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WHP’s Ken Matthews Believes Talk Radio Will Save Live Radio

WHP 580’s Ken Matthews told Barrett News Media that talk radio would “save live radio” because it’s the most viable format in the medium. 

Ryan Hedrick

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Harrisburg radio host Ken Matthews believes that he became a better host following a four-year stint as a fill-in for the late Rush Limbaugh. Matthews, a staunch conservative Republican with a background as a Top 40 DJ, possesses some striking similarities to the late radio icon.

Much like Limbaugh, Matthews paid his dues as a radio jock in several small markets. The New Jersey native spent time in Maine, Ohio, South Carolina, and Allentown, Pennsylvania. His passion for the U.S. Constitution and the core values that make America unique is evident in the way he addresses his audience.

During Limbaugh’s final months battling lung cancer, Matthews courageously engineered arguably the most successful talk radio program to its final stages. Matthews told Barrett News Media that talk radio would “save live radio” because it’s the most viable format in the medium. 

Recently, we sat down with Matthews to discuss what it was like meeting Rush Limbaugh and host his final show. Matthews also opened up about the process to find Limbaugh’s replacements. 

Ryan Hedrick: Tell us about your station and your show on 580 WHP in Harrisburg.

Ken Matthews: The station has a fabulous reputation; it has been around for almost 100 years. My show is very much an extension of my personality. I did a live audition there about eight years ago after Bob Durgin retired; he has since passed away. After my live audition, they called me back, and I have been doing the show full-time since September 2013

RH: What is your background in radio?

KM: Before I began hosting my talk show on 580 WHP, I did 25 years of morning radio in the contemporary hit format (CHR).

RH: How did your experience in the CHR format prepare you for your talk radio program?

KM: The good thing about the format is that you learn the basics probably better than any other format because it’s fast-paced, you have a limited amount of time to get your point out there, you must entertain, and when you go into those commercials you better make sure that people stick around.

RH: Describe the Harrisburg market and how its listeners engage with the talk radio format? 

KM: At WHP, we are bringing valuable information on a local level that people are not receiving in the market. Very few people in the market of Harrisburg dive deep into really important issues.

RH: How do you find the balance between catering to your local audience while addressing what is going on nationally and making it relevant to your Harrisburg listeners?

KM: Now more than ever, just in the last 18 months, we probably have more issues in common with the rest of the country, if not the world, right here in Central Pennsylvania. We have a fraudulent election that still hasn’t been clarified, and Pennsylvania is at the epicenter of it. The same thing with COVID. Our governor is one of five governors that really made some horrible decisions and locked down people, and destroyed businesses. It is rare when so many things nationally connect to you locally but being here in Harrisburg because we are in the Capitol, there’s so many connections there.

RH: How did you come onto Rush Limbaugh’s radar?

KM: I got my shot in the spring of 2017 after sending letters and tapes and going after people at the Premiere Radio Networks with snail mail and emails. I had the opportunity to fill in for Buck Sexton, who was going on vacation. I took my tape from Buck and I started to send that out to people, and before I knew it I was in a meeting with the head of Premiere Radio Network, who sent my stuff to Rush Limbaugh and James Golden.

RH: Did you have any type of relationship with Rush Limbaugh?

KM: I got to meet him in 2019, briefly after he got off the air. I was the only guest host that got to sit in that famous EIB chair and do a show. Rush invited me in. He was extremely gracious and thanked me for guest-hosting. 

RH: Did Premiere Networks ever approach you about replacing Rush Limbaugh full-time?

KM: I was never in that conservation, but I was very happy when they asked me to continue doing the show after he passed away. They asked several of us, including Todd [Herman] and Brett [Winterble] if we wanted to be on-air guides. It was a very interesting time, and I think the producers and the staff did an incredible job. That was a wonderful blessing and opportunity for me.

RH: Were you aware of who was going to replace Rush Limbaugh?

KM: No, I did not know. None of the guests hosts knew who was going to replace Rush. We were pummeled constantly by media people or friends. Premiere Radio Networks should teach the White House how to keep a secret. I knew the morning of the announcement when Craig Kitchen, President and COO of Premiere Networks called myself and the others involved and told us. It was a very positive transition.

