This morning I was attempting to confirm that IRN’s Daybreak USA show is still even being distributed. \u00a0 \u00a0A couple months ago, I carried the item that the “network” was being “sold” to a “Christian” “news” service. The one station in the database still carrying the show has a non-working stream (at least on the iPad)<\/p>\n
If you ever listened to IRN (which absorbed the USA Radio network in 2008), it doesn’t take long to realize it is mostly religious motivated news and talk. \u00a0 You would not be out of line if you assumed the “I” in IRN stood for “Israel”. The news broadcasts carry extensive coverage of events in the middle east.<\/p>\n
Daybreak USA was a secular morning news program when it was owned by the failed USA Radio network. \u00a0It has gone through several hosts since the merger.<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.irnusaradio.com\/our-programs\/daybreak-usa<\/p>\n
A few signs of decay to notice – if you go to Press Releases, the most recent is from 2011. There is no press release announcing the sale of the network. Clicking on Archives finds nothing but a single sample newscast from earlier this year.<\/p>\n
The description of Daybreak USA describes it as “live” (in quotes). The show is either live or it isn’t. My impression is the final two hours may be a refeed of the earlier truly live hours, but that may also contain recorded segments. It’s hard to get “live” interviews at 5 AM.<\/p>\n
Independent syndicated news\/talk is done. The fat lady has finished singing.<\/p>\n
TRN is now essentially just Jerry Doyle during the week with owner Roy Masters promoting his mind control tapes. Laura Ingraham has a syndicator, but isn’t part of an all day lineup that stations might want to carry. Radio America is still around, but fewer stations carry the lineup. Their star is Roger Hedgecock who is #29 for the past year in listenership via this website. <\/p>\n
Salem is mostly heard only on their own stations and not independent of the religious perspective of the two founders (both now past retirement age). BTRN (Business Talk) and sister network Lifestyle Radio are mostly dead air or paid programming. Chuck Harder’s network is gone. Westwood One and Dial Global are now owned by Cumulus, which can be pretty sure to end programs as existing talent contracts run out and national “talent” refuses to work for AFTRA minimum scale. Westar is just Kim Komando.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, Dave Ramsey’s religious\/money advice is great inexpensive programming to fill the void and is showing up everywhere.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This morning I was attempting to confirm that IRN’s Daybreak USA show is still even being distributed. \u00a0 \u00a0A couple months ago, I carried the item that the “network” was being “sold” to a “Christian” “news” service. The one station … Continue reading