Bill Handel now states that Dr. Laura was forced out of KFI...

[OCradiodude]

Due to low ratings?  That's right.  Bill claimed that this morning.  The last I knew she was # 1 with females 25-54.  Were other demos so low that it didn't make sense to keep her on the air?  I smell a fish here somewhere.

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

Due to low ratings?  That's right.  Bill claimed that this morning.  The last I knew she was # 1 with females 25-54.  Were other demos so low that it didn't make sense to keep her on the air?  I smell a fish here somewhere.

And now...Two more hours of............

Handel's Messiah!

[DavidEduardo]

Due to low ratings?  That's right.  Bill claimed that this morning.  The last I knew she was # 1 with females 25-54.  Were other demos so low that it didn't make sense to keep her on the air?  I smell a fish here somewhere.

IIRC, the show was not even top 10 in women 25-54 in June, and in men it was around the mid-20's positions.

[ChannelFlipper]

The whole episode smells of rank cost cutting, as they get rid of syndicated product and replace it entirely with in-house talent. This is remarkably short-sided in my opinion as they run the risk of overexposing Handel and John and Ken - six hours a day for Handel, five for John and Ken is simply ludicrous. I know David E mentioned the other day that average daily listening is less than an hour a day combined for the entire station so that means most in the audience will not get more of these personalities since they are on in different dayparts. This may be true, but many talk show listeners park it on KFI and leave it on all day regardless of who is on ( I know several who do this), so without changing the station, they get a little Handel, a little Rush, a little Dr. Laura and a little John and Ken. By reducing the personalities, those folks are being invited to flip the station when they hear the same personality in the afternoon that they heard in the morning.

Clear Channel has already shown it is capable of killing the golden goose with KOST, what is to say they can't do it with KFI as well?

[DavidEduardo]

Clear Channel has already shown it is capable of killing the golden goose with KOST, what is to say they can't do it with KFI as well?

Per the data posted today, KOST is third in LA, so in 25-54 it must be first or second. It seems they know what to do with that station.

[ChannelFlipper]

Clear Channel has already shown it is capable of killing the golden goose with KOST, what is to say they can't do it with KFI as well?

Per the data posted today, KOST is third in LA, so in 25-54 it must be first or second. It seems they know what to do with that station.

Like the rooster crowing in the morning, I knew you would post this fact back to me David. I admire your tenacious predictability.

Here's the deal. Well established organizations with a reputation for quality don't build their followings overnight nor do they lose them overnight. When the public starts to get shortchanged, it may not be noticeable to many for a long time, as the organization's reputation precedes it. But as the organization cuts quality, service, etc. little by little, it eventually happens. This is because initially the organization sees it can cut quality without any noticeable difference in results, while at the same time, more and more customers become disillusioned and stop providing their business. Eventually the two paths cross a certain threshold and the decline begins.

The changes made at KOST have taken some of its personality away in the name of running a cheaper operation. Most will not notice, but some will feel very cheated that the KOST they knew is changing, and not for the better. One day, that will be reflected in the numbers. No station is guaranteed anything.

[radiojomo]

This is remarkably short-sided in my opinion as they run the risk of overexposing Handel and John and Ken - six hours a day for Handel, five for John and Ken is simply ludicrous.

Because that's what we need right? More hate filled AM radio? Dr. Laura at least kept some balance in between all the racism and hate that station faces. KLSX FM Talk was the only talk station I would ever listen to because it was actually entertaining unlike KFI. Obviously, because at least KLSX could reach on more relatable topics to me because I was in their target demo, but at least Tom Leykis's hate towards marriage and golddigging women made a lot more sense than John and Ken hating on Mexicans and Bill Handel hating on Asians.

[Shoot From Hip]

Radiojomo- you hit the nail on the head when you say "because I was in their target demo." The fact is, you're probably not in KFI's target demo (which it happens to do fabulously well with), nor will you be in KFWB's target demo. And while you found KLSX entertaining, there simply weren't enough others like you who spent enough time listening to register their support. Stations should only hope their talent get overexposed like KFI is.

And as for KOST: it's a top-5 billing station in Los Angeles this year, last year and the year before...which also (if memory serves) makes them a top-10 billing station in the country (as is KFI). Again...stations should only hope they make the same mistakes as KOST. Of course no station is guaranteed anything, butI don't think I can come up with a single station in the country that isn't making sacrifices and tough decisions because billing is off. At this point, the ratings falloff at KROQ is more of a story than what mistakes are perceived as being made at KOST.

[DavidEduardo]

At this point, the ratings falloff at KROQ is more of a story than what mistakes are perceived as being made at KOST.

And yet July appears to have registered a slight increase for KROQ, and a 12+ decline of a significant size (like 20%) for KYSR. One might say that there has been a possible trend reversal, and that is all the more signficant as the 4 week period contained a holiday weekday, which likely affected mornings-dependent KROQ more than KYSR.

[DavidKaye]

Here's the deal. Well established organizations with a reputation for quality don't build their followings overnight nor do they lose them overnight.

Laura Schlessinger is no "overnight" sensation.  She's been on KFI for a lot of years and the trend was downward.  This shouldn't be surprising for any talkshow host who doesn't freshen their act from time to time.  She's gotten stale.