Talk Radio Network (TRN) is an independent, American producer and national syndicator of news and talk radio programming. The network emphasizes conservative talk on weekdays and variety talk radio on weekends. It is headquartered in Central Point, Oregon.
History
Talk Radio Network was founded in 1993. It is made up of several affiliates that produce and syndicate their own radio content. The Original Talk Radio Network produced and syndicated The Savage Nation from 1999 to 2012; Talk Radio Network Enterprises produces and syndicates The Jerry Doyle Show, and it produced and syndicated The Laura Ingraham Show from 2004 to 2012; Talk Radio Network - FM produced and syndicated The Mancow Experience until 2014 and The Phil Hendrie Show; Talk Radio Network Entertainment produces and syndicates America's Morning News; and America's Radio News Network "produces and syndicates four separate three-hour daily weekday news programs" and it has produced and syndicated "top- and bottom-of-the-hour news reports on a 24-hour-per-day, 7-day per week basis."
Bear Stearns issued a report in 2007 that concluded TRN was the second-largest provider of top-tier nationally syndicated radio talk shows in the United States, behind only Premiere Radio and ahead of competitors ABC Radio and Westwood One for national talk programming.
The network's first offering was Art Bell's Coast to Coast AM. TRN sold the rights to Bell's program (and its owned-and-operated stations, held under Chancellor Broadcasting) to Clear Channel Communications in 1996. The Savage Nation was heard on TRN from 1999 until 2012, when Michael Savage successfully sued TRN over his contract and subsequently left the network. During 1998 to 2000, TRN was a for-profit subsidiary of the nonprofit Foundation for Human Understanding.
Programming
Talk Radio Network's programming is arranged in the format of a 24-hour network, such that the programming rarely overlaps, with the programming split up among three satellites. Aside from encores, almost all of TRN's programs air live. TRN currently carries no short-form programming; in April 2007, Talk Radio Network debuted its first short-form program, a daily commentary hosted by Dick Morris, but it has since left the air.
TRN's weekday programs have mostly been distributed individually as opposed to a straight network, while the network's weekend programming is mostly syndicated as a large block. Since the late 2000s, however, TRN been increasingly fed its weekday programming to stations in multi-program blocks; according to TRN, the network is "capable of delivering a full turn-key talk operation to one radio station."
Much of TRN's programming could be heard on CRN Digital Talk Radio Networks until November 2009, when CRN dropped the network and replaced it with Air America Media. Most TRN programs returned to CRN in 2010 after Air America's demise. TRN programming is split up among CRN2, CRN4 and CRN5, with most weekday programs on CRN4 and weekend shows airing on CRN5.
In January 2011, TRN began rolling out an all news network service for stations, called America's Radio News Network (ARNN). As of September 6, 2013, ARNN has suspended operations due to Talk Radio Network's ongoing battle with Dial Global/Westwood One as the network's merger with Cumulus Media Networks is pending. ARNN was carried on CRN7.
Weekday schedule
All times below are Eastern Time Zone (ET), adjusted seasonally for daylight saving time.
General market talk
- Sam Sorbo
- The Jerry Doyle Show
- Advice Line with Roy Masters
Weekend schedule
- Monica Crowley
- Flashpoint Live with Sam Sorbo and Marius Forte
- Sarah Hiner's Bottom Line on Your Health
- Science Fantastic with Dr. Michio Kaku
Encores of Talk Radio Network programming and fill-in hosts such as Bill Wattenburg and Tammy Bruce fill in the gaps.
References
External links
- Talk Radio Network corporate site
- Talk Radio Network public site
- Clips from TRN syndicated programs
