Begging To Differ
The sweeper at the end of the spot break growled "This Isn't Your Grandmother's Talk Radio".
I beg to differ.
I missed the debut of the Andrew Colton/Kelly Guest show this morning on the new Clear Channel talk station in town, KTLK-FM. I'll try to catch it tomorrow.
Today's the first I've seen of the new station's lineup of non-Limbaugh shows, although I've heard bits and pieces over the past few weeks.
I caught about an hour of Pat Kessler - normally WCCO-TV's top political correspondent - today, though, whilst driving. And yes, in fact, it is my grandmother's talk radio.
One of the big "What-Ifs" in local media over the past decade has been "I bet Pat Kessler would be great on a regular talk show". Kessler one of the better political reporters in town, and has been for a long time.
We have our answer. Granted, it's Kessler's first day as a regular host (I believe he's done some fill-in work over the years), and there's little doubt Kessler's delivery will improve with practice...
...but the delivery's not the problem. Kessler's show, in tune with Clear Channel Communications' management's newfound belief that political talk has lost its ratings sheen, shoots straight down the middle; the first hour included about 40 minutes on Mike Tice's firing (including an interview with Senator Dick Day on its impact on the stadium push), twenty on the Highway Patrol's crackdown on drunk driving, and most of the second hour on lesser-known obituaries of 2005.
The new talker's Program Director is my old KSTP-AM colleague Doug Westerman (and KSTP-AM's returning PD is my old KDWB cohort Steve "Wally Pike" Konrad). I bring up Doug, onetime Sportstalk producer who's been in management at KFAN for most of the past decade, because listening to Kessler, and looking at most of the rest of the lineup, gave me an intense sense of deja vu, taking me back to the eighties and the days before the repeal of the "Fairness Doctrine", when almost all talk radio sounded like this; middle-of-the-road chuckle-talk topics intended so baldly to appeal to everyone, hence appealing to almost nobody. "Bluehair Talk", we used to call it. I wonder if Doug gets the same sense of deja vu?
I'll try to listen to Colton and Guest tomorrow. As to the rest of the lineup - Limbaugh's a very known quantity. I gave my pre-debut impressions of the Sarah Janecek/Brian Lambert afternoon drive project a few weeks ago, and will review for tomorrow. Worst of all may be the statiion's evening host, former KSTP placeholder Dan Conry, a nonentity in his first go-'round for whom I confidently predict early oblivion.
Another sweeper said "No Pledge Weeks!". No, but the Kessler show was otherwise sedate and well-mannered enough to fit on on MPR.
Posted by Mitch at
January 2, 2006 11:51 AM
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KTLK web page / complete line up is at
www.ktlkfm.com
It will be interesting to see what they do if Glen Beck pulls some good numbers, still bump him for Sean?
Posted by: Jim B at January 2, 2006 12:04 PMI thought from the beginning that Kessler would have a problem making interesting radio because he has to keep up the facade of liberal even-handedness if he wants to be Mr. Dean of Capitol Reporters, right next to Eskola. At the very least he may have to get a bad cop sidekick. He's a smart and funny guy if you are just chatting with him.
Posted by: Margaret at January 2, 2006 12:20 PMI agree with Margaret. I remember a couple of Kessler's segments on the accuracy of 2004 campaign ads. I'm surprised he can straighten up again after having bent so far over backwards to accept liberal claims. But let's see what happens now.
Posted by: R-Five at January 2, 2006 01:29 PMBoy are you dead wrong on Conry. Great host, funny guy, lots of personality and beloved by locals. Worlds better than his 7:30-9:00 competition on the mighty one.
If he hadn't screwed up the first time, he'd still be a mainstay there, and he'll be great here.
Posted by: CCK at January 2, 2006 02:02 PMConry made that idiot Rosenbaum sound GOOD. I think you might be missing the mark on targeting Conry for immediate distruction. He left KSTP under a cloud of the standard "won't pay me" crapola. Same thing that happened with Jason Lewis...which...don't look now but I wouldn't count him out for coming BACK in August. Just a hunch....when Hannity is moved to LIVE status in August....what would be better than Lewis back from 5-8? Just in time for the elections.
Posted by: Dave at January 2, 2006 02:28 PMThere is no way Jason will work 5-8. He left because he didn't want to work that shift any longer. He wants first crack at the news and to be home with his kids for dinner. He won't come back to that shift now.
Jason will work 8-11am at whatever station offers it to him.
Posted by: CCK at January 2, 2006 02:42 PMCCK:
Don't kid yourself. Jason did NOT leave KSTP because of a hatred of the 5-8pm slot. It was FAR more than that....including....that Ginny Morris had wanted to 'get rid' of Lewis for year. Morris had...repeat...HAD....one of the best line-ups in Minnesota radio history. But, as her ego refused to do, she worked to vaporize the great cash-cow that was the Limbaugh-Souch-Lewis nine hours of programming. Now, she's left with only Souch and its only a matter of time.
Ginny Morris must be one of the grand champion idiots of Minnesota radio history, and that SAYS something.
Posted by: Dave at January 2, 2006 04:26 PMI listened to "The Best of Glenn Beck" after Rush for about 3 minutes.... Egad how bad. This is who the Rush haters think he is. Loud, obnoxious, plain bad.
Posted by: billhedrick at January 2, 2006 04:34 PMLewis also wanted to get on television more... if I remember that correctly.
He would be the perfect tonic to a live Hannity show, and he's more consistant and far less of a Republican party water-carrier than Hugh Hewitt.
