01/04/2005 ) The Ed Schultz Show:
The Ed Schultz Show: "A Year in Review"
"Schultz is the 800-pound gorilla of this (progressive talk) format" - Gabe Hobbs, V.P. of News/Talk/Sports, Clear Channel
"A thick-necked, trash-talking former conservative from Fargo."
- Esquire, Kurson, 2/1/04
Ed Schultz had a breakthrough year in 2004, growing from two stations in January to 70 one year later. His tough-talking, common sense brand of progressive populism entertained listeners from Boston to Honolulu and over the satellite radio networks of XM and Sirius. Ed Schultz was the first to market a nationally-syndicated progressive talk show. Swimming against the tide, he proved it could be done.
Here are some highlights of Ed's first year:
January, 2004
The Ed Schultz Show launches in two markets, Needles, California and Langdon, North Dakota. For his inaugural show, Ed talks with Senator Hillary Clinton, Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle and Governor Howard Dean, who does the interview from the tarmac at Hector International Airport in Fargo, N.D. where the temperature was 10 degrees below zero.
Ed faces a sea of criticism from within the radio industry, which vows that progressive radio won't work. The foremost Talk programmer in the country, Phil Boyce of WABC NY, says, "The idea is a noble one, but is doomed to fail." (Dallas Morning News, Jan. 5, 2004).
February, 2004
Ed goes on the air in Detroit (Ann Arbor) and Santa Barbara.
Esquire magazine features Ed as its "Man of the Month".
March, 2004
In March, Ed adds the markets of Charlotte, N.C., Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, Mich., Davenport-Rock Island, Iowa, and Eugene, Oregon. Later in the month he would go on in Salt Lake City, Raleigh-Durham, Madison, Wis., and Fargo-Valley City, N.D. Ed is added to the Progressive talk channel on XM satellite radio (beating Air Americaýs Randi Rhodes for the coveted afternoon drive slot).
April, 2004
Ed's show expands in the former confederacy, picking up Charleston-Huntington, W.V. and the Tri Cities in Tenn.-Va. Ed also picks up his first major market, Portland, Oregon's KPOJ. Ed is added at the start of the all important Arbitron Spring ratings book. He also launched on Sirius Satellite Radio on the Sirius left Channel, 143.
May, 2004
Ed adds the markets of Santa Barbara-Santa-Maria-San Luis Obispo, Calif., Charlottesville, Va., Springfield, Mo. and Minneapolis.
June, 2004
Ed goes live in the third-largest media market in the country on a suburban Chicago station and in Bend, Oregon. He also picks up another "red state," going on the air in Rapid City, S.D.
July, 2004
July was a busy month for the Ed Schultz Show. The show picks up six more affiliates, in Oklahoma City, Miami, Phoenix, Columbus, Ga. and two more stations in Minneapolis.
The Spring ratings are released for KPOJ in Portland, Oregon -- Ed takes the station from #27 in the market to #1. He starts to really be recognized as the leader of the progressive pack. These astounding ratings results get the attention of San Francisco, Boston, and other Clear Channel major markets. Since KPOJ was the first major station to completely flip the format from Standards to Progressive Talk, and had these amazing results, suddenly the progressive is deemed not only viable, but a winner.
Ed attends the Democratic National Convention in Boston.
August, 2004
Ed continues his westward expansion, as his show is picked up in Las Vegas, San Diego and Denver.
Ed attends the Republican National Convention. On Tuesday, August 31st, the U.S.D.A. press staff asks the Show to interview Secretary Ann Veneman. When she arrives at Edýs booth on radio row at Madison Square Garden, Ed graciously tells the Secretary he is from North Dakota and gives her fair warning that he is concerned with the plight of America's family farmers. Secretary Veneman declines the interview and walks away rather than defend the Bush Administration's farm policies.
September, 2004
Ed adds Anchorage, Columbus, Ohio, Greenville, SC, Rochester, West Palm Beach, Albuquerque and three stations in Honolulu.
Ed releases his first book, Straight Talk from the Heartland: Tough Talk, Common Sense, and Hope from a Former Conservative, published by ReganBooks.
October, 2004
Ed adds more major media markets, picking up San Francisco, Boston, Seattle and another Minneapolis station, as well as Jacksonville, Reno, Hartford, Waco, Duluth, Minn. and Eugene, Ore.
November, 2004
Ed picks up Springfield, Mass., Milwaukee and Eureka, Ore.
The day before the election, Ed interviews former President Bill Clinton.
December, 2004
Ed goes live in Kansas City and Charleston, S.C.
Concerned with the fairness of the recount in the Washington state Governor's race, Ed appealed to his listeners to donate money to the recount effort. Ed's listeners raise(ed) about $30,000 for the recount. (Seattle Times, Postman, 1/2/05)
At year's end, Jones Radio surpassed the original projected number of 40 stations, and hits 70. Rush Limbaugh had 56 in his first year of broadcast.
Ed has also gained enormous respect and support from within the radio industry, specifically the traditionally conservative talk radio niche, and proves that Progressive Talk not only works, it wins.
January, 2005
Ed picks up another station in Rapid City, S.D.
Big Ed's Guests
During his remarkable first year as a nationally-syndicated host, Ed spoke with all of the Democratic Presidential candidates. During the general election, Ed spoke several times with Democratic nominees John Kerry and John Edwards.
He regularly hosts Senators and members of congress, and conducted repeat interviews with Richard Morrison, the Texas Democrat who ran against House Republican Leader Tom DeLay.
Prominent Republicans appearing on Ed's show included John McCain, Chuck Hagel, Pat Buchanan, Joe Scarborough, and right-wing hack, David Bossie.
He has spoken with Jesse Ventura, Dan Rather, Bob Schieffer, Anderson Cooper, James Carville and Paul Begala.
He also spoke with 9/11 Widow, Monica Gabriel and 9/11 Commission Member Richard Ben-Veniste.
