Dan Barreiro is moving to another station, but just on Saturdays. The popular Monday-Friday talk show host will stay with his KFAN (1130 AM) 4 to 7 p.m. slot but he will have a new 10 a.m. to noon Saturday show on KTLK (100.3 FM) starting on April 12. The move is all-in-the-family since KFAN and KTLK are two of six Clear Channel-owned radio stations in this market.
KTLK started about two years ago and is trying to build its audience. The presence of Barreiro on KTLK is expected to improve Saturday ratings that are among the lowest in town.
The former Star Tribune sports columnist was No. 1 among all local radio talk show hosts in the 25-54 demographic in the most recent ratings, according to Steve Versnick, KTLK program director. “He’s done extremely well at KFAN and continues to knock it out of the park,” Versnick said.
He also said weekend programming represents “29 percent of our ratings.” That meant “upper management” wants to place “talented people” on the air to build audience on the relatively new FM talk station. Versnick said the station’s goal is to be the place that the Twin Cities comes to talk about whatever is topical.
There’s a lot of talk show competition here including from public radio. “This is a very tough talk market,” Versnick said.
Barreiro mixes news topics in with sports talk on his Monday-Friday show. Versnick said Barreiro’s new show will also have news and sports content.
He describes Barreiro as a “great talent,” and said the long time KFAN host is skilled at news and sports analysis. Barreiro also has the ability to connect with the audience, to build rapport and trust with his analysis and storytelling skills, Versnick said.
On KTLK Barreiro replaces real estate and home improvement shows that will move to other weekend time slots. He will no longer do his KFAN Sunday morning show.