Hogue Update

Salem Communications has issued a Press Release concerning Eric Hogue.

The Short version is that Hogue is moving to another Salem station and will be broadcast in the afternoon on KFIA in Sacramento and a Salem station in San Francisco. It is hoped that this will be similar format with larger audience. Best wishes to Eric.

There is no word on what happens to Hogue’s time slot at KTKZ.

See Craig DeLuz blog for copy of press release.
http://www.craigdeluz.com/2006/08/salem-radio-to-take-eric-hogue.html

Salem Dumps Hogue, KTKZ Sale to Follow?

There is a story circulating that KTKZ talker Eric Hogue is on the chopping block. His program is slated to be cancelled in September by some bean counters at Salem Communications. Salem would rather substitute some nationally syndicated talker to save some money.

I would like to address this idea from two aspects of the radio business.

First is the FCC license. If Salem cancels Hogue, in my estimation they have violated the Prime Directive of broadcasting which is to serve the public good. Hogue has done much to promote KTKZ and inform their audience. Hogue is the only program in the broadcast area that covers local politics from an informed perspective.

Only Tom Sullivan at KFBK comes close but Tom doesn’t understand Conservatives or the inner workings of the Republican Party. In addition, Tom doesn’t care to learn. Tom has no interest in “getting under the hood” and seeing how the Legislature really operates.

As someone who has worked at the Capitol and in radio, I have come to appreciate Eric’s insight in this area. It took him a few years to get through the learning curve after arriving here from Ohio but he has mastered his subject matter well.

Salem has severely handicapped Hogue by not giving him the bandwidth necessary to compete in this market. KTKZ AM & FM are the weakest signals in the broadcast area. When tuning on the AM side I have to search between Radio Disney and Air America to find the station. It is difficult to get either KTKZ station indoors anywhere in the broadcast area. I cannot get their signal at all at my Elk Grove home. If Salem got Hogue on a station with some broadcast power, KTKZ would be second or third in the market.

Not only have I seen the Arbitron ratings but I was a participant in the Spring sampling period. In the Sacramento market, KSFO from San Francisco has better numbers than KTKZ and their signal is often better.

Secondly, Salem may not be making much money on Hogue’s time slot but they need to look at the Larry King model used by Mutual Broadcasting. King was what retailers call a “loss leader.” King was not profitable by himself but Mutual required that stations carrying King also carry other programming by Mutual. As a package Mutual was able to make money by this arrangement.

Hogue has done something similar for KTKZ with sponsors. Hogue has done well enough for sponsors on his show that they are willing advertisers on other programming at the station. Spots cut by the team at KTKZ are often heard on other stations in the Sacramento market.

The revenue hit that KTKZ will take if they follow through on plans to cut Hogue will be tremendous. Not only will they loose the Hogue show revenue but the Friday night high school sports will disappear also. Sponsors of the Hogue show are also the backbone of advertisers for other programming like Hugh Hewitt.

One can’t help but wonder if killing local programming is a prelude to selling the radio station to someone with a different format in mind. This decision is not a formula for long term viability at KTKZ.

John Mark Karr: Liar and Lunatic?

OK. I’m cynical. I don’t believe that John Mark Karr had anything to do with the death of JonBenet Ramsey.

Yes, he’s a freak and a pervert. He admits that much and it seems to agree with his reputation but I think his confession is just an extreme stunt by an emotionally disturbed person. Where is the evidence? We all know that the police withhold information that only the killer would know so if he did it, what did the police withhold? He can’t seem to put forth a story that has enough detail to withstand scrutiny. If he wants credit for the crime then connect the dots.

It is clear that he is lying; the real question is whether he is making a preemptive strike to discredit himself as a viable suspect or he’s just a nut. So is he a liar or a clever criminal?

Most criminals are stupid and they get caught. If he was really that clever he could never admit to the crime.

I submit that being stuck in the third-world is very unpleasant and Mr. Karr thinks that he has a clever way to be brought back to the USA. Once no charges are filed, he will then be free to prey upon our children.

NASA Seeks Its Roots

NASA (National Aeronautical and Space Administration) has lost its way and is returning to its roots in search of direction.

On the same day two disturbing stories appeared.

First, NASA has managed to loose the original films of man’s first landing on the Moon. The government has begun to search its vast archives of warehoused material to see if the films are hidden away somewhere. (Rumor has it that they are also keeping an eye out for the lost Ark.)

Secondly, many rocket parts have been quietly disappearing from museums and other places housing relics from the Apollo Program. Why? Because engineers at NASA want to copy fuel valves and other gizmos for use in rocket designs for the new push for the Moon and then Mars. Based mostly on 1950’s era technology, these systems used in antique rockets are going to be the backbone of 21st Century space exploration.

Gene Roddenberry would probably find the irony quite funny. So much for the newer is better axiom of American society.

Israel Looses-Unilateral Surrender

“When you gonna wake-up and strengthen the things that remain?”  –Bob Dylan

Israel has failed in its war against terrorists in Lebanon. As a result, Iran and Syria have been emboldened to project even more power in the Middle East.

This will result in more terrorist attacks in Israel and Europe. Radical Islam has proven that it is in this for the long haul. The West continues to slumber. As the spiritual darkness of the West grows, so does its peril. The Sword of Islam is poised to judge the West for its rejection of biblical truth. We have exchanged the Truth for a lie and our god is our own belly.

The cease-fire brokered by the United Nations will not hold (for long.) It does however increase the likelihood of a more regional war. Israel better get their political act together or next time they may very well find themselves swimming for Cypress.

Like the United States, Israel is entering a period where no one in public office has been involved in a military victory. That generation is fading and the result is a distorted view of the world in which men are incapable of called any belief or act of man “evil”.  This “enlightened” view of mankind will be the death of millions in the near future.

Halfhearted War

Israel continues its halfhearted war against Iranian sponsored terrorists. Their Prime Minister would make the French proud. He is looking for every excuse to surrender instead of fight. He is conducting this war with all the principle that John Kerry tried to bring to the White House in 2004. It begs the question of whether removal of the spine is a requirement to hold elective office in the West.

Syria and Iran should both be hit hard by both Israel and the United States.

George Bush, like his father, has run away from his commitment to do what he promised. Bush #1 promised “no new taxes” while his son promised the “bring the terrorists to justice or justice to the terrorists.”

Measured responses are BS. Overwhelming force must be used. It is the only language these 7th century barbarians understand. Diplomacy only buys time for evil men to amass arms to attack their neighbors at a time of their choosing.
We use the words that we are at war but we have yet to act like we really are.