Red Blooded American Boy

Archive for the ‘AM Radio’ Category

This week’s announcement that 680 WPTF will lose Rush Limbaugh in its syndication is a death-blow to the radio station.  It is no secret that Rush created the revival of the AM format back in the late 80’s and 90’s.  For Raleigh, AM radio is going back into the 70’s – hardly ever listened to.  If WPTF does not create some new Conservative talk show hosts, then they will most certainly be adding to the unemployment figures of the state.

Considering that they still have Tom Kearney on the radio nightly does not make me confident WPTF can do anything but let the ship go down gracefully.  I am sure Tom Kearney is the sweetest thing since a Hershey bar, but that is some of the worst AM radio I have ever heard.

Upon reading the announcement, I became rather angry and shocked all at the same time.  How could 680 WPTF give up its bread-and-butter?  The article does not reveal where Rush will be going.  I wonder if Triangle Business Journal was told by Curtis Media not to tell that part of the story?  Curtis Media must have the testicles of Triangle Business Journal in a lock box.

Rather, it took some digging to find out that he and other Conservative talk show hosts such as Hannity and Glen Beck will be arriving on the FM dial, instead of the AM dial.  The Godfather of Radio will be arriving on WRDU 106.1 at the start of the New Year. 

From a format perspective, this is a brilliant move.  The current grass routes uprising against the increased imprisonment of Government is getting larger everyday.  The FM dial offers easier access to the committed listeners and possible new listeners.  Younger folks listen to FM radio more than AM radio.  So, the bored channel surfing young people of Raleigh may find the talk very stimulating and relative to their own ambitions.  Since IPODs and other MP3 players have FM radio receivers built in, this makes the ease of changing from music to talk easier than ever.  Just flip the switch from MP3 to talk format in a flash. 

Sounds like more Rush Babies will be born out there.

Tags: Raleigh,+North+Carolina,+WPTF,+Rush+Limbaugh,+680+WPTF