RH: When you first heard that Clay Travis and Buck Sexton were going to replace Rush Limbaugh, your first thought was what?

KM: Who is Clay Travis because I wasn’t familiar with Clay. Obviously, I was familiar with Buck, and I figured that they would promote someone in the Premiere Networks family.

RH: How did it feel doing the final two Rush Limbaugh shows ever?

KM: It was bittersweet, but Rush was such a force that you couldn’t help but think that he was right there in the studio with you. The last of couple of shows felt very comfortable, and I did the show as if Rush and I were sitting there talking. When you fill-in for Rush you have a direct line to America.

RH: What did your time as one of Rush Limbaugh’s fill-in hosts to for the perception of you in the business?

KM: It certainly did not hurt it. Premiere Networks treats its talent very well. And for me personally, getting into that high-octane environment made me a better thinker, a better host. I had never worked with so many professional people in one location, it was amazing.

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1 Comment

  1. Andrea from New York

    August 18, 2021 at 1:40 pm

    I think Premiere Radio Networks made a HUGE MISTAKE not giiving Rushs timeslot to Ken Matthews. Maybe even Todd Herman. I also think maybe they should have polled Rushs audience. Obviously nobody could replace Rush. I miss him everyday and especially now with this country and the world being turned upside down.

    GOD BLESS RUSH LIMBAUGH
    GOD BLESS AMERICA

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BNM Writers

News is the Only Thing Missing From Election Coverage

Coverage of the election is, as we’ve discussed, still very horse-race-centric, and there’s been, of course, coverage of the various Trump court cases, but where is the coverage of exactly what the candidates plan to do if elected?

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A photo featuring I voted stickers

The first thought I had when I heard NBC had hired Ronna McDaniel as a commentator for $300,000 a year was to wonder how many actual journalists they could have hired for that money. Then, I recalled that NBC had laid off dozens of news staffers just a few months ago. Then, I remembered that I had just recently written a column decrying news organizations throwing pretty much anybody on the air as a “pundit” and this….

This was worse. It’s one thing to grab some rando who happened to be a minor functionary for the Executive Branch. It’s another to hire someone whose job was to promote election denialism and pretend that her opinion is something valuable for viewers. And, yes, it’s just as ridiculous when news organizations hire former presidential press secretaries (that’s you, Jen Psaki and Sean Spicer), their very jobs were to spin everything in their bosses’ favor and now you’re going to pay them big salaries for, um, what? Because they “have a name” or you’re afraid someone else will snap them up? Why them?

The McDaniel deal lasted five days, one completely unilluminating interview, and one unexpected Chuck Todd spine-growing outburst, so it’ll all blow over soon enough. The problem is, though, the part about having fired several news staffers, and what it means in an election year on both the national and local levels. If you have the money to hire an alleged pundit – any alleged pundit – you have the money to hire reporters, and I don’t mean anchors or opinion show hosts.

Coverage of the election is, as we’ve discussed, still very horse-race-centric, and there’s been, of course, coverage of the various Trump court cases, but where is the coverage of exactly what the candidates plan to do if elected? Who’s probing Project 2025 and why isn’t it front-page, first-segment news? Who’s pressing the Biden administration on Gaza? Is anyone reporting on the candidates’ record on climate change?

Beyond prescription drug prices, is anyone digging into the broken healthcare system and demanding answers from the candidates about what they’ll do to fix it (and not letting Trump get away with “I’ll have a better plan, a beautiful plan” without a single specific detail, like they did in 2016)? Why didn’t anyone focus on, for example, the GOP candidate for governor of North Carolina and his incendiary past comments well before the primary?

Pundits are not going to do the legwork on the issues; they’ll just talk about swing states while John King and Steve Kornacki point at their touchscreen maps. We need reporting on the things that matter (and can affect that horse race, even if most people have made up their minds). It shouldn’t just be Pro Publica and scattered independent journalists doing the dirty work.

