There is a new talk station in the Chattanooga area, WPLZ, but it is to a large extent just duplicating programming that is already here.
For example, Clark Howard is on both WPLZ and WUUS; Monica Crowley is on WUUS and then partially repeated on WGOW-AM on the weekend.
Glenn Beck is on WPLZ and then repeated on one of the WGOW stations.
With all the talk programs available, why do supposedly competing stations merely present the same stuff?
Luke Saturnah
East Brainerd
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As someone with a little radio experience in his background, I have a few thoughts as to why this radio station is just playing the same stuff. One motivation is simple: money. To radio station owners in general, it is easier and cheaper to use a syndicated show that supposedly has a proven track record of bringing in ratings. If said radio station were to go "old-school" by trying to hire live talent for mornings, afternoons, evenings, weekends and overnights, they would be mega-flooded with soundchecks and resumes by every Tom, Dick, Harry and Marry Jane who mentally may think they are the next Howard or Rush or Jeff or Robert T or whoever and more than likely they are not. Factor in the fact they also want to be paid like Rush or Howard when in fact the average radio personality barely makes above minimum wage.
Another important factor is the be-all and end-all of everything: The almighty Arbitron. For the last 25 years, Chattanoogans have made it clear that country is forever king of the mountain at 18-20 percent of the listenership. WGOW-FM, by far the best when it comes to the talk format, barely cracks the double digits. To paraphrase Robert T. Nash, he said his show alone is only listened to by 4-6 percent of the entire population in Chattanooga and the surrounding areas. There has even been on-air talk about some of the radio vets taking pay-cuts in order to keep their jobs due to lack of revenue. The local talent at WGOW-FM are by far the best at what they do. I stand by this opinion having listened to talk radio on car trips through Atlanta, Nashville, Knoxville, Jacksonville, Orlando and at my current home here in Dallas. However, the truth is you can be the most talented person at what you do and it still doesn't matter to the almighty Albatron.
Like most of the population, I do not like the current status of radio in general. I understand that radio is a business first but it should also have community ties with local voices like in the beginning. Sadly, thanks to Arbitron and the Telecommunications Act of 1996, those days are officially gone. My advice is to be thankful for the handful of local talk radio practitioners that we do have. I assure you it is a lot worse in other markets.
Jay Macmillian
Dallas, Tex.