Heading Right - into obscurity!
Who are you?
This blog is described as “the central hub for Conservatives on BlogTalk Radio.” The only blogs and shows I see represented here are the twelve “top hosts” in the otherwise empty right sidebar. How about a category for “mediocre hosts?” I’ve listened to nearly every conservative radio show on Blogtalkradio and I can say without bullshitting you that my blog’s show ‘P.V. Radio‘ makes nearly all of them sound like two drunk monkeys trying to eat a microphone! We’re that good. I’ll endure a mediocre rating just to inspire someone with the golden password to insert a category into that barren right sidebar that introduces the rest of the faceless membership in this “central hub” for conservative blogtalkradio hosts. The only other site as ironic is Headingleft.com - a cabal of crooners regurgitating one atrocious show after another. In the spirit of partisanship - can we not at least try to outcrawl them for superiority?
How about a couple of basic upgrades? Signature links back to our blogs on our posts and a blogroll so that we can follow from our own blogs to see when there are new posts would be helpful. Let’s put that sidebar to use by inserting categories for recent posts, recent comments, category counts and maybe a category featuring provocative quotes from blogtalkradio shows who are members of this site. This site ought to be a celebration of our product; it should be drawing visitors and introducing them to the big world that is Conservative Radio on the internet. It’s a party! Let’s dress up the walls!
But then again, I could be wrong - maybe there is only thirteen blogs here at Heading Right - the twelve apostles on the right and the mysterious Frank and Shane from Politicalvindication.com. But there’s 520 conservative political shows at Blogtalkradio! Surely the Oz behind the curtain contacted them! Who are they? Must Political Vindication sit all alone in the “Mediocre Hosts” category? No!
I feel like a greaser crashing the Jock’s party - but it’s awful quiet around here and I’m suggesting something more than slurping diet Sprite and winking to each other - let’s add tequila, turn up the music and turn on the lights - you might be surprised to see who’s standing next to you!
I’m willing to help if it’s needed - but let’s do something!
June 2nd, 2007 at 6:00 pm
I would not necessarily use the term “mediocre”. We have plenty of great hosts covering almost every angle of political dialogue. I know that Ed, our political director has been busy with Mitt Romney this week and JM next week.
We do have hundreds of political hosts on both sides of the aisle and the Blogtalkradio platform is the perfect platform to have great conversations and to engage in debate. Adding a bit of tequila couldn’t hurt.
Alan Levy
CEO
June 2nd, 2007 at 6:01 pm
NOOOOOS! You’ve gone and angered the gods! We told you not to do thaaat!
Heh. Just kiddin’. As a fellow “mediocre” host I would agree with most of what ya said. Then again, I’m probably below you on the Blogtalkradio food chain…:)
I just take it in stride and keep workin’ as hard as I can. I do agree on getting us above and beyond what we are now and if that means I have to chip in to help in some way or means, I’m totally into doing free intern like stuff…:)
June 2nd, 2007 at 10:17 pm
Nice posting. And there’s much to agree with there.
I’m obviously not a blogger but an interested spectator (and commenter on occasion). Originally I came to Heading Right due to the announcements at Cap’n Ed’s site. And since coming here fairly regularly, I’ve reaped the bonus of finding some great shows on Blog Talk radio and also have added three more blogs represented here to my “Favs” list - so that part of it has been positive.
But I must ask…does Heading Right wish to only be a forum for the “Top 12 Bloggers” or are ordinary souls like myself actually welcome here to submit comments? The impression given here, in my opinion, is that this site is only for the contributing bloggers to cohabitate together - there’s a bit of a “coffee club” nature here.
I guess I may have misunderstood from the beginning - whether this is a place for you folks to share writings, views and news amongst yourselves or if you truly wanted to invite the general blog public in to read and react.
In writing this, I’m still not clear if I am crashing a party or not. I would appreciate someone here clarifying this for me.
June 3rd, 2007 at 12:28 am
[…] mild endorsement of Shane’s basic sentiments below…. This blog is described as “the central hub for Conservatives on BlogTalk […]
June 3rd, 2007 at 9:23 am
As a member of this blog and very occasional BTR host, I would submit the you have answered your own question, Fight4theRight. You posted a comment in this thread.
I won’t speak for Ed, but I’m sure the overarching principle is ‘the more the merrier, comment away.”
-Chin
June 3rd, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Evrviglnt wrote:
“How about a couple of basic upgrades? Signature links back to our blogs on our posts and a blogroll so that we can follow from our own blogs to see when there are new posts would be helpful.”
As a fan of the blogosphere, and a former business administration professional specializing in troubleshooting, now retired, my reaction to reading your post was:
What???
Okay, let me expand on that. This is a blog which, according to its statement of purpose, showcases some of the best and brightest talking heads that BlogTalkRadio offers.
