I'm not sure how or by who talk-radio ratings are determined. Or if any surveys are conducted. I listen to talk-radio exclusively these days, but have only been requested to do music-format surveys and ratings.
I'm not much on having talk-radio program hosts also do commercials, using the show's own format to give it credibility. Now, I can understand hosts mentioning sponsors during the program -- as is done with Fox-Sports Radio. But when hosts, namely people like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, use current events posing as news comment or analysis as cover to "lead into" sponsor endorsements, it diminishes the program's integrity. There should be a line between editorial and advertising. As I knew working in the major-daily newspaper field.
Maybe times have changed, but I haven't heard of advertisers buying space on the opinion-editorial pages. Sure, I'm not naive enough to feel some journalists may have some slant to support an advertiser. But, it's so blatant on some major news-talk radio programs these days, as to render things downright laughable.
I especially remember Limbaugh harking on last year about how tough times are getting for Americans. Or how they must be losing sleep. The solution? That Select Comfort bed thing! Shameless. Or, when that woman asked Limbaugh's advice on how to use her tax refund, got the "buy the Select Comfort bed thing" bit. Further shamelessness. Perhaps such products are worth every dime, but let listeners determine that for themselves -- instead of trusting those they trust to tell them so.
Or Beck running off about the decline of the U.S. Dollar so many times. Then quickly offering some "Goldline," sponsor-driven resolution to his previous news commentary.
I'll conclude those "promo codes" hosts provide to listeners do go a long way in determining the sponsors' advertising effectiveness. To gauge what shows are the most viable, and what shows aren't.
Coast-To-Coast AM is syndicated through Premiere Radio Networks. There's a business. As long as people patronize its advertisers -- who continue to provide revenue -- things stay as they are. All I'd suggest is to tune out Coast-To-Coast AM entirely. Do not support its advertisers. Sure, the network will seek other sponsors, but eventually that well will run dry.
Again, I dislike the way Coast-To-Coast AM these days introduces, plays up -- or envisions -- certain disaster scenarios or catastrophes to suit its sponsors. That is among the reasons I gave up tuning into Mr. Noory on Coast-To-Coast AM.
I understand guests are not paid for their appearances. Then, for the majority of them, I conclude that isn't needed. They get a lot of self-promotion for little more than a few hours of their time. Sure, the program does have some credible guests, but I got tired of so many claiming to be "serving humanity" by taking exorbitant amounts of money from people for their "valuable services." Something is wrong there.
It's all about the power of belief. As long as people believe in the program, and more aptly support its sponsors, "the show will go on." Regardless of what we think.
A positive step is one I read in which Michael V. canceled his Streamlink account, and provided the parent company with his rationale for doing that.
Now, if everyone would do that, for example, it may not affect things much. Or it just might be one step in the right direction.
