KUOW kicks commercial radio ass in seattle winter arbitron ratings

In a huge lead the likes of which we've never seen, public radio's talker KUOW  smashed the commercial opposition in the Seattle market.

Dig it:

• KUOW   6.1
• KUBE     5.2
• KRWM    4.8
• KIRO      4.1
• KOMO     3.8
• KING-FM 3.1
• KPLU      3.0
• KTTH     2.6
• KVI        2.3
• KPTK      1.6

A six share in this market? Unheard of.

We've been critical of KUOW's programming, and we're working on PD Jeff Hansen to sit down and talk to us. We believe that KUOW, while doing a great job snagging the dominant radio demographic (45 years and older) is not doing much to attract younger listeners.

But that said, we think that NPR, and KUOW in particular has proven that smart, commercial-free programming sells in this and most markets.

We'd agree with our loyal reader rev that "KUOW is benefiting as much from the poor performance of the commercial folks as from anything they're doing..."

With only one exception,(KIRO's TBTL) the commercial talkers are doing nothing new. Rev writes: With the possible exception of Dave Ross, there's really nobody fighting KUOW for the audience that wants something more than blather. Seems like a market opportunity for somebody...

We believe another huge deal that sends listeners to NPR, is the onerous spotload -- the seemingly endless commercials that dog commercial radio.

Television is dealing with that so much of their advertising is being jumped over with the use of TiVo, and DVRs. They're figuring out other ways to pay the freight: product placement, etc. (We haven't seen a teevee commercial since approximately 2002).

Radio, on the other hand,  has been bought up by Wall Street investors who want to squeeze every penny possible out of their investment without any reinvestment. These beancounters have insisted on a heavy concentration of advertising which has driven away listeners in droves.

It's not a sustainable model, the pie is shrinking and these investors are already divesting.

We're always asking -- and no one has been able to explain -- why a commercial station using the public radio business model (pledge drives withholding content, fundraising, underwriting, etc) couldn't be successful.

Rev asks:  It would be interesting to know how much KUOW charges for their "underwriting" commercials, as compared to what the commercial stations charge for a 30-second spot. And if there's any research on
the comparative effectiveness of ads on KUOW vs, say KIRO or KING-FM."

Most commercial stations are run by huge out-of town media conglomerates who by definition don't give a shit about serving the local listeners. (Fisher Communciations, (KOMO, KVI,) is a locally owned exception but unfortunately it seems less concerned with saving the medium of radio than most). KPTK, owned by CBS, which is progressive talk, gives all manner of lip service to "community," but skips the most important community service they could make: investment in local programming.

Maybe the only hope for the revivification of radio, will be after Wall street pulls their collective dicks out of the stations and gone on to other things still redolent with cash.

Maybe then we can reinvent radio. It just seems like such a wasteful, roundabout way to do it.

Comments

[mike]

Pledge drives are what KEXP uses, correct? I don't listen to them much but seem to remember them doing that in the past. And Paul Allen presumably would like to make a profit and so uses a model that works, right? Or is it that he couldn't in good conscience start running commercials when the station had been commercial free for so many years when owned by the UW?

Thanks for the blog.

[abob]

If KUOW is getting such great ratings, why dont they stand on their own two feet in the free market instead of sucking off the public teat with taxpayer funded subsidies?

[rev]

abob, according to their 2007 annual report, KUOW only gets 9% ($726K out of $9,657,000) from the Corp. for Public Broadcasting and the U of Washigton. All the rest comes from individual, business and foundation support. That sure looks like they're "standing on their own two feet."

As for KEXP, they're still a non-commercial license. They can't run commercials under the terms of their license.

One more point that isn't clear from those ratings shares: How does the size of the total pie compare to say, five years ago? How much of the Seattle radio audience has gone off to podcasts, satellite and streaming internet radio? I know I listen to NPR from WNYC and KCRW as well as KUOW and KPLU, and I also listen to the BBC and Irish Radio through my computer. Those hours are not part of the Seattle cume any more. On the other hand, KUOW also gets out of area listeners, but they don't show up in the market share numbers either.

