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Dead Air (America)
Human Events ^ | 04/25/05 | Pat Sajak

Posted on 04/25/2005 9:31:37 AM PDT by smoothsailing

Dead Air (America)

by Pat Sajak

Posted Apr 25, 2005

Air America, the much-ballyhooed Liberal radio alternative to Rush and Sean and all the other Righties who are successfully dominating our airwaves, doesn't appear to be gaining much traction. It's on the air in only about 50 markets and, even in the "blue" states, its ratings are generally paltry despite reams of free publicity and plenty of financial backers who want this enterprise to succeed. Meantime, Bill Bennett, former Drug Czar and Education Secretary, can be heard in over 100 markets, with a show that launched about the same time as Air America with virtually no mainstream press notice.

How do these things happen? Isn't AA's Al Franken at least as funny as Bill Bennett? (Although, to tell you the truth, when Al was part of the team of Franken & Davis on Saturday Night Live, I wondered how a comedy duo could survive with two straight men.) Don't Liberals listen to the radio? Why isn't anybody out there?

As someone who has been involved in a TV project or two which went largely unnoticed, I think I can answer the question. Conservative radio succeeds, in great measure, because a major segment of the population perceives a need for it. There is no need for mass media with a Liberal slant, because it is already all around us. When I did a late-night talk show on CBS more than 15 years ago, we modeled it after Johnny Carson's show on the supposition that he was about to retire. He didn't, and people went right on watching him. Heck, I watched him. Putting aside any talent deficiencies I might have had, there was no need for Pat Sajak when Johnny Carson was there.

If history had been different and the media centers of the country had been located in Nebraska and Georgia instead of New York and California, they would likely have taken on a more Conservative look over the years.

Liberals would have been screaming about the lack of balance when it came to coverage of news, politics and social issues. In that atmosphere, a dozen Air America-type programs would have sprung up by now, and Conservatives would be bemoaning their success and looking for alternatives. If Rush Limbaugh went on the air in that "alternate universe," he might very well have failed. Who would have needed him? Conservative thought would have already controlled most of what we were watching, reading and hearing.

In short, what Air America is selling is available in too many other places. It's the same dynamic that made a success of Fox News Channel and a failure of Phil Donahue's attempted comeback on cable TV a few years ago. What will eventually kill Air America is its redundancy.

Copyright © 2004 HUMAN EVENTS. All Rights Reserved.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: airamerica; alfranken; billbennett; buyavowel; liberaltalkradio; sajak
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To: EagleUSA
Aren't you and Pat are saying the same thing?

There is no need for mass media with a Liberal slant, because it is already all around us. - Pat

Put very simply, who wants to listen to liberal crap?- EagleUSA

In either statement, nobody wants to listen to liberal radio because they see it all the time on the television or read it in the paper.

I understand your point about the lack of demand for liberal radio but I also think it is strongly tied to Sajak's notion that the presence of AA is redudant due to the overwhelming presence of liberal pap in other mediums.

41 posted on 04/25/2005 10:01:24 AM PDT by new cruelty
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To: Hatteras

hey, give Vanna a break! You'd walk unsure too if you never got to walk in the same pair twice.


42 posted on 04/25/2005 10:03:10 AM PDT by whereasandsoforth (Stamp out liberals with the big boot of truth)
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To: smoothsailing

We may all agree that Err Amerika represents the finest in state-of-the-art liberal dreck, but here's the downside that we aren't paying attention to. If (when) Err Amerika goes down the tubes, we will have to listen to a new onslaught of phoney charges that the "conservative media" is not letting them get "their message" out.

Granted, it's a lame charge, but it's one that any number of leftist sycophants (Soros comes to mind) will spend any amount of money to buy crutches, wheelchairs and prosthetics for this lame charge to keep it alive.


43 posted on 04/25/2005 10:03:15 AM PDT by DustyMoment (FloriDUH - proud inventors of pregnant/hanging chads and judicide!!)
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To: JarheadFromFlorida

"gravely smokers voice'




Watch it! Lots of conservatives smoke,and I'm one of them.



44 posted on 04/25/2005 10:03:29 AM PDT by Mears ("The Killer Queen,caviar and cigarettes")
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To: Tuba Guy

Great graphic,TG! ROFLOL!!!!!


45 posted on 04/25/2005 10:05:23 AM PDT by smoothsailing (Qui Nhon Turtle Co.)
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To: smoothsailing

who wants to be that the left will claim it was all a conspiracy.

