Despite Media Blitz, Air America Fails - ("Bring it On! You're no Rush Limbaugh!)

NEWSMAX.COM ^ | APRIL 25, 2005 | Carl Limbacher & Staff

[CHARLITE]

Air America is just a year old and the darling of the liberal media, who've touted it like there's no tomorrow.

Despite the help, Air America may be heading for the dustbin of liberal media history.

Writing in the Los Angeles Times, Brian C. Anderson, senior editor of City Journal and author of the new book "South Park Conservatives: The Revolt Against Liberal Media Bias," says that the "left's answer to conservative talk radio is failing, just as previous efforts to find liberal Rush Limbaughs have failed."

Despite the widely publicized fact that the liberal talk network has grown to 50-plus markets, it pales in comparison with conservative William J. Bennett's morning talk show.

Bennett's program launched at the same time as Air America, and it now reaches nearly 124 markets, including 18 of the top 20, joining the growing ranks of successful right-of-center talk programs (Limbaugh is still the ratings leader, drawing more than 15 million listeners a week), Anderson reveals.

A look at Air America's ratings shows they are "pitifully weak, even in places where you would think they'd be strong," wrote Anderson. "WLIB, its flagship in New York City, has sunk to 24th in the metro area Arbitron ratings -- worse than the all-Caribbean format it replaced .... In the liberal meccas of San Francisco and Los Angeles, Air America is doing lousier still."

Anderson thinks he knows why liberals fare so poorly on the airwaves.

"Successful talk radio is conservative for three reasons:

• "Entertainment value. The top conservative hosts put on snazzy, frequently humorous shows.

• "Fragmentation of the potential audience. Political consultant Dick Morris explains: 'Large percentages of liberals are black and Hispanic, and they now have their own specialized entertainment radio outlets, which they aren't likely to leave for liberal talk radio.'

• "Liberal bias in the old media. That's what birthed talk radio in the first place."

Of course, before the genesis of Air America, liberals had their own radio network: It's called NPR. Unlike conservative networks, which rely on advertising and private means to broadcast, NPR enjoys taxpayer-funded support.

[CHARLITE]

"Didn't we read Al Gore ( the inventor of the internet ) was ready to launch his much balyhood tv channel soon?"

"I invented the INTERNET!!"

[WilliamofCarmichael]

Err America fails and Bore will fail simply because there is already a glut of what they offer, i.e., more MSM and "public" radio and TV.

I could not count the number of times in the early days of modern talk radio (late 1980s thru early 1990s) that I heard callers exclaim, "I didn't know others believed as I do! I didn't know others knew about (this or that) event!"

People are running away from the MSM BS why do Err America and Bore try to market it? Ans: Liberalism is a mental disorder.

[Scotsman will be Free]

I listened to that buffoon, Al Franken, a few days ago by accident. He had some liberal mexican lawyer on who was whining about our immigration policies killing illegal aliens, etc.
Besides the inane positions of the host and guest, they had no passion for their cause and no sense of humor. They bored the hell out of me with their virtual monotone discussion.

[MacDorcha]

I agree, the liberals would need to be less PC (oh my God! possibly OFFEND someone?!?!?!) to be any good at something involving only TALK.

Off topic here-

Interested in a celtic ping list? I got some around back if ya do. You cool?

[TexasTransplant]

Your link seems to have smoked their server. ;^)

[Fido969]

" I don't remember the date but it was when I went to take my physical exam for my new employer. "

Hmmm.. sounds like you took it us the ol' wazoo twice that day.

[Fido969]

Al Frankin is such a jerk. Yeah, we're luvvin it.

[Stellar Dendrite]

Who is Al Franken.

[spinestein]

[A look at Air America's ratings shows they are "pitifully weak, even in places where you would think they'd be strong," wrote Anderson. "WLIB, its flagship in New York City, has sunk to 24th in the metro area Arbitron ratings -- worse than the all-Caribbean format it replaced .... In the liberal meccas of San Francisco and Los Angeles, Air America is doing lousier still."]



I TRIED to listen to that dimwit Al Franken for the entire week that AA was on the air in Chicago, but it was excruciatingly amateurish. He and his guests had nothing intelligent to say so they simply filled up air time with cheap insults.

