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Clear Channel's secret plan for Air America
OPCEN has given me the go-ahead to describe what Clear Channel ("CC") is planning regarding Air America Radio. According to #7, the cat's already out of the sack regarding this operation, so there's no harm and only upside to disclosing the truth.
Yes, of course, CC is basically an arm of the VRWC. Yes, it's about the money for CC, but it's also about the ideology. Many on the other side cheered as CC converted stations to AAR, without knowing what that really meant. The goal was to set up AAR to fall, and fall big.
#7, #45, and various other operators have been working on a new CC format entitled "Progressive Talk." (Planted report here.) It's already in San Antonio at KRPT-FM 92.5, and a similar format will be coming soon to Ohio's WARF 1350 AM (aka Radio Free Ohio).
For instance, look at the lineup for KRPT:
Doug Stephan's Good Day USA
Jerry Springer
Stephanie Miller
Ed Schultz
Phil Hendrie
Lionel
Alan Colmes
"Good Day USA"? Doesn't sound too "liberal" to me. Springer is basically an embarrassment, and Miller is a comedienne. Phil Hendrie a "liberal"? He basically converted his show into one long ad for #3 last year. As for Big Ed, well, let's just say that he's already used to converting and future surprises just might be in store...
And, of course, one notes the lack of AAR stalwarts Al Franken and Janeane Garofalo from that list...
Hoorays are in store for #7 for this classic pincers move, and we'll watch as this plays itself out.
Posted in Satire at 11:41 AM | Comments (1)
Video of Randi Rhodes at Congress media bias panel
The long wait is finally over, and you can see Randi Rhodes and David Brock (of the Soros-funded Media Matters) testifying before the Congressional media bias panel which was held last week.
The videos of Randi are linked to in this post, and those of Brock are linked from here.
But, wait, there's more! Videos of Joe Madison (who?) of the Black Eagle Radio Show (what?) are here.
I've provided a partial transcript below.
"...Well, it was just something we all did back in college. I really had no idea that the Russian Solidarity Friendship Union had questionable ties, but I'll take your word for it... No, really, at the meetings we just discussed things like Dostoevsky and worker's rights... I am not now nor have I ever been a member of Comsomol..."
Posted in RandiRhodes at 09:58 PM | Comments (2)
The only question is what year she lost it
The title is my answer to a 1000+ posts DUmmy's question "Is Randi Losing it?" The popular opinion appears to be Rhodes has some rough edges, but lay off. However, the DUmmies aren't so kind to lovable and cuddly reformed conservative Ed Schultz. In his case, several posters use the "A-word". One poster even says that Ed called my third favorite AAR personality "Randi Slut". That has not been confirmed.Showing that perhaps there's hope for "liberals", another 1000+ poster says, "I don't always like Randi and sometimes the humor on Al Franken is so unfunny it makes me physically ill..."
Another poster has some constructive criticism:
I was dismayed last night when she talked over Sen. Boxer, interrupting her with her own comments and not letting Boxer get her point across in one piece. Boxer was good, agreed with Randi's points but I was unhappy that Randi talked so much. I really like Randi and think she adds a great deal to progressive talk radio, having been in the service and all. I want her to stay on the air. She has passion. I just wish she would listen more, especially when she has the opportunity to have our wonderful Barbara Boxer on the line.Speaking as a native New Yorker, 1000+ poster Eleny informs:
I feel that your analysis of her style as being a product of her being a New Yorker, to put it mildly and respectfully, has its flaws. And I choose not to give her a break this time around. There are times when she needs to get a grip and this is one of them.Someone with just 21 posts who's obviously a FReeper disruptor chimes in:
I can't stand that loud mouth. She is the embodiment of annoying egotistical loudmouth know it alls' everywhere. She's completely obnoxious. I like Air America and really like Al Franken, but after trying to listen to Randi Rhodes about a dozen times, I came to the conclusion that I hate her and her show. She makes discussion points that are so trite and meaningless it makes my head want to pop off. I was listening to her talking about G Bush wanting Osama's head chopped off, and she dedicated half her show to that. There are millions of Democrats and Independents out there thinking "good", F#$@ Osama. I personally hope he is burned alive.Our last comment comes from ladylib:
I appreciate Randi because she's incredibly knowledgeable, but jeez Louise, she will NOT shut up! She verbally mows over everybody in her path and it doesn't matter if they're right, left, or center. Hey Randi, try LISTENING to your listeners. You might learn something from them. And, no Randi, I do not want to hear "bounce your boobies" again. It was embarrassing and stupid the first time.You mean the bumper music she used for the Boxer appearance?
Posted in RandiRhodes at 07:30 PM | Comments (2)
Janeane Garofalo got a breast reduction?
Say what now? By accident I ran across a kinda snarky celebrity bio site, which has this quote from America's trying-too-hard sweetheart:
"I was a 36C or D, and at 5'1", I knew that being a small person with big boobs standing in front of an audience was not going to be easy. It would be really hard to get people to pay attention to me without mocking me. Getting a breast reduction to prepare for my career was no different from people who work to get good grades to get into a good college to get into a good graduate school to get a good job. I went down to a B cup, and it was the best thing in the whole world."
Say what now? No, Janeane, we mock you for other reasons. We would never have mocked you for that, no, really, never in a zillion years.
In related news, this same site has bios for Jerry Springer (here), Al Franken (here), and even Al's sidekick Katherine Lanpher (here).
