Why The Show's Time Slot Change To 3p Eastern?

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Thom did it again, mentioning the change of time of the show... but as much as I listen to Thom, I haven't heard the rationale... nor have I found any article's here at the site. Can some please explain or point me to such an article? Thanks?

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Pierpont
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Comments

I wonder if more stations (some playing Thom in the middle of the night) offered to carry him live if he changed his time?

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captbebops
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Somethings going on and I think it's some Corporate strategy that might be attempting to furthur disperse our liberal access.

This morning on KPOJ, Clear Channel is pre-empting Thoms show for freaking Beaver Baseball in Arizona! I sent an email and a protest phone call to KPOJ and informed them that this Decorated Viet Nam Vet won't spend his liberal money at any of their advertisers and I'm going to start with George Morlan Plumbing!

The Beavers are in Corvallis where you can't recieve KPOJ, we're in Portland! This really sucks!

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oneworldatpeace
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I heard it too, yesterday and today. A woman called in and told Thom that she could only listen to him in the morning on her way to work and she wouldn't be able to afford his podcast. It seemed that she got him offguard in her question, and he was unusually non-responsive to her, which troubled me. I checked at the local station that I listen to (KTLK 1150 in L.A) , but I could find nothing about the time change. Thom airing at 3 PM Eastern (12 noon Pacific) will mean big changes here, as that's the same time that Randi Rhodes airs her show, and so far she hasn't said anything about changing her time slot. Also, who will fill his previous slot?? I mean there's just too many questions here. Thom owns his own show, so I don't think it's corporate, because HE'S changing his own airing time. It's not like Thom to be so unforthcoming about something like this. Really disappointing.

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bluangel
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As I wrote in another post the time change doesn't just conflict with Randi Rhodes, but my local station doesn't even carry all 15 hours of Randi a week... only about 9 hours. I assume that's what going to happen to Thom's show if the station chooses to air the show live.
And personally, this time slot competes with NPR's All Things Considered. I don't see how after investing 6 years in a slot, cultivating listeners... that the change would be made. The noon eastern slot was originally Air America's attempt to put Al Franken in the prime slot against Limbaugh... and Thom moved in when Al left. I don't see how competing against Randi helps anyone.

So does anyone know what the rationale is?

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It looks like we might have to re-engage Air America! It looks like there are more national talents out there than availible time slots and Clear channel might just be getting pressure to diminish the pesky liberal efforts to make America worthy of our aspirations. Why would they choose the ONE LIBERAL RADIO station in PDX to transmit college level out of town baseball when there's probably 6 stations that do sports?

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oneworldatpeace
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Does anyone remember when Thom seemed miffed at Ed Schultz when he changed his time slot to noon eastern? Thom didn't mention him by name but seemed to resent someone "coming after him". I can imagine what Randi now feels.

Changing the time slot of any major radio show isn't done in a vacuum. It changes an entire ecosystem.

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The Beavs are on the radio, but the live stream carries the talk. The Beavs play for OSU, and lots of alums are in Portland. It might even get some baseball fans and alums to know about KPOJ. The bigger issue is that we don't own the sticks and the business decisions are not about subsidizing liberal talk radio as the cons do. Call your local station, but look to the alternatives as well. Thom has no control over this.

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Green960 used to pre-empt for sports too. I think it was some attempt to bring in some more revenue to the station so they could justify its ownership. They are probably pre-empting KNEW 960 too (which Randi and Goldman are still on in the afternoon) for sports. Gotta remember that radio station folks only look at spreadsheets not listen to their own programming.

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Sorry, Pierpont, but you are wrong - your local station must not carry Randi live, because she airs live at 3 PM.

Are they trying to put him in direct, live, time-slot competition with Randi Rhodes? Who'll win THAT war? Who wants it fought, and why? Inquiring minds want to know!

