journalism
Simple. Despite the "conventional wisdom" of those in the Boston-Washington and San Diego-San Francisco populaton belts, most of the U.S. is center-right in their political perspective. There are, and have been, attempts to attract an audience by progressive groups and hosts on talk radio. Pacifica Radio and Air America are but two examples. But, the audiences they attract are pitifully small compared to the talk radio shows labeled as "right wing". Plus, progressive-oriented radio seems only to exist on non-profit FM stations in the part of the FM band reserved for non-profit and community radio stations.
The commercial calculation is based on the fact that AM radio (especially) can earn significantly higher ad revenues from a center-right talk radio format than music. FM's superior sonic qualities doomed AM as a disseminator of music long ago.
2007-09-03 07:07:23 · answer #1 · answered by desertviking_00 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Simple economics, my friend. More people want to listen to the new media than to a gardening show. Conservative radio will attract more listeners and sponsors, resulting in more money for the station. There are no "calculations," just an open market.
2007-09-03 09:19:11 · answer #2 · answered by hottiecj *~♥~*~♥~* 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Conservative talk radio is popular and makes the stations that air it money. Liberal talk radio is not popular and the stations that air it loses money.
2007-09-03 10:16:33 · answer #3 · answered by Deus Luminarium 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
A few years ago, right-winged conservative started buying up the radio stations and air-ways to spread their hate and propaganda.
2007-09-03 09:16:02 · answer #4 · answered by Penny 1 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Because Left Wing radio hates America and even hard core lefties even get sick of Anti American rants day after day. Hey, do you wonder why Air America went belly up?
2007-09-03 09:13:47 · answer #5 · answered by Dick Richards 3 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Because most other broadcast/news media- CBS,NBC,ABC,CNN,PBS, (and most daily newspapers)-are extremely left wing. The only broadcast outlet that the right has is talk radio.
2007-09-03 09:17:32 · answer #6 · answered by Buffalo1 4 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Just because "no one you know" listens to KTRH any more, doesn't mean it isn't a popular station.
2007-09-03 09:13:14 · answer #7 · answered by Mystine G 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Because the republican party elite feel that they have to brainwash their base with hyperbolic and conjectural propaganda so that they will continue to vote for candidates that do not have their best interest in mind.
2007-09-03 09:49:56 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋
i dont know.
2007-09-03 09:11:35 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