New News/Talk FM launched today in Chattanooga, Tn.

[BRH]

   Just wanted to mention that at 5AM this morning,  Brewer Broadcasting completed their signal upgrade on 95.3 FM and dropped "Jack FM" to go news/talk as WPLZ "95-3 Pulse News".   The station is featuring local anchors and hosts in mornings, afternoons, and for an hour at noon, and are focusing on news more than talk during those shows.   The rest of the day features syndicated fare from Glenn Beck, Clarke Howard, Jason Lewis, and delayed Dennis Miller.     Also, they have several local reporters on staff and are using dual, tag team news anchors during most local news breaks.   They've also picked up both Fox News Radio and CBS News for national newscasts.    The station is tied in with the local weekly alternative newspaper "The Pulse" which Brewer also owns.    And they are sharing a website at www.chattanoogapulse.com.   
 
   It is a bit of a different take on the traditional news/talk stations with an odd name and more emphasis on news.   Should be interesting to see how it fares.   Also, it is the markets second FM talker and will be going head to head with crosstown Citadel owned "Talk Radio 102.3" WGOW FM.    (Also, of note, they have two former WGOW hosts in both AM and PM drive).   

[jimwalsh2001]

Several folks in the biz whose opinions I respect believe we're about to see a boom of FMs going talk.  I hope they're right...

[R.D.P.]

Wish you could help bring "A Real FM Talker" to Selma Alabama .  All we get mostly is Liberal and Civil Rights talking points and I'm fed up with it.  Rush Limbaugh and Laura Ingraham do bring some excitement to my radio dial but we need more than that.

Glad that your hometown has a new FM talker.  Hope it does well and has major success.  

R.D.P. <><

[argentarius]

I'm all for more FM talkers, but not if they are just going to be the same old lineup of Beck, Rush, Hannity, Savage and Ingraham.  Yuk

[listener-in]

I'm all for more FM talkers, but not if they are just going to be the same old lineup of Beck, Rush, Hannity, Savage and Ingraham.  Yuk

If they try it, they’ll end up the same way as the auto industry which concentrated so much on gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs at the expense of other products that when the demand slacked off they weren’t ready for it.  Maybe that’s not the only reason the car industry is in the toilet, but it’s certainly a major reason.  So far, the same mentality has held in talk radio – right-wing talk works, so more if it must work also.  As a result, managements have been much more forgiving of low ratings by talkers on the right than on the left.  I don’t care for Randi Rhodes, but maybe her contract with Premiere represents something of a sea change in industry thinking towards liberal talk.  And I think it was triggered by its poor financial performance, in which Limbaugh’s $400 million contract probably played a part.  It will be ironic indeed if Limbaugh’s big payday is what helps liberal talk finally entrench itself in the thinking of radio executives.

[David67]

   Just wanted to mention that at 5AM this morning,  Brewer Broadcasting completed their signal upgrade on 95.3 FM and dropped "Jack FM" to go news/talk as WPLZ "95-3 Pulse News".   The station is featuring local anchors and hosts in mornings, afternoons, and for an hour at noon, and are focusing on news more than talk during those shows.   The rest of the day features syndicated fare from Glenn Beck, Clarke Howard, Jason Lewis, and delayed Dennis Miller.     Also, they have several local reporters on staff and are using dual, tag team news anchors during most local news breaks.   They've also picked up both Fox News Radio and CBS News for national newscasts.    The station is tied in with the local weekly alternative newspaper "The Pulse" which Brewer also owns.    And they are sharing a website at www.chattanoogapulse.com.   
 
   It is a bit of a different take on the traditional news/talk stations with an odd name and more emphasis on news.   Should be interesting to see how it fares.   Also, it is the markets second FM talker and will be going head to head with crosstown Citadel owned "Talk Radio 102.3" WGOW FM.    (Also, of note, they have two former WGOW hosts in both AM and PM drive).   

I work in Chattanooga,I'll have to check it out! I hope they have some big names on there.