[Speed Gibson,
Wednesday August 24, 2005 at 12:31am]
Talk Radio Ratings: Part 2 of 3
I'm really not looking forward to this, but it's time to discuss Garage Logic, the centerpiece of the AM 1500 lineup.
Host Joe Soucheray got his radio start doing "Sports Talk" on various nights before eventually landing on Saturday mornings. He got his own show in 1993 from 2-4pm, followed by The Round Mound of Sound Don Vogel from 4-6, then Jason Lewis who then I believe only had two hours. Don passed away suddenly, with Joe and Jason each taking an hour. So we had Rush live 11 am - 2pm, Garage Logic 2pm - 5pm, and Jason Lewis 5-8 pm. It worked for years, with Joe's ratings leading the way.
And then it happened. Jason Lewis left us for North Carolina and its longer golf season. For reasons unknown to me, KSTP elected to shuffle the schedule again, rather than directly replace Lewis. What finally happened as noted in Part 1 of this series, was that Rush Limbaugh and Garage Logic were shifted forward an hour to where we are today, with Joe on from 3pm to 6pm. The latter wasn't an easy decision to implement, given the successful syndication of Garage Logic in greater Minnesota.
Well, now the ratings for Garage Logic aren't so good, though much of the loss may be the circular dip between elections. I'm sure that's a big part of it, but there are other factors readily apparent. One of them is clearly competition from The Patriot, sports on KFAN judging by the ratings, maybe even Don Shelby at WCCO. Air America? Nahhh....
But allow me to return to the scheduling.
Now for the hard part - content. I have liked Joe's work for years. I sure he's a decent fellow, a fine family man as Lawrence Welk might have said. I think he wants his show to be competent, entertaining, and successful. But I also fear he has become a bit comfortable. In preparation for this post, I recorded his first hour today and heard this:
This is not the Joe Soucheray I remember of even five years ago, when he'd take on the schools, City Hall, catch and release justice, political correctness, lawyers, doctors, politicians of all stripes, cultural events, the enemy paper, and even gun control once in a while. He still does this, but less often. Listening to my friends who listen more regularly than I do, it's a lot less often and less aggressively when he does. The analysis now is just this "The Mystery" shtick.
I'm not sure what effect the very talented "Rookie" has had on the show. Personally, I think the Rook's mike is on a little too much, but others like Chad the Elder really enjoy him. I can see where having a talented sidekick could make you ease off the gas a little, letting him get the laughs.
So what's to be done? Not a lot really. It's still a good show, and maybe the management changes and ratings realities will help make it a great show once again. But that doesn't immediately win back lost audience. It's time to consider rebroadcasting, maybe even podcasting.
The last hour (5-6pm Fridays) is replayed Saturday mornings at 6 am, which unfortunately for me is the one hour of the fifteen each week I least want to hear. Joe himself, by his own admission, opposes replays, curtly saying once that "if it matters to you, you'll find a way to listen." True enough, thanks to the return of Internet streaming, Replay Radio and other technology. But the way to look at this is as an opportunity.
I'll discuss my thoughts for a daily replay and the rest of the AM 1500 weekday schedule in Part 3.
Host Joe Soucheray got his radio start doing "Sports Talk" on various nights before eventually landing on Saturday mornings. He got his own show in 1993 from 2-4pm, followed by The Round Mound of Sound Don Vogel from 4-6, then Jason Lewis who then I believe only had two hours. Don passed away suddenly, with Joe and Jason each taking an hour. So we had Rush live 11 am - 2pm, Garage Logic 2pm - 5pm, and Jason Lewis 5-8 pm. It worked for years, with Joe's ratings leading the way.
And then it happened. Jason Lewis left us for North Carolina and its longer golf season. For reasons unknown to me, KSTP elected to shuffle the schedule again, rather than directly replace Lewis. What finally happened as noted in Part 1 of this series, was that Rush Limbaugh and Garage Logic were shifted forward an hour to where we are today, with Joe on from 3pm to 6pm. The latter wasn't an easy decision to implement, given the successful syndication of Garage Logic in greater Minnesota.
