Hate Pays: KFWB Radio Switches from News to Right Wing Talk

The CBS-owned KFWB-AM has jumped the shark. Finding that news doesn't pay any better on the radio than it does in print, KFWB has gone all talk all the time.

Laura Schlessinger was a free ball, so KFWB grabbed the good doctor and decided to go native and jettison all their news programming. Bringing on Laura Ingraham and Michael Smerconish to round out the playlist, the station will now be a beacon for anyone who wasn't getting their fill of misinformation and hate from Fox News and Rush Limbaugh.

The headline here, of course, is that straight news just doesn't pay. There's no faulting a business from pursuing profit. That's what a business has to do. But really, do we need more hate? Hasn't the on-going dementia of right-wing mobs hijacking congressional town hall meetings raised a red flag, warning everyone that democracy is powerful but fragile if we don't conduct ourselves in a civil manner?

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Comments

[bn]

The interesting thing was that KFWB raided Dr. Laura from KFI, when her contract was up for grabs. Her show was already being heard in the Los Angeles area for 3+ hours per day - she simply went over to the rival station. That being said, it IS sad that this kind of Rightist ranting has taken over the airwaves. The only talk station in this area that doesn't pander to archconservatives is the local Air America affiliate - and I don't listen that much because many of their hosts try to outdo the Lords of Loud on the other side...

:(

[larry278]

Radio is taking advantage of the web becoming a growing & vital part of the news business. Radio news coverage is going the way of the do do. It's much cheaper to air right wing cant. You can get a big audience of ditto heads who love Dr Laura & regularly use Preperation H. Sell your time to Preperation H & remedies for GERD. People always buy home remedies to avoid going to a physian & following a Dr's instructions to improve slowly. It's more fun to drink beer & eat pizza while listening to Rush & a Beck wannabe damning progressives. You can burp to agree with Rush's comments. It isn't as hard as thinking. You might learn that you were wrong or right. Belch & don't worry as you listen to talk radio; be content with yourself & your views.