Let's Talk Frank, the daily radio program of conservative activist, blogger, columnist, and writer Terry Frank and her husband Lee didn't air today in its normal 3:00pm time slot, because after the sale of the Horne Radio Network to Blount Broadcasting on Friday the Franks decided to pull the plug on the popular program after the new owners informed them that their rates were being doubled:
But on Friday, in just a matter of minutes, a tough business decision had to be made. Jim and Johnnie Sexton of Maryville, Tn along with the Alice Kirby living trust, purchased Horne Radio. As is often the case in the world of radio, new management says no change as they navigate to do exactly the opposite.
This case was no different. We were told agreements would be honored. That changed on Friday. And here’s where the business decision comes in. First, any normal business person understands that a new business relationship and new terms and a transfer would warrant the courtesy of a phone call, a face to face, an actual conversation. That’s good business.
A letter under your microphone doesn’t really put a new business relationship off on a good foot. Major red flag.
Shame on Mr. Sexton for not honoring an existing agreement with the previous owner, Doug Horne. No, the Sextons are not legally bound to do so, but that would have been the right thing to do. Further, changes in ownership at a radio station usually mean that improvements are made in how things are done. The now-former Horne Radio Network had a weak signal, no way to guage ratings, and no upgrades that made its stations and network accessable to those outside of Knox and Blount Counties who might want to listen to its content-which is by no means exclusive to merely Knox and Blount. The worst policy of Horne Radio, which doesn't appear as though it is going to change, is that liberal chat hosts are paid, while conservative host do the paying:
We’ve done the best we could when the station provides us no ratings or listener information or demographics by which to sell advertising. It’s a tough sell when clients ask who’s listening and you have to respond, “trust us, we have listeners.” We were never able to provide reliable and quality online streaming, something most stations do. When we began our show and got going, Horne Radio management inserted syndicated political talk to compete against us on their other station.
With no promises of improvement, with a weaker winter signal, and with the liberal hosts in the morning actually getting paid to talk on air, a decision had to be made. It’s economics.
The sheer discriminatory nature of our station paying for the broadcast of liberal views and charging for conservative thought reached the tipping point with the appearance of Mr. Sexton’s letter. We spend tremendous amounts of time on the program as well as the sacrifice of family togetherness. Was the higher rate worth it while maintaining the same sacrifices? We decided in a matter of minutes that it was not.
Most readers might think that this is a mere gripe on Terry Frank's part, but I know for a fact that Terry and Lee had listeners, and that some of the other talent on Horne just wasn't even on the same level as Lee and Terry Frank. "Now Oatney," you say, "aren't you saying that because you like Lee and Terry and they are conservatives." I have respect for those with ability.
I've been a radio buff all my life, and have been involved with radio on and off professionally since college. It often shocks people-especially liberals-when I tell them that one of my biggest radio influences growing up was Larry King. I used to lay in bed at night as a youngster with the radio left on just so I could sneak a listen at Larry. It wasn't Larry's politics which kept me tuned in, but that he was entertaining and always kept my interest. I've heard some of Horne's talent, including the talent they pay for-and Lee and Terry were the only creative hosts on that radio outlet.
Whether it is writing and blogging, or radio, for many conservative activists, these things are a labor of love. They take away time from our families and friends that we give freely to the movement. Talent like Lee and Terry Frank might never be paid for their work, but they deserve much greater credit and appreciation.
Comments
Not to sound trite, but things happen for a reason. I'm surprised the Franks stayed with this radio station as long as they did, given the circumstances you've described and the obvious uneven treatment. Sounds to me like this was a blessing in disguise that forced them out of their comfort zone.
Now - hopefully in the limelight - they can find a REAL radio station, who will pay them what they're worth and treat them with dignity; share ratings stats with them; and enable them to also obtain advertisers.
It might not seem so now, but this seems like a positive move. ;-)
This is the 5th time in four years that conservative talk radio has been shut down in Knoxville. This place is like the old Soviet Union. The liberal talk show in question is terrible and an active insult to anyone with a brain. I hope the Sextons get to eat this move. Not that it matters to them. This was about politics not money.
"Franks" and "Talent" in the same sentence...comical.
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