Well, now the ratings for Garage Logic aren't so good, though much of the loss may be the circular dip between elections. I'm sure that's a big part of it, but there are other factors readily apparent. One of them is clearly competition from The Patriot, sports on KFAN judging by the ratings, maybe even Don Shelby at WCCO. Air America? Nahhh....
But allow me to return to the scheduling.
- At 2 pm, Garage Logic followed a live Rush Limbaugh program. At 3 pm, it follows a taped EIB.
- At 2 pm, talk listeners choose between Garage Logic, Michael Medved, and sports (KFAN). At 3pm, now the call is between GL and Don Shelby, and only if they aren't staying with 1280 or 1130.
- At 2 pm, everything is an hour more current, and merely abuts the drive time ping pong of news, weather, and traffic. At 3pm, the third hour is now lost to the latter.
Now for the hard part - content. I have liked Joe's work for years. I sure he's a decent fellow, a fine family man as Lawrence Welk might have said. I think he wants his show to be competent, entertaining, and successful. But I also fear he has become a bit comfortable. In preparation for this post, I recorded his first hour today and heard this:
- An old lady drove her car in a parade wondering what was going on.
- Twins start a series with Chicago tonight, Santana pitching
- Joe got a paper cut
- Joe has his start of season motorcycle mileages printed and posted so he can later calculate the mileage and determine the appropriate maintenance required.
- Saw a piece in the Travel section about seeing classic old barns. He'd like to do that, stop for some apple cider along the way.
- Discussed talk of bobble-head controversy at Twins game.
- Mentioned Pat Robertson's idea of knocking of Venezuela's Chavez, not the best time to annoy our #5 oil supplier when gas is $3/gallon.
- Ray of Hope for doctor who told overweight patient to lose weight. She was offended, he said too bad.
- Caller phoned in a Make a Move.
- Bought a timer to limit politicians who "drop by" at his State Fair shows.
- Read four minutes on Al-Qaeda's game plan in a new book, one of the longer segments at 4 minutes, to the top of the hour news.
This is not the Joe Soucheray I remember of even five years ago, when he'd take on the schools, City Hall, catch and release justice, political correctness, lawyers, doctors, politicians of all stripes, cultural events, the enemy paper, and even gun control once in a while. He still does this, but less often. Listening to my friends who listen more regularly than I do, it's a lot less often and less aggressively when he does. The analysis now is just this "The Mystery" shtick.
I'm not sure what effect the very talented "Rookie" has had on the show. Personally, I think the Rook's mike is on a little too much, but others like Chad the Elder really enjoy him. I can see where having a talented sidekick could make you ease off the gas a little, letting him get the laughs.
So what's to be done? Not a lot really. It's still a good show, and maybe the management changes and ratings realities will help make it a great show once again. But that doesn't immediately win back lost audience. It's time to consider rebroadcasting, maybe even podcasting.
The last hour (5-6pm Fridays) is replayed Saturday mornings at 6 am, which unfortunately for me is the one hour of the fifteen each week I least want to hear. Joe himself, by his own admission, opposes replays, curtly saying once that "if it matters to you, you'll find a way to listen." True enough, thanks to the return of Internet streaming, Replay Radio and other technology. But the way to look at this is as an opportunity.
I'll discuss my thoughts for a daily replay and the rest of the AM 1500 weekday schedule in Part 3.
Now, I catch the last hour of Souch and Rook, both punchy and tired, laughing too long about last hour's joke. I just switch to Hugh Hewitt and never return to 1500.
I doubt Hubbard understood the competition that the Patriot would bring.
The only reason I listen to KSTP beyond that is for Reusse. Evening I switch to KFAN for Dan Barreiro (4:30-7:00) who is actually fairly insightful on political matters. Once that is done I am home, usually. If not, I'd rather listen than the AM stations...thank God then for FM.
But it has to be quality, entertaining local content, not just gentle rehashes of what's in the paper already.