BS: Finally - talk radio balance

Subject: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: GUEST,TIA
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 09:51 AM

I've been waiting for years for someone to effectively counter the Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, Scarborough, Savage, Reagan right wing radio bully propaganda machine. Finally (courtesy of Al Franken et al., it is here.

Can it last?

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: Dharmabum
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 11:29 AM

I hope so.
It's due to start broadcasting out of New York on WLIB 1190 AM,at 12 noon.

D.B.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: DougR
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 11:47 AM

Congratulations! I'm glad you folks finally got someone to listen to. It will last provided you provide Franken an audience.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 12:36 PM

The link above didn't work for me, but I'm guessing it was a link to/about Air America Radio, which is here:

http://www.airamericaradio.com/

But there isn't really much of anything there. First day curse?

I don't see how this can last. It only has 4 cities, and even worse, Katherine Lanpher, formerly of MPR and probably the most grating, annoying voice on public radio.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: GUEST,emily rain
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 05:14 PM

i'm holding out hope! i'm in a city they don't broadcast to, but hopefully they'll get the website sorted out so i can listen online...

i have to agree with skeptics who say that liberals are too earnest (as a group) to be funny, but al franken is one big exception to that rule! plus he's aggressive and biting, which is good therapy for those of us who can't say the word "hate" without feeling woozy. :)

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: DougR
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 05:59 PM

Geeze! I'm shocked! I thought this thread would receive multiple hits! Whassamatta folks, don't you at least have an opinion? I would think Al Franken would be a super attraction for anyone of the liberal persuasion.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: Mark Clark
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 06:01 PM

I'm listening to Air America Radio right now over the Internet. This is going to be great! Heeeeyyyyaaaaahhhh!

      - Mark

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: GUEST,Jaze
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 06:32 PM

I just hope they'll have intelligent and level-headed fair reporting. I do listen to conservative radio to hear the other side of issues. Though I usually disagree with their opinions, I have sometimes learned to look at issues somewhat differntly at times. It's the "left is always wrong and the right is always right" that I can't stand. Anyone who beleives one side or party is always right on every issue is a smacked ass.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: kendall
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 07:16 PM

Why do we need two threads on this?

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: Bobert
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 07:39 PM

Sorry, TIA...

Not seeing your thread, I started another thread on this. Maybe Joe Offer can combine them...

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: CarolC
Date: 31 Mar 04 - 11:17 PM

I don't see the good of having a "liberal" verson of the swill that comes over the airwaves via the right-wing talk radio shows. Swill is still swill, even if it's coming from the "liberal" side, and as far as I can see, all of this divisiveness is just a way to divert our attention away from the real issues.

More bread and circuses.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: michaelr
Date: 01 Apr 04 - 01:46 AM

Well Carol, don't you think it could be beneficial to actually have some of those "liberal media" we're always told about?

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 01 Apr 04 - 02:32 AM

The Cyclops indeed, with an eye out for count'ring
Which tunes us all in, and angers the lot of us
Sees only the flatness of flipside afound'ring
With no depth perception, and assumes hip popotomus
But with insight's reflection, the Cyclops transforms
To a far seeing being, three dimmention intention
And vastly, not leastly, can balance the quorum
In alegience to conscience, our mother of invention
Let the liberal 'swill' have proverbial sway
And then to civility, with no hounds at bay...

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: open mike
Date: 01 Apr 04 - 06:40 AM

i tuned in the internet stream and heard news reports
being repeated...like they were practicing for the
real thing....mumbling, coughing, etc. sloppy editing...
the best part was when they said "this selection year"
it may have been a blooper, but it was a good one, as
the previous "election" has been mentioned as "the
president select"

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Apr 04 - 08:56 AM

I love Al Franken, but detest Katherine Lanpher, his sidekick. I mean I DETEST Katherine Lanpher. Couldn't listen to her when she was here in MN, and so, to my great disappointment, I won't listen to Franken's show either. I really can't stand that woman's voice. I find here sneering mainstream, middle class sensibilities very off-putting.

Now, since I can't listen to Franken (because I'd have to listen to Lanpher, and I won't do that), I'm lobbying for Amy Goodman and Democracy Now, and letting everyone know she is the best antidote to right wing talk radio.

Of course, she does a news and public affairs program that is serious, so if it's screaming, spitting into the mike infotainment in the right wing talk radio vein, you won't get that from Amy Goodman. But what you will get is the best damn news and public affairs program with a pretty big national base (I think they are up to 140 stations nationwide, plus cable tv access broadcast 5 days a week in most major media markets), along with broadcast on Dish satellite.

