Why I don't think Bob Lonsberry's show will work

[commanderlumpy]

I am glad Bob Lonsberry is returning back to the airwaves. I think Clear Channel has screwed him over here in Salt Lake. Even though I am not a fan of Lonsberry, I realize the more voices we have in radio the merrier. I also am a major fan of freedom of speech on the radio. As I told someone, I have a very libertarian view of freedom of speech. There is one exception though. That is, I don’t think things like the F word should be said on the radio unless it is after 10:00 at night and before 5:00 AM. I also think if the announcer is going to say those words, the listener should be warned ahead of time that the program may be offensive and that listener discression should be advised. Other than that, I have a very libertarian view about freedom of speech on the air. That being said, I am glad Bob Lonsberry is coming back.
I do not think his program is going to work. This is for a few reasons. First of all, he is only going to be on from 5:00 to 7:00 AM to 7:00 AM. Most people don’t even turn their radios until about 7:30 PM AM. That is because that is about the time when people get in their cars and go to work. They might listen to their radio at work. That being said, people will only catch the last half hour of the show. This is the same thing that happened to Tom Barberry a few years ago. Tom Barberry is a Utah radio legend. After a few attempts to get him back on Utah radio, he ended up working at AM 700 from 5:00 to 7:00. That same thing happened to him. He was on early in the morning. By the time he had listeners, it was almost time for him to leave the air for the day.
Another reason I don’t think Bob Lonsberry won’t work this time around is because KLO does not have a good signal that early in the morning. I can’t get KLO very well at night or early in the morning. You think most people are going to go out of their way to hear Bob Lonsberry if they can’t hear the station that well? I don’t. Sure, us radio geeks will because we know how radio works. But the average person doesn’t. I wouldn’t be surprised if Bob Lonsberry only last a year on KLO if even that.
Again, I wish Bob Lonsberry good luck. But I also have studded radio very thurely sense I was 14 years old. I know the workings of the business. I don’t know everything about radio stations and why some decisions are made, But I know enough to say his show on KLO doesn’t have a good chance of working.

[Terry]

Sadly, I'll have to agree with you. I too like Lonsberry.

The content of his show, in my opinion, is better now than it was when he was on KNRS. He is now the only local conservative voice on radio. (KTKK just doesn't count; they're not professionals. And Doug Wright is a pro-illegal RINO - Republican in Name Only. Then there's "Doug Wright Lite" on KNRS in the afternoon.)

As to KLO's signal, they might as well be a daytime only station. No one but radio geeks like us could possible listen for long to KLO's night-time signal. As I listen to Lonsberry, I am constantly annoyed by the sports radio station in the background. His only chance for success is to move to daytime, or FM somehow.

As for the 5-7am slot, Lonsberry is on WHAM from 9 till noon Mountain Time, so he could conceivably work 7-9am if KLO delayed Laura Ingraham. Maybe they could get rid of Dennis Miller's useless program. How about giving Walter Platz an hour while we're at it.

[tbarberi]

I was offered that time slot months ago and turned it down for those very reasons. I did 5 to 7 on KALL for a little while when Simmons Media was operating it for Dave Checketts and found that leaving the studio before anyone was actually coming to work was silly. Doing the show locally was a pain at that time, but Lonsberry does it from his living room in Rodchester NY from 7 to 9 his time. He pretends to do a local show but that is a bit of a streach.

[BonnevilleMariner]

Yeah, it would be one thing if KLO had any podcasting capability. I actually don't listen to any radio any more. I get everything on podcast or mobile stream. Even if I could get a signal at work, I'm not sure I'd listen (too used to no commercials on podcasts).

If the show had a podcast, at least they could build audience for him that way, draw listeners to the website, etc.

Tom, Lonsberry makes no bones about his show being done remotely. How exactly do you define a "local show" anyway? If you define it as a show being broadcast from a studio in town, ok. I guess he's "pretending." Any putz could come in from NY or CA, sit at the studio in SLC, and BS about some surface Utah topic, and it would be technically a local show.

I consider a local show to be an informed discussion of comprehensive local issues led/moderated by somebody familiar with them, with local callers, news, traffic and weather.

I'm sure you're not a huge fan of Lonsberry, but he's up on local issues. He's more aware of things locally than most locals here. His insight on the LDS Church (a sizable chunk of the local audience) is keen. So I don't really care where the show originates-- it's a local show.

Still doomed for failure, though, sadly.

[radiolovr]

Tom, I really miss your show. While I don't agree with a lot of what you say, you brought up rellavent issues, and it's not all Mormon, all the time. Just know there are those of us out here that miss hearing your voice on the radio.

[rsay777]

The SLC market might be friendly to Bob but there is enough "Pulpit" radio around the Wasatch Front already.

Wider range of topics, a host with an open mind might help.

[BonnevilleMariner]

Feb 16, 2011 7:13:06 GMT -5 rsay777 said:

The SLC market might be friendly to Bob but there is enough "Pulpit" radio around the Wasatch Front already.

Wider range of topics, a host with an open mind might help.

A wider range of topics won't help Lonsberry's time slot. Besides, do you really think whoever's tuning into KLO wants a host with a more open mind? I think people favor strong opinion. I find Lonsberry's closed mind wildly entertaining-- the same way I found Tom's relativel closed mind entertaining.

I'd much rather listen to a bold, opinionated host that I don't agree with than a wishy washy "open minded" host I agree with. Make a solid case for your points and I'm drawn to you, regardless of your view.

[commanderlumpy]

Well, KLO must have worked on their transmitter. I listened to Bob Lonsberry today at 5:00 AM this morning. He came in as clear as a bell. I was in the West part of Salt Lake by the community college. At that time of the day, the signal is usually week. I still stand behind what I wrote on here though. So, that being said, How long do you think Bob Lonsberry will last in this market?

[BonnevilleMariner]

Anybody heard Lonsberry lately? I can't seem to get up early enough to tune in. Caught the last 5 min. or so one day last week and to my surprise, ol' Flanders came in loud and clear in Tooele County!

[Terry]

At the end of today's show Bob said that he will soon be adding another hour to his show, presumably 7 until 8 A.M.

[rsay777]

Oh good, one more hour that I won't be listening.

[toomuchradio]

Where is Bob? He is missing from KLO's website and his blog doesn't mention anything about not returning to the air. Will he be back on another Utah station?

[henry]

His home base at WHAM Rochester is now asking him to pick up afternoons as well (for a total of six hours per hay on air). He simply doesn't have time to do the KLO gig.