Selling “controversial” talk getting harder says U.S. syndication boss

Westwood One founder, Norm Pattiz also corporations are focused on debt reduction not content. Presenting the keynote speech at a TALKERS New Media Seminar in Los Angeles, Courtside Entertainment Group CEO and Westwood One founder Norm Pattiz told the crowd that Rush Limbaugh’s Sandra Fluke controversy (he called the innocent looking 22 year old law student a “slut” and a “prostitute”) has been a serious blow to the nationally syndicated talk radio business. 

pattiz.04.13.01_200Pattiz (left)said that although the hype in the consumer media has died down, people on the streets trying to sell “controversial” talk radio at the national level are finding it harder than ever and that, despite the fact audience size is unchanged, there is dwindling support for conservative talk radio from national advertisers. He fears the national talk syndication model may be permanently harmed. 

He also commented on the current structure of major broadcasting companies burdened with a high debt load that hampers programming.  Pattiz said the days of two stations battling creatively in a market are almost gone because the corporations are singularly concerned with reducing their debt load and are not able to focus their energies on building and supporting programming and personalities with which they can compete in the advertising wars.