Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Brad Krantz is probably quite sincere when he sarcastically laments the fact that he won’t have to get up at 3:00 am in the morning to be on the air. No doubt Britt Whitmire feels the same way.

Still, moving from the FM powerhouse of WZTK 101.1 in the morning to the more tranquil and localized AM station 600 WSJS in the afternoon is not a lateral move. Krantz says “at least we’re still employed”, and that’s pretty much on the money, no pun intended.

The management at WZTK claims that the format change from talk radio to some kind of crappy hits station was the result of economic changes and competition.

"While we were successful by any number of standards, the advertising slowdown of the last four years—combined with the entry of new talk radio competitors—made a business model we created in 2003 no longer sustainable."

Despite some claims to the contrary, it is obvious that Rush Radio did more damage to WZTK than Brad and Britt were willing to admit. There is no doubt that advertising sales have declined across the board in radio and those with money to spend could be more selective. Whether advertisers left the talk format for greener pastures or simply for Rush Radio, I cannot answer. Truth be told, Rush Radio is pretty crappy, too.

I can say that my main complaint about WZTK was the constant charade of an independent political/ideological orientation from their local hosts. In the beginning, I think Brad and Britt were the most balanced broadcasters in the area. But within two years, that started to fade quickly.  The focus of the show day in and day out became centered on Brad Krantz’ dislike of Sarah Palin, Fox News, and Rush Limbaugh. Rather than discussing issues of the day, large chunks of the show were devoted to criticizing conservative media bogeymen.  This might appeal to the 20% of Americans who identify as liberals and who also hate Fox News and Rush Limbaugh, but is quickly tiresome to the majority of listeners.

To me it appeared that the Brad and Britt show was in complete denial about the turn that the show had taken and how it was alienating a lot of listeners. The usual response was to lash out and claim that their critics were only interested in listening to discussions that confirmed their own views.  But that wasn’t really the case. I think what most listeners wanted is intellectual honesty that the show was not “moderate” or balanced, but had become more like a radio version of MSNBC. I think the majority of listeners wanted an even-handed discussion of topics, not just reaffirmation of their existing views. Other than being a Brad Krantz fan, this is what initially appealed to me about the show.

Considering many of the comments on the Brad and Britt Facebook page over the years, I don't think I was alone. It appeared that calls for the equal application of standards was met with sarcastic and sometimes angry denials that the show had ever changed and snipey remarks about how they didn’t believe in “phony balance”. 

“Phony Balance” apparently meant that liberal views are so often more superior to conservative views that conservative views ought not to be given any credence just so one can claim there is some “balance”. Similarly, conservative shenanigans were so more outrageous and offensive than liberal travails that the latter rarely deserved mention.

Fair enough if that's your point of view, but quit playing the independent/moderate/voice of reason card. That’s just dishonest.  Of course, such a criticism would be met with the previously mentioned “you just want to have your views reaffirmed” argument. Now and then there would be a “and by the way we’re stomping our competition and we don’t need you” attitude added to the mix.

This was systemic in some ways because every afternoon, Alan Handelman would talk about how politically independent he was yet miraculously all of his criticism seemed reserved for conservatives.

Does any of this explain the format change? Maybe not. But advertisers go where the listeners are and where the demographics are. I suspect that those did change over time as the station moved in a leftward direction. Liberal talk shows fail in the United States because there aren’t enough liberals to support them.

Anyway, Brad Krantz banned me from the Brad and Britt Show Facebook page about a year ago in large part because of arguments based on the criticisms that I have made in this post. Still, I have no hard feelings towards Brad and Britt. I don’t know either of them that well, but I would like to consider us friends on some level. I hope they are successful as they press on at WSJS, but they should pay more attention to the criticisms. It was always intended as constructive.

Contrary to their frequent assertions, it wasn’t about reaffirming existing beliefs. I agree with many of Sean Hannity's views, but I can't stand Sean Hannity. I'd rather listen to Brad & Britt. Instead, it was about a show that initially advertised its fairness over time eventually not being fair. The early strength of the show was that nobody was safe from criticism. But that didn't last long and the lack of the previously advertised balance was striking.

Beyond that, the time consuming focus on criticizing other shows like Limbaugh and FOX News became a loser. People don’t tune into a talk radio station to hear what the hosts think about other talk shows, and if you are going to constantly criticize the bias on FOX News, how can you ignore MSNBC? These things don’t slip past the listener and aren't rooted in a desire to have all talk shows reaffirm existing beliefs.

The format change at WZTK is not the fault of Brad and Britt, but I do believe that they did lose their way on the flight to the stratosphere and that may have had some impact on how events unfolded.

Brad and Britt have created a brand in the Triad that could lead them to individual success beyond radio. On a personal level, I hope that brand succeeds because I think they are both good guys. Perhaps this change will be cause for some reflection and some retooling. I might actually start listening again- but only to have my views reaffirmed. Rush Limbaugh simply isn't enough anymore.

Comments

[Fred Gregory]

WOW !

[jaycee]

Krantz was always a whiny, Yankee, liberal putz. He could hide it for a while, but his hatred of conservatives would surface sooner or later.

[polifrog]

I stopped listening to both Brad&Brit and Alan Handelman in the run up to Obama's election. The moderate shtick became as obvious lie in both cases as it did across media during that period.