Honestly, I don’t want to hear the complaints about the quality of the candidates or how this is a rerun or any of that. (We’ll leave that to The New York Times.) We are a horribly underinformed electorate and we got the horse race we deserve. It might just be idealists like me who think that, just maybe, the news media can play a role in educating the public and bursting the bubbles and echo chambers. This country has survived and prospered for a few centuries with the press shining a light on injustice and corruption.

Now, when we need that most, they’re more concerned with what they think will bring them ratings and money (although someone will have to explain to me who thought having Ronna McDaniel as a paid commentator would draw a single viewer to NBC).

Here’s a thought: Don’t lay off reporters, especially in an election year.  Assign them to dig deep on issues that matter to the voters.

Let the pundits talk about that.

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8 Ways to Take Your Commercials From Drab to Fab

Our main source of income is derived from commercials. There are a lot of bad commercials.

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Another reason to read this column, I often add an Easter egg. We are in the advertising business. Our main source of income is derived from commercials. There are a lot of bad commercials. Frequently, clients write these ads. You can excuse it if the spots suck. But when the commercials are written by Account Executives or the production department at the station, it is kind of unforgivable.

I am going to share the most meaningless phrases in commercials.

Locally Owned and Operated

Customers do not care. If customers cared about a business being locally owned and operated, Walmart would not exist. People want service, selection, and value. They do not want to get soaked. When you purchase something, are you willing to pay 20% for a local company? If you say yes, you are wrong. People want a deal.

The Phone Number

Doing 70 down the 405, John slammed on the brakes to write down the phone number for an amazing HVAC Company. That is not how it works people. HVAC companies rarely have or should have regular customers.

Normally, your AC is out. You call the HVAC Company that you are familiar with. Radio advertising allows people to have “TOMA”: Top of Mind Awareness. There are stats that show when a company is advertising on your radio station, their website shows an increase in traffic. When you needed a service for your home, you hit Google and choose the company that you’ve heard of. It’s that simple. I actually heard a commercial asking listeners to add a businesses phone number to their contact list. That is a moronic use of advertising real estate.

Street Addresses

“Tequilaberry’s Prime Rib is located at 106 East Governors Drive in Peoria.” 

The people listening cannot process that detail. You could say “Tequilaberry’s Prime Rib is on Governors Drive just off 10th in Peoria.” That is almost digestible. That creates a picture of where it is.

Trust me, people interested in prime rib will Google you and load the address in their navigation system. Spend that precious spot time selling the experience of the restaurant.

Always Using the Company Owner/Founder in Commercials

Sometimes, it is amazing when business owners are their spokesperson. They have passion and are natural salespeople. Some business owners are terrible at speaking about their product.

When you have a business owner who is a natural promoter, they can drag listeners into their business. I once worked with a family who owned a couple of hardware stores. They spoke about the benefits of visiting their stores. It was heartfelt and real. They promised that their employees can help solve any problem in your home. If you went to that store and had a simple or complex problem, the employees helped you out.

I once worked with a man who owned a really nice flooring company.  For whatever reason, he thought that he was funny. He had spots written by him, his wife, or a kid. The ads were dreadful. They were not funny at all. Account Executives need to talk these clients out of doing commercials like this. Nothing says wacky hijinks like flooring.

Overuse of Numbers

“We have grapes at 99 cents a pound, Chuck steak at $1.99, two-for-one zucchini.”

Trust me, no one driving in city traffic can keep track of that. “The 2025 Chevy Chevette is back with 45-mpg efficiency and amazing 18-inch tires. Prices start at $19,999…  The New Chevy Silverado starts at $32,999.”

It gets really confusing fast.

WWW.

Yes, I hear commercials saying check us on the internet at “W-W-W dot business name here dot com.”

WWW is assumed and not needed anymore unless you are running a Commadore-64 with the latest floppy disc technology.

Yellow Pages Ad

“Check out our new ad in the Yellow Pages!”

