I was originally going to disagree with you as one of the advantages of FM is that we can actually get the signal in my office (AM is all static) as the boss doesn’t allow us to listen to streaming radio (it slows down the internet). However there is something . . . nostalgic about an AM signal that takes me back to listening to Paul Harvey with my parents on a camping trip or listening to the Hutchinson farm report at my grandparents farm while helping with the chores. In my ideal radio world, talk radio would continue to sound like it was AM except that you’d be able to hear it in the office ;)

Speaking of Jason Lewis, right now he’s my only reason for listening to KTLK. After Jason left KSTP it took a couple of months for me to start listening to Hugh Hewitt largely because I couldn’t stand his bumper music (some song with a flute and high pitched singing voice) which has actually managed to get worse (bumper music should be upbeat not depressing). Now that Jason has returned it took exactly fifteen minutes for me to switch back to my favorite program.

The problem is though, Jason’s only on for two hours instead of three. After enjoying listening to Jason for two hours, I usually just turn off my radio rather than trying to catch Hugh’s third hour usually because (a) he does the same topic for three hours and I don’t want to come in at the end of the conversation or (b) the really interesting guests have already been on and (c) by that time the show is opened up to the callers who weren’t interesting enough to be put at the top of the list. I wonder if anyone else does the same.

BTW: one other gripe about Hewitt, I’ve noticed that frequently he will do an hour on his program which is just a repeat of a previous hour (sometimes in the same show) when he did an interview or had a guest on or an extended version of some audio clip (like “The Donald”). I don’t recall any other hosts doing that (not including “the best of” shows that are played on the weekend) and it always struck me as somewhat lazy and I feel somewhat cheated to tune into a three hour program with two hours of content. It’s one of the things that put me off about Hewitt’s show but when I became a regular listener Jason was off the air in Minnesota and his show was still better that most of the competitors. Now that Jason’s returned, that’s no longer the case.

OK - I'm gonna defend FM a little......a couple of Saturdays ago I was a baseball tournament (the Junior Logician's team) and in between games, I really wanted to listen to the NARN broadcast. The problem was that KFAN was so overmodulated that it had taken over every slot from 900 to 1300! You don't get that on FM!

I switched to listening to Jason simply because I have been starving for any decent discussion of local issues! KSTP went straight to the dogs when Jason left and CCO just never interested me. I was so desperate for local talk I even started listening to the KTLK morning show (that lasted all of two mornings). Jason is a much needed commodity in the local talk market.

Thorley, was that "bumper music (some song with a flute and high pitched singing voice)" Canned Heat? He quit playing it because of Philistines like you. Fie, fie, I tell you. You are truly an infidel.

Mitch,
I agree. I'm a long-time KSTP listener (with Hewitt and NARN thrown in for good measure), and was dissapointed when Jason left (although the way he left was somewhat mysterious, and he got to swear on the radio). Ever since Rush went from AM to FM, I can't listen to him. It sounds like he is swallowing the mic. I'm distracted by the popping and lip-smacking and the other noise that AM naturally filters out. I haven't had a chance to listen to Jaosn on FM yet, but my expectations are low.

First, welcome back Jason (and notice that he agreed with me when I posed the Party over Principle problem within the GOP).

Yes, it is very hard for me to listen to FM talk. Though, living as far away from the Twin Cities as I do I have to settle for that.

However, KTLK has performed the coup in my book. The 2 best talk shows in the nation are on KTLK from 5-10PM...Jason Lewis and Glenn Beck. Glenn who? Glenn is the #3 show nationally and in some markets is taking over Rush. He keeps saying it and it is true: You will hate him for the first few weeks, by month 3 you will wonder how you can listen to anything else.

But, all that aside, I prefer listening to Glenn on the internet (live from 8A-11A) than FM...the signal on FM is Too clear.

There was a point somewhere but it is now lost within the ADHD. Sorry.

I can ignore the extra clarity, but it helps to roll down the window when driving in the car.

I have always liked Jason, but I think I like Hugh more. I will most likely constantly switch between the two, but unlike Thorley, I am put off by the familiarity of Jason's show. I would accuse him of a lack of creativity, or something worse, but I do understand that changing a working formula may be unwise. *shrug* Regardless, I really do appreciate the attention paid to Minnesota issues by Jason in his show.

Oh no Tony - I thought I was the only "sick twisted freak" (you have to listen to the Glenn Beck show to get the joke) in the market! I can't listen live (I have the same work problem Thorley has)and I was actually CRUSHED when I heard that Glenn was not going to be on tonight (some football game or the other...;-)

And it's 13 - 10 Raiders @ the half.

Thorley-

I agree that Hugh replaying his first hour again in the third is pretty lame. He would argue that very few people actually listen to the whole three hours (I believe they're known in the industry as freaks) and that he's giving more people a chance to hear the most critical portion of the show. I'm pretty sure the research supports him on it, but I still consider it weak.

I like Jason Lewis (except when he tries, and usually fails, to be funny) but I don't think anyone can live up to the hype that's been built up around his return.

I missed Jason, too. His method of attacking local politics is exactly what I need with the election coming up. the Northern Alliance is good stuff, but weekends are too few. I need something daily.

Well, listening to Rush today I was a bit surprised by the production values. You'd think he'd be able to afford a bit of mixing expertise and some DSP for filtering of his mic. Maybe he doesn't realize how mcuh background noise is in the upper frequencies. And if my older ears can hear it and be annoyed by it, it must be really bad for the younger listeners.

Rush probably can't hear upper frequencies. He has Cochlear implants. The man's deaf.

I listen to Rush via his MP3 downloads, which are 20kbps that sound just about like AM. When I tune in live, yes it does seem a little shrill, not your father's RIAA curve.

But the fact it penetrates building steel trumps all such objections, and I've become pretty used to it thanks to Andrew & Kelly in the mornings prior to Jason.