I note, however, that it doesn't have a bio of Randi Rhodes. Al, Al, Al! Everyone's always talking about Al!
Posted in Meta at 12:01 PM | Comments (2)
Chuck D is back on Air America. World rejoices.
ChuckD's new show starts Sunday May 29th evening, Billboard reports. Called "On The Real," it will probably not feature an appearance by former Unfiltered co-star Lizz Winstead. It will, however, feature an appearance by Jamie Foxx.
According to writer/producer Gia Garel, we can expect: "music, comedy and verbal sparring highlighting the impact of current, global, sociopolitical issues."
As if that wasn't enough, a voluntary statement promulgated by Air America Co-COO/president of programming Jon Sinton educates us that: "Chuck D and Gia's show will provide listeners with the perfect mix of political activism and pop culture".
UPDATE: I originally spelled Garel's name the same way it was in Billboard's piece, which turns out to be wrong. It's now correct, and it links to her horribly-designed website. The "GG.COM" that follows your mouse around adds that extra 90s touch. No flash tags were spotted, although they and a few Java applets might be somewhere on her site.
Posted in ChuckD at 04:57 PM | Comments (2)
Al Franken meets Bryan Buchan in Phoenix
On his recent trip through the hinterlands, Al Franken was lucky enough to meet Bryan Buchan during a live broadcast from Phoenix' KXXT 1010 AM.
Buchan has pictures here. Warning: these pictures are very, very scary. While they're technically better than the previous set of pictures featured here (that time from rain-soaked Seattle), these pictures look anything but as sun-soaked as Phoenix is. They're a bit washed out and bluish, but that means little in comparison to their entertainment value.
For instance, in PHX_00 I'm wondering whether that's Stuart, or Grampa Munster. I do, however, enjoy the schoolmarmish look of disapproval on Katherine Lanpher's face in PHX_09. Perhaps she spotted someone who looked conservative in the audience at that moment. Be prepared before going to Page 2, as at that moment you will be confronted with PHX_11. If I saw that look on his face, I'd have immediately run for cover.
Posted in StuartSmalley at 09:54 PM | Comments (1)
AAR congressional media bias panel: the gift that keeps on giving
GOPUSA apparently attended or listened to the recent media bias forum, and reports:"[Al Franken says the] the right-wing media [is a] coordinated propaganda machine capable of causing symptoms closely resembling mental illness...Then, Eric Alterman referred to Scott McClellan as "McClennan". Then:
In his opening statement, Franken named "the Fox News Channel, the Wall Street Journal editorial page, the Washington Times and, of course, talk radio" as media that work in league with the Bush administration and corporate-funded think tanks.
Franken also charged that people in "right-wing radio," such as conservative talk show hosts Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, "routinely lie, they spread hate, and I chose to do the job I'm doing right now" on the liberal Air America network "because someone needed to push back."
After Franken stated that he had gone on USO tours to boost the morale of U.S. troops abroad, he accused Limbaugh of being a "one-man demoralizer," for telling his listeners that "liberals want soldiers to die." Limbaugh's program, he noted, is broadcast on Armed Forces Radio.
"These guys will just lie," Franken added, since "their purpose is not to serve their audiences, but to manipulate them."
[Randi] Rhodes claimed "corporate news has simply become propaganda for a Republican majority today, a Republican majority tomorrow, a Republican majority forever."Previously: "Air America congress media bias forum open thread".
She had three recommendations for addressing media bias. The first was for Congress to adopt standards for labeling a broadcast as news instead of opinion or commentary.
"Second, I think we need to bring back the Fairness Doctrine, which served this country well from 1949 through 1987" by guaranteeing "competing viewpoints on issues of public importance."
Rhodes' final suggestion was "to protect our journalists," who "must be free to report and never be penalized with lost access to the people they cover or with retribution from partisan employers.
Posted in Meta at 11:58 AM | Comments (1)
Air America congress media bias forum open thread
Please post your comments about the media bias panel featuring Al Franken, Randi Rhodes, David Brock, Walter Duranty, and others in this thread.
I've listened to a few minutes so far and I'm having trouble coming up with a correct analogy. I'm going to go with "listening to paint dry" for now.
Hopefully Randi will have said something "interesting."
Previously: "Randi Rhodes at Congress Media Bias panel"
UPDATE: C-SPAN didn't broadcast the meeting live, and there's no scheduled air date. In the meantime, we're going to have to make do with the comments of Rep. Conyers:
There are a few alternative sources willing to speak truth to power. I first learned about the now infamous Downing Street Memo on Daily Kos. Bradblog, Raw Story and Air America have been at the forefront of our ongoing national election scandal. But these voices are too few and too diffuse to overcome the blatant biases of our cable channels and the negligence and neglect of our major newspapers.
He gets his news from Daily "Screw 'em" Kos?
Meanwhile, the counter-revolutionary capitalist running dogs from NRA-TV weigh in:
I think my favorite moment had to be Randi Rhodes proclaiming that liberals are being blacklisted in our country's newsrooms. In fact, she said that if you're a liberal, you will have a hard time finding a job as an investigative reporter.
I'm beginning to think that "liberalism" must be just a psychological affliction, a veritable smorgasbord of persecution complexes and delusions and such.
Posted in Meta at 11:57 AM | Comments (3)
Air America WLIB ratings continue flat momentum
In other words, they're stuck at 1.2. According to the Billboard Radio Monitor:
Inner City progressive talk WLIB switched into its current format with the Spring 2004 survey. Over the last year, the AM has maintained a four-book, 1.3 share average. After an initial 1.3 in Spring 2004 and a 1.4 in Summer, the Air America outlet settled into 1.2's. The Phase 1 results, so far, continue that momentum.
Hey, their words, not mine. Suggested spin: damn that corporate media hegemonic military industrial complex! We must get the FCC to revive the Fairness Doctrine so America can be kept informed of the real news!
Bear in mind that WLIB is Air America's flagship station, and they're located in New York City. If they can't make it there, can they make it anywhere?
Posted in Meta at 07:45 PM | Comments (2)
Lizz Winstead sues Air America for back pay
Founder of the Daily Show, former co-host with Chuck D of Unfiltered, and former Air America Radio executive Lizz Winstead is suing Piquant LLC, the owners of AAR.
She claims they owe her almost $300,000:
severance pay, four months: $83,333
unused vacation time: $14,423
her work on the show: $200,000
She also says she never got money for promoting the Vermont Teddy Bear Company. Those heartless SOBs.
A (non-Vermont) Teddy Bear yesterday.
Posted in AlsoRans at 07:25 PM | Comments (0)
Breaking: Congress Media Bias Forum cancelled?
The media bias forum featuring Al Franken, Randi Rhodes, David Brock, Walter Duranty, a BBC reporter, and others might have been cancelled, DUmmies report. There's apparently a rule against radio broadcasts from the Capitol, and VRWC forces might have prevented the panel from being held.
An alternative suggestion for my Democratic friends: hold it at the same place the Libertarian Party holds their conventions, the Manassas Motel 6.
UPDATE: This is looking more and more like the DUmmies were in a pot-induced haze and misheard things. They say that Lynn Cullen announced the cancellation on WPTT. Yet, that's hardly an AAR station or format. And, Conyers' office didn't know anything about this, and the lady who answered the phone at WPTT didn't either. And, Randi Rhodes didn't say anything about this and there's nothing in her forums. And, WPTT informed me that Cullen will speak to some Senators in Washington tomorrow. So, I'm going to guess that she referred to something entirely unrelated to Randi's big day being cancelled, and the DUmmies were too stoned to realize the difference.
So, while we're waiting for the big Franken-Rhodes-Duranty panel, enjoy the following display of liberal paranoia:
Monday is spooking me. We got both Randi and Al testifying on 'all things media'. We all know that both have the gonads to tell em like it is, and certain folks don't want to hear 'like it is'. I really am worried. Something happens, I'm going Ninja Warrior, cause nothing will ever be the same. I am thinking they're going to 'Wellstone' them...
UPDATE 2: Latest report here.
Posted in Meta at 12:15 PM | Comments (0)
Stephanie Miller of KTLK to embarrass self May 25
The California Teacher's Association is conducting large anti-Schwarzenegger rallies on Wednesday May 25 in both downtown Los Angeles and Sacramento. Details here.
Syndicated siren Stephanie Miller - KTLK's morning host - is not only doing a commercial for this big event, she's going to be in downtown Los Angeles showing solidarity with her comrades.
To anyone who's watched the CTA's anti-Arnold antics, words and phrases like "passive-aggressive a$$holes", "psycho shrews" and "gender-baiting sleazebags" have no doubt come to mind. And, they've also got a Big Lie:
Together, we are sending the message that we don't need to waste $70 million on a special election in November for initiatives that hurt us all.
In fact, Miller's spot describes how many nurses and others this $70 million could pay for.
Now, seriously, have you ever known Democrats to be concerned about spending $70 million? Especially in California, where the Democrats in the legislature would be even too extreme for Lenin. They waste billions of dollars a year and they've plunged the state deep into debt, and now they want to save $70 million? I don't believe it for a second, and I don't think most of those who say this do either.
The problem, of course, is that while many of their fellow travelers will go along with the Big Lie, other fellow travelers will actually believe it.
Here's a site for anyone who's tired of the lies: Join Arnold!
For background, see "Governor promotes merit pay plan, says 'super teachers' deserve better", "Calcified System: Merit should trump seniority in teacher pay", and "Fixing California: Gov. Schwarzenegger's bold four-point agenda".
Posted in Meta at 11:22 AM | Comments (0)
Janeane Garofalo hates the right
I seem to have missed the screed "I hate the right: they're a bunch of stupid stupids" from BoreAmerica favorite Janeane Garofalo. It appears to be from November of last year, and herewith a partial fisk:I hate the right because they're all about thwarting people's potential. They hinder imagination and the ability to move forward toward enlightenment and modernity.You have such a pretty face, but I'm torn on the blonde thing. On the one hand I like the contrast, on the other I think I might prefer your more natural color. And, could you dress up kinda preppy? That link says preppy fashion is back in style. But, since it's from 2003 a "liberal" would say, "2003? It might as well be last century!" But, to us right-wingers, 2003 is as close as yesterday.
...If you watched the Republican National Convention, it was basically the Flat Earth Society convening in Madison Square Garden. I covered the convention for Air America Radio, hour after hour after hour. It was the worst collection of white people in America, under one roof, I've ever seen...Obviously, if Janeane had attended the Black Conservatives Convention, she would never refer to them as "the worst collection of black people in America". And, if she did, she'd be forced to say the equivalent of 1000 Hail Marys by the "liberal" establishment.
...They love to pretend that they are the patriots, and they love to pretend that they support the troops. But what's their number one thing? No taxes. That's their number one prime mover—they don't want to pay into the system...Obviously, Garofalo has confused "conservatives" with "Grover Norquist". Yes, he's VRWC Member #8, but that doesn't mean every other member agrees with him. Go on Janeane, yes, I'm paying attention to your thoughts...
...They're not capitalists—they're corporate profiteerists. They're robber barons. Guys like Grover Norquist are trying to push things toward a feudal society...Believe it or don't, this was a "live fisk." In other words, I didn't read the article before I started my work. It looks like I have been proved correct: she thinks #8 and everyone else agrees on everything.
Then there is the immigration issue. This is interesting with the right, because there's a little bit of elasticity there. Whatever's politically expedient, whatever will get more votes, they'll vacillate toward it.You're so cute when you get righteously angry, Janeane. But, once again, you're confusing George Bush and your false view of Pat Buchanan with what everyone else thinks. Consider the preppy thing, OK? You know, Catholic schoolgirl, something like that. We right-wingers do have one thing in common: plaid turns us on.
Posted in Janeane at 11:24 AM | Comments (0)
Glenn Beck and "liberal" hypocrisy
Remember the "funny" bit on Air America where they "joked" about assassinating Bush? At the time, I said:I believe nothing will happen concerning this for at least two reasons: it will be determined that there is no credible threat, and only "liberals" can do the sustained outrage bit...As it turns out, I was right.
Now, "liberals" are trying to get conservative talk show host Glenn Beck fired over an apparent satire he did in which he described strangling Michael Moore. Radio Equalizer has the details. As you might imagine, the Soros-funded group Media Matters is involved, as are all the other usual suspects. The last link points out this discussion at Daily Dross:
...Imagine if a left-wing "satirist" did something like this. Imagine if Al Franken said "You know I'd like to kill Bill O'Reilly." Imagine what the right would be saying...
...What would the right do if Al Franken said this? ...They would do everything in their power to rip him apart and permanently destroy his reputation, send complaints to the FCC and lobby to get him taken off the air...
...Yes .. if Al Franken talked about killing someone on the air, he SHOULD be taken off...
Posted in Meta at 12:31 PM | Comments (0)
Sources: Al Franken buys Minneapolis condo
Sources say Al Franken has bought a condo near downtown Minneapolis. Sources also say:...Two factors -- the reach of the Air America network and the rest of the senatorial field -- will have a big effect on whether Franken jumps into the race.
"Those are the other aspects of the calculus," he said. "It'll depend how important the show is, how big of a platform that'll be for me. And what if someone emerges who has a better chance to beat Norm? If somebody does, I'll campaign for them."
He's not yet certain whether a formally declared candidacy would force him off the air, as it did former Gov. Jesse Ventura, another radio talk-show host, who launched an improbable run for Minnesota's governorship in 1998.
"I've still got to look at the rules," Franken said. "I've got to look at the [FCC's] rules and make sure I obey the letter of the law -- probably the spirit, too."
Posted in StuartSmalley at 12:18 PM | Comments (0)
Randi Rhodes at Congress Media Bias panel
Randi Rhodes is going to Washington! She'll be at the Congressional media bias panel on Tuesday May 24. Others attending include Al Franken and David Brock. They'll probably be discussing how to make the media more balanced.
The event - dubbed "Karl Rove's Big Day of Discrediting" by VRWC insiders - will be discussed live on Franken's show. And, as the graphic shows, you can then tune into Randi's show for compete analysis.
Typo or Freudian Slip, you decide. While many people were listed as invited to the confab in the press release, Randi was not. One can almost hear her muttering, "Al, Al, Al!" under her breath as she created the graphic or shouted it to be created.
UPDATE: Latest report here.
Posted in RandiRhodes at 09:17 AM | Comments (0)
Al Franken lied?
Say it ain't so, but Richard Bennett says it is so in "Al Franken's Tuesday lies". That's this last Tuesday; previous and future Tuesdays are left as an exercise.
He also raises a good point. Perhaps the FEC should look into whether Al Franken appearing on Air America Radio constitutes a campaign contribution.
Posted in StuartSmalley at 01:15 PM | Comments (1)
Air America: converting truckers to "liberalism"?
This is too funny to confirm:
Getting progressive voices on the radio has been known to change voting behavior. For example, I remember reading an article in US News and World Report that long distance truck drivers would get satellite radios to avoid changing stations as they drive cross country. When they had to opportunity to hear Air America Radio, their voting patterns became much more progressive.
Posted in Meta at 12:39 PM | Comments (1)
Media bias forum features Franken, David Brock, BBC, Wonkette...
The noxious "liberal" site Raw Story has to be pulling our leg. In "House Dems to hold forum on media bias Tuesday with Franken, Brock, others" they inform us that John Conyers (D-Outer Space) is conducting a forum on the 24th to discuss media bias.
Co-sponsors include: "Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL), Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (R-TX), Rep Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) and Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)."
Invitees include: "Air America Radio host Al Franken, Media Matters chief David Brock, AmericaBLOG's John Aravosis, a Washington bureau BBC reporter, Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting's Steve Rendell and Mark Lloyd, from the progressive thinktank Center for American Progress. Wonkette's Ana Marie Cox has also been invited."
Tell me this is an elaborate hoax.
UPDATE: VRWC members rejoice! "Randi Rhodes at Congress Media Bias panel".
UPDATE 2: Latest report here.
Posted in Meta at 11:26 AM | Comments (0)
Randi on Hannity, Boxer, and Larry Flynt
I've got other things to do, so I guess I'll have to miss Randi Rhodes' big interview with America's favorite pr0nographer, Larry Flynt. Apparently he's going to discuss allegations that John Bolton engaged in group sex. As to what bearing that has on his possible role with the U.N., well, I guess lucky listeners will find out. If you hear her show, please leave the wackiest quotes in the comments.
In the meantime, here are some charming Randi quotes from her show today:
[Sean Hannity] likes an American label on his rape rooms, his torture, and his mass graves."
"[Sen. Barbara Boxer] has bigger cojones than any man I've ever met in my life"
Posted in RandiRhodes at 12:27 PM | Comments (3)
Shades of red reflecting in the blue tin foil
The Denver Post reports on Al Franken's conservative friend and on-air foil Mark Luther in "Shade of red on blue radio: Franken's foil is his friend".
Posted in StuartSmalley at 05:27 PM | Comments (0)
Is Karl Rove behind Air America?
More and more liberals are coming to the same conclusion I reached over a year ago: Karl Rove secretly created Air America as a way to both silence the voices of true liberalism, and as a way to discredit the Democratic Party.A couple random comments from the Kossacks:
...There are no PROTESTS. and g*dd#mn [redacted --LW] Air America and Move on support this worst than fascist war...So, so true, comrade.
...Airror America has been a nonstarter from the word go, so far as I'm concerned. Apart from Mike Malloy, I don't detect even a whiff of principle emerging from this big business media outlet. It exists to make money by pandering to an underserved market - media starved liberals - who lap up its every drivel-drizzled offering like cats at cream. But it proffers dumbed-down celeb-lite shite courtesy of Cranky Al Franken, failed comedian, and Crabby Janeane Garafalo. "Liberal?" Nominally, I suppose, if that's expanded to include any position not on the MediaMilitaryIndustrial/FocusOnFamily chattering points list. But standing for something? Not that I can see...
Posted in General at 05:17 PM | Comments (0)
Seattle still cleaning up after Franken visit
"RAH15" has some really bad photographs of Al Franken's visit to the Seattle Air America outlet KPTK 1090 AM.
(The staff at BoreAmerica would like to stress that these are not actually really bad photographs. Rather, they are educational. Who knew that the back of someone's head looked like that when taken with a really bad camera in indoor lighting? And, is that a bit of dandruff on the lens, or lens flare caused by the reflected glory of Stuart Smalley?)
Posted in StuartSmalley at 11:33 AM | Comments (0)
Air America Charleston WLTQ-AM ratings: off the charts!
The ratings for WLTQ-AM, Air America's outlet in Charleston SC are - literally - off the charts. As in, they do not appear on the charts.
Apparently Clear Channel switched their stations around in December of last year. Even I'm confused, so here's a table:
Before Dec. 2004:
WSSC-AM broadcast right talk
After Dec. 2004:
WSSC-AM became WLTQ-AM, and has AAR
WSSC-FM now hosts the former right talk of WSSC-AM
Confused? Here's the bottom line. In Winter 2005, WSSC-FM (the right talk channel) got a 3.6 share: #10 in the market but the top talker.
However, the new Air America outlet (WSSC-AM) is not on the charts at all. Now, of course, that could be because of the switchover. In fact, AAR could be the true top talker in the area. In fact, at any given moment half the households in South Carolina could be tuning in to hear Al, Janeane, Randi, and Mike pontificate.
(Via this)
Posted in Meta at 11:18 AM | Comments (0)
Laura Flanders: surrender now!
Laura Flanders, host of her own show on weekend nights, recently penned the screed "Democracy, What Democracy? Troops Out Now":...let's be clear: lots of British Labour voters chose Lib-Dem candidates this election because Liberal Democrats, unlike Labour, are the only political party that opposed the invasion of Iraq. Why does the war take a higher toll on Blair than Bush? Because there's somewhere for anti-war sentiment to go and because thousands of British voters, even many with a long loyalty to the Labor Party, voted against Blair this year. Even people with a huge stake in the economy -- or people who depend on Blair's social policies -- took the gamble and voted against him. And they could, because there's not a two-party lock down electoral system. And they got what they wanted, a Labour Party victory, but chastened. Blair's still PM but sobered up. People took a risk and didn't succumb to the bully media who told them the sky would fall if they voted their dissent. And that's exactly what it'll take right here...UPDATE: I don't know what the first comment is refering to. I never said Laura Flanders was on Unfiltered. This site keeps track of all of Air America's hosts no matter how insignificant, and I would never make such a mistake. And, this entry has always been what you see above: there was never a mention of Unfiltered or a supposed role of Laura Flanders on that show. I think the first commentor is a Eurasian or Eastasian disruptor.
...the political winds shifted on [Vietnam] not because of anti-war protests but because Americans got tired of the war. They simply stopped giving the president the benefit of the doubt, and started doubting the war.
They started calling not just for the war to be deemed wrong, but for it to be ended; for troops to be brought home, now. Not one more death for a lie. It 's not going to get better; it's only going to get worse...
UPDATE 2: On a related note:
[Sacramento News and Review]: CounterPunch just did a piece on Air America cheerleading the Democratic Party. ["Al Franken is a Big Fat Phony"] Yet, mainstream media continue to portray the network as some sort of fringe outpost.
