LIB-eral talk network draws community's ire

NY Daily News ^ | 3/31/04 | David Hinckley

[jimbo123]

The progressive talk network Air America kicks off today, hoping to give nonconservatives a daily place to roast their ideological opposites.

Just the way conservatives do now.

Air America can be heard locally on WLIB (1190 AM), over XM satellite radio or by Internet at airamericaradio.com.

While the network hopes to stir controversy, it already has some here that it probably doesn't want.

A community rally is planned tomorrow night at 7 at the Abyssinian Baptist Church, 132 Odell Clark Place, to protest the loss of WLIB's talk and Caribbean programming. The Coalition of Artists and Activists wants a boycott of the new network.

"Air America is in no way offering a satisfactory substitute for local community programming," says Bob Law, a veteran radio personality and long-time activist.

He says the Coalition has two major concerns: "the scapegoating of the black community" for the financial problems that led WLIB to make a lease deal with Air America, and the way he says Air America has taken advantage of a situation created by racism.

"We have no doubt WLIB isn't making money," says Law. "But that's not because the community isn't listening. It's because Arbitron does not record that listening and because advertisers won't pay what they should to reach those listeners.

"It's a system that leaves AM stations like WLIB vulnerable, and Air America is taking advantage of that vulnerability."

The least Air America should do, says Law, "is hire a prominent, respected, forceful host from our community."

He also says that if WLIB ends up being sold, "It should be offered first to buyers from our community."

Air America's lineup includes Marc Maron, Sue Ellicott and WLIB's Mark Riley, 6-9 a.m.; Lizz Winstead, Chuck D and Rachel Maddow, 9 a.m.-noon; Al Franken and Katherine Lanpher, noon-3 p.m.; Randi Rhodes, 3-7 p.m.; Marty Kaplan, 7-8 p.m.; and Janeane Garofalo with Sam Seder, 8-11 p.m.

Chuck D is reportedly signed for the first three months.

WLIB will carry local programs midnight-5 a.m. Nationally, Air America will be heard in about 20% of the country, including Chicago and Los Angeles.

[jimbo123]

Liberals protesting liberals. Gotta love it.

[FreedomPoster]

There are deep divisions just waiting to fully form in the Left. For just one instance, in general, blacks are not at all keen on gay marriage, yet this is being pushed pretty strongly by the Left.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

You haven't hear the good part. In order to hear live audio streaming of the shows, they make people sign up at their site. Hannity doesn't even make people do that. Trolling the lib sites, I find that they have to send an email back to the new user. It seems the site is so overloaded, it's taking a while.

[Guillermo]

Heard this morning that Vernon Jones may run for Congress.

Anyone But McKinney!

I'd much rather vote in the GOP Primary this year, although I may still get my chance because there will probably be a run-off in the Senate Primary race. Are we allowed to vote in the GOP run-off if we didn't vote in the regular primary?

[smiley]

Station letters should be: WLIE.

[mware]

LOL this is going to be sweet.

Marc Maron, Sue Ellicott and WLIB's Mark Riley, 6-9 a.m. going against Curtis and Kuby at WABC radio NYC

; Lizz Winstead, Chuck D and Rachel Maddow, 9 a.m.-noon going against John Gambling

; Al Franken and Katherine Lanpher, noon-3 p.m. going against El Rushbo

; Randi Rhodes, 3-7 p.m.going against Sean Hannity

; Marty Kaplan, 7-8 p.m. going against THE GREAT ONE, "hold on now"

; and Janeane Garofalo with Sam Seder, 8-11 p.m.going against Monica Crowley, Laura Ingram and John Alexander.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

It even gets better. Leftists are having problems logging in and the server may have crashed. One even suggested that we did a DOS attack on them. LOL.

[mewzilla]

Talk about pouring (someone else's) money down a 'Rat hole...

[Shut up and take it]

The show slogan could be "All anger-- all of the time!"

[Loyal Buckeye]

There is no way that some of these individuals are in this for the long run. After the election, they will be gone.

The question is, will this network be called "hate radio"?

[alrea]

The progressive talk network Air America kicks off today, hoping to give nonconservatives a daily place to roast their ideological opposites.

are these guys are trying to put Rather Jennings Brokejaw CBS ABS NBS CNN Ted Turner and all out of business?

[MattMa]

Got this from when I tried to connect to the server.

Server Error
The server encountered an internal error and was unable to complete your request.
JRun Connector Protocol Error.

[FreedomPoster]

I think if you vote in the Dem primary, you won't be able to vote in the Rep run-off.

Right now, we have Jihawd Cyndy and a Lesbian. Great.

I've been pretty underwhelmed with Vernon Jones.

I'm not sure we shouldn't just put Cyndy back in, to discredit anyone remotely associated with her politically. Not really, but I'm so disgusted with the whole thing, I just can't take it.

[TomGuy]

I have a feeling that 2-3 hours of "Bush is bad. Kerry has a plan. Bush is bad. Kerry has a plan. Bush is bad. Kerry has a plan." will get old in short order.

Unless they have some substance other than ranting and spewing the dailyDemtalkingpointsmemo, they won't have enough listeners to pay the bills in 4 months.

I watched for 2 days as J Garofolo subbed last summer on either CNN or MSNBC. (I seldom watch either of those networks). With the live audience, Garofolo couldn't even follow the discussion. She was constantly fumbling with her script. When the discussion got off script, she was lost. Of course, the lib radio can always bring out the heavy guns is necessary. Remember how Phil Donahue brought throngs of viewers to MSNBC. Remember? Lib radio may last a bit longer than Phil's return to talk, but the radio probably won't last much beyond 6 months--a lack of listeners = a last of revenue = a loss of stations.

[Drango]

Pssssst....spread the word....Al Franken is a racist.

[StriperSniper]

and John Alexander.

That's John Batchelor, it was Paul Alexander. ;-)

I just heard about two minutes of John last night and he was saying something about it being very possible that WMD stocks have been found, but not secured, thus no official word. Some speculation that Israel may end up destroying at least some of them this summer since they are so close to their border (hint, hint, Bakka Valley). I know, sounds like Debka, but who knows, it makes more sense than 'they didn't exist'.

[SwatTeam]

I find it hilarious that the libs named their network Air America. Wasn't that a CIA cover during the 60's? Are they showing some subtle humor here? Naaahhhhhhhhh

[StriperSniper]

but the radio probably won't last much beyond 6 months

I give it nine, it will last until after the post election fight.(You know it's coming) :(

That is all they want, an end around of campaign finance rules.

[Musket]

Yup, putting all those fine Caribbean-Americans(NY), Korean-Americans(LA) and Mexican-Americans(Chicago) out of work. Just literally throwing them out on the street! Those COLD HEARTED B*STARDS! WHA - I thought the Democrats were FOR the minorities? Oh Lord what is going on here??? LOL!!!!!

[mware]

I stand corrected. I never could sort those two out when they were on the radio, a conservative democrate and a liberal republican, what a hoot.

Being serious though, even John Loftus said that the Dem's should steer clear of making comments on WMD. He thinks they exist.