Check it out here, streaming now:

http://www.democracynow.org/

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: CarolC
Date: 01 Apr 04 - 12:25 PM

Well Carol, don't you think it could be beneficial to actually have some of those "liberal media" we're always told about?

Hi Michael. No I don't, really. I do think it would be beneficial to have some access to honest journalism though. I don't see that happening on any kind of talk radio; liberal, right-wing, or otherwise. I'm all for alternative media sources like LinkTV, which I watch regularly. But I don't think promoting partisan politics is going to change anything. Just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic as far as I can see.

When we lose the mentality that civic life in our country (or in the world, for that matter) is a team sport (us versus them), that's when we'll be able to finally get down to business and solve some real problems.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: GUEST,TIA
Date: 01 Apr 04 - 03:30 PM

I agree with CarolC that the current state of division in this country ensures no, or anti-progess on any important issue. However, I don't see Air America as promoting partisan politics any more than I see responding to someone's comments in a thread as promoting divisive argument. If one side alone is spewing their version widely and relentlessly, a small peep in reply cannot be characterized as partisanship.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: Ebbie
Date: 01 Apr 04 - 05:25 PM

I sincerely hope they won't use the yelping rabble-rousing tones that Limbaugh/O'Reilly, et al, are so fond of.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: GUEST,emily rain
Date: 01 Apr 04 - 07:12 PM

i only listened for a little bit today, but it was disappointing. franken and lanpher let hillary clinton drone on and on and be boring right up until the end of the show, and then some other woman came on to give ralph nader a tongue lashing. after she was done with him, she riffed solo in _exactly_ the same yelping tone as the limbaugh/o'reilly set (thanks for that description, ebbie :) ). it was neither enlightening nor funny. sigh. maybe it'll get better.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 02 Apr 04 - 06:53 PM

Not knowing which outlet you are hearing the programming on I will tell you that here in the NY area there is a legal problem that is coming to the fore.

Admittedly I have not heard the programming, but that has nothing to do with this.

In the NY area Air America has purchased the air time (they do not own the station---or others, I assume) from WLIB. WLIB is the local Black programming outlet in the area. It is privately owned, so I assume the can do what they will. However, the local Black community is mounting a legal action against them for the programming changes.

Their feeling is that they are losing the only radio voice they have in this area.   

Can they win legally---I don't know.   

This is an important market for this new programming and perhaps the wiser course would have been to find another station---though who would sell the air time for a reasonable price is surely beyond my ken. Purchasing a station would have been the best route.

However---I wish them good fortune and much success.


Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: Alice
Date: 03 Apr 04 - 12:53 PM

I've been listening online to the Fanken show on Air America for the last few hours and I think IT IS GREAT! Yay.

Alice

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: Alice
Date: 03 Apr 04 - 12:57 PM

Some of the programming I've heard this morning was in interview of Bob Kerry from the 9/11 commission - very good. Also, a bit by Bob & Ray, very funny. Very funny back and forth between G. Gordon Liddy and Franken, who are friends in spite of their differences. I'm not a fan of Hillary - would have turned that off. Michael Moore is on right now as Franken's guest.

Alice

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: GUEST,Mark Twain
Date: 03 Apr 04 - 05:20 PM

It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.

Looks like Al opened his mouth.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 03 Apr 04 - 07:11 PM

...but it's a good thing Rush and his Cyclopsian cohorts have been such good natured and silent little lambkins!
ttr

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: GUEST,Mark Twain
Date: 04 Apr 04 - 04:49 AM

Quote......"but it's a good thing Rush and his Cyclopsian cohorts have been such good natured and silent little lambkins!"

ttr

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."

Sam C.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: GUEST,joe
Date: 04 Apr 04 - 07:26 AM

I know all the lib lie's
thats all lib's got ....and your going to vote for AQeda kerry
and i wonder are you lib's really American ?
there are no american's in Badag....badag Bob must a been Liberal.
you can tell by his lie's
balanced ,i don't think so lie's don't balance out with whats real
you lib's got ABC,CBS,Nbc and nat.public radio and TV.
lie,s a coming from all ways
know the eneny by there free speech or (LIE's)

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: GUEST,Sam C.
Date: 04 Apr 04 - 11:00 AM

Hey Joe:

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."

Sam C.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: CarolC
Date: 04 Apr 04 - 12:48 PM

know the eneny by there free speech

That's right! There's no room for free speech in this democracy!

(Shut your mouth, Mr. Clemmons/Twain, you're letting in flies)

;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: ichMael
Date: 21 Mar 10 - 10:08 PM

Old thread, but still relevant.