Let’s look at this in greater detail. BlogTalkRadio is a service. It offers Internet streamed Talk Radio, in slots of time, to anyone wanting to establish their own talk radio program via the Internet. In other words, anyone who would like to purchase a radio show slot for establishing their own talk radio program would contact a business such as BTR to make contractual arrangements to purchase this service.
Blog Talk Radio, the business, is selling the service and vehicle to its clientele, the BTR radio hosts.
Clear so far?
Now, if a customer of BTR who is running their own Internet streamed talk radio program begins to experience problems, one would think that said BTR host would contact their BTR customer service representative, for assistance with the problems or issues, right?
It’s very much like having your own blog and hiring a blog hosting service to contract for server space and related blogging services needed, such as domain name registration, additional space needed, etc. When problems or issues are encountered, the blogger would contact their customer service representative at the blog hosting services company for assistance in resolving these problems or issues, right?
And BlogTalkRadio, as a service to its clientele talk radio hosts, has provided blogs specifically themed to the BTR format, whether Left or Right talk radio hosts, for the BTR hosts to use to showcase their talents in order to attract new listeners to their BTR talk radio program. These hosts have the opportunity, through utilizing Heading Right or Heading Left, to post articles or essays or highlights of their upcoming radio program’s topics or guest interviews, in order to attract new listeners or let existing listeners know what the lineup is on upcoming shows, right?
So I guess I have to wonder why certain BTR radio hosts have suddenly decided to wage some kind of rebellion on this blog?
After all, if you, on your personal blogs, suddenly experience problems with server capacity or other technical difficulties, it’s not like you would post an article or essay on your blog itself b****ing and moaning about the problems, expecting your blog hosting service company to be reading your blog to find out what difficulties you might be experiencing as their client.
So why would you use this BTR blog to complain about services or service related problems rather than directly contact a BlogTalkRadio customer service professional to assist you with these problems?
No offense meant/intended! Just sharing some observations as an outsider with extensive experience in business troubleshooting.
I come here to read the BTR hosts’ posts to see if there’s anything interesting to tune into on their talk radio programs…..and I’m finding it hard to be interested in something that’s not even being showcased by the talk radio hosts themselves.
June 3rd, 2007 at 3:57 pm
Kendra - Let’s start this over again.
I think this chunk of your outrage suffices:
Blog Talk Radio is a free service. This blog here, offered as a platform to promote this free service and the hosts that have taken advantage of such a boon, is also free, though access is limited by invitiation. What a great compliment to be invited by Ed Morrissey to join the rest of the conservative BTR hosts here at this conservative hub. My gratitude to Alan Levy and everyone who makes BTR knows no bounds. That’s why I’m not going to call Mr. Levy personally to register my frustrations - he doesn’t deserve anything but gratitude.
This site is a meeting place, it’s roof held up by contributing members, the head of the hall being Ed Morrissey. I’m not going to pester BTR because I want to put pictures on the wall! I’ll pester Ed Morrissey, and I can only garner support for progress right here - where the members must be willing to make Heading Right better! That blog over there - Heading Left gets eighteen hits a day!!! This blog has an average of 494 hits a day!!! We have a success story brewing right here at Heading Right - and you browbeat me for caring?
I don’t understand the backhand? Look at this blog - it’s crying out for just a little attention - the grand white landscape with nary an exclamation point to tease new visitors with! Reading the BTR proclamations one always hears about the value of advertising and enticing listeners to tune in - but you take their clay in your hands and sling it at me for b****ing and moaning? Carpe Diem!
I am a revolutionary, but this is no rebellion! I look at the potential around me and wonder at the possibilities! The Republican party stumbles toward the 2008 elections, and it’s plain to see that every opportunity must be entertained; every naysayer converted, every host unbound and every show promoted. I’ll gladly suffer ridicule for a raising the call for unity and progress - I promise, after the 2008 elections I’ll ask nothing more of you, nothing more: I’ll carry from there the flag myself.
All is not lost - nestled within a post of thorns Kendra demurs. She’s right, we have a lot to do to make this blog the red rose that intrigues. But it can happen. It must. Blogtalkradio - such fertile soil for a conjunction both profitable for BTR and empowering for its members. Let’s open the doors. Let’s make this site a comprehensive introduction to all that conservative Blogtalkradio has to offer!
June 3rd, 2007 at 4:31 pm
My sincerest apologies. I did think this was a contracted for service at BTR. Being a free service for bloggers blows my mind, literally.
Good luck to all of you, and I wish you the greatest success with this venture!
And yes, please do start using the blog to showcase your upcoming programs. I may be retired with oodles of time to enjoy what pleasures I care to pursue, but most people are still employed and/or raising families, so time is tight. It would help in planning one’s day to know what sounds interesting enough to plug into the daily schedule!