[sparky]

Come to the 21st century, abob. Most of the funding comes from corporate underwriters, foundations and public donations. You would know that if you actually watched PBS and saw their fundraising about every other week.

Andre' Reiu lives!

[Gay Gary]

Amy Goodman's "Democracy Now!" and other non-NPR public radio programming receives no CPB funding and accepts no corporate underwriting and still manages to put out a fine crypto-socialist broadcast. Why can't NPR?

NPR and PBS station so-called "underwriting guidelines" are so loosey-goosey it's ridiculous and modern advertising tactics find outright "calls to action" as passe anyway so the prohibition on them is no longer a differentiating point between underwriting and advertising. To call these stations "non-commercial" is a complete sophistry. They need to make a decision to either accept corporate underwriting or CPB funding, but not both.

If the CPB contribution is so paltry and insignificant there should be no problem or objection in giving it up and shutting-down the CPB.

[blathering michael]

abob: less than 1% of NPR's money comes from public financing. I wonder if Boeing can say the same?
The free market is killing privately owned, commercial radio.

[Coiler]

Amy Goodman is great, she is up to 700 outlets that broadcast her show.

[Gay Gary]

Even as a gay fascist I still tune-in to Amy Goodman at least 2 or 3 times a week, if only to support the way that public radio should be run.

The only complaint I have is that you can tell when they took the day off because they have 15 minutes of news/features followed by a 45 Noam Chomsky monologue.

[rev]

Michael, it's actually about 9% from CPB and the U of W. That's from the online version of their annual report. But it's still a small piece of the total pie.

[abob]

The airwaves are inundated on a daily basis by nationally syndicated progressive radio talk shows. Why should taxpayers be forced to pay even one cent for NPR left wing biased broadcasts?

Where is the equal time for right wing propagandists on the radio to counter the likes of Bill Press, Ed Schultz, Mike Malloy, Neil Rogers, Mike Newcomb, Amy Goodman, Lizz Brown, Rachel Maddow, Roland S Martin, Doug Basham, Jim Hightower, Bruce Burch, Jon Eliot, Duke Skorich, Peter Collins, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Lynn Samuels, Christine Craft, Bev Smith, Michael Eric Dyson, Stacy Taylor, Lynn Cullen, Jay Marvin, Mark Levine...just to name a few.

[joanie hussein elitist for obama]

I understand the complaint that we say "only 9%" as if it is nothing because if it is nothing, then why do they need it? I'm for giving them the 9% and more; but, I understand the protest.

Also, I sent Nova M money. They are taking donations to support their progressive radio. From what I understand, the hosts don't make as much as those in the more established media - Randi notwithstanding - but they are working it anyway.

Also, I've said for a very long time that KUOW's biggest advantage is that it is commercial-free. If you listen to podcasts, you can hear an hour's worth of Dave Ross in twenty minutes. And they wonder why listenership is down?

It is one simple word: GREED.

A-boob, somebody should put you out of your misery. Anybody who can't think of more people than that on the left (and I notice you borrowed a few from the right to make your case) and then rests his case that liberal talk overshadows right-wing crazy talk needs a serious brain transplant.

Now, go back to fondling yourself to fantasies of Peggy and Mama Partridge.

[sparky]

HEY, that's an insult to Shirley Jones.

[joanie hussein elitist for obama]

Yeah, you're right, Sparky. Noonan's right up his - umm - alley doncha think?

Now Duhff, what do you think of these apples?

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on Friday afternoon seized the superdelegate lead from Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), giving him command of every aspect of his party’s presidential nomination race.

That constitutes a key milestone in the race and a shocking reversal of fortune for Clinton.

Obama once was behind by more than 100 superdelegates. But according to at least two counts, more superdelegates are now in his camp. Politico’s tally now shows him ahead of her by 270 superdelegates to 268.5, with 208.5 uncommitted. (Superdelegates from U.S. territories count as one-half.) ABC News shows him ahead by two."

Poor baby, maybe you'll have to go back to SP for some consolation.