OMG, no one reads those damn things anymore. Most people born after 1960 just toss those suckers in the trash. There was a time when the Yellow Pages were the largest revenue generator in advertising. Yes, a book of ads. Like Facebook, without your buddy’s political, vacation, or food posts. It was just ads. Zero content.

I had stuffed salmon tonight that I engineered myself. I would make Sydney Sweeney quite the trophy husband. Set us up. Hey, I am single. It was not that long ago that you would hear a radio ad that promoted a coupon in the Sunday paper.

Well, that copy should be deader than a doornail.

Amateur Theater

A husband and wife discussing their lawn and how she heard about Telly’s Lawn Service from her friend Stacy. 

Those commercials are obviously contrived and not interesting at all. 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Open every commercial must have an attention-grabbing opener. “Totally Jammed…  The floor covered with the guest towels. Fearing the horrific consequences of another flush…  I did the right thing. I called ABC Plumbing. Quick service, a great price, and peace of mind.”

The next time that the plunger is failing to get the desired results, the listener of that commercial will identify with the very realist scenario.

We are in the advertising business. Use radio as it was meant.

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The Lost Art of Using Sound as a Springboard

Use sound it wherever you can. All you need is a loyal, capable and willing board operator, to go along with a conscientious host.

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A photo of Jon Stewart hosting The Daily Show
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Jon Stewart was the first guy to do it — take a politician’s words from the news of the day or week. Search his or her entire past and find a sound byte saying the exact opposite.

It became an art form – and a great way to keep people accountable.

Most radio operations don’t have the resources necessary to consistently do something like that, but truth be told, that kind of journalism isn’t really the point of this week’s column.

It’s an example of the simple power of sound. We need to use it more within our shows. Use sound it wherever you can. All you need is a loyal, capable, and willing board operator, to go along with a conscientious host.

Speaking from experience, not doing it is lazy.

Doing it takes minimal effort and helps conversations tremendously – especially when it’s in real-time. I know. I’ve been there – missing opportunity after opportunity because I didn’t think of it, ask for help or just do it myself.

Put simply, good sound is a better springboard to a question than just a question.

Just the other day, I realized how well it works and how little I’ve been doing it.

Here’s what happened.

We have one particularly heated congressional race in our state. The Republican candidate is running for a second time after narrowly losing in 2022 in an election where Connecticut’s gubernatorial candidate from the same party got smoked, and the Republican presidential candidate lost the state as well.

This time around, there’s a struggling Democratic President with real doubts about the economy and the country’s standing in the world.

Put simply, the Democratic congressional incumbent has a massive task ahead to get re-elected.

On my show, I try to be consistently independent and be a place for both parties to appear with the expectation that the conversations will be fair and honest.

The Republican candidate came on the show earlier this month, and we went through a number of issues. Connecticut is a relatively strong Democratic stronghold, where the party controls the legislature, the Governor’s Mansion, and the entire congressional delegation.

Having said that, the largest voting block is unaffiliated, so appealing to independents is crucial for either side to win. I asked the Republican candidate twice about whether he will support Donald Trump, and both times, he equivocated. I asked the follow-up, we were on the record, so I moved on.

The following week, his opponent, the Democratic incumbent, was scheduled to appear on the show. Before her arrival, I realized the Trump Q&A should probably be replayed for her. Duh.

My producer found it, clipped it, and had it at the ready. I felt that I should have realized it sooner and not put some added strain on my partner’s morning routine. He was fine, but it definitely added unnecessary work within the show.

Lesson learned.

The sound byte worked well. I played it. She responded. We moved the story forward, and it was compelling – as you might imagine, the topic of Trump vs. Biden is pretty compelling these days.

By no means did it create a “wow” moment. That would be a little much. But it did make the show better, using the opponent’s own voice as opposed to my paraphrasing something. That lends credibility, not only to the topic but also to the show. He gave this important answer on our show, and she gave her response … on our show.

My final thought on this is that we (I) need to look for more places to utilize sound as a springboard to conversations, as opposed to simply raising the topic and discussing it. Maybe you’re already good at it and do it all the time, but this past week, I realized I need to push myself to do it more.

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