Liberal Talk KKZN 760 AM To Change Format Soon. Gloria Neal Let Go. UPDATE: Will Switch to Money/Financial & Conservative/Advice Talk on Monday May 19th

[droll]

[
A couple of things; let me assure that this boomer is not quite “shovel ready” in preparation for the next generation’s upheaval. I too, am waiting for a generation to croak, (passively) namely, the fact challenged audience demographic of Fox news. (mid seventies in age)

You assert that conservatives have a greater affinity from “talk” radio. Probably true, it’s a long story of why; centering on even physiological differences & offensive to some - details of differences between the two. Here is one http://www.psychologicalscience.org/...to-fix-it.html
From Westword maybe there's a better link to good summation of the station
http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2014/05/gloria_neals_firing_marks_impe.php

[Rob]

Interesting reads.
In the meantime, Public Radio Talker KCFR 90.1 FM sneaks into the top 10 in the 6+ radio ratings - I'm sure they are higher in the demos.
That's where a lot of that audience that listens to radio is.

Here's that Westword story so we have it here for future reference...

From Westword:

Gloria Neal's firing marks impending death of progressive AM-760


Gloria Neal. More photos below.


At this writing, AM-760, Clear Channel Denver's progressive station, continues to exist -- but that's only because no one's bothered to pull its plug yet. The outlet, which has struggled to make an impact on the radio market for the better part of a decade, is on the way out, and morning-show staple Gloria Neal is the latest victim of the famed Best of Denver curse: We named her the city's top radio host in our 2014 edition, mere weeks before she and others at the outlet were shown the door.
Neal divulged the news on her Facebook page on May 7. "Clear Channel is completely changing the format," she wrote, adding, "The official announcement has not been made as to what the format will be, but none of the current hosts will be on the new station."

The specifics about what's coming next are still pending. Via e-mail, Greg Foster, who oversees programming for AM-760 and sister station KHOW, confirms the news even as he refers to the outlet by its call letters, KKZN, rather than the AM-760 brand. "Gloria Neal's show is no longer on KKZN and she is no longer with our company," he notes. "We will be announcing new programming for KKZN in the near future."

This death sentence shouldn't come as a surprise, given that AM-760 has struggled to turn liberal punditry into revenue for its entire existence.



Al Franken circa 2008.


In the beginning, many observers felt Clear Channel had decided to create a forum for liberal voices to counter the popular perception that the firm had a conservative bias. After all, founder/chairman Lowry Mays was a personal friend of both former presidents named Bush. But ex-Denver-based programmer Kris Olinger denied this strategy in a Westword interview.
"Our motives here had to do with us having three AMs -- and finding a format that works on the third AM can be somewhat challenging," she said, referring in passing to Clear Channel outlets KOA and KHOW. "You've got sports, you've got business, but we felt, after researching the market, that progressive talk would be a strong choice, especially when you look at the makeup of the population in Colorado politically. It's a third Democrat and a third Republican and a third independent. So it made sense to give people who are progressive, liberal, what have you, a radio product that reflected their values."

The station began as the local outlet for Air America, a nationally syndicated concept meant to undermine the conservative stranglehold on talk radio. Among its stars was former Saturday Night Live comic Al Franken, who belittled predictions of Air America's demise in a 2006 chat with Westword. "Bill O'Reilly goes on his show and says we'll be off the air in a couple of months -- and he started saying that when we had four stations," he told us at the time. "And then he said it when we had eight, and twelve, and twenty and thirty. He says it all the time, but we're still here."

By the following year, however, Air America was on life support, and in 2010, the last rites were finally read.


Jay Marvin recuperating from his 2009 health crisis.


Franken certainly landed on his feet -- he was elected to represent Minnesota in the U.S. Senate in 2008. But efforts to develop locally based programming for the outlet were snake-bitten. In 2009, original morning show host Jay Marvin suffered a horrific health crisis that made it impossible for him to return to the show, and while his successor, columnist David Sirota, certainly delivered when it came to provocative commentary, he couldn't move the numbers to Clear Channel's satisfaction.


David Sirota in 2010.


Hence, in July 2012, the conglomerate reached out to Neal, who seemed ideally suited to expanding the station's audience. Her background was in mainstream radio, having worked at music-oriented radio stations such as Sassy and Jammin' and assorted TV signals, including Fox31 and CBS4, where she remains on the staff.
"I've said this to David -- and I'm very fond of him -- but his is a very professorial approach," Neal said in a Westword interview around the time she took over.. "He'll be talking and say things like, 'Back in 1860....' And mine is a very no-nonsense layman's approach: Here is the issue, here's what I think, tell me what you think."

Neal more than held up her end of the bargain. But terrestrial radio continues to struggle for revenue, and those for whom the station's politics would seem to appeal couldn't be lured to listen in sufficient numbers to make the enterprise profitable. As such, Neal was let go in favor of syndicated programming from the likes of Randi Rhoads that will run until the new path is chosen.

What's next for the station? Foster isn't saying quite yet, but Clear Channel has limited options. Of the two other formats mentioned above by Olinger, sports is already at a saturation point on the Denver dial and business hasn't been markedly successful in this market for decades. Perhaps the corporation will insert something apolitical in order to blunt claims that AM-760 was never more than a token, or else pivot 180 degrees and try to out-conservative KNUS, which has taken a dent out of KHOW's share, in particular, by way of three prominent hosts who once worked for Clear Channel: Peter Boyles, Dan Caplis and Steve Kelley.

