Free Republic

Four fiscally conservative Democrats, who voted in committee to back President Obama's health care plan, are now facing a fresh round of attacks from the Republican National Committee. The self described "Blue Dog Democrats" — Reps. Bart Gordon of Tennessee, Zack Space of Ohio, Baron Hill of Indiana, and Mike Ross of Arkansas – are targeted in a new 60-second radio campaign that slams them for voting for the health care proposal in the Energy and Commerce Committee.

A friend of mine in the radio business called me recently to ask what I think about the "performance tax" issue. If you are a regular listener to talk radio, you've probably heard ads decrying a plan to impose a "tax on radio." In essence, it is an imposed royalty; the government would force radio stations to cut a check to an entity, which would send those funds to record companies. A government board of Copyright Royalty Judges would send the check, as opposed to a negotiation between the businesses themselves. Most of the money would go to the record...

Atlanta’s own Neal Boortz has been named a member of the national Radio Hall of Fame.

Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was joined today by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois in announcing the arrest of a Chicago man for making unauthorized radio transmissions over frequencies utilized by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). MARCEL CARTER, age 20, who resides at 235 West 37th Place in Chicago, was arrested late Friday evening, without incident, by Officers of the Chicago Police Department (CPD). CARTER was subsequently turned over to members of the Chicago FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) who conducted additional...

Note: The following text Snippet is a quote: Chicago Man Arrested for Interfering with Operation of CTA Trains and Busses Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was joined today by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois in announcing the arrest of a Chicago man for making unauthorized radio transmissions over frequencies utilized by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). MARCEL CARTER, age 20, who resides at 235 West 37th Place in Chicago, was arrested late Friday evening, without incident, by Officers of the Chicago Police Department...

The newspaper industry and its allies have many grievances against the Web. They say the Web is parasitic, that it copies newspaper content and steals its advertising. They claim that Web creators will never provide the deep reporting that democracy needs and that newspapers provided before the Web arrived and ruined the media neighborhood. They want to tame the Web by rejigging copyright law. And they protest that the Web has undermined quality journalism by teaching readers to expect news for free. Whatever the merits of these complaints, it's not the first time established media have accused new media of...

House Democrats Seek To Block Performance Royalty VoteAugust 3, 2009 Late Friday, a group of 22 House Democrats sent a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and other House leaders, urging them not to move a vote on the Performance Royalty to the House floor. In a letter sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Majority Whip James Clyburn and Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson, the 22 Democratic lawmakers wrote, "At this time, Congress lacks adequate information on the overall impact that this legislation could have on local radio broadcasters and the potential disadvantages to...

ark was so on fire Hour 1 of Friday’s show that it’s amazing I managed to crop it down to 27 minutes. This is talk radio at its best, folks. For those of you sick and tired of your arrogant, Democrat-majority government taking you for granted and treating you like an ignorant fool, don’t hit the wall; hit “Play.” For easier streaming/downloading I’ve split the audio into two segments. The first part Mark responds to statements made by Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) who accuses “far right-wing” “hate radio” for deliberately misinforming its audience about their health (s)care bill and...

A judge on the talent show 'Australian Idol' was fired and his radio show taken off the air after a lie-detector stunt in which he questioned a 14-year-old girl about her sexual activity — and, she revealed that two years earlier she'd been raped. Kyle Sandilands, co-host of a top-rated morning radio program, was fired from the talent show over an incident in which he questioned the girl on air about her sexual history, at her mother's request. When the girl revealed she had been raped when she was 12, Sandilands responded, "Is that the only experience you've had?" His...

Venezuelan president revokes licenses of 34, says those who share socialist vision will get back on the air

A campaign on conservative talk radio – fueled unintentionally by President Barack Obama's calls to control exorbitant medical bills – has sparked fear among senior citizens that the massive health-reform bill moving through Congress will lead to end-of-life “rationing” and even “euthanasia.” The controversy stems from a proposal to pay physicians who counsel elderly or terminally ill patients about what medical interventions they would prefer near the end of life and how to prepare instructions, such as living wills. Under the plan, Medicare would reimburse doctors for one session every five years to confer with a patient about his or...