[joanie hussein elitist for obama]

If you can't link it and want to, this is where I found it: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10245.html

For some reason, it says page not found or moved.

[AuthenticAndrew]

The people who ask Hillary to drop out now are opposed to a fair contest. When a team is behind in the suer bowl they don't throw in the towel at just because it's presumed they'll lose.

If Obama is the nominee I will most likely not vote because I won't soon forget what bitches you Obama supporters have been about this whole thing and how Obama hasn't done a thing to civilize his base - because deep down we all know he's kind of a wimp, he talks about change in the abstract when details are the most critical.

Between Obama, Hillary and McCain, Obama is by far the most vague and the least experienced, remind me again why I should give a crap about Obama?

[joanie hussein elitist for obama]

suer bowl...

hmm...typo or misspelling? Either way, for you Clinton/McCriminal fans, it fits doesn't it?

I don't need to sell my candidate. He does that all by himself and his marketing tools are integrity, experience, and honesty. Too bad, Andrew, you still need the "big sell." You're like a couch potato munching nachos while waiting to see which gladiator wins and you're waiting for the death throes of one or the other. What an admission.

I don't really care who you give a crap about.

[JustinAtheropinion]

I have a question, joanie--if Obama were conceding, would you be voting for McCain in November?

Just curious to see how deep your Hillary-hatred goes.

[Duffman]

My guess is she'd be exercising her right not to vote or voting for Ralph Nader!

[J.Hova]

who is acting like the the sore losers now? If anything, Obama has had to put up with a lot innuendo about his race, he did not say he'd have trouble with white voters, Hillary is the one still pitching that old saw. I find it funny that she is the victim here, while Barrack runs a classy campaign through it all.

[abob]

Every TV news network employs a brigade of talking head analysts who meticulously break down the voting patterns of racial demographic groups. When Hillary Clinton repeats the same information...she is labeled a racist.

[joanie hussein elitist for obama]

Justin, I've always given you more credit than you deserve, I think.

Don't you read this blog very much? You should be able to answer that question very, very easily if you do.

Unlike Duhff, I don't expect to have to repeat myself over and over. I have been and always am very clear about my politics, how I choose my candidates, and even my feelings about Hillary and McCain.

I don't mind giving sh** back to Duhff, puts and chucks because they don't seem to comprehend a lot of things. But, I didn't think you had that difficulty.

Do you really not know what my intentions, my issues and my feelings are about Hillary and the McCriminal?

a-boob: ...a brigade of...

Like the "brigade" of retired generals pushing the Iraq war for the corporations? Well, like I quoted before: there's a sucker born every minute and it seems he stays a sucker for as long as he lives.

You are good for a joke, a-boob, but that's about all.

[joanie hussein elitist for obama]

Michael: The free market is killing privately owned, commercial radio.

I just noticed this gem but it isn't the free market. It is the greed of men and women in suits. Nobody has to pay Ross and Monson their six figures a year for twenty minutes of work an hour. Scher and Reynolds don't get that and they talk a whole lot more than twenty minutes an hour.

More radio stations in more hands would lower the cost of radio considerably. That would be the free market.

We liberals give greedy conservatives too much powder in their arsenals sometimes. We have to quit that.

It is corporate and shareholder greed that is killing radio and our economy. And our society along with it. We need a huge cultural shift in this country but it ain't gonna happen. Too many people suffering the "S" factor and "G" factor diseases.

[joanie hussein elitist for obama]

BTW, GiGi, it is not possible to listen to Amy Goodman 3x a week and remain a fascist, my dear.

Goodman, Zinn and fascism are incongruous to say the least.

I consider Zinn the print version of Goodman.

[joanie]

And, finally, what in the world does conveying superdelegate information have to do with Hillary bashing?

God, you guys, get a life and, perhaps, while you're at it, a brain between you.

[joanie]

And my final finally (for now) ... "LIVS" - low-information voters - per Bender on Ring of Fire. I love it! He must have read this blog!

Seems like Indiana and North Carolina voters finally figured out what pandering is given that the old "vacation from taxes" meme didn't work this time.

