It's conventional talk radio wisdom, ditto the conservative blogs, right-wing print, and Bill O'Reilly. Air America, they say, is going down like a burning ring of fire. Left-wing talk radio, they say, was over before it began.
But like all so-called wisdom coming from the Republican gaseousphere, better check the facts before you believe it.
It turns out that contrary to conservative spin and wishful thinking, Air America, though still a just a dwarf star in the universe of radio, is building an audience.
-Air America Radio is heard in markets that total more than 60% of the America public.
-Air America Radio is heard on 63 radio stations throughout the country, up from 49 in January.
-Air America Radio is on in 9 of the top 10 radio markets in the country and in 18 of the top 20 radio markets.
-Air America Radio's number of online listeners grew by 50% from January to May 2005 with the average daily number going from 18,710 in January to 28,091 in May.
-Visits to Air America's website increased by 125% from January to April 2005 going from 1,129,600 in January to 2,569,395 in April.
Byron York, author of “The Vast Left Wing Conspiracy” wrote on NationalReview.com, “The latest radio ratings are in and they show continued bad news for Air America.”
But York cited only New York ratings where AA's share held firm at 1.2 in the previous quarter.--the same that it had in the fourth quarter of 2004. Holding firm was no small achievement-- since virtually all political talk in New York (and indeed the whole country) showed a decline in the first quarter of 2005. (Don Imus declined by 25% in the first quarter of 2005 as did Rush Limbaugh.)
York: “Between 10a and 3p, the day-part that includes (emphasis added) Al Franken's program, Air America dew a 1.4 share of the New York audience aged 25-54 in Winter 2005. That number is the latest in a nearly year-long decline.”
But if you measure Franken's show (12-3:00p) on its own, it went UP from a 1.8 in Fall 2004 to 1.9 in the first quarter of 2005.
In the same time slot, Rush Limbaugh went DOWN from 4.1 in the fourth quarter of 2004 to a 3.2 in the first quarter of 2005. In the fourth quarter, 2004 Franken's ratings were 44% of Limbaugh's. In the first quarter of 2005 that ratio rose to 60%.
In the same New York Winter 2005 ratings, AA's Randi Rhodes on in the crucial afternoon drive-time, went UP 33%, while the conservative talk shows in same time slot on WABC and WOR each went DOWN 33%.
Air America's evening show, “The Majority Report” starring Janeane Garofalo and Sam Seder went UP 100%; while the WOR show in that time slot was FLAT and the WABC show went DOWN 33%.
In total audience, “The Majority Report” was the number one talk show in New York City in its time slot.
AA beat Bill O'Reilly, Laura Ingraham, and Bob Grant on New York city radio.
(This might have something to do with the extra helping of bile for Air America emanating lately from the "No Spin Zone)."
While it's true, that in the standard Arbitron 10 a-3 p day part, Air America's ratings declined, AA sources say that was because its weakest show, Unfiltered was on in the important 9a-noon slot. It was replaced by Jerry Springer and the presumed increased audience will not be reflected until the Spring ratings book come out next month.
While knocking Air America in an LA Times op-ed, South Park Conservatives author Brian C. Anderson compared Virtues Czar & Honorary Las Vegas, Mayor, William J. Bennett's morning talk show, which was launched at the same time as Air America.
"[Bennett's show] reaches nearly 124 markets, including 18 of the top 20, joining the growing ranks of successful right-of-center talk programs
John Quinlan, station manager of Los Angeles AA affiliate KLTK, was quick to flick that speck o' dreck off the windshield. He wrote in the LA Times:
“There are several hundred conservative talk stations across the United States and for Bennett, an established name in conservative circles, to land on 124 of them, is not that big a deal. In order for Air America programming to be heard on any radio station, that station must first take the significant step of changing its format. Stations have switched from all-Caribbean formats (WLIB in NY) or all-sports (KTLK in LA) or nostalgia (KQKE in SF) in order to carry the Air America programming. BOLDGetting more than 50 radio stations to change everything they broadcast, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for the opportunity to carry Air America's programming is far more substantial an accomplishment than getting 124 right-wing radio stations to switch out one three-hour conservative talk show for another.”
