Offering frequent news and analysis from the majestic Evergreen State and beyond, The Cascadia Advocate is the Northwest Progressive Institute's unconventional perspective on world, national, and local politics.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

KIRO cancels The David Goldstein Show

Why? Because syndicated talk and reruns are cheaper:
710-KIRO has canceled my show “for budgetary reasons.” I’m not exactly sure about all the changes to the weekend schedule (I just talked to Bryan Styble, and he too got the ax,) but apparently syndication and reruns better fit the station’s current business model than live, local talk. Ah well.

Coming off a fall book where 710-KIRO weekends placed number three in the market, and a several month streak of jam-packed spot loads, I’d say the weekend shakeup was a bit of a surprise… that is, if Frank Shiers recent fate hadn’t been the handwriting on the wall. Over the past 14 months 710-KIRO has now shed itself of at least 38 44 hours a week of live local programming, and the salaries that go with it. It’s a trend that has been repeated at radio stations throughout the state, and I can’t say it’s one that ultimately better serves the community.
I appeared several times on David's show during his run - including live from YearlyKos 2007 - and I can't emphasize enough how deeply disappointed I and everyone at the Northwest Progressive Institute is by this news.

To put it simply, this is a bad move...a really bad move. If Bonneville International (KIRO's owners) think people are just going to continue listening to syndicated blathering or reruns, they're wrong. We certainly won't be tuning in.

Live local talk has value. It's too bad station management only sees dollar signs.

Now would be a golden opportunity for CBS Radio Seattle to add a local political talk show to their Air America/Nova M/Jones progressive lineup.

David Goldstein understands the business and he would be a great weekday host for AM 1090. He would give the station a local personality and increase AM 1090's ratings. From CBS Radio's perspective, the financial risk would be fairly minimal and the potential gain significant. They should go for it.

Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home