BlatherWatch

The incredible shrinking seattle talk radio... or ... why we don’t have much to write about any more

Conservative talk radio was invented in Seattle, now it’s as endangered as the wild Puget Sound salmon. and let’s face it, save Dave Ross, there ain’t no local liberal talk.

With the KVI’s elimination of Kirby Wilbur, another block of local airtime went to out-of-town, out-of-touch, syndicated blabbermeisters- sending a butt-load of ad $ somewhere else.

David brooks: "Rush blared the trumpets, but few of his dittoheads advanced."

We loved reading the NYT's David Brooks (our favorite conservative) Friday, about how little Rush Limbaugh, and other right-wing blabbermeisters media actually effect voters, and real polling numbers. How Republicans have bought the "Media Mythology," that's nothing but a small-ball tactic that retards their wandering back in from the desert.

How much would YOU pay... to keep kirby wilbur on the air?

KVI, the KIROs and KTTH begging for money like NPR?

Radio-info's Sean Ross posed an interesting question to radio pros: "What commercial radio station would you pay to keep on the air?" 

So we're asking you the talk radio listeners- who would you actually pay for?

(photo: Kirby Wilbur how much would you pledge?)

Brian jennings' talk radio book is less than some of its parts

 It's an inconsequential book. There's no new information, and it neither asks new questions; nor anything of its readers. (Plus, there are no pictures,  always a disappointment in a geezerly book about radio).

It's Censorship, The Threat to Silence Talk Radio by Brian Jennings and we waited until we could get it new at Amazon for $5.52. (Advice: don't pay retail for this dog!)

KOMO to simulcast over KFMY FM

Radio pundit Tom Taylor says it's "FM envy: a highly contagious disease among news/talk programmers."

In the downsizing of recent years, Fisher had sold off its radio properties outside of Seattle. So when faced by the alleged competition of KIRO blowing up their AM news talk for sports and moving the blah-blah to FM...  Fisher felt it had nowhere to go to catch up.

Brian jennings: obama handed talk radio "a silver platter' (and vice versa)

Brian Jennings, flacking his new book, CENSORSHIP: The Threat to Silence Talk Radio is downright bombastic about how bright the future is for rightie talk radio... despite the prevailing gloomy talk about the explaining industry.

(photo: Brian Jennings, purposeful programmer)

(To be released in May, the book includes a blurb by Rush, and an intro from Sean Hannity -- so you know it will be what the right calls "deep.")

War on Xmas: is the nightmare over?

Kirby Wilbur said it Friday: if there were no holiday displays in the capitol building, "it would be better than the mess we've got down there."

Our sediments exactly!

The atheists may have won one for once. The strategy behind their controversial sign was that no holiday messages and displays should be posted where the state does its secular business.

Talk radio justice is reversed: is john carlson getting all squishy?

It's a holiday story of talk radio sin and redemption. Has John Carlson (KOMO m-f, 10--2p) gone all humanist on his loyal, hard-right listeners?

(photo: John Carlson)

Stevan Dozier may be released from prison where he's been for the last 14 years after conviction for second-degree robbery which was, at the time, a third strike offense in the state's harsh three-strikes law.

The state Clemency and Pardons Board voted unanimously Thursday - a rare occurrence in any case --   after a report from King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg; testimony from the judge who sentenced Dozier and conservative radio talk host Carlson.

(photo: Stevan Dozier)

In the first pump-up of talk radio muscle back in the beginning of its heyday, Carlson wrote the initiative, and used his AM bully pulpit to promote the first Three Strikes You're Out law in the country and got it on the 1993 ballot. It's the Draconian mandatory sentencing statute for life in prison without parole if a person was convicted three separate times on one of about 40 different felonies, from attempted second-degree assault to murder.

Medved: will talk radio wake up?

Michael Medved, The Wizard of Politics and Pop Culture, has written a most enlightened and realistic column for USA Today, We loved it because it bolsters our own views, but also because it adds some cogent and brilliant points even we hadn't thought of. (And typical of the Ivy League Michael, (KTTH m-f, 12-3p) it's written so well).

Talk radio is a loser too

Conventional wisdom says conservative talk radio won a big one Tuesday.

The theory this week is that it needs underdog status and always does better when it's them-against-the-world.

(The talk radio tiger is notably paper)

Michael Harrison, publisher of the trade magazine Talkers told the Boston Herald Wednesday:

“It’ll be very good for conservative talk radio, because they’ll be able to play the role that talk radio plays so well - and that is challenging power and the establishment.”

Harrison said the conservative movement in America feels “like it’s up against the world” right now and that’s when people “rally around any medium that supports it - when it feels put upon.”