C'mon Justin, you're smarter than that.

[Gay Gary]

BTW, GiGi, it is not possible to listen to Amy Goodman 3x a week and remain a fascist, my dear.

Oh Joanie, I'm not about to suggest that if you listened to Sean Hannity three times a week you'd get "Hannitized"! We just have a conflict of visions (Sewell). But I still )*heart*( you!

[KS]

"And, finally, what in the world does conveying superdelegate information have to do with Hillary bashing?"

Ans: About the same as calling the presumptive Democrat nominee for POTUS "Barack Hussein Obama" - Obama-nation would attempt to call foul on that, probably even if the middle names of the other candidates were used in the same breath.

McCriminal vs. Barack Hussein Obama - if thats the way you want it, consider it done.

[PugetSound]

Nice job KS of pointing out the idiocy of Joanie.
It has to be embarrassing for Cow, Authentic Andrew, and Seattle Jew, to have her on the same political side.

What would happen to Joanie over at SP?
She would be pulling the Skeddadle within 3 comment postings if she tried to defend those comments over on SP with Randi-Malloy Talking points. Truth be told, deep down she knows it is the truth. Which explains the need for the bottle and the late night postings.

Note to Joanie: Stay here in the shallow end.
Don't want you to pull a hammy when Skeddadling!

[Tommy008]

Obama's nomination (which Barack and his spoiled, angry racist wife believe is his birthright, even though he can't win and hillary can) is a done deal, barring a scandal. so is President McCainIN 2009. The SD's don't dare losing the black vote from the party, and also losing their own elections when the black block all stay home. They know Hillary's voters will at least show up for the CONGRESSIONAL AND SENATE RACES. nONE OF THE sd'S TRULY BELIEVE oBAMA HAS A CHANCE.

[Tommy008]

Obama, in running prematurely, before his time, proved to be just strong enough to foul things up for Hillary and not nearly strong enough to win the nomination outright without considerable SD help. and of course he has far too small and narrow a base to beat McCain. When, not if, he loses badly, Hillary will start plans to run again in 2012 and will win the nomination, whereas Obama will be the subject of derision and ridicule and retreat ignominiously into the back benches of the Senate

[joanie hussein]

But. gigi, it is true I wouldn't be tuned into fascist rhetoric. Why are you? What is your fascist vision for America? While you constantly intrigue, you never explicate-. Very unsatisfying you know.

Klueless: my question stands. Your answer makes no sense at all. Have you noticed how I sign off? Barack Hussein Obama - that's his name or haven't you heard.

Try again and see if you can connect your answer to my question, please. The one about superdelegates vs. Hillary-bashing.

So now posting facts is Hillary-bashing. Only to a conservative.

And putsie and tommy, I've made it a rule not to respond to fools and racists.

[joanie hussein]

Actually, tommy, some of what you've said is worth considering. You've said it without so much racist talk (except for the Michelle comment which applies to Hillary as well).

Don't you think we all worry about the closeted racism that could stall this election for the Dems? But it is not a done deal. Whenever a major shift in the political landscape occurs, there are some who are fearful and afraid of the risk.

SDs were alienated by Johnson. But, the last twenty years has been disquieting to say the least and the last eight positively earthshaking. Many SD are poor and getting poorer. Also, they have lived with blacks much longer than the so-called "less racist" north and in some ways they know them better.

There are many blacks I've known who have come from the south and said it is simply more honest in the south than the north.

I'd like to know what your source is for your comment: NONE OF THE sd'S TRULY BELIEVE oBAMA HAS A CHANCE. Give us some idea why you believe that to be true.

You see, you sound racist because you attack but never give reason or rationale for your thinking. Why do you say that?

[Tommy008]

WGAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? SD'S stands for Super delegates not Southern DEMOCRATS. I thought you could figure as much out. bwajaahahaaaaaaaaaahaaahahaahahahhahbewhahaaaaaaaaaaah

[Tommy008]

in case you're not clear Hussein, not only is it true that he can't win- i believe it's a good thing he can't win. He and his wife are too radical, inexperienced, racist and hateful to be in power. I'm already on record as voting for McCain over Obama.

