Study: Talk Radio Audience Loosing Interest

[mwebster]

From RadioDailyNews.com:

Bridge Ratings has been providing rating and research data for multiple markets and formats over the past three years. Of interest in the last twelve months has been the state of Talk radio. Beginning in January 2005 the Bridge composite group of talk radio markets and stations* began showing more pronounced instability in an area of measurement they call the "Passion Index" which measures a station's favoriteness shares among its weekly cume audience. Bridge Ratings has trended this information since January 2005 and continues to see attrition among talk radio listeners as a whole. While there are talk stations in our composite group who continue to buck the trend for very specific reasons, the talk stations that comprise the format's favoriteness shares clearly are weakening for very specific reasons  ...

The specific reasons:
Almost two-thirds of respondents say they are either "tired of the same discussions" or "not as interested in topics as I used to be."

Full Article:
http://www.radiodailynews.com/bridge-nov1.pdf

Political talk is wearing thin.

[gr8oldies]

There hasn't been much going on of interest in politics when you come right down to it. Maybe "Supreme Court Smackdown 2005" will creates some interest.

[Spindoctor]

> There hasn't been much going on of interest in politics when
> you come right down to it. Maybe "Supreme Court Smackdown
> 2005" will creates some interest.
>
Say what?
There hasn't been much going on of interest in politics?
No, there hasn't been much that certain talk radio was willing to
talk about!
That's what it boils down to.  Don't you get sick of the same
tired topics of Dems bad Reps good or Reps bad and Dems good?
The Spindoctor

[Salty Dog]

> Political talk is wearing thin.

Perhaps.. perhaps.. I've wondered aloud myself about this. But I would caution anyone about waving around "a study" as evidence to support their programming decisions. Research has done enough damage to radio. Not the research itself, but its misuse.

The "passion index" may be waning on political talk,  but the current index might look high compared to what stations get after shifting to "lifestyle" topics.

______________
"Radio on the Internet is yet another world-shrinking example of what communications analysts call 'death of distance.'" - Tim Jones


The Salty Dog

[gr8oldies]

There would have to be hosts who catch on doing "lifestyle topics". management just doesn't order everyone to start doing "lifestyle topics" Monday morning, and expect to have it work.

[jimwalsh2001]

You oversimply the issue when you imply the only alternative to hard-core political talk is fluffy "lifestyle."  No ever said you couldn't do a hard-hitting and entertaining show; what you need to do is focus on issues that matter to the average American besides the inside-the-beltway stuff.