Whatever happens, Clear Channel's great liberal experiment is over -- and if you try holding your breath until someone else gives it a try, you'll likely be gone before long, too.

[droll]

I will looking around the dial soon for a new listening experience, will definitely try FM KCFR, Listening to the various hosts in the waning days discuss the up coming changes, it seems The Norman Goldman Show is perhaps the most informed, claiming he had heard a month or so out, that changes would be forth coming, and that the new format would be Biz & financial talk. This coincides with what I heard in place of LA based Marshall show, in the wee hrs > tuning in late to the last hour, was sure I heard the Bloomberg Financial radio news program. & that’s my best guess.

"Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires." - John Steinbeck

[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From The Denver Post:



In the latest purge of progressive political voices on the radio, Clear Channel’s 760 AM (KKZN) in Denver will switch to financial talk in the morning, conservative/advice in the afternoon, effective May 19. Part of the re-formatting includes a two-hour Tom Martino “Troubleshooter” simulcast with Clear Channel’s KHOW.

The new format embraces syndicated fare such as Jim Bohannon and Joy Browne and the morning show from the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg Radio. Clear Channel has always argued that it has no politics, only an allegiance to ratings. In that sense, they are following the money to * money. (We’ve been through this before. Remember Air America?)

The weekday lineup:
Money in the Morning 3 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
Troubleshooter Tom Martino 10 a.m. – noon
The Dave Ramsey Show noon – 3:00 p.m. (beginning June 2)
The Clark Howard Show 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Dr. Joy Browne 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. & midnight – 3 a.m.
Jim Bohannon 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
TMZ Live 11:00 p.m. – midnight

It remains to be seen how the syndicated “Money in the Morning” does against local talker Peter Boyles on KNUS 710 AM.

More...

[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From Radio Online:



Clear Channel/Denver will flip KKZN-AM to "Real Talk 760" with the slogan "Real Life, Real Solutions," beginning Monday, May 19. "Real Talk 760" will feature programming focused on financial news in the morning and talk shows that offer practical advice for life. "Money in the Morning" will wake up listeners with programming from The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg Radio.

"We're excited to bring a new genre of talk programming to Colorado," said Market President Pat Connor. "We're confident Real Talk 760 will be a trusted source of information and entertainment for our listeners."

Real Talk 760 will also feature non-political talk programming, including Troubleshooter Tom Martino that will simulcast from sister station KHOW-AM, as well as Dave Ramsey, Clark Howard and Dr. Joy Browne.

more

[Dr Jam]

I actually like the line up. I used to think that Clark Howard would have been a good follow up for Dave Ramsey on KLZ. Speaking of, I wonder what KLZ will do to fill the Noon-3pm slot? I also wonder if KKZN will continue to carry CBS Radio News at the top of the hour.

[Rob]

I agree, the moves will probably help KKZN.
But I'm a little surprised they didn't move the programs that are dragging KOA and KHOW down since those are the big stations in their portfolio they try to sell to advertisers. KKZN is usually sold in a combo deal with their other stations. I guess it could be contract issues preventing any changes.

I haven't heard what KLZ will replace Ramsey with.

[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From All Access:



The retooled format for CLEAR CHANNEL Talk KKZN-A/DENVER will be an advice-heavy financial and lifestyle lineup under the slogan "REAL TALK 760- REAL LIFE, REAL SOLUTIONS."

The new format, starting MONDAY (5/19) and supplanting the "progressive talk" format airing on the station for the past several years, will feature a business and financial morning show, "MONEY IN THE MORNING," with programming from THE WALL STREET JOURNAL RADIO NETWORK and BLOOMBERG RADIO, a simulcast with sister Talk KHOW-A of DENVER-based "TROUBLESHOOTER TOM MARTINO," the syndicated DAVE RAMSEY show, WESTWOODONE's CLARK HOWARD, the syndicated DR. JOY BROWNE, WESTWOODONE's JIM BOHANNON, and "TMZ LIVE."

Market President PAT CONNOR said, “We’re excited to bring a new genre of talk programming to COLORADO. We’re confident REAL TALK 760 will be a trusted source of information and entertainment for our listeners.”


more

[droll]

Glad to see others getting in the spirit of things, is that a booking photo of Tom? Money and finances. Talk about sitting at the big people’s table! Perhaps they could elicit some in-house financial advice themselves, A little birdie(via Goldman) tells of a 20 billion dollar debt wall they are facing, in two short years, good luck with that in a down turn media market.., a 50 million dollar contract, like he was a free agent or something. Most probably why the Emperor has no clothes had to be carried live.http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/05...ratings/199329 yes, its armchair quarterbacking, Pass the popcorn, it goes good with sour grapes, Note: to those unfamiliar with the station, will the weekend line up remain? Theres Turk’s kraft beer, Dr Daddio, Sunday morning Meet the Press & Nat’l geographic, both w/o the pictures thing.

[Dr Jam]

It seems odd to me that CC would simulcast Tom Martino on both stations unless it's just a temporary measure. I'm thinking they might move Martino to 760 and then move Limbaugh to KHOW and move Rosen back to mornings on KOA.