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I'd like to know the answer to that question as well, mstaggerlee! Randi hasn't mentioned it, and KTLK-LA is stonewalling (that is, they're not answering my e-mails or their phones.) Like someone else said, changing a talk show hosts air time causes a sea change, and in this case not a good one. This is really messed up, and I wish SOMEONE would address it. Thom was being very ingenuous about it yesterday, not like him. Almost like there was something going on that he couldn't, or wouldn't, talk about. Gotta keep digging I guess.

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On Thanksgiving night last year, one of my nephews found a web site that gave you access to the live feed from radio stations accross the country. The house we had dinner at did not have the NFL netwotk channel on tv, and no local radio station had the game. We were able to connect to the web site of a Maryland radio station carrying the game. For people in areas where Thom's new air time will not be carried fully, or is pre-empted by sports, if you have web access, you can use this method. Can't recall the web site name, though. I know that will not help people who are in the car with no web access, but it should help others. Thom's web site has a page listing radio affiliates ... I guess that will have to be updated as some may not be able to make the switch, or carry the entire show.

I had my new internet line installed in my dining room so I could livestream Thom's show during lunch. My new cable system does not have Freespeech TV or LINK TV, so Thom, Amy Goodman, and others all come via the web now. With Thom moving to 3 PM - 6 PM eastern time, everything changes.

I, like everyone else, am wondering about the reasons for the change. I tried searching for a press release on the web, but have not found anything yet. I have not heard Randi Rhodes show yet, and I guess now might not be a good time to try it ... unless it is available on the web after hours.

Good luck making the adjustments.

miksilvr
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Quote mstaggerlee:Sorry, Pierpont, but you are wrong - your local station must not carry Randi live, because she airs live at 3 PM.

Did I say otherwise? I was saying that now in the 3p eastern slot is Randi... and my local station only airs about 9 of her 15 hours a week. So if they bump Randi for Thom, I'm sure the same thing will happen. Actually, the AM station I listen to is a repeater of WHMP in Northampton MA. It shuts down at sunset... so if I couldn't get their FM signal, I could lose either show as early as 4p in winter. As someone broght up in the other thread on the topic... many of these low power AM stations power down at sunset. It just doesn't seem to be the strongest slot for a popular show.

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I won't miss Randi Rhodes if she disappears.

Does this mean I get to hear Mike Malloy in the morning? I never get him because KTLK in Los Angeles always has a hockey game or a college basketball game. What does it say when people would rather hear a hockey game on the radio?

I can only get Alan Colmes when I go to San Diego.

And KTLK has this horrrrrrrrrrible new dude on after 3 p.m.

chilidog
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Jul. 31, 2007 4:01 pm

Theres time available on current at 3 ?

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Saint4255
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I can't see the logic in this. Why lose the audience that you have spent years developing at the 9am timeslot? It will really cut down on my ability to listen, which is a shame because I really value all that I learn from Thom's program.

Does this have something to do with the TV show having priority. This decision doesn't seem to prioritize the radio program. I guess there's more money in TV right?

I am equally annoyed with the premption of Thom's program by baseball here in PDX. I guess that it will just drive me to listen to NPR all day instead of Thom's show or the other shows. I can't stand ED and can only take so much of Randi.

Thom ---- are you listening?

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Given all the changes that have gone on in the Bay Area one might think that the Republican owned corporate radio wants only right leaning voices heard. IOW, a putsch. But in radio circles they say it is more about Clear Channel and Cumulus in financial trouble. Guess right wing suckers are more prone to buying advertisers crap than discerning liberals. ;)

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It's a good day when people are unhappy about Thom going to a time slot that is not to their liking. Let's just move Thom to a one hour midweek prime time network TV spot and call it a day. If your average American schlub started getting a taste of Thom on weekly basis, we'd have this country back in shape in no time.

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I talked to the Program director at KTLK. With the time change, Thom will no longer be in the LA market. Really sad. Not only is LA the second largest media market in the country, we basically only have ONE progressive station, AM 1150 KTLK. But no Thom or Ed.