[Alexander] Cockburn: Right, as the cutting edge of Bolshevik activism! Isn't it insane? I mean, Air America? My darling niece Laura Flanders is on it as a hostess, but, I mean, really.
Posted in AlsoRans at 08:14 PM | Comments (1)
Taking on Air America's bourgeoise patriarchal hegemony for the people!
Our counter-reactionary sources have drawn our attention to this article that was published at the Portland IMC. In "Commercialized Progressive Talk Radio Shows Its True Colors", comrade Jen Amos educates:...I can no longer listen to three hours of the most entertaining, progressive radio. The new CEO of Air America thought it best to replace Unfiltered with three hours of -- drum roll please - Jerry Springer. Yes, the same Jerry Springer who's ads for re-runs of his TV show run side-by-side with ads for "Girls Gone Wild"...(Via this)
In fact, progressives can listen to men - mostly white men - for the majority of the time on this "progressive" station -- save for the respite of the Randi Rhodes show and the Majority Report which is co-hosted by Jeanne [sic, it's actually Janeane, or as I call her, Mmmmm Janeane] Garofalo. But be prepared to hear Garofalo chastised about proper etiquette by her co-host Sam Seder...
...You can take you're big boy toys and play with yourselves as you've shown me that you have no balls. I'll go back to finding women's and African American voices on Pacifica radio, Internet streams, and the print media.
Posted in Reviews at 02:16 PM | Comments (0)
Mike Malloy has the truth about 9/11?
One of his listeners reports:Mike Malloy... was ranting about Bush and Ridge and the terror colors and Bush's poll numbers, etc... well, he just starts going off, challenging Right-wingers to deal with the orchestration going on and before I know it, he's saying something about the people who orchestrated 9/11 and then he says that it wasn't an airliner that went into the Pentagon... he said it, point blank, on nationally syndicated radio... he obviously knows... I would encourage all truthers to contact Mike or post on his message board and encourage him to speak more about 9/11...Truthseekers to keyboards! Hopefully Mike will tell us all he knows so we can stop this fascist dictatorship for blood and oil! Of course, he's said things like this before.
Speaking about that:
I listen to Air America, and hear how the speakers are all so amazed at the behavior of the Neo-Cons. They can't seem to get inside their heads. No matter, someone already solved the puzzle. Wilhelm Reich, the great German Jewish Atheist(Austrian?) psychiatrist who lived in the Nazi era, hit the nail on the head with his pamplet Mass Psychology of Fascism, which analyzed the fascist psyche, broke it down...Whoa! My truthseeker certainly perked up its ears about that last bit. Unfortunately, one would think that if this wasn't just BS there'd be more search results from the usual suspects, but I think that last is just a typical Air America listener imagining things.
Whether Swaggert and his streetwalkers, or Tammy Faye's husband, or Guckert, the male prostitute with top journalist clearance for White House press conferences, or Jim West, the pedophile conservative, or Ann Coulter, with her preference for casual sex with bar room aquaintances...
Posted in MikeWho at 01:52 PM | Comments (0)
KSAC 1240 AM's ratings: from #21 to #24
Congratulations are in order, as Air America's Sacramento outlet, KSAC, has only fallen from #21 (1.6 share in Fall and Summer 2004) to #24 (1.2 share in Winter 2005). This is despite California's capital playing host to what is perhaps the most "liberal" set of legislators outside the 1954 Politburo.
Now, on the bright side, Air America apologists will point out that all three periods are higher than the 0.4 share they got in Spring 2004, or the 0.0 from Winter 2004. I need to check, but I believe at the time they were Urdu Chat, so anything's an improvement.
Meanwhile, Mark Williams of KFBK gives us the inside scoop:
...In terms of talk formatted stations here Franken is on the third ranked station with around 1.5% of the market, which means basically that if you play your bongo drums at Old Ironsides on Open Mic Night you have a bigger audience. Unlike KFBK and KSTE however Franken & his station are aimed at a very narrow niche market of welfare recipients, 1960’s left-overs, haters and parasites. Anger, envy and discontent are the coin of the realm there. (The forth ranked talker here is San Francisco giant KGO which is a fraction of a percent behind Franken's station.)
Posted in Meta at 09:51 AM | Comments (0)
Randi Rhodes gets rave reviews
I certainly think Randi Rhodes is entertaining. The DUmmies agree with me, albeit for different reasons. Herewith selected comments from "Is Randi Rhodes Entertaining?":- Each one Franken, Schultz, Rhodes, etc., have something different to offer. Each one is extremely well informed and quite capable of dealing with the radical con-caller. I have learned something or have had my own opinions confirmed by each one of them.In other DUmmy news, they also discuss the Counterpunch article "Al Franken is a Big Fat Phony" in "Is Al Franken a supporter of the DLC and its position on the Iraq War?"
- At first, I had all sorts of middling feelings about her. I came to understand that she is probably the most ethical, intelligent person on the planet. She's brave, deep, and damned cool. Of all liberal hosts, I get the most hard information and solid opinion from her. The front is just a front. She's it. She and Barbara Boxer. And Mike Malloy. I love these people.
- She would have made a great teacher, but I am very glad to call her a spokesperson for my causes and values.
- Don't care for her. I think she's rude and crass.
I know some Dems would prefer to hear a ladylike NPR type calmly discussing the latest solar energy initiative. But this country is in big trouble, and somebody has to point that out LOUD and clear.
