Posted on 06/17/2004 4:23:47 AM PDT by kattracks
(CNSNews.com) - Democracy Radio, one of the liberal groups that wants to boot Rush Limbaugh off Armed Forces Radio, sees radio as the route to voters' hearts.
"With the full support of right wing organizations, conservative talk show hosts now are clearly playing a critical role in shaping the attitudes of many Americans which, in turn, are having an effect on the outcome of elections," Democracy Radio says on its website.
"As long as elections continue to be as close as the presidential election of 2000, talk radio will continue to play a meaningful role."
Democracy Radio -- along with Media Matters for America and other liberal groups -- is trying to counter the influence of conservatives such as Limbaugh by "developing, funding and launching compelling progressive talk radio programming that will compete and succeed within the challenging marketplace of talk radio."
The result is the Air America network -- which is doing very well, according to one of its hosts.
Air America's Franken speaks
In an interview on Chris Matthews' "Hardball" Tuesday, Al Franken -- one of Air America's liberal hosts -- said there is a big audience for liberal talk radio.
"In our first Arbitron numbers in New York, which is our biggest market, we beat WABC, which is where Rush [Limbaugh] is, in the same period, among the 24-55 year old market. And we clobbered them in 18-34 years old," Franken said, according to a transcript of the interview posted on MSNBC.
"I know that sounds like a lot of jargon, but there is a big audience there," Franken added.
In the same interview, Franken joked about Limbaugh filing for divorce; then gave Limbaugh credit for being a good enough "bloviator" to talk for three straight hours, without guests to help him fill the time.
"I can't do what he does," Franken told Matthews, then agreed with Matthews that Limbaugh is a "talented man."
Franken also discussed Air America's audience. It's different than the "normal talk radio audience," he told Matthews.
"We're getting a younger audience," Franken said, many of them logging on and "streaming at the office." Franken described Internet streaming as a "huge thing" for Air America. He also said his listeners include the "Billy Bobs," referring to a Tennessee man, a retired veteran, who called his show one day.
Conservatives 'damaging America'
Democracy Radio's website offers as "fact" that 61 percent of all radio listeners are not conservative. "This means that only one political perspective is being broadcast on airwaves that are entirely owned by a very diverse American public," Democracy Radio says on its website.
"As a result, damage is clearly being done to America as a civil society. Conservative talk radio has developed into a hateful rabid attack machine that systematically and strategically sets out to demonize those who hold progressive views.
"The word 'liberal' has been so tarnished that good and decent Americans have begun to disassociate themselves from the word. And many of America's leaders have been personally described as un-patriotic or un-American," the website complains.
Liberal television 'clearly damaging America' says conservative individual.
Liberal media damaging America, says common sense.
What about NPR and those other socialist stations we are forced to fund? Gheez, these guys are all nuts!
HURT'S
TOO BAD!
TOO FUNNY!
Air Amerika have a full and fair chance. They have HUGE national PR, BIG name liberal stars. Nobody listened.
Just because you have a show does not mean you have listeners and more important advertisers.
Liberals protested Rush speaking for Orange Juice, sale soared.
Liberals protested Snapple, the product became a national name brand.
What happened to Cuomo radio? GONE after three months.
It is the same with the backhanded complement of Reagan as the Great Communicator. They don't get IT. Its the CONTENT stupid!
Well at least Air America did not 'develop into a hateful rabid attack machine', they started out that way.
If they could accomplish their goal of silencing talk radio, their leftist propaganda would have 100% control and total control over the fate of this nation. Why can they not be satisfied with 80% and why are they threatened by a puny 20%. Could it be that they know something is incredibly wrong with their ideology?
She is very active in making liberals. I shovel them over the fence into the woods behind the house. Some nights I hear them having a rally.
So much for the sanctity of "choice..."
Speaking of the next big liberal thing that was going to knock off Rush Limbaugh, do you remember Jim Hightower?...Yeah, me neither.
Al Franken comes across as an over confident, over self indulgent pompus ass in this interview. Then, most liberal elites do. Clearly, these liberals believe they not only hold the corner on truth but dominate it. What burns me most, is they call evil good, and good evil. They shall all give an account to God one day for their stands. I wonder how truthful they will feel they have been then?
Can anybody refute the ratings he flouts? The are relevant if correct.
Fox is advertising that their morning program has more viewers than the other cable networks combined.
If they have no monopoly control of the media, they are just a fading voice in the wilderness. As it stands they are being marginalized. Eventually they will be ignored as kooks because they don't have a platform people want to hear.
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA ..... oh , that Al Franken just kills me . What a joke he is . I think it is quite possible that he and M.Moore are first cousins .
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