Sad day for us progressives in Los Angeles Area.

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Sorry - must've misread your post, or attributed someone else's post to you. In the immortal words of Rick Perry - Oops.

Fact is, I don't have a dog in this race - the building I work in is essentially a gigantic Faraday shield - unless you sit next to a window, you get NO RADIO, and our IT dep't traps streaming applications. So, I listen to both Thom and Randi via podcasts. When they are actually on the air live is not an is, therefore, not much of an issue for me. BTW, I've often heard Randi say that Clear Channel judges her popularity more by podcast sales than by radio listenership. The only issue for me is that both shows remain available.

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Tom was running promos today about the time change. Hey Thom, how about telling us why the change?

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Quote captbebops:Tom was running promos today about the time change. Hey Thom, how about telling us why the change?

Six days and still no answer... not even from the regulars and Mods. Are the reasons for the move that secret no one here knows?

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He asked today to get your local station to carry the show live. So I should call KNEW (formally Green960) and ask them to bump Randi for Thom. Probably won't happen.

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Quote captbebops:

He asked today to get your local station to carry the show live. So I should call KNEW (formally Green960) and ask them to bump Randi for Thom. Probably won't happen.

I might if I thought there was a good reason for Thom to move the show time... But without a reason given... neither good nor bad, I won't request it. I'm rather pissed Thom is moving the time slot. He's creating this mess... not Randi or the local station. It's a worst time for me and I know my prime AM station will probably only cover 9 hours a week at best, and in winter, only 5 hours a week. What the hell is he thinking to move ths show to a less advantagous slot?

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The 3 to 6 pm Eastern time slot is the most sought after time slot for every talk show host. That's Rush's slot, and I guess Thom's reasoning is that between he and Randi Rhodes airing at the same time it will give Rush a run for his money, while at the same time giving him a broader audience. Unfortunately it means stations have to choose BETWEEN he and Randi for live air time, and Randi already has a lot of contracts out there, so even if some stations wanted to switch to Thom they wouldn't be able to. Maybe it will all work out better in the long run. You know what they say......change is good.

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Randi has the same syndicater as Rush. Here in the Bay Area Randi is still on live because of that contract but it will expire and the question would be if it would get renewed or just dropped. After Randi is Norman Goldman who I read pays for being on the station as he is his own syndicater. I like Norman because he is more aggressive than Thom though what I really like is Mike Malloy's aggressiveness and humor especially his impressions of conservatives as dummies. However during Norman's slot I usually listen Karel instead on GCN Network 4 (strange place for him isn't it). Karel is in trouble with Wells Fargo and facing foreclosure and is very heartfelt about the economic crisis and what people are facing. So much more in touch with thats (as is Nicole Sandler) than the hosts that don't have that problem.

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Quote bluangel:The 3 to 6 pm Eastern time slot is the most sought after time slot for every talk show host.

Uh? Thom airs live in the same time slot Rush airs... NOON easten. Randi airs live at 3p eastern. Thom will now no longer be up against Rush, but competing for the SAME time slot which Randi already has.

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Oh yes, east coast drive time where you get a captive audience sitting in traffic. <wink>

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I'm guessing that perhaps Thom's previous schedule was both physically & mentally draining for him & Louise. Doing the radio show in the morning...then having to wait around & stay "up" preparing for The Big Picture...that seemed like a brutal schedule to me. If this makes Thom & Louise's life easier...then so be it. Their work is TOO important. I will happily adapt.

csernica
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Quote csernica:

I'm guessing that perhaps Thom's previous schedule was both physically & mentally draining for him & Louise. Doing the radio show in the morning...then having to wait around & stay "up" preparing for The Big Picture...that seemed like a brutal schedule to me. If this makes Thom & Louise's life easier...then so be it. Their work is TOO important. I will happily adapt.

