Posted on 04/29/2004 3:55:31 AM PDT by kattracks
If liberals have a radio network and nobody listens does it still make a sound?
This is the relevant question about the new "liberal" radio network Air America Radio, which debuted March 31. The network features a galaxy of left-wing stars.
Despite these stars Air America Radio is disappearing faster than a John Kerry campaign pledge. Air America could not pay its bills to its Chicago affiliate, so it was locked out of its office and its programs were cancelled. Now its CEO, Democratic Party operative Mark Walsh, has resigned.
After listening to a couple of the shows one can only conclude that Air America combines the worst elements of National Public Radio and Drive Time Radio – sophomoric humor and soporific conversation. The owners of Air America – Progressive Media, which is owned by Democratic Party operative Mark Walsh – assembled a group of "talent" such as late night TV comedians, Comedy Channel producers, former gangsta rappers, and liberal radio talk show hosts from NPR and the far-Left radio network Pacifica.
The 9 a.m. to 12 Noon show is called Unfiltered. The hosts are comedienne Lizz Winstead, Oxford grad Rachel Maddow, and Rapper Chuck D. Lizz Winstead and Rachel Maddow speak with the soft-spoken, quasi-intellectual tones that characterize NPR, and Chuck D, well, is Chuck D. Among their "jokes" is the suggestion that the CIA Iraqi Rewards program rewards frequent flier miles for "How many civilians you kill." Maybe they should interview the widows of our servicemen.
The major issue of the day was that terrifying threat to our civil liberties "hip-hop profiling." They interviewed Donna Lieberman of the New York ACLU about this important subject. It seems that there is unfair targeting by the NYPD and Miami PD of the hip-hop community.
One reason that "hip-hop profiling" may be important is that Air America caused the elimination of at least three minority radio stations and has thrown blacks and Hispanics out of work. Ten of twelve Air America hosts – or 83 percent - are white. Contrast that to Rush Limbaugh’s guest hosts, who are 67 percent white and tell me who is racist.
During their ruminations and articulations Chuck, Lizz, and Rachel, made the obligatory comments about cops being cruel and stupid, and the CIA is watching that each of them.
The only thing they did was ridicule: the CIA, the military, the cops, President Bush, you name it. This is Hate Radio.
Liberals believe that it is not their message that is unpopular, it is their lack of media. This is why Air America was created.
One New York Times’ article once stated that Carville, Begala, Bill Press and Phil Donahue are the only liberals in media. This is ludicrous. Clinton friend Rick Kaplan is president of MSNBC. NBC’s Tim Russert is the host of Meet the Press and used to work for Mario Cuomo. The host of ABC’s Sunday political show, George Stephanoupolos, was a high-level Clinton staffer. MSNBC features Chris Matthews, who was a former Tip O’Neil staffer, and Brian Williams who was a Carter staffer. Judy Woodruff of CNN, Margaret Carlson are registered Democrats. Bill Moyers of PBS is a vociferous critic of Republicans and a former Johnson administration official.
In 1985, the Los Angeles Times surveyed 3,000 journalists across the country at 621 newspapers. Their conclusion was that "Members of the press are predominantly liberal, considerably more liberal than the general public." A 1995 Roper Poll furnished similar results.
Comedian Jay Leno once referred to what would become Air America during one of his monologues last year. Leno remarked, "According to the New York Times, a group of liberal venture capitalists are in the process of developing their own liberal radio network to counter conservative shows like Rush Limbaugh. They feel the liberal viewpoint is not being heard -- except on TV, in the movies, in music, by comedians, magazines and newspapers. Other than that, it’s not getting out!"
Liberals and Democrats have a tendency to only talk to each other. According to their ratings, no one else is tuning in. The Democrats should heed the maxim, "Where all men think alike, no one thinks very much." And no one tunes in. The overwhelming popularity of Rush Limbaugh, Fox News and conservative websites such as FrontPage Magazine prove where America really stands. It does not stand with the Left, and it certainly does not stand with Air America.
Conservative talk radio reminds me of Radio Free Europe against the Soviets TV, movies, music, comedians, magazines and newspapers.Except that its not government sponsored.
I watch Scarborough at 10 on MSNBC, but immediately switch back to Fox when Chris Matthews comes on.
I'm still trying to figure out where and when they're on in Southern California. I could use a good laugh every now and then.
That's actually Franken's most amusing performance to date. I'd pay real money to see Ben Stein and Franken in a real no-holds-barred debate. Ben would probably avoid such a confrontation though, not wishing to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed man.
This beats the Keystone Kops for pure slapstick.
DK missed his calling as a straight man. I heard him impromptu on Howie Carr during the NH primary. He was
actually funny, since Howie was tossing softballs, leaving big openings, prompting and encouraging each Dem that wanted
to come on that Tuesday to make a final plea for votes in the last couple of hours.
Did he really say that? Wow, I guess he is one of us.
The talking heads on Sunday have to know a little more, as they're interacting, and commenting on the news.
But a talk radio host has to fill in usually several hours of talk. No ability to go to video, and you've got to keep people's attention. You have to read up on a lot of different subjects, be up with the news, etc. Even sports radio guys have to know all about what's going on that day.
Franken and Garafolo haven't been talk radio people very long yet. Another problem that the leftists have is the fear of offending anyone. Once I read that some leftist radio station was having a bunch of gay cowboys on. They talked about how gays were becoming cowboys, and that they had made it in tht macho culture. The radio station was then besieged with calls from angry vegeterians saying cowboys were cruel to animals. When they finally get gays in the military, they'll lambast gays who join because tehy're fighting an illegal war or some damned thing.
So Walter Williams is the guest host a third of the time? :-)
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