Posted in RandiRhodes at 05:26 PM | Comments (4)
WWTQ 680 AM Memphis' web site now available
Stop the presses. It's basically an empty template right now: WWTQ. However, they have their own blog. The latter seems to be run by one Leon Gray, who also will be commenting on the air at "[v]arious Times through the day". I'm going to hazard a guess that means: "we don't have paid commercials, and people will get tired of hearing the same old PSAs over and over, so we'll wheel out Leon Gray once in a while. Yeah, that'll work."
Previously: Memphis paper cares what Franken thinks
(Via this)
9/4/07 UPDATE: Well, this was bound to happen. Rupert Murdoch succeeds yet again in his scheme to silence liberal voices.
Posted in Meta at 11:10 AM | Comments (7)
Al Franken visits KPTK in Seattle, jokes
As part of their attempt to challenge Urdu Chat and other more popular radio formats, Air America sends Al Franken and Jerry Springer to the hamlets throughout this great land as a way to pump up the faithful. Yesterday Stuart and Co. broadcast live from KPTK 1090 AM in Seattle, and three people who went (together) each have reports on their blogs. If you've just eaten, come back to this post in an hour.From the Northwest Progressive Institute:
After a hilarious opening monologue, Franken introduced us to his co-host Katherine Lanpher... We started off talking about Seattle and the Puget Sound region. Franken joked that people get the impression that it rains a lot here because our tallest mountain is named Mount Rainier..."But, seriously, folks, have you tried the veal?" The NPI threatens to post a one-on-one interview with Stuart Smalley later.
And, from blatherWatch:
When [a local free newspaper columnist] said that fearful gays, (he and his partner among them) had seriously considered moving to Canada, Franken said: "We don’t need you in Canada, we need you here. And we need more Canadians to move here."I'm sure Minnesotans will remember that. A site appropriately named "Horse's Ass" educates us:
I have one observation. Sitting in that sold-out auditorium, watching the enthusiasm of the audience, it’s hard to believe that anyone doubted there was a market for liberal talk radio. Sure, NPR draws away a large portion of our listening time, because… well… we just enjoy the kind of in-depth news coverage and intelligent conversation you can only get on NPR. (Plus, we hate commercials.) But there was definitely pent up demand for something like Air America to battle the entrenched right-wing talkers.And, the Seattle Press-Intelligencer's "Fans of Al Franken's radio show welcome him to the left side of country" has several quotes from Franken's fans.
It also informs us that there "was rarely much pause between jokes." Yes, indeed.
UPDATE: There's an interview with Franken here. Stuart doesn't think NPR is biased.
And, NPI's big Franken interview is available. The Franken show gets bits from blogs, but: "We trust only reliable sources like Josh Marshall's Talking Points Memo, Atrios, or Daily Kos". Hatrios and Daily "Screw 'em" Kos? I think that's another one of Stuart's "jokes."
Posted in StuartSmalley at 09:29 AM | Comments (1)
Air America's KKZN Denver ratings better than before
KKZN 760 AM in Denver used to be a sports station, and during the 2004 Winter Arbitron ratings it didn't register. However, now that it's an Air America affiliate, it got a 1.6 share during Winter 2005, the same as the previous period. Details here.
This is well behind a country and a few Spanish stations, and it's also behind conservative outlets.
At first you might think this is good news, but, lacking the precise numbers I'm going to hazard a guess that the ratings success is not due to the Air America format or hosts. Rather, I think it's because KKZN also broadcasts Phil Hendrie. Bobbie Dooley, Jay Santos, and especially Dean Wheeler might sound like they could be Air America hosts, but they are in fact not. Don't you be taken in like I was.
Posted in Meta at 09:25 AM | Comments (1)
Air America Milwaukee could get at least 1879 listeners
Milwaukee County WI has almost a million people (and falling). Out of those, a whopping 1879 have signed the petition to bring Air America to Milwaukee. The petition appears to have been available for a while. A newer petition is now trying to get more than twice that number of new signatories by May 31. Here's a helpful tip from 2002:WTMJ-TV, the NBC affiliate in Milwaukee tonight aired an undercover investigation at a group home for mentally disabled patients in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where campaign workers for Jim Doyle, democratic candidate for governor were handing out small amounts of money and free food to the residents. They then were herded upstairs into a separate room and given absentee ballots to cast their vote for governor.But seriously, the newer petition is funny as hell:
For too long Milwaukee radio has been the home to basically one side of the political turf. It’s been loud, many times crude and extremely partisan – giving the GOP hundreds of hours of free air time. Our airwaves and ears have been fed a steady diet of distortion and this format has brought out the worst in our community and our politics.
In many ways much of the views and policies advanced by our Radical Conservative talk show hosts have held back our development both culturally and economically by making our city look backward and narrow-minded...
Posted in Meta at 08:38 PM | Comments (2)
Blogger Verdict: Citizen Verdict sucks
There's a new film out featuring Jerry Springer entitled "Citizen Verdict". Summary here. They've even got their own site for the movie, complete with a form into which you can enter your email address for some reason. The plot actually mimics an idea I had many years ago, in which an audience could act as a jury and decide whether an alleged criminal is guilty and then pass sentence, including executing them. Now compare that with the plot of Citizen Verdict:Springer plays reality TV producer Marty Rockman, whose latest project allows viewers to hear evidence in a high-profile capital murder case, decide the defendant's guilt or innocence, then watch the execution on pay-per-view television.And, from the same source:
As a film critic, there isn't much here to like. As someone who loves movies, I couldn't stop enjoying the determined way Citizen Verdict aims low and hits the target.Fly to Tampa and catch it quick before the only place you can find it is in the DVD remainder bin at the Pascagoola KMart.
