Is Radio News Due for an Overhaul?

This Michael Kinsley critique of newspaper writing will be fascinating to anyone with a passion for news.  Kinsley’s argument that the prints desperately need  to update their presentation of the news has me wondering: When was the last time we seriously thought about whether radio news is truly serving the wants/needs of today’s listeners? A [...]

Classical Advice for Aspiring Talk Radio Hosts

Red Eye Radio host Doug McIntyre gets my nod for Most Insightful Speaker at this year’s Talkers New Media Seminar.  During a panel discussion about the challenges facing talk radio, McIntyre said: “I’ve always thought of doing talk radio as an actor doing Shakespeare.  We all have the same words to work with, so the [...]

Turning Podcasts into PodCASH

Newstalk 106-108 in Dublin, Ireland does a ton of on-demand broadcasting.  Its otherwise staid website is packed with audio — as every talk radio site should be.  Now the station is actually  making money on podcasting.  It recently sold custom-created podcasts to sponsors Heineken and Ford, and is hot on the trail of more download deals. [...]

Talkers Confab: Fear and Hoping in NYC

What do you call a room packed full of talk radio pros looking for something to believe in? Church? Ha! Funny.  No, it was the 2010 Talkers New Media Seminar. Give tremendous credit to Talkers publisher Michael Harrison. Despite the weak economy and radio’s on-going woes, this weekend’s event drew a sell-out crowd of syndicators, [...]

Randy’s Reminder is Right-On

Chicago media critic Robert Feder reports that Tribune Company CEO Randy Michaels has issued a list of 119 words and phrases that WGN-AM newspeople are no longer allowed to use on-air.  Feder looks askance at this effort,  calling it insulting and suggesting that Michaels has better things to do with his time.  Feder couldn’t be [...]

If You can’t Say Something Nice, Better Stay off Irish Talk Radio

American broadcasters justifiably complain and fret about the FCC’s content regulation. But here’s a reminder that it could be worse.  A lot worse. Dublin-based  Newstalk 106-108 was recently censured by Ireland’s version of the FCC because morning co-host Claire Byrne called spinster singing sensation Susan Boyle “a freak” and “not right in the head.”   [...]

A New Category for Talk Radio Brokered Programming

Has your sales department talked to labor unions while prospecting for paid programs?  Might be worth a meeting or two.  Sure, unions don’t have as much money as they used to — but who does?

Well, You Can’t Believe Everything You Read on the Internet

The Daily Beast recently posted a list of talk show hosts who are supposedly poised to be “the next Glenn Beck.” This apparently means a personality capable of transcending radio to become a political or cultural force. You know, somebody who will one day be the subject of a fretful Time magazine cover story. Daily [...]

Exposed! What Really Killed Air America! (And Why Other Liberal Talkers Should Be Afraid)

The recent demise of Air America Media reignited the debate over why liberal talk radio has struggled to find a viable audience.  You’ve heard all the theories: bad business plan; putting politics ahead of entertainment; the mainstream media provides enough liberal news and comment, et cetera.  Now former liberal talk host Steve Young puts forth a [...]

“Maverick! Engage, Dammit!”

Boston Phoenix blogger Adam Reilly offers an insightful post-mortem on talk radio’s role in Scott Brown‘s election to the U.S. Senate. The bottom-line: Relationships and engagement matter — a lot. True, most Beantown talkers were ideologically pre-disposed to support the Republican Brown.  But Brown also benefited tremendously from his long-time courtship of  the radio crowd. [...]