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The news broke yesterday that after two decades on the radio, syndicated talker Michael Smerconish will be taking his show to Sirius Satellite radio. Starting April 15, Smerconish will be heard on the soon-to-be revamped P.O.T.U.S. channel. And while he was on in 80 markets, including Los Angeles (KFWB-AM), Philadelphia (WPHT-AM), and Dallas (KRLD-AM), it was a tall task getting that affiliate number to grow.
Smerconish's middle-of-the-road approach to politics was not heard on any Cumulus and Clear Channel radio stations. Smerconish's business manager and partner told Radio Ink last night, "Radio has a responsibility to deliver a variety of viewpoints. There's a need for Michael's voice on the airwaves and that voice was being rejected by a lot of broadcast radio stations." Smerconish says if, five years from now, talk radio hasn't changed, it's in a real dark spot. Here's what Smerconish had to say about why he's leaving radio for satellite?
Smerconish will air on Sirius weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET channel 124, SiriusXM's non-partisan channel dedicated to the "Politics of the United States." It will also replay during evening drive from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. ET, and will be available on SiriusXM On Demand.
(3/7/2013 7:09:59 PM)
I listened to Smerconish once a few years ago in Philly. He talked for awhile about a bidet (toilet) he wanted to buy. OMG how boring.. I never listened again. Being a former radio air talent and writer I am inclined to listen longer. You have to be a masachist to listen to some talk radio. I would never wait an hour or more to talk to any host. But some people just love to hear themselves on the radio.. Listeners and hosts included.
(3/7/2013 1:04:00 PM)
A non-story. A gig is a gig. However one thing is clear: Laurence Glavin is a troll.
(3/7/2013 12:29:31 PM)
The real problem is that people in the US have been brainwashed into believing what Rush, Hannity, Savage and team say as being the voice of conservatism when in fact there is not conservative about what they say.
As a for instance, all of the above mentioned talk show hosts, support the US initiating the numerous recent wars in the middle east. Such thinking is of the "we are the policemen of the world, we make things right" mentality and need to be involved in everything everyone does. True conservatives like Ron Paul, oppose this policy.
The real problem again is far too many people in the US who claim to be conservative don't even know the conservative position. Instead they go along with whatever the establishment Republican Party says is their position.
As another example, take note of the huge number of conservatives that supported liberal, Mitt Romney. His liberal position regarding many issues should have awakened Republicans but it didn't because they have allowed the establishment Republican Party to dictate their mindset.
The establishment Republican Party is run by the largest corporations (bankster, oil, clear, etc) in the world. If you don't make their position your own, then you won't get a fair shake.
Michael Schmerconish is correct in leaving terrestrial radio but he doesn't seem to understand the reason behind all of it.
(3/7/2013 12:27:20 PM)
To the commenter who wrote "even less people will listen to you"; the correct word is "fewer". Right-wingers have trouble with the English language even though they constantly want to proclaim English as the only official language of the US.
(3/7/2013 12:16:37 PM)
Middle of the road means "no opinion" in my book . . . and no opinion mean no one is going to care. If no one listened for free, I don't see how his numbers will improve when people now have to pay for it. Best of luck.
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