Is washington post radio ready to die?

It's still a rumor batting around the WaPo newsroom, but the word is ratings are so low on Washington Post Radio that it'll close down its operations at the end of the baseball season.

It's bleeding money at a such a rate that only putting it down can stop the hemorrhaging.

Bonneville International hired The Washington Post last year to supply content for WTWP, along with broadcasting the games of the Washington Nationals, which is, we've heard, a baseball team.

We had high hopes for the two media entities' brave new experiment to expand their brands and create a new idea in news radio programming.

(Commercial radio needs new ideas; media companies need to spend money and take some risks to try them out).

We still hope Bonneville's big, much-anticipated plans for KIRO, KTTH and KBSG will be innovative and exciting enough to kick the local market's ass enough to revive the sad AM dial in the Seattle market.

WaPo Radio had such wry and urbane talkers as Tony Kornheiser, Dana Milbank, Roxanne Roberts, and  Howie Kurtz, (and others) but only veteran broadcaster Kornheiser busted through with the ratings. When he left last month for vacation and Monday Night Football, most believe the listeners went with him- or somewhere. 

It's perhaps because, in part at least, they made the same mistake as early Air America: talkers need to be performers- it's an entertainment medium. Just because you're good at what you do in journalism, doesn't mean you can do talk radio.

Comments

[sparky]

I like Dana Milbank on KO....too bad he didnt get good ratings on the radio.

I think RFK Jr. might be an exception to your rule...he is soooo smart and is good enough to overcome the distracting wobble in his voice, which he cannot help. He plays it pretty straight but is still great to listen to.

When I first glanced at your headline, I thought The End was on its last legs! I love that station!

[Bill]

Actually, I think the call letters are WTWP... WTOP is Bonneville's big all news flagship in DC, doesn't broadcast the Nationals and is usually top 3 in ratings.

And the line about WTWP's ratings tanking "last month"? Ratings for "last month" for DC won't be known until they are released tomorrow. Hint: When you are repurposing info from elsewhere on the internet, it's usually a good idea to do a fact check first.

You amaze me...someone tries to do something a little different and it's like you take pleasure in its failure.

Other than that, nice job. Keep up the good work. We're counting on you.

[rev]

That's really unfortunate news. Washington Post Radio is an interesting format that fals someplace between the dirvel of ttelephone talk shows and the tedious sound of NPR.

Unlike the talk shows that depend on callers, WaPo Radio interviews reporters from their own paper and other media who actually know what they're talking about.

I'm sorry to learn that it's not successful.

[coiler]

AP used to put on a radio program called "Portfolio" which was an hour long interview show with reporters.

[Duffman]

Bla'M sez:
"..talkers need to be performers- it's an entertainment medium."

Bingo! Truer words were never spoken, this is IT in a nutshell!!

[Bill]

Hmmmm - didja notice the just released Washington, DC numbers...the ones released TODAY...WTWP posted a gain - from .8 ro 1.2. Not exactly a big number but certainly demonstrates a BIG disconnect between the mis-information re-purposed without credit earlier ...and reality.

Really, good job.

[Duffman]

a 'refreshing' comment Bill.

[blathering michael]

Hey, Mr. Bill: those numbers are from the Spring book, before Kornheiser left, and the useless 12+'s to boot. The 25-54, and the revenues tell a different story, as do observers who work at the Post. I stand by my information "re-purposed without credit earlier." My best to your mother, Bill:

[Bill's Mom]

As I understand it, Tony's last day at WTWP was 6/28. The point is that some published reports are quoting "observers" eho claim ratings tanked after Tony left the station. The most recent data available IS the spring book, covering ratings thru 6/27. While it's possible, in fact likely, that a post-Tony (pun intended) WTWP may experience a drop in ratings, no one will really know for at leasy a month, and really should only rely on data from the summer book, when it's released in early fall. Bill and I are bothered when bloggers turn speculation into fact. Thanks for the kind words.