Seattle is about to lose its progressive radio station! I am in utter shock!

[nolabear]

AM 1090 will become yet another sports station as of the first of the year. I can't believe it. Now, I'm lucky; I can get Stephanie Miller on Current or,if in the car I can stream to my phone, and I can get other things if I figure out the Sirius Radio scheduling, but I'm privileged. What about the folks who just have regular old car radios? And what about that madman Limbaugh, who is still on the air along with the local RW crazies?

SignOn.Org has a petition, and I'd encourage anyone local to go on over and sign and post it on FB, but...damn. It just doesn't seem right.

Wonder what Dan Savage and Ron Reagan think about this...they were both at the Sexy Liberal Show back in September.

It's Thom Hartman that I really think people should have access to. Grrrrr.......

[Warpy]

1. Progressives read. Conservative dunderheads listen to bleating.

That's the main reason we can spell and they can't.

It's also why progressive talk radio can't seem to be successful unless it's combined with a mostly music format, as on college stations.

[Capt.Rocky300]

3. Progressives also listen......

to talk radio. When I'm in my car, which is a lot of the time, AM1090 is on. Norman Goldman is a treasure and I don't know how I'll get through my day without hearing his Senior Legal Analyst or Civics Lesson segments. Make no mistake, this about more than money. This is about silencing the progressive voice.

[Warpy]

6. Probably

but since we read, it's not going to work.

Since they don't read, they haven't bothered to censor anything but all the newspapers they've bought up.

[nolabear]

4. Can't read in the car. And reading doesn't createa sense of community like radio does.

I'm a HUGE fan of radio. It's got leeway for creativity that TV doesn't, and can be even more radical in all directions. It's egalitarian since it's cheap. I read like a madwoman but I also love my progressives and this is a huge loss.

[Egalitarian Thug]

13. Nope, this is strictly a corporate agenda. Progressive talk shows have beat or matched

the all hate all day formats in markets all across the country whenever they are given equal support. Even in such hard-core Reich-wing places like Phoenix, AZ. However, What has been done is that when they get their audience going somehow the money comes in and buys them or walks away. Air America was a great example, the management torpedoed it as soon as they stated making real gains and fostered a real stable of talent.

Richard Mellon-Scaife lost millions year after year creating limpball's audience.

[gateley]

2. I'm really bummed and outraged. I ALWAYS have it on in my car and at home when I'm bored w/MSNBC.

I'm not sure I can stream through my iPad -- but I'm going to have to check it out.

What a loss to our community! And I know others around the country who would stream some of the shows.

Heading over to signon.org -- thanks.

So sad.

[Blue Idaho]

5. Its not just Progressive Radio

All radio formats have a shelf life and political talk radio is no different. The new radio darling is sports talk radio. I hated it when Spokane Washington's progressive radio station suddenly switched to a country and western format about a year and a half ago and now it sounds like they may be going the sports talk format as well.

Even that ass hat Rush Limpballs is shedding stations like an old snake sheds its skin.

We need to remind ourselves all American media only exists to deliver an audience to advertisers - it is NOT about delivering a service to its viewers and listeners.

[pnwmom]

10. This is no accident. Clear Channel, owned by Bain Capital, owns most of the radio stations

in the US, and has been systematically converting progressive stations into sports.

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=9721

In 2012, major corporate conglomerates such as Clear Channel, and a just two or three others, control the licenses for almost all of our public airwaves, particularly in large markets, and are able to choke off all but the corporate-friendly voices from talk radio, while using those very same stations to promote radio shows over which they also have corporate ownership through their Premiere Syndication arm.

A documentary film, Save KLSD, has been screening around the country this year. The film documents the ultimately unsuccessful 2007 fight to keep Clear Channel-owned KLSD AM-1360, the only commercial progressive talk radio outlet in San Diego at the time, from flipping to a Fox Sports format. The film details the dangers of media consolidation and "how corporate influence corrupts government regulation, limits the free flow of information, and adversely affects American democracy."

Shameful history repeats itself once again in Portland, Oregon tonight. Though, this time, Clear Channel did not make the mistake of letting the word get out until the very last minute, when the flip to the new format was already a done deal. Once word did get out, the reported plans to change the format on Monday were moved up to change the format immediately this evening.

That there is no major commercial outlet over our public airwaves for political voices other than those friendly to corporations like Clear Channel in most of the major media markets in the U.S., much less, as of tonight, in a progressive city like Portland, is simply another national disgrace. We can only hope that a newly re-elected President, without the need to run for election again, may be able to direct his FCC to restore the public interest obligations of broadcasters who enjoy the privilege of being granted licenses to broadcast over our public airwaves.

[Blue Idaho]

14. Thank You!

[PlanetBev]

7. Heard Portland, OR lost their station last month

Same thing, sports.

[hogwyld]

16. 620 KPOJ went to sports

I wrote the station, congresswoman Bonamicci, my state reps. The Clear Channel (read Bain) knuckleheads don't want the progressive message out there, so they're silencing those voices. I have asked my congress critters and senators Wyden and Merkley to bring back the fairness doctrine.

[Liberal_in_LA]

8. the world needs more sports radio stations

[HeiressofBickworth]

9. I'm in shock -- I'm devastated

I'm a frequent listener to 1090. I listen to Stephanie Miller and Ed Schultz in the morning. If I'm running errands during the day, I listen to Thom Hartman and Norman Goldman. I listen while I'm cleaning the kitchen. I listen while I do other chores around the house. And I listen when I go to bed at night. 1090 is a part of my day.

Yes, I will probably find these programs somewhere on the internet, but that ties me to my computer all day. My computer is in a corner of the garage, away from the rest of the house. Unless I'm actually ON the computer, it will be very inconvenient to listen otherwise. I don't have any of the other electronic gadgets that would give me progressive radio and living on social security income, I doubt that I will have the money to buy such gadgets.