[Tommy008]

the super delegates aRE largely office holders. almost all in the U.S. Congress and Senate, Hussein. When a white or independent black SD votes for Hussein, it more than likely is because they feel blackmailed by Obama and his black voters, who vote in a giant, mindless, some would say racist block for Obama. They know Hillary's unhappy supporters will at least be good sports and show up to vote for teir individual house and senate races. Not so for Barack and his black block. they'll just stay home. everyone knows this.

[joanie hussein]

Oh, I see. You pulled this out of your racist ass, too.

Well, we'll see.

Too bad I gave you credit for some knowledge of history and rational thinking. What was I thinking?

[Gay Gary]

But. gigi, it is true I wouldn't be tuned into fascist rhetoric. Why are you? What is your fascist vision for America? While you constantly intrigue, you never explicate-. Very unsatisfying you know.

You, and I dare say even the resident conservatives on this list, wouldn't like me very much if I ever did more than scratch the surface, I promise you ... and I can't let that happen because I love to be loved!

[PugetSound]

"And putsie and tommy, I've made it a rule not to respond to fools and racists.
Posted by: joanie hussein | May 10, 2008 at 05:51 PM"

Then she posts multiple times.
Wish she would keep her word.
Anyone out there doesn't think Joanie is a whack job? Anyone out there think that she is a good representative of the Democrat viewpoint?
Tommy, please don't mind her calling you a racist. What she is really saying with that is that she has no intelligent answer so in Joanie-Speake she goes to the 'you must be a racist' card.

Hey GG, don't be afraid to speak your piece.
Me and Duff disagree but tend to get along well.

[nevets]

Joanie says about Obama,

"He does that all by himself and his marketing tools are integrity, experience, and honesty."

Integrity = Disowning his pastor of 20 years after saying he can't

Experience = 2years of Senate

Honesty = "I never heard Rev. Wright make such comments" and then in his Philly speech "Yes, I heard Rev. Wright say somethings that were offensive"

Good pick Joanie. I also seen in the Safeway aisle that Obama has cheated on his wife. And this from a news source that Cap'n Cow considers respectable. The National Enquirer. You still don't see the "CHANGE".

[joanie hussein]

Well, steven, I commend your spelling ability and admirable ability to nit-pick.

Anything else?

[KS]

Since you cannot connect the dots, let me go one step further from my previous post, Joanie - if you persist in allegations by referring to McCain as McCriminal, consider it fair game to refer to Barack Hussein Obama with alleged Islamic ties - who will be soft on the war vs.Radical Islam. You want to pit allegations against each other and use the politics of personal destruction as a nutroots Obama surrogate.

[chucks]

If B Ho or the glacier get in, I will buy major amounts of stock in the manufacturers of KY Jelly. It may be a little different with one verses the other, but in the end, we will all take it in the back side. Just gotta do what we can to mitigate the pain.

[Oregon Observer]

I listen to KPLU over KUER in the morning and afternoon because I like their more 'folksy' read of the news headlines, their commentators (Nancy Leeson, Art Thiel) some of their series, ie. "the Meaning of Work." Just think if KUOW didn't have a competitor in the non-comm. world for morning and afternoon news- KOPB would probably be the most accurate comparison.

[sparky]

So, KS, tell us how being one of the Keating 5 compares with rumors about religion?

[PugetSound]

Sparky
Keating 5? Nice broadbrush Sparky. Any chance you can outline what exactly McCain was found guilty of?

[sparky]

The Keating Five were five United States Senators, who were accused of corruption in 1989, igniting a major political scandal as part of the larger Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The five senators, Alan Cranston (D-CA), Dennis DeConcini (D-AZ), John Glenn (D-OH), John McCain (R-AZ), Donald W. Riegle (D-MI), were accused of improperly aiding Charles H. Keating, Jr., chairman of the failed Lincoln Savings and Loan Association, which was the target of an investigation by the Federal Home Loan Bank Board.

