Reply #46: The Sad State Of Corporate Radio

[KharmaTrain]

WINZ is owned by CheapClear Channel...a company that has seen its revenue plummet across the board along with its stock price and market caps. The company overspent for thousands of radio stations that are now bleeding red and a top-heavy corporate who thinks the answer is to "downscale" or consolidate more. It means finding the "least resisitance" in making a buck out of stations that have lost 75-90% of their values in the past two years. Not a pretty picture.

Talk radio is not very advertiser friendly. Most large corporations don't like to be associated with the controversy and radio's once strong local retail base has all but been Wal-Marted and Wall Streeted into oblivion. Thus stations constantly change formats to scamble for whatever money can be made. Sports is one such format as it seems that no matter how bad the economy is, there are guys who need their stiffies stiffened, run to the gambling boats, drink a lot of beer and eat at fast food joints. Bottom dollar, but it's a dollar.

With virtually all major radio signals owned by one corporate giant or another, it's difficult for a Progressive talk format to take hold as thse companies see no return on the investment.