Poll: Would you listen to Sarah Palin if she had her own talk radio show? A Daily Poll.

Sarah Palin is pursuing the idea of a talk radio show, reports say, but that’s not going to happen on Clear Channel, the country’s largest radio broadcaster. Inside Radio reported earlier this week that Palin’s representatives were approaching radio broadcasters to see if the ex-Alaska governor could host a nationally-syndicated show. Her lawyer Robert Barnett told the publication, “Many individuals and entities have expressed strong interest in Governor Palin. To date, she has not spoken with any of them, negotiated with any of them or made deals with any of them.” But after the Inside Radio report, Paige Albiniak wrote...

As we reported Tuesday, industry pub Inside Radio said that Palin reps were making discreet inquiries to see if how radio syndicators might be interested in Sarah Palin. Well, it didn't take long for the Palin-hatin' drive-by media to try to shoot that buzz down and smear Palin in the process. On the website of Broadcasting & Cable, an establishment industry pub, contributing editor Paige Albiniak attempts to make us believe that syndicators have no interest at all in Sarah Palin: "My own sources say much what they said when asked about a TV show for Palin: Don’t think so....

...Vin Scully, thought to be retiring this winter after 60 seasons, said this week he is planning on coming back for one more summer. Scully, 81, said if he continues to feel well he will work past his landmark year and retire after the 2010 season...

Listen to Quinn and Rose on XM Satellite Radio, Channel 158, 6am - 10am EST, or on any of these stations – click You can listen later on podcast at-click For all conservative shows online - click Quinn & Rose discussion thread. "Speaking truth to moonbats" Listen live from 6:00 to 9:00 am Easternprisoner6

Clear Channel Radio has agreed to donate stations and equipment to the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council as part of a move to increase diversity in media ownership. Clear Channel Radio will donate a number of AM station to the council through the MMTC-Clear Channel Ownership Diversity Initiative. Initially, Clear Channel Radio plans to donate AM radio stations KYHN in Fort Smith, Ark.; WTFX in Winchester, Va.; KMFX in Rochester, Minn.; and WHJA in Laurel, Miss. The council will work with the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Education Foundation’s Broadcast Leadership Training Program to use these radio stations for training...

Boston’s WBCN is throwing itself a “Farewell” event on the air—it’s a four day Tribute to the station and its legacy as “The Rock of Boston.” The on air event kicks off Saturday, August 8 at 10 AM. WBCN is going away on August 13, when CBS moves the Hot AC WBMX “Mix 98.5” to the 104.1 frequency, to make room for a new FM Sports Talk at 98.5. WBCN has been on the air as a Rock station for over 40 years, and was the home for such legendary radio personalities as Charles Laquidara, Howard Stern, PD Oedipus, and...

Senate passage of hate-crimes bill wins plaudits By Eric Fingerhut · July 17, 2009 Jewish groups are hailing the Senate's passage of legislation expanding federal involvement in hate crimes. The Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and B'nai B'rith International have all released statements today praising the vote attaching the hate-crimes bill to the defense authorization bill. "Bias-motivated crimes have terrorized families and communities for far too long," said RAC director Rabbi David Saperstein. "The Senate’s vote for the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act is a celebration of tolerance and respect and will give...

Browsing through new releases at a downtown record store, Chet Mohr of Somerville admitted that commercial radio is far down his source list for finding new music. Where precisely does radio rank? Somewhere between irrelevant and are-you-kidding-me, Mohr indicated. “I’m into local bands and record labels, and they don’t get played on the radio much,’’ said Mohr, a 23-year-old guitar enthusiast and bank employee who hopes to form his own rock band. To broaden his musical palate, Mohr relies on bloggers, Internet message boards, web publications, friends, and social networking sites. Sam Davies, 16, a student at Needham High School,...

