The Infinite Dial

Five weeks ago, Edison's Larry Rosin reasonably suggested that the real lesson of PPM might not be "heritage morning shows mean nothing, people would rather hear music," but instead "heritage morning shows might not fit on stations that are music utilities." Larry wrote, "Maybe the industry should be re-deploying its fired shows into stacks on one station, instead of the history of them being spread around on each, all competing with one another."

Since then, the number of heritage morning shows in play has only grown. Donnie Simpson leaves. Dick Purtan retires, and even doing so of his own volition can't help commenting on how PPM has made it more difficult to be a personality. So why hasn't somebody come up with the FM Talk superstation with a brand-name morning show in every daypart?

Because broadcasters have already decided that only certain types of FM talk work. In a PPM world, many are deciding the preferred FM choice for spoken-word programming is Sports Talk. The second choice is the Rush Limbaugh-driven conservative talk format that already prospers on AM and might benefit from a second signal. The younger skewed, entertainment-driven Talk station has usually stymied the industry, even in the diary era. But one reason was that all the logical talent was tied up elsewhere in the market, usually playing three songs an hour under duress in mornings on a music station.

Most markets finally have five heritage air talent that could power an FM talk station--San Diego being the best recent example of a market where it would be easy to have a "morning show" in every daypart. But even if owners could get past the belief that "FM talk doesn't work," they would still have to pay for them all. And in many cases, it's being unable or unwilling to pay for one talk show--much less a whole day's worth--that is really driving the personality exodus.