Anderson claimed, “In the liberal meccas of San Francisco and Los Angeles, Air America is doing lousier still.”
According to Quinlan, that's just an outright lie. Truth is, San Francisco's little KQKE has only been on the air six months and has shown steady increases in a market with the some of the strongest talk radio competition.
In Los Angeles, KTLK hasn't even been on the air for a full ratings period, thus making the “lousy” claim as premature as "Mission Accomplished."
Anderson mentioned mention several cities where the format has shown
great success. Seattle's newly talk-formatted KPTK, doubled in the
Winter book, Portland's KPOJ AM grew 1000% in audience share. In
conservative San Diego, KLSD AM went up 73%. Denver's KKZN AM was up
300%. Other markets with similar success include: Boston, Phoenix,
Minneapolis, Sacramento and Columbus.
~~
Stay tuned for 2nd in this series: Air America/the Politics: one healthy baby...
Yay!
Now lets see what the former vanity host turned vanity blogger has to say...
he's so vane, he probably thinks this post is about him.
Posted by: Marty | June 17, 2005 at 07:27 AM
We will support progressive radio more wholeheartedly when it speaks to us more locally. Michael, what's happening with local hosts with KTPK? Is that over?
Posted by: Sue Barrett | June 17, 2005 at 08:34 AM
"-Air America Radio's number of online listeners grew by 50% from January to May 2005 with the average daily number going from 18,710 in January to 28,091 in May."
Now with numbers like that, advertisers should be running with money to jump on the bandwagon.
Posted by: Lump | June 17, 2005 at 05:58 PM
I can't stand Springer. It is possibly the worst show I've ever heard. I'm not in 1090's range, so I listen to AA on Sirius. Unfortunately, they become exculsive to XM on July 11. I'll probably make the switch, but I hate to lose Sirius OutQ's Michael Signorille--he has one of the best political shows around.
Posted by: patriotboy | June 19, 2005 at 12:20 AM
Is it possible to view the actual ratings on a local webpage near me?
I'd like to use a lot of what you're saying here..I'd love to link to this piece and write up more...
Posted by: carla | June 19, 2005 at 10:16 PM
Blathering Michael,
Could you please shut up all of those Nazi naysayers and list all of the markets where Air America has moved into the top 3 in the ratings amongst stations? I'm sick of these lying liars on the neocon right talking down AA. AA is moving up baby! Truth hurts, doesn't it ditto-heads????
Posted by: Bush Lies | June 19, 2005 at 11:03 PM
Blathering Michael - can you get those rating numbers posted this week? I've got a bet with this jerk at work that listens to KKK-VI.
Posted by: Bush Lies | June 20, 2005 at 05:21 PM
AAR can't continue to crow about 60% nationwide penetration yet still blame low ratings on weak signals. Either they're reaching 60% of the country or they're not.
Posted by: SaveFarris | June 20, 2005 at 07:46 PM
Blathering Michael, please shut this guy up. He's just repeating the lies from the neo-con stations he listens to all day.
Posted by: Bush Lies | June 20, 2005 at 08:27 PM
Another point people miss about the Bill Bennett show is that many if not most of his affiliates are owned by the company that produces the show -- Salem Communications. Salem is an ideologically right wing company. It has no progressive talkers and its AM stations are mostly either Christian talk or secular conservative talk. Salem's programming is highly centralized and most of the stations that carry Bennett's show were probably ordered to do so by corporate. They probably didn't have a local morning show to begin with in most cases so there was nothing to displace.
