Al Franken is AWOL

[earthside]

The "Al Franken Show" on Air America today is a 'best of'....

So much happened this weekend and his show is not there.

Here's the comment I sent to Air America from their web site:

"CLICK!!!!

That was the sound of my radio being turned off.

It's Monday, July 25, 2005, and you're running a 'best of' show for Franken??!!

Are you nuts?

This is the biggest mistake Air America is making and it could be costly ... stale current events shows will not keep their audience. I just do not understand why Franken cannot have a guest host ... there is so much to talk about today and you are AWOL."

[iconoclastNYC]

1. Excellent point.

Al probably thinks nobody can fill his shoes.

[iconoclastNYC]

3. I think they should have Maddeux fill in

She was so goood with Lampfer on election day. Rachel is a treasure.

[JHB]

32. Rachel needs to sleep sometime

From what I caught on a recent "Morning Sedition", Rachel's schedule is such that the daytime is when she gets a chance to sleep.

[NYCGirl]

35. And she's also working on the Tucker Carlson MSNBC show.

Along with writing her own show. Must be a killing schedule.

[warrens]

68. Not for long

That show is history.

[Rosco T.]

81. Link for Tucker being history??? n/m

[jillan]

77. I'm a huge Rachel fan also

Unfiltered was the best show in aar, and I will never understand why it was cancelled, esp for Springer.

Rachel is sooo professional. She is factual. She is not screaming or spewing. She is exactly the type of left wing commentator we need.

[MattNC]

5. funny you should say that...

Randi Rhodes' producer basically said the reason Randi has so many "best of" shows - with the exception of Sam Seder occasionally filling in - is they essentially don't trust anyone else to run the show.

[Horse with no Name]

21. It's not a "trust" issue

It is a survival issue.
They don't want anyone substituting for them and getting higher ratings than them.
Radio is all about ratings...those who have them, work. Those that lose them...don't.

[shelley806]

45. Randi Rhodes is too rude, IMHO...like an Ann Coulter of the left...n/t

[K-W]

47. That comparison is rediculous.

Ann Coulter isnt bad because of her attitude, she is bad because she is a malicious liar.

If you dont like Randi's style, dont listen. We all have different tastes, but to compare her to Coulter is silly.

[shelley806]

61. Point well taken...not a liar, but rude IMO....n/t

[driver8]

86. Randi is the best!! She calls "bullshit" what it is..."Bullshit!"

She doesn't put up with lies, stupidity, ignorance...she does her homework and is passionate about our government. She doesn't spew hateful propoganda and slurs like that bitch Coulter.

Randi is a little "brash" -- that is true. That is her style and I love it!! I wish there were more like her...

[MattNC]

2. it's that way all week n/t

[SouthernDem2004]

4. AA seems to always be playing best of shows. Their talent does not work

much...

It has gotten me out of the habit of listening.

[Skidmore]

7. Me, too. Constant reruns and the addition of

Jerry Springer has gotten me to logging on anything C-SPAN again.

[Horse with no Name]

6. Great point

It seems one or the other of them is always gone when something is breaking.
Almost makes you think that "some" of them don't wanna get involved in some of these stories.
Cripes..even Johnny Carson had a guest host on an entertainment variety show...and on a show where current events and politics are the main course..old news doesn't cut it.

[dhinojosa]

8. What's Air America?

I heard something about them before....I have no idea what it is. I check my Sirius radio for something called that but it isn't there. hmmmmmm. No not there, not there either. Oh well, can't be that important.

[Freddie Stubbs]

9. God forbid that mad should schedule a vacation

[MattNC]

11. he just took one about two weeks ago n/t

[devinsgram]

53. Jeanene is another one who is never there.

But that's ok, I like Sam better without her. He takes calls and some are doozies.

[peacetalksforall]

10. Go to the Air America website and click on Find Stations...

you may be able to connect through Houston or Portland or some other city = from the beginning if they repeat it at a different time.

Bill Clinton is on with Joe Consaon and Katherine.

[wndycty]

12. Oh please. . .

. . .is Al not allowed to go on vacation and since when did you become a program director and expect him to have a fill in host instead of best of? Give me a break. As long as Patrick Fitzgerald does his job I can care less that there is not a fill in host.

[K-W]

23. "since when did you become a programe director"

Now we arent allowed to have opinions about the radio content we support?

The best of shows are useless. It is a current events show, it needs to have original content and the idea that there isnt someone out there who can sub for Al Franken is rediculous.

