Brian Anderson: Air America doomed?

[ArchTeryx]

Why the Liberals Can't Keep Air America From Spiraling In
By Brian C. Anderson

The liberal Air America Radio, just past its first birthday, has probably enjoyed more free publicity than any enterprise in recent history. But don't believe the hype: Air America's left-wing answer to conservative talk radio is failing, just as previous efforts to find liberal Rush Limbaughs have failed.

Wait a second, you say, didn't I read that Air America has expanded to more than 50 markets? That's true, but let's put things in perspective: Conservative pundit and former Reagan official William J. Bennett's morning talk show, launched at the same time as Air America, reaches nearly 124 markets, including 18 of the top 20, joining the growing ranks of successful right-of-center talk programs (Limbaugh is still the ratings leader, drawing more than 15 million listeners a week).

And look at Air America's ratings: They're pitifully weak, even in places where you would think they'd be strong. WLIB, its flagship in New York City, has sunk to 24th in the metro area Arbitron ratings — worse than the all-Caribbean format it replaced, notes the Radio Blogger. In the liberal meccas of San Francisco and Los Angeles, Air America is doing lousier still.

<snip>

Sure, talk radio is partisan, sometimes overheated. But it's also a source of argument and information. Together with Fox News and the blogosphere, it has given the right a chance to break through the liberal monoculture and be heard. For that, anyone who supports spirited public debate should be grateful.

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http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-anderson18apr18,0,7147223.story?coll=la-news-comment-opinions

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Naturally, this conservative shill would say that Air America is dying. People have been saying Air America is doomed from the very beginning. But how to counter his points about their ratings and markets? (I could easily argue that any conservative mouthpiece, these days, has instant access to hundreds of markets, thanks to Clear Channel and Limbaugh. Air America has to get into its markets the very hardest ways. But their poor relative ratings are alot harder to argue away).

-- ArchTeryx

[shoelace414]

1. this is the first I heard that AAR has bad ratings.

[bperci108]

14. Ratings?

I wouldn't be so quick to assume that this right-wing shill is correct. Arbitron ratings (AFAIK) don't take into account the satellite services, pod-casts or the internet listeners. Last time I heard AAR was the most streamed programming on the net. They just inked an exclusive deal with XM satellite radio, which is making a SERIOUS dent in broadcast radio's turf. :woohoo:

As Mr. Zimmerman said: "...the times, they are a changin'..."

Broadcast radio is scared shitless of satellite radio (listen to the new "Hey, we're still free!" ad campaign of the broadcasters) and the right can't believe that AAR has lasted a year and is picking up new affiliates as we speak. They were just positive it would fail immediately. :cry:

Anyone recall AssHat Matt Drudge's barely concealed glee at what he thought (or at least tried to mischarachterize as such...) a negative portrayal on the documentary "Left Of The Dial"?

On a personal note; I rarely, if ever, listen to broadcast radio anymore. XM is my exclusive listening, (as is the same with many others out here in the Hustings) AM is nothing but Right-wing frothers and FM is wall-to-wall commercials. Both suck more each & every day. :puke:

Broadcast and it's "ratings" system are dying. This clown at the LA Times hasn't got the memo yet.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Cooley Hurd]

5. Signal strength doesn't indicate success or failure...

Signal strength is regulated by the government (the FCC, actually)...

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Cooley Hurd]

11. You do have links to back up what you're saying...

...don't you?:shrug:

[smoot]

23. We'll never know

Because whatever you're referring to no longer exists!

(cue music from the twilight zone here)

[markdd]

13. AAR MN has already bought a 'new' station

They were originally on the air with two low powered transmitters (maybe 10 mile range). They have a new station and transmitter (Oct 2004?) It all costs money and they don't seem to have a lot yet.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Cooley Hurd]

3. This guy wouldn't know "success" even if it vistited him personally

And must not understand how to read Arbitron ratings, either...:eyes:

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. I bet this turkey thinks we're winning the war in Iraq too

n/t

[EstimatedProphet]

7. The Bush administration probably paid him to write this article

[On the Road]

8. He Actually Didn't Say Anything at all

to show Air America is dying. Just that it's 24th in the NYC market. Considering that's a whole new market and a lot of people aren't even aware of it (despite his claims of free publicity), that's probably not that bad.

Now why is this guy getting column space in the LA Times?

[acmejack]

9. Does the Arbitron include internet stream listeners?

There is a big audience on the net, I personally know more who use that venue than the radio. In fact, AA has been on the air only a month down here.