I'm sure Vin Scully hears the question constantly, and I'm equally sure he always handles it with his characteristic grace. It's a question without a definite answer. How long will the fans of Southern California, spoiled beyond recognition by his elegant play-by-play descriptions, continue to enjoy his presence in the Dodgers TV booth?

Free Talk and Music Radio Online

When their government shut down texting and Twitter, when it bullied Western reporters, when it spread hideous lies through the state-controlled press, many Iranians still had a reliable source of news in Radio Farda, the Persian arm of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).

The long-rumored sale of radio station WQXR by the New York Times Co. was announced yesterday to public radio station WNYC. From the New York Times The New York Times Company will sell WQXR-FM to WNYC Radio and Univision, the companies announced on Tuesday, in a complex deal that preserves WQXR as the only station devoted solely to classical music in New York City, but that could alter its character. WQXR would move to a weaker signal near the high end of the FM band, and would become a listener-supported station, owned by WNYC, the nation’s largest public radio station....

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The U.S. bishops' Committee on Communications is backing a July 20 call-in day to support the licensing of more low-power FM stations across the country. The call-ins aren't to radio stations, but to members of the Senate. The Local Community Radio Act of 2009, co-sponsored by Sens. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and John McCain, R-Ariz., would authorize the Federal Communications Commission to license hundreds of new low-power FM stations. A committee hearing was held in June on the House version of the bill, which has 72 co-sponsors. Archbishop George H. Niederauer of San Francisco, chairman of the bishops'...

The New York Times Company has announced that it has sold Classical 96.3 WQXR New York for $45 Million as part of a three way deal with Univision and WNYC. The way the deal is structured, Univision will pay $33.5 Million for the 96.3 frequency while WNYC pays $11.5 Million for the 105.9 frequency from Univision and the WQXR intellectual property. Spanish Tropical “La Kalle” WCAA will shift to the stronger 96.3 allocation. 96.3 WQXR is a Class B broadcasting with 6kw at 1362′, while 105.9 is a Class B1 with 610 watts at 1365 feet. The Non-Commercial WNYC operates...

Only it’s not that simple: CBS Radio decides to move its hot “Mix” WBMX from 98.5 to WBCN’s 104.1 frequency – and to debut the new “Sports Hub” at 98.5, as of August 13. WBCN hasn’t been faring well in the recent Arbitron PPM ratings, and CBS Radio’s Dan Mason decides to attack Entercom’s all-sports leader WEEI (850) and its regional New England franchise, using an FM frequency. One part of WBCN will remain on the FM band: the Toucher & Rich morning show, which will do wakeups for the new “Sports Hub. Other programming at 98.5: the NFL New...

CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela is taking dozens of radio stations off the air and putting stricter rules on cable and satellite television, a minister said on Thursday, part of President Hugo Chavez's battle with private media firms. Disodado Cabello, the public works minister who also oversees Venezuela's broadcasting watchdog, said 154 FM radio stations will be taken off the air and shifted into public hands in what he called "democratizing the airwaves." He recently said 86 AM radio stations will also be hit as the government steps up efforts to turn Venezuela into a socialist society. "The use of the...

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* * * * FLASH TRAFFIC: WASHINGTON UPDATE * * * * WHAT THE MEDIA ISN'T TELLING YOU THE MUSLIM WORLD By Joel C. Rosenberg (Washington, D.C., June 22, 2009) -- Dramatic news out of Iran this weekend. More than 3,000 Reformers arrested. Some 600 wounded. Conflicting reports about deaths. Some say at least 19 have been killed by the security forces. CNN has unconfirmed reports put the number of deaths at 150.But this isn't the only story of revolution in the region. What the media isn't telling you is that the Revivalists are moving powerfully to share the gospel...

