doings at 680, 1510?

[Donna Halper]

On 8/7/2012 3:47 AM, Bob Nelson wrote:
> As for talk hosts, one could easily say of hosts like Terri Gross on
> NPR: "Just the world needs--liberal talk hosts over and over on
> station after station". Of course apples and oranges comparison here,
> commercial vs. non-commercial.
>    
And you are also comparing political/advocacy programs versus programs 
featuring interviews with jazz musicians or poets.  I like Terri Gross, 
but I doubt we can compare the kind of show she does with the kind of 
show Limbaugh and Hannity (and Schultz and Rhodes) do.  In fact, I don't 
think NPR has many political talk shows-- their "Talk of the Nation" and 
"On Point" discuss general interest current events topics, with guests 
from various sides of the spectrum of ideologies.  All very laid-back 
and courteous.  Also, very informative much of the time.  Would such 
programming sell if it weren't on public radio?  I doubt it.  As for the 
"can you sell it" argument, it's an interesting one, given that many 
rightie talk shows get absolutely awful numbers, yet their syndicators 
seems to bundle them so that if you want the big-name guy (or gal), you 
have to take some of the lower-rated shows too.  Progressive/liberal 
talkers (even the ones marketed successfully by Dial Global) seem to 
have their own sales staffs-- I don't know how much national selling DG 
does for Ed or Stephanie or Thom, versus how much they are on their own.