Whether the motivation is silencing progressive voices or seizing an opportunity to increase profits, the corporation responsible for this loss is obviously not thinking of the community or the listeners to 1090's program offerings. They can't possibly be thinking that 1090 listeners will stick around and listen to sports talk -- sports talk that can be found on several other stations in the area who have been doing it longer and probably better.

[hogwyld]

18. I completely agree!

I live in Portland, and we lost our station last month. I don't have satellite radio, and I don't have a smartphone. I can't be at the computer all the time, so I'm just feeling isolated and angry. It's not like there aren't already 10 sports talk stations here, but the corporations are intent on silencing dissenting voices. I'll be damned if I go quietly! I'm writing my politicians to see if the fairness doctrine can be brought back. Also, we need to end this consolidation of OUR airwaves.

[pnwmom]

11. I'm not surprised. Clear Channel, owned by Bain Capital, has been doing this for years.

Clear Channel owns the largest network of radio stations in the country and they've been systematically converting progressive radio stations to sports.

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=9721
In 2012, major corporate conglomerates such as Clear Channel, and a just two or three others, control the licenses for almost all of our public airwaves, particularly in large markets, and are able to choke off all but the corporate-friendly voices from talk radio, while using those very same stations to promote radio shows over which they also have corporate ownership through their Premiere Syndication arm.

A documentary film, Save KLSD, has been screening around the country this year. The film documents the ultimately unsuccessful 2007 fight to keep Clear Channel-owned KLSD AM-1360, the only commercial progressive talk radio outlet in San Diego at the time, from flipping to a Fox Sports format. The film details the dangers of media consolidation and "how corporate influence corrupts government regulation, limits the free flow of information, and adversely affects American democracy."

Shameful history repeats itself once again in Portland, Oregon tonight. Though, this time, Clear Channel did not make the mistake of letting the word get out until the very last minute, when the flip to the new format was already a done deal. Once word did get out, the reported plans to change the format on Monday were moved up to change the format immediately this evening.

That there is no major commercial outlet over our public airwaves for political voices other than those friendly to corporations like Clear Channel in most of the major media markets in the U.S., much less, as of tonight, in a progressive city like Portland, is simply another national disgrace. We can only hope that a newly re-elected President, without the need to run for election again, may be able to direct his FCC to restore the public interest obligations of broadcasters who enjoy the privilege of being granted licenses to broadcast over our public airwaves.

[PSPS]

12. They can't sell ad time

If you listen to the ads on any radio program, it usually tells you how well it's doing. Back in the Air America days, ad brokers were specifically instructed to avoid any stations carrying AA. Now I think the political talk format is a hard sell as most major advertisers want to avoid it.

You know a program is in trouble when all you hear are Public Service spots and house ads. KPTK often airs segments with nothing else. The caliber of an advertiser says a lot too. "Buy gold" and the various nefarious "homeopathic" and penis pill products are some examples that come to mind. Many of the on-air hosts (Hartmann, Rhodes, Miller, Schultz) actually voice these ads which seriously undermines their credibility, although I understand why they do it -- such ads garner a higher rate or may be required just to close the ad deal.

Now don't get me wrong. It isn't just KPTK that has trouble selling spots. The whole political talk format is a hard sell now.

There are exceptions. Big RW talent like Limbaugh will be carried, even at a loss, because they serve another purpose: to shape opinion as opposed to garnering an audience to sell to. So, even if their program doesn't turn a profit on its own, media owners consider their payback in other ways: favorable legislation that will make them money.

The sports format is an easy moneymaker compared to political talk. It's not controversial, so spots are much easier to sell. Production cost is miniscule, so the profit potential is much higher.

[pnwmom]

15. If they can sell ads in Seattle for Glenn Beck, they can certainly sell ads for progressive radio.

Give me a break!

The problem is that the vast majority of radio stations are owned by Clear Channel Communications, which is half-owned by Bain Capital, which has been systematically converting progressive stations (but not conservative stations) over to a sports format.

[PSPS]

19. I don't listen to Glenn Beck. Who are some of his advertisers?

[pnwmom]

22. Glenn Beck appealed to the same people as Limbaugh. The point is, if conservative

talk radio people can sell ads in the Seattle market -- a city liberal enough to have produced an 82% vote for marriage equality -- then why shouldn't progressive talk radio also be able to make a profit?

Clear Channel, owned by Bain, is purposely keeping conservative talk radio stations and purposely converting progressive stations into sports. This isn't an accident or a simple matter of profit.

[PSPS]

24. Who are some of his advertisers?

I asked the question for a reason. If it's the same class as I mentioned (nefarious products, PSA's, etc.,) then the difference is the motivation of the station's owner. If they want to make money with the station, they change formats. If they want to make money in other ways that their format will facilitate, they will run the station at a loss (i.e., run programs with no/low-paying ad spots.)

[Fla Dem]

17. Where I am in Foriduh could never get progressive talk.. Bought a new car, has sirius radio

and for just $3 more a month can stream it to my laptop and ipod. Listen to Stephanie Miller on Current TV, Media Matters, POTUS on Sirius. Also try "tune in radio". Great app for laptops, ipods etc. Can find stations all over the country and international too. I am thrilled I now have access to progressive talk.

http://tunein.com/

[DaniDubois]

20. This is bad. If Fox Noise type programming is the only thing available for people who listen to talk

radio then they're only getting one side of the information.

[woo me with science]

21. More media consolidation on the table before Christmas,

thanks to Obama's FCC chairman:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021896902

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021907140

[OxQQme]

23. From Portland's indy newspaper:

http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-19962-who_killed_kpoj.html