Posted in PureClass at 01:31 PM | Comments (0)
AAR invades Columbia, SC on WOIC
Air America is now available in Columbia, South Carolina on WOIC. That station used to broadcast ESPN, which is being moved to another station. Both stations are owned by Inner City Broadcasting, the same company that owns AAR's sinking flagship in NYC, WLIB. Report here.
They appear to be broadcasting the full AAR lineup, except during afternoon drive time they've replaced wacky firebrand Randi Rhodes with the betweeded Andy Thomas:
A friendly, balanced voice and extraordinary interviewer who has been the host and creator of a regional syndicated talk show for 7 years...
Posted in Meta at 12:13 PM | Comments (1)
An hour of Robert Reich a day keeps the audience away
The mostly-fluff article "More stations are climbing aboard Air America" has a statement from Al Franken that is probably the most hilarious thing he's ever said. Not that there's much competition for that, but this statement is truly a competitor for Funniest Joke of All Time. You can probably already figure it out, but here it is:...[to keep AAR's fresh and happening,] Franken offers such ideas as Robert Reich (the former secretary of labor) doing an hour show on business a day...As soon as I got to the "a day" part I burst out laughing, and I'm still laughing as I type. Thanks Al!
Posted in StuartSmalley at 12:48 PM | Comments (2)
The march of the pregnant transsexual bigamists
Today's Jerry Springer Show featured a look back at Kent State, thirty-five years later:
Jerry will talk personally about that event and wonder why today's generation doesn't put the pressure of the streets on today's leaders.
In conjunction, Springer is currently running a poll asking, "Are massive street demonstrations in America a thing of the past?" With 118 votes and 53%, the leader is "No; some large event will still spur huge civil protest."
I fully support the rights of the citizenry to peacefully assemble and protest. However, if I didn't know better it might sound like Springer was encouraging people to take to the streets. Perhaps with his past guests in the lead.
(P.S. Please visit the Springer blog. His radio blog only gets slightly more traffic than this and my main political blog, and I don't mind spreading some traffic around.)
Posted in PureClass at 09:45 PM | Comments (0)
Al Franken wows them in Austin!
A few weeks ago, "Kazim" paid a visit to a live broadcast of the Stuart Smalley Show in Austin, TX. Kazim started lining up for the broadcast at 8AM. By 10AM the theater was only 2/3 full. Apparently (this is just my supposition here) this was caused by the VRWC bosses making sure that their wage slaves were at work at that time. Otherwise, thousands of Austinites would have no doubt welcomed Al Franken to their town.
Kazim passed out Bibles in a satirical comic book format. His other line mates welcomed the heretical texts.
Kazim also informs us that Al Franken did some prop comedy. Is there no field that Stuart has not mastered?
Posted in StuartSmalley at 08:45 PM | Comments (2)
Air America coming back to Chicago?
Apparently WCPT 850 AM will soon begin broadcasting Air America in Chicago. AAR was, of course, on in Chicago when they first started. And, after they were booted Evan Cohen even said that they'd be back.
This time around it's with a new station, so they just might make it. Now, the problem they'll have is with being heard.
WCPT is daytime-only and only 2500 Watts.
Comparing just energy output, many houses consume more energy. The run-down entry halls at some run-down Las Vegas casinos consume more energy. In fact, our government informs us that the energy consumption of 2100 households popping microwave popcorn in one year will exceed the yearly energy output of WCPT.
Details here. Barely rewritten press release here. The solution to Air America's problems? A government program mandating that all radios sold must have giant antennae. It could be rolled into the FCC's Fairness Doctrine.
UPDATE: Unfortunately, I failed to check Yahoo Maps when I first posted this. Not only is this station just 2500 Watts, it's broadcasting from Crystal Lake IL, which is 50 miles northwest of Chitown. (Hat tip.)
For comparison purposes, WUSC-FM, "the student-run radio station of the University of South Carolina, Columbia campus" is also 2500 Watts. There might even be pirate radio stations broadcasting from international waters in Lake Michigan with stronger signals.
Posted in Meta at 01:57 PM | Comments (5)
Air America's WKRP (ratings) in Cincinnati
The ratings at WCKY - Air America's outlet in Cincinnati - are lower than they were a year ago. At the time, WCKY was an oldies station.
Total listeners for Winter 2005: WCKY ranked 19th with a 1.0 share. Last year, they got 1.3. Jerry Springer did slightly better than the other AAR shows.
According to the operations manager for the four Cincy Clear Channel stations: "The radio station isn't performing as good as I'd like to see it... But it's the first (ratings) book and you have to wait a good six months to get a real trend on it. I'm not discouraged by it. AM audiences take a long time to build..."
Details in "Rock music doing better than Springer".
The article also includes the following:
Already, Springer's show has changed. Disappearing from the air after two months is Springer's long-time friend and sidekick Jene Galvin, who was initially an on-air presence. Parks said Galvin now works behind the scenes on the show.
If you read the first comment in the post "Megan Hils obsessive about social security", now you understand everything.
Posted in Meta at 12:58 AM | Comments (0)
