TALK RADIO LOSING AUDIENCE? Kaus notes that people are talking about that — but Ann Althouse was on top of this phenomenon months ago, with the explanation: “I’d say people get tired of talking about politics all the time.”

UPDATE: Some readers — noting that this report comes from St. Paul / Minneapolis — think that Rush and Hannity just can’t handle their strong local competition. Yeah, that’s it!

ANOTHER UPDATE: Reader Jeff Turley thinks that the now-podcasting Limbaugh is losing listeners to himself:

I think you will see a steady decline in Limbaugh’s radio ratings. Rush has for several years webcast his show. Who wants that static, noisey AM station (with commercials) when you can get his show over the web? He also has in the last couple of months has launched podcasts of his show available within hours after his show is over. Webcasts and Podcasts are available to subcribers who pay $50/ year. At around 100,000 subscribers, the EIB Network is getting a cool $5 mil a year. Who needs radio?

Very interesting. It’s certainly true that I listen to Hewitt’s show over the Internet more often than on the local AM station that carries him, because its signal isn’t that great where I live. But I wonder if these numbers can account for the shifts in audience people are talking about? Maybe, but wouldn’t Limbaugh be bragging about it if so?

MORE: James Egan thinks it’s a surfeit of victory:

I saw your post on declining radio listenership among conservative AM Talk. I think this was inevitable. A function of fatigue yes, but more because of greatly reduced stakes I’d bet. The big issues of the day have receded into the background for many people center to right. The election was won by Bush…the economy and unemployment are fully recovered….the war’s at a slow simmer heading into what seems to be an eventual self-sufficient Iraq with declining US involvement. I know it’s hard to make that claim with our guys dying oversees but most people, despite their “reported” dissatisfaction with the war, are resigned to see this through.

Conservatives feel like they won. Heck, even with the Bush tax cut our projected budget deficit has been cut by 30% — much to the chagrin of the left which claimed it would achieve the exact opposite. I’d say conservatives are not looking for daily pep talks or more ammo like they were 2-3 years ago. Of course that can change at anytime if the left is able to get its hooks into a juicy, new narrative. If the anti-war column in this country is able to electrify the media with their some fresh rhetoric, combined, they could turn many Americans. In which case conservatives will once again be faced with a critical challenge.

I don’t see that happening soon. Cindy Sheehan’s performance has just about run its course. The divorce, her mom’s stroke and the counter protests had to have an impact on her spirit. I doubt she can be effective. Of course I do feel terribly sorry for her. Along with the loss of her boy that‘s too much turmoil for one person to suffer in such a short amount of time.

Besides August is almost over. Bush is only days away from returning to DC where the media will inevitably shift focus. So I think radio talk listeners will continue to remain distracted by the more important stuff in their lives — raising their families, earning a living, going to ball games, fishing, taking care of sick relatives, gardening, etc — til the next presidential election, especially if Hilary runs. Then watch out…turn up the volume.

Indeed. There may be something to Egan’s analysis — I remember Henry Copeland telling me before the election that if Bush won my traffic would level off for a while, then grow gradually, but that if Bush lost my traffic would quadruple within a few months.