[immoderate]

41. Total agreement.

Not only that, there must be new talent that would kill to get that opportunity.

OTH, staff needs time off too.

--IMM

[driver8]

87. time off is necessary for all...but those "best of" shows are like

tits on a bull...totally useless.

Get some fill ins, please! We had Johnny Wendell filling in for Al Franken here in Los Angeles. Johnny Wendell is awesome...and hates the administration as much as anyone.

[LittleClarkie]

83. Is Fitzgerald doing radio now too?

What does that have to do with AAR and whether or not they seem to have reruns quite alot.

[NYCGirl]

13. It is summer. Radio listenership (and TV viewership too) is way down.

That's why people take vacations.

Springer was live from London, and I believe Randi's show is live too. Those things will be talked about.

[K-W]

24. All the more reason to put on sub hosts.

What better time to try out some other talents.

[NYCGirl]

25. Except that I listen to the Al Franken Show to hear Al Franken. NT

[K-W]

28. So youd rather hear week old content from Al,

Than someone discussing what is going on right now?

Fair enough, but couldnt you just listen to archives while a sub host provided up to date content for the rest of us?

[NYCGirl]

29. As I said upstream, I listen to the Al Franken Show to hear Al Franken.

I enjoyed when Conason subbed with Katherine a while back, but was pleased when Al returned.

[K-W]

36. I cant imagine many listeners would agree.

I think most people would prefer relevent content to old Franken for the sake of Franken. I like him alot, but I dont want to listen to reruns just to hear his voice.

[NYCGirl]

38. Then tune to something else for a while, or listen to music or whatever.

If you don't want to listen, you don't have to. A lot of listeners/viewers tune out in the summer, which is what I said upstream.

[K-W]

40. Why dont YOU tune to something else.

Why should I be deprived of up to date progressive talk because you want to hear Franken's voice even when he isnt around.

[NYCGirl]

42. Well, I'm listening to it because that's what AAR is playing...

I listen in the office and am often in and out, so I can pick up what I've missed.

[K-W]

44. It seems like a pretty amazing waste of airtime to me.

If you want to catch something you missed there are archives.

Basically the only people served by the current method are the most hardcore Franken fans. Which is fine, but I dont think its a very good way to run a radio station.

Most people want to hear up to date content.

[HootieMcBoob]

75. I agree with you KW

And I'm a big AAR fan. Whenever there's a best of show I just turn it off. It's old news to me. It's great when Sam Seder is on in place of Randi and it was great when Thom Hartman sat in for her. I like Randi but I don't want to listen to a show from last week.

No one is saying that Franken shouldn't take days off but they should have a replacement. It's a stupid business decision. Very few people want to listen to shows from a week or two ago.

Listen up AAR! Stop running repeats of old shows when the hosts are out! Get replacement hosts!

[nadinbrzezinski]

43. Reality is that these the best of.. are leading to

less and less listeners... they truly need to look at the competition, as much as I hate to say it, rush does not do best of rush... and there is a reason for that... he knows the sheeple will not stand for it

Well we are not the sheeple, but a rerun on Thanksgiving day, Ok I can dig that, a rerun on new years, sure, a rerun on christmas day, of course... any other day, either live (insert host here) or sub host

[K-W]

46. Indeed, experienced talk radio people know better than to do reruns. nt

[xxqqqzme]

48. I thought Conason was great

at least he didn't have a limpball listening friend reporting in 3 times a week. Conason has a great radio voice as well. But I listen 2 Hartman now.

[NYCGirl]

62. I agree, but he's not as funny as Al.

And I like Hartmann, too. But I like my politics with comedy during the afternoon.

[IndyOp]

72. One of the best Conason moments was when Al's limpball

friend called in and Joe had a conversation with him instead of doing what Al does - verbally 'rolling his eyes' and repeating the point he (Al) wanted to make over and over again. Conason actually had Al's limpball friend saying, "Oh, well, I will have to go think about that."

I like Al - a lot. I am frustrated by him being AWOL. His last absence was so he and Frannie could go to Minnesota to buy a house to establish residency so that he can run for Congress.

I would like to see all of the AAR personalities find guest hosts. If a guest host doesn't meet standards, then they need not have them back.

I know that the budget for AAR is still not very high, but it is getting enough attention that guest hosts would be willing to fill in for low pay just to build name recognition.

