[Speed Gibson,
Tuesday January 23, 2007 at 1:04pm]
Talk Radio 2007
It's time for my annual look at the Talk Radio scene.
First, I subscribe to three premium sites, plus Live365 for music and an Old Time Radio site. I listen to them via downloaded mp3 files rather than live.
Mornings, I have no set preference other than to avoid Willie Clark. Depending on the news cycle, I split my time pretty evenly between Bill Bennett (WWTC AM 1280), Andrew Colton (KTLK FM 100.3), and Ian & Margery Punnett (WFMP FM 107.1). And KTLK is dropping fast, having added still more useless traffic reports and doing mostly entertainment news.
Evenings, Jason Lewis has all but displaced Hugh Hewitt. I'll often listen to Hugh in the car, knowing my Pogo is recording Jason, but even that habit is fading. Partly this is my preference for local content in that I'm already getting mostly national content from my subscriptions. But much of this is due to Hewitt's format changes.
Hugh Hewitt might have had the best opening sequence in talk radio, featuring Canned Heat's Goin' up the Country. The new opening is now basically a dirge, salted with somber historical quotes, and unfortunately appropriate to the darker tone he has taken. And we don't agree, i.e., accept the RNC talking points, even the obvious flubs like the Harriett Miers nomination, he whines like a liberal. As I've said before, I smell a radio consultant at work. That said, Hewitt does do a number of important interviews, so I do listen to some shows on Townhall.com.
Getting back to Jason Lewis, his show is mostly an emotional fix for me, to know that there are still a few conservatives left in Minnesota. He occasionally gets some low level facts wrong, but he is otherwise on target.
KSTP is dead to me except maybe for an occasional Bob Davis replay at night and weekend Sports Talk. Garage Logic is now a slow paced bore. Dave Thompson is smart, principled and tries as hard as anyone, but just doesn't have radio skills.
The Patriot continues to have a formidable lineup. I listen to some Bill Bennett as I said, get Laura Ingraham by subscription, tape Dennis Prager on my Pogo, and catch some Hugh Hewitt when time permits. Michael Medved gets an honorable mention, but the timing of his show isn't right for me, but it's always preferable to Sean Hannity.
And then there's the eight hour Taxpayers League / Northern Alliance extravaganza on Saturday, with David Strom, Brian Ward, Mitch Berg, and King Banian, and a long list of capable co-hosts. I never miss an hour thanks to my Pogo recorder.
Townhall.com has many podcasts available, but you have to listen via their player or enter the proprietary Apple iTunes/iPod world. I want mp3's I can play anywhere, any time. Having the hour summaries available is very helpful, much like the premium sites do.
Overall, the "state of the " talk radio scene remains strong, with nice additions like the latest NARN segment.
First, I subscribe to three premium sites, plus Live365 for music and an Old Time Radio site. I listen to them via downloaded mp3 files rather than live.
- I am a charter member of Rush 24/7, which includes The Limbaugh Letter. This is still my favorite national show, and the paragon of premium web sites. Much of this flows from Rush's love of radio that takes full advantage of his obvious talents. The only problem is that given his prominence, he can't play the theme, bumpers, and parodies without significant royalties.
- I am also a charter member of the Laura Ingraham site. She keeps me young, more in touch with the culture, but also hits hard on important issues like the Fairness Doctrine.
- Bill O'Reilly replaced Dennis Prager this past year when Salem asserted its ownership rights to put his premium site out of business. But I must say that O'Reilly is also a natural behind the microphone, with only his occasional slides into unreasoned populism holding him back.
Mornings, I have no set preference other than to avoid Willie Clark. Depending on the news cycle, I split my time pretty evenly between Bill Bennett (WWTC AM 1280), Andrew Colton (KTLK FM 100.3), and Ian & Margery Punnett (WFMP FM 107.1). And KTLK is dropping fast, having added still more useless traffic reports and doing mostly entertainment news.
Evenings, Jason Lewis has all but displaced Hugh Hewitt. I'll often listen to Hugh in the car, knowing my Pogo is recording Jason, but even that habit is fading. Partly this is my preference for local content in that I'm already getting mostly national content from my subscriptions. But much of this is due to Hewitt's format changes.
Hugh Hewitt might have had the best opening sequence in talk radio, featuring Canned Heat's Goin' up the Country. The new opening is now basically a dirge, salted with somber historical quotes, and unfortunately appropriate to the darker tone he has taken. And we don't agree, i.e., accept the RNC talking points, even the obvious flubs like the Harriett Miers nomination, he whines like a liberal. As I've said before, I smell a radio consultant at work. That said, Hewitt does do a number of important interviews, so I do listen to some shows on Townhall.com.
Getting back to Jason Lewis, his show is mostly an emotional fix for me, to know that there are still a few conservatives left in Minnesota. He occasionally gets some low level facts wrong, but he is otherwise on target.
KSTP is dead to me except maybe for an occasional Bob Davis replay at night and weekend Sports Talk. Garage Logic is now a slow paced bore. Dave Thompson is smart, principled and tries as hard as anyone, but just doesn't have radio skills.
The Patriot continues to have a formidable lineup. I listen to some Bill Bennett as I said, get Laura Ingraham by subscription, tape Dennis Prager on my Pogo, and catch some Hugh Hewitt when time permits. Michael Medved gets an honorable mention, but the timing of his show isn't right for me, but it's always preferable to Sean Hannity.
And then there's the eight hour Taxpayers League / Northern Alliance extravaganza on Saturday, with David Strom, Brian Ward, Mitch Berg, and King Banian, and a long list of capable co-hosts. I never miss an hour thanks to my Pogo recorder.
Townhall.com has many podcasts available, but you have to listen via their player or enter the proprietary Apple iTunes/iPod world. I want mp3's I can play anywhere, any time. Having the hour summaries available is very helpful, much like the premium sites do.
Overall, the "state of the " talk radio scene remains strong, with nice additions like the latest NARN segment.