Has anyone heard from this radio source? Comments? http://www.sarahpalinradio.com/

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Bank of America, Verizon, Chipotle and other companies have pulled advertising from a Sacramento radio station after talk show hosts referred to transgender people as "freaks" with mental disorders. During a May 28 show, one of the three hosts on KRXQ's "Rob, Arnie & Dawn" show said he would hit his son with his shoe if he put on high heels. Another said he would tell a boy he was "a little idiot" if he asked to wear a dress. Officials with Bank of America Corp. and Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. said Friday their companies pulled...

( cue eerie music)I live about a mile from our former President George Bush. Ever since he moved into the "neighborhood" car alarm remotes in my complex and around the area randomly stop working. Luckily I don't have an alarm that cuts the engine. I have to drive with the alarm blaring another mile just to use the remote to kill the alarm. At 6 in the morning it's not uncommon now to hear car alarms go off all over the place as people try to start their cars. My roommate started to have the same problem also. I've seen...

Some of the largest lenders to the private equity groups that led the $23.8bn buy-out of Clear Channel Communications intend to turn down a proposed debt exchange, hoping to drive the radio and outdoor advertising company towards default. The company, taken private in a leveraged deal that came to symbolise the excesses of the buy-out boom, has proposed a swap of some parent company debt for debt in Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, its listed billboard division, regarded as a crown jewel despite the current steep advertising downturn. However, some of its largest senior creditors say they would rather wait, in...

Roswell revisited. LISTEN ON KFI 640 in Los Angeles

At the heart of the controversy is conservative talk radio. Arbitron’s new PPM measurement system is showing that conservative talk is even more popular in the nation’s largest markets than previous measurements have shown while minority targeted stations are less popular. But, the PPM doesn’t lie. This is a pager-like device that the listener wears. It registers whatever radio station is being heard in real time and encodes that information into a data base. It is the most accurate means of measuring true listening habits ever devised. But minority stations are crying foul and we have a government that grabs...

Yesterday we showed you video of Erich "Mancow" Muller, a Chicago-based right-wing shockjock, appearing as a guest on Keith Olbermann's show to discuss his being waterboarded. He claimed it led to an ideological conversion! But now a tipster has provided information that suggests the whole thing may be a hoax. [Update: Mancow tells us on Friday morning: "'Hoax' is probably not the right word, but we did think it was going to be a joke."] The information provided to Gawker by our tipster came in a series of emails and is somewhat layered, so we'll try to lay it all...

This is news to Ryan Pollyea at the MSNBC webiste: Mancow Waterboarded, Admits It’s Torture By Ryan Pollyea | NBCChicago.com Mancow decided to tackle the divisive issue head on—actually it was head down, while restrained and reclining. “I want to find out if it’s torture,” Mancow told his listeners Friday morning, adding that he hoped his on-air test would help prove that waterboarding did not, in fact, constitute torture. […] Turns out the stunt wasn’t so funny. Witnesses said Muller thrashed on the table, and even instantly threw the toy cow he was holding as his emergency tool to signify...

SALT LAKE CITY 18 May 2009 Mormon Channel, a new radio service of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, launches 18 May and can be accessed via the Internet or HD radio affiliates. The newly created 24-hour, 7-days a-week format is available live online at http://radio.lds.org, but content may also be downloaded. Continued Broadcasts originate at Temple Square in Salt Lake City and feature a vast and varied array of programming, according to Chris Twitty, director of digital media for the Church. “We have the responsibility to extend the messages of the Church in yet another way...

"I do it because I do it. I talk, therefore I am."

The Federal Communications Commission has opted to assail right-wing dominated talk radio by attacking its lack of appropriate racial, ethnic and gender diversity. “There’s no valid reason for talk radio to be dominated by white males,” said acting FCC Director, Michael Copps. “It’s not like there aren’t any qualified black, female, homosexual, or transgendered persons who could do a credible job as a host. So, we’re going to be taking a close look at the composition of the line-ups on talk networks and crack down on those that aren’t adequately diversified.” Copps warned that “the FCC won’t settle for ‘tokenism.’...