(Hugh's good, but Lewis typically beats him by a nose, and when he's on fire he beats Hewitt by a few lengths.)
I just hope Mischke gets back to 10:00 pm in good shape when Hannity is gone from KSTP.
Posted by: badda-blogger at January 2, 2006 07:31 PMGlenn Beck makes Hannity look subtle and introspective. Glad I got satellite radio for HanaRamaKwanzMas.
Posted by: Observer at January 2, 2006 10:07 PMI think this is the new KTLK-FM schedule, but I may have missed something on Saturday:
Mondays:
12am-1am: Cigar Dave
1am-4am: Phil Hendrie
4am-5am: Bloomberg The First Word
5am-9am: The KTLK Morning Show
9am-11am: Pat Kessler
11am-2pm: Rush Limbaugh
2pm-4pm: Glenn Beck
4pm-7pm: Brian Lambert & Sarah Janecek
7pm-9pm: Dan Conry
10pm-12am: John Gibson
Tuesday-Friday:
12am-1am: John Gibson
1am-4am: Phil Hendrie
4am-5am: Bloomberg The First Word
5am-9am: The KTLK Morning Show
9am-11am: Pat Kessler
11am-2pm: Rush Limbaugh
2pm-4pm: Glenn Beck
4pm-7pm: Brian Lambert & Sarah Janecek
7pm-9pm: Dan Conry
10pm-12am: John Gibson
Saturday:
12am-1am: John Gibson
1am-5am: Phil Hendrie
5am-8am: In The Garden w/ Ron Wilson
8am-10am: Kelly Guest
10am-12pm: Brian Lambert & Sarah Janecek
12pm-3pm: OFF AIR
3pm-5pm: Glenn Beck
5pm-7pm: Night & Day w/ Ann Nicolai
7pm-10pm: Weekend w/ Mike McConnell
10pm-12am: Jim Cramer
Sunday:
Posted by: RBMN at January 3, 2006 12:29 AM12am-5am: Lionel
5am-9am: Paid Programming
9am-10am: Twin Cities Real Estate
10am-12pm: Home & Wealth
12pm-3pm: Kim Kommando
3pm-6pm: At Home w/ Gary Sullivan
6pm-8pm: Jim Cramer
8pm-11pm: Glenn Beck
11pm-12am: Cigar Dave
KSTP-AM new morning lineup is boring as whale-shite.....Can't listen to Davis and his edgy stuff anymore because of work. Willy is a bore and they have some Wall Street Journal 1/2 propaganda in the 5-5:30 a.m. slot.
Ginny Morris has screwed the pooch in AM1500...why did they just import The Patriots line-up. I think Savage in the morning on A.M. would be great. Get the blood flowing...
Posted by: Greg at January 3, 2006 09:47 AMI just had to turn off the new KTLK. The host is too wishy-washy. On again at 11:00 for Rush.
Posted by: Loren at January 3, 2006 10:39 AMTaxpayers League Live is moving from the Patriot to KTLK on Jan.7. It will be on Saturdays from 12-2.
Posted by: Margaret at January 3, 2006 12:24 PMWhoah, Margaret - promote the competition on your own site, hon!
Posted by: mitch at January 3, 2006 12:47 PMMischke just joked that he was getting immediately fired and replaced by Jason Lewis who will work for restaurant coupons.
lol!
Posted by: badda-blogger at January 3, 2006 07:11 PMMishke was questionalbe in eves. He'd a goner at eve drive. Far too obsure and avante garde. Read, unfunny; but a great interviewer, oddly. Kessler can't cut loose due to TV job. To wit Don Shelby. KSTP is down to Soucheray. Very sad. I agree; either boost Patriot's signal or somehow hire the whole Patriot gang to KSTP. NARN is by FAR the only consistent, smart, funny, informative show on national or local talk radio. They have raised bar that none of the others really compete. Need bigger signal.
Posted by: Jimmy at January 3, 2006 10:57 PMMishke was questionalbe in eves. He'd a goner at eve drive. Far too obsure and avante garde. Read, unfunny; but a great interviewer, oddly. Kessler can't cut loose due to TV job. To wit Don Shelby. KSTP is down to Soucheray. Very sad. I agree; either boost Patriot's signal or somehow hire the whole Patriot gang to KSTP. NARN is by FAR the only consistent, smart, funny, informative show on national or local talk radio. They have raised bar that none of the others really compete. Need bigger signal.
Posted by: Jimmy at January 3, 2006 10:57 PMMishke was questionalbe in eves. He'd a goner at eve drive. Far too obsure and avante garde. Read, unfunny; but a great interviewer, oddly. Kessler can't cut loose due to TV job. To wit Don Shelby. KSTP is down to Soucheray. Very sad. I agree; either boost Patriot's signal or somehow hire the whole Patriot gang to KSTP. NARN is by FAR the only consistent, smart, funny, informative show on national or local talk radio. They have raised bar that none of the others really compete. Need bigger signal.
Posted by: Jimmy at January 3, 2006 10:58 PMMischke was great in the evening slots... and hardly avante garde. He's like The Onion.
Posted by: badda-blogger at January 4, 2006 09:49 AMI imagine that Glenn Beck will succeed and endup either 8/9am to 11am, depending if they decide to air the whole 3 hours. I live in Boise, ID (originally from Anoka, though) and Beck's ratings here are very very good despite being tape delayed. IMO, he's probably the most entertaining and/or interesting host on national syndication (excluding Phil Hendrie of course, that's a completely different animal altogether). Hannity? Blah, you can keep him.
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