Sometimes Air America Radio is a little too New York City-centric

[bluestateguy]

Sometimes I think the hosts forget that there are 66 other Air America stations out there, and a national audience on the Internet. The problem seems worst from the hosts who do their shows from NYC. We don't see this problem on Malloy's show, which is out of Atlanta.

The wisecracks and jokes about the New York subway; the cheering for the New York Yankees (as in Springer's intro today); the promos for events, book signings and obscure bands' performances in New York City.

Those of us who do not live in their little "center of the universe" feel a little alienated by all of it.

[K-W]

1. Does Jerry broadcast from New York?

I thought he was in the midwest.

[Suziq]

2. I Believe Jerry . . .

broadcasts from Cincinnati.




:hippie:

[NYCGirl]

3. Springer broadasts from Cincinnati, I believe. He's just a Yankees fan. NT

[boston bean]

4. I think Al Franken is basically useless. n/t

[vickitulsa]

7. Glad to hear someone else say this...

There was a time back in the day when he was actually quite sharp, and really funny. I can hardly remember THAT Al Franken now....

[Montauk6]

16. The comedy bits are way too dry and forced

I mean, it's nice that he still collaborates with Tom Davis but, geez, in terms of energy and hitting the mark they make Bob & Ray look like the Upright Citizens Brigade! (And I love Bob & Ray!!!)

Plus, I do believe the OY-OY-OY bit petered out about 2 minutes into its debut.

[NYCGirl]

9. Good thing all those people who buy his books don't agree.

"Lies and the Lying Liars" was the #2 best sellers of the year when it came out. #1 was Hillary Clinton's book.

Edited to add: Look at all the newbies piling on Al!

[boston bean]

12. I have that book and loved it. I listen to his show now adays and he

seems like he is totally out of the loop. talks about nothing substantial as far as I can tell. Way too many jokes, commercials and blathering. imho.

[NYCGirl]

13. Then you'll be pleased to know he's working on a new book.

Jokes? He's a comedian. Commercials are a good thing for a startup company, and the blathering is all relative. I don't hear any blathering myself.

[boston bean]

15. I guess its just a difference of opinion on how effective his show is.

Don't get me wrong the guy makes me laugh my ass off.

[vickitulsa]

28. Well, yeah ... I want to see the funny Dems SHINE

So those wingnuts can see they've got some real competition on the radio airwaves.

Also, on the main topic of this thread, I really have had a problem for as long as I have been a news junkie (and that's a long time) with the NYC-centricity of so much of the news. I have lived in the heartland all my life, but I've travelled a LOT and have a fairly worldliwise perspective. ("Worldliwise"?? Is that even a WORD??) ;)

NYC is NOT, I'm saying very gently here, the center of the world. It's a big place, a center in many ways, an important and significant city, and I watch TV shows, especially the crime dramas, set in NYC and love them all the time. I even feel after 9-11 as if I'm sort of a New Yorker myself, as so many of us have starting on that tragic day if not before.

I cried with ya's, I wanted to hug allaya's ... and I've never had the "attitude" at NYC or its denizens that I used to before 9-11.

But when it comes to delivering the news or opinions about the news, I want my anchors and moderators to remember they may be in NYC but their listeners are literally EVERYWHERE. One reason W was able to get so many damn votes in states like mine (Oklahoma) as all Republicans have for the last 10 years or so is that he seems to talk and think like a midwesterner or a southerner -- or, logically, a TEXAN. He hardly ever mentions or is seen at Kennebunkport. You'd never know his daddy was more a CT man than a TX man, not to listen to Junior talk.

I think the urban elitism can wear very thin on heartlanders very quickly, and that's something that it might be wise for the Democratic party to think about. Tulsa is a very nice city with all the cultural exhibits and clubs and performance centers you could want -- well, short of a NYC anyway. Yet I'm sure a lot of East Coasters, or West Coasters for that matter, would think of my city as totally podunkville. It's not!

See, I can even comprehend what ya'll are talkin' about here at DU! *BSEG*

[vickitulsa]

20. Naw, not really ...

I still like him because I still remember how I USED to like him!

