Talk Radio for Rich Liberals

Newsmax ^ | 2-17-2003 | Carl Limbacher

[Paul Atreides]

A couple of those rich people who are supposed to be among the sole beneficiaries of the president’s proposed tax cuts want even more – such as a genuine liberal talk show to go head to head with Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Michael Reagan, the reigning czars of the vast Right-wing conspiracy’s nationwide radio network.

Apparently unaware that liberals already have their very own national radio network – National Public Radio (NPR) – Sheldon and Anita Drobny are chattering about putting up really big bucks to lure liberal comedian Al Franken to take on the thankless task of trying to sell the left’s idiot propaganda to an utterly disinterested American public which has repeatedly tuned out when liberals turn on.

The couple, described by today’s New York Times as "venture capitalists from Chicago who have been major campaign donors for Bill Clinton and Al Gore” want Franken and a stable of "other well-known entertainers with a liberal point of view” for a daily 14-hour, lineup of what the Times described as "commercial programs that would heavily rely on comedy and political satire.”

Not satisfied with the near-total stranglehold Liberal have on the networks and the mainstream media, and terrified by last November’s GOP victories and the success of the "fair and balanced” Fox News Cable network, the Drobnys and their fellow leftist Democrats have come up with a start-up investment of $10 million to get the project off the ground, and hope to raise another $200 million to get the show on the road and finance other ventures.

The Drobnys and their allies claim that the utter failure of past attempts to sell their brand of Marxism to the American electorate, notably the almost instant collapse of the hapless Jim Hightower and Mario Cuomo shows which were touted to be answers to conservative talk radio, does not portend failure for this newest venture into broadcast socialism,.

"I feel like there's a monologue out there," Ms. Drobny told the Times. "I just had this tremendous feeling with great passion that we had to make sure we're heard and make sure having a dialogue in this country of ours."

But Kraig T. Kitchen, chief executive of Premiere Radio Networks, one of the nation's largest radio syndication companies with the Limbaugh, Reagan and Dr. Laura Schlessinger shows , among others to its credit, told the Times he wouldn’t have avoided producing liberal programs if he thought there was money in them.

"Individuals who are liberal in their viewpoints can be all-encompassing," he added. "It's very hard to define liberalism, unlike how easy it is to define conservatism. So, as a result, it doesn't evoke the same kind of passion as conservative ideologies do."

Henry Reisch of the William Morris Agency, a representative for Franken, said his client was seriously considering the offer, but was mainly concerned about whether he could handle the commitment of a daily radio program.

The money for the new liberal radio network is coming from the Paradigm Group, of which the Drobnys are the principal partners. Mrs. Drobny is the chairwoman of the venture, which is being called AnShell Media L.L.C.

Jon Sinton, a longtime, Atlanta-based radio executive, will be the CEO. According to the Times he helped start the nationally syndicated Hightower radio program which liberals had hoped that would be their answer to Rush Limbaugh. It was canceled shortly after its launching in the mid-1990's, a venture Sinton says failed because it tried "to be Rush - you're not going to beat him at his game," Sinton told the Times. "What really makes this work is tapping into Hollywood and New York and having a huge entertainment component, where political sarcasm is every bit as effective as Rush Limbaugh is at bashing you over the head."

Just what we need – talk radio starring Barbra Streisand and a gaggle of other Hollywood useful idiots spouting their peculiar brand of limousine Marxism 14 hours a day. Two years of that kind of babble and there won’t be a single Democrat left on Capitol Hill after the 2004 elections.

[Henrietta]

Let these rich idiots waste their money; at least it won't be going to HRC's presidential campaign.

[Paul Atreides]

[Servant of the Nine]

I hope they spend a lot.
Hire Donahue too, and maybe Bill Clinton.
Lose every effing penny.

So9

[Free ThinkerNY]

When the America bashing and Bush hating Lefties get their own radio network, will the Lamestream Media call it "Hate Radio?" Don't hold your breath waiting to hear that.

[rabidralph]

Exactly, this nonsensical venture will bleed cash like Oxygen, Salon, Rosie's magazine, WNBA and other PC ventures with no understanding of supply and demand economics.

[ArcLight]

Why do people make fun of the idea of liberal talk radio? I have no objections. And I expect they'll eventually get it right one of these days. If the liberals can put somebody on the air who doesn't ooze contempt for middle-class Americans and their values, they might pull it off.

But finding a liberal who actually likes America and Americans might be something of a challenge. Pick up a copy of, say, The Nation, and get an eyeful of the condescension and contempt for ordinary folk that has so permeated the Left. Or consider the articles by liberal pundits who profess themselves "alienated" by Dubya's frequent quoting of the Bible and references to God. Most Americans don't find that the least bit troubling. Liberals do; they look at people who really take religion seriously as if they were visiting from Mars.

It's one of their biggest weaknesses and few of them seem to realize it. I actually hope they eventually get this sorted out. Then the country might have a healthy Left--and I think that'd be a good thing for all of us.

[BrucefromMtVernon]

I'll repeat what has been said on prior occasion here on FreeRepublic: "That which passes for modern liberalism is just so much silly intellectual posturing by a shallow and insecure person."

[Let's Roll]

We all - including Rush - need to stop telling them what they are doing wrong.

[mlmr]

Think of it: hours and hours or Marxist, socialist drivel!! It should give us a completely Republican Congress in the next election.



on another note, the conservatives need a few stand up comidians in their corner.

[bootless]

Henry Reisch of the William Morris Agency, a representative for Franken, said his client was seriously considering the offer, but was mainly concerned about whether he could handle the commitment of a daily radio program.

Translation: he really doesn't have that much to say.

[txradioguy]

It will never work because the liberal manifesto only works when these people don't have to defend their socialist ideas to people with a brain. That's why liberal opinions work better in editorial pages and on television. They can make their silly claims and retreat with no one to question them. Doesn't work on a live three hour radio show. All it would take to expose the liberal way of thinking as the dinosaur that it is, is one FReeper to get through the call screener and and hit them with the truth.

[Cyclops08]

Yep, the only long lasting liberal radio shows are the NPR shows--and they depend not on ad sales ot listeners, but on gov't support.

Of course Al Franken stands a good chance at getting freeped. I wonder if Al will be any more open to disenting opinions than DU. Ha!

[Urbane_Guerilla]

The thing which makes me not hate liberals is that they are SO clueless. Their "sensitivity" is the flip side of their "superiority." They have such a limited understanding of the big picture ... they cannot distinguish between morality and moral posturing. As Rush said today, Americans who genuinely love our country disdain the contempt for America inherent in liberalism. Why would folks grateful to be born in this wonderful country, listen to folks who take the wonder of this country for granted?

[txradioguy]

I'm listening to the idiot that wants to start this new Liberal Radio Network on Hannity. I give the whole venture 6 months. That is if it ever gets off the ground. Which in my expert opinion, it won't.

[Free ThinkerNY]

An oxymoron: A Liberal Intellectual

[Paul Atreides]

If the rich liberals want to finance a liberal talk radio station, let them take NPR off of the taxpayers's hands.

[txradioguy]

If the Liberals want their own money making radio network, give them NPR and quit funding it with out tax money. Let's let them sink or swim on their own.

[From The Deer Stand]

Talk Radio for Rich Liberals

I thought Republicans were the only rich people in the country. Bring on the Liberal talk network - they don't have a message. All they'll do is whine, obstruct, scare and call names. That, and Al Franken, get old in a hurry!

[txradioguy]

GMTA! Now this DUmmy is saying the "Liberal Media Bias" is a myth created by the VRWC.