[Catshrink]

51. They need to give Guy James a shot.

Trying him out as a substitute host would be ideal.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. I have not listened to franken in months

because of that

[NYCGirl]

16. Huuh?

Because of reruns? Do you watch any TV? 60 Minutes reruns in the summer.

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. Actually I don't watch TV either

your point? And this is a current affairs program, not working girls, COPS or Law and Order. If they cannot get a guest host, Hartmann for me thank you. The only way I listen to Franken is if I am in the car, and have no choice... if and when I get a satellite radio I am considereing Sirius for AAR has way too many reruns

[NYCGirl]

27. I don't understand you reasoning to give up completely

on a show because it has reruns. Doesn't Hartmann take vacations from time to time?

[nadinbrzezinski]

30. I have yet to hear one repeat with Hartmann, except for christmas

and new years....

He is there.

By the way, if you want to listen to reruns go for it. Personally I don't...

[Eric J in MN]

91. I turned it off. They should ask Joe Conason to guest host.

They've done it before.

[Beelzebud]

15. Agreed. Franken, Rhodes, Garofalo = Bad work ethics.

It seems like every other week, one of them takes off.

They need to get guest hosts, I do not want to listen to Friday's news all day on Monday...

At least Malloy is live. He's my favorite anyway.

[NYCGirl]

17. I don't see those shows as NEWS shows...

the news is at the top of the hour. I see them as commentary shows.

[jean]

22. Franken is there for the most part - he did take a week vacation

a few weeks ago and did best-of's all week. Luckily, he has a wealth of excellent stuff to draw from.

I hope everything is okay with Al - he's our happy warrior on the radio.

[Greyhound]

71. Franken, Garofalo have real careers already, probably need the time to...

work. I agree there should be subs tho.

[corker]

18. Tom Hartmann

is great, I listen to him when AAR is repeat...

[seafan]

50. Yes, indeed. Hartmann when others are on vacation.

http://www.thomhartmann.com/showlisten.shtml

I agree that Franken, etc, need to assign guest hosts to keep on top of everything that is going down. So much is breaking at any given moment with these criminals, that people out in America NEED TO HEAR ABOUT IT. In real time. As is happens.

Franken trusts Joe Conason, for starters.

In my opinion, this is a monumental mistake Franken is making. He will lose listeners as they go to other programs whose hosts care enough to stay on top of the news that's raining down on us every single day.

[NewJeffCT]

19. agreed - we need guest hosts

Air America isn't Howard Stern where it does not need timeliness. How about Joe Conason, as he does well on Franken? Somebody from the Center for American Progress? Katrina Vanden Heuval (sp?)... Colin McEnroe from my neck of the woods.

There are plenty of folks out there to fill in.

[Connie_Corleone]

20. Didn't they just come back from vacation?

I wish they would just get someone to fill in for the week.

[annabanana]

31. hey, yeah... lets kill off the only "liberal media" we have..

Has anybody found a good, progressive, national, alternative?

[nadinbrzezinski]

34. This is an AAR problem

they need subs, period

[Catshrink]

55. Guy James ~ Guy James ~ Guy James

He should be on AAR, not Springer.

[Beelzebud]

37. Running repeats instead of having guest hosts is going to kill it. Not us

[nadinbrzezinski]

39. Correct, that is what is donig the damage, not us

[Pacifist Patriot]

79. Suggesting an alternative programming decision isn't exactly

killing off AAR.

[K-W]

80. I found an alternative, AAR with Subs. EOM

[newportdadde]

33. The hosts of AAR take almost as much vacation as *

[eleny]

49. I decided to listen to Ray Talafierro's archive from 1AM this morning

Since he's on all night from 1 to 5 Pacific time, he's timely. Only thing is that I need to listen streaming on the net. But Ray is a great and no holds barred speaker.
http://www.kgoam810.com/listingsEntry.asp?ID=263588&PT=Archives

[nadinbrzezinski]

52. Yep Ray is great

[KittyWampus]

54. Love AAR, But Have To Side W/ Those Agitating For Subs.

there's no excuse for a week off and then another week off with reruns.

Political events need to be current.

And Al isn't that funny the first time around.

[theboss]

56. He should never take a week off?

I don't understand why Air America does not use guest hosts though. A comedy show like Stern's can get away with a "Best of." Political and sports shows have to be fresh.

[Beelzebud]

57. He took a week off the week before last! Thats why he needs a sub!

[realFedUp]

58. Johnny Wendell is on live in place of Al this week in Los Angeles

he's fired up.

http://www.progressivetalk1150.com/schedule.html

[tishaLA]

60. I despise Johnny Wendell

I'd rather listen to KABC--almost.

