[Speed Gibson,
Thursday December 15, 2005 at 11:00pm]
Be Careful What You Wish For
Former program director Joe O'Brien's wish for as much local content as possible on KSTP-AM 1500 is coming true in 2006. Rush Limbaugh leaves for FM in January, Sean Hannity in August at the end of his contract. What does this mean?
It means that the mighty 1500 will have no national level hosts or content when Hannity leaves. The locals will no doubt speak to some of the national and international issues of the day. But even the best, presumably Bob Davis, only know what they've read in the papers. They have no contacts, no job experience in national positions. Even their local civic and political contacts are fairly modest compared to even WCCO or MPR.
This is why Mitch's rumor of Jason Lewis returning made so much sense. He is that rare talent that can work at all levels, from a school board election to the looming Iranian nuclear crisis, hammering it all home with facts and doses of outrange or humor as needed. But without him, by the end of 2006, Patrick Reusse will be their third ranking expert on national issues.
The Patriot has the opposite problem, also by design. They have a wonderfully broad range of national coverage, a solid 15 hours every weekday with Bill Bennett, Laura Ingraham, Dennis Prager, Michael Medved, and Hugh Hewitt. The only local content comes from Saturday doubleheader of Taxpayers League Live and the Northern Alliance Radio Network.
I want some of both, particularly in the morning. That's why I typically listen to Bob Davis in the first half-hours and Bill Bennett in the second half-hours when Davis is stuck with useless traffic reports and celebrity birthdays.
So they both have a problem, but KSTP's is the more acute, stuck with marginal talents like Krok and Rosenbaum, at least for now. I have a feeling that another shoe or two will drop by this time next year.
It means that the mighty 1500 will have no national level hosts or content when Hannity leaves. The locals will no doubt speak to some of the national and international issues of the day. But even the best, presumably Bob Davis, only know what they've read in the papers. They have no contacts, no job experience in national positions. Even their local civic and political contacts are fairly modest compared to even WCCO or MPR.
This is why Mitch's rumor of Jason Lewis returning made so much sense. He is that rare talent that can work at all levels, from a school board election to the looming Iranian nuclear crisis, hammering it all home with facts and doses of outrange or humor as needed. But without him, by the end of 2006, Patrick Reusse will be their third ranking expert on national issues.
The Patriot has the opposite problem, also by design. They have a wonderfully broad range of national coverage, a solid 15 hours every weekday with Bill Bennett, Laura Ingraham, Dennis Prager, Michael Medved, and Hugh Hewitt. The only local content comes from Saturday doubleheader of Taxpayers League Live and the Northern Alliance Radio Network.
I want some of both, particularly in the morning. That's why I typically listen to Bob Davis in the first half-hours and Bill Bennett in the second half-hours when Davis is stuck with useless traffic reports and celebrity birthdays.
So they both have a problem, but KSTP's is the more acute, stuck with marginal talents like Krok and Rosenbaum, at least for now. I have a feeling that another shoe or two will drop by this time next year.