I just think he needs to sharpen up for a live radio show or something ... I don't know what would improve the shtick he's got goin' on right now.

I recall when Al Franken used to make even people like Johnny Carson cringe when he'd come on and Carson couldn't trust him not to say something totally outrageous but outrageously FUNNY as well, so it was hard to control him.

Or was that on Letterman?

Naw, Letterman probably gets along with Al quite well ... unless they're too much alike ...

And hey, if the newbies don't post on SOME topic, how can they ever get to be veterans???

;) :D O8) :bounce:

[boston bean]

21. Your edit is uncalled for.

I am a member of the DNC, supported John Kerry with time and money, follow the issues and wish as hard as anyone else on this board that bush gets his due. I want him gone, have from day #1. I have never voted republican. It really makes me sick to see us "eat our own"

[K-W]

23. I think you could find better ways to express your personal tastes

than calling someone who has plenty of fans on this forum useless.

It amazes me how many people seem to feel the need to denigrate radio hosts they dont enjoy.

[boston bean]

26. I have seen many posts on DU about reporters and talk show hosts and radio

talk show hosts. I stated my opinion and I am entitled to it.

I do not feel his show is effective. Does the word effective make it better?

[K-W]

29. No, because it is effective.

You just dont like it.

Your taste in radio hosts doesnt signify some larger issue of effectiveness. Franken has an audience, he is effective, he isnt what you want in a radio host.

Now just listen to who you want to listen to and dont tell me that a host I listen to daily is useless.

[boston bean]

30. I guess your opinion is more important than mine.

I'm not telling you not to listen to him. Go for it. I listen to him too. but it doesn't change that fact that imo his show is not effective. don't take it so personal.

[K-W]

31. Your taste is opinion, effectiveness is not.

He is a radio host. All he has to do to be effective is build and hold an audience, which, he is doing. He is proveably effective.

Now I dont know what standard you are trying to hold him to, but again, it has nothing to do with effectiveness. Franken is useful. He is useful to me and useful to many people.

He has a use, it just isnt for you. YOUR subjective opinion of him based on your own personal rubric of what he should be has nothing to do with his effectiveness.

You can express your opinion without insulting those of us who use Franken by claimiing that we dont.

[endarkenment]

34. He said

"I think Al Franken is basically useless" that is an expression of his personal opinion of the Al Franken show. It is not an insult to you or to anyone else listening to Al Franken.

[K-W]

37. No it is not an expression of personal opinion.

"I dont like the Al Franken show"
"I personally have no use for Al Franken"

Those are statements of personal opinion.

"I think Al Franken is basically useless"

This is not a personal opinion. This is an opinion about Al Franken's usefulness, an opinion that doesnt hold up to scrutiny. And that does in fact belittle anyone who finds use in Al Franken.

[Danger Duck]

54. Get a life

Look, you just said it was an opinion yourself. Get over it and moveon.org already. Sheesh. I like Franken, she doesn't, who cares? What she said was an opinion, which we are al lentitled to. Don't beat the englis language to death trying to determine if it's a personal opinion or not. It's self explanatory.

[boston bean]

35. I like al franken, I have his book lying liars and have read it cover to

cover, he makes me laugh. I find him very funny a lot of the time. But I do not listen to him as much because his show has too many comedy skits and not enough substantial liberal talk .

He wouldn't even cover the stolen election when there were newsworthy reports to be made. I am sure I am not the only person who feels he has fell short in some ways. I don't want to get in a big argument about Al Franken. He really is not a concern. It is a matter of my opinion (not taste) that i feel he is ineffective.

This will be the last post I make regarding Al Franken. I think people should listen to progressive talk show hosts and I wish them the best of luck. I want them to succeed. I want us to succeed, but for that to happen we have to realize that sometimes a differing opinion can be helpful, not hurtful.

[K-W]

38. So you think the word effective means "covered the stolen election

to my liking"

I see.

I wonder why you couldnt just explain that you didnt like his stolen election coverage. Why instead you chose to blanketly desmiss him as useless?