Maybe. But Thom used to do 6 hours of radio a day before he moved to Washington... 3 for the local station and 3 nationally. Clearly, along with his public appearances and writing, Thom is perhaps the hardest working person in radio I know. But now that he moved to the east coast, he no longer had to get up in the wee hours of the morning for show prep. Something's not adding up... and after 10 days theres STILL no official word why the show is moving.

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Totally sucks that he won't be on in the L.A. market anymore!

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Thom's shows have been airing delayed in Chicago. He's recently been doing a one hour live on Fridays here and it has been getting a big response. His new timeslot will put him on live here in Chicago on our local independent station. Great for us, not so great for LA. I'd like to think that airing live in Chicago on this independent station factors into the decision while Thom is striving towards something as opposed to leaving LA high and dry. Perhaps that's just my hometown narcissism talking? Again, I propose a one hour midweek primetime network TV slot to bring Thom's Gospel to quench the thirst of the parched masses.

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I also thought I heard Thom say the reason for the switch is to be live in Chicago, where I hear him on WCPT AM and FM. WCPT has several "regional" lower powered stations that the lady I heard complaining about losing her signal might be using. But I did not hear her say where in Chicago she was calling from, so that may not be the issue either.

WCPT has Bill Press on early, followed by Stephanie Miller, and Ed Shultz. Ed is on opposite Limbaugh in Chicago. After Ed comes Thom, than Norm Goldman. I think all these shows, with Thom's shift, will now be live.

I would not assume that there is not something weird going on somewhere. But it seems unlikely that Thom will not be "available" in LA, rather that the local stations choose to not air him at the time he is "live" and do not want him on tape delay. That is their choice, not Thom's.

Phil Stone
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Jul. 31, 2007 4:01 pm

I hear you Labor. I'd give one of my "pinkies" if his show replaced one of those so called reality shows. And I might give a thumb if his show could be on right before or right after 60 Minutes or something similar.

csernica
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Jul. 31, 2007 4:01 pm

Pure speculation on my part, but perhaps some other factors that might contributing to his moving to this slot... And these are issues that are nationally scoped in nature that help him through satellite broadcasts provide access to people who don't get his shows through local broadcasts.

1) Sirius XM wants him to do it - I've been tuning in to KPOJ more here in Portland than to SiriusXM Left to get Thom, partly because earlier they were only broadcasting his first hour live and in the 2nd two hours they were putting on Lynn Samuels instead. When I moved to Portland, I switched permanently to KPOJ to hear him live then, due to this scheduling that I didn't like by Sirius. They then added a Plus channel, and I believe that Hartmann for a while and delayed him to his new slot now then, with Samuels on earlier, and switched Ed Schultz over to the live slot Thom had on the Plus channel. So Sirius XM already had him then a "delayed show in this new time slot. Now Thom will be live on Sirius I think, though it appears that Lyn Samuels is no longer on Sirius.

2) Free Speech TV wants him to do it - For a while Free Speech TV only carried Thom's last two hours of his show, and his first hour still had Democracy Now in its regular time slot for Free Speech TV. When FSTV started carrying his first hour, that preempted Democracy Now out of what was probably FSTV's prime slot for that show and closest to it being live content then, not long after LINK TV aired it just a bit earlier. If they moved Democracy Now an hour earlier, they'd be fighting LINK TV for that time slot, which would probably hurt both services. By Thom moving his live show two hours later, they can now restore Democracy Now to its original time slot and still carry the full three hours of Thom's show later in the day.

Both of these sources I believe Thom feels are a very important part of his audience, as they allow people in areas without broadcast stations to still get him through getting satellite radio or TV in their homes or in their cars. He therefore probably wants to optimize his coverage through them first and foremost, especially if folks like Clear Channel are finding ways to push him out of many markets as seems to be happening in many areas as noted here.

