The Radio Equalizer: Brian Maloney

11 January 2009

Former Talk Hosts Become More Effective Off The Air

REEMERGING STRONGER

Ex-Hosts Return As Key Conservative Figures







Over the past several years, your Radio Equalizer has often heard from newly-sacked career talk hosts as they begin to wonder about life beyond the microphone. Without a blueprint for the future, at that point, most are still in a state of shock.

What to do next? Faced with that question, yours truly always offers the same advice: though one may not realize it now, it's actually quite possible to accomplish more while off the air. Without the long (and odd) hours of a full-time commitment to talk radio hosting, there is much more time to get things done.

Victims of a collapsing broadcast industry brought on by epic mismanagement and a shift away from music radio by young people, these experienced talkers often find the few remaining live and local timeslots are reserved for rank amateurs.

That's a result of incompetent suits who still believe they should be on the lookout for the next "star" plucked from obscurity out of a random street corner. Even worse, some believe that failed presidential candidates and other celebs should be handed syndicated slots without regard for their potential entertainment value.

Given today's political climate, it certainly shouldn't be this way: talk radio is expected to grow exponentially during single-party opposition rule and top conservative syndicated hosts are already benefiting from increasing listenership.

But during the Clinton era, the previous growth period for the medium, local hosts complimented Rush Limbaugh and other top national talkers with regional topics that hit closest to home.

In 2009, however, this key element of talk radio's past success is now largely missing. That's a result of brutal waves of cost-cutting and even the political agenda of some remaining radio managers, who seek to undermine the medium from within. Many broadcast execs lean far to the left and even top-rated syndicated hosts have been forced to deal with their antics.


Unfortunately, recently- downsized local hosts don't have the luxury of waiting around to find out which broadcasting companies will survive and whether they'll be interested in their services. Though it's necessary to move on, the question is to what and where?

Rather than sulk, some have made the transition so well that they are emerging as key figures in the conservative movement. Though they may yet return to talk radio once the industry shakeout ends, at the rate they're going, it might not be necessary.

One host who has created a blueprint for post-radio political activism is former KSFO morning talker Melanie Morgan, who had the foresight to build a successful organization several years before leaving the station. Since then, Move America Forward has become a major force for preserving and promoting patriotism in America, particularly when it comes to respect for our troops.

Between organizing pro-military rallies, care package shipments to Iraq, morale-boosting visits to conflict zones and a new effort to stop the Obamists from undermining anti-terror efforts, Morgan's efforts are tireless.


Providing another path for post-radio success is former KFI/ Los Angeles host John Ziegler, who can't seem to stay out of the headlines for long these days. Combining chutzpah with curiosity, Ziegler has asked the questions that the Obamist mainstream media simply won't.

Between the enormous success of his interviews with Obama's astoundingly-ignorant supporters to his widely-publicized Zogby poll that reinforced that position, his HowObamaGotElected.com has been incredibly successful.

From there, he has built its following further through an interview with Sarah Palin that has received widespread media attention. Somehow, he was able to get the Alaskan governor to open up on a variety of issues regarding the media's rough treatment of her during the campaign:






With so many local talk hosts losing their positions in recent weeks, your Radio Equalizer believes they should look to these examples to create their own pathway to future success. They may be left wishing they'd left the radio industry years earlier.


FOR New England regional talk radio updates, see our other site.



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4 Comments:

  • ...In a time long, long ago...

    Being really good meant job security in radio land.

    Sadly that time is no more.

    I never thought that, in a generation spanning broadcasting career, I would ever say this..

    RADIO SUCKS!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11 January, 2009 07:54  

  • 0754,

    When did being good EVER mean job security in the business?

    Being good meant another station might take a shot with you - but a job has always tended to last a year for most really good radio people, as opposed to twelve months for the bad ones.

    The business was always a cesspool of dysfunctional people. I wrote about it a long time ago. Being on the air has always been the best buzz there is - but the industry has been a sartreian hellhole for generations.

    And still I miss it...

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11 January, 2009 14:09  

  • As I predicted 2 years ago, the people meter would destroy Anti-American talk radio, conservatism. Advertisers are seeing the over 55+ demos, the small CUME's conservative talk radio attracts (while receiving large shares) and are turned off and sickened by conservative talk radio. Small CUMES and large shares= a small group of mental cases who listen to the same station all day.

    I predicted this. Patriots, workers, and normal Americans are thrilled as we watch the demise, of the Anti-American scum, that conservatives who run radio have forced upon us all.

    Con radio has NEVER made a ton of money for radio...... con radio is there to turn working class America against their own best interest, a well oiled propaganda machine..... This time the return is too low to keep the propaganda machine alive
    and even the conservative business pigs that run radio are realizing their quest to brainwash the commons is not worth losing so much money over

    THe people meter revealed the truth , conservative radio is listened to by a few, unemployed, over 55+ year old Anti-American traitors who have a lot of time on their hands.

    Working America will purge this great nation of Anti-American scum, once and for all. Conservatism is Anti-American. Any ideology that blames the commons for the problems the rich have caused is Anti-American

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12 January, 2009 14:45  

  • MOP

    You’re an idiot. Do you have a life or is this it. Spinning away and thinking people will believe your lies. You need to go back to school and get a degree for something useful. Tell us again how smart you are we believe that one not.

    Glad you spent the holidays reading a conservative leaning blog. If you would take my advice and get a degree you can make money with you could have joined me in Key West enjoying the warm weather. Great place but a few too many queers for my taste but you and the rest of your gang(elmo) could have had a ball.

    By Blogger pf1, at 14 January, 2009 01:00  

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