[realFedUp]

63. wow...you must really hate him.

haven't listened to kabc since forever.

Wendell's progressive talk radio...a little
heated but aren't we all. I like that he
knows LA and CA issues, instead of everything
always coming out of the East coast.

[tishaLA]

69. I don't mind that he's "heated"

It's that his "heat" seems like just a posture to me; it lacks authenticity. I have never heard him have an original idea about anything...But I got really pissed off last week on the day chimpy announced the Roberts nomination. Wendell was in for Majority Report and he said Sam and Janneane were "on vacation," even though that just wasn't true.

He's a perfect Clear Channel "progressive." Willing to lie for no reason.

[realFedUp]

70. I guess I have a different POV of him

his info seems factual to me.

[earthside]

59. Art Bell

Correct me if I'm wrong ....

I seem to remember that several years ago, when Art Bell was having all his legal and back problems, that Coast-to-Coast started having a lot of 'best of' shows.

And even a popular, non-current events/non-controversial program like that started to suffer from a notable drop in ratings.

Air America is ALL about what is happening now. Repeat shows are just the opposite of why folks tune-in. Some people have said that Franken deserves a vacation ... well, of course, but a guest host keeps the audience listening. Some one said that they didn't see the Franken show as "news" ... true, but it is the analysis and opinion about the latest events that progressives so much want to hear.

By contrast, I notice that Ed Schultz does have guest hosts when he takes time off ... and his show is growing and growing.

Finally, I don't want to believe that Al Franken thinks that no one can fill his shoes ... it sure seems to me that NOT having replacement hosts actually shows a kind of insecurity and lack of confidence.

I hope other folks are e-mailing Air America about this ... I love liberal/progressive talk radio and I want it to succeed!

[Beelzebud]

64. True, Art Bell had 500 affiliates, but after the back problems

it was reduced to a little over 200. Still a big audience, but much less than it once was. A month of re-runs will do that. Not to mention George Noory is NO Art Bell.

Art's absence started the decline. Noory killed it off for good, IMO.

[nadinbrzezinski]

65. Yuo raised the issue with eddie

well I remember ONE best of Eddie.. with Al it is almost every other week

[eleny]

66. And if Al is going to run for office....

...now might be a good time to start trying out guest hosts.

There are some regular guests that he has who I'd also like to hear host a few times. People like David Brock and Joe Conason would be a treat. I'd also like to hear some lengthy interviews like the ones he has with Tom Oliphant. Tom has such good contacts and insight into issues. An hour of Oliphant would be great, IMO.

[womanofthehills]

74. Al off on monday

I think Randy and Sam are the best prepared and totally on top of the news. When Al is not there I switch over to Big Eddie. I'm really waiting to see what Randy is going to say today.She always puts everything in such perspective - I LOVE HER. However, now that she is not on Sirius I have to wait till 4 to get her on a local station of which I can only pick up a few hrs.

[Greyhound]

73. yeah, how about Al giving some of the struggling writers out there...

the chance to get some air-time, or at least a paycheck. Has he forgotten what it was like, being the day-laborers of the entertainment industry.

didn't know od was a word

[nadinbrzezinski]

67. Well I just sent AAR this

Enough is enough of best off... you people do NEED subs when your hosts take a week or two off... This is to the point that these days I listen to franken in the car mostly no choice. (Let me see, franken or hannity, or the less opresive Talk of the Nation) As I type this I am listening to Hartmann (you should consider him), on streaming, becuase I cannot take any more the best off.

Sincerely

[K8-EEE]

76. LA Station KTLK Has GREAT Local Show Johnny Wendell This Week

It's realy good!! If you can listen online, tune in. I'm really enjoying it!

[B Calm]

78. They could put Ski and Skinner or Guy James as a fill in, what

gives AA?

[Miss Chybil]

82. I HATE "Best of" shows on AAR.

It's old news... Hate it. Hate it. Hate it. I never listen to them.