Generally speaking, I assume any news personality or news organization that claims to be without bias is starting from a dishonest premise and move on on the assumption that no news can be delivered without bias. It can be delivered with balance by dipping into an equal number of liberal an conservative sources but never without bias. I'd rather listen to truthful liberal like Olberman than a liar pretending to be without bias. Wanting talk radio I gave Brad&Brit and Alan Handleman a chance.

My mistake.

[Spag]

Poli, B&B would deny that there ever was a "moderate shtick". But it seems that you and I aren't alone in noticing that there was. But you can't rail against and ridicule conservatives everyday and then claim that you are being excessively fair or representing an independent point of view. In the end, Brad became no different than those he attacked on the Right. The show became as predictable as an 80's hair band ("here's the part where Brad plays his obligatory anti- Palin-Limbaugh-FOX News solo!").

I never had a problem hearing opposing views, but the repetitiveness and the double standards just turned me off.

Still, I like those guys, and I hope they land on their feet.

[Harold]

More important things than where a couple radio guys wind up.

Such as this....#48 comes in second at LVegas and after only three races has clawed himself from last to the 23rd spot. Spag, I know how interested you are in JJ's career and wanted to get you up to speed on how he's doing.

[Spag]

I saw that. I also saw Cheating Chad sitting on the pit box. That won't last much longer.

[Harold]

Spag, Chad and Big Rick are in discussion with NASCAR as we speak regarding the proposed penalties. Who knows, he might be on the box at Bristol.

"shtik" and "putz" Nothing like a little yiddish thrown in when our favorite local Hebrew radio personality Brad Krantz is being discussed.

[Spag]

Chad Knaus is a schmuck.

[bubba]

I think the format change will see WZTK adopt some form of Spanish language programming, based on an updated listing last night on the station's listing in Wikipedia.

Apparently Hispanic programming is expected to be more profitable than the tired, warn-out schtick the B&B brand is known for presenting.

[jaycee]

Harold, I don't even know Krantz's religious affiliation, I just thought "putz" was a bit milder than calling him a prick. I'm sorry that you and other liberals see anti-something in everything with which you disagree.

[bubba]

Not only that, but "shtick/schtik" is a show business term, dating back to vaudeville.

[Harold]

Jaycee, not referring to anyone anti- this or that. I was just commenting on how sometimes when a Hebrew is discussed gentiles(guess you are)like you and the other guy/gal insert some yiddish.

[jaycee]

Harold, read for comprehension.
I don't know Krantz's religion, nor did I see it mentioned in Sam's original post.
Furthermore, I don't care. He's a prick.
Again, by injecting "Hebrews" and "gentiles" into this discussion you're trying to gin up some kind of religious crusade on the part of the participants.
Shame on you for your shallowness and transparent bigotry.

[Spag]

That was bizarre, Harold. I don't think Brad's ethnicity had any bearing on this discussion. Odd that you would make that connection. I certainly don't think Brad would.

[bubba]

"Shame on you for your shallowness and transparent bigotry."

"That was bizarre, Harold."

I think it's time to honor 'Turf with a legacy. From here on, any absurdity used like that exhibited in this thread by the 'Turf Master will hereby be known as "Harold's Way".

[Brad Krantz]

Let me first invite you all to come on over and listen to Britt and me every weekday on either 600 WSJS between 3 and 6pm or WPTF Talk 850 between 3 and 7pm. You can continue to hate us!.... in shorter spurts as no segment is longer than 7 minutes.... it's great to be back where I started in the business 35 years ago at WTVN in Columbus.... AM! Frankly, the sales effort for WZTK (out of my control, of course) never measured up to the programming success that we had ...... WZTK did just fine, and certainly weathered the onslaught of the Rush Radio Twins in the Triad and Triangle well. In fact, much better in the Triad. Britt and I were very proud to have taken out two morning shows on 94.5 in less than two years.... Bill Flynn and Dmitri Whatever His Name Was. They weren't fired by accident. And Britt and I don't make the Talkers Magazine List of Most Influential Talk Show Hosts in America list year after year by accident, either. Talkradio is a very expensive format to run compared to all others.... it simply takes more human beings who have to be paid and insured.... and if the revenues don't measure up, the guy that owns the place can make the decision to fire as many people as possible, cut the costs, and turn the station into a jukebox. That's what happened, plain and simple. I hate it. It was horrible to see a lot of good people, including Alan Handelman, get fired last week. Despite attempts here to analyze the end of WZTK via an ideological lens, saying we were too liberal or we were too mean to Sarah Palin or we were done in due to our "fake balance".... it was a pure, short-run economic decision to cut personnel costs. Anything else said above is rank, amateur speculation that has no basis in fact. I know. I'm there.

[bubba]

Shorter Krantz:

"Those lazy, incompetent sales weasels failed to convince enough clients to support our lousy brand of political, social, and economic nonsense."

[jaycee]

"Britt and I were very proud to have taken out two morning shows on 94.5 in less than two years...."

So, you boast about destroying the careers of others, and now you whine that it's "horrible" when the same thing happens to your show.
Yep, that's the Brad Krantz we know and love here in the South!

[Spag]

"Despite attempts here to analyze the end of WZTK via an ideological lens...."

But see

"The format change at WZTK is not the fault of Brad and Britt, but I do believe that they did lose their way on the flight to the stratosphere and that may have had some impact on how events unfolded."

[Mick]

As far as this one former listener is concerned ... Spag is right on this one.