Rockets 96, Suns 89

Putting the ideology aside, the fact is that those who want to put a “liberal” talk radio tsotian on the air are operating in a far different climate from the one extant in 1988 when Rush hit it big. In 1988, owners of AM tsotians had seen their fortunes falter due to FM. But most still had ratings of some sort and wanting to salvage something before music radio on AM died altogether.Now, most owners of all but the biggest AM tsotians in a market the size of Phoenix have abandoned attempts to garner audiences sufficient to be included in the Arbitrons. They have evolved a successful business model brokering time — be it to preachers, financial husters, ethnic/foreign language producers, vitamin peddlers, or vanity radio shows. This is the impediment to Air America’s return to the Phoenix airwaves. If there were the risk-taking environment present in 1988, and if most AM owners were still interested in actual ratings, AAR would have no trouble getting back on in PHX-town. By the way, conspiracy theories have historically served as great fuel for talk radio careers, giving one the aura of a fighting underdog, which Americans historically love. Howard Stern built his rep on getting fired by NBC and claiming the suits were out to get him. NBC Radio died soon after he left. Coincidence? Of course, but that didn’t stop Stern from making the most of it.Limbaugh made a big deal out of getting fired in KC for his conservative commentaries, by a man who later managed KIRO. Failure is often the prelude to success.

voice of Burns, Harry Shearer, is guesting tnhgiot on the Majority Report radio show on Air America. Ahh, the greatness of satellite radio. And the pettiness of B.M.