"Portland-based syndicated talker Lars Larson has been bumped from his LA and San Diego affiliates as KGIL Los Angeles switches formats to "Retro 1260" adult standards"

Isn't that the first step of what ended up being KPOJ?

I still recall working a weekend job and a friend being all excited about what he had heard on the way to work. 620 had ditched right wing talk on the weekends in favor of oldies--I should listen on my way home. And I did.

Sometime after that, they fired all the local right wing talkers and went all oldies, all the time.

Eventually they became what they are today--progressive radio. Wouldn't it be funny if the same thing happened in San Diego?

Hate radio is tiresome and repetitive. And the ditto heads are a limited audience. This is a sign of decline of the right wing brand that keeps whipping up the same message of hate and divisiveness.

Bill R wrote:

"Hate radio is tiresome and repetitive"

You know what really gets old?

Hearing the word 'hate' applied to any and every level of political disagreement.

Talk about repetitive.

It's like the Democrats enrolled in one of those 'Build Your Vocabulary' courses where you're instructed to use the word a dozen times that day to solidify it in your mind.

Except that they apparently keep giving Democrats the same word each day. lol

Democrats in the 80s used to use the words 'mean' or 'mean-spirited' in the same way.

Everyone who disagreed with them was 'mean'.

It reminded me of kids on the playground in the third grade shouting 'you big meanie'.

Gee whiz... life must be a bitch being Carla-

As for Lars Larson's San Diego and LA radio affiliates - in a state that has the highest overall illiteracy rate in the US (~25% and growing rapidly - well over 30% in LA and even over 40% in some San Diego locales), it's not terribly surprising if Lars 'doesn't play' down there.

One kind of wonders how KGIL stuck with Lars and the talk radio format for nearly two years - but then, KGIL has changed formats about every 20 months since 1993.

Carla, I think that the port story has the greates potential for legs. Remember that Maria Cantvotwell is a sr. member of the committee that give NOAA their money. She has vowed to stop the move from Lake Union.

Lars being dropped from the LA stations mostly likely had nothing to do with Lars exclusively. A radio station changing formats (in most cases) happens when the overall ratings take a dive. Even if one or two programs are popular, that's often not enough to keep a revenue-shrinking business model going.

This type of restructering with radio stations has happened to Lars before, and even to Limbaugh a number of times over the years. Usually, another AM or Talk Radio station will pick up the show.

Rightwing radio hack Lars Larson has lost his San Diego and Los Angeles radio affiliates. Apparently the Oregon brand of crap conservative radio doesn't play in those places.

The truth is: KGIL Los Angeles switches formats to "Retro 1260" adult standards/AC and its San Diego simulcast partner flips to Spanish programming (source:the link provided in the story)

Sal, which Gordon Smith would show up--the canny politician who won in 1996 (but with a much smarter opponent than in that Sen. race) or the guy whose staff thought speaking to an invitation-only event in Portland counted as visiting the state in an election year?

I would love to hear Gordon's views on kicker reform, stable revenue and budget process, a variety of education reform ideas--including those which come from the national America's Promise website and not just from Chalkboard, where he stands on tax referrals, etc. He'd have to go back to being the serious, substantial Gordon and hide slick Gordon in a closet. How would Gordon deal with emergencies as Gov. or is he just trying to get back into politics?

Now, if as a tribute to Ted Kennedy (who reportedly was his first condolence call after his son died) he wants to build a campaign around teen suicide prevention and health care for all Oregonians, that might be interesting.

But if Gordon does run, I hope he would have the sense to run a positive campaign where Gordon Smith is responsible for the actions of the Gordon Smith campaign, and not just "vote for me because I am not Kitzhaber".

The City of Portland is contracting with a local firm to build more shiny toilets. Apparently, this keeps 3-4 people off the unemployment line while providing PDX with fancy, outdoor loos. Total contract for the project: $227,676.

Talk about your tax dollars going down the crapper.

A Kithauber/Smith governor's race. Now THAT could be interesting.

"...Guess I'll have to get as medieval as possible do what I can against him in the primary"

That's fine, Pat, as long as you have another candidate in mind.

