Reply #10: Actually, no [View All]

Syndicated programming can take quite a few forms.

The most common is a pure barter system. This is where a show is offered for free, provided they keep, say, six minutes per hour for national ads. They would also provide local ad time for the affiliate.

Some of the more popular ones may use a barter/pay type of system. I've heard that affiliates pay Rush a ton, yet they run a lot of national ads for air mattresses and cheap steel buildings.

And then there's the elite, like Howard Stern, who go for straight cash (lots of it), and allow local affiliates to sell all the ad time.

A popular method is the leasing concept. This is done by smaller, less successful stations. They simply lease out time (usually by blocks) to mostly ethnic and religious broadcasters, as well as infomercial entrepreneurs) and the one leasing the time from the owner controls all content and can sell the ad time. The owner pays the electric bill and the FCC license fees. Kinda like renting an apartment.

This works somewhat for what AAR wants to do. Sure, they could just syndicate all the shows in a very crowded marketplace, but then they'd be fighting it out with the Medveds and Ingrahams of the world. But they are intent on presenting the entire schedule as a whole, not in pieces. And lord knows there are plenty of struggling stations that could use the money. So AAR basically controls the station (to an extent) but do not own it. They make the money back by selling ad time and swag. And they don't have to fight it out in the world of syndication (where they'll surely sink). Simple as that.

Of course, the conservative types ridicule AAR for paying to broadcast their shows, but that is not necessarily true. It is widely known that Westwood One paid some huge sums to get Bill O'Really on in some choice markets. They should pay more, since Bill is stinking it up in the ratings (the Sacramento station just dumped him). Clear Channel continually dumps their hosts on their local stations. Dr. Laura was a notorious example, and even forced Rush affiliates to carry her. This has subsided, since station managers complained about her terrible ratings. So Laura was kicked to the curb, and now they are trying to force Glen Beck's awful show on the public via CC airwaves. Not sure if anyone really cares, though.

And don't forget all the RW religious groups paying obscene amounts to lease time for shows nobody listens to. Some even go on wild buying sprees. Starboard is a Catholic broadcaster buying up every decrepit radio property in the middle of nowhere to broadcast their national format. Not sure where they get the money for all this, nor why they would go through all this trouble. They even bought up several AM stations in the Minneapolis area to broadcast the same format (never mind they overlap like crazy). Salem is a big commercial broadcaster that also buys obscure stations, but unlike Starboard they sell ad time.

So what AAR is doing is nothing to be ashamed of, nor is it unethical or illegal. They are simply renting property and keeping the profits.