BlatherWatch

Will KPTK step up to radio reality?

Seattle liberal-interest money groups have long talked up the possibility of buying a radio station to counter the overwhelmingly conservative news talk stations in a market that's overwhelmingly liberal.

That's probably not a good idea, since it's been proven many times that radio should be left to radio professionals...Oh wait, that's right, a generation of professionals put radio where it is today: in the shit.

Ask Billy Bob: what would you do to fix "the KIROs?"

(Billy Bob (whose name is neither Billy nor Bob) worked long in the Seattle radio market wearing a suit. He says the experience heightened his sense of irony, and diminished his circle of friends. Recently, he and his faithful readers had a chat about how to fix KIRO, the station that threw it 

(photo: Mr. Bob; thanks, Diane Arbus)

all away by flipping to FM, and leaving a sports talker in their heritage AM blowtorching spot on the dial).

Seattle ratings breakout shows more trouble for conservative talk radio

Right-wing talk stations are missing in top 15 rankings in Seattle (where you'd expect) but also in the rest of the market as well (including Arlington, Mount Vernon, and Bellevue).

A fascinating breakout of Seattle's July radio ratings has been posted by Eric Lacitis at the Seattle Times. (Seattle for the ZIP codes from Greenwood to Seward Park compared with the Metro region including King, Pierce, Snohomish, Thurston, Skagit and Island counties).

July seattle radio ratings: more of the dismal same for news talk

KOMO dropped a little, 4.9- to 4.0, but still good in 9th place; public talker KUOW is still at 11th with 3.8. Mariners baseball helps KIROAM, up from last month's 2.5 to 3.3. KTTH (Rush Limbaugh's home) lost slightly 3.0 to 2.9 at 18th place but still whacks former Big Dog KIROFM, who rose from 2.3 to 2.7, but only tied for 19th place. Progressive talk KPTK sucks as usual, tied for 27th place with only a 1 share. Kool Konservative KVI does only slightly better tied with KJRAM with a 1.6.

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 suits: "I AM a bit of an ass..."

LA talker and former Seattleite Bryan Suits (KFI m-f, 7-10p) says he agrees with one of our commenters, who wrote that he is a bit of an ass.

"I am a bit of an ass and in fact purchased a Nautilus machine to enhance that part. I lack empathy, and I'm cold-blooded but I'm here to tell you I treat people the way they should be treated."

He says a conversation reported by BlatherWatch "never happened, never would have happened."

It's down at KIROFM- dori sweats like a pig, bryan suits bathes in the irony

"It gets sticky some afternoons " says someone who knows.

(Dori Monson. Photo: KUOW)

Dori Monson (KIROFM m-f, 12-3p) who once crowed daily about the King of Seattle Talk Radio is having a problem he hasn't had for years- getting callers to call his show.

KIROFM's troubles: are it the programming?

The PPM ratings, now the way of the world, were brutal to the established order in Seattle radio.

While we sit re-baiting our breaths waiting to hear if KVI and Fisher Radio have snatched Rush Limbaugh from Bonneville's KTTH, we ask the question: Will Bonneville significantly change the line-up in KIROFM to make it work in Seattle?

(photo: Dori Monson- "will dance for ratings")

Seattle's June ratings: ouch! for talk radio

The KIROs and KTTH are still in the pooper with KVI and KUOW, KPTK. Congratulations to KOMO. Read more here.

1.KJR-FM      5.7
2.KMPS-FM     5.0
3.KRWM-FM   5.0
4.KOMO-AM   4.9 (KOMO-AM and KFMY-FM are simulcast)
5,KPLZ-FM     4.8
6.KBKS-FM     4.7
7.KCMS-FM     4.3
8.KJAQ-FM     4.3
9.KUBE-FM     4.2
10. KKWF-FM     4.1

Will Rush Limbaugh save KVI?

Negotiations should be wrapped up this Friday (July 10) between Bonneville International, Fisher Communications and Rush Limbaugh. Then the suits, and we hope everybody will know: will Big Pants leave Bonneville's KTTH to jump back to Fisher's KVI?

KVI is hopeful and their very existence as an AM talker in Seattle may depend on it. It's a long shot for sure, but what KVI has going for it is the precipitous drop in the new PPM ratings of KTTH ... even anchored as it is by the Big Fat Genius.