As 2006 comes to a close, and we welcome 2007, LTR will take a look at the year in review as the new year approaches.
You'll see a roundup of the top stories you've seen covered here, as well as a ranking of our Top 10 Talkers of 2006. And here's where you can help.
We'll publish our lists, but we'd like to get your opinion as well. Who are the top liberal talk show hosts of 2006? What are the top liberal talk radio stations of the year?
The LTR list for hosts will utilize a criteria based on overall success, number of affiliates, growth of the show, contributions to the format, entertainment value, knowledge of current events and crossover potential. Granted, some factors will outweigh others, and those will be weighted. Political lean of the hosts will not be as much a factor, since everyone seems to have such radically different opinions on the topics of the day.
For stations, our criteria will include ratings success, presence of actual advertising/underwriting, creativity of on-air schedule, promotion of the station, community presence, currency and layout of the station's website, and the overall quality of the station.
For your list, you can use the criteria listed above, or just rank your own personal favorites. Write up a list of your own personal Top 10 talk show hosts and Top 10 radio stations, include some reasons behind your choices, and email them here. Be sure to send them in by Tuesday December 26. And look for both lists of talk show hosts here on Friday December 29, followed by both lists of top radio stations on Saturday December 30, and concluding with the big "2006 Year In Liberal Talk" on New Year's Eve.
Eureka, CA 
4 comments:
Ten liberal talkers: Everybody will make the list, maybe including some no longer working.
Ten stations: Lucky if there are 10 liberal talk stations left by the end of the year.
Why must you be so snide? Of course there are more than ten liberal talkers. And more than ten stations. Just look down the right-hand column.
If you feel the need to rip on my site, why not go over to the Tranquilizer and watch him beat off over Al Franken pics?
Please don't piss on my parade.
Two words: Rachel. Maddow.
As for your friend "frasier": How typical. It's not enough to disagree with the ideas presented by liberal radio or to even have the guts to debate the talkers there. They can't even stand that it even exists. This is one of the dozens upon dozens of things that separates the men from the neocons.
Irish, look up "snide." I was being sarcastic.
With all due respect, most of the stations on your list are turn-keys with no local programming. They provide their coverage areas with some diversity of syndicated OTA political opinion (which I consider a good thing). But a computer attached to a dish and a stick does not deserve to be on a top 10 list.
Based on the criteria you listed, I don't think there are 10 lib talk stations above a one share, showing Black ink, doing much - if any - local promotion, and doing programming beyond taking syndicated product off the bird. Add to that Clear Channel is the industry iceberg but it's acting like it thinks it's the Titanic. The future of no Clear Channel property (or personnel) is certain now.
Some of you want to make this about politics and "ideas." It's about the state of radio.
Like it or not, none of us knows how many current syndicated lib talk hosts will be working by New Year's. Springer is gone. Franken probably will be. Randi is the only AAR talent I'd be willing to bet money on. A Darwinian shake-down is on us. A few will survive; most will not. My personal favorite lib talker has been unemployed for months (Arnie Arnesen).
Aaron: Debate the talkers? You must not listen to talk radio much. Sometimes talkers go on TV and debate each other. Talkers NEVER debate callers. That's like saying pro wrestling is a sport.
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