Clear Channel and Air America

[Blecht]

Why has Clear Channel allowed several of its stations to become Air America affiliates? Is it simply the money? Or is it something more insidious?

I think we all know it's in the best interests of the neocon ruling class to keep us peons divided. They've had Limbaugh and Wiener-Savage out there for years whipping their bigot base up into a nice frothy frenzy. What better way to ratchet it up a notch than to give a platform for the opposition to get pissed, too? Mix it with a mainstream media onslaught with the message that resistance to the Republican "mandate" is futile, and we've got the recipe for a real problem of violence in this country.

Is this the plan? Or was it just the money all along, and the neocons just got lucky. Either way, I feel we are headed in that direction -- in the direction of civil strife, I mean. When anger and helplessness mix, only trouble results.

I feel it whenever I talk to people who don't drink the Flavor-Ade. I sense a quiet desperation -- we tried to get more active in the electoral process, and it didn't matter. No matter how many votes we get out, the Republicans just steal that many more votes. How long will it be before the desperation reaches the the threshold where violence doesn't look so bad?

[NYCGirl]

1. It's the money. NT

[DireStrike]

2. 1) Good investment now, 2) Buy out and infiltrate.

Top-down pressure with the almighty dollar. Push out the liberals.

It's also a good investment right now.

Name recognition is SO strong. If AA ever gets pushed over the edge into corporatist-fascist dogma, it will be a different brand. It will slowly grow into a shiny, attractive, seductive new beast. It will divide the left against itself. "AA has sold out", "Nuh-uh!" divide and conquer.

As much as we like to think it, we are not, as an aggregate, the party of free thought. We suck up just as many partisans as the other side, and they can be pushed around and manipulated just as easily. These people will stick with AA by pure brand loyalty, even as their philosophy is slowly nudged rightward. About half will pick up the "AA has sold out" vibe, half will stay. This will help reinforce the bullshit meme of "crazy leftists" vs "centrism".

[The Sheik]

3. Clear Channel gives channels to Air America

because they know somehow that Air America will be extremely profitable. However, they never really flaunt the choice as much as how much the pat themselves on the back for syndicating Limbaugh.

[Gloria]

4. I hate the arrangement AAR has with CC...it makes AA very

vulnerable. The FCC is auctioning off over 240 FM stations, mostly in the South and West. It sure would be great if we could get some of those before the fundies get them....The plan was to buy stations originally.....

[eleny]

5. I've wondered if they would pull the plug one day

:tinfoilhat: I just can't help it but be suspicious.

[low_phreaq]

6. Air America, Clear Channel, and Madison, WI

A few relevant articles:

Air America Coming to Madison
http://madison.indymedia.org/feature/display/18877/index.php

Dear Valued Customer:
http://madison-wi.clients.clearchannel.com/

The Profit Motive - Clear Channel discovers the liberal demographic
http://www.reason.com/links/links090704.shtml

Madison's Kellys back new radio network
http://www.madison.com/wisconsinstatejournal/biz/70920.php

Media musings: To air is liberal
http://www.madison.com/tct/features/stories/index.php?ntid=9700&ntpid=2

Clearly an ironic channel (edit: sorry, registration may be required)
http://www.dailycardinal.com/news/2004/10/08/Opinion/Clearly.An.Ironic.Channel-747017.shtml

[newyawker99]

7. Hi low_phreaq!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[low_phreaq]

10. Thanks!

Glad to be here!B-)

[otohara]

14. Welcome to DU low_phreaq

:hi:

[low_phreaq]

15. Thanks!

:hi:

[Robbien]

8. Or it could be a way to get liberals to listen to Fox News

They know liberals do not watch Fox or listen to Clear Channel. Now that Fox News has the exclusive gig to do the news on Clear Channel, what better way to have the Fox propaganda reach liberals?

Remember the corporate elites have been at this game for thirty years and their game plan is a long term strategy.

[Eric J in MN]

12. They don't play Fox radio news on Air America. (nt)

nt

[mattclearing]

9. I think it has to do with watering them down.

Rather than have a true cutting edge progressive radio network and struggle to achieve national coverage, they can agree to water it down a bit (like with Al Franken, who denied the vote fraud story, or Randi, who admitted to being pressured not to cover it).

The same thing seems to have happened at Salon recently, which is much less cutting edge than it was even two years ago.

[Eric J in MN]

11. There is a clip of Mike Malloy from last Thurday on my website:

Tell me if this is watered down:

http://www.moveleft.com/moveleft_essay_2005_01_10_mike_malloy_monday_the_radio_host_further_speaks_out_re_alberto_gonzales.asp

[otohara]

13. CC Doesn't Air All AAR Shows

no, we get Ed Shultz and some weirdo on at nights Phil Hendrie. They have a contract w/ Schultz in certain markets.

Tape delay on Randi, no Unfiltered, no Majority Report. The only live show is Al Franken.

So really they only air 3 AAR shows in the day/night. People who never listen on line don't have a clue about the other hosts on AAR.

If they are going to benefit from AAR name, the least they could do would be to air AAR as it airs in NYC.

[low_phreaq]

17. Madison On-Air Schedule

http://www.themic921.com/schedule.html

We get Stephanie Miller instead of Unfiltered.

Lee Rayburn and Stu Levitan are local hosts.

[merwin]

16. AL FRANKEN has a relationship with Clear Channel, prior to Air America.

Read his book, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them". The chapter "My personal search for WMD". He did some kind of comedy tour sponsored by Clear Channel back in the day.