Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Franken Signs Deal With Liberal Radio Venture [Oh Boy, Wonder Who Will Listen..]
TBO.COM ^

Posted on 01/13/2004 5:00:46 PM PST by Sub-Driver

Franken Signs Deal With Liberal Radio Venture By Seth Sutel The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) - They haven't got a name or a launch date yet, but the entrepreneurs who dream of launching a liberal radio network have just landed themselves a lead man: Comedian and best-selling author Al Franken. Progress Media planned to announce Tuesday that it has reached an agreement with Franken to host a live, three-hour daily broadcast that would form the anchor of the programming schedule, according to people familiar with the matter.

In an interview, Franken said the format of the show was still evolving, but he said he was certain that it wouldn't be akin to that used by his rival Rush Limbaugh, which Franken described as "non-guested confrontation."

"He has no one on the show but it's confrontation," Franken said. "His show is just him railing for three hours."

Franken said he planned to use a mix of interviews, calls from listeners and scripted comedy. He said he planned to have a co-host with long experience in radio, but he said that role had not been finalized.

Franken had long been rumored to be interested in a deal with Progress Media, the startup company that is assembling radio stations and talent for a radio network to challenge conservative talk show powerhouses like Limbaugh.

But Franken had been holding off in recent months, partly to promote his hot-selling book, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right," and partly because he had reservations about the previous owners of the venture.

"Things got more serious in terms of putting together stations and money to make this possible" with the change in ownership, Franken said.

Last November the company was bought by an investment group led by Mark Walsh, a former America Online executive and adviser to the Democratic National Committee, from the venture capitalists Sheldon and Anita Drobny.

Walsh, who serves as CEO of Progress Media, also said the new network had reached its first major distribution agreement, with the Chicago AM station WNTD. He said he expects to announce at least three other distribution deals in the coming weeks.

Walsh acknowledged that much work remains to be done on the network before it becomes a viable business, including lining up technical arrangements and setting up offices and studios.

He said that about 65 percent of the network's programming has been decided, but he declined to elaborate beyond disclosing another new show to be co-hosted by the environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called "Champions of Justice."

The network also has yet to decide on a name. Last month the company indicated it would call the radio network Central Air, but Walsh said Tuesday the company was no longer certain it would be using that name.

Putting Franken in the midday time slot of noon to 3 p.m. Eastern time is a direct challenge to Limbaugh, whose hugely successful show occupies the same time slot.

Franken, whose earlier book was called "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot," said he plans to call up his nemesis for advice on his own show since Limbaugh has often said he wonders why new radio hosts don't seek out his counsel.

"I'll ask him advice: how he approaches a show, how he frames an issue. If it doesn't happen it will be - very understandably - because he won't take my call," Franken said.

Franken said his contract with Progress Media would last just one year, after which time both sides would reassess how things were going. He also said he very much wanted to do the show during a presidential election year.

"I'm interested in doing what I can to affect this election," Franken said. "I've been thinking about what's the best use of my energies - I hope this is it."

AP-ES-01-13-04 1845EST

This story can be found at: http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAS9H7MEPD.html


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: liberaltalkradio
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-88 last
To: Thebaddog
>>Check out Al's Chicago station

Soy bastante bueno, soy suficiente listo, y lo zurce, las personas me adoran. Permítanos todo voto para el Howard
Dean [translation via freetranslation.com]
81 posted on 01/14/2004 1:24:14 AM PST by raccoonradio
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: raccoonradio
Soy bastante bueno, soy suficiente listo, y lo zurce, las personas me adoran. Permítanos todo voto para el Howard Dean [translation via freetranslation.com]

Translates thus.

I am quite good, I am sufficient ready, and it zurce, the persons worship me. Permit us every vote for the Howard Of

It can't be any better for Al Franken if he were to try.

Now I have to translate, "All your base belong to us".

82 posted on 01/14/2004 2:14:57 AM PST by Thebaddog (Woof!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 81 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog
Now I have to translate, "All your base belong to us"...

There's another version kinda appropriate today--click:

Click on the picture.


83 posted on 01/14/2004 2:37:21 AM PST by backhoe (--30--)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 82 | View Replies]

To: backhoe
Thanks for the clarification. I can never keep that statement in my head correctly.

Can you believe that the media is setting up Al Franken as a big time player on an all Spanish station in Chicago? I hope he goes on. I'll tape his spanish for consumption on FR.

84 posted on 01/14/2004 3:46:30 AM PST by Thebaddog (Woof!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 83 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog
I'll tape his spanish for consumption on FR.

I hope you do that.

These are interesting times to live in- the 'rats seem to be self-destructing on hate and bitterness, ranting and canting to an echo-chamber of angry crackpots like the Dean supporters.

Meanwhile, those whose time in the Sun has come & gone- like Franken- seem to think that America's problem is that we haven't heard their message- so their solution is to Shout Louder!

I have news for them- I've heard 'em, loud and clear, for about 30 years on every major network, in most papers & magazines, and from almost every "star" from Hollywood...

...and yelling at me is not going to make their message any more palatable. GIGO...

85 posted on 01/14/2004 3:56:41 AM PST by backhoe (--30--)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]

To: backhoe
I tried the Al Franken web site to email him a query in spanish. You can't get an email to him. Do you think he gets a lot of stuff?
86 posted on 01/14/2004 4:22:02 AM PST by Thebaddog (Woof!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 85 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog
I tried the Al Franken web site to email him a query in spanish. You can't get an email to him. Do you think he gets a lot of stuff?

I'd bet Al gets a lot of "stuff" if he's fool enough to make his email known!

87 posted on 01/14/2004 4:37:32 AM PST by backhoe (--30--)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 86 | View Replies]

To: Thebaddog
>>I am quite good, I am sufficient ready, and it zurce, the persons worship me. Permit us every vote for the Howard Of

Ah--well, of course I had typed the following into the box at that translation website: "I'm good enough, I'm
smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like me! [or words to that effect]. Let us all vote for Howard Dean"

A member of a radio mailing list I belong to feels that getting this lib network on the air by Election Day will be tough; it will take a long time for the FCC to
approve the license(s), etc.--which of course will give them an issue to moan about: "That Bush-controlled FCC
is doing this on purpose!" Cue Hillary's quip about
the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy :)
88 posted on 01/14/2004 9:28:35 AM PST by raccoonradio
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 82 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-88 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson