Franken Circles Drain
By Mitch Berg
Al Franken’s show – which has been broadcasting from Minneapolis for most of the past year – has been “demoted”, sort of. Air America Minnesota, says this report by Strib media-beat writer Deborah Caulfield Rybak, is moving Fast Eddie Schultz to the 11-2PM slot (up against Rush Limbaugh), and “tape”-delaying Franken to the 2-5 slot:
Franken had no comment on the change, but “we’re not horribly offended,” said his executive producer. “They’re free to do whatever they like.”
“They” – Janet Robert’s KTNF (AM950) – are indeed. And rumor has long had it that there was little love lost between Robert – the wealthy, former mud-slinging DFL congressional candidate who is nonetheless pro-life and pro-Second Amendment – and free-spending, ultra-“progressive” liberal, and incompetent Air America. Rumors in the business have long held that Air America wanted to find a different Twin Cities affiliate.
Locally, [Franken] had been performing better in the Arbitron ratings than Shultz, but not by much. KTNF posted a 0.9 percent share of listeners ages 25 to 54 during Franken’s show and a 0.4 share during Shultz’s. Both are eclipsed by Rush Limbaugh, who attracted a 4.1 share of listeners on KTLK (100.3 FM) during the same period.
Side note: Little birds tell me that Dennis Prager and Michael Medved, on AM1280, are handily clobbering both of them as well. Of course, noting that would require Deb Rybak to acknowledge the Patriot’s existence and the fact that is it beating the crap out of not only Air America Minnesota, but also most of KTLK’s non-Limbaugh lineup. And duh, Deb; of course Franken’s numbers have been better than Fast Eddie’s; Franken is on mid-days, which is a lot less competitive than afternoon drives. It’ll be interesting to see if Franken has any numbers at all by the time he finally gives up the radio ghost.