June 3rd, 2007 at 5:47 pm
“Funk Dronkeys”,….where?
June 3rd, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Okay, in retrospect, with a clearer understanding of BTR’s format, I’d like another stab at expressing my own frustrations with this blog.
I think the thing that was most confusing to me was that Ed Morrissey had built up this blog, Heading Right, as a place to go and interact with other Conservatives and with Conservative bloggers who were now BlogTalkRadio hosts. Many of us who are fans of Captain’s Quarters came here expecting lively exchanges, plus a place where the talk radio hosts would, following Ed’s example, highlight their upcoming shows, plus report a synopsis of those shows afterwards for those who wanted to find out what they might look forward to in future programming.
Instead, since its inception, Heading Right has evolved into a chat room for BTR hosts, essentially. So, as Fight4theRight noted, and I’ve mentioned to Ed in e-mail, we, the listening audience and/or blog fans, are kind of left hanging out here wondering what the heck is going on, and what, if anything, our role as listeners/readers/participants/fans might be.
And no, I wasn’t expressing outrage in my first post. Just irritation that the huge buildup has resulted in a bigger letdown since this blog is not exactly audience friendly, and has seemed to have devolved into some kind of rebellion by some apparently dissatisfied BTR hosts.
So I guess what all of you BTR hosts might want to do is to consider what this blog is all about, whether a chat room for BTR hosts or a place to showcase your upcoming radio programs, and if you are going to use this blog as a BTR host forum, or as a vehicle to interact with your radio listening audience.
In talk radio the host is, essentially, entertaining his/her listening audience, with interesting program segments or political talk or talk about current news, and so on. After all, it’s all about the listeners and fans, right? Unless, of course, your target audience is other BTR hosts and other bloggers as listeners and fans.
It all really boils down to just who you want to make up your listening audience: Other BTR hosts and/or other bloggers, or us non-blogger listeners and blogosphere/Internet fans, as well as other bloggers. Where are the greatest numbers of potential listeners? Do ratings count in the BlogTalkRadio realm? I really don’t know.
One suggestion I do have is to create a private forum for BTR hosts only to discuss these BTR marketing and host requirements issues out of public view, where they really belong, and reserve the publicly accessible Heading Right Blog to be used to showcase the various radio shows and interact with their fans/listeners.
I hope I’ve expressed my confusion and frustration more effectively, now that I understand BTR’s foundation better.
June 3rd, 2007 at 6:47 pm
Wow. Kendra, throw off your slippers and strap on your loafers - you are the kind of resource we’re looking for here. And using you as an example I’d argue for a public chat room where our listeners can tell us what they want. If the focus is about communication and celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit - we ought to make this place a shrine!
I dream of a site with a scrolling schedule and bio’s of hosts and their shows on BTR. How about a chatroom for all excited about conservative blogtalkradio, and the site as a resource for getting to know the medium and it’s gurus?
At the very least, it ought to inspire more bloggers to join us, proud to join a movement to take back the internet from the kooks and the nutroots! Your training in such a no nonsense venture is a welcome insight.
By the way, much respect goes to Ed Morrissey - I know how hard he works…I’m just offering a helping hand.
So Kendra…I bet you were a pretty tough boss, eh?
June 3rd, 2007 at 7:23 pm
Shane 3 June 2007 @ 6:47 pm
“So Kendra…I bet you were a pretty tough boss, eh?”
Heh! Not in the least. And my troubleshooting forte was going in to clean up the mess that you entrepreneurs make when your hot ideas take off so fast, causing rapid and almost out of control growth, that you didn’t have time to take care of the details and fine tuning the business end of things. Ultimately, I did end up on Mahogany Row in a cool job.
“I dream of a site with a scrolling schedule and bio’s of hosts and their shows on BTR. How about a chatroom for all excited about conservative blogtalkradio, and the site as a resource for getting to know the medium and it’s gurus?”
Excellent! One of the things that is frustrating is that I can’t find out about the BTR hosts, can’t get to their personal blogs unless they specifically link to them, and have no bio to quick reference before listening to the show. So there’s no way to know whether a host is Center/Right or Far Right or any shade in between.
“At the very least, it ought to inspire more bloggers to join us, proud to join a movement to take back the internet from the kooks and the nutroots!”
Great point! One of the things that is clear to me is that a lot of the Lefty blog fans must be kids, since their communication skills seem limited to gutter talk and teen talk. Intelligent, mature people, whether on the Right side or Left side of the spectrum, really appreciate a place to go where there are other real adults to interact with without the sandbox chatter. I actually read the blog at Heading Left now and then to follow their progress in evolving as well.