[Montauk6]

10. Horse hockey, balderdash, and mule muffins!!!!

And look at Air America's ratings: They're pitifully weak, even in places where you would think they'd be strong. WLIB, its flagship in New York City, has sunk to 24th in the metro area Arbitron ratings — worse than the all-Caribbean format it replaced, notes the Radio Blogger. In the liberal meccas of San Francisco and Los Angeles, Air America is doing lousier still.

They were 24 in the Fall '04 with a 1.2

Summer '04 1.4

Fall '03 (when it was all-Caribbean): 1.1

So how is that worse?

Source: http://www.nyradioguide.com/ratings.htm

[vi5]

12. What bothers me about this thread...

..is that of all the replies, nobody provided anything to counter the meat of his article and the points it made about ratings. Is AAR 24th in the NYC market? If so, that's not good. How do each of the shows stack up ratings wise against their competition?

I want AAR to succeed, and I don't want what this guy is saying to be true. But us saying he's wrong and just saying he's a schill isn't going to make it happen.

Does anyone have any actual arbitron ratings and such?

Edited to aknowledge the post immediately before mine that listed some ratings information. Still not a total counter, but I didn't want to dismiss it.

[Montauk6]

16. 24th in the Detroit Market would be reason to start drinking before 5

NYC, on the other hand, has zillion of stations, so 24 is not that bad; I don't think.

But even so, look at how FAR they've succeeded nationwide thus far; they're picking more markets (remember when they started, they only went to certified safe area?). That's gotta account for something.

And as far Casino Bill getting high ratings, please...

The link I posted had numbers from last fall; oddly enough, I gave up sifting through the cryptic site index at Arbitron.com

AAR will succeed, I believe. Look, the so-called experts dismissed the entire CONCEPT of liberal talk radio as impossible. The creation of AAR proved that to be bogus. Then they said no one would listen to liberal hosts, again AAR proved that wrong (and this was wrong already going by the impressive numbers by pre-AAR Randi, Neil Rogers, and others). Then, once launched, they said AAR would fall on its face immediately; again, didn't happen.

So, fret not.

[DemFromMem]

20. dated data

Doesn't it seem a bit odd that he's quoting data that is from fall '04 when we're going into summer '05? The station was only on the air a couple of months at that point. I also heard that Franken was winning his time slot in New York recently.

[smoot]

22. Me, too

I mean really, what are the ratings?  Are they going upward or
downward?

And if it's a dead horse, should anyone continue to flog it?

.

[otohara]

17. Total Garbage - First of All The 24th NY Position are 12+ Numbers

The demo that counts is 25-54. Unfortunately for us on the Internet, the only numbers Radio & Records shows are 12+. When AAR first started in NYC, Al Franken was beating O'Really. Majority report was #1 w/ 25-54 audiences in NYC, beating powerhouse WABC. These were early numbers and surely have leveled off. Still, #3 overall for talk stations in NYC is pretty darn good.

If AAR is in this continuing downward spirial as the author would suggest, Clear Channel would not be signing up stations so quickly.

Also, AAR has strong numbers in Internet streaming.

AAR listeners are affluent, smart - an attractive buy for many advertisers.

[BR_Parkway]

18. His own comment proves this to be bullshit -

Together with Fox News and the blogosphere, it has given the right a chance to break through the liberal monoculture and be heard.

Anyone starting from the assumption that "thank Gawd for Faux news and the internet" to take back the national discourse from those "liberal media types" displays all the hypocracy out there - they are trying to create their own self fulfilling prophecy - convince the advertisers there's no listeners, the ad $$ drops off, the station cancels - one more proof that we're scaring them.

They can only win with a stacked deck, because the regressive strategy has been control and condemn - two things the normal human rebels against in self expression.

[JPZenger]

19. Pissed Off that Colmes Still on XM Radio

Air America is getting bribed by XM Radio to get Air America to pull their broadcasts from Sirius Radio. This will hurt Air America over the long-run, and in the short-run will cost them ad revenue from Sirius listeners.

But the most idiotic thing about this deal is that XM is still going to pre-empt Air America programing with that squirrel Alan Colmes. His show is produced by Fox News, and features right wing USA News broadcasts.

[YusefHawkins]

21. A lot of people dont' even know AAR is on in their Market

I tell someone new in Atlanta to turn to 1690 every day.