Al Franken - "Daaaaaaaaah, George Bush is stupid."

Dead Air - (6 seconds)

Al Franken - "Uuuuuuuuum, I hope Bush goes to jail. Heh heh heh."

Dead Air - (8 seconds)

Al Franken - "Yeah. Heh heh heh, I hope George Bush goes to jail and he has a big black cell mate named Bubba. Heh heh heh. Yeah"

Dead Air - (11 seconds)

Al Franken - "Yeah. George Bush is stupid."

...and so on.


I like the fact that despite perpetually losing money, these buffoons are still on the air which means that whoever is subsidizing this embarrassing bilge is throwing away their money (it's George Soros and his friends).

[rdcorso]

How could this article be true when I just watched a documentary on HBO about the success of Air America?That Randi Rhodes is so smooth I couldn't imagine her ratings not being excellent.She was heard on air saying she had better ratings than Rush.In fact I'm sure if you ask any of the Air Heads at Air America they will tell you how great they are.How does fat Al Frankenstein feel now?

[doug from upland]

http://www.cobras.org/midi.htm

MIDI - VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR -- MIDI at the bottom left

(musical intro)

I was listening to Hannity or Rushbo
When I tried another station...why?...I don't know
I heard someone and I said, man does this guy blow

Ooh-a-ooh

In no time I quickly reached the right conclusion
I determined that he needs a brain transfusion
The poor guy was really suffering delusion

Ooh-a-ooh...the guy was crazy...ooh-a-ooh...he's freakin' crazy

Liberals stunk my radio up...liberals stunk my radio up
Just 10 seconds...that's enough...now, it's in the trash can

CNN and Jennings spew the same old prattle
Those who watch them follow like they're sheep or cattle
In their heads we're sure we heard something rattle

Ooh-a-ooh...the guy was crazy...ooh-a-ooh...he's freakin' crazy

Liberals stunk my radio up...liberals stunk my radio up
Just 10 seconds...that's enough...and that decision had not been tough
Now, it's in the trash can...stuffed down in the trash can

(musical interlude)

I'll miss that old Grundig

Liberals stunk my radio up...liberals stunk my radio up
Just 10 seconds...that's enough...and that decision had not been tough
I won't put up with that stuff...always whining while in a huff

(musical interlude)

Liberals stunk my radio up...liberals stunk my radio up
Liberals stunk my radio up...liberals stunk my radio up
Liberals stunk my radio up...liberals stunk my radio up
Liberals stunk my radio up...liberals stunk my radio up
Liberals stunk my radio up...(fade)

(musical finish)

[doug from upland]

If you want to hear real radio, JAYNA DAVIS and DAVE SCHIPPERS will be my guest on Rightalk radio this Wednesday at 2pm Eastern. We will be discussing the coverup of the OKC bombing. www.rightalk.com

[CHARLITE]

"If you want to hear real radio, JAYNA DAVIS and DAVE SCHIPPERS will be my guest on Rightalk radio this Wednesday at 2pm Eastern. We will be discussing the coverup of the OKC bombing. www.rightalk.com

Thanks for the tip. I'll be sure to listen. Jayna Davis has the goods. That's for certain. I'm furious that the government hasn't utilized the information that she clearly has, that McVeigh and Nichols not only did not act alone, but were actually puppets and tools for the Iraq secret service!

It is positively appalling that the FBI had no interest in the results of her very professional investigation. For FReepers who aren't up to speed about what Jayna Davis discovered, here is the link to her website:

http://www.jaynadavis.com/

[righttackle44]

Reminds me of a things we used to do when I was a kid:

"From out of the inner reaches of the hostile jungle comes the cry of a constipated ape! AAARRRRGHHHHH, those green bananas!"

[frankiep]

he's good enough, smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like him.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Air America is a year old. So is Al Franken.

[pookie18]

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Yes I'm cool. No I don't need a Celtic ping.

[Trueblackman]

Air America is so boring even a caveman is smart enough to switch to Rush....Oops I did not see you standing there!!!

[jwalburg]

That's a pretty good summary. Ed Schultz is similar except you get an occasional agriculture op-ed to liven things up.