After a lengthy investigation, the Senate Ethics Committee determined in 1991 that Alan Cranston, Dennis DeConcini, and Donald Riegle had substantially and improperly interfered with the FHLBB in its investigation of Lincoln Savings. The Committee recommended censure for Cranston and criticized the other four for "questionable conduct."

Just a roadbump on his way to the White House? Im sure that is how the Right sees it. But that rumor about Obama being a closet Muslim!
Can't have anyone like THAT in the White House. No sir!

[PugetSound]

They found that McCain -the only Repub in the group- had done nothing other than show poor judgement. Nothing criminal. McCain said himself he showed poor judgement.
IF the Dems had any thing criminal on him they would have trotted it out. Instead it comes across as weak 'McCain is McCriminal' crap. Fine.

Oh yeah, if you want to hold all Repubs to account for the 'rumors' started by some yahoo Repub then you won't mind being linked to the most ridiculous Dem candidates. Sparky you are better than this. That is Joanie behavior.

Listen to the Ronn Owens show I linked. It is just listeners calling in. Painful radio but good radio.

[joanie hussein]

So, putsie, you prefer someone who uses poor judgment in matters concerning the money of the average American worker?

Hmm, some might question your judgment.

But not me. I don't have to question it. I know it.

[GOBAMA]

McCain was wearing a ski-mask. It was really his trophy wife's money.

As the investigation dragged through 1988, McCain dodged the hardest blows. Most landed on DeConcini, who had arranged the meetings and had other close ties to Keating, including $50 million in loans from Keating to DeConcini's aides.

But McCain made a critical error.

He had adopted the blanket defense that Keating was a constituent and that he had every right to ask his senators for help. In attending the meetings, McCain said, he simply wanted to make sure that Keating was treated like any other constituent.

Keating was no ordinary constituent to McCain.

On Oct. 8, 1989, The Arizona Republic revealed that McCain's wife and her father had invested $359,100 in a Keating shopping center in April 1986, a year before McCain met with the regulators.

The paper also reported that the McCains, sometimes accompanied by their daughter and baby-sitter, had made at least nine trips at Keating's expense, sometimes aboard the American Continental jet. Three of the trips were made during vacations to Keating's opulent Bahamas retreat at Cat Cay.

McCain also did not pay Keating for some of the trips until years after they were taken, after he learned that Keating was in trouble over Lincoln. Total cost: $13,433.

When the story broke, McCain did nothing to help himself.

"You're a liar," McCain said when a Republic reporter asked him about the business relationship between his wife and Keating.

"That's the spouse's involvement, you idiot," McCain said later in the same conversation. "You do understand English, don't you?"

He also belittled reporters when they asked about his wife's ties to Keating.

"It's up to you to find that out, kids."

The paper ran the story.

In the book, DeConcini reiterates his allegation that McCain leaked to the media "sensitive information" about certain closed proceedings in order to hurt DeConcini, Riegle and Cranston. It's a fairly serious charge. The Boston Globe revisited the Keating Five leaks in 2000. The story paraphrased a congressional investigator, Clark B. Hall, as personally concluding that "McCain was one of the principal leakers." The newspaper also reported that McCain, under oath, had denied involvement with the leaks.

McCain owns up to his mistake this way:

"I was judged eventually, after three years, of using, quote, poor judgment, and I agree with that assessment."

[joanie hussein]

Not only that, McCain was in the room both times along with all the others. His participation should have been considered aiding and abetting. He knew what was going on. But, his words to federal regulators that he wasn't part of anything improper was a cya. He was there.

And, as gobama says, he got paid.

This is sort of like arguing whether or not Hoffa was guilty of anything except tax evasion. That's all they could get him on.

Either conservatives live in the gutter or they don't know the gutter exists.

This was under a Republican administration. Was it a Republican-controlled ethics committee? I don't know that.

But, McCain was in the room with the regulators and the other Congressmen and made the proper statement to CYA himself in the situation . . . so don't tell me he didn't know what was going on. The consigliere to his kingpin: I'm not here to render advice on anything illegal.

I'm not that naive.