[boston bean]

39. huh you put something in quotes thst i did not write. edit that please.

[K-W]

40. Nor did I claim you wrote it. I can puncuate how I like thanks. EOM

[Stirk]

36. I love Al Franken's show. It's my favorite one on the network, by far.

It true that he sometimes fails to cover very important issues while they're relevant (vote fraud, for instance)- but he does alot of good work on his show. His interviews with John Stossel and Bernard Goldberg were just classic.

He's far from useless.

[otohara]

55. Me Too - Grateful As Can Be to Have Franken & AAR

he's able to get great guests and he actually let's them talk, unlike ms rhodes who just talks over her guests with I, I, me, me, I, my, mine...

[getmeouttahere]

5. One of the "centers" of progressive thought...

that's how I look at it. Given the enormous difference in population between the major metro areas of the country and "middle america" I personally think too much emphasis is put on middle america these days, which is of course where Bush's voting-against-their-interests base is.

[jzodda]

6. Jerry is a Cincinnati boy!

in fact he was the mayor there years and years ago :)

Surprised he is a Yankee fan though-figured him for a reds fan

[Kathy in Cambridge]

17. Jerry's originally from NY

[bluestateguy]

19. I guess he's not running for office in Ohio then

Because you can't be a Yankees fan and run for office in Ohio. I think the Reds and Indians fans would take umbridge.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

8. And what in god's name is that idiotic 'yankees win' cheer?

Sounds like someone faking an orgasm in the middle of a seizure. I had to switch away from Springer for a few minutes until he got it out of his system.

[GeekMonkey]

41. Baseball is so boring anyways, who cares?

How long until football season?

[jzodda]

44. That my friend is the great John Sterling!

He is the radio voice of our New York Yankees and he tends to get very excited lol

He has a signature home run call

"It is high, it is far, it is.....Gone!"

you can hear some of them here though if you hate the yankees it would not be the happiest website for you :)

http://www.interlockingny.com/

O an yes I am a Yankee fan..I live 10 minutes from yankee stadium

[Gidney N Cloyd]

48. I don't hate the Yankees...

(...not like I hate the '69 Mets, anyway)
I'm just saying that Yankees cheer sounds like the mating call of someone who desperately deserves an atomic wedgie.

[helderheid]

10. yes

I hear ya. Then again, I also see it as refreshing. I live in Utah and it's nice to hear about civilization. :)

[endarkenment]

11. morning sedition: smoking ban in bars

I'm sorry, but :wtf:

We've got bigger issues, don't you think guys? This is a symptom of Liberal Disease: an irresistable desire to wander off into the weeds in pursuit of smothering nanny-state do-goodery. See Hillary and GTA porno-hacks. What's a little treason in the executive branch when people are SMOKING IN BARS and PLAYING NAUGHTY VIDEO GAMES?

[tx_dem41]

14. Why do we always eat our own?

And this comment isn't necessarily directed at the OP. Its more generally directed at the numerous posts criticizing "liberal media" such as AAR and periodicals.

Media is a business that will never be able to narrowcast to YOUR specific interests 100% of the time. That's why the Internet is wonderful in providing you a choice to cherrypick news sources.

[endarkenment]

24. so you would prefer

that like the rightwing dittohead drones we just mindlessly praise the cold oatmeal spewing forth from our media outlets?

If I say that some of AAR's programs suck for specific reasons, that is because I want them to pay attention and get better.

The OP's point was that some AAR programs seem to play to their NYC audience way too much, as if they have simply forgotten that they are a nationally syndicated program. My point is that, in addition, it seems like they frequently have programmed a 'topic du jour' and regardless of what else is going on, they are going to discuss that lame-ass topic no matter how stupid and irrelevant it is.

[K-W]

25. Because its easy to pick on liberals. EOM

[K-W]

27. self delete mispost

[Montauk6]

18. Isn't this why they have Ed Schultz on in some markets?

Also, don't forget about Uncle Mike Malloy in the evenings.

[vickitulsa]

32. Well I'm sorry

if I offended anyone, especially being a newbie. But I've been around groups and forums a long time, had in fact pretty much retired from them until I happened upon DU the other day and found it refreshing and intelligent.