Besides, I think clearchannel will pick up the personalities for a bargain for their "boutique" leftist stations so they can have 100% of left and right listeners when listernership ratings are combined.


46 posted on 04/25/2005 10:10:03 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE!)
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To: smoothsailing

It's hard to keep it interesting when you can't openly say what you most strongly believe in:

Defeat for America abroad and Socialism for Americans at home.


47 posted on 04/25/2005 10:10:46 AM PDT by samtheman
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To: Steely Tom
Yeah, but if air-head, air-dead America fails..who going to hire that Jeanine Garfolo or Barfolo person?

She'll just become another one of those liberal 'intellectuals' that are too intelligent to hold a job or go to college. I mean, why should they? President Bush will just find a way to make them irrelevant anyway, right?

48 posted on 04/25/2005 10:12:04 AM PDT by libs_kma (USA: The land of the Free....Because of the Brave!)
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To: diotima; agitator

ping


49 posted on 04/25/2005 10:16:12 AM PDT by Bob J (RIGHTALK.com...a conservative alternative to NPR!)
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To: the invisib1e hand

"I remember thinking (even as a tender lad), "huh. this must be grown up humor, because it's not making me laugh." -- or the 10 year old equivalent of that."

My exact thoughts at the time as well.


50 posted on 04/25/2005 10:16:17 AM PDT by bigcat32
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Is it just me, or does Al Franken look disturbingly like Jack Nicholson as the Joker in the original Batman film?

Hmmm... antisocial psychopath, thinks he's funny... hmmm...


51 posted on 04/25/2005 10:17:43 AM PDT by Trimegistus
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
...but...but...Al Franken graduated from {gulp} Harvard!

Heh! Heh! Well he's not Blond and Beootifool!

52 posted on 04/25/2005 10:18:34 AM PDT by Young Werther
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Maybe if they played oldies the'd gain a 2 share ?


53 posted on 04/25/2005 10:20:06 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: pabianice
It was quite awhile ago, but I seem to remember one really awful skit. Pardon my memory, I may not have all the details quite correct. The creepy bit I remember the duo performing involved Franken calling his (supposed) parents on the stage with him, sort of like a "This Is Your Life" thing, and then telling the elderly man and woman that they were awful parents to Franken, that the father was a drunkard and that the mother slept around! I watched the bit is utter amazement, listening to the audience laugh nervosly at the stiuation before them. It ended with Franken violently shouting at the presumed mom and dad and chasing them off camera.

Nothing funny about their entire bit. Just abuse of others.
54 posted on 04/25/2005 10:21:43 AM PDT by Mr. Jazzy (Bumper sticker "Martyrs or Marines: Who do YOU think will get the virgins?")
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To: smoothsailing
People are bombarded by the left all day long from kindergarten to college and beyond, newspapers and most of television. WHY would ANYONE want to here more of it?! Of course it's failing.
55 posted on 04/25/2005 10:30:52 AM PDT by coffeebreak (Judicial activism is destroying this country.)
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To: smoothsailing
AA is flailing because it's the same ole non-stop negativity of the Left that very few want to hear: the economy is bad, the military is bad (but we support the Troops), our president is evil, we have no health insurance, our enemies hate us and it's our own fault, there is no God, Christmas should be banned...

That right there, who wants to listen to peopla allied with an organization that wants to ban Christmas??

56 posted on 04/25/2005 10:31:34 AM PDT by DTogo (U.S. out of the U.N. & U.N out of the U.S.)
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To: JarheadFromFlorida

Pray for cancer.


57 posted on 04/25/2005 10:32:35 AM PDT by Vasilli22
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To: Vasilli22
Pray for cancer.,

I can't stand that women but wishing her cancer aint cool

58 posted on 04/25/2005 10:47:45 AM PDT by al baby (Dick Trickle is not just a medical condition)
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To: joesbucks

Ed Schultz???? You ever listen to his show? All he does is take callers and they are the most ill informed uneducated lefties I have ever heard. Even when they spout obvious misstatements Ed does not correct them because HE HIMSELF IS A BLITHERING IDIOT ABOUT FACTS!

Ed even tries to be a homeboy with blacks calling them "bro" when they call in.

I notice he does not call himself the "fastest growing radio show in America" anymore now that Bill Bennett is on 50% more stations than he is in less time.


59 posted on 04/25/2005 10:53:29 AM PDT by smag999
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To: smoothsailing

It's not right to kick somebody when they're down. But in this case, we'll make an exception.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/air_america_sucks


60 posted on 04/25/2005 10:55:11 AM PDT by raccoonradio
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