Posted by: smudge | June 23, 2005 at 12:48 AM
In Portland, Oregon, one of AAR's original 5 stations, KPOJ is now #5 in the critical 25-54 demo, whereas KEX and KXL, the conservative heritage stations, are now down at #10 and #13. 25-54 ratings are the ratings that determine a talk station's viability, and are the ratings that advertisers pay to see. (Thus, they aren't posted for free on the Internet. In fact, Arbitron is very litigious with anyone who posts actual numbers online, which is why I'm posting rankings only.) And in New York, WLIB is right between WABC and WOR in the 25-54 demo, though in that market all the talk stations are low in 25-54. Maybe that's because they have outstanding music stations in NY?
Posted by: pdxlistener | June 23, 2005 at 10:15 PM
1 market in all of America where AA ranks in the top 5? Is that it? There has to be more. People know we're the only ones that reflect the majority of people's views and the only ones telling the truth.
It can't be true. I don't believe those ratings. Are there that many stupid people in America???
Blathering Michael - help me out. I am not losing that bet today. If I do, I refuse to pay based on lying statistics from liars like pdxlistener.
Posted by: Bush Lies | June 24, 2005 at 07:11 AM
Dude: can't put lipstick on a pig...AAR ratings are what they are...maybe we could all listen with both ears and double the ratings...still wouldn't come close to conservative talk...
Posted by: blathering Michael | June 24, 2005 at 09:40 AM
I guess Blathering Michael is on the Fat Limbaugh payroll now....
Posted by: Bush Lies | June 24, 2005 at 08:42 PM
"Bush Lies" doesn't sound very familiar with radio, nor does he sound legit. AM stations simply don't get in the top three in 25-54, including conservative talk. Getting in the top 5 is extraordinary, something that WABC, KVI, etc. certainly aren't able to do. We don't know the 25-54 numbers for all the stations in the country because they're heavily guarded by Arbitron and their clients -- radio stations and advertisers. But because I'm a Portlander and know where to find them, I know the Portland numbers. I also know the New York rankings (though not numbers), because it's the largest media market and there's a little more information about it available than there is for other markets. Otherwise, what we know are 12+ numbers, numbers that have nothing to do with a talk station's viability because conservative talk audiences are even older than oldies audiences, and advertisers just don't like older demos.
Posted by: pdxlistener | June 24, 2005 at 09:18 PM
pdxlistener is the one who doesn't sound legit. This is a progressive blog - why don't you switch over to "Sound Politics" or Rush 24/7 so you can waste those people's time with your neocon lies.
Posted by: Bush Lies | June 25, 2005 at 11:26 AM
Also, to SaveFarris, the text says that AAR is heard in MARKETS that cover 60% of the country. Unfortunately, because all the good signals were taken long ago, the signals AAR is on don't always cover their markets.
BL: If you're not an imposter, why do you sound like a loon who's only insulting the progressive, pro-AAR people?
Posted by: pdxlistener | June 25, 2005 at 03:55 PM
pdxlistener - if you're progressive, then stop trying to talk down AAR. I'll believe you're progressive when I see you get on the correct side of the issues.
Posted by: Bush Lies | June 25, 2005 at 06:26 PM
BL: Quite an indictment that I'm the first to criticise SaveFarris, the only con here besides you, given that you seem so eager to criticise people.
A progressive can accept honest debate, including the fact that not all progressive organizations are infallible paragons of perfection, without whining like a baby that people aren't playing make-pretend that they are.
Posted by: pdxlistener | June 26, 2005 at 07:39 AM
I'm going to criticize anyone that tries to speak against the progressive causes. I'm less interested in honest debate than I am in helping people understand and accept the truth. If you say you're progressive, then I'll accept that you are. But it doesn't help our cause to hand negative stuff to our enemies on public forums like this. I'm not happy that we start a post with the title "One Healthy Baby" and then somehow people make it sound like AAR is failing. So let's stop bad mouthing the best radio network in America - that's all I'm saying.
Posted by: Bush Lies | June 26, 2005 at 08:22 AM