So I kinda jumped right in and maybe should have been a bit more hesitant. It pays to survey the waters before ya dive in, after all...

But I'm not "eating our own," not by a long shot. I've been listening to Al Franken for two or three decades, and I love the guy. I want him to get the RESPECT he deserves, that the Dems and progressives deserve.

And sadly, I'm afraid it's in part because the Democratic Party has so neglected much of the heartland that ... well, I won't say it. But look at who W's campaign targeted and the color scheme of the states, and think about it. I'd like to be able to say to my acquaintances who listen to Rush, "Yeah, well check out Air America! There's some good stuff there too. And funny stuff. And broad-based, not just urban."

I want us to put our best foot forward, lead the charge with the cream of the crop, and to my way of thinking, Michael Moore and Al Franken (as he sounds these days) are not quite the CREAM. Where's our CREAM in the progressive realm?? :D

[K-W]

33. Alot of stupid AAR bashing happens on DU

as you can probably see from some posts on this thread.

So there is some oversensitivity.

[vickitulsa]

43. Copy that. It's understandable then.

Actually I sorta wish NPR had more humor to offer! I enjoy the Prairie Home Companion for the talent and humor, and surely there's room for more progressive current events commentary that also brightens our days with laughter.

I guess I'm going to have to give Al et al a longer listen-to and see if I really should be critiquing them at all. When he first made the circuits preparatory to the launching of AAR, I had very high hopes -- and I guess my expectations were awfully high too. That can make it pretty difficult for a new format and commentators new to radio to get straight A's. I remember thinking after the first couple of weeks AAR had been up and running and there were so many criticisms, "Well, Geez, give 'em a CHANCE, will ya?" I mean, it takes a little TIME for a whole new thing to work, for the ones doing the groundbreaking to find their footing and really show what they can do.

I also have a cousin who's been the local host in Columbia, MO on the NPR affiliate for almost 20 years and I could just imagine as this discussion went on how he might feel if he was criticized back when he was a "beginner" in radio.

One of the saddest things to happen in OK in the last decade or so is the seismic shift from a very strongly Democratic state to a rubber-stamping Republican state. This is just downright painful~! I keep wondering, What are my fellow Okies THINKING??

Yet I know what they are thinking ... why they have been so willingly duped by the likes of W's crowd. They are just so tired of being ignored and of having "Coastal values" crammed down their throats. Or at least I figure that's how they must see it.

Me, I like to sample the best of what many different cultures have to offer. I embrace diversity, while some in my environs may well be threatened by it. But I also know that most of the heartland folk I know are decent, kind, and even tolerant humans who care about their fellow man and would give ya the shirt of their back to help out when help is needed. They deserve far better than what the Republicans they've voted for have given them, that's for sure!

Oh, and who is Mike Malloy? Sounds like I might need to check him out!



:eyes: :think: :grouphug:

[xxqqqzme]

50. U should sample Mile Malloy.

There is a truthseeker thread every evening starting @ 10 Eastern. I usually don't make that thread cuz I'm on the left coast and 7 pacific is meeting time or 'unwind from the day' time. Mike is re-broadcast @ 10 pacific which is when I hear him. SoCal was w/o AAR for over a year and I noticed a big difference in Franken's show when it came back. I hardly ever listen to Franken anymore - he is a little tooo DLC for my tastes. I have discovered Thom Hartman tho and stream him instead of listening 2 Franken.

While yes, Mark 'n Mark can be a bit NY centric - Morning Sedition is my favorite show and I have 2 stream that from Sacramento cuz they R on from 3-6 AM! in socal! AND Sac's server was down 2day so I didn't even get that!

[Montauk6]

42. Vicki, I'm not offended at all, I'm all for constructive criticism

Now, as to your evil crack about Michael Moore... ; D

Seriously though, the great thing about progressives is that we don't march in lock step with some cult of personality like the lemmings on the right. I can tell you from experience that, ever since I made a personal renunciation of conservatism, I've done more reading and reached more conclusions on my own. Indeed, the reason I moved to the left was because I started doing my own reading and stopped listening to the pablum being fed by the Limbaugh-types or relying on cute bumper sticker soundbytes.