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RE: your point # 2....When I turned on Free Speech this morning (force of habit) & saw that DN was back on...I thought along the same lines as you did...that here was a benefit of the time slot change. DN is too important of an actual news program & I'm happy to see it in a "complimentary" time slot as opposed to a competing time slot with LinkTV. The more different times that DN is on, & on different channels...the better. That said...I don't know how Amy Goodman does it sometimes. I become so overwhelmed at times with "the horror" of it all...& she & her people just keep at it, every day...exposing the truth & shining a light on the massive greed, cruelty & injustice of it all, ALL over the world.

csernica
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Quote csernica:

RE: your point # 2....When I turned on Free Speech this morning (force of habit) & saw that DN was back on...I thought along the same lines as you did...that here was a benefit of the time slot change. DN is too important of an actual news program & I'm happy to see it in a "complimentary" time slot as opposed to a competing time slot with LinkTV. The more different times that DN is on, & on different channels...the better. That said...I don't know how Amy Goodman does it sometimes. I become so overwhelmed at times with "the horror" of it all...& she & her people just keep at it, every day...exposing the truth & shining a light on the massive greed, cruelty & injustice of it all, ALL over the world.

Actually it is the same hour length show on Link TV and on Free Speech TV in most cases (unless she's doing extra time for fund raising for either of these two channels). It's just repeated at various times during the days. As noted, having the show (even if repeated) on at different times makes it better for those who have inflexible schedules in the morning to find one of those time slots free to be able to watch it. Perhaps down the road, if we can really find a way to fund non-profit outfits like Democracy Now, we can help them staff up to be more of a full time news channel and not just a single hour each day with a few additional hours here and there at times. Still need to find some decent people to fill in the extra hours, but I'm sure if that model can be built to be a real competitor to commercial television, then perhaps some like Rachel Maddow will help come over and fill in the time gaps.

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calipendence
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I hope you have not forgotten KPFK 90.7 FM. NO sponsors ....so far. Why don't they negotiate to get a time slot for Thom. They have "Ringof Fire" with Bobby Kennedy. Is Thom too good for Pacifica listeners?

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Ladyhawke1
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Whatever happened to OUR airwaves? Radio used to be the glue that held this country together. The airwaves were ours and held in common and we did not have to pay for listening to the radio. It was there day and night just for us.

Now everyone talks about buying this or that service in order to hear the personalities and programs we need to hear. If that had case in the 40’s, who would have ever heard the marvelous speeches of encouragement from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, or the visionary and insightfulness of Dwight D. Eisenhower. Later we heard from a young minister who spoke so eloquently about the pain and struggles of a peoples seeking justice in an unjust system.

Radio, where we learned, where “I” learned…. about Shakespeare, mysterious stories of far away worlds, and other civilizations. Radio, where I was tutored in disarming humor, and of laughter shared by my whole family.

However, that was then and I was a little kid. Now all people can do is TWEET, and where the use of the written language is dead and lost on an ignorant peoples.

Whatever you have to BUY, it at anytime can be taken from you, or just like gasoline, the prices can be high jacked upward month after month.

When do we say no more and take our airwaves back? We pay taxes and this is part of our heritage, it belongs to us. We have become a soft and comfortable people. WE have no stomach for standing up and reclaiming what is ours.

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Ladyhawke1
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So does this mean there is no hope of bringing Thom back to Los Angeles? ? ? WE WANT HIM BACK!!!!

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I suppose that's up to the local LA affiliates. My local station bumped Randi Rhodes for Thom and brought back Ed Schultz for noon when they had dumped him. I'm so pissed that Thom made this change without ANY explanation and caused such chaos within the progressive radio community. I miss Randi... and could care less about Schultz.

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Feb. 29, 2012 2:19 pm

Well... it's 14 months since Thom changed his time slot.... surely someone by now knows why.

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Yet More Tribal Land Under Threat

The battle lines for the next fight to protect sacred tribal lands are being drawn in Bears Ears in Southeastern Utah.

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