Ouch! more bad ratings for seattle talk radio

The Summer Phase 2 Arbitron ratings were released Monday, and it's another dog's breakfast for local talk radio.

KOMO is ranked third overall with a 4.8., and KIRO is the lowest we've ever seen it at ninth with a 3.4. Right-wing rivals KVI and KTTH are in the tank tied for twentieth place with a 2.2!  Air America's KPTK is at least holding its own in a lackluster 21st place with a 2.0.

This book is for the early summer, and ratings are down across the board, the nation, and in all formats. There are larger issues here, we know, but we're also pretty sure lame local programming has something to do with these doldrums and bad ratings.

The afternoon especially is a plague of forgettable or infuriating insipidity- so many of us turn off KIRO for the day after Ron Reagan (m-f, 12-1p) or Dori Monson (m-f, 1-4p).

Then it's an unsufferably long block starting with the dunder-boys, Ron & Don, then the inevitable New York Vinnie (m-f, 1-9p), and the cloying permanent fill-in Frank Shiers followed by the truly unpleasant Bryan Styble (who seems to have gotten the overnight job, even though KIRO management has been afraid to announce it. (and we don't blame them- maybe it's a reward for his getting a.08 in the last book).

KIRO still hasn't filled the Mike Webb 9p-1a spot after almost a year, and that's a spot that's crucial. It's the only live and local show in the region in that time slot, and having Frank Shiers there not only drives people to satellite radio, or to drink, but insults the memory of Mike Webb, which isn't a pleasant one.

Is anyone surprised KIRO is down in ninth place with the fishes?

But don't look to KVI for programming relief on the PM drive. As the Bad Lieutenant Bryan "you're-welcome-for-my-service" Suits (m-f, 3-6p) drones snidely into the ether, you can hear tens of thousands of frantic hands grasping at their radio dials or for their vacuum pumps.

Then as a coupe de grace to our sanity comes syndicated pipsqueak Mark Levin who grabs the KVI mic from back in Hackensack or wherever, and starts reading his written-down right-wing insults in the high-pitched voice that makes you suspect he's the spawn of a bad night Gabby Hayes might have spent with a crack pipe and Roseanne Barr.

KVI is tied with the wide spot on the dial KTTH for 22nd place????

We're going to hear a lot about the "baseball book," as Entercomers try to explain their low ratings by claiming the Mariners over at KOMO stole all their numbers. They always say that, but it's different nowadays- not like when KIRO and KOMO were neck and neck, they're now too far apart for baseball to have the impact it used to.

"With the M's stuck in last place all the time, I don't think baseball is much of a factor anymore," says a radio guy we know. "Obviously KOMO will drop when the season is over, but the games aren't a huge lure anymore, not enough to explain these big drops at KIRO, KVI and KTTH. That's especially the case when you consider they aren't rebounding much in the off-season."

With gap in ratings and rank widening, baseball figures in- but it can no longer be the only excuse for bad listenership. Nor is it for KVI, although it looks like KVI was harder hit. Baseball chips away from all a little bit, but not KIRO exclusively (as they'd like everyone to think).

We're still hoping for ratings wars this Fall where listeners can divide the spoils. So far all the good programming in local talk is lumped up in the 9-noon, and the rest of the skedge is a wasteland.

With all the alternatives out there now- podcasting, satellite radio, or playing Go Fish or Bitter Trivia, radio planners better come up with something quick to get audiences and the next generation back or we'll all be out of a job...

Comments

[spambutcher]

everyone now - lets play the Dori Monson word (phrase) association game:

NY Vinnie - has to go

Bryan Styble - rhymes with gerbil (might be getting a little better though)

Bryan Suits - promoted terrorism in Iraq, but still kind of funny

Frank Shiers - I miss Coco

Mark Levin - makes me want to drink lye

KVI - 'taters are good - need to do more local stuff (evenings)

[sclub]

Seattle can do better than these losers. Kelly was a moron to sign up for Levin and Suits is pointless.

[Liz]

Styble seems to have full board most evenings I listen< I would agree< he"s getting better>

It"s been amusing lately< listening to Shiers, he gets so defensive so easily. I bet in his crazy head he is sure that every antagonistic caller posts here.

New York Vinnie sounds like a parody.

[umo]

If New York Vinnie makes more than $30K/yr...he is highly overpaid.

[Just bad radio]

The bottom line for open minds! on Boast to boast radio ! the one the only over baked brain! on the over night ! its not funny its just rally bad radio The Styblehead his ratings are still in the bucket with about 270 from coast to coast.

[joanie]

Just don't understand Clendening's thinking . . . he's got a bunch of radio losers on his hands. We are a grown-up group of listeners and he gives us frat boys and semi-intelligent sport-talk jocks. FM stations and KJR do it all better . . .

Go back to what works on AM radio. Intelligent, even-handed and reasoned discussion.

Michael: When I click on your calendar, I get a Spanish site "fluture" - someone messing with your page again or is it mine?

[bamajenk]

KIRO has a self-fulfilling death wish for a 'baseball book'....

heck, I know I'd rather listen to the Mariners post game than listen to Shiers. KOMO should just run Mariner repeats all night, all year long...

[Bill the Ump]

Whoever wrote these hilarious but righteous words -- ". . . you suspect he's [Mark Levin] the spawn of a bad night Gabby Hayes might have spent with a crack pipe and Roseanne Barr" -- deserves a show of his own.

And we deserve to be able to hear him.

