A casualty of the insane election season happened to be the only Progressive talk radio station around. The Mic 92.1 Progressive talk in Madison, part of Iheartmedia, has went to 24/7 Christmas music. Yes 60 degrees and sunny and Its Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas blaring through the speakers.
After two years of Global Climate change under The Donald’s Presidency, maybe we will be used to 60 degrees at Christmas but not quite yet.
Just last year, the Mic Was celebrated for reaching their 11th anniversary.
“There are pockets of the country where progressive radio is still strong, still a viable format,” said Tim Scott, senior vice president of programming for iHeart Media Madison. “And Madison is one of those. We are truly a success story when it comes to this format.”
If you remember even further back, they tried to change formats numerous times in those eleven years. Apparently fulfilling a need for liberal talk to help kind of balance the right wing noise machine, is too much for the owners of Iheartmedia to handle.
From Lee Rayburn, to John Quinlan to The Devils Advocates and Mitch Henck, regardless if you have liked their shows, listened occasionally or even regularly, there is something special about local radio(not morning zoo’s). The fact that you could hear and discuss things that President Obama was doing one segment and then Paul Soglin the next.
If you liked to listen to these shows, you were not alone.
The website Radio Insight said The Mic pulled a 2.1 share in the summer 2016 Nielsen Audio ratings, the highest share in liberal talk radio in the U.S. registered by Nielsen.
Highest rated liberal talk station, in one of the biggest liberal strongholds of America, right in the middle of one of the craziest, most interesting election season, they switch to Christmas Music.
That is a good business decision based on what exactly?
I know that there is always much gloating from our friends on the right when a progressive station switches formats, but the reality is progressive talk CAN compete and has all over the country (See Thom Hartman and Stephanie Miller). The questions that need to be asked are how much promotion have you done on these shows and how hard have the salesmen worked on bringing in new sponsors.
At the mic, the shows had to pay the station for the privilege to be on OUR airwaves. They were also in charge of going out and getting their own sponsors etc….. As Michael Crute says, they stopped cashing his checks.
I am not saying it is a conspiracy to help mute the Progressive voice, but it is a stupid business and community decision.
There is still progressive talk on the airwaves, every Mon-Thursday(3-6 PM) at 93.7 FM with long time Madison Radio Host John “Sly” Sylvester but choices and more local talk is always an important part of keeping our democracy flourishing and the teachers teaching and people learning!
The only way to get these voices back on the air is via people power, we have done it before and we can again!
Here is the name and contact info of the people that need to be contacted.
::MAIL::
iHeartMedia-Madison
2651 S. Fish Hatchery Road
Madison, WI 53711
::E-MAIL::
Sales: Tim Etes – General Sales Manager timetes@iheartradio.com
Programming: Tim Scott – SVP of Programming tim@wiba.com
Webmaster: James Kaska – Online Content Director jameskaska@iheartmedia.com
Read more: http://921bestfm.iheart.com/articles/madison-wibaam-contact-information-283215/contact-us-3915271/#ixzz4PgUGUaEU
