Posted on 02/17/2003 2:14:26 PM PST by Paul Atreides
A couple of those rich people who are supposed to be among the sole beneficiaries of the president’s proposed tax cuts want even more – such as a genuine liberal talk show to go head to head with Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Michael Reagan, the reigning czars of the vast Right-wing conspiracy’s nationwide radio network.
Apparently unaware that liberals already have their very own national radio network – National Public Radio (NPR) – Sheldon and Anita Drobny are chattering about putting up really big bucks to lure liberal comedian Al Franken to take on the thankless task of trying to sell the left’s idiot propaganda to an utterly disinterested American public which has repeatedly tuned out when liberals turn on.
The couple, described by today’s New York Times as "venture capitalists from Chicago who have been major campaign donors for Bill Clinton and Al Gore” want Franken and a stable of "other well-known entertainers with a liberal point of view” for a daily 14-hour, lineup of what the Times described as "commercial programs that would heavily rely on comedy and political satire.”
Not satisfied with the near-total stranglehold Liberal have on the networks and the mainstream media, and terrified by last November’s GOP victories and the success of the "fair and balanced” Fox News Cable network, the Drobnys and their fellow leftist Democrats have come up with a start-up investment of $10 million to get the project off the ground, and hope to raise another $200 million to get the show on the road and finance other ventures.
The Drobnys and their allies claim that the utter failure of past attempts to sell their brand of Marxism to the American electorate, notably the almost instant collapse of the hapless Jim Hightower and Mario Cuomo shows which were touted to be answers to conservative talk radio, does not portend failure for this newest venture into broadcast socialism,.
"I feel like there's a monologue out there," Ms. Drobny told the Times. "I just had this tremendous feeling with great passion that we had to make sure we're heard and make sure having a dialogue in this country of ours."
But Kraig T. Kitchen, chief executive of Premiere Radio Networks, one of the nation's largest radio syndication companies with the Limbaugh, Reagan and Dr. Laura Schlessinger shows , among others to its credit, told the Times he wouldn’t have avoided producing liberal programs if he thought there was money in them.
"Individuals who are liberal in their viewpoints can be all-encompassing," he added. "It's very hard to define liberalism, unlike how easy it is to define conservatism. So, as a result, it doesn't evoke the same kind of passion as conservative ideologies do."
Henry Reisch of the William Morris Agency, a representative for Franken, said his client was seriously considering the offer, but was mainly concerned about whether he could handle the commitment of a daily radio program.
The money for the new liberal radio network is coming from the Paradigm Group, of which the Drobnys are the principal partners. Mrs. Drobny is the chairwoman of the venture, which is being called AnShell Media L.L.C.
Jon Sinton, a longtime, Atlanta-based radio executive, will be the CEO. According to the Times he helped start the nationally syndicated Hightower radio program which liberals had hoped that would be their answer to Rush Limbaugh. It was canceled shortly after its launching in the mid-1990's, a venture Sinton says failed because it tried "to be Rush - you're not going to beat him at his game," Sinton told the Times. "What really makes this work is tapping into Hollywood and New York and having a huge entertainment component, where political sarcasm is every bit as effective as Rush Limbaugh is at bashing you over the head."
Just what we need – talk radio starring Barbra Streisand and a gaggle of other Hollywood useful idiots spouting their peculiar brand of limousine Marxism 14 hours a day. Two years of that kind of babble and there won’t be a single Democrat left on Capitol Hill after the 2004 elections.
What Kitchin said speaks volumes. Having worked for the Borg...errr.....Clear Channel, they won't touch ANYTHING unless it's going to fill their bankaccounts with ad revenue.
Translation: he really doesn't have that much to say.
He really doesn't have that much to DO either. I'd jump at the chance if I was Old Al.
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