NPR and PBS are the audio and visual organs of the federal government. They are government funded, and they are also liberal. Under both Democrat and Republican regimes, the government organs broadcast a liberal message.

This is why there's never been a need for liberal talk shows. You turn on NPR under Bush, you get liberalism. You turn on NPR under Obama, you get liberalism.

In response to the liberalism, conservative shows sprang up. And a lot of them are shrill and offensive because they have to compete in the commercial marketplace (NPR doesn't). Commercially sponsored shows have to draw attention to themselves in order to boost their numbers and secure advertising revenue.

My point is, there's plenty of balance in the liberal vs conservative radio world when you factor NPR into the equation.

This isn't an endorsement of conservative radio. Limbaugh, Beck and Hannity are just gatekeepers for the conservative establishment in America. Their shows focus attention on a few unimportant talking points and then go to commercial.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: artbrooks
Date: 21 Mar 10 - 10:32 PM

Neither NPR nor PBS are significantly funded through Federal tax revenues. NPR gets about 10% of its funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a government/non-profit funded through appropriations, while PBS gets about 15% of its funding from CPB. PBS is owned and largely funded by public radio and TV stations, who are funded by individual contributions.

A recent poll (conducted in December 2009 and January 2010 by the non-partisan, international research company GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media) said: PBS remains the network with the most trusted news and public affairs programs, with 40 percent trusting its programs a "great deal." Fox News Channel was second with 29 percent and CNN was third at 27 percent.

In an effort to measure bias, the survey concluded that 40 percent of Americans rated the news coverage, investigations and discussions of major issues on PBS programs as "mostly fair" (when asked to choose among "liberal," "mostly fair" and "conservative"). NBC and ABC tied for second by 33 percent of the respondents, CNN (31 percent), NPR (29 percent), Fox News Channel (25 percent) and MSNBC (24 percent).

I suppose "liberal" is a matter of opinion. Some people even think Barack Obama is liberal.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: ichMael
Date: 21 Mar 10 - 10:43 PM

But the "contributions" are largely from Trusts and Endowments, which are rooted in the government policy-making apparatus. Call it quasi-governmental backing. NPR and PBS are goverment organs. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: open mike
Date: 21 Mar 10 - 11:15 PM

public broadcasting, whether radio or television is largely supported by individual members who donate because they like what they hear and see and they want to remain free from corporate advertising. NPR and PBS are more removed from the national gov't than CBC canadian broadcasting corp., and the BBC British broadcasting corp.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: CarolC
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 01:34 AM

NPR and PBS are far from liberal. They're the propaganda organs of the corporatocracy that are marketed to liberals, but that's not the same thing as being liberal.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: DougR
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 07:44 PM

IchMael: I agree with your post of 21 March, 10:08 PM. But you failed to mention the other liberal voices on tv and radio: NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC. There are lots of liberal voices on the networks. Alan Combs, who is a liberal, also has a talk radio show but I do not know on what network it is produced.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: Bobert
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 07:59 PM

You have to be so far right that John Birch looks like a commie to think that "NBC. CBS, ABC, CNN and CNBC" are in any way, shape or form "liberal"... Yes, MSNBC does broadcast some liberal shows... It also broadcasts some rather conservative, Republican-leaning shows like "Morning Joe" which happens to also be in a prime am time slot....

As fir the others??? All, like Carol said, corporate shills...

BTW, I don't think of NPR or PBS as "liberal"... Just because they aren't out there screaming for rednecks to kill Obama doesn't make them liberal... It just makes then, ahhhhhhh, civilized and sane...

(Geeze... What a pickle we have on our hands here... Anyone who isn't Rush Limbaugh has to be a liberal...)

Beam me up... There is very little intellgent life left here...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 08:00 PM

There are dam**d good reasons why you don't like NPR, PBS and most 'regular' news media....they are trying to be sane & reasonable!

Fox and their conservative base CALLS anything 'liberal' if it is not walk-the-line conservative!

Fox's publicity claim of "fair & balanced" is the biggest laugh out there!

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: olddude
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 09:08 PM

if being conservative means being like the lindbaugh types, i thank God everyday i am liberal

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: ichMael
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 09:38 PM

NPR and PBS are far from liberal. They're the propaganda organs of the corporatocracy that are marketed to liberals, but that's not the same thing as being liberal.

Good point. NPR and PBS are corporate entities that cater to liberals. As far as politics, the organizations are corporatocracies.

I haven't listened to NPR in years, except during the runup to the last presidential election, and the skew was definitely toward Obama. Catering to the liberal audience.

As far a PBS being supported by viewers, I recall most of their programs being funded by trusts and foundadtions and such. Again, that's quasi-govermental, when the Rockefellers and the others who are involved in policy-making take part in programming.

In the early days of radio the Brits went with the government-sponsored option, but in the U.S. (because of our glorious Bill of Rights and Freedom of Speech), the govt knew it could not legally monopolize the airwaves, so we went with the commercial model. I personally think NPR and PBS should receive no government money. Let the Rockefeller/Ford/Gates thugs run their propaganda without using my tax money.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: kendall
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 07:52 PM

How anyone with an IQ over 60 can stand to listen to that bloviating fat head, Limbaugh is a mystery to me.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: frogprince
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 08:30 PM

Miraculous image of St. Rush

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: artbrooks
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 08:57 PM

Didn't he say he'd leave the country if the health care bill passed? You Canadians ready?

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: Amos
Date: 24 Mar 10 - 12:29 AM

First of all, there is nothing particular accurate about the word "liberal" when it is used to stand in contrast to conservatism. This is a false semantic dichotomy.

The word "liberal" meaning inclined toward reciprocal freedoms, has a long and positive history, or did until Ann Coulter decided to twist its meaning and make it into anathema.

Her subliteracy in this regard is only one of the many offenses she has committed and promulgated against the language.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: GUEST,bankley
Date: 24 Mar 10 - 02:53 PM

No, Canadians are not ready for the Rush,,, bad enough that Coulter is doing a book tour there... Times like this, I'm glad that I'm away..

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: GUEST,bankley
Date: 24 Mar 10 - 03:48 PM

meanwhile she had to cancel her speech in Ottawa due to boisterous protesters causing fear for her safety... well done


she might have better luck in Calgary, they love GW Bush out there..

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: DougR
Date: 24 Mar 10 - 04:15 PM

Guest Bankley: promoting violence? How unprogressive/liberal you must be.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: Riginslinger
Date: 24 Mar 10 - 04:59 PM

How many times has Air America gone broke, 3 or 4 at least. This doesn't seem to be a format that works for liberal audiences.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: GUEST,bankley
Date: 24 Mar 10 - 07:30 PM

Hey DougR... she got the message and nobody got hurt...
but those crazy French Canadian students made her very nervous...


they also helped to keep us out of Iraq a few years ago.....

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: artbrooks
Date: 24 Mar 10 - 07:33 PM

Twice, actually. Just goes to show that liberals and progressives (which are not at all the same thing) have better things to do with their time.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: Genie
Date: 24 Mar 10 - 07:33 PM

DougR, progressive talk radio has no problem finding audiences when it's given a chance (i.e., actually put on the air on a station with a strong signal and at a time when people are awake).   There have been many progressive stations that have been bought out by big business conservatives, well-funded right-wing Christian organizations, etc., when the stations and programs were doing very well both with advertisers and with listeners, and the replacement programming often loses listenership. This happens in markets like San Diego, NYC, Chicago, etc.

Many of the right-wing shows do not have a lot of listeners, but sometimes the popular conservative shows like Limbaugh, Hannity, etc., refuse to be aired on a station that also airs liberal or non-conservative talk shows.    Many conservative talk radio shows are also given away to some radio stations.   The big business and/or right-wing religious groups who back many of the right-wing talk shows are not primarily concerned with making money off of the radio shows, especially in the short run. Yes, they are motivated by profit, but they see bigger, longer-lasting profit in having powerful influence on the political process - helping to get conservative Christian and/or pro-big-business politicians elected to office.    Talk radio (and TV) is more a matter of advertising and propaganda than a profit center in and of itself.

Limbaugh's radio show lost millions before it finally got heard by enough people often enough to carry its own weight. (Pun noted but not intended.)   Not unlike the way a song can become a hit if enough radio stations play it often enough ("payola," anyone?).

The idiotic part of what seems to be your underlying premise is the idea that there are not enough liberals in places like NYC, Chicago, Boston, etc. to support even one progressive talk radio station, while those areas have many conservative talk shows on air 24-7.
Even a "conservative" city like San Diego is pretty much split 50/50 between Republicans & Democrats, liberals & conservatives. Whichever party wins in an election usually does do by a few percentage points or less.

Subject: RE: BS: Finally - talk radio balance
From: Genie
Date: 24 Mar 10 - 07:36 PM

Air America Corporation, by the way, was mismanaged financially from the outset, including having some outright crooks handling some of the finances. Most of the popular liberal talk radio hosts - Thom Hartmann, Ed Schultz, Stephanie Miller, Randi Rhodes, Alan Colmes, Rachel Maddow, Mike Malloy, etc. - either never were with Air America or left Air America several years ago.    Do not equate Air America with "progressive talk radio" in general.