Posted on 01/22/2005 7:43:54 AM PST by ScoopandDizzy
Rarely has more attention been devoted to a broadcasting-related topic than to the latest attempt at making liberal talk radio work. But how is it really faring?
Where a number of national left-wing programs had failed one after another over the years, 2004 saw a concerted effort, backed by partisan funding, to make the Air America Network fly. Other radio syndication companies have since stepped into the mix with their own offerings.
Some pretty bold claims are being made at the moment: Jones Radio's Ed Schultz, of Fargo, N.D., claims his show grew faster than Rush Limbaugh's did in his first year of national syndication, for example. Wild proclamations about ratings growth at some stations have also generated headlines in recent months.
Corporate giant Clear Channel Radio has been converting small, also-ran radio stations around the country to a new liberal format featuring a varying blend of Air America and leftist programs originating from other radio networks.
(Excerpt) Read more at worldnetdaily.com ...
If you don't get an Air-Alqueda station, or if you are pressed for time, here's a faithful transcript of the typical show:
"Bush stole the election"
"Bush is a criminal"
"Bush liked about WMD's"
"Bush is a poo-poo head"
With advertising revenues as the prime driver behind virtually ANY commercial broadcasting venture, lib radio will continue to be pushed on listeners all across America. However, after several months of declining revenues and declining listener base, the stations will change format again . . . . . with substantially less fanfare.
Eventually, libs will figure out that hating Bush, as a format for a talk show, and the unwillingness to debate with conservatives isn't an interesting venue - even for the most diehard libs. We can all sit around listening to people say "I agree with you" for only so long before we nod off.
Didn't Schulz used to be a conservative commentator in Fargo.
If I recall correctly, he changed his commentating to a "lie"beral viewpoint after his local ratings slipped.
Clear Channel? I thought they were the big, bad righty partisans...
Al Franken might have a chance on Radio where they cant see how Goofy he looks, but when he opens his mouth people hear how Goofy he sounds, so I guess not.
Here in DC, the local sports radio station started a B station last year. Apparently it didn't do too well, so they switched it to Air Amerika and play a lot of the local sports games on there as well(Georgetown Hoyas, Bullets/Wizards, etc...) IF they thought the ratings were bad before, I can't wait to laugh my arse off at them when this goes T's up.
My friends and family members in Detroit are despondent over the Clear Channel affiliate's [WXDX - 1310AM] decision to move away from a quasi-conservative talk format to become *Detroit Progressive Talk* and change of call letters to WDTW. This MUST be a subsidized format change as work and family-oriented Detroiters won't listen to such drivel. And the *victims* who might listen to such liberal whining spend their welfare stipend on either booze, junk food, lottery tickets or in the inner city's pathetic casinos. Given this new bitter victim demographic, who would sponsor such junk radio?
Freepers should unite in expressing their extreme disappointment on the listener line 248-489-1787 where they would like comment on THE NEW 1310 WDTW! Keep in mind, Michigan almost delivered 17 Electoral Votes to Bush, but the constant drone in the press about higher-than-average unemployment figures soured the weak-minded union types that feel they have right to stack crankshafts for $50,000+ per year. It never occurs to them that the health care field in Michigan is filling thousands of job openings with English-as-a-second-language types because native Detroit union types refruse to develop new skills. Michigan's Canadian-born female Governor blames President Bush for Michigan's inability to recognize the sea change in employment trends and courts the unions to protect their buggy whip industries. Michigan should be courting technology and services that can't be outsourced by retraining its labor base. After all, wouldn't a day helping people as a nurse be more rewarding than stacking crankshafts?
Clear Channel converted one of the few good oldies stations in the USA, WSAI 1530 Cincinnati, to liberal talk, featuring Jerry Springer.
ping
You're not too far off the mark. Liberal talk radio is heavily subsidized by leftist groups since they can't make it by advertising alone.
What is the target listener here? The swing voters? Folks too dumb to have an opinion or convictions? And Al Franken will collect them? I listen to Air-America and it never lets me down. Pure entertainment. Some whinning bitter hippie yaping about the same worn out talking points from 8 years ago.
If you ask me it is not a very effective tool for the left.
I think I have the reason why liberal talk radio is doing so badly. There was an audience out in the country for conservative talk radio, because nobody in the major media were addressing people with conservative opinions. When conservatives finally heard someone saying things they agreed with, they flocked to conservative talk radio.
On the other hand, what is the need for liberal talk radio, other than allowing George Soros to spread his propaganda? The liberals already have CNN, NPR, the NY Times, the LA Times, ABC, CBS, and NBC. If that isn't enough, they can go to the movies. They don't need a radio show to re-enforce their opinions.
According to one of the DJs tossed off 50-kilowatt Cincinnati 1530 this week (was WSAI and is now WCKY), in the change to Err America, this was the precise reason Clear Channel made this change. Clear Channel wants to prove it is NOT politically blind.
A powerhouse 50-KW station will spew Springer's hate. I hope it doesn't last, and I do not think the market locally will support it.
Agreement here. I believe that Air America has the potential to actually move the middle towards the right.
I caught a little of one show during the few weeks they were on here in Los Angeles. They were into Catholic-bashing, and had I been Catholic I believe I would have been quite offended. They were doing a good job of convincing the automatic voters that the party of the left was no longer the party of their parents and grandparents.
The manager said Limbaugh's show provided the income to produce local [money losing] shows.
After Limbaugh moved to CC, the station eventually went to a country and Nascar format.
I did see in a radio newsgroup that a guy in NJ picked up the "5"Kw station one night.
They are coming up with these liberal talk shows not to
try to convert people to their side but to keep their "followers" from listening to conservative radio and being enlightened. Trust me, it is not much different than the "Berlin Wall".
The idea that there is some intense clamor for liberal talk radio, just because there is conservative talk radio, is specious. Most libs are litening to FM rock. They're just not talk radio people.
Liberal Radio is a niche market.
I am more bothered by the fact they are using the new new new lable of "progressive" to hide the fact that their programing is really socialist/communist under a different title.
"Progressive Radio" is just hate radio. I hate conservatives or I hate Bush or I hate America. They have no idea to discuss and more important do not want or permit discussion. Their call screeners do not permit thought out discussion of socialist by conservative callers. They may allow a so called conservative to be on the air IF they are from some kook perspective of a libertarian bent. (ie "a conservative who is voting constitution party and not for Bush" or "I hate the war" conservative)
The objective is to turn talk radio into what the Alphabet MSM has. Advertisers by ABC, CBS, and NBC en masse. They only care about agrigate ratings not whether CBS looses to NBC. So Clear Channel will go to IBM or Tempurpedic Bed Maker and sell both conservatives and socialist radio in one shot.
Do the 17% of admitted liberals have money?
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