[bvar22]

84. They should work out a deal with Werbe or Hartmann.

Replaying Werbe's Sunday Night Show on Monday would be Great.
Download Peter Werbe's "NightCall" from WhiteRose and give him a listen.

http://www.peterwerbe.com/



Thom Hartmann broadcasts during the same timeframe as Franken. He is also Superb. If you are tired of Franken, Listen to Hartman, especially on Friday "Brunch With Bernie".

http://www.thomhartmann.com/

[cascadiance]

85. AAR is becoming increasingly "Listen Radio" instead of "Talk Radio"...

Ever since the XM deal went down and we chopped out Sirius from airing 24x7 Air America content (live when possible), we now have:

1) built in delayed "listen radio" for Mike Malloy and Randi Rhodes.
2) Many affiliates I think are being told by Danny Goldberg that they should have "listen radio" replays instead of trying to air the show live (like they do here in San Diego airing Jerry Springer delayed instead of Mike Malloy live) and having all of a 14 hour block "listen radio" of delayed shows on KLSD except for a single hour of Mike Malloy's show at 9:00 PM.
3) Many hosts have gone on vacation a lot now (perhaps in protest, at least in some folks cases like Laura Flanders letting the Young Turks sub for her the last weekend of Sirius coverage it was I think). Can't really blame Malloy from taking his first week's show off. "Listen Radio" of repeats of his probably sounded like more people were tuning in and responding to him than the first week without *any* satellite radio listeners tuning in live and calling then.

Goldberg and Air America has to learn that if you really want their ratings to go up, you need to broadcast their slots live, so that you get more audience participation. Many listeners get tuned out with just a lecturer who doesn't have any callers because they aren't being aired live at the time they were doing their show.

Now it seems like the talent is saying that *they don't care* either, once they've been locked into their contracts that were signed before the XM exclusive content deal went down.

Ipods (or other MP3 players) and podcasting is sounding better each day. Certainly doesn't lose as much value to the "live" "listen radio" being broadcast now, and you get more choices of what you listen to with podcasting.

[neverforget]

88. Al had a 2 week vacation (i think it was 2 weeks) over the 4th of July.

Air America needs to have live hosts for when the original ones are on vacation. Listening to old news is boring. If listenership is to grow, they need to stay current. The same thing goes for the weekends. Who wants to listen to old news? The weekends would be a good time for other liberal radio people to get heard.

[Duer 157099]

89. I agree, I turn off the radio when I hear "best of"

and it makes me really mad for the reasons you mention -- there are important issues of the day to be discussed, just get a guest host to fill in.

[Vox_Reason]

90. I was also disappointed that today was a "best of Al" day

Smacking down Ed Klein? Wasn't that like a month ago? Granted, I only tuned in for a little while today, but there's definitely far more important stuff to be discussing at the moment than another Clinton hatchet job.

Bring on Stephanie Miller! Or Sirota, or Brock, or Conason, or...

I agree, current events shows need to be current.

[AndreaCG]

92. I loved hearing that smackdown again!

[byronius]

93. This thread is cracking me up.

Goddamn. Virtually the only point of light in the whole fucking universe, and nitpickers galore piling on. Programming suggestions are fine, and I have a million opinions of my own, but I gotta tell you, from the core -- Air America brings tears to my eyes. I get a swelling, powerful feeling in my soul everytime I hear it. Yeah, I turn off the 'best of' shows, unless it's Randi, because the very sound of her voice gives my soul sustenance. But then I turn it back on.
I recognize that the nature of the liberal is to pick apart and dutifully examine, whilst the nature of the criminal freak right wing is to blend into a homogenous mass. Winston Churchill identified it clearly -- the fascist machine with the short-term gain, the free minds with the eventual victory -- but, like, I dunno, man. I've never seen anything like Air America before, ever, in my whole life. Never never never never ever. It shines in the darkness. It is the Voice. It may yet rescue us. Can I get a witness?

[Mabus]

94. I can give you an "Amen"

I listen to the old shows. Sometimes the old shows remind me how much we knew when. It is one of the things that helps me keep my sanity. Besides, I would rather listen to a replay of anything on AAR than to watch the same redundant speculation on any of the networks.

[The Gunslinger]

95. I was thinking the same thing today.

He just had a vacation a couple of weeks ago full of best of shows. I'm already to the point of counting on the fact that his show will not be live and turn on Jim Rome at noon (its either that or Rush). Current event radio has to be current and guest hosts could only help to introduce fresh talent to the Air America staff.

[thespiritualzebra]

96. I agree, how about Oliphant, Conason etc. do 1 or 2 hours

With all the ads, they'd only have to do about 7 and a half minutes each to fill the 3 hours.

I like some best-ofs though.

Did I mention they have WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too many ads. I listen to the ad-less archives. Surely it reaches the point of diminishing returns having more than 3 breaks an hour?