We'd like to thank Rush for the downfall

But we're not sure, so we publish an open letter from one of talk radio's lesser known, but still in the "Heavy Hundred" of talkers trying to make a living in a ever changing radio world.  His name is Doug Stephan and he just posted in Talkers about his decline in ad revenue immediately following Limbaugh's comments about Sandra Fluke.  In fact the Fat Man's comments were cited in Talkers by Dial Global for their de-listing with the SEC from NASDAQ due to a "$67.2 million impairment charge".

Here is the letter:

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Reading the statements by Spencer Brown at Dial Global about what has happened to the advertising agencies’ attitudes toward controversial programming gives me cause to want to add my perspective as an independent producer with almost 25 years of syndicated radio experience…pretty much the same amount of time as Rush Limbaugh.

First and foremost, I’m a champion of and cheerleader for the format.  But what is represented here is the same quandary that faces the Republican Party…relevance.

 

We can praise the format’s audience loyalty to many advertisers following the Rush Limbaugh-Sandra Fluke incident and complain about those who no longer want to stay in the atmosphere of controversy surrounding “those” shows, but we are outnumbered and outgunned because, let’s face it, the agencies and advertisers are how we survive.  So to tell them that their clients are stupid for not staying in an atmosphere in which they don’t want to be is akin to the Republicans not reading the tea leaves about changing demographics.

I’m not here to argue the point, but rather to tell you what this ONE incident has cost me as an independent in a sea of big corporate operators, who are obviously losing tens of millions of dollars due to this one event.

So far this year, my losses are in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Cancellations, avoidance and decisions to just not buy across the whole format, no matter what the content, have led to this rude awakening.

I’m not looking for Limbaugh to send me a check (although that would be nice), but I do think we have to let it be known that his actions have been devastating to our survival.  I do think we have to do what we can to expand the format and let agencies know that their message can be safe with those who produce good programs that are fun, relevant and aimed at a different audience.  Letting the news media, and even agencies, get away with lumping all hosts and content together is irresponsible for them and their clients because they know they get the best results from spots delivered in the spoken word formats.

Solution: Expand, broaden, open up the potential for non-political talk to be aired and encouraged on weak stations in markets of all sizes.

Daytime television is telling us something.  Why aren’t we paying attention?

Doug Stephan is president of Stephan MultiMedia and host of the nationally syndicated “Good Day” program.  He can be emailed at [email protected].

Comments

[GOPer]

Sounds like someone TS would get her news from.

[TS]

Well, I answered your "blaming
bush" post and you had no response. So easier to respond with an ad hominem. Better to respond with factual and logical arguments, don't you think? I can always tell when I get the better of a debater when they come back with insults.

[EvergreenRailfan]

It's a shame, because there is a good example of a talk radio programme that actually brought people together, from across the divide. Talkback in Northern Ireland on BBC Radio Ulster. It was described as the alternative peace process, came on the air at just the right time during the Troubles.(The term they give for the IRA activity of the late 20th Century) It provided a neutral ground of sorts for people to air grievances, and has survived the test of time, and the transition to what seems more mundane topics, covering issues out of Stormont(Northern Ireland Assembly), Belfast City Hall, the recent scandal affecting the BBC as a whole, soccer, and even the controversy out of the hospital in Galway in the Republic(Ireland). Another issue in recent months, was a reminder of the troubles, the Peace Walls, and whether it was time for them to (finally) go.(They were built to separate some of the predominantly protestant areas from the predominately Catholic areas.) Constructive talk, instead of tearing somebody down.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/5312296.stm

I doubt an American-style talk show would work in that political system anyway, in Northern Ireland, they use the same electoral system as the Republic for electing Members of Legislative Assembly, City Councils, Members of European Parliament(but use the same winner take all system we use, to elect MPs to the UK Parliament), Single-Transferable Vote proportional representation. There is a chance that if you threw too much mud at your opponent, you could lose 2nd Choice votes from that person, and that might sway the election against you. That and the Northern Irish Assembly works on a concensus system, as part of the peace process.

[Bob Nelson]

WTDY Madison WI flipped from talk (had some prog.?) to all Christmas. Mass layoffs. Sports may be new format

http://www.wtdy.com

[Chris Chronic]

We saw, firing them on Thanksgiving eve and stunting Christmas music makes them looks like shits however. Madison probably needs a CBS Sports radio presence there.

"The audience for the station skews male -- 64% male to 36% female -- and older. The median age of its listeners is 53. Most are college educated (76%) and employed (74%). Seventy percent of listeners have a household income of $50,000 or more."

Not a big loss for progressive talk--they still have 92.1 The Mic, for now.

[Nevet's ghost]

Who in the hell is Doug Stephan ? His program has never been heard here. It's easy to get on the anti-Rush bandwagon. Limbaugh is not doing the GOP any favors and why should the GOP care about what he says anyway ? That is part of their problem. they are not really as much the old white men party as the Dems spotlight them to be. Have the Democrats looked at themselves in the mirror lately ? They have a good number of old,white guilt ridden liberal elitist men. It's pretty much an even split between the two parties for the old white men, but the GOP never says anything pointed at the Democrats to draw the attention of anyone about this - just sayin .

Meanwhile, I tend to pull for the underdog - no mistake it is the GOP at this time. What are they going to do about it ? They had better start reaching out to Hispanics, women and blacks and striking back against the propaganda from the left - which is being regarded because the GOP don't strike back and effectively debate the Democrats.

If the Democrats told the truth some of the time- I would be more empathetic toward the left, but they seldom do. Meanwhile there is a void, where the electorate likes status quo, when it is leading us down the centrifuge and into the abyss and most of the news outlets love it, but they are dupes and mostly stuck on stupid. Patience though, the social media could easily change the landscape.

[TS]

Well, Steven's ghost, you don't make any more sense than old Steven did. I wonder if you're still glad-handing underpaid people shopping at Walmart?

[Nevet's ghost]

Here's something that should make no sense to any rational American (the exception of TS noted);
How can it make any sense to look upon the Muslim Brotherhood-with outreach to Hezbollah and other terrorist groups funded by Iran more favorably than the opposing party in this country ? Batshit crazy !&*

(Excerpts by Rich Lowry in Politico)
"Obama famously disdained Mitt Romney. But the devotee of an Islamist organization about to stage a self-coup in the most important Arab country in the Middle East? Now, that’s a man he can understand and work with.

The business about an engineer’s precision is priceless. What did the president expect? Morsi to try to convert him to Islam and harangue him about Malia and Sasha not wearing head scarves?

Morsi didn’t get where he is today without rationally calculating his interests and those of the Brotherhood. He probably has many crisply precise conversations every day; that doesn’t make his ultimate goal any less unreasonable. Mussolini might have talked with Obama calmly and impressively — like an engineer, even — about the rail line from Rome to Florence; that wouldn’t have made him any less noxious.

The administration’s reaction to Morsi’s decree has been, “Well, golly, we hope everyone can talk things through.” White House spokesman Jay Carney thundered during his daily briefing, “We have expressed and raised concerns about the decisions and declarations of Nov. 22, and we’ll continue to do that as appropriate.” State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland chimed him with her own memorable condemnation: “It’s a little bit unclear to us … whether the various constituencies have all felt that they’ve been heard and had their views taken into account.”

In its mealy-mouthed non-condemnations, the Obama administration does no favors to the actual moderates who are in the streets of Egypt pushing to get Morsi to back down."

[nameless]

Sooo KS, are you saying T-S would agree with Rich Lowry, or Rich Lowry's opinion? There is a difference ya know.