[sparky]

Dangit..i missed it...Thom Hartmann had a debate with Michael Medved this morning. i will catch the rerun on Whiterosesociety.com

[John]

I can't take Suits much longer. Is this the best guy that KVI can find? Kick his stupid ass off the air so he can go back to being a full time dip shit for the US military.

[curtis]

For sports talk, NY Vinnie is ok. About the same as the two over at KJR. But David Locke would be 100% better. I miss him on the radio.

Is there no new blood on the local conservative talk show scene? KVI & KTTH needs to have a "Conservative Idol" contest.

[mark]

For KIRO it is easy- every 2 minutes they need to "take a break". utter bullshit. 34 minutes of programing, the rest either traffic or of course commercials. Sorry Dave, but it is the 'taters for me now- especially since I cannot get you podcasted.

oh yeah, almost forgot- that computerised bitch in the Topping Volvo ad needs a shot of 480v 3-phase...

[sparky]

since i dont listen to kiro I have not heard that one..however, i sent university volkswagon a thank you email for toning down their ad on Kptk..the old one was a real teeth grinder, both for the awful music and the stupid-acting voiceovers...now its milder music and no dumb voices...maybe you should contact Topping Volvo and tell them that their ads are assuring that you would never ever buy a car from them and they need to fix it.....

[Ryder]

Commercials will eventually kill talk radio. I noticed for awhile that KIRO had cut back on them. But now they seem to have returned with a vengence. Like many of you I am getting tired of good conversations being cut short because "I just gotta get to a break!"

Now I see KIRO is running a neews promo near the top of every hour. Fine. They tell us most everything they then repeat 10 minutes later. Are they trying to make sure we stay tuned? Why should we? You just told us what the headlines are and that is about all you're going to say later. Return that promo time to the listeners.

KIRO, do you know how nuts it drives us when Dave Ross returns after the bottom of the hour traffic, weather, news, commercial break only to have him up against the clock sometimes as little as three minutes later? You insult us. Keep it up and soon you'll have even fewer listeners.

I don't have a solution to your problem Mr Radio Programer. You get paid to figure it out. You'd better find a way soon. Alot of us are ready to return to self meditation. Or maybe the Disney Station.

[blathering michael]

or maybe satellite radio.

[sparky]

are there commercials on satellite radio? I have never heard it so i dont know....
I am old enough to remember when FM stations were so appealing because of how few commercials they played,....not so lucky anymore..

[joanie]

In toto agreement, Ryder! I can't figure out if their having to sell ads cheaper due to poor ratings and are thus selling more of them what . . . but it ain't workin' because the more they advertise, the less I listen.

I sure do wish they'd podcast Dave . . . I still think he's the best. I love the diversity his show offers.

[joanie]

Did anyone hear Ron Reagan today? I could only listen till 12:15 but his intro was so good. I actually considered putting the kids into coloring sheets and sneaking a listen to the radio . . .

I love the way he articulates. Sure wish I could have heard more . . .

BTW, he was talking Clinton today and the response from Condi, et al.

[kb]

I agree with the overuse of spots on radio, and I've said before, KIRO, get rid of that Beacon Plumbing ad! Lady, your house is flooded and you want to know about BP remodling? What the hell?

With that rant done, when are we going to see specific ratings on KIRO's changes? (Reagan for an hour, Goldy on Sundays) I'm most curious about Goldy's performance.

[mark]

sparky, I think that is the image Volvo wants us to follow; that we all pee sitting down and drive "I'm afraid of my wife mobiles"

[Tommy008]

Antics in the wee hours in Stybletown tonight. He's got his man Friday playing all sorts of silly sound clips. His show is still a torture camp though, for the listener. The one sound clip that should be played and won't be is Bart Simpson saying, "what a dork!" after one of his endless, maddeningly meandering sentences.

[rev]

The Seattle Arbitron book is going to get even more ugly, beginning with the Fall book. Arbitron plans to start including noncommercial stations in their Local Market Reports, and satellite radio shortly after that. In Seattle, this will mean that KUOW will be in the top three, and KPLU and KEXP in the top ten. Therefore, just about everybody will drop down a couple of notches, which will effect their ability to sell time to national agencies. Most of the commercial stations will take a hit on revenue.

It's not pretty out there, now, but with those changes, it'll be a lot worse, especially for KIRO, KOMO and KING-FM.

[rev]

Oops! I left out the link to more information about the Arbitron changes.

Here it is:
http://www.hear2.com/2
006/09/what_the_new_ar.html

[rev]

Oops! I left out the link to more information about the Arbitron changes.

Here it is:
http://www.hear2.com/2
006/09/what_the_new_ar.html

[Don]

Regarding the commercials on KIRO. Second to them dumping Erin Hart and Mike Webb, the commercials are what drove me away from KIRO. Especially the glut of endorsements by Dori Moron. I say all listeners within KIRO's broadcast signal launch a boycott of all products and services endorsed my Monson. That means we don't use GutterHelmet, Invisible Fence, AAMCO Transmission service, Brennan Heating and Air, Crossroads Appliance....and on and on.
I just wonder when the boob calling the shots at KIRO is going to wake up. How low do the ratings have to sink before he is either fired or brings back stars like Erin Hart to boost them back up? I would love to have Mike Webb back, but given his current situation, that is unlikely. Erin should have been given Mike's 9 to 1 weeknight slot. Shiers is a buffoon.

[joanie]

People around here think you and I are the only Hart fans in town! I miss her, too. And Arbitrons are not perfect . . . you said that Michael.

[Tommy008]

Constant endorsements from Monson on KIRO is like having a bratty, obnoxious, early teenage years kid in your face at all times.