Major labels and the broadcast radio industry used to be a cozy caravan. Labels sent radio stations their music (along with, on occasion, illegal payments to disc jockeys — but that's another story). Radio stations played it on the air. The magic of "promotion" occurred. They were the perfect travel companions. But now they're snowbound in a formidable, jagged, pirate-infested mountain range known as the Sierra Interneta. Making short-term matters worse, the economy is horrid. Labels are going broke and are desperate for new sources of revenue. Radio is losing listeners to video consoles and portable electronic devices. This Donner...

Tonight at 9 PM ET we will be talking to Dr. Alan Keyes as he makes his way from Washington DC to Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Join us for the ride. We'll be talking about his plans to protest Obama's presence at Notre Dame University, and his involvement with a lawsuit seeking to force Obama to prove his legitimacy to be president. Time: 9 p.m. ET Place: The Andrea Shea King Show http://Blogtalkradio.com/ASKShow http://RadioPatriot.blogspot.com Dr. Alan Keyes going to Notre Dame to be arrested: Calls on pro-lifers nationwide to join him. “…until the South Bend jail is filled to overflowing..." 11:30...

A measure that would prevent radio and television broadcasters from airing advertising between 6 a.m.-10 p.m. related to erectile dysfunction has popped up again in Congress. Jim Moran, the left-leaning Virginia Democrat who first introduced the Families for ED Advertising Decency Act in Congress in 2005, along with fellow Democrat Robert Brady of Pennsylvania, reintroduced the measure on April 29 with the aim to "prohibit as indecent the broadcasting of any advertisement for a medication for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and for other purposes." The prohibition would apply to all "pioneer and generic drugs that are medications for treatment...

Michael Harrison is founder and publisher of Talkers magazine, the talk-radio industry's leading trade journal. He has spent more than 40 years in radio - as a host of both talk radio and rock music shows, as a station manager and program director, and as a station owner. Talkers magazine is best known for the "Heavy Hundred" - its annual ranking of the 100 most important talk-show hosts in America.

Orlando, FL (AHN) - An Orlando, Fla. radio personality shot his wife and dog, he said, accidentally. Shannon Burke, 43, was arrested and had bail set at $10,000. He was ordered not to have contact with his wife and not to go within 1,500 feet from his home in the Hilltop Place neighborhood. Burke said he was angry at the dog and was waving a gun around that he did not think was loaded. A bullet from the gun went through the dog's leg and grazed his wife in the head. He called 911 and told the operator that he...

WASHINGTON – Putting aside their own competitive interests, representatives of more than two dozen of the nation's top talk shows held an unprecedented private meeting over the weekend to brainstorm strategies against what they agreed are government plans by to squelch critical political speech on radio.

National Public Radio said yesterday it will lay off 13 employees and furlough all of its employees for five days over the next five months in the latest round of belt-tightening by the Washington-based organization. The cuts are part of a series of measures that will help NPR close a projected $8 million budget gap during its current fiscal year, and $15 million over the next two years. In addition to the furloughs, employees also will not be paid for three holidays (Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day) this year, and three more when its new fiscal year begins...

When President Obama announced his new budget a few weeks ago involving record spending, tax increases, deficits and debt, he did so with soaring rhetoric about spending cuts (non-existent), tax cuts for 95% of workers (misleading), and cutting the deficit in half in 5 years (good luck). This misdirection rhetoric is now a common Obama pattern. For example, when the Administration leaked out word over the weekend of a plan to convert TARP loans into common stock in the banks, it did so with rhetoric that this was a way to rescue banks without asking for any more taxpayer bailouts....

Two Internet radio stations are making Orthodox programming readily available The Rev. Tom Soroka, pastor of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in McKees Rocks, reaches the Orthodox throughout the country and the world through an Internet radio station called Ancient Faith Radio. While most Americans slept, Orthodox Christians gathered outside their churches last night carrying icons and candles for a midnight procession in which they would restore light to the darkened interiors, celebrating Jesus' Resurrection from death. Easter -- Pascha in Orthodox parlance -- is the joyous highlight of their liturgical year. But most of their neighbors are oblivious to it...