News-talk WERC-AM/Birmingham is now being simulcast on its FM sister, the former rocker Vulcan 105.5. Reading that story in the trades left me a bit more glum about the future of broadcast talk radio. There was a time when FM was the promised land for the talk format — the place where new and younger listeners hung low and heavy on the trees, and new, exciting variations of the talk format would develop and bloom. WJFK-FM/Washington’s top-rated Guy Talk radio, and WLNK-FM/Charlotte’s lucrative ”AC talk” were called glimpses of the future. If group owners would just sack-up and give talk a real chance on the FM dial, can you imagine!!!
Well, talk radio is finally invading the FM dial — in the form of AM simulcasts, and turn-key all-syndication line-ups. No innovation, no risk-taking, no younger listeners, no additional local programming, no new stars. Makes me think maybe Talker’s publisher Michael Harrison isn’t crazy when he says broadcast talk radio has five years of viability left…
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I thought Michael said radio had five years left two years ago…does that mean it really only has three years?
I get what he is saying and I agree that FM simulcasts are not the way to get ‘new’ listeners but I see radio’s viability lasting a bit more than 5 years. Syndicated product will benefit from this turn key FM bonanza but the stations who take the time to really build a solid line up that includes a strong local presence will, like cream, rise to the top. What happened on AM will only repeat itself on FM. No matter how good the signal the line up must engage the audience.