So, in your search, for the "cream of the crop" progressives, look to yourself, or that person circulating petitions or that lady who's organizing an anti-nuke rally or that local councilperson who's fighting the good fight against predatory developers.

Oh well, that's how I see it, I guess.

[vickitulsa]

47. Yaayyy! I'm for that!

At least, I'm for looking to those others who are still young enough to get out and circulate petitions and organize anti-nuke rallies. I'm way too old for that sort of thing now, though there's no good reason why I can't help man the computers and assist in the good fight against predatory developers! Heaven knows they need good desk warriors to enlist and storm the gates of those creeps. And there are quite a few of those exact battles going on right here in Tulsa, right now. Just succeeded in turning back a couple of major projects that I would have figured they'd steamroll right over the neighborhood groups fighting them. It was so gratifying to see that happen!

One thing about being disabled and retired a little before my full usefulness has been exploited, though: I can still contribute SOMETHING to the efforts of many younger folks who are at least holding their own in the battle against the mega-money-mongers. And I still have an idealistic attitude to some degree, yet with the tempering of experience to make me a better servant, maybe.

I hope so, at least.

And I'm one who has never given up the fight even after W was "re-elected." Part of me thought, "On no, can the country stand four more years of HIM?" But another part of my brain replied, "Well, at least now we'll have plenty of time to see how all his fine-sounding talk of the first term proves out. He can't keep the wool pulled over so many eyes forever, and the truth will out."

I still think that way... and my faith is being rewarded. What I see happening now is W learning to dance as fast as he can....... :evilgrin: :nopity:

[tishaLA]

46. Welcome to DU vickitulsa

Don't worry about being a newbie. People who have been here for a while know they aren't supposed to demonize others because they are newbies, either, but they are often unable to resist for some reason. If it happens again, just alert on the post: it's against the rules.

[vickitulsa]

51. Thanks Tisha, no prob.

I've grown a thick enough skin over the years and don't take stuff personal ... doesn't pay to do that, ya just stay upset all the time if ya do! :)

This really is a great forum ... wish I'd found it a long time ago.

I'm not new at online discussion groups, just new to DU. I know I've found a good place when I can't tear myself away to take care of business! :thumbsup: :dilemma: :applause:

[itcfish]

22. Jerry is NOT

a NYer, Imus does the samething. Well I guess you could feel out of place.

[jzodda]

45. Todays Yankee Cheering is b/c we are in 1st place baby!

[La Coliniere]

49. Better than being a little bit too Wichita-centric

don't ya think? (sorry Kansas Dems)
Remember just 18 months ago how we bemoaned the fact that we didn't have a national media outlet for our voice in the public discourse? Now we do and I for one am profoundly glad that AAR became a reality. I'm also glad that there is a tremendous amount of diversity in the broadcasting styles and personalities of the program hosts. Although there is that diversity, there seems to be a unified voice in their airing of many concerns like Plamegate and DSM. Haven't we been saying we need a unified front? Jerry, Al, Randi, Sam, Jeanine, Mike, Bobby, Laura etc. have all earned my respect. They all contribute in a different fashion to the cause IMHO.

[vickitulsa]

52. Too funny--

"Wichita-centric"! I love it.

Or "Tulsa-centric" ... just doesn't quite work.

I am a little bit familiar with Wichita, btw ... nice town from what I recall. Spent a spring break there with a friend way back in the day, when we were genuine hippies. :hippie:

I can see there are a lot more voices on AAR I need to check into. I'll do that -- but first I gotta walk my dogs. And water the plants. Some things just won't wait for me to get away from my ##!$% computer!

:rofl:

Cheers, everyone!

[hiphopnation]

53. Love the NYC-ness of it.

But I guess that's because I love everything about NYC and always want to hear what's going on there. :shrug:

[Kitka]

56. Well..... er, that's where they are.

so that's likely where they'll do their promos. Not sure why that's so hard to understand.