More Talk of Local Talk Radio Blues

An interesting if somewhat depressing story in the LA Times this morning about the decline of local talk radio in California, tied to the economy, and how it may affect the political contest over votes over the Governator's tax hike proposals this year.

... the reality is that conservative talk radio in California is on the wane. The economy's downturn has depressed ad revenue at stations across the state, thinning the ranks of conservative broadcasters.

For that and other reasons, stations have dropped the shows of at least half a dozen radio personalities and scaled back others, in some cases replacing them with cheaper nationally syndicated programs.

I would argue that "cheaper" is not the correct adjective. It should be "less profitable." It's instructive that not even the LA Times is contending that the local talkies are being dumped because of their political orientation, or in favor of liberal chatter.

I wonder if any of these stations are owned by Journal Communications?