But the whole "you shouldn't vote for that candidate" nonsense is getting really old.

I will not make up my mind early, I want to see intelligent debate. Ted K should be ashamed of himself for his lack of intelligent debate in 2006. We deserve the right to know where candidates stand on issues like budget and taxes, health care, emergency preparedness, transportation, education, etc. Do they have a vision for the future and a plan to carry it out? Or only ideology and supporters badmouthing everyone who doesn't support their candidate?

No matter who it is, if any candidate tries to run a campaign of sound bites, talking points, and slogans, I will make it very clear that candidate does not want my vote.

I have to agree that station format changes in LA & SD have little to do with Lars himself. It does indicate that the right wing blowhard format has lost it's sparkle in the eyes of advertizers. Inexpensive shows from Larson and others can't compete against the real voices of the right; Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck etc.

By contrast the San Diego station that carried Thom Hartmann (KLSD in think) switched to a sports talk format several months before the 2008 election.

Program managers don't flip formats on a whim. It's all about the all mighty dollar. Don't look for Lars to be on the air in either market anytime soon.

Carla Axtman wrote:

"Do you think they're switching formats because the current one with Lars was working...? "

The implication seems to be that if one radio station moves away from a talk format (especially if it features or contains conservatives!) that this is proof positive that the public is abandoning conservatism.

But like any successful format, if too many stations try it, the audience is spread too thin and cannot sustain all of them.

That doesn't mean the overall audience for that format is shrinking. Indeed it may even be growing.

But each station needs a certain number of listeners to justify keeping that format.

Just imagine a station changing from rock to country and ask yourself would liberals say 'well see there, nobody wants to listen to rock anymore. Told ya so.'?

So, yes a talk radio format 'works', Carla. Especially when it features conservatives. (The liberal talk radio format isn't nearly as successful. You're probably aware of that , and a bit of jealousy is no doubt a factor here.)

funny...most of the hate i find is on left wing web sites like this one

truth is...a very nice man named saul levine who has owned that radio station for fifty years...and was forced into a format change when an oregon company unexpectedly moved its syndicated product off saul's station to a competitor with a much higher profile (kfwb). saul helped them build the popularity of those programs...and then saw them taken away from him

it forced him to change formats in a very competitive environment

but why am i explaining this to a bunch who have no appreciation for the challenges of meeting a payroll and running a business...or so it seems from the comments above

Carla Axtman wrote:

"As I said in the post, it's clearly not working THERE"

Again, the implication is that it's not working in that city ( or market area).

The truth is it just didn't work for one particular station.

Most likely there is one (or more) stations in the same market that it works very well for.

Nice try at a bait and switch, Carla.

The station switched formats, not simply cancelled a single show.

What you referred to was the format, and my reply was in reference to same.

The issue isn't one particular show.

Lars

As a long time listener and former frequent commenter, that line about hate being on left wing sites is utter bull sh*t. These libruls don't know the first thing about HATE speak. That is the sole territory of the fanatical right.

Oh, btw, I have to leave early from the business I own so I can put 50 rounds down range.

Carla said: I wasn't aware that syndicators allowed the same show to be broadcast on multiple stations for the same market.

Here in the Portland Metro area both KUIK 1360 and KXL 750 carry Glenn Beck at the same time M-F.

Most likely a remnant of overlapping contracts.

And with internet streaming and podcasts, just about any radio program is available anytime.

joe white guy:

are you actively involved with the nazi movement and if not, given your skills, talents, ideology, don't you feel you have an obligation to be?

editors:

isn't there a way to clean up the particularly toxic garbage from this site? Some sort of blog disinfectant?

TOTG wrote:

"joe white guy:

are you actively involved with the nazi movement and if not, given your skills, talents, ideology, don't you feel you have an obligation to be?

editors:

isn't there a way to clean up the particularly toxic garbage from this site? Some sort of blog disinfectant? "

When you have something other than name calling to offer, I'd be glad to talk with you. Have a great day.

btw I hope that the staff here at BO leave posts like yours up for all to see.

I know Kari and the gang aspire to run a classy site and must be distressed by the depths to which some of the conversation plummets.

I think it's important to see who is responsible for that.

I think all of us owe it to our respective groups to think before we post, and represent our viewpoint well.

I am under no illusion that there aren't posters of the TOTG class on both sides of the aisle. There are. And I am embarrassed when a conservative poster logs on and puts on a juvenile display, just as I'm sure the BO editors must be in the reverse case.

joe "the plumber" white:

you can't actually believe that anything about you is "classy?" Oh wait, you live in the strange and crazy world of Republican wing-nuttery where anything is possible.

joe white guy has demonstrated the republican tiny circle theory. he has of course witnessed and discharged right-wing filth on this site regularly without hesitation. however when someone gives him a little taste of his own medicine he cries foul. The tiny circle theory says that republicans only give a rat's behind when they or someone they care for is negatively affected. a recent example is Dick Cheney's more reasonable and compassionate position on LGBTQ rights, because his daughter is a lesbian. joe white guy disrupts and obstructs with indecent politics, arrogance, and ignorance....in return he should expect indecent treatment. suck it up joe.

Kari's right, we're missing the big story here---

A turkey leg has HOW many calories?! Oh, wait, doesn't matter since I go to the Fair to have fun and eat junk. Seriously, if you're counting calories at the Fair, you need to relax, eat a turkey leg and then a funnel cake, ride some rides and relax....oh, and come by the DPO booth and visit!

True charity and compassion is not what you parade out for all to see.

It is what you do to help others when no one is paying attention.

Liberals like to use other peoples money to make themselves look compassionate.

I'd like to ask liberals here on BO, how many people's health insurance (other than your family) have you paid for with your own money?

Some of you won't even buy it for your own family, so I doubt you've bought insurance for anyone else.

Since you tell us how concerned you are, I want to know what you have done about it.

Fess up, since you don't mind bragging how compassionate you are.

Rev. Chuck Currie,

Not only is Lars Larson not a resident of Oregon (like me, who has lived in blue Oregon all of my life, incidentally), Lars Larson wasn't even born in the United States, for Alfred E. Newman's sake. As far as I can tell, Lars Larson doesn't even know how to capitalize an English word or put a period at the end of an English sentence. Can he show us his birth placenta, I would like to know.

Off of this subject but regarding Carla Axtman's reference to Portland's $227,676 toilet project, I would like to take this opportunity to recommend The Big Necessity: The Unmentionable World of Human Waste and Why It Matters by Rose George.

joe white guy:

comments like that last one could land you a spot on sarah palin's pr staff. keep up the stupid.

"It is what you do to help others when no one is paying attention.

Liberals like to use other peoples money to make themselves look compassionate."

Listening to the Ted Kennedy memorials over the weekend, it sounds like he met that definition of compassion--helping raise his brothers' fatherless kids after they were killed, paying condolence calls on those who lost a loved one, making sure someone's birthday was remembered, all the stories that John McCain and Orrin Hatch told over the weekend about their friend Ted who they are going to miss--in ways many people don't find time to do.

Using your definition of "liberal", this is not about political persuasion but about use of money--sounds like a great 20th century definition. Using that money for tax cuts for the wealthy is better?

Sounds like you are saying that if a public figure makes a condolence call or sends a condolence card shortly after hearing of the loss of a loved one, that person is compassionate regardless of their political philosophy. Is that what you are saying? That such people exist across the political spectrum no matter how "liberals" have been demonized over the years?

Or don't you believe Democrats act as compassionate individuals?

Were support ranging from civil rights legislation to children's health care (Hatch-Kennedy legislation) to help for disabled people over the decades compassionate? Liberal? Or what?

LT:

<h2>what joe white guy is desperately trying to do is to argue that the greedy Republican scum who publicly champion environmental destruction and poverty creating policy secretly carry out good deeds and are just wonderful folks. And of course the "liberals" who champion equal rights, environmental preservation, etc. are secretly mean and nasty because they aren't